North Central Public Health District has received a $14,000 grant from the Greater Oregon Chapter of the March of Dimes to launch activities aimed at supporting women of reproductive age.  The district says it will work with medical providers in the area to support the project.  Risk factors that may affect a healthy pregnancy will be addressed and assistance offered to decrease them.  One example is in the area of smoking and pregnancy.  The district says statistics show 19-point-two percent of women in Wasco, Sherman, and Gilliam counties report using tobacco during pregnancy, higher than the state rate of 10-point-six percent.

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce will be offering its “Hospitality U” training courses the final two weeks of May.  Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson says the goal of the three sessions is to create a well-informed workforce that is knowledgeable about what to do, where to go, and how to have fun while visiting The Dalles.  One training session set for this week is full, and a second on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Cousins’ Country Inn only has a couple of vacancies left, but a third planned for May 28 at 6 p.m. at Griffith Motors has space remaining.  Call The Dalles Chamber at 541-296-2231 to sign up.

Columbia River Conference Boys:  Hood River Valley finished second behind host Hermiston and The Dalles was fourth.  Hood River Valley had three individual champions:  Wyatt Webber in the 100 meters, Patrick Crompton in the pole vault, and Sebastian Barajas in the discus, while winners for The Dalles were Zach Nerdin in the 300 meter hurdles and Lio Tunai in the shot put.  The Eagles have nine entries in next weekend’s Oregon Class 5A meet in Eugene, while the Eagle-Indians have two. Girls:  Hood River Valley finished second behind host Hermiston and The Dalles was fourth.  Jestena Mattson won both the 100 and 200 meters for HRV, with Grace Grim taking the 800 and 1500, Sascha Bockius the 3,000, and the Eagles also won both relays.  For The Dalles, Yasmin Hill won the pole vault and long jump while Katie Conklin took first in the triple jump.  HRV grabbed 11 state meet entries and The Dalles has five. Oregon Class 1-A Special District 3 Boys:  Sherman just held off Horizon Christian to win the league title.  Loreto Morelli of South Wasco won three events. Girls:  Condon-Wheeler outdistances Sherman for the team title.  Taylor Darden of Dufur won both the shot put and discus. Trico League at Stevenson Boys:  Woodland wins with Columbia third and Stevenson sixth.  Nathan Bell of Columbia won both hurdles races, the Bruins 4 by 400 meter relay team was victorious, and Stevenson’s Brandon Campbell took first in the pole vault. Girls:  Woodland took the title with Columbia second and Stevenson fifth.  The Bulldogs’ Madison McCrum was a triple winner, taking the pole vault, long jump, and triple jump.  Columbia received first place finishes from Claudia Cortez in the 1600 meters, Kirstin Hylton in the shot put, Lauren Thiesies in the high jump, and the four by 100 and 200 meter relay teams. SCAC West at Goldendale Boys: Zillah wins, Goldendale third…The Timberwolves’ Brian Golding wins the 110 and 300 meter hurdles, and Briley Cameron is first in the 200 meters. Girls:  Zillah wins, Goldendale fourth…Billie Jo Risheim wins the 300 meter hurdles for the Timberwolves. Greater Columbia League 1B at Bickleton Boys:  Lyle-Wishram wins, taking nine first place finishes, including a sweep by Gabe Montoya of the three throwing events. Girls:  Bickleton wins, holding off Lyle-Wisrham, with the Pirates’ Lindsay Brown winning four events.  Trout Lake won all three relays. Baseball Hood River Valley 11, The Dalles 7:  The Eagles used a seven-run third inning to grab the lead, and held on in the final Columbia River Conference game of the season for both teams.  Alix Jimenez had two hits and two runs batted in for the Eagles, who moved into a tie for third in the league with The Dalles.  Both teams will play Class 5-A play-in games on Friday. Sherman sweeps Pilot Rock 5-4 and 4-3. Weston Mc-Ewen sweeps Dufur 5-2 and 12-3 to win the Special District 6 title. Softball Hood River Valley 8, The Dalles 1:  The Eagles earned a share of the Columbia River Conference title with the win, and probably the second spot in the Oregon Class 5-A RPI rankings heading into the state playoffs beginning May 28.  Kayla Byers struck out 14 on the way to the win.  The Dalles will be on the road for a 5-A play-in game on Friday. Boys Soccer Southwest Washington District Class 1-A Third Place Game Columbia 6, LaCenter 2:  The Bruins grab the final district spot in the state tournament, and will meet University Prep of Seattle in a first round game. Oregon Class 5-A Special District 1 Tennis Scottie Ziegner of Hood River Valley finished fourth in boys’ singles to earn the only berth for area competitions at next week’s Oregon 5-A tournament in Portland. Oregon Class 4-A/3-A/2-A/1-A Special District 4 Tennis Meghan Belshe of Sherman finished third in girls’ singles to advance to the state tourney in Corvallis. Boys Lacrosse Central Catholic 10, Hood River Valley 8

