There will be intermittent lane closures on the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge beginning Monday at 9:00 a.m. until work to repair lights on the automatic gates at the lift span is complete.  Closures will conclude by 3:00 p.m., but could resume Tuesday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. if needed.  Flaggers will direct traffic around the work zone.  Minimal delays of 10-15 minutes are expected, depending on traffic volume. 

Boys Basketball

Scappoose 61, The Dalles 60

Stevenson 74, Columbia 53

A two-vehicle accident on Highway 97 in Klickitat County on Tuesday night has left one man dead and another facing a vehicular homicide charge.  According to the Washington State Patrol, a pickup driven by 45-year-old Jose Franco of Aumsville, Oregon was southbound on Highway 97 at milepost five when it crossed the center line and struck a northbound utility vehicle driven by 27-year-old Travis Atchley of Klickitat.  The WSP says Atchley was pronounced deceased at the scene.  Franco was transported to Klickitat Valley Hospital in Goldendale, and the WSP report indicates he will be charged with vehicular homicide.  The police report also says drugs or alcohol was involved.  The accident occurred Tuesday evening at 8:35 p.m.

 

Klickitat County Commissioners approved renewing a funding assistance agreement for the next six months to reimburse the Columbia River Gorge Commission for providing a dedicated land-use planner to process County development permit applications within the National Scenic Area.  Commissioner David Sauter says the agreement is intended to provide a bridge to the position receiving renewed state funding during the upcoming session of the Washington Legislature.  The funding total is $40,000, and if the Legislature approves 18 months of funding, the County will be reimbursed.  The position has been in place for about four years under an agreement between the County and the Gorge Commission to reduce a backlog of permit applications in Klickitat County, and Sauter says there has been progress on that even though there is more work to be done on getting applications done in a timely manner.

Hood River County Commissioners continued the painstaking work toward preparing a public safety levy for the May ballot, asking County Administrator Jeff Hecksel and Sheriff Matt English to look at service levels at various tax rates.  Hecksel says they continue to narrow down the options, but another worksession has been set for Monday at 3:30 p.m. in the County Administration Building to continue to hash out details.  The Commission has been targeting a rate no higher than 89 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value, and Hecksel says the numbers he and English have been asked to look at and determine services that can be covered are around the 80 cent mark.  Hecksel says the hope is to have a draft of a ballot measure for the Commission’s January 21 meeting, with approval to place on the May ballot in February.

The latest update today from the Natural Resources Conservation Service puts the snow water equivalent in the Hood, Sandy, and Deschutes Basin at 40 percent of normal, which is up from 24 percent a week ago, underscoring the variability of those numbers as the winter goes on.  NRCS Oregon Snow Survey Supervisor Scott Oviatt says they’ve seen wide swings in variables during the course of winters over the last 15 to 20 years, and the peak numbers usually come in late March, determining what kind of runoff can be expected.  The snow survey’s water supply outlook report comes out later this week and will be based on January 1 numbers, which were lower than they are now.

Boys Basketball

Hood River Valley 59, St. Helens 47:  Ian Searcy scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half as HRV broke open a close game in the fourth quarter.  Noah Webster added 14 points for the Eagles.  Joe Rea led St. Helens with 20.

Dufur 62, South Wasco 51:  Cooper Bales tallied 21 points to lead the victorious Rangers.  Garrett Olson topped the Redsides with 22.

Sherman 41, Horizon Christian 32

Riverside 86, Lyle-Wishram 9

Goldendale 70, Highland 31

 

Girls Basketball

Tualatin 57, The Dalles 25

St. Helens 45, Hood River Valley 36:  Morgan Baker and Hannayo Soto scored 11 points apiece as the Eagles gave a scrappy effort against the Lions, who were led by 21 points from Madison Holm.

Stevenson 56, Columbia 43:  Cassie Macnab scored 19 points and Katie Rahtgeber 12 as the Bulldogs won the Trico League opener.  Sydney Aman had 13 for CHS.

Dufur 46, South Wasco 34

Riverside 53, Lyle-Wishram 19

Highland 44, Goldendale 31

 

Wrestling

Hood River Valley 43, Madras 35:  Chad Muenzer, Jayton Muenzer, Caleb DeHart, Javier Galvez, and Abraham Tinajaro all had wins by fall for HRV.

As 2020 begins, Wasco County Commissioner Kathy Schwartz hopes the County can push out more information to the general public.  Schwartz is working with a team of county employees to find ways to do that, saying social media is one outlet available but that can be complex for a government agency.  She also says other governments have done it, and so can they.  Schwartz says they can start small with things like pushing out meeting agendas and being welcoming to those who come in for information.  She adds public communication is part of the County’s strategic plan.

 

Trainings will be done over the next couple of months for those who would look like to volunteer to become a part of the Mid-Columbia Community Emergency Response Team.  CERT Coordinator Lynette Black says the team is designed to train volunteers to be able to be first responders during major disasters when professional first responders are overwhelmed or are prevented from reaching an area.  The trainings are far reaching, ranging from preparedness and mitigation to fire, utility, and hazardous material management.  The trainings require a 24-hour commitment, and are being offered in various schedules at Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue in The Dalles.  To learn more, call Black at 503-806-7132.

 

Boys Basketball

The Dalles 70, Stevenson 48…The Riverhawks moved their record to 4-8 on the season.