The Port of The Dalles is hoping to take a developed relationship with the Bonneville Power Administration and use it to develop a better relationship with other federal agencies.  The BPA recently purchased over four acres from the Port for a substation upgrade.  Port Executive Director Andrea Klaas says part of the conversation with the BPA was to try to improve relationships with other federal agencies who at times they have been at odds with in trying to develop local projects.  She adds a meeting is planned in The Dalles in late spring and early summer to have those agencies look at the community.  Klaas says the hope is to move ahead dialogue on processing and timing of permits.

Baseball Hood River Valley 3, Prairie 2 Hood River Valley 7, Heritage 0 Prairie 2, The Dalles 0 The Dalles 14, Heritage 12   Softball The Dalles 4, Canby 2   Track and Field Hood River Valley’s girls won the Sandy Invitational, while the boys finished second.  Katie Kennedy won three events for the HRV girls while Poppy Miller, Josephine Dickinson, and Chloe Bullock won one event each.  Gabriel Campos-Davis won two events apiece for the Eagle boys with Chad Klaas and Robby Running also grabbed first place finishes.   The Dalles girls finished fourth and the boys seventh at the Laker Classic Invitational in Lake Oswego.  Emma Mullins, Tressa Wood, and Tialima Paulo had third place finishes for the Riverhawk girls, while Justin Conklin had a second and a third for the Riverhawk boys.   South Wasco’s girls were second at the Riverside Twilight Relays in Boardman.  Ana Popchock won the 300 meter hurdles and triple jump, while Madisen Davis and Madalynn Gragg also won events for the Redsides.   Horizon Christian’s boys were fourth and the girls tied for sixth at the CS Lewis Academy Invitational.  The Hawks’ Kaitlyn Wenz won the girls’ long jump, Valerie Bruggeman the girls’ pole vault, and Andrew Wells the boys’ discus.   Sherman’s boys and girls finished eighth at AMJ Invitational at Blue River.  The Huskies’ Owen Christiansen won the boys’ long jump.   Glenwood’s Kinley Troh won the girls’ discus at the Ramos Relays in Selah.   Girls Lacrosse Hood River Valley 19, Westview 9:  Abigail Bartles and Kathryn Koenig scored six goals apiece to keep HRV undefeated.   Boys Lacrosse Canby 11, Hood River Valley 2

Repair work continues on Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area trails damaged by the Eagle Creek Fire.  Work parties have recently been held at Sams Walker, pulling weeds and removing blackberries, as well as on Gorton Creek, Herman Creek, Wahkeena, and Angel’s Rest trails.  The Scenic Area’s Rachel Pawlitz says trails east of Cascade Locks have been assessed and repairs are underway, and big trails at the west end of the Gorge also are seeing work being done.  But she adds assessments are continuing in the area between Multnomah Falls and Cascade Locks are continuing.  Pawlitz does emphasize there are plenty of hiking opportunities available throughout the region, even with the closures due to fire damage.  For updates on trail status, go to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area website.

A rally is set for Saturday at Hood River’s Children’s Park to say good-bye to the 25-year-old wooden structure and fundraise for its replacement.  The P.E.P. rally is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.  It’s a free event to attend with music, face painting, food, and games available.  There will be opportunities to sign-up for volunteering to help with the construction of our new playground and donate to the effort.  Children’s Park will close soon to prepare for installation of a larger play structure made out of more modern materials.  A community build week is planned for early June.  

Four people were injured Thursday morning in a three-vehicle accident within a section of eastbound Interstate 84 between Cascade Locks and Hood River that has been restricted to one lane due to construction, backing up traffic for about an hour.  Hood River County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Pete Hughes says the accident occurred just after 11 a.m. at milepost 53.  A passenger SUV rear-ended a military vehicle, and then a tractor-trailer rear ended the SUV.  Hughes said passengers in the SUV were taken to hospital, but no critical injuries were reported.

Wasco County Commissioners approved an intent to award a contract for construction of a new building in The Dalles for Mid-Columbia Center For Living.  Bids had come in one month ago two million dollars over budget.  Commissioner Scott Hege says the Tri-County Mental Health Board, which he is a part of, recently approved a one-point-five million dollar commitment to allow the project to move forward.  Hege notes the low bid was from Griffin Construction for six-point-four million dollars, and the Commission hopes to formally approve contracts later in April.  A Community Development Block Grant is helping to fund the project, and requires a government entity to receive it.  Wasco County is acting in that capacity, and will turn over the building to Mid-Columbia Center For Living when its finished.  The new building will be at 1040 Webber Street in The Dalles.  

The White Salmon City Council has voted to proceed with obtaining requests for proposal to build an outdoor six lane swimming pool to replace their current facility.  Councilors asked for proposals that will allow for improvements and additions at a later date.  With the Council having earlier decided to seek to establish a Metropolitan Park District to pay for operations of the pool, Mayor David Poucher says getting the proposals will give citizens a better idea of what would be built.  Poucher indicated they expect to receive RFP’s in early May.

A 41-year-old Stevenson man was killed in a single vehicle accident just north of Stevenson late Tuesday night.  According to the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, a preliminary investigation shows Matthew Hibbard was driving a full-size pickup truck south on Skaar Road when he lost control attempting to negotiate a curve.  The truck rolled multiple times before coming to rest on its top.  Three passengers sustained non-life threatening injuries.  Their names have not been released.  The Sheriff’s Office indicates a preliminary investigation revealed speed and/or alcohol may be contributing factors in the accident.  The investigation is continuing.

Baseball Hood River Valley 16, Bend 2:  Brandon Smiley had two doubles and drove in five runs as the Eagles jumped out to a big early lead and cruised to the win in a game shortened to four-and-a-half innings by the ten-run rule.  Ryan Gray, Grayson Losee, and Trenton Hough drove in two runs apiece.   Softball Hood River Valley 10, Bend 1:  The Eagles scored six runs in the second inning on the way to their eleventh straight win to start the season.  Hannah McNerney drove in five runs with a pair of doubles, while Lauren Decker struck out 11 and walked none in pitching a complete game   Barlow 4, The Dalles 0   Boys Tennis Hood River Valley 7, Pendleton 0   Girls Tennis Hood River Valley 5, Pendleton 3

The Mid-Columbia Lions Follies are back for another year…presenting “Gilligan’s Island…the Untold Story” beginning this Friday at the Hood River Middle School Auditorium.  This version goes deeper than the adventures of the seven castaways as told in the sixties television program, as Terri Tyler wrote about the stories of the people left behind at home.  Shows will take place over the next two weekends, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2 p.m. this weekend, and next Thursday through Saturday at 7:30.  Tickets are $10, $8 for children 12 and under, and are available at the door and at numerous local outlets.  Proceeds go to the Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation and the Hood River Children’s Park.