Gifford Pinchot National Forest managers have completed the Upper Wind Forest Management Environmental Assessment.  The project is located within the northern portion of the Wind River watershed in the Mt. Adams Ranger District.  The project intends to thin approximately 3,000 acres of forest plantations and to regenerate approximately 400 acres to create early seral habitat.  While most of the trees removed for the project would be sold commercially through timber sales, trees on approximately 220 acres would be made available for instream restoration projects.  The project includes treatments to open-up the tree canopy in about 60 acres to enhance pale blue-eyed grass, a sensitive botanical species.  Where plantation thinning is planned, the objective is to reduce tree density to accelerate the development of elements common to old-growth habitat.  The EA was released for a 30-day public comment period following public notice published on March 26, and is available on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest website.

Visit Hood River will open a visitor center and office within common area space at the History Museum of Hood River County.  The visitor center reopening follows a year of contraction and reorganization due to what the organization attributed to the cessation of travel and tourism as a result of the pandemic.  Visit Hood River closed its previous office and visitor center after Labor Day last year.  Hood River County Heritage Council co-chair Debby Chenoweth said the co-location allows both organizations to reduce overhead and expenses, while also delivering programs and services efficiently.

Mid-Columbia Medical Center has named David Warden as the new executive director for the Mid-Columbia Health Foundation and Travis Dray as the hospital’s new director of business development.   Warden brings to MCMC nearly two decades of healthcare and foundation experience.  Most recently, Warden served in the U.S. Navy Reserves where he attained the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer and held the position as Operations Officer with Bravo Company, Maritime Expeditionary Support Squadron One.  Immediately prior to joining MCMC, Dray served as director of events and programming for POWDR, a national adventure lifestyle company. He has also worked in community services for the City of Tempe, Arizona, and prior to that served as the marketing and operations manager for the Oakland Athletics Baseball Company.

Northern Wasco County PUD will be accepting applications for Economic Development grants until June 11.  The PUD Board of Directors allocated $50,000 this year to help fund local economic development projects.  No application can be for more than $20,000.  Applicants must document non-profit status; not be a religious affiliated entity; and have not been funded more than twice in any five-year period.  Projects shall be for infrastructure or property with a life expectancy of at least five years and are located within the Northern Wasco County PUD service area.  Applications may be at nwascopud.org or by calling 541-298-3302.

Intermountain Conference Volleyball Tournament Semi-Final Crook County def. The Dalles 25-11, 25-12, 25-18   Volleyball Condon def. Sherman 27-29, 25-21, 25-16, 25-23   Baseball Adna 2, Stevenson 1   Softball Adna 24, Stevenson 0  

A proposal that would have disbanded the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries and put its tasks into other agencies will not go forward.  52nd District State Representative Anna Williams said DOGAMI’s budget has passed and the stand-alone agency will continue on.  Williams noted she had heard from many constituents in the district opposed to eliminating the agency.  DOGAMI plays a key role in preparing Oregon for hazards like earthquakes and landslides.

Developers of the Goldendale Pump Storage energy project are hoping construction will begin sometime between 2025 and 2027.  Wasco County Commissioners heard a report on the two-point-five billion dollar project being developed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners in Denmark.  Rye Development Vice President of Project Management Michael Rooney says currently they are involved in the environmental assessment phase, and will be for the next couple of years.  The project is on private land along the Columbia River near the former aluminum smelter site eight miles southeast of Goldendale.

Cross Country Hood River Valley won both the boys and girls Intermountain Conference cross country championships at Sorosis Park.  The Dalles finished second in both races.  The Eagle girls were dominant on the way to their fifth straight league title, taking four of the top seven places.  Chloe Bullock was the individual winner, with Phoebe Wood third, Mieka McKnight sixth, and Sophie Kaden seventh.  The Dalles’ Hanna Ziegenhagen was second, with Emily Johnson of the Riverhawks eighth.  In the boys’ race, HRV grabbed four of the top ten places, topped by Elliott Hawley in third, followed by Jackson Bullock in seventh, Thomas Ziegler in eighth, and William Bunch in tenth.  For The Dalles Juan Diego Contreras took second, Nick Caracciolo in fifth, and Leo Lemann in sixth.   Intermountain Conference Soccer Tournament Boys Semi-Finals Hood River Valley 5, Pendleton 0 Ridgeview 4, The Dalles 1   Girls Semi-Finals Hood River Valley 1, The Dalles 0, overtime:  The Eagles scored in the 97th minute of the game to grab the win, and advance to the championship match against Ridgeview on Friday.

Wasco County Commissioners heard a proposed process for disbursing funds from community service fees paid by Google as part of the Enterprise Zone agreement for construction of its Taylor Lakes facility.  The first three years of fees have gone towards the Columbia Gorge Community College skills center project, but the question revolves around the remaining 12 years of the agreement, staring in January 2023.  County Administrative Services Director Matthew Klebes says this process would leverage the existing Wasco County Economic Development Commission’s annual Community Enhancement Project process to identify potential projects to receive funding.  The Dalles City Council will hear the same proposal on Monday.  County Commission Chair Scott Hege said he wants other taxing districts to weigh in on the proposal.

Fire burned a duplex at 230 East Main in Goldendale on Monday afternoon.  According to the Goldendale Fire Department, the fire occurred around 1:30 p.m., and firefighters arrived to find the duplex fully involved.  Crews were able to contain the fire to the single structure.  Occupants were evacuated safely, and one person was treated by Klickitat County EMS and transported to Klickitat Valley Health.  The cause of the fire is undetermined.  Rural 7 Fire, Klickitat County EMS, Goldendale Police, the County Department of Emergency Management, Klickitat PUD, Avista, and Goldendale Public Works were all involved in responding to the fire.