Mt. Hood Meadows ski area posted Monday that it suspended operations for the day due to high winds and icing. On its website, Meadows indicated it will announce updates for Tuesday operations. There is a winter storm warning in effect in the Cascades from 10 p.m. this evening to 10 a.m. Wednesday. Strong and gusty west winds are forecast in the mountains, up to 50 to 55 miles per hour from today through Tuesday afternoon. Those strong winds are also project for the Gorge for the next couple of days. The National Weather Service has issued wind advisories for the Eastern Columbia River Gorge and the Dufur, Moro, and Maupin areas from 6 p.m. this evening to 10 a.m. Tuesday.
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CGCC To Host Transfer Days On March 9
Columbia Gorge Community College will host Oregon Transfer Days 2023 on Thursday, March 9. Representatives from four-year colleges and universities will be on The Dalles campus of CGCC from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. that day. Oregon Transfer Days is an annual statewide tour of community colleges by university representatives—one of the best ways for students to get a look at 4-year schools where they can finish their degree. Students and their families will meet with admissions representatives from around the state and beyond. Over 15 institutions are slated to attend, with representatives showcasing what they have to offer for students who want to start at CGCC, or another Oregon community college, and transfer to complete a Bachelor’s degree. Students get the chance to talk directly with transfer counselors and admissions officers, learn about options they may not know existed as well as what requirements they need to fulfill first. Information about admissions, financial aid, and degree programs will be available, and students and parents will have an opportunity to ask questions.
February 17-18 Prep Sports Roundup
Swimming
Lydia DiGennaro of The Dalles earned two second place finishes at the Oregon Class 4A Championships at Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center. DiGennaro was second in both the girls’ 50 yard and 100 yard freestyle. The Riverhawks’ Michael Cole was second in the boys’ 100 free and fourth in the 50 free, and The Dalles boys’ 200 freestyle relay team had a fourth place finish.
Hood River Valley’s boys 200 freestyle relay team was third and the boys 400 freestyle relay squad was fourth in the Oregon Class 5A Championships at Tualatin Hills. HRV’s girls were fifth in the 200 freestyle relay and sixth in the 400 relay. The Eagles’ Caiden Titus was fifth in the boys’ 100 freestyle and Emma Titus sixth in the girls’ 100 free.
Wrestling
Goldendale was fourth in Class 1A/2A girls at the Mat Classic in Tacoma. Madison Kiemele was second for the Timberwolves at 135 pounds, while Jordan Kiemele was fourth at 125 and Kali Watson fourth at 130 pounds. Columbia’s Jessica Polkinghorn was fifth at 155 pounds.
In boys’ competition at the Mat Classic, Gavin Gartner of Stevenson was fourth in Class 1A 182 pounds, Sawyer Muehlbauer of Columbia fifth in Class 1A 170 pounds, and Goldendale’s Matthew Gray was fifth at 138 pounds in Class B.
Hood River Valley qualified five wrestlers to this coming weekend’s state tournament while finishing fifth at the Northwest Oregon Conference Championships in Canby. The Eagles had two district champions: Connor Farlow at 113 pounds and Carson Farlow at 132. Also qualifying for state with top four finishers were Kevin Castro at 152, Connor Tennant at 170, and Mason Steffers at 220. The state tournament will be at Portland Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The Dalles finished seventh at the Oregon Class 4A Special District 4 meet at Pendleton. Silas Parsons was the top Riverhawk finisher, taking fifth at 285 pounds.
Alpine Skiing
Emily Teets and Zoe Mortenson of Hood River Valley finished one-two in the girls’ race at a Mt. Hood League Slalom at Cooper Spur. Cooper Klindt of The Dalles finished third in the boys’ race.
Big Sky Conference Boys Basketball Tournament
Championship: South Wasco 59, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 57: South Wasco hosts Days Creek in the first round of the Oregon Class 1A playoffs on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Third Place: Ione-Arlington 41, Sherman 37: Sherman visits Nixyaawii in round one of the state playoffs on Wednesday.
Boys Basketball
Gladstone 53, The Dalles 46
Big Sky Conference Girls Basketball Tournament
Championship: Trout Lake 58, Sherman 39: Trout Lake hosts Union in round one of the Oregon Class 1A playoffs on Tuesday at 5 p.m., while Sherman will visit Prairie City on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Third Place: South Wasco 62, Ione-Arlington 38: South Wasco hosts Adrian in the first round of the state playoffs on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Southwest Washington Class 1A District Girls Basketball Tournament
Hoquiam 52, Columbia 44: Hoquiam grabs a berth in the state tournament with the victory.
