There will be intermittent single lane closures of the Port of Hood River Interstate Bridge today through Friday.  The single lane closures will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day, with delays of 15 to 20 minutes during those hours.  Flaggers will be on the bridge directing traffic.  On Thursday, April 25 and Friday, April 26 there will be intermittent full bridge closures with 30 to 40 minute delays, and there will be a complete overnight closure on April 29 between 9:30 p.m. and 5 a.m.  And Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says a follow-up project will have impacts on traffic in May.  Exact details of those bridge delays and closures will be announced at a later date.  McElwee says the goal is to get the maintenance projects done before the summer season and harvests.

Baseball

Hood River Valley sweeps Ridgeview 29-4 and 6-1:  Caden Leiblien, Grayson Losee, and Jeremiah Brittle all homered as the Eagles built a 22-0 lead in the first two innings of game one, while Harrison Howell pitched a complete game to win the nightcap.

The Dalles sweeps Redmond 12-9 and 15-5: Dalles Seufalemua hit a three-run homer in game one, while the Riverhawks tallied 13 runs in the first two innings of the second contest.

Columbia 13, King’s Way Christian 5

Sherman split with Union, losing the opener 8-7 but taking the nightcap 16-2.

Zillah sweeps Goldendale 23-0 and 14-4.

Softball

Ridgeview sweeps Hood River Valley 11-7 and 8-5:  Allicite Frost hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning of game two to give the Ravens the sweep.  Makenzie Chambers had two home runs and five runs batted in for HRV in the opener.

The Dalles sweeps Redmond 20-8 and 22-12.

Washougal 22, Stevenson 0

Zillah sweeps Goldendale 13-0 and 28-12.

Track and Field

Hood River Valley’s Henry Buckles was first in the boys’ shot put and second in the discus while Frances Dickinson was third in both the girls’ 1500 and 3,000 meters at the Sherwood Need For Speed Classic.

The Dalles’ Justin Conklin won the boys’ high jump and was second in the 110 meter hurdles at the Willamette Falls Invitational in Oregon City

Trout Lake won both the boys and girls team titles at their Jeff Agar Memorial Invitational.  Glenwood’s Brooklyn Emerson won three of the girls’ events, while Micah Colburn of Trout Lake won both boys’ hurdles races.

Stevenson won the girls team competition and was second to Ketchikan in the boys at their Al McKee Invitational.  Columbia’s boys were third and the girls’ fourth.  Stevenson’s Lincoln Krog and Columbia’s Chandlor Bucklin won three events apiece.

Girls Lacrosse

Hood River Valley 9, Beaverton 4

Oregon 30th District State Senator Cliff Bentz has serious concerns with Governor Kate Brown’s proposal to pay down the state’s Medicaid shortfall through a $2 tax increase on tobacco products.  The Republican from Ontario says he understands raising taxes can prevent young people from taking up tobacco use and that is a good thing, but he also doesn’t like the idea of putting the burden of raising revenue for the state on the backs of those who are addicted.  Brown’s plan would earmark 10% of the funds raised through the tobacco tax increase to cessation programs, with the rest going to the state’s Medicaid fund.  Business groups have slammed the idea, saying that high taxes would hurt small businesses and push consumers to find products online or the black market.

The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center will host a public memorial for former Wasco County Judge Bill Hulse on Sunday at 2:30.  Hulse passed away on March 11 at the age of 99.  He served as County Judge from 1983 to 1991 during the height of the Rajnesshpuram commune, and local historian Susan Buce says he was instrumental in the establishment of the Discovery Center.  Hulse was a wheat farmer, pilot, helped establish Columbia River Bank, and was president of the Oregon Wheat Association and National Wheat Association.

A newly formed group of local health advocates founded by One Community Health is looking for four local Gorge people to be featured in a mini video documentary entitled “Cultivate: Compassion.”  The Gorge Wellness Alliance is looking for three people between the ages of 16 to 25 and one person over 50 willing to share their story on camera, come across as friendly, likeable, and articulate, and are living positive, productive lives despite mental health or substance abuse challenges.  The mini documentary will be filmed and produced by professional filmmaker Michael Coen of CoenFilm.  Videos will be shared and promoted online through social media and website platforms from GWA partners in the Gorge.  Those interested in learning more can call Colleen Regalbuto a 503-560-6402 by April 26.

Boys Soccer

Columbia 5, Castle Rock 0:  The Bruins take over sole possession of third place in the Trico League with the win.

Boys Lacrosse

Liberty 11, Hood River Valley 10:  The Eagles fall to 3-3 on the season.

Boys Tennis

Goldendale 2, Zillah 2

Girls Tennis

Goldendale 4, Zillah 1

The Wasco County Commission discussed the proposed NORCOR budget that includes a 16 percent increase in operating subsidies from the four participating counties at its worksession on Wednesday.  Commissioners have a number of questions about the reasons for the substantial increase in the document, which will be the subject of a NORCOR budget committee meeting next Thursday.  But Commissioner Scott Hege says their main theme is keeping the partnership between Wasco, Hood River, Sherman, and Gilliam counties together.  He adds they understand they have to keep NORCOR healthy, but there are challenges to increasing the payments that must be discussed clearly.  NORCOR has not had an increase in county contributions for four years.  But Hood River County is dealing with a budget shortfall and has two tax measures on the May 21 ballot to try to generate more revenue.

The Washington State Senate unanimously approved and sent to the governor a bill authored by 14^th District Representative Gina Mosbrucker that would provide information to domestic violence victims about the signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injuries.  Under the bill, the Department of Social and Health Services would work with the Washington Traumatic Brain Injury Strategic Partnership Advisory Council to develop a statewide website for domestic violence victims with information regarding TBI.  It would increase law enforcement training to recognize the signs and symptoms of TBI and encourage officers responding to domestic violence incidents to inform victims of the website.  The measure previously passed the House and now goes to the governor for his consideration.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has set regulations for a spring Chinook fishery on the Hood River.  It will be open for adult hatchery Chinook from April 15 through June 30 from the mouth to mainstem confluence with the East Fork, and the West Fork from the confluence with the mainstem upstream to the angling deadline 200 feet downstream of Punchbowl Falls.  The catch limit is two adult hatchery salmon per day, and five hatchery jack salmon per day.  All wild Chinook salmon must be released unharmed.  Fishery managers are predicting a relatively strong return of nearly 1,200 hatchery fish for the Hood River, which is slightly less than last year’s strong return.  There will not be a spring salmon season on the Deschutes River this year due to predicted poor returns of both hatchery and wild fish.

North Central Public Health District is participating in the Oregon Health Authority’s Statewide Medical Countermeasures exercise, Operation OX 2019.  The exercise will help the district improve its plan to provide medications or vaccinations when needed.   As part of the exercise, they will be test an open Point of Dispensing on May 1 at Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue on 1400 West 8^th in The Dalles.  The public is invited join in between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. that day for a drive-through simulation.  No medication/vaccination will be given at the exercise; instead the first 75 participants will receive a free mini first-aid kit.