A community outreach process is getting underway to discuss an initiative involving the U.S. Forest Service and Friends of the Columbia Gorge to plan and develop a trail connecting Mosier and The Dalles within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Claire Fernandez is project manager for the Forest Service. She says Friends of the Gorge has hired a team of consultants to initiate the outreach process, with online open houses and targeted meetings over the next several months. A website has been set up at mosiertothedallestrail.org.
CGCC Instructor Focus Of TD Art Center February Exhibit
The Dalles Art Center will celebrate a Columbia Gorge Community College instructor during its February exhibit. The work of longtime ceramics artist and educator Chris Bolton will be featured in Quin Quinquagenary: 55 Years of Playing With Dirt, opening on Thursday. The Dalles Art Center Executive Director Sally Johnson says his ceramic forms are functional, but he puts his own style into them. An opening reception is planned for Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with an Artist Talk with Bolton preceded by a reception hosted by CGCC President Kenneth Lawson scheduled for Friday, February 9 at 6 p.m. Information is available at thedallesartcenter.org.
Corry Introduces Bill To Help Cities & Counties Without Tax Increase
Washington 14th District State Rep. Chris Corry has filed a new bill he says would help cities and counties address revenue challenges without increasing taxes. Corry’s House Bill 2436 calls for the state tax to be reduced by 0.5% while allowing cities and counties the ability to raise their sales tax by 0.5% to get the revenue they need if they get voter approval. He says that under his bill the state takes less, and local jurisdictions can work with their constituents to keep that money local. Corry adds he is particularly concerned with Senate Bill 5770, a bill first introduced late last session, that would raise the more than 20-year-old 1% cap on the growth of state and local property taxes to 3%. It received a hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 18.
The Dalles Chamber Awards Banquet Rescheduled To February 29
The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce announced its 2024 Distinguished Citizens Awards Banquet will now take place on February 29. It had been scheduled for earlier this month, but was postponed due to the recent winter storms. All the original features of the banquet, including the awards ceremony, guest speakers, and entertainment, will take place as initially planned. The Chamber announced it has reopened table sponsorships and ticket sales. The deadline to secure tickets is February 22. They are available through thedalleschamber.com.
LINK To Increase Hood River Trips, Reduce Blue Route Frequency
The Link Public Transit in The Dalles will increase its trips to Hood River from four to five times per day on weekdays starting February 19. Stop times will be modified for connectivity improvement with regional transit providers. Frequent riders are encouraged to purchase a Gorge Transit Pass, which offers unlimited travel on fixed route service offered by The Link, Columbia Area Transit, Mt. Adams Transportation Services, and Skamania County Transit. To purchase a pass, visit gorgepass.com. Starting March 4, The Link will slightly reduce the frequency of the Blue Route in The Dalles to operate on a one-hour basis from 7:00am to 7:00pm on weekdays. That will allow the Link to increase its Dial-a-Ride service. The decision to increase Dial-a-Ride service was based on ridership data from the past year as well as current and future funding guidelines that direct the service to focus on the specific needs in Wasco County for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, and transportation for Students, the Elderly and Disabled, and Low-Income individuals who require door-to-door service. Updated printed brochures and an online version will be available a week prior to the effective date at www.mcedd.org/link.
Port Of Cascade Locks Seeks Bridge Upgrade Funding
When the short Oregon Legislative session gets underway next week, the Port of Cascade Locks will be seeking funding for upgrades to the 98-year-old Bridge of the Gods. It was built before modern seismic standards, the bridge is vulnerable to a large earthquake event and in need of a number of preservation upgrades. The Port of Cascade Locks has owned and operated the toll bridge since 1961 and is updating its 15-year maintenance plan. The Port has made a $6 million request to the Oregon Legislature to fund a set of seismic and preservation studies that will identify key upgrades and provide a roadmap for future improvements, including safer passage for bikes, pedestrians and horses. This funding will be considered by the Oregon Legislature next month when its short legislative session convenes on February 5. The request is in a standalone bill within the Joint Transportation Committee, called House Bill 4110. The port says it has also worked closely with Washington Representative Kevin Waters of Skamania County to explore funding opportunities from across the river, but due to cost overruns on large transportation projects around Washington, they don’t expect an opening for funding this year.
