The omnibus spending bill deal reached in Congress includes language to allow wildfires to be treated as natural disasters and allow firefighting efforts to be paid for through disaster funding rather than entirely out of the Forest Service budget.  Oregon Second District Congressman Greg Walden says this can help end a vicious cycle of depleting resources for fire prevention to pay for fire suppression.  The bill also includes two-years of funding for counties with national forest lands under the Secure Rural Schools Act, which had not been renewed in recent years.  That provides funding for schools, roads, and other services.  The bill includes an amendment to Forest Service policy in the bill allowing for funds designated for search and recuse efforts to be used for training and acquisition of equipment, which Hood River County Sheriff Matt English says is a move sheriffs have been requesting for years.  

White Salmon City Councilors to move forward with a petition to create a metropolitan park district for a new summer swimming pool only, with an eye toward putting it on the ballot sometime this year.  The district boundaries would be the same as for the White Salmon Valley School District but excluding Skamania County, and would be created to both construct and operate a new pool.  Mayor David Poucher thinks the next step is to show what they actually want to build.  To get on the ballot, the petition drive must gather signatures from 15 percent of the registered voters within the proposed district, or about 300 signatures.

Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation District is embarking on developing a 20-year master plan.  District Executive Director Scott Baker says the district has never done a master plan.  The district has done listening sessions at various locations, and after establishing the North Wasco County Aquatics Center, Baker indicates the big question they have received is “what’s next?”  The North Wasco Parks District is conducting an online survey asking what people would like them to do next.  The survey can be taken at nwprd.org.

The City of Hood River’s Waterfront Park children’s playground has reopened a couple of weeks before Children’s Park will close for its rebuilding.  The waterfront playground had been closed for nearly six months to allow new sod to establish itself and equipment replacement.  Old wooden structures in the Children’s Park at 9^th and Eugene are being replaced with new modern equipment, and the park will also be expanded by 3,000 square feet.  An event is scheduled at Children’s Park for April 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to bid farewell to the existing park structure built by the community 25 years ago.  It will include a rally fund-raiser for the new park, with music, food, face painting, and games planned.  Children’s Park will close shortly after that to prepare for the new development.  A community build week is scheduled for June 4-10.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $321.3 million contract to Alstom Renewable to design, manufacture and install 14 turbines at the McNary Lock and Dam.  The contract award culminates three years of research, planning, design and acquisition to replace the existing turbine runners and associated ancillary equipment.  The new turbines should increase fish survival and hydraulic capacity, provide operational flexibility and improve reliability.  The 14 main unit turbines at McNary Dam have been in operation for more than 62 years.  They are projected to continue to operate on average for another seven years until the new turbines are manufactured and installed.  Funding is being provided by the Bonneville Power Administration.

Track and Field The Dalles earned four first place finishes at the Sherwood Opener meet. Justin Conklin won the boys’ 110 meter hurdles, Philip Dunagan was first in the boys’ discus, Kimberly Bobadilla won the girls’ triple jump, and Hanna Ziegenhagen earned a first place finish in the girls’ 800. Stevenson’s boys won a three-way Trico League meet over LaCenter and Castle Rock. Three Bulldogs won two events: Lincoln Krog in the 100 meters and the high jump, Issac Hoidal in the long jump and triple jump, and David McAndie swept the hurdles races. Stevenson’s girls were second to LaCenter, as Kaitlyn Rathgeber won both the triple jump and 800 meters.

A two-year-old male cougar that travelled all the way into downtown The Dalles and into a hotel complex was euthanized Tuesday morning after wildlife managers determined it was a public safety risk.  The animal was in a room under construction at the Oregon Motor Motel. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel secured the cougar in a small room, accessed it through a vent in the wall, and sedated the animal with drugs administered via dart gun, and then transported the cougar off-site and euthanized it in a safe location.  A Facebook post seen by ODFW staff indicated the cougar had been spotted at the same location Sunday evening.  Cougar sightings are not uncommon in the outskirts of The Dalles, but ODFW district wildlife biologist Jeremy Thompson said a cougar coming into downtown and not showing fear of people or wariness of urban environments is extremely odd, noting it may have been unable to establish its own home range in its natural habitat.  Thompson added given this behavior, it was deemed a public safety risk not suitable for relocation.  According to ODFW’s current records, the incident marks the sixth time in 2018 that a cougar has been euthanized due to public safety concerns.

Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation will hold a community meeting Thursday on progress on the affordable housing project planned in Hood River on the Morrison Park property.  Joel Madsen of Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation says since their last meeting in early January, the project’s development team has been refining their efforts, looking at the strengths of the site itself and doing pricing scenarios with the contractor that is now on board.  Madsen adds that is being juggled with the community’s goal for sustainably designed buildings.  The project looks to build approximately 65 units for households earning less than 80 percent of area median income, with most targeting those under the 60 percent mark.  Thursday’s meeting is at 6 p.m. in the Waucoma Building.  

The Port of Hood River opened a hearing Tuesday on the proposed administrative rules for accepting proposals relating to the replacement of the Interstate Bridge, and only one person testified.  The rest of the Port Commission meeting had been cancelled due to a lack of a quorum, and only one person testified on the rules.  The rules are required by the state as the Port considers a public-private partnership to replace the bridge.  The hearing will continue on May 1 at 5 p.m. at the Port Marina Center conference room.

Baseball Sandy 4, Hood River Valley 2:  The Eagles could not come back after Sandy scored three runs in the fourth inning.  Greyson Losee drove in both HRV runs with a two-run single in the fifth. Ridgeview 5, The Dalles 4:  The Riverhawks made the most out of just one hit, but fell just short in the game in Central Oregon. Columbia 7, Stanfield 6 Weston McEwen 10, Dufur 6 Sherman 11, Union/Cove 0 Goldendale sweeps White Swan 14-0 and 20-2   Softball Hood River Valley 10, Sandy 0:  Makenzie Chambers and Lizzie Weekly homered while Hannah McNerney pitched a one-hitter to lead the Eagles to their fourth straight win to begin the season. The Dalles 25, Redmond 3 Washougal 13, Columbia 9   Boys Soccer Columbia 6, Seton Catholic 1 Toledo 7, Stevenson 0   Boys Tennis Hood River Valley 8, Sandy 0   Girls Lacrosse Hood River Valley 15, Lakeridge 10