The Dalles City Council has decided not to implement a planned five percent increase of water rates set to go into effect in November.  Mayor Steve Lawrence says the City’s water revenues were about 135-thousand dollars higher than what was originally budgeted, noting the drought was a partial reason for that, with a spike in municipal water use.  Lawrence added they were also making changes to a list of planned capital improvements to the water system to remove projects that may not actually be needed, but emphasized replacement of the wooden Dog River water main remains a top priority.  A resolution passed in November 2014 scheduled a five percent increase in water rates every November through 2020, but the Council would review the need for the increase annually.  In other business, the Council approved going out for a state grant to pay for a study of housing needs in The Dalles.

The Hood River County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday evening on a proposed communications tower ordinance.  Community Development Director John Roberts says the ordinance focuses on three areas that the applicant must address:  demonstrate the need, why co-location on an existing tower is not possible, and proof of exploration of concealment technologies.  Roberts points out under federal law, the County can only regulate time, place, and manner of the placement of the towers.  Roberts noted the draft ordinance is modeled after a similar document in Washington County.  The Planning Commission hearing will begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Hood River County Administration Building.

Special District 6 Boys Soccer Semi-Final Horizon Christian 2, Damascus Christian 1:  Cody Lingel and Makoa Whitaker scored first half goals for the Hawks.  Horizon advances to the district championship game against C.S. Lewis on Friday at 8 p.m. at Salem Academy.

There will be intermittent closures of the Port of Hood River Interstate Bridge this (Tuesday) afternoon to accommodate surveys and inspections of the bridge’s lift span.  The Port announced this morning that bridge users should expect up to 20 minute delays between 12:30 and 4:00 this afternoon.  The inspections are to assess possible damage resulting from a suspected barge collision with the north lift span pier that occurred earlier this month.  The Port indicated favorable weather conditions today are expected to change tomorrow…and the work must be performed during daylight hours.  The bridge has been determined to be safe for vehicle crossings…but these inspections are to determine the safety of lifting the bridge’s lift span for marine vessels on the Columbia River.

Hood River City Councilors will be asked to answer two fundamental questions when the topic of housing comes back up again at a meeting in two weeks.  City Manager Steve Wheeler says the Council will be asked how they want to measure the progress being made toward generating more affordable housing in the City, and also define the vocabulary for short-term rentals.  Mayor Paul Blackburn says the City needs to measure progress on the affordable housing issue, but it will be a learning process to determine exactly how to do that.  Wheeler noted metrics for measurement will probably include land availability and the cost of rental housing in the City.  The topic will be discussed at the Council’s November 9 meeting.

Klickitat County Commissioners are in the midst of preparing the County budget for 2016.  Commission Chair Rex Johnston doesn’t expect much change in the coming year’s fiscal plan, with county revenues remaining fairly flat.  He added county departments have been presenting flat budgets to the Commission.  Johnston said one thing they are doing is continuing to replace reserve funds spent to complete the County’s emergency communications systems upgrades.  He says it’s important to keep the reserves they have maintained in recent years to be prepared for any unforeseen impacts on the County budget.

Cross Country Hood River Valley held off Hermiston to win the boys’ title and The Dalles nipped HRV in the girls’ race at the Columbia River Conference Cross Country Championships at Sorosis Park.  In the boys’ race, the Eagles’ Justin Crosswhite and Quinn Fetkenhour finished 1-2, while the Eagles claimed five of the top dozen places.  Jony Nelson of The Dalles qualified for next week’s state meet with a fourth place finish.  In the girls’ race, HRV claimed three of the first six places, but The Dalles had five of the top 16 to grab the win.  HRV’s Daisy Dolan finished second while Avery Cardosi of The Dalles was third.  Delaney Clem of Pendleton won the individual title.  Both HRV teams, The Dalles girls, and Nelson qualified for the Oregon Class 5-A Championships this coming Saturday in Eugene.   Volleyball Dufur and South Wasco both advanced to the Oregon Class 1-A volleyball playoffs with their finishes in the Big Sky Conference Tournament in The Dalles.  Dufur def. South Wasco in a semi-final match in five games, but the Redsides bounced back to win the third place match over Condon-Wheeler in five games to advance to state.  The Rangers lost a tightly contested five-game championship match to Ione to end up in second place.  Dufur will host Echo and South Wasco will go to Columbia Christian in the first round of the state 1-A playoffs on Wednesday.   Goldendale def. Cle Elum/Roslyn 25-15, 25-9, 25-11   Football Hermiston 36, Hood River Valley 28 Pendleton 49, The Dalles 20 Columbia 42, Seton Catholic 6 Castle Rock 42, Stevenson 6 Perrydale 52, Sherman 20 Dufur 50, Ione 14 Mitchell-Spray 36, South Wasco 0 Lyle-Wishram 28, Oakville 6 Goldendale 21, Naches Valley 14

The Wasco County Major Crimes Team is searching for a “person of interest” as they investigate the shooting death of a man whose body was found early Thursday morning in a trailer about 12 miles east of The Dalles.  According to the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the trailer at about 2:30 a.m. Thursday after receiving an emergency call about a man with what was described as a “long gun” inside the trailer without permission.  Upon arrival, deputies found a white male in approximately his mid-20’s dead from apparent gunshot wounds, and located a single weapon.  The victim’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, and a shooter has been identified but has not been named as the investigation is on-going.  No one has been arrested, and the Sheriff’s Office indicated all parties involved have been cooperative.  The Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating 24-year-old Corey James Widmer, who is described as a “person of interest” in the case, and is five-feet-nine inches tall, weighing 145 pounds.  Anyone who might have information about the incident or where Widmer is are asked to call the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at 541-506-2580.

The Oregon State Police are investigating the death of a man whose body was discovered Thursday afternoon along Interstate 84 about two miles east of The Dalles.  According to the OSP, Oregon Department of Transportation employees were doing maintenance work along I-84 near milepost 89 when they discovered the body about 75 feet from the highway in a wooded area.  OSP investigators identified the man as 25-year-old Jaeray C. Jackson of Goldendale, and said the body had been there for some time.  The initial investigation indicates Jackson’s injuries were self-inflicted.

Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue will hold a ribbon cutting of its renovated station 2 on Columbia View Heights Saturday morning.  District Chief Bob Palmer says the opening of the station brings with it a variety of advantages, including improved insurance service office (ISO) ratings for the district that can reduce fire insurance costs for residents, and better emergency response times.  He also says with the second station located in a neighborhood setting, the district will begin to ramp up its community risk reduction program.  The station will be rededicated to Doyle Buchanan, who the station was dedicated to when it was originally constructed by the Wasco Rural Fire Protection District.  The ribbon cutting will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the station on 525 Wasco Drive.