Oregon 26th District State Senator Chuck Thomsen is expecting the K-12 education budget for the upcoming biennium to reach the $10.37 billion that school officials say is needed statewide to maintain current service levels.  The Governor’s budget proposal was for $9.24 billion, but Thomsen says this is following a pattern he has seen in his previous eight years in Salem.  He says every year it reaches that mark once the revenue forecast comes out.  Thomsen is not in favor of using new taxes to fund another two billion dollars in school initiatives Governor Kate Brown is pushing for.  The Hood River Republican believes if those are adopted they can be done through existing revenues. 

Baseball

Sunnyside Christian 5, Lyle-Wishram 4:  Sunnyside Christian scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to come from behind for the win.

Track and Field

Sherman was the boys’ winner and South Wasco took the girls’ title at the Husky Twilight Meet in Moro.  Sherman’s Tyler Jones, Luke Martin, and Owen Christiansen all won two boys’ events for Sherman, while Daisy Brown of Sherman and Abbie Silvey of South Wasco both won a pair of events in the girls’ competition.

Boys Soccer

Toledo 4, Columbia 0

Stevenson 3, Castle Rock 1

Girls Tennis

The Dalles 5, Ridgeview 3:  The Riverhawks won three out of four doubles matches to take the victory.

Castle Rock 4, Stevenson 1

Girls Lacrosse

West Linn 14, Hood River Valley 13:  Josie Peterson scored five goals for the Eagles in the game.

The Dalles Police Department has identified the driver of a vehicle that crashed on Monday after a pursuit by police was discontinued as 32-year-old Jessica Widner.  Widner suffered critical injuries and was taken by Lifeflight to a Portland area hospital.  According to a statement by the department, in-car video confirms that officers had discontinued the pursuit, but the vehicle Widner was driving was involved in a single-vehicle accident on Highway 30.  The statement also says officers terminated the pursuit just outside of Rowena because speeds were not safe for the driver, officers, and the public.  Police reports of both the pursuit and the accident are being reviewed by the Wasco County District Attorney’s office.

Oregon 59th District State Representative Daniel Bonham says there won’t be much activity on the carbon cap-and-trade bill in the next couple of weeks beside amendments that continue to roll in.  The Dalles Republican, who is on the Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction that is dealing with the bill, says there have been 120 amendments offered so far, which is far more than the normal amount.  He uses as an example trying to find a formula for a fuel tax rebate that is fair to rural residents.  Bonham says his goal remains that if the bill is going to pass to make it “livable.”

A group of Mid-Columbia health care advocates have formed the Gorge Wellness Alliance.  One Community Health behavioral health manager Lucas O’Laughlin says members from Wasco, Hood River, Klickitat, and Skamania counties make up the group that looks to promote healthier lifestyles in the region.  The group is also trying to destigmatize mental health issues.  To that effort, the GWA is producing a series of short videos featuring people who are living positive, productive lives despite mental health or substance abuse challenges.  They are looking for people willing to be interviewed.  Those interested can call 503-560-6402.

Track and Field

Crook County won both the boys and girls team competitions in a six-school meet at Henderson Stadium.  The Dalles was second and Hood River Valley third in the boys’ standings, while on the girls’ side Hood River Valley was second and The Dalles third.  The Riverhawks’ Kristine Carter won three events, while Hood River Valley’s Robby Running and Henry Buckles won two apiece.

Boys Lacrosse

Sherwood 10, Hood River Valley 2

North Wasco County School District 21’s first community meeting on the road to developing a long-range facilities plan drew about 30 people Tuesday night.  Much of the meeting involved consultant Richard Higgins going through what the process is about and what the Oregon Department of Education is seeking in terms of what it is looking for in facilities assessment and movement toward a ten-year plan.  District Superintendent Candy Armstrong says the plan would not be limited to building condition, but also address health and safety, future growth, and educational standards.  A next meeting has not yet been scheduled.  Armstrong says they are waiting for feedback from the community, and are also doing a survey of the public on how best to reach the district’s constituents.

The Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency Board approved a motion directing City Attorney Gene Parker not to proceed with additional Bureau of Labor and Industries appeals on behalf of Tokola Development.  An administrative law judge recently ruled in favor of a BOLI decision that the proposed redevelopment of the former Town and Country property in downtown The Dalles would be considered by the Bureau a public works project based on the level of URA funds to be used, putting it under prevailing wage requirements.  In other business, the Urban Renewal panel approved submitting an application on behalf of Hanlon Development for state funding assistance for a mixed use project on the former Griffith Motors location on 3rd Street.

Baseball

Hood River Valley 4, Pendleton 3:  Grayson Losee tripled home Michael Kiyokawa with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Eagles to the win.  HRV has now won four in a row, and taken over sole possession of first place in the Intermountain Conference.

Crook County 6, The Dalles 5:  The Riverhawks lose for the first time in three IMC games.

Dufur 6, Sherman 5

Lyle-Wishram splits a doubleheader with Kittitas, winning game one 10-9 but losing the second contest 12-3.

Softball

The Dalles 15, Crook County 0:  The Riverhawks kept pace with Ridgeview atop the IMC standings, with the two teams facing off in a doubleheader on Friday in Redmond.

Hood River Valley 19, Pendleton 6:  Makenzie Chambers drove in seven runs as the Eagles won for the first time in league play.

Castle Rock sweeps Stevenson 19-0 and 16-1

Kittitas sweeps Lyle-Wishram 17-2 and 16-1

Boys Soccer

Seton Catholic 3, Columbia 0

Toledo 3, Stevenson 1

Boys Tennis

Hood River Valley 8, Crook County 0

Track and Field

Goldendale’s Tiana Watson won the girls’ javelin and Ellie Rising the girls’ 3200 meters in an SCAC meet at Highland.

Maryhill Museum of Art announced a collaborative printmaking project featuring eleven artists working with communities along a 220-mile stretch of the Columbia River from the Willamette River confluence to the Snake River confluence.   The Exquisite Gorge Project will connect artists and communities to create a massive 66-foot steamrolled print.   Artists will work with community members from their assigned stretch of river and carve images on 4′ x 6′ wood panels.   Each completed panel will then be connected end-to-end and printed using a steamroller.  The big steamroller print event will take place on August 24 on the grounds of Maryhill Museum of Art.  The resulting print will be on view in Maryhilll’s M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Education Center during September, with the possibility of other venues added in the future.