January 26-27 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Basketball
Putnam 53, Hood River Valley 47
The Dalles 72, Gladstone 57
Madras 67, The Dalles 57
Stevenson 61, LaCenter 48
Stevenson 71, Castle Rock 44
Seton Catholic 68, Columbia 61
Sherman 53, Trout Lake 21
Sherman 63, South Wasco 27
South Wasco 81, Klickitat-Glenwood 48
Horizon Christian 60, Ione-Arlington 40
Horizon Christian 71, Klickitat-Glenwood 58
Dufur 57, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 51
Dufur 55, Ione-Arlington 24
Condon 59, Lyle-Wishram 48
Condon 63, Trout Lake 46
Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 76, Lyle-Wishram 43
Cle Elum-Roslyn 66, Goldendale 58
Goldendale 70, White Swan 53
Girls Basketball
Putnam 56, Hood River Valley 42
The Dalles 59, Gladstone 45
Madras 46, The Dalles 40
Stevenson 50, Columbia 23
LaCenter 45, Stevenson 40
South Wasco 58, Bickleton 19
South Wasco 49, Sherman 43
Trout Lake 52, Sherman 21
Trout Lake 69, Condon 35
Ione-Arlington 53, Horizon Christian 6
Ione-Arlington 53, Dufur 20
Condon 50, Lyle-Wishram 17
Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 48, Lyle-Wishram 31
Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 56, Dufur 33
Cle Elum-Roslyn 56, Goldendale 22
White Swan 38, Goldendale 32
Boys Wrestling
Hood River Valley had four first place finishes on the way to winning the Bank of Eastern Oregon Invitational in Heppner. Conner Farlow, Jesus Ortega-Lara, Samuel Blosser, and Reese Reierson won their weight divisions for the Eagles.
Stevenson’s Kasen Polzel finished second at 150 pounds in the Joe Stewart Invitational at Putnam.
Girls Wrestling
HRV’s Natalia Solorio Campos was fourth at 190 pounds at the Hood River Valley Girls Tournament
Stevenson’s Cyera Collins took second at 115 pounds at the Joe Stewart Invitational at Putnam.
Hood River Valley’s Lars Welch and Thorsen Welch finished one-two in the boys’ race at a Mt. Hood League Slalom at Ski Bowl. Rowan Shuman of Trout Lake was third, and Cooper Klindt of The Dalles was fifth. In the girls’ race, Eliotte Walsh of HRV took second, and Kaiya Doty of The Dalles was eighth.
January 25 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Basketball
Stevenson 76, Columbia 49: Chris Blackledge scored 28 points and Kacen Bach 24 as the Bulldogs raced to an early lead and cruised to the win. Mason Hamilton led Columbia with 19 points.
Boys Swimming
Hood River Valley 96, Wilsonville 60
Girls Swimming
Hood River Valley 126, Wilsonville 29
Wrestling
Goldendale was dominant in winning the EWAC West title at the league tournament in Granger. The Timberwolves won in nine different weight classes on the way to easily outpacing runner-up White Swan.
Bridge Funds Moves Toward October 2029 Target Date
With Monday’s announcement of $200 million in federal funds for a new Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge, it sets the stage for a number of steps to be taken to move toward a goal of opening the bridge by October 2029. Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority Commissioner Mike Fox says they want to be able to start doing work in the Columbia River by late 2025 and early 2026. To get there, they are in the process of evaluating bids for the major design construction contract with the intent of awarding the contract by April 1. The federal funding announcement puts the bridge project at a little over 60 percent of the money needed, with more funding from the states of Oregon and Washington expected during the 2025 legislative session.
Report Of Threat Toward Student Leads To “Soft Lockdown”
Secondary schools in the White Salmon Valley School District were placed in a “soft lockdown” for a time Thursday morning after law enforcement received a report of a threat of harm directed toward a Henkle Middle School student. District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn said in a statement that the “soft lockdown” was put in place at 8 a.m. Thursday for Henkle, Columbia High School, and Wallace & Priscilla Stevenson Intermediate School, and was lifted three hours later. Polkinghorn says law enforcement made contact with the student and their family and determined that was safe to resume normal school operations and activities. Polkinghorn noted during a “soft lock-down” instruction continues in the classroom and students can move about the building, but no person may enter or leave.