Applications are now being accepted for the 2019 award year for the Oregon Century Farm & Ranch Program.  Families throughout Oregon who have continuously farmed portions of their family acreage for the past 100 or 150 years are invited to apply.  The Oregon Century Farm & Ranch Program began in 1958 to honor farm and ranch families with century-long connections to the land.  Application and program guidelines are available at http://www.centuryfarm.oregonfb.org, or by calling 503-400-7884.  Application deadline is May 1.  The Oregon Century Farm & Ranch Program is administered by the Oregon Farm Bureau Foundation for Education.            

The North Wasco County School District 21 board held a worksession Wednesday night, and got a report on progress on a facilities assessment report for the Oregon Department of Education that will put D-21 in line to apply for matching grants.  Superintendent Candy Armstrong says this report is raw data, but it also sets up a more in-depth facilities master plan process in the spring.  The board also received an initial outline for the district’s upcoming superintendent search.  Armstrong will be retiring at the end of the 2019-20 school year.

Cycle Oregon’s second annual GRAVEL ride will be based out of Dufur in mid-May.  Cycle Oregon officials announced the dates and routes for their 2019 events this week.  The GRAVEL ride was established last year to let cyclists experience the challenges and scenic beauty of gravel road riding while being fully supported.  The route features a combination of gravel and paved roads to explore the high prairie along with the forested foothills of Mount Hood.  Riders will get views of wildflowers, wheat fields, and Mount Hood and Mount Adams.  The ride will take place May 17-19, and will be limited to 500 riders.  Registration began Thursday at cycleoregon.com.

There will be a brief, full closure of the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge on Friday.  It will begin at 5:00 a.m. for lift span electrical and mechanical systems testing.  The closure is expected to cause traffic delays of up to 30 minutes depending on volume.  

The Performing Arts Initiative, the group that is working toward developing a 600-seat performing arts center in the Westcliff area of Hood River, has formed a business consortium to help in their effort.  PAI board president Mark Steighner says part of the role of businesses within the project is to help bring financial support to the arts.  In addition, being able to show a number of businesses in support of the project enhances efforts to acquire grants.  The PAI’s business consortium has a meeting planned for Naked Winery in Hood River on February 6 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. that will include a presentation on what the consortium is all about.   The initiative’s website is gorgeperformingarts.org.

Wrestling

Redmond 63, The Dalles 17:  The Riverhawks’ received wins by fall from J.R. Scott and Steven Preston, and Austin Greene scored a victory by technical fall.

Boys Basketball

LaCenter 90, Stevenson 44

King’s Way Christian 77, Columbia 33

Three area legislators are among the co-sponsors of a bill to have Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management study and make recommendations on the funding of search and rescue operations.  26th District Senator Chuck Thomsen, 52nd District Representative Anna Williams, and 59th District Representative Daniel Bonham are among the bipartisan group sponsoring House Bill 2503.  Williams says the first step is to clearly define the issue, and determine issues facing search and rescue operations in various communities.  The bill calls for the report to be done by January 1, 2021.  The bill will go through Veterans and Emergency Preparedness Committee.

The body of the pilot of an aircraft that crashed on Mount Hood was recovered Wednesday morning.  A team made up of members of the Hood River Crag Rats, Oregon Air National Guard’s 125th Special Tactics Squadron and the Air Force Reserve 304th Rescue Squadron confirmed the pilot was the sole occupant and were taking the body to the Cloud Cap Inn for transport to Hood River.  The plane was discovered by Civil Air Patrol in the area of Eliot Glacier Tuesday afternoon.  The pilot is suspected to be 63-year-old George Regis of Battle Ground, who was reported missing after flying out of the Camas airfield on Friday intending to go to Arizona.  Air crews confirmed the tail number of the downed plane as belonging to Regis’ aircraft.  Hughes says recovery of the aircraft will take place at a later date.

The Port of Hood River’s online survey on replacing the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge continues through January 31.  Port Bridge Replacement Director Kevin Greenwood says the survey is set up to ask responders if they are still in general agreement with the concept for a new bridge developed in 2011.  The survey is at bit.ly/HoodRiverBridge.  Fact sheets and information about the bridge replacement project are available at portofhoodriver.com

Boys Basketball

Sherman 70, Horizon Christian 56:  The Huskies take over first place in the Big Sky after both teams entered the game 10-0 in league play.  They meet again next Wednesday in Hood River.

The Dalles 71, Goldendale  70

Dufur 72, South Wasco 41

Yakama Tribal 65, Klickitat-Glenwood 36

Girls Basketball

The Dalles 56, Goldendale 30:  The Riverhawks jumped out to a 22-6 lead in the first quarter.  Kilee Hoylman led The Dalles with 13 points.

LaCenter 69, Stevenson 37:   The Wildcats moved past the Bulldogs into second place in the Trico League.

King’s Way Christian 57, Columbia 39

South Wasco 50, Dufur 36:  The Redsides stay even with Ione atop the Big Sky.

Yakama Tribal 76, Klickitat-Glenwood 43