Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley called on Congress to take action to stop gun violence, in remarks on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Thursday.  They spoke one week after the shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg that claimed nine lives and injured nine others.  Wyden called the roll call of shootings in the U.S. far too long, and Congress needs to better to prevent more tragedies.  Wyden and Merkley are calling for closure of background check loopholes, improvement in the background check database, and making “straw purchasing” — in which one person buys a gun for someone else who is not legally allowed to have one — and gun trafficking federal crimes to give law enforcement the tools it needs to stop the flood of illegal weapons across state lines.

Cross Country Columbia had five of the top ten runners on the way to winning a Trico League boys’ cross country meet at home on Wednesday.  Colin Howe was the top Bruin finisher in second place.  Stevenson was fourth, topped by a ninth place finish for Zane Zapfe.  In the girls’ race, Columbia fielded an incomplete team, but the Bruins’ Haley Blair was first and Rachel Luther third.  Quincy Russell of Lyle-Wishram was tenth.  Kalama won the girls’ team competition.

White Salmon Mayor David Poucher says he is seeking re-election to finish some on-going projects.  He is running for a third four-year term in the November 3 election.  Poucher says he wants to continue work on securing White Salmon’s water future for the foreseeable future.  Poucher added the City needs to continue work on long-needed infrastructure repairs, citing the need to go out and find matching funds from state and federal sources to be able to make those happen.  Poucher is opposed by Councilor Bill Werst in the November election.

North Wasco County School District 21 announced Wednesday that The Dalles High School’s scheduled varsity football game on Saturday with Nyssa has been cancelled due to injuries paring down the number of players on the roster, and the fate of the squad’s final three games will be determined on a week to week basis.  In a written statement, district officials said the injury reports led them to cancel Saturday’s game with student safety in mind.  The school’s freshman/sophomore football team will continue with their schedule.  The Dalles High School athletic director Mike Somnis says they had decided going into the season they would not bring up freshmen to finish the season, as they have done in recent years.  Somnis says they are currently have nine varsity players on the injury list, adding they feel they need 20 on the roster to play safely.  He noted they are keeping the possibility of continuing the season going because there is a possibility that a majority of the injured varsity players could be back in two weeks, when they are scheduled to visit Pendleton.  In addition, Somnis says they have not had players quit, and they want to keep every opportunity for their 14 seniors to be able to get back on the field.

Wasco County Commissioners continue to gather information and ask questions as they grapple with whether to ask voters whether they want to opt-out of allowing marijuana production and dispensaries in unincorporated areas of the County.  A discussion during Wednesday’s commission meeting led to Commissioners asking staff to research more of the issues that may factor into a decision.  Commission Chair Scott Hege says they also continue to receive input from the public.  Hege noted the final decision would ultimately rest with the voters, as even if they don’t refer the issue to the ballot there could be a petition from the public to put it on the November 2016 ballot.

The Dalles City Council would like more information on potential firms to conduct the search for a new City Manager.  Councilors will get additional information from City Attorney Gene Parker at their regular meeting on Monday.  Mayor Steve Lawrence says the Council has already prepared a job profile and information on what the City is all about, and don’t want to be charged by a company that would do those things.  Lawrence added the hope is to get a new City Manager hired by the New Year.  Lawrence also said the Council has discussed forming a seven member search committee, including members from the general public, to sort through the applicants.

Voters in Klickitat County will be receiving their ballots soon for the 2015 general election…and it’s highlighted by a contested race for Mayor of White Salmon.  Current City Council member Bill Werst is challenging incumbent David Poucher, who is seeking a third term.  Werst says he’s seeking the position in part because he believes two terms as Mayor is enough for anyone.  But he quickly added his specific reasons are to enrich the lives of all White Salmon citizens through a vision that includes affordable housing, cost-effective management, and an intense push to get more of the community involved.  Werst puts setting the stage for developing a larger supply of affordable workforce housing and development of a new swimming pool among the items on the top of his priority list.

Volleyball Hood River Valley def. The Dalles 25-16, 17-25, 19-25, 25-15, 15-13:  The Eagles moved into a tie for first in the Columbia River Conference with the tight five-game win.  Both HRV and The Dalles are now 5-1 in Columbia River Conference play, and will meet again in two weeks in The Dalles. Dufur def. South Wasco 25-17, 28-26, 25-17 Sherman def. Horizon Christian 20-25, 20-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-7 Kalama def. Stevenson 25-12, 25-18, 25-11   Boys Soccer Hood River Valley 3, Hermiston 0:  The Eagles scored three times in the second half to pull away from the pesky Bulldogs and take sole possession of first place in the Columbia River Conference. The Dalles 2, Pendleton 0   Girls Soccer Hood River Valley 5, Hermiston 1:  The Eagles won their second straight CRC game with five different goal scorers.  Ami Santillan, Claire Davies, Sindy Magana, Cielo Rivera, and Kassidy Davidson all had goals for HRV. Pendleton 3, The Dalles 1 Kalama 4, Columbia 2:  The Chinooks scored four times in the second half to pull out the win. Seton Catholic 4, Stevenson 1 Naches Valley 10, Goldendale 2

The Dalles Main Street Program’s “Why Shop Downtown The Dalles” video project received an Excellence in Downtown Revitalization Award for the “Best Marketing Project” from Oregon Main Street Wednesday as the orgainzation’s conference got underway in The Dalles.   The “Why Shop Downtown The Dalles” video series was designed to showcase downtown businesses in short two to three minute video segments, and were filmed by volunteers using only a cellphone.  Current “editor in chief” Hanna Oliver became involved as a student at the Columbia Gorge Community College where she was taking a Marketing class.  Videos are posted on YouTube, the Main Street website, and Facebook.   The Dalles Main Street Executive Director Matthew Klebes says the videos have been very well received and there is now a waiting list, adding they plan to keep producing them until every downtown business has one.

The application for Google to build an over 254,000 square foot data storage facility in the Columbia Gorge Industrial Center has been filed with the City of The Dalles.  Design LLC has applied for the site plan review with The Dalles Planning Department.  Written comments will be accepted until October 19.  A decision on the site plan will be issued by the Planning Director.  Google negotiated a tax abatement agreement for the new facility, its third in The Dalles, with the City and Wasco County.  Those governments approved the agreement during the summer.