Washington Gorge Action Programs’ Pathways HealthConnect Program in Klickitat County continues to grow.  Program Director Abby Whalin says the program now has six community health workers to help guide over 80 clients not just navigate the health system, but other issues like paying for housing and food, transportation, utilities, and more.  WAGAP’s community health workers are geographically spread in Klickitat County, with some dedicated to serving tribal and indigenous community members, and others who are bilingual and serve the migrant farmworker population.  Information on the program is available in English at 509-261-1291 or in Spanish at 509-281-2331.

Wasco County, the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, and the Link Public Transit will present recommendations and future opportunities for public transportation in Wasco County through an on-line open house starting on Monday and continuing through April 8.  The website will include information, interactive maps, and a survey to provide feedback on the recommendations. The online open house link will be available through the Link’s website and Facebook page.  MCEDD will host an in-person evening event for the public to view maps and receive a web presentation from the transportation experts who prepared the Plan at the MCEDD/The Link Transit Center in The Dalles on April 5 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the presentation at 5:30.  To learn more about the Wasco County Transit Development Plan, visit mcedd.org.

The White Salmon City Council is taking applications to assume the position 1 Council seat formerly held by Ashley Post.  Applicants must be a registered voter of the City of White Salmon and a resident of the city for a period of at least one year preceding their appointment.   The letters must include a statement that the candidate is willing to serve the remainder of the position term which expires on December 31, 2023, name, physical and mailing addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail address, along with candidates’ signature and date of signing.  Send the letters to White Salmon’s Clerk Treasurer at P.O. Box 2139 in White Salmon, deliver them to City Hall or by e-mail to janb@ci.white-salmon.wa.us.  Candidates may include an optional separate page listing experience they feel is applicable to the position.  Contact White Salmon City Hall at 509-493-1133 Extension 205 if you have any questions.

NW Natural crews are expected to be working in The Dalles on Trevitt Street between West 10th and West 11th streets, and also on West 10th St. between Trevitt and Pentland, through April 15. Construction with flaggers directing traffic and street closures are anticipated Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sidewalk closures may be in effect along 10th St. between Trevitt St. and Pentland St. during this time. Proceed with caution in this area during these construction times and observe all temporary traffic control devices.

Baseball

North Medford 11, The Dalles 3

The Dalles 16, David Douglas 0:  The Riverhawks snap a four-game losing streak with their first win of the season at a tournament in Pendleton.

Columbia 5, Stevenson 4

  Softball

Forest Grove 4, Hood River Valley 1

Newberg 1, Hood River Valley 0

The Dalles 10, Reynolds 0

Columbia 19, Stevenson 0

  Boys Soccer

Columbia 9, Stevenson 0

  Boys Tennis

Goldendale 4, Toppenish 0

With the return of the Northwest Cherry Festival April 22-24, The Dalles Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says their biggest goal is for the Cherry Trail to become its biggest piece.  It’s a guided tour of local businesses providing specials during the festival, with guests receiving a passport to collect stamps along the trail to earn prizes.  Farquharson says the goal is to help the small businesses in The Dalles, and get visitors in to those businesses during the festival.  In addition, Farquharson says they will be arranging the schedule for entertainment on the main Cherry Festival stage to encourage people to go to local venues that have entertainment scheduled.

After successful legislative sessions for both receiving funding and approval of forming a bi-state commission for a new Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge, the next pressing step is to get a management contractor in place.  Port of Hood River Executive Director Michael McElwee says this would be a multi-disciplinary firm to act as a “department of replacement bridge” to coordinate financing, engineering, permitting, public outreach, and toll and revenue studies.  Also, McElwee says they need to get paperwork done with the states to access funds to begin engineering work for a new bridge.

Klickitat County has a new emergency notification system, but users of the previous system shouldn’t notice a difference.  Emergency Management Program Coordinator Frank Hewey says previously entered data has been downloaded into the new system and it has been tested to ensure it’s there.  Klickitat County residents who are not signed up for emergency notifications can do so by going to klickitatcounty.org and clicking on the emergency info tab.

No announcement yet on the selection for The Dalles City Manager, but Mayor Rich Mays says they expect that to happen sometime this week.  The selection was made in an executive session, and Mays says at this point it’s just a matter of finishing up a contract.  The Council and a separate community committee interviewed four candidates last week prior to the executive session where the selection was made.

Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped to 4% in February, from 4.2%, as revised, in January.  The Oregon Employment Department says the rate is now at its lowest level since prior to the pandemic-induced recession in March 2020 when it was 3.5%.  Department senior economic analyst Anna Johnson says the state saw stronger job gains in February.  In February, 59,000 Oregonians had been unemployed for less than six months, which was near the lowest number in two decades.  Meanwhile, 24,000 Oregonians had been unemployed for more than six months, as the number of long-term unemployed decreased rapidly since hitting a recent peak of 65,000 in April 2021