Two people died in a late Sunday night motor vehicle accident on Interstate 84 just east of Hood River.  The Oregon State Police say a preliminary investigation showed a car driven by 21-year-old Enrique Sosa of Mosier was westbound on Interstate 84 near milepost 67 when it crashed through a guardrail, went down an embankment, and stopped in the Columbia River.  Sosa and a juvenile passenger sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased.  The accident occurred Sunday at about 11:47 p.m.  The OSP was assisted by the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office, Hood River Fire Department, Skamania County Dive Team, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.  

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, fire officials are reminding people if they choose to use fireworks to use those that are legal.  Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue District Chief Bob Palmer says in Oregon any kind of fireworks that can fly through the air or travel more than 12 feet horizontally are illegal.  Use of illegal fireworks in Oregon is a Class B misdemeanor.  Palmer adds legal fireworks can still cause fires, so if you use them be in an area with no dry grass or debris that can be sparked.

Google is the latest contributor to a new, multi-million-dollar workforce training skills center currently under construction at Columbia Gorge Community College’s main campus in The Dalles.  Google’s $55,000 grant will provide the latest additive manufacturing technology that students will use to create customized components and new inventions in a new, collaborative makerspace.  The company’s gift to CGCC allows the college to equip the makerspace with a 3D-printer, laser engraver, water cutter, milling machine, studio system furnace and other equipment.  Along with the new workforce training skills center, CGCC is building affordable student housing on its main campus.  The combined $16 million project is slated to be completed in July.  

With lightning in the forecast and several parts of the state under a Red Flag Warning or a Fire Weather Watch, the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal is staging firefighting resources in Central Oregon.  Officials say this is a proactive move for the region to be better prepared and bolster any initial fire attack.  These firefighters are not being assigned to a specific incident but will be an added resource and increase the state’s readiness if there is a fire.  Two firefighting task forces, one from Marion County and one from Washington County, will be stationed in Central Oregon, ready to respond and help local resources in the event a wildfire erupts and threatens structures.  These teams will be prepositioned for 72-hours but may stay longer if they are needed.

Intermountain Conference Basketball Tournament First Round Boys Hood River Valley 76, Pendleton 46:  The Eagles went on a 31-8 run in the third quarter to blow the game open and earn a trip to Redmond for a semi-final game tomorrow.  Emanuel Romero scored 11 of his 18 points in the third quarter, Clayton Cook tallied 14, and Ryles Buckley had 10. Ridgeview 48, The Dalles 38: The Ravens made 11 of 15 free throws in the fourth quarter to nail down the win and advance to a semi-final game at unbeaten Crook County.  Jaxson Pullen scored 11 points and Andre Niko 10 for the Riverhawks.   Girls Redmond 55, Hood River Valley 46   Oregon Class 1A State Basketball Tournament First Round Boys South Wasco 68, Trinity Lutheran 49:  South Wasco moves on to a quarter-final game at Powder Valley today. North Clackamas Christian 66, Dufur 64   Girls South Wasco 52, North Douglas 48:  The Redsides play Crane in a quarter-final today.   American Legion Baseball Columbia Gorge Hustlers 5, Silverton 3  

The S-503 fire on the Warm Springs Reservation has grown to an estimated 6200 acres, as a type two management team took charge of the fire Monday morning.  Northwest Incident Management Team 8 has set up an Incident Command Post at the Tygh Valley Rodeo Grounds.  There is officially no containment figure for the fire located about two miles east of Highway 26 and southwest of the community of Pine Grove in Wasco County.  Type 3 incident commander Casey McCain said in a Sunday night update posted on Facebook that holding the northeast flank has been their priority, given its proximity to Pine Grove.  Efforts were aided by lighter winds from the northeast as the footprint moved to the southwest at a slow pace.  There are Level 2 Get Ready evacuation advisories for all residences west of Kelly Springs Road and Back Walters Road, and east of Kelly Springs to Reservation Rd including Walters Corners and the community of Pine Grove.  250 to 300 personnel are assigned to the fire.

Northern Wasco Parks and Recreation District says it has sourced enough chlorine to open the North Wasco Aquatic Center in The Dalles Monday.  A region-wide liquid chlorine shortage due to disruptions at a major manufacturer led to the pool being forced to close.  There will an open swim Monday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.   The district says the pool will not be open Tuesday, but will open on other hot days as it is able to do so.  The district did say the first session of swim lessons has been canceled, refunds are being processed, and checks will be mailed out.  The district also said the Westlake chlorine plant in Longview anticipates restarting production next week, with deliveries resuming by July 1.  There will be a significant backlog of deliveries, but the district is estimating it will receive its first shipment sometime in the vicinity of July 7 to July 9.

Finding employees continues to be a big problem for businesses, particularly smaller retailers as they try to take advantage of increases in traffic as pandemic restrictions ease.  The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says it is a problem all over the country.  Farquharson noted while some people being able to make more money not working is a factor, there are other issues, including some who were in hospitality positions changing careers in the last year, and some wanting to remain in jobs that can be done remotely from home.

The Port of Hood River is seeing crowds returning to recreate on the waterfront.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says the number of parking passes sold for the Waterfront Event Site are on a record pace, up by 30 percent from prior years.  McElwee says July 1 remains the target date for returning most of their waterfront operations to normal status, but there is a hurdle:  finding a sufficient number of employees to maintain the facilities.  McElwee does say that by July 1 everything will be open on the Hood River Waterfront except a couple of restroom blocks in the Marina area.

Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District is launching another round of their COVID-19 Small Business Assistance Program to support businesses in Wasco County that have faced adverse business impacts as a result of COVID-19.  The program will offer a temporary discount to Northern Wasco PUD business customers based on their business type and financial need.  The program assistance is limited to $800 per business, for businesses with one to twenty employees, and will run for three consecutive months after reopening between June and December of this year.  The PUD is partnering with the Wasco County Economic Development Commission to support the program.  Businesses who received this assistance during 2020 and 2021 are eligible for another round of support but must reapply.  For more information on eligibility, and to apply, go to nwascopud.org.