Mid-Columbia Medical Center announced Thursday it is reducing its workforce by 11 positions. MCMC Interim Chief Executive Officer Dianne Storby said it was the first time in over 20 years the hospital in The Dalles will eliminate positions.  She indicated the positions being reduced includes managers and staff-level jobs.  In a written statement, Storby said MCMC is experiencing budgetary pressures due to several factors, including a down turn in revenue for 2016 and the first two months of 2017, the uncertainty of healthcare reimbursements at the state and national level, and statistical and financial information challenges resulting from continued transition in their electronic health record.

Hood River Garbage will be delivering new carts to residents within the City limits starting on Monday in preparation for a new service structure beginning on May 1.  Hood River Garbage site manager Jim Winterbottom says each customer will receive three bins.  One will be for garbage, one for co-mingled recycling, and the third for compostable materials.  Glass recyclables will continue to be left in a smaller blue bin.  Garbage and recycling will be picked up every other week, while the compost bin will be serviced every week.  Complete instructions will be included with the new carts, a mailer has also been sent out explaining what is taking place, and there is information at the City of Hood River website.  The new carts will not be used until May 1.

The Oregon State Senate Workforce Committee will be taking up clarifications to the paid sick leave legislation that was approved one year ago.  29th District Senator and committee member Bill Hansell says legislators had been told at the time the bill was passed that if a small business or farm with mostly family members working for you that those family members would be excluded from the paid sick leave count, but the Bureau of Labor and Industries interpreted that as meaning the company had to be owned by the family, and Hansell says most family farms are limited liability corporations.  Hansell says the committee has been working on changing that, adding labor and industry have come together to work on it, and he expects to carry a bill to the floor during the current session.

Track and Field Columbia’s boys finished first and girls second to Seton Catholic in a five-school meet in White Salmon.  Hood River Valley finished fourth in both the boys and girls standings with a partial squad.  Columbia’s Alondra Casarez-Garcia and HRV’s Ann Marie Goodman won three events each in the girls’ competition, while Columbia and Hood River Valley each grabbed three first place finishes in the boys’ events.   Michael Lantz and Jenna Miller won three events apiece for The Dalles in a meet with Horzion Christian at Sid White Field.  The Riverhawks’ Reed Twidwell and Mercy Iaulualo (ee-aw-loh-wahl-oh) won two events apiece for The Dalles, while Horizon’s Quinn Rosetcisoedner and Paulina Finn also won a pair of events.   Stevenson’s boys were second and girls third at a five school meet in Castle Rock.  Ilwaco finished atop both the boys and girls standings.  Lincoln Krog had two of the five first place finishes for the Bulldogs, while Kaitlyn Rathgeber won the girls’ 400 meters.   Boys Soccer LaCenter 5, Stevenson 0   Boys Tennis Hood River Valley 5, Hermiston 3   Girls Tennis Columbia 4, King’s Way Christian 1

Large crowds attended town hall meetings with Oregon Second District Congressman Greg Walden in both The Dalles and Hood River on Wednesday. An estimated 500 people attended the morning session at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center, and about 1,000 later in the day were at the Hood River Middle School Auditorium.  And many of those people took issue with the Hood River Republican on a number of issues, even though the primary points of discussion varied in the two communities.  Health care was the focus for an audience that skewed a bit older in The Dalles, while immigration and the environment were the top subjects in Hood River, and some of his answers displeased many in the audience.  Afterwards, Walden said he understands people have high levels of emotion over a number of different issues, adding the volume level is higher than usual but that’s part of the process, and it’s part of his job to listen to people in a big and diverse district.  Walden is holding six town halls in his district on this swing, visiting Bend and Prineville Thursday and Grants Pass and Medford on Friday.

The Hood River County School District Board adopted a calendar for the 2017-18 school year with an opening day of September 5.  That’s the day after Labor Day, and will allow time for construction projects to be completed at Hood River and Wy’east middle schools.  The calendar schedules winter break to begin on Christmas Day, which is on a Monday, and run through January 5.  The last day of school for 2017-18 is scheduled for June 14, but that could change due to inclement weather earlier in the year.

Softball Mountain View 11, The Dalles 3:  The Cougars scored five runs before an out was recorded in the bottom of the first inning to take control of the game.   Boys Soccer Columbia 8, Castle Rock 0:  The Bruins move into sole possession of second place in the Trico League.   Boys Tennis Hermiston at Hood River Valley:  Postponed to today and moved to Hermiston.

The Oregon State Police and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife rescued an injured bald eagle on Post Canyon Road just outside of Hood River.  A Hood River resident riding a dirt bike encountered the large eagle sitting on the side of the road unable to fly, reported it to the OSP and left an identifying marker on the road nearby.  Numerous other reports were made regarding the eagle, indicating it was flying very low and appeared unsteady in flight before it crashed into a small creek.  OSP and ODFW officers arrived and located the injured eagle about 45 minutes later, and transported it to the Rowena Wildlife Clinic for treatment.  The clinic reports the eagle does not have any obvious injuries and is conscious and alert.  The clinic is working to determine the cause of the eagle’s illness and has taken blood samples for analysis.  They will also be taking x-rays to determine if there are any spinal injuries or other fractures.

Baseball The Dalles 15, Mountain View 11:  The Riverhawks scored ten runs in the top of the third inning to come back after trailing 10-1 after two innings. Dufur sweeps Heppner 9-2 and 10-0:  The Rangers have won nine in a row to begin the season. Sherman splits with Weston-McEwen, winning the opener 9-2 but losing game two 13-8. King’s Way Christian sweeps Columbia 14-1 and 5-3. Castle Rock sweeps Stevenson 9-1 and 10-4. Kiona-Benton sweeps Goldendale 8-0 and 19-4.   Softball Mountain View 8, Hood River Valley 6   Boys Soccer Columbia 1, King’s Way Christian 0:  The Bruins stay in a tie for second with Toledo in the Trico League.   Track and Field Dillon Rising had two first place finishes as Goldendale’s boys grabbed eight total wins in a four-way SCAC West meet at Naches Valley.  The Timberwolf girls recorded six first place finishes.   Girls Lacrosse Hood River Valley 17, Grant 3:  Emma Norris scored five goals for HRV.   Boys Tennis Goldendale 3, Naches Valley 1   Girls Tennis King’s Way Christian 3, Stevenson 2 Naches Valley 4, Goldendale 1

The Dalles City Council accepted an updated 20-year transportation systems plan at their Monday night meeting.  Adoption did not come without significant discussion around roundabouts proposed by the Oregon Department of Transportation, and an extension of 19th Street in the plan.  Councilors decided the document could be amended over time, even though Mayor Steve Lawrence was concerned about how it will be interpreted in the future.  In other business, the Council authorized entering into a cost recovery agreement with the U.S. Forest Service for environmental studies to support permitting of the Dog River Pipeline Replacement Project.  Lawrence says he still hopes construction can begin next year.