Work on the environmental impact statement for the replacement of the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge continues.  Port of Hood River project manager Kevin Greenwood says they are 50 percent of the way through that process, and they are entering into a challenging phase of the project, examining potential sites for a new bridge for historic and cultural resources. Greenwood notes the Oregon Department of Transportation is designated as the lead agency to do the outreach to tribal agencies.  Greenwood adds he expects it will take another 18 months to get through the EIS process.

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce President Lisa Farquharson has been named Executive of the Year by the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce.  Farquharson was also tabbed to serve on the board of directors of the state group beginning in January, and she says that spot should have benefits for The Dalles.  Farquharson received the honor last week at the state Chamber of Commerce meeting in Lebanon on Tuesday.  She has been The Dalles Chamber CEO for the past seven years.

A public meeting on recreation revisions to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Management Plan will be held Tuesday in Carson.  The revisions are part of the Gorge 2020 effort to review and revise the Scenic Area management plan.  Earlier this year, the Forest Service and the Columbia River Gorge Commission hosted several meetings with recreation experts and public land managers in the Gorge to discuss recent trends in recreation and identify aspects of the management plan’s framework that may need to be modernized.   The meeting will start with a presentation outlining the current plan’s approach and identifying key questions under consideration, and then public input will be taken in an open house format.  The meeting will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Wind River Education Center in Carson.

The City of The Dalles is embarking on its annual effort to pick up fallen leaves promptly so they do not block catch basins and before they freeze onto the streets.  Citizens are being asked to park off-street during street sweeper work hours from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  The City street sweeper can pick-up leaves that fall into the street, but it cannot pick up piles of leaves, so residents are also asked to not rake leaves into the street.  Options include composting them at home, putting them in your yard debris container for pick-up, or putting them in a compostable paper bag and taking them during the month of November to The Dalles Transfer Station for free disposal.  The Dalles Disposal will not accept yard debris in plastic garbage bags.

Football

Hood River Valley 36, Forest Grove 22:  Tanner Fletcher scored three touchdowns in a return from injury while HRV’s secondary intercepted four passes to come back from a 14-0 deficit.

 

The Dalles 36, Estacada 14:  Okean Green ran for 139 yards and a touchdown while Gabe Helseth ran for 102 yards and threw for 309 yards and two scores to lead the Riverhawks and keep themselves in the hunt for a state playoff berth.

 

King’s Way Christian 26, Columbia 16

Castle Rock 42, Stevenson 0

Pilot Rock 50, Dufur 30

Sherman 43, South Wasco 19

Lyle-Wishram 71, Colton 28

River View 56, Goldendale 0

 

Boys Soccer

Damascus Christian 5, Trout Lake 1

 

Girls Soccer

The Dalles 4, Crook County 1

Hood River County Sheriff’s deputies are searching for a suspect in an assault early Thursday morning in Cascade Locks.  According to the Sheriff’s Office, a 69-year-old man was walking his dog along the 100 block of Wa Na Pa Street at about 3 a.m. Thursday when he was struck from behind by a blunt object.  The suspect fled the scene before the victim could obtain any identifying information.  The victim was able to get to his home where the call to 911 was made.  He was treated for injuries sustained in the assault at a local hospital and was later released.  Responding deputies canvassed the area but did not find any potential suspects.  The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about this crime should contact the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 541-387-7077.

The Westside Fire District in Hood River County is seeking a renewal of its five-year operating levy during the November 5 election.  The District has a base tax rate of 78 cents per one-thousand dollars of assessed property value, and in 2014 voters approved the 50 cent operating levy.  District board member John Beeman says the levy covers day-to-day operating expenses.  District officials say the cost of providing fire and emergency medical services goes up at a rate of about five percent per year, and emergency calls and services have tripled in the last ten years with community growth.

 

Fisheries managers from Oregon and Washington will reopen the Columbia River to recreational sturgeon and coho fishing.  In a joint state hearing of the fish and wildlife departments from both states, fisheries managers decided to open the river for two additional days of recreational sturgeon fishing –Saturday and this coming Thursday – from the Wauna power lines at River Mile 40 upstream to the fishing deadlines at Bonneville Dam, including the Cowlitz River.  The states also decided to reopen the mainstem Columbia to retention of coho salmon beginning today and continuing through October 31, from the Tongue Point/Rocky Point line upstream to The Dalles Dam.  Only hatchery coho may be retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge.  All steelhead and all salmon except coho must be released.

Biannual bridge deck maintenance welding on the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge will begin Monday at 9 a.m. and continue until the work is complete.  While the work is weather dependent, bridge users should plan for delays or seek alternate routes on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the next two weeks.  Flaggers will direct traffic around the moving work zone throughout the week.  Expect delays and drive slowly for worker safety.  For more information, contact the Port of Hood River via email to porthr@gorge.net.