Work on a mural depicting a salmon of “Only Slightly Exaggerated” size is getting underway in The Dalles.  The mural will be paid for by Travel Oregon, and is being painted on a building at 723 East 2nd Street by artist Blaine Fontana.  It is part of Travel Oregon’s “Only Slightly Exaggerated” campaign featuring high-energy cinematic animation of the state’s diverse natural features and range of outdoor adventures.  Seven murals are being painted around the state as part of the campaign.  This mural depicts a “slightly exaggerated” sized salmon happily leaping from the Columbia River over river rafters below.  This is the second mural Fontana has been commission to paint in The Dalles, with his recently completed “The Valley Gorge Hub Mural” on 1st Street between Federal and Laughlin.

Volleyball Hood River Valley def. Camas 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 25-19 Dufur def. Mitchell-Spray 25-11, 25-14, 25-11 South Wasco def. Ione 25-15, 25-13, 26-28, 26-24 Columbia def. Lyle-Wishram 3 sets to 0   Boys Soccer The Dalles 3, Putnam 3:  The Riverhawks came from three goals down to earn the draw.  Reed Twidwell started the rally midway through the second half, with Alex Gutierrez pulling the Riverhawks within a goal.  Andy Lopez scored the tying goal in the game’s waning moments.  The Dalles had lost its first two games of the season. Trout Lake 7, Horizon Christian 3   Girls Soccer Putnam 1, The Dalles 0 LaSalle (Yakima) 10, Goldendale 0

Hood River County Commissioners are facing a decision on how and whether to fund the County’s Veterans Services Office after an attempt to use only state funds in fiscal year 2018-19 was found to be against state statutes.  The County’s original budget application for the office to the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs was rejected, with the state citing a statutory requirement for the county to participate in the operation of the veterans’ service office, and the county contribution may not be decreased from the previous year unless there is an equal percentage decrease in all county offices.  County Administrator Jeff Hecksel says their contribution last year was just over $31,000, but it was eliminated as the County dealt with its budgetary shortfall.  Hecksel says the Commission has the option either to come up with a supplemental appropriation putting the $31,000 into the Veterans’ Services Office budget, or to cease operation of the program.  The Commission will consider the matter at its September 17 meeting.

Hood River’s Children’s Park will reopen on September 22.  Opening of the rebuilt play facility was postponed due to delays in receiving materials needed to finish the park.  Many elements that should have arrived by the June community build were delayed by the manufacturers.  A few more installments need to be made to full complete work on the park, but it has been deemed safe and ready for play.  City Councilor Megan Saunders said the delay did allow City Public Works to complete concrete work to repair a damaged sidewalk around the play area, shore up the hillside to reduce erosion, and clean and repaint the parking lot.  The reopening of the 25-year-old park will be celebrated with a ribbon cutting and community festivities from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on September 22.

In a letter to Oregon Second District Congressman Greg Walden, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said the agency was authorizing Walden’s request to grant emergency grazing to Wasco and Sherman County ranchers and flexibility for wheat producers whose crop was impacted by the wildfires.  Walden wrote to Perdue last month requesting assistance from the Department of Agriculture for wheat farmers and ranchers impacted by the Substation Fire.  In response to Walden’s request, Perdue stated that USDA will authorize emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program land, and will grant necessary flexibility to summer fallow wheat producers.   Walden also requested in August that UDSA approve the state of Oregon’s disaster declaration after the fires.  Perdue stated the agency is currently compiling reported losses, recommendations for counties as disaster areas, and additional information to complete the review process before making a determination on the disaster declaration.

Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have urged federal officials to use more accurate, timely, and science-based measurements in determining whether Oregon farmers and ranchers have access to drought disaster aid programs.  The pair wrote Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue that the U.S. Drought Monitor’s measurement criteria and process for Farm Service Agency disaster programs are unfairly treating Oregonians battling wildfires and water shortages created by prolonged hot, dry weather.  Wyden and Merkley cited as examples of outdated measurements those that only rely on precipitation and lean heavily on reservoir storage and capacity.  They urged the use of newer and better drought metrics that include temperature, “snow drought” or reduced winter mountain snowpack, shutoffs to senior water rights, increased irrigation demand due to extreme temperatures, soil moisture levels, lack of livestock water in pastures, ecological stress on forests, wildfire activity and danger, and streamflows.

The Aluminum Man Triathlon returns to The Dalles on Saturday.  Last year’s event was cancelled due to smoke from the Eagle Creek Fire.  Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation District executive director Scott Baker says they have over 100 entries so far, with many more expected to sign up on Saturday morning.  Individual and team entries are accepted for the event.  For registration information go to nwprd.org.  Day of event registration will be from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Riverfront Park in The Dalles.

The annual Huckleberry Festival is this weekend, centered in Daubenspeck Park in Bingen beginning Friday evening and continuing through Sunday.  Chris Connolly says they will have plenty of huckleberry pies and the always popular bratwurst.  She adds the festival parade through downtown Bingen will take place Saturday morning, with lineup at 120 East Steuben at 9:30 a.m. and the parade itself starting at 11 a.m.  The grand marshal will be retired White Salmon-Bingen Police Chief Tracy Wyckoff.  Music and entertainment is planned throughout the festival in the park, along with kids’ activities.  For complete schedule information go to huckleberry-fest.com.

Volleyball Camas def. The Dalles 25-12, 19-25, 25-10, 25-7   Girls Soccer Fort Vancouver 6, Stevenson 4   Cross Country Stevenson’s Isabella Spencer was seventh in the girls’ race and the Bulldogs’ Julio Ramos  ninth in the boys’ race at the LaCenter Jamboree.

The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office was unable to locate a cougar Wednesday afternoon that was in the area of Lois Drive and Holly Drive on the west side of Hood River.  Hood River County Sheriff Matt English said officers searched the area thoroughly, and notified residents in the immediate area, but could not locate the animal. English added two people saw the cougar early this afternoon in a grassy area between Lois Drive and Holly Drive.  He also said it was the deepest a cougar has been reported in a residential area of Hood River in some time.  English said if you see a cougar, call Hood River County dispatch at 541-386-2711, or call 9-1-1 if the situation is life threatening.  He adds if you encounter a cougar, keep calm.  Make yourself look as large as possible and back away slowly, keeping the cougar in view, and allowing a clear exit for the cougar.  Pick up children and small pets immediately.  Never run or turn your back- sudden movements may provoke an attack.  Westside Elementary School was placed on lock down and parents of students who would normally ride their bikes or walk home from school were advised to pick their children up.  Hood River County School District Superintendent Dan Goldman says they were notifying parents of the situation, and said Westside Elementary buses will operate as normal Thursday.  He added if parents do not feel safe having their kids walk or bike to school or wait at a bus stop, they should drive the students in to the school.