Port of Hood River Executive Director Kevin Greenwood talked to the Hood River Urban Renewal Agency Board about the Port’s proposal to let the current Waterfront Urban Renewal District expire and have a smaller nine-acre district for Lot 1 along the Nichols Boat Basin. The acreage reduction would make it easier for the City to develop a Westside Urban Renewal District, while providing the Port the opportunity to generate tax increment financing for infrastructure and public amenities on Lot 1. But City Councilors on the URA board had plenty of questions, most notably whether there is a market for Lot 1 development, given the length of time it has gone undeveloped. The subject will continue to be discussed at the URA meeting on February 27.
MCCAC Director Says Motel Acquisition Can Drop Homelessness By 50%
Mid-Columbia Community Action Executive Director Kenny LaPoint believes their purchase of the Oregon Motor Motel in The Dalles can reduce homelessness in the region by 50 percent. Community Action last week announced the purchase of the facility to create 100 units of transitional housing for families and shelter. LaPoint says they are currently using hotels for transitional housing already, including the Oregon Motor Motel. The facility will be integrated with Community Action’s planned Navigation Center on West 7th in The Dalles, where groundbreaking is set for March 24.
Wasco County Budget Work To Start
Wasco County officials are beginning work on the budget for the 2023-24 Fiscal Year. County Commissioner Scott Hege says the County is on a good financial footing heading into this year’s budget work. He adds they are helped by the influx of funds from Google’s first data center coming on the tax rolls and new agreements moving forward. Hege noted the County budget committee will not meet until May, which is later than normal for Wasco County.
February 13 Prep Basketball Roundup
Boys Basketball
Wilsonville 58, Hood River Valley 41: HRV could not overcome a hot first quarter start by the Wildcats and a 25-point night for Kallen Gutridge. Sam Fauth scored 13 for HRV while Zak Poole tallied 11.
Girls Basketball
Madras 61, The Dalles 27
Wilsonville 82, Hood River Valley 32
Big Sky Conference Girls Basketball Tournament
Trout Lake 62, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 34: The Mustangs will be Ione-Arlington on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Sherman 67, Klickitat-Glenwood 43: The Huskies visit South Wasco on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
HR County Enters Budget Planning Process
Hood River County is entering into its planning process for the budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24. County Administrator Jeff Hecksel says the County is in a good fiscal position at this time with a local option levy approved nearly three years ago, pointing out that services funded by that measure are fully implemented. Hecksel adds that American Rescue Plan Act funds have been fully allocated, and some of those expenditures will be included in the new budget for one-time projects. He also notes the County has recently overhauled its compensation system, and that may impact the budget moving forward.
TD Community Action Team Gets Ready For March Trip To D.C.
The Dalles Community Action Team will make its semi-annual trip to Washington, D.C. in March to pitch federal officials on local projects. Port of The Dalles Executive Director Andrea Klaas says one of their tasks this time around will be talking with the offices of new Gorge representatives like Oregon’s Earl Blumenauer and Washington’s Dan Newhouse and Marie Glusenkamp Perez. Klaas says child care needs will be one of the issues they discuss with federal officials, along with agricultural technology, funding requests for acquiring more industrial land and a new youth sports complex, and rural broadband needs.
Mosbrucker Bill To Expand SCG Panel Approved In House
The Washington State House unanimously approved a bill by Goldendale Rep. Gina Mosbrucker that would provide more diversity among members of the Sentencing Guidelines Commission. Under current law, the SCG consists of 20 voting members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate for three-year terms. It also includes four legislators serving two-year terms as nonvoting members — one from each of the four caucuses in the Legislature. Under House Bill 1114, four new voting membership positions are added to the SGC to be appointed by the governor, representing the tribes, a representative of the state Supreme Court Minority and Justice Commission, a behavioral health professional with experience working in the criminal justice system, and a person from academia who is well-versed in sociology and/or criminology. The commission advises the governor and the Legislature on issues relating to adult and juvenile sentencing. The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration.
