Mid-Columbia Medical Center is conducting an online survey as it continues to explore potential strategic partnerships.  MCMC Business Development Director Travis Dray said they conducted some community and employee listening sessions to gather input, and this is another step in that effort.  The survey can be access from mcmc.net at its partnership evaluation page.  Dray says priorities in their partnership evaluation includes maintaining its local identity and an alignment with the culture of the facility.  He adds they will be receiving proposals from organizations interested in a partnership with MCMC on Friday, and then begin a due diligence process to narrow down the potential candidates, emphasizing staying independent is still an option.

The filing deadline for Oregon’s May 17 primary passed on Tuesday.  In Wasco County, incumbent Scott Hege will seek reelection to County Commission position 1 and is being challenged by Cynthia Bearss, while Phil Brady and Rod Runyon will seek position 3, which is being vacated by Kathy Schwartz.  In Hood River County, Ron Rivers and Jennifer Euwer will be the candidates for Commission Chair as Mike Oates had earlier announced he would not seek re-election.  Leti Valle Morelli and Kathleen Sanders will be the candidates in District 1 to succeed Karen Joplin, and Ed Weathers in the only person to file in District 3 for the seat currently held by Bob Benton.  In Oregon State Senate District 26, which now includes both Hood River and The Dalles, current District 59 Representative Daniel Bonham is joined by Steve Bates of Boring and Michael Nugent of Corbett in seeking the Republican nomination, while Raz Mason of The Dalles is the lone Democrat to file.  For Oregon State House District 52, which also now involves both Hood River and The Dalles, includes GOP candidates Jeff Helfrich of Hood River, James Born of Welches, and Britt Storkson of The Dalles, and Democrat Darcy Long of The Dalles.  

Gas prices continue to climb around the Northwest and the nation.  AAA says the price of regular gas in Oregon is at $4.662 per gallon today, up over seven cents from Tuesday, and in Washington it was $4.631, up by eight-and-a-half cents, and both are at all-time highs.  According to AAA figures, the average price in Wasco County is up a penny from Tuesday to $4.621, while in Sherman County it increased by a dime to $4.719 and in Hood River County it went up two-and-a-half cents, reaching $4.714.  In Washington, the average price for regular gas in Klickitat County is up by just under eight cents per gallon from Tuesday at $4.519, and in Skamania County it’s up by over 20 cents to $4.824.

An Underwood man was taken into custody by Hood River Police on charges related to the burglary of a business on 5^th and Sherman early Sunday morning.  According to a statement by Hood River Police, a Sherman Avenue resident reported someone had attempted to open the door to her business, and when officers arrived they found a broken window at a nearby business and the movement of a flashlight inside.  After officers announced their presence, the suspect began running, crashed through a large window, and jumped from a second story balcony before struggling with officers and being taken into custody.  26-year-old Levi Bell was booked and lodged at NORCOR on charges of burglary, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, and possession of burglary tools.  Hood River Police said one officer was injured while making the arrest.

Washington 14th District State Representative Gina Mosbrucker feels the legislative session that is wrapping up this week featured some good bipartisan bills that will help the state’s residents, but also there were some disappointments.  Mosbrucker thought there was progress in fixing police reform legislation from 2020.  However, Mosbrucker said she was disappointed that with a $15 billion budget surplus there was no significant tax relief moves made, and surprised no legislation to provide checks and balances for the Governor’s emergency powers was able to get to the House floor in spite of a desire to do so on both sides of the aisle.

Sturgeon retention will be closed in the John Day Pool, from John Day Dam upstream to McNary Dam, as of Thursday.  Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington made the decision because catches increased rapidly beginning late last week.  Due to the increased catch rate the 105 fish harvest guideline is projected to be met mid-week.  Therefore, the sturgeon retention will close tonight at 11:59 p.m.  Sturgeon retention currently remains open today and next Wednesday in the Bonneville Pool and Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays in The Dalles Pool until March 30.

Gas prices continue to climb around the Northwest and the nation.  AAA says the price of regular gas in Oregon was at $4.588 per gallon today, and in Washington it was $4.546, both all-time highs.  According to AAA figures, the average price in Wasco County is $4.611, while in Sherman County it is $4.619 and in Hood River County it has reached $4.69.  In Washington, the average price for regular gas in Klickitat County is $4.442 per gallon, and in Skamania County it’s $4.599.  President Joe Biden announced Tuesday the U.S. will ban all Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, but he acknowledged it will bring costs to Americans, particularly at the gas pump.  Even before the U.S. ban many Western energy companies had moved to cut ties with the Russia and limit imports.

The City of The Dalles Vision 2040 planning process will be the subject of a virtual community town hall on Wednesday evening.  It’s the latest step in developing a shared vision for The Dalles and putting together an actionable road map for getting there.  Mayor Rich Mays says this meeting builds on input they received from an opening community survey late last year.  Survey respondents centered their thoughts in six basic categories:  enhancing education, creating economic vitality, providing recreation and open space, improving governance and infrastructure, fostering cultural enrichment, and strengthening and sustaining community life.  The virtual town hall will be held on Zoom starting at 5:30 Wednesday afternoon, and sign-ups are available at thedalles.org.  

Washington Gorge Action Programs will hold a Wednesday evening community forum on a mobile food pantry it intends to start operating this summer.  WAGAP’s Leslie Naramore says they received a Washington Department of Agriculture grant to purchase a refrigerated truck that is being refurbished to allow it to deliver food on a periodic basis to smaller communities in Klickitat and Skamania counties. The community discussion on the mobile food pantry plan on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. at the Lyle Activity Center.  WAGAP will retain its permanent food bank locations in Bingen, Goldendale, Klickitat, and Stevenson.

Taxing districts involved in the Strategic Investment Program agreement with Google for the future building of a pair of data centers on former aluminum plant property will hold a second meeting Wednesday to try to determine a plan for distributing Community Service Fees that would be due upon construction.  Wasco County Commissioner Steve Kramer said he is hopeful a consensus will be reached, with a Business Oregon deadline to come up with one at the local level looming.  Wednesday’s meeting begins at 1 p.m. at Columbia Gorge Community College 2nd Floor Lecture Hall.