Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington announced that retention of adult Chinook will close effective Saturday and continue through July 31.  The effective area is the mainstem Columbia River from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Oregon/Washington border.  The action was approved after reviewing the latest run forecast, which biologists recently downgraded from 67,300 to 44,000 adult fish.  The two states previously closed adult Chinook retention in the lower Columbia downstream of Bonneville for the month of July.  The Columbia remains open to retention of sockeye salmon and hatchery steelhead, with a bag limit of two adult fish.  All sockeye are considered adults and must be recorded as adults on the combined angling tag.

Heather Hendrixson has been selected to serve as the new manager of the Hood River Soil and Water Conservation District.  She replaces Jordan Kim, and the job has been restructured to also include duties handled by current financial manager Anne Saxby, who also plans to step down at the end of July.  Hendrixson joins the Hood River SWCD after leaving a position with The Nature Conservancy in Klamath Falls.  She has worked in the Klamath Basin for almost 15 years in fishery management, land stewardship, restoration, and collaborative partnership building.  Hendrixson begins work in her new position on Monday.

The new location for the Cascade Locks Library opened today.  The library had been closed for two weeks while it moved from Cascade Locks City Hall to a space about three times the size in Cascade Locks Elementary School.  Hood River County Library District Director Rachael Fox says the additional space provides a variety of benefits, including more defined adult, kids, and teen areas, plus a bigger space for programs, presentations, and community gatherings.  A grand opening event for the new Cascade Locks Library is planned for Saturday evening at 5:30 p.m.

Columbia Gorge Community College has assumed operations of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Adult/Dislocated Worker program, joining the WIOA Youth program CGCC began managing in 2017.  The programs were previously administered by Mid-Columbia Council of Governments and are contracted through the East Cascades Workforce Investment Board.  The WIOA Adult/Dislocated Worker program is a partnership with WorkSource Oregon.  CGCC’s Career Advisors are available onsite at WorkSource The Dalles and Worksource Hood River (located on the Indian Creek Campus).  At both centers, staff assist job seekers with career guidance and skill development.  Free workshops include resume and cover letter writing, interviewing, computer skills, and networking.  The WIOA service region encompasses Hood River, Gilliam, Sherman, Wasco, and Wheeler counties.  Contact WorkSource The Dalles, (541) 296-5345, or WorkSource Hood River, (541) 386-6300, for more information.

The City of Hood River will be bringing in seven finalists for interviews next week in its search for a new City Manager, including one who already works for the City and another who has experience in Gorge government.  Assistant City Manager and Finance Director Will Norris is among the finalists, as is former Port of Skamania County Executive Director John McSherry.  Other finalists include Gresham assistant city manager Rachael Fuller, Stanfield city manager Blair Larsen, Issaquah, Washington director of finance Jennifer Olson, former Sunset Beach, North Carolina town administrator Susan Parker, and former Coburg city administrator Petra Schuetz.  Current City Manager Steve Wheeler indicated tee separate interview panels will occur on Tuesday, followed by a public reception for all candidates that evening from 6:15 to 7:45 at Hood River City Hall.  The field will be narrowed to two to three top candidates who will be invited back for further discussions with City Council on Wednesday.

Hood River County Commissioners held another worksession to discuss where they are in examining the county’s budget and revenue challenges, and it has become clear they won’t be advancing a ballot measure in November.  Commissioners are continuing to hold focus group meetings and gather data to determine a course of action that could range from a public safety levy to some kind of sales tax geared toward the tourist industry.  Commission Chair Ron Rivers says the target date at this point is May 2019.  County Commissioners did tell staff to prepare an ordinance for the County to take advantage of the state allowing local governments to establish a three percent tax on the retail sale of recreational marijuana.  That will come to Commission at a future meeting this summer.  

Access to several Port of Hood River waterfront properties will be limited beginning Tuesday as the Hood River Eye Openers Lions Club begins setting up its fireworks display just west of the mouth of the Hood River.  The Spit will be closed from noon Tuesday to noon Thursday.  Access to the sandbar from the Event Site will be closed at 7 p.m. Wednesday.  The sandy area of the Marina Beach will also be closed at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, and once Marina Park parking areas are full, closed signs will be posted at the entrance.  Parking will be free on the 4th on all of the newly metered Port-owned streets, but parking permits are still required for Event Site parking.  Fireworks of any kind are prohibited on all Port properties, including the Marina and Waterfront areas.

Hood River County’s Prevention Department and the Hood River Valley High School Health Media Club has rolled out its sticker shock program, putting a message on beer cases in stores throughout the County reminding people to celebrate the Fourth of July safely.  Prevention Department director Belinda Ballah says the sticker says “Celebrate Independence, not a jail sentence,” a reminder to not provide alcohol to minors and don’t drive under the influence of alcohol.  The sticker program takes place twice a year.  It also is done prior to the Super Bowl.  

Fourth of July activities are set for throughout the region Wednesday.  In Hood River events start with the Kollas/Cramner Memorial Run from the Odell Fire Hall to Hood River’s Jackson Park.  Registration begins at 7 a.m. with walkers starting at 8 a.m. and runners at 9 a.m.  The annual parade on the Heights in Hood River will begin at 10 a.m. with a theme of “Heroes in our Hearts.”  Former City Manager Lynn Guenther will be grand marshal, and lineup begins at 8:30 a.m. on Eliot Drive, with the parade entry fee $10.  A host of family events follow the parade at Jackson Park.  In Odell there will be a parade downtown with lineup at 3:30 p.m. and the parade itself beginning at 4 p.m.  In The Dalles the “Patriots’ Parade” will take place at 10 a.m. on the usual downtown route.  White Salmon’s parade begins at 1 p.m. at Tohomish and Center and winds downtown on Jewett Boulevard to Rheingarten Park, where there will be a picnic, music, and games at 2 p.m.  Fireworks will take place in Hood River at Port Marina Park and in Cascade Locks off Thunder Island, both beginning about 10 p.m.

Downtown Hood River will be hosting a revitalized First Friday event this coming Friday that will include street closures.  Hood River County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michael Glover says Oak Street between First and Sixth will be closed on Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  He says there will be a theme each month for First Friday, starting this week with a “Summer Block Party.”  Glover notes they are trying to give more reasons for families and the local community to come to Hood River.  Glover says there has been a large amount of enthusiasm and participation from downtown business owners.