State Street in Hood River from Front to 6th will remain closed this coming week for asphalt paving preparation and placement.  Work will begin Monday at 7 a.m. and continue through Friday at 7 p.m.  There will be no parking or traffic permitted as the paving progresses.  Delivery vehicles will be allowed when possible, but will not be permitted on the new asphalt until cooled to the point traffic will not damage it.  Those with questions should call project manager Gary Lindemyer at 541-387-5204.  In addition, there will be an informal meeting on the work schedule and parking plan for State Street this summer at Hood River City Hall Thursday at 8 a.m.

The historic Benson Bridge over Multnomah Falls and surrounding trails will reopen to the public on Memorial Day weekend.  The pedestrian bridge has been closed since January 9, when it was damaged by a large rock that fell from the surrounding cliffs.  Rock fall damage has been repaired, and the bridge built in 1914 was cleaned and given a new seal coat to prevent deterioration from the wet environment in the spray zone of the falls.  The Wahkeena to Multnomah Falls hiking loop will be passable upon the bridge reopening.  A reopening ceremony is planned for May 30 at 10 a.m.

The Oregon State Police and other law enforcement agencies in the state begin the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign this coming week.  A statewide observation survey from June 2013 found 98 percent of Oregon’s motoring public using safety belts, making Oregon one of the two highest belt use states in the country.   However, 61 of Oregon’s 198 occupant fatalities in 2012 were reportedly unrestrained.   During the campaign officers from Oregon law enforcement agencies will be focusing on safety belt use, including proper restraints for child passengers, use in pickup trucks, and use during nighttime travel.   The Oregon Department of Transportation provides grants for overtime safety belt enforcement campaigns

The Dalles Public Works has found a home on Wright Street in Ericksen’s Addition that is putting high levels of E. Coli into Mill Creek.  Earlier today, dye testing showed that wastewater from one home is going to both the City sanitary sewer and a “mystery pipe” that has been coming out in Mill Creek for a substantial period of time, indicating that the service line from the house to the City sewer main has failed.  City crews are scheduled to replace the sewer service from the main to the property line tomorrow as an emergency project.  After that replacement, additional dye testing will determine if repairs are needed on the private sewer line.  The “mystery pipe” is thought to be a drain from natural springs in Ericksen’s Addition.

A group of Oregon and Washington legislators will take a bus tour of the western part of the Gorge Friday as part of an effort by the Columbia Gorge Consortium to show common issues of the area.  The tour will go to Bingen Point, Hood River, Cascade Locks, and Stevenson before wrapping up at the Pioneer Center in White Salmon, highlighting housing, education, transportation, and infrastructure needs.  Dan Spatz of consortium member Columbia Gorge Community College says the most efficient way to deal with those issues is to work together across state lines.  The consortium is made up of CGCC, the Columbia River Gorge Commission, Mid-Columbia Council of Governments, Mid-Columbia Housing Authority, and Mid-Columbia Economic Development District.

The first Democrat has filed to run for the Washington 14th District State House seat being vacated by Charles Ross.  Paul George of Yakima has turned in his paperwork to officially begin his candidacy.  George is a former Yakima County Democratic chairman and county commission candidate, and is planning a news conference next week.  Three Republicans:  Ben Shoval and Adam Yoest of Yakima and Gina McCabe of Goldendale have filed to run for the seat.  Ross stepped aside to run for Yakima County Auditor.

The list of candidates filing to run in the August primary for elected positions in Klickitat and Skamania counties has grown in the last couple of days.  In Klickitat County, David Sauter has filed to retain his County Commission position and is being opposed by another Republican, Mike Richards.  Crista Schroder will challenge Darlene Johnson for assessor…while Marc Boardman has joined Bob Songer in seeking the sheriff’s job…and David Quesnel is the first to declare a candidacy for prosecuting attorney.  In Skamania County  Keith Chamberlain, Robert Waymire, and BreAnna Mendoza have all filed to run for the auditor’s position, and Ron Reynier seeks the District Court Judge seat.  Filing in Washington continues through Friday.