February 10-11 Prep Sports Roundup
Friday Schedule
Boys Basketball
LaSalle 55, Hood River Valley 35
Estacada 64, The Dalles 57
Dufur 61, Horizon Christian 34
Ione-Arlington 56, Sherman 48
Willamette Valley Christian 71, Sherman 51
South Wasco 78, Klickitat-Glenwood 40
Washington Class 2B District 5 Boys Basketball Tournament
Second Round: White Swan 63, Goldendale 56
Girls Basketball
The Dalles 40, Estacada 34
LaSalle 71, Hood River Valley 42
Horizon Christian 59, Dufur 25
Sherman 54, Ione-Arlington 36
South Wasco 73, Klickitat-Glenwood 47
Trout Lake 68, Lyle-Wishram 16
Southwest Washington Class 1A Girls Basketball Tournament
Second Round: Columbia 59, Elma 41: The Bruins play King’s Way Christian on Wednesday.
Washington Class 2B District 5 Girls Basketball Touranment
Second Round: Tri-Cities Prep 53, Goldendale 39
Swimming
Hood River Valley’s boys grabbed five entries to state and the Eagle girls scored four at the Northwest Oregon Conference Championships at Parkrose. The girls’ 200 yard freestyle relay team earned a first place finish.
Lydia DiGennaro of The Dalles won both the girls’ 50 and 100 freestyle at the Class 4A Special District 1 Championships at LaGrande. DiGennaro will be the top seed in both events at the state championships next week at the Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center. The Riverhawks’ Michael Cole won the boys’ 100 freestyle, earning one of the six state entries for The Dalles boys.
Boys Wrestling
Three Goldendale wrestlers earned spots in the state Mat Classic with placing finishes at the Washington Class 2B Region 2 Tournament at Highland. Matthew Gray, Storey Woodbury, and Raymond Holycross all advanced with fourth place finishes.
Columbia’s Sawyer Muehlbauer won the 170 pound title at the Southwest Washington Class 1A District Tournament at Castle Rock. The Bruins’ Joshua Steele also advanced to this coming weekend’s Mat Classic at the Tacoma Dome by finishing third at 170. Stevenson’s Solomon Mahoney, Kasen Polzel, and Gavin Gantner all advanced to state with top three finishes.
Girls Wrestling
Goldendale’s Madison Kiemele won the 130 pound weight class at the Washington Class 2B Region 3 Tournament at Warden. Jordan Kiemele and Kali Watson also advanced to state with top three finishes.
Sunday Schedule
Alpine Skiing
Hood River Valley’s Zoe Mortenson won the girls’ race at at Mt. Hood League Giant Slalom at Mt. Hood Meadows. Lucy Booth of The Dalles was second and Ella Smith of the Riverhawks was sixth. Rowan Shuman of Trout Lake won the boys’ race for a second straight week, while HRV’s Lars Welch took sixth and Cooper Klindt of The Dalles was eighth.
February 9 Prep Sports Roundup
Southwest Washington Class 1A Girls Basketball Tournament
First Round: Hoquiam 57, Columbia 44: The Bruins host Elma on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Washington Class 2B District 5 Girls Basketball Tournament
First Round: Warden 76, Goldendale 15: The Timberwolves visit Tri-Cities Prep on Saturday at 6 p.m.
HR School Board Approves Seeking Local Option Renewal
The City of The Dalles will take over the hospitality role for cruise ships docking in the City beginning in March. The contract was most recently was held by The Dalles Main Street. Before Main Street took on the shore side hospitality role, those duties were held by The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce. City Manager Matthew Klebes said the change was made due to the pause being taken by Main Street for its own reorganization, and the March 13th start of the cruise ship season. The Main Street Board voted to ask the City to take back the contract. The City of The Dalles will also continue to handle the reservations at the City Dock. The cruise lines’ hospitality coordinators and the docking coordinators will receive contact information from the City for all services beginning in March.