The Hood River County Commission decided to continue to April 2 the hearing on the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals remand of Apollo Land Holdings’ application to construct a hotel on the former Dee Mill site as part of the DeeTour project.  The County Commission had approved the application a year ago after the County Planning Commission denied it, but the Hood River Valley Residents Committee appealed to LUBA, which sent it back to the County after ruling there were three assignments of error in the final decision.  Commission Chair Ron Rivers said the panel received 150 pages of material from the various parties in the remand, and needed time to digest it.  Under the remand, the County must determine if a new reasons exception is needed to allow the hotel on the land zoned M-1 Industrial, if it is an allowed use given the M-1 zone and the original exception for the Dee Mill, and if the septic system proposed for the hotel violates a Comprehensive Land Use Plan goal restricting public sewer systems being extended outside of an unincorporated community.  The County did allow the application to be modified to drop the size of the hotel from 50 rooms to 27.  

The cities of Bingen and White Salmon, Klickitat County Solid Waste, and Republic Services are discussing steps that can be taken to keep the recycling drop-off site in Bingen open.  The site has been beset by illegal dumping and scavengers.  Bingen Mayor Betty Barnes says securing the site is a big part of the discussions, including both fencing and cameras.  Barnes notes scavenging has scared some users and generated complaints, so police have increased patrols around the site and signs have been posted to more clearly state what can be left at the site.

The Hood River County School District is heading into a phase of construction after two years of designing projects approved by voters in a bond measure two years ago.  Superintendent Dan Goldman says construction of a new May Street Elementary School is the most visible project.  Also getting underway is a renovation of the 100-year-old Coe Primary Building for administration and alternative school use.  Renovations of Mid-Valley Elementary will begin this summer as will a roofing project at Hood River Valley High School and installation of a new track and field-turf at Henderson Stadium, along with security upgrades at all schools.

The Goldendale Police Department has announced it is sending charges to the Klickitat County Prosecutor against two male juveniles accused of burglarizing the Easy Outlaw Skate Shop last week. The juveniles are from the Wapato and White Swan area, and they police are seeking arrest warrants for the pair. In a press release on its Facebook page, the department says the juveniles caused damage to the building, and it is also estimated the amount of stolen property could exceed $10,000. Goldendale Police also indicated it is working on another burglary believed to have been committed by the same pair.

An Arizona couple died in a three-vehicle accident in Sherman County on Friday afternoon.  The Oregon State Police says the accident happened at around 2:15 p.m. on Highway 97.  A preliminary investigation revealed a station wagon driven by 58-year-old Masiel Pete of Maricopa, Arizona, was southbound when he lost control on a slush covered roadway.  Pete’s vehicle crossed into the northbound lanes where he sideswiped a commercial motor vehicle that was pulling a box trailer driven by 51-year-old Cary William Pickner of Eagle Creek.  After sideswiping the truck, Pete was struck broadside by a northbound pickup driven by 25-year-old Anthony Guerrero De La Paz of Moses Lake.  Pete and his passenger, 50-year-old Debra Mary Grosbusch of Maricopa, were pronounced deceased at the scene.  Pickner, De La Paz, and De La Paz’s passenger, 20-year-old Rachel Nicole Tapparo of LaVerne, California, were transported via ground ambulance to Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles, where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.  Speed and road conditions are being considered as possible contributing factors in the crash.

Local first responders continue to be dispatched to rescue hikers who disregard signage and barricades and trespass into closed and dangerous areas resulting from the Eagle Creek Fire.  Responders are placed at greater risk than normal when going into the burn-affected areas due to significant hazards, such as rockfall, landslides, and fire-weakened trees.  A number of state and local agencies have issued a reminder that hikers who trespass into closure areas will be held criminally liable for their actions by the Hood River and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Offices.  Wednesday night the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team was summoned to help two hikers who jumped a barrier and became lost in the Angels Rest area.  In February, the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office cited three juveniles for Criminal Trespass for hiking in the closed Herman Creek area and getting lost.  Six miles of the Historic Columbia River Highway between Bridal Veil and Ainsworth have been closed since Sept. 4, two days after the start of the fire.  Benson State Recreation Area, Shepperd’s Dell State Natural Area, Angel’s Rest Trailhead, trail and parking, John B. Yeon Trailhead, trail and parking, and Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail trailheads and trail between John Yeon and Cascade Locks all remain closed.  All National Forest System lands remain closed within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area south of Interstate 84, west of Starvation Creek, and east of Alex Barr and Thompson Mill Road with the exception of the Multnomah Falls lodge building, snack area, and plaza.

In its proposed Community Marketing Work Plan presented to The Dalles City Council last week, The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce included a new campaign for a “Maker’s District.”  Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson says the concept has been developed in conjunction with several businesses in the downtown area, and it emphasizes anything actually made in The Dalles, starting with breweries and wineries but expanding out further to other handmade products.  Farquharson says the campaign is still being developed, but will retain a historic feel while including a fun exploration angle.  The Community Marketing Work Plan is being considered by the City as it goes through its 2018-19 budget process.

There will be a Port of Hood River Commission hearing Tuesday on the proposed administrative rules for accepting proposals relating to the replacement of the Interstate Bridge.  The rules are required by the state as the Port considers a public-private partnership to replace the bridge.  Project Manager Kevin Greenwood says they have worked with consultant Steve Siegel to develop the rules.  Tuesday’s Port Commission meeting begins at 5 p.m. at the Port Marina Center conference room, with the hearing to start soon after.

Baseball Wilsonville 7, Hood River Valley 3 Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat splits with Sunnyside Christian, losing game one 3-2 and winning game two 14-1   Softball Hood River Valley 11. Wilsonville 7 The Dalles 11, Bend 5 in game one, 3-3 tie in game two   Track and Field Brandon Montoya of Lyle-Wishram and Allison Gilliam of Goldendale won three events each at the Mullin-Leavitt Invitational in The Dalles.   Boys Soccer Highland 1, Columbia 0

The Pacific Crest Innovation Academy Owls won the high school division and Henkle Middle School the middle school division at the Google Wind Challenge on Saturday at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center.  39 middle and high school teams from the region built wind turbines at the contest.  Stevenson High School’s Bulldogs Maroon team was second and Team Cyclones from Life in the Gorge Homeschool Group third in the high school division.  Another Henkle Middle Schools group was second and Wind River Middle School Royals-Blue third in the middle school competition.