The Roy Webster Cross-Channel Swim, a Labor Day tradition in the Columbia River Gorge since the 1940’s, has been discontinued. The Hood River County Chamber of Commerce made the announcement this week to postpone the swim indefinitely, citing declining participation, logistical challenges that included discontinuation of the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler’s operations, and increasing issues with winds and wildfire smoke. The 2023 swim would have been the 80th year of the event, which was held in Hood River through 2018, then moved to Cascade Locks in 2019 and 2022, with the event canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. The loss of the Sternwheeler was a huge blow, as it was used to ferry participants to the Washington side of the river to jump in and swim back to the Oregon side. The event was named after Hood River Valley orchardist Roy Webster, an avid swimmer who started the tradition with his family in the 1940’s.
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Waters Introduces Bridge Of The Gods Legislation
Washington 17th District State Representative Kevin Waters is working on an agreement between Skamania County and the Port of Cascade Locks for a bridge authority for the Bridge of the Gods similar to that being put in place for the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge. Waters says he is seeking funds this session to help begin work on rehabilitation of the bridge. Waters hopes the state funding and establishment of a bridge authority can open the door to federal funds. Waters notes Bridge of the Gods is the only bridge on the Columbia River rated to be able to withstand a 9.0 magnitude earthquake.
HR Health Department Encouraging STI Testing
The Hood River County Health Department says it has seen a rise in sexually transmitted infections over the last several months. The department’s Daron Ryan says they are making a push for people to come to them to get tested for STI’s. The Hood River County Health Department offers STI testing and treatment on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Call the day you want to come in: 541-386-1115.
February 7 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Basketball
Hood River Valley 83, Milwaukie 75: Sam Fauth scored 28 points while Isaiah Poole tallied 15 and Ethan Rivera 14 as HRV led nearly the entire game to grab the win. Kaden Harris led Milwaukie with 28. The Eagles moved a game in front of Canby for the fourth spot in the Northwest Oregon Conference.
The Dalles 54, LaGrande 51: The Riverhawks held on for the road non-league win that could prove important to their state playoff possibilities.
South Wasco 78, Trout Lake 44: The Redsides clinched first place in the Big Sky Conference.
Horizon Christian 65, Lyle-Wishram 41
Dufur 65, Klickitat-Glenwood 41
Washington Class 2B District 5 First Round
Columbia (Burbank) 71, Goldendale 30: Goldendale will play at White Swan Friday at 6 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Hood River Valley 52, Milwaukie 44: Marina Castaneda scored 14 points, Megan Griggs 11, and Mallory McNerney 10 as the Eagles came from seven points down at halftime, limiting the Mustangs to six second half field goals.
LaGrande 32, The Dalles 18: The Riverhawks had only six players available for the road non-league contest.
South Wasco 53, Trout Lake 48: The Redsides clinched first place in the Big Sky Conference with the victory.
Horizon Christian 53, Lyle-Wishram 28
Klickitat-Glenwood 73, Dufur 32
Sherman 53, Bickleton 14
Hood River Sheriff’s Office Seeks Robbery Suspect
The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an armed robbery that took place on Friday at Marco Sports in the 1000 block of Highway 218. According to the Sheriff’s Office, witnesses reported a male subject had entered the business brandishing a handgun, ordering patrons and employees to the ground in fluent Spanish. The suspect left on foot southbound with cash that he had stolen from the business. No one was injured in the robbery. The suspect is described as a tall, large, Latino male, over 200 pounds, in his 20’s or 30’s, who spoke Spanish in a deep voice, with what witnesses believed may have been an accent from the State of Jalisco. He was wearing a black Nike hoodie pulled tightly around his face with a black and white bandana, black Nike pants, and black and white Nike shoes. The Sheriff’s Office is asking that anyone with information in this case contact the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 541-387-7077.
Food Bank Moves Into New Home
The Columbia Gorge Food Bank has settled into its new home at 3525 Crates Way in The Dalles. Construction of the Community Food Center began with the 2020 purchase of a shell of a warehouse that was renovated to be a state-of-the-art food bank that began to distribute food to the first of 46 community partners in the early days of this year. It includes over 1,000 square feet of refrigerated storage and more than 600 square feet of freezer space. Completing construction of the food bank’s offices, flex space, and learning kitchen will take place over the next few months. A grand opening for the center is expected to take place in early spring.
State Grant To Increase Naloxone Availability
YouthThink and a number of other organizations have received a state grant to make Naloxone more available in Wasco County. Naloxone is a medication used to reverse or reduce the effects of opioids. Law enforcement in Wasco County already carry Naloxone kits while on duty. YouthThink’s Debby Jones says they want make access to Naloxone easier. Jones says they hope to roll out the project in March. She adds partners in Wasco, Hood River, and Sherman counties are looking at doing a fentanyl awareness campaign to educate people about what that drug actually is, the dangers of it, and dispelling myths about it.
Parkdale Nursery Receives Grant For Tree Seedling Production
The Oregon Department of Forestry says Lava Nursery in Parkdale is one of 10 tree nurseries across the state receiving a total of over $4.4 million this year to help them increase their ability to produce badly needed seedlings. The seedlings are needed to help reforest millions of acres deforested in recent years by wildfire, disease and pests. The money was given to ODF after passage by the Oregon Legislature in 2021 of a bill was a response to the devastating 2020 wildfires which burned a million acres of forest. Lava Nursery received $458,000. Nurseries are using the funds to invest in everything from adding irrigation to building new greenhouses and seedbed space as well as storage facilities for storing seedling trees. To qualify for a grant, a nursery had to have experience growing high-quality commercial conifer trees for reforestation in Oregon, including Douglas-fir, grand fir, noble fir, western red cedar, ponderosa pine and others.
Harris Bill For Educator Reprimand Removal Passes House
The Washington State House on Monday unanimously passed legislation from 17th District Rep. Paul Harris that would give educators with a reprimand an opportunity for redemption. House Bill 1113 would require the Professional Educator Standards Board to adopt rules for reviewing and vacating reprimands issued to certificated professional educators that did not involve a student. Currently, there is no process in place to vacate a reprimand on an educator’s certificate. Harris noted the policy does would not include teachers with reprimands involving students, but educators with minor infractions would be given an opportunity to clear their record. HB 1113 would not require the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to notify eligible people, but it would direct the OSPI to report to the Legislature the number of people with a certificate or permit who have submitted a petition to have a reprimand vacated under the PESB rules. The OSPI would also be required to report the number of people who had a reprimand vacated under the PESB rules. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
Waters Introduces First Bill
Washington State 17th District Rep. Kevin Waters introduced his first bill as a freshman legislator, which would give many of Washington’s smaller businesses a boost in their hiring efforts. House Bill 1730 would allow, under specific and limited circumstances, youth between the ages of 18 to 21 to be employed in establishments traditionally classified as off-limits to persons under the age of 21. The Republican from Stevenson says the bill would make it legal for anyone at least 18-years-old to perform services unrelated to the sale or service of alcohol to enter and remain on premises, but only to carry out the duties of their employment as a dishwasher, cook, chef, sanitation specialist, or other kitchen staff. The individual could not perform any services or work in the bar, lounge, or dining area of the licensed premises, and a supervisor over the age of 21 must be present at all times. HB 1730 has been referred to the House Regulated Substance and Gaming Committee, and is scheduled for a hearing on Thursday.