Girls Basketball
Gladstone 59, The Dalles 45
Theft Leads To Drug Seizure
Law enforcement in Hood River seized stolen goods and quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl after responding to a retail theft at a business on Wasco Avenue late last week. According to a statement released by the Hood River Police Department on Thursday, officers last Friday stopped the suspect vehicle in the theft on Interstate 84. A search of the vehicle yielded nearly $2,000 of stolen merchandise, over three ounces of crystal methamphetamine, and over three ounces of suspected fentanyl, along with materials used in the delivery of illegal drugs. Three people in the vehicle were arrested for the theft.
February 17 Prep Basketball Roundup
Boys Basketball
Parkrose 80, Hood River Valley 54: The Broncos went on a 29-6 run in the second quarter to pull away and hand the Eagles their third straight loss, and put HRV a half-game back of Canby in the Northwest Oregon Conference playoff race. Ku’Varie Davis lead a quarter of Broncos in double figures with 17 points. Sam Fauth topped Hood River with 13.
Big Sky Conference Boys Basketball Tournament
Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 59, Sherman 51
South Wasco 63, Ione-Arlington 61
Girls Basketball
Hood River Valley 51, Parkrose 33
Wasco Commissioners Declare Homelessness State Of Emergency
Wasco County Commissioners have approved declaring a state of emergency in regards to homelessness in the County. Commissioner Scott Hege says the declaration was made to help make Wasco County eligible for state funds under Governor Tina Kotek’s emergency order. Mid-Columbia Community Action says Wasco County saw a 69 percent increase in homelessness between 2020 and 2022, going from 112 to 189 people experiencing the lack of a home. The organization adds there was a disproportionate impact on both Native and Latinx communities.
Klickitat County School Levies Passing; Stevenson Levy Now Passing
Both of the fiscal propositions offered by the White Salmon Valley School District were still being approved by wide margins after vote counts released Wednesday. The district’s three-year replacement educational programs and operations levy was being approved by 61 percent of voters, 1,338 to 834, while its capital levy for safety, technology, and infrastructure improvements was passing by a similar margin, 1,274 to 777. The Trout Lake School District’s three-year replacement enrichment levy was being approved 258 to 152, while a similar measure in the Lyle School District was also passing 386 to 347. And after trailing in initial counts, the Stevenson-Carson School District three-year enrichment levy was being approved after Wednesday’s results, with 946 voting yes and 904 voting no. Updated vote numbers in both Klickitat and Skamania counties will be released later today.
The Dalles Police To Take Input On Drone Policy On Tuesday
The Dalles Police Department will host a community listening session on Tuesday to discuss its draft policy for drone operations. Police Chief Tom Worthy says the draft policy calls for drones to be used by police only when there is a warrant, probable cause that a crime has been committed, as part of search and rescue activities, assisting in an emergency when there is an imminent threat to life and safety, crime scene reconstruction, and training. The listening session will be on Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at The Dalles-Wasco County Library.
Wasco County Commission Accepts Petition For Columbia RFD Dissolution
Wasco County Commissioners on Wednesday accepted a dissolution petition for the Columbia Rural Fire Protection District. The Petersburg Rangeland Fire Protection Association has been formed to take its place, which was encouraged by the Forest Service to better reflect the commitment to protect crops rather than structures. Don Tschida of the Oregon Department of Forestry says agreements are being put it place to help the new association to go forward. The proposed dissolution of the Columbia Rural Fire Protection District is to go to voters in May.
Kovarik Named New Pinchot Supervisor
The U.S. Forest Service has selected a new Forest Supervisor for the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Current Deputy Forest Supervisor Johanna Kovarik was chosen to lead the 1.32-million-acre forest by Pacific Northwest Regional Forester Glenn Casamassa. Kovarik will begin in her new role as Forest Supervisor on February 21, relieving interim Forest Supervisor Donna Mickley. Kovarik’s federal career began as an Interpretive Guide with the Student Conservation Association in the National Park Service. Her first permanent Forest Service job was on the Tongass National Forest. She joined the Gifford Pinchot National Forest’s leadership team as the interim Deputy Forest Supervisor in the fall of 2022. Forest Service officials say throughout Kovarik’s time in district and forest leadership positions she has focused on the interdependent relationships between National Forests and neighboring communities.