The Dalles City Council approved an updated municipal fee schedule this week, and it includes the cost of a dog license included in an ordinance passed last month. Cost for a one-year license will be $35 for unaltered dog, $25 for a dog that has been spayed or neutered, and $15 for altered dogs owned by military members and those over the age of 65. Mayor Rich Mays noted proceeds from the license will go to the Columbia Gorge Humane Society for shelter services. City officials added they support access to low cost spay and neuter services and encourages residents who need financial assistance to utilize the City’s low-cost spay and neuter program.
Point In Time Count Underway
The annual Point In Time count of homeless individuals in Klickitat, Skamania, Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties is on-going this week. The count is required by the federal Housing and Urban Development, and conducted locally by the Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative. Mid-Columbia Community Action is doing the count on the Oregon side of the Gorge, while Washington Gorge Action Programs handles it on the north side of the Columbia River. WAGAP Executive Director Jennifer Pauletto says the count plays a large role in funding decisions. She adds it also helps the Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative to develop policy and goals for housing advocacy in the area.
HR County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue Receives Snowcat In State Program
The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office is one of three search and rescue agencies in the state to receive a new state-of-the-art snowcat through the state of Oregon’s Preparedness and Incident Repsonse Equipment program. Sheriff Matt English says the specialized vehicle, designed for austere environments and extreme winter conditions is an improvement over the County’s 40-year-old snowcat. He also says it is a necessary piece of equipment for the search and rescue work they do on Mt. Hood, helping to transport personnel, those who are injured, and equipment. What the new vehicle has the old one does not is the ability to plow snow in front of it. Equipped with climate-controlled, insulated cabs, the snowcats are capable of safely transporting responders and assisting with the movement of hypothermic patients during severe winter weather events. The snowcat Hood River County received in the program has a retail value of $350,000.
Local Police To Take Part In Seatbelt & Child Safety Enforcement
Both the Hood River and The Dalles Police Departments will be taking part in a statewide seatbelt and child safety enforcement effort beginning this Monday and running through February 8. The federally funded campaign is design to educate the public on Oregon’s seat belt and child passenger safety laws, with an emphasis on protecting young children. Oregon law was updated in 2017 to require children to ride in a rear-facing seat until at least two years of age, with those over two riding in an approved car seat with a harness or a booster seat until they reach the age of eight years old or are they are at least four feet nine inches tall, and until the adult seat belt fits correctly. In 2023, the lack of seat belt or child restraint was a contributing factor in 111 out of 365 motor vehicle occupant fatalities in Oregon.
Wasco Corrections Warns Of Phone Scam
Wasco County Community Corrections says it has been made aware of a phone scam targeting family members of loved ones currently in custody at NORCOR. Scammers are fraudulently contacting family members claiming they are from the jail and can secure the release of an adult in custody in exchange for money. In these calls, the scammer falsely states that the inmate will be released to GPS monitoring if payment is made. Callers have also threated that the sentence may be increased or negatively impacted if the money is not paid. Those claims are false. Wasco County Community Corrections says staff does not contact family over the phone to secure a release, modify custody status, or arrange GPS monitoring. Any legitimate release decisions or custody changes are handled thorough official legal and judicial processes- not through phone calls to family members. Family members are urged not to send money, provide personal information, or engage further with anyone making these claims. If you receive this kind of call, contact the Wasco County Sheriff’s office at 541-506-2570 or non-emergency at 541-296-5454.
January 27 Prep Basketball Scoreboard
Boys Basketball
Parkrose 76, Hood River Valley 51
The Dalles 64, Gladstone 51
LaCenter 93, Stevenson 39
Lyle-Wishram 63, Dufur 49
South Wasco 67, Ione-Arlington 57
Horizon Christian 49, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 26
Sherman 69, Trout Lake 20
Klickitat-Glenwood 75, Condon 60
Girls Basketball
Hood River Valley 66, Parkrose 16
LaCenter 73, Stevenson 27
Trout Lake 43, Sherman 31
South Wasco 48, Ione-Arlington 33
Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 34, Horizon Christian 19
January 23-24 Prep Sports Roundup
January 23 Results
Boys Basketball
Madras 63, The Dalles 56
LaCenter 80, Columbia 72
King’s Way Christian 64, Stevenson 38
Klickitat-Glenwood 65, Lyle-Wishram 64
Ione-Arlington 56, Horizon Christian 44
Dufur 56, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 23
South Wasco 65, Sherman 42
Condon 67, Trout Lake 23
Girls Basketball
Madras 53, The Dalles 42
King’s Way Christian 50, Stevenson 13
Ione-Arlington 36, Horizon Christian 8
Dufur 63, Spray-Mitchell-Wheeler 27
South Wasco 44, Sherman 28
Trout Lake 37, Condon 23
Girls Wrestling
Kianna Dominguez of The Dalles won four straight to win the 110 pound title at the Tualatin Invitational.
January 24 Results
Boys Basketball
Klickitat-Glenwood 73, Sherman 54
South Wasco 64, Stanfield 57
Girls Basketball
LaGrande 62, The Dalles 34
Stanfield 62, South Wasco 40
Southwest Christian 50, Trout Lake 31
Boys Wrestling
The Dalles’ Harley Scott won four out of five matches to finish second at 144 pounds at the Tualatin Invitational
Girls Wrestling
Hood River Valley’s Ayleen Marquez won all five of her matches to win the 110 pound title at the Hood River Girls Invitational. HRV’s Valeria Solorio Campos was third at 170 pounds, and Columbia’s Eda O’Connor was third at 120.
MCCAC Opens Monthly Drop-In For Houseless
Mid-Columbia Community Action Council is opening a monthly drop-in center for houseless community members at The Gloria Center in The Dalles. The drop-in center will open the last Friday of each month from 9 a.m. to 3 pm, beginning this Friday. The drop-in center will provide essential services and support to community members experiencing houselessness in a welcoming, dignified environment. Services available include a hot meal, showers, laundry services, basic needs supplies, and connections to additional community resources. More details can be found on the Drop-In Center & Severe Weather Resources page of mccac.com. MCCAC regional shelter manager Liz Leon says the center is designed to meet immediate needs while also connecting people with longer-term resources and support. Participants aren’t required to go through any sort of intake process to utilize the service. Community members interested in volunteering, donating supplies, or making a financial contribution to support the drop-in center can contact info@mccac.com.
Hood River Schools Begin Kindergarten Enrollment
The Hood River County School District has opened kindergarten and new student enrollment for the 2026-27 school year. Families with children who will be five years old by September 1 of this year are eligible to enroll their children at their neighborhood school. Kindergarten orientation is planned for April 30 from 5:30 to 6:30 at each elementary school. New student enrollment is exclusively for those who have not attended a school in the Hood River County School District during the current academic year. To enroll new students, complete an online form available on the district website, and visit the enrollment page on the site.
Single Lane Closure For Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Tuesday Morning
A temporary single lane closure will take place on the northbound lanes on the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Tuesday morning from 10 a.m. to Noon to support work associated with the Hood River Bridge Replacement project. Port of Hood River officials say the closure is needed to complete the installation of a tide sensor and weather station. Flaggers will be on site to manage traffic safety. Travelers should expect delays of approximately 15 minutes between 10:00 a.m. to Noon.