The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office says it is suspending any further recovery efforts for the remainder of a vehicle investigators likely believe belong to a Portland family who disappeared in December of 1958. A portion of the vehicle was recovered from the Columbia River near Cascade Locks earlier this month after a private diver located it in a basin within the original lock system in Cascade Locks, upside down and buried nose first in 66 years of packed sediment and rock, about fifty feet below the surface. Only the chassis and engine of the vehicle were recovered from the riverbed. The Sheriff’s Office says the Martin family had a 1954 Ford 4-door station wagon, cream in color and red trim. After comparing serial numbers with Ford Motor Company records, investigators believe what was recovered does match up with that type of vehicle, but they could not find a Vehicle Identification Number, which had just begun to be used in 1954, so they cannot say for sure it is the Martins’ car. The Sheriff’s Office says because of the difficulties in retrieving the chassis, the corroded condition it was in, and the sediment and rock encasing the rest of the car, it does not feel expending further time or resources on pulling out the remainder of the vehicle would be prudent, so it is suspending further recovery efforts.
March 24 Prep Sports Roundup
Baseball
Hood River Valley 7, North Eugene 4: Trevor Jacobs drove in the tie-breaking run in four-run seventh inning to lift the Eagles to the win. Bodie Stuben struck out five in two-and-two-thirds innings of relief to earn the victory on the mound.
Crater 6, Hood River Valley 3: The Comets scored five runs in the top of the seventh to hand HRV its first loss of the year.
Softball
Hood River Valley 28, McKay 0: Honey Bryan homered, doubled and drove in six runs as the Eagles accumulated nine extra base hits in three innings, and 20 hits in total.
Ridgeview 10, Hood River Valley 2: The Ravens scored in every inning to grab the win.
Boys Soccer
Columbia 3, Fort Vancouver 1
Stevenson 7, Onalaska 0
Proposed Child Care Facility Gets EPA Grant
The Columbia Gorge Education Service District and Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation have been selected to receive a $19.99 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Community Change Grant program to help create a new child care facility in The Dalles. The EPA says the proposed Columbia Gorge Early Learning and Resilience Center would be solar-powered and grid-islanded to reduce air pollution and provide the community with resilient power during what the agency termed “extreme climate events.” The Columbia Gorge Early Learning and Resilience Center will also include 2 new electric vehicle charging stations, a new bus stop, and air filtration systems. Additionally, the project will expand Columbia Gorge Community College’s successful career and technical education programs.
Sherman County Investigates Pickup Hitting Railroad Depot Building
The Sherman County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a pickup truck colliding with a building in Wasco. The Sheriff’s Office reports that on Sunday morning, a white Ford pickup crashed into the Wasco Railroad Depot. The Sheriff’s Office says the driver caused significant damage and fled the scene. If you have any details or home security footage, you are asked to contact Deputy Jacobsen at the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office at 541-384-2383.
Skamania County Sheriff’s Says Burglary Calls Up
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Department says it has responded to numerous calls of burglaries across the entire county in the past week, adding they have received requests for tips on how to help deter break-ins. One step is to make sure to have all your doors and windows locked, and if you do not have a lock on a door or window, think about getting something that can prevent it from opening. If you have outside lights or motion sensor lights, make sure they are on and work properly. Check security cameras if you have them and make sure they are working properly. Cameras can help identify the subject committing crimes by either video or pictures of the person or vehicle. Also, talking with your neighbors can also help as they may have seen someone or something suspicious as well. And of course, call 9-1-1 when a burglary occurs.
Port of Hood River Says Breeze-By Billing Issues Addressed
The Port of Hood River indicates it has cleared up most of the billing issues resulting from five weeks of Breeze-By transactions at the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge not reaching accounts due to a computer issue. Port Executive Director Kevin Greenwood says the problem stemmed from moving the connection between the bridge toll booth and those accounts from a hard-wired system to a cloud-based system. When the problem was discovered and the connection restored, Greenwood says five weeks worth of transactions flooded into people’s accounts at once. He said they extended payment timelines by 30 days. Greenwood says they were flooded with phone calls as people saw their accounts.
December 13-14 Prep Basketball Scoreboard
Boys Basketball
The Dalles 70, Corbett 57
The Dalles 71, Ontario 27
South Wasco 51, Falls City 16
Cove 54, South Wasco 50
Klickitat-Glenwood 48, Vernonia 44
Klickitat-Glenwood 50, Griswold 42
Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 52, Lyle-Wishram 26
Condon 71, Lyle-Wishram 62 (OT)
Dufur 42, Elgin 34
Dufur 42, Echo 40
Echo 73, Trout Lake 50
Union 51, Trout Lake-Glenwood 19
Grand View Christian Academy 47, Horizon Christian 28
Goldendale 56, LaGrande 52
Umatilla 73, Goldendale 56
Girls Basketball
Hood River Valley 52, Bend 47
The Dalles 52, Corbett 33
The Dalles 41, Heppner 35
South Wasco 58, Falls City 39
Southwest Christian 49, South Wasco 46
Elgin 37, Dufur 14
Echo 51, Dufur 20
Trout Lake-Glenwood 38, Echo 34
Union 48, Trout Lake-Glenwood 31
LaGrande 69, Goldendale 11
Boys Wrestling
Hood River Valley held off Tigard to win the Rick Sanders Classic at Portland’s Lincoln High School. Connor Farlow, JR Mendez, and Leyton Adams won their weight classes. The Dalles finished sixth with Alfred Brackenbury scoring a first place finish.
CGCC Receives Federal Money For Industrial Training Center
Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said this week that Columbia Gorge Community College has been tabbed as a new industrial training and assessment center, bringing with it $1.99 million of federal money to help the school develop a dedicated 3D printing training space, curriculum, and manufacturer assistance program. Wyden and Merkley say the center will serve as the Northern Oregon hub for hands-on learning opportunities for local students, union apprentices, and current manufacturing workers, while also identifying ways for small and medium-sized manufacturers to reduce their energy bills. CGCC Vice President of Instructional Services Dr. Jarett Gilbert says they will be collaborating with industry, workforce, and K-12 education partners to teach knowledge and skills to students. The money comes from the Energy Department as part of the Biden Administration’s “Investing in America” program to support small businesses and expand access to high quality jobs that don’t require a four-year degree.
Friends Of The Sunshine Club Raising Funds For New Building
A new non-profit organization put together to support Providence Hood River’s Sunshine Club is fund raising to get the dementia respite care facility a new building at the site of a former parsonage and office structure on the Spirit of Grace Church property on Tucker Road. Debby Chenoweth of Friends of the Sunshine Club says they are looking to raise $700,000 for a fully accessible permanent structure. Chenoweth says the need for dementia care options will be growing in Hood River County. The Sunshine Club is currently is operating in a portable classroom located behind Alliance Church on Rand Road. Chenoweth says they have raised $140,000 in the opening weeks of their campaign. To donate, write a check to Friends of the Sunshine Club at 1140 Tucker Road in Hood River.
December 12 Prep Basketball Scoreboard
Boys Basketball
Goldendale 62, Riverside 57
The Dalles 66, Heppner 40
Columbia 80, Corbett 59
Dufur 50, New Hope Christian 42
Pilot Rock 43, Trout Lake 35
Girls Basketball
Hood River Valley 45, Gresham 32
Corbett 59, Columbia 35
New Hope Christian 43, Dufur 7
Trout Lake-Glenwood 43, Pilot Rock 16
Goldendale 55, Riverside 38