Wasco County is seeking applicants to serve on the Public Transportation Advisory Committee.  The Committee advises County Commissioners and Public Transportation providers such as The Link Public Transit.  The advisory committee considers how transportation funds should be spent and provides the governing body with information about their community’s special transportation needs, particularly related to how projects will benefit seniors and persons with disabilities.  The Advisory Committee strives to represent all members of the community but is particularly focused on those with greater transportation needs such as those who are older, low-income, living in small communities, living with a disability, or other user groups who may rely on public transportation.  Interested persons can visit wascocounty.gov and go to the administrative services page to download an application.

Baseball</p> Hood River Valley 12, Crook County 0: The Eagles scored nine runs in the fifth inning to stay unbeaten in the Intermountain Conference.  Ryles Buckley drove in four runs, while Mason Spellecy drove in a pair while also combining with Jordan Webber on a five-inning no-hitter.</p> Ridgeview 9, The Dalles 0:  Manatu Crichton-Tunai had a pair of hits for the Riverhawks.</p> Dufur sweeps Sherman 11-0 and 6-5</p> Goldendale splits with LaSalle (WA), winning the opener 7-6 but falling in the nightcap 7-4</p>   Softball</p> Ridgeview 7, The Dalles 1:  Zoe LeBreton had two hits for the Riverhawks.</p> Hood River Valley 4, Crook County 3:  Marina Castaneda hit a three-run homer in the third inning, while Grace Rowan pitched four innings of scoreless relief to help the Eagles snap a three-game losing streak.</p> Columbia sweeps Seton Catholic 21-1 and 16-4</p>   Track and Field</p> Six athletes won two events apiece in a meet involving eight area schools at Sid White Field.  In boys’ competition, Anthony Jara and Juan Diego Contreras of The Dalles and Aaron Smith of Lyle-Wishram won two events each.  The Dalles’ Ruby Jaimes Mora and Zoe Dunn, and Dufur’s Ashley Bailey each won a pair of events in the girls’ portion of the meet.</p>   Boys Tennis</p> Goldendale 5, Highland 0</p>   Girls Tennis</p> Highland 3, Goldendale 2</p>   Girls Lacrosse</p> Grant 26, Hood River Valley 11</p>

The Dalles City Council approved the Intergovernmental Agreement for disbursement of Community Service Fees from Google for construction of two data centers on former aluminum plant property.  It calls for each taxing district involved to receive a share of the fees in proportion to its share of tax collections.  The agreement provides for 30 percent to go to North Wasco County School District 21, which Mayor Rich Mays says would be worth about $500,000 annually to the district once the fees go into effect, which would be when the centers are built.  And Wasco County Administrative Services Director Matthew Klebes says because they are fee dollars rather than tax dollars, D-21 will receive the funds rather than having them end up in the state school funding formula.  Mays noted the negotiations between the taxing agencies was contentious, but he believes that everyone is ready to move forward.  A number of other agencies have approved the IGA, which will go to Business Oregon for approval.

The Hood River City Council heard a presentation on an Affordable Housing Strategy it is expected to approve in May.  It was developed by a community task force and includes eight different strategies to pursue including infrastructure subsidies, land banking, a non-profit tax exemption, direct project subsidies, housing rehabilitation and preservation, an affordable housing ordinance, establishing the Westside Urban Renewal District, and pursuing a general obligation bond for housing projects.  City Senior Planner Jennifer Kaden said the more resources available, the more the City can do.  The Council is expected to adopt the strategy by resolution on May 9.

The Dalles Beautification Committee gave a presentation to City Councilors outlining achievements so far, and asking for about $28,000 of additional funding in the next fiscal year to work to clean-up downtown.  They are looking to do work on trees in the downtown core and improve benches and waste receptacles, along with coordinating with the Main Street program and urban renewal.  Mayor Rich Mays supports the request, and hopes the municipal budget committee will do the same.  The municipal budget committee starts meeting will be this Monday evening.

Two people died in a structure fire over the weekend in Goldendale.  According to the Goldendale Fire Department, two bodies were found by crews battling the fire in the 200 block of West Darland Street on Saturday morning.  Crews had begun an offensive attack and attempted entry after being informed the residents of the structure were possibly still in the building, but rescue efforts were hindered due to the structure being fully involved.  The Goldendale Fire Department says an investigation is underway with the scene turned over to the Goldendale Police Department and support requested from additional agencies.  No additional details have been released.

An open house over the weekend to gather responses on different options for the Hood River Heights Streetscape plans on 12th and 13th Streets between Belmont and May generated plenty of interest.  City Manager Abigail Elder says between 150 to 200 people went through the Hood River Armory on Friday and another 50 on Saturday.  People reviewed three different models and indicated what they did and didn’t like about them.  Elder says they are sorting through the responses, but there were three general themes that came out:  parking concerns, traffic flow concerns, and hopes for a better biking and walking environment.  An online survey remains in place at cityofhoodriver.gov through May 13.  A recommended alternative is to be developed this summer.

With the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last week to reject Klickitat County’s appeal that the long-disputed Tract D, including Mt. Adams and the Glenwood Valley, should not be a part of the Yakama Reservation effectively ends nearly a century of dispute over the matter.  Klickitat County Commissioner Jacob Anderson says he wasn’t surprised by the decision, noting it does bring the final answer the County had been seeking.  Anderson says the result does not bring major changes, noting people don’t lose property rights and there are in-holdings on reservation lands throughout the country.  Anderson says the County and the Yakama Tribal Nation will need to work through some procedures, but he noted building permits will still go through the County.  Anderson also said interaction between County and tribal law enforcement agencies has been positive.

The Dalles Public Works will be conducting asphalt maintenance on 2nd Street in the downtown area, weather permitting, starting next Monday.  Work will progress from east to west, and is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays beginning May 2 and continuing through May 19.  Lane closures will be in effect on 2nd Street throughout the day.  Intersections will be partially closed all day in each work area and opened to all motor vehicle traffic at the end of the day.  Motor vehicles and bicyclists will be detoured to adjacent side streets.  While 2nd Street will remain open to traffic throughout the project, use of alternate routes is encouraged.  Pedestrian and sidewalk access to downtown businesses remain open through the duration of this work.  The purpose of this work is to repair wheel ruts in both lanes of travel on 2nd Street in the downtown area.  No parking will be allowed within the daily work areas due to heavy equipment use.

A Portland man was arrested in Hood River County Sunday afternoon after law enforcement was assisted by a theft victim’s mobile phone application that was tracking her stolen tablet.  According to Oregon State Police reports, the suspect was first contacted by a trooper in Mosier, and when he learned the trooper was investigating a theft at the Wahclella Falls trailhead he fled in a vehicle.  The trooper did not pursue, but the suspect was tracked to Morton Road near milepost 61 on westbound Interstate 84, where his vehicle became stuck.  Hood River County Sheriff’s Office aircraft assisted in locating the suspect hiding in trees and brush, and troopers took him into custody without incident.  Most of the stolen items were found in the vehicle.  48-year-old Chad Lawrence Daggy of Portland was lodged at NORCOR on charges of theft, attempt to elude, reckless driving, criminal trespass, and multiple warrants.  A passenger was interviewed and released.