A fundraising effort is underway to help two teams of high school students in The Dalles attend a robotics national championship competition in Council Bluffs, Iowa in late March.  It will cost an estimated $11,818 to get the teams System Overload and Irrelevant to the event.  Wasco County Extension STEM Outreach Program Coordinator Lu Seapy says the students have been working in robotics programs since middle school to get to this point, and they have a couple of fundraising efforts starting up, including doing yard work for donations and a Krispy Kreme donut fundraiser.  To help, go to either the Wasco County 4-H Oregon or The Dalles High School Robotics Facebook page.  

Oregon State 59th District Representative Daniel Bonham is once again championing Ezra’s Law, a bill to allow for sentencing to reflect the impacts of permanent injuries for victims.  The bill is named after Ezra Thomas, who was two years old when his mother’s boyfriend attacked him, causing debilitating injuries.  The man received a 12-year sentence.  The Ezra’s Law campaign has sought longer prison terms for an injury that “permanently and significantly impairs” the victim’s cognitive function, vision, hearing or ability to walk or breathe, eat or move their limbs.  Bonham says some language has been modified to allow for downward judicial discretion, and has also narrowed the definition of “permanently disabled.”

Boys Basketball

Castle Rock 63, Columbia 49

Onalaska 59, Stevenson 44

  Girls Basketball

Adna 73, Stevenson 17

Hood River County Commissioners approved a change in commissioner districts that will move Cascade Locks from District 1 with the Westside area to District 4 with Odell and Parkdale.  Commissioners made the decision in an effort to keep the population represented as balanced across the four districts as possible, while acknowledging the district change for Cascade Locks is not ideal.  Commission Chair Mike Oates says there was no good answer, and making no changes at all was not an option.  The change will be in place for the May election.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be bringing its mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic to The Dalles later in February.  North Central Public Health District Executive Director Shellie Campbell told Wasco County Commissioners that FEMA’s clinic will start February 21 and be open each day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for one week.  FEMA brings a self-contained operation to the area.  Campbell says they haven’t yet determined the location for the clinic, adding they intend to place it in a very visible spot in the community.

Washington 14th District State Representative Chris Corry’s bill to limit a governor’s emergency powers to 60 days got a hearing this week from the House State Government and Tribal Relations Committee.  The bill would require a Legislative vote or approval from the majority and minority leaders of both legislative chambers to extend emergency declarations.  There are other proposals from legislators from both parties also being considered with different timelines and standards.  Corry says a compromise has to be reached for any change to gubernatorial emergency powers to occur, and it needs broad support to be veto-proof.  He does not think Governor Jay Inslee would sign any bill cutting gubernatorial powers.  Corry thinks there is a path to get to that point.  

Boys Basketball

Hood River Valley 59, Ridgeview 50: Tommy Ziegler scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, as the Eagles came back from a nine-point deficit in the third quarter to win.

The Dalles 59, Pendleton 45: The Riverhawks dominated the second half after trailing by five points at halftime.

Toledo 56, Stevenson 21

Kittitas 60, Goldendale 45

Girls Basketball

Pendleton 53, The Dalles 33

Ridgeview 60, Hood River Valley 19

Goldendale 48, Kittitas 15

Wrestling

Pendleton 52, The Dalles 18: Connor Blair and Taylor Moorehouse recorded wins by fall for the Riverhawks.

Boys Basketball

Seton Catholic 66, Columbia 43

  Girls Basketball

Riverdale 57, The Dalles 40

King’s Way Christian 59, Columbia 41

Toledo 62, Stevenson 14

 

North Wasco County School District 21 has selected Kimberly Cutting Tyskiewicz as its new Director of Educational Success and Innovative Programming.  Tyskiewicz will be responsible for establishing an instructional vision and plan for supporting and improving student achievement, including program development and oversight for Riverbend Community School, NORCOR’s Youth Corrections Education Program, the alternative learning center at Wahtonka Campus, and the educational program at Kelly Avenue School.  Tysckiewicz holds an Educational Administration degree from Concordia University and administrative degrees from both Willamette and George Fox Universities.  Most recently, she was the Principal for Alsea Online, a virtual K-12 program, where she also served as Program Administrator and Spanish Translator.

Oregon ranks near the bottom when it comes to usage of the Earned Income Tax Credit, and a number of parties are trying to change that. The credit, which may give families up to $6,728 back when they file taxes, is a federal and state tax credit for people making less than $57,414 per year. Oregon Center for Public Policy director of policy research Janet Bauer says as of 2018, families in Oregon had left in the neighborhood of $84 million on the table by not taking the credit. She says some of the issue is awareness, but the complexity of filing taxes is another. CASH Oregon provides free or low-cost, in-person tax preparation services throughout Oregon. To see its locations, visit cashoregon.org. People can also dial 2-1-1 to find free tax return preparation sites.