Health officials continue to urge people to get a flu shot.  Ellen Larsen of the Hood River County Health Department says the whole country is now in the heart of flu season, and they recommend getting vaccinated if you haven’t done so.  In Oregon, labs have confirmed nearly 6,000 cases this season. It runs from October to April.

The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center’s exhibit on the old Chinatown in The Dalles will be wrapping up soon.  The exhibit has been in place since the start of 2017.  Discovery Center registrar Susan Buce says the Chinatown exhibit will be removed in a bit more than a month from now.  Buce says the next exhibit will be “Painting Oregon’s Harvest” by artist Kathy Degendorfer.  It has been on display at the High Desert Museum in Bend.  That will open in March.

Wrestling Mountain View 59, Hood River Valley 11:  Ryan Zeller won by fall and Jason Shaner by technical fall to highlight the HRV effort in the dual match in Central Oregon.   Girls Basketball LaCenter 60, Columbia 21 King’s Way Christian 40, Stevenson 17

Starting in February, the state Aging and People with Disabilities office in The Dalles will temporarily deliver aging program services currently provided by the Mid-Columbia Council of Governments.  The interim change in service delivery stems from an August 30 announcement that the Mid-Columbia Council of Governments would stop serving as the Area Agency on Aging for Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam and Wheeler counties.  APD administrator for long-term services and support Jane-ellen Weidanz says making her agency the interim provider should ensure adequate staffing to support the needs of older adults in the Mid-Columbia.  Weidanz says APD is in conversations with a variety of governmental organizations and other entities that could potentially qualify as the new Area Agency on Aging, and those discussions are expected to take about six months.  The APD office on 3641 Klindt Drive in The Dalles…call 541-298-4114 or 800-452-2333.

Boys Basketball The Dalles 51, Crook County 45:  The Riverhawks outscored the Cowboys 16-6 in the fourth quarter to grab the win, including making seven free throws down the stretch to hold the lead.  The Riverhawks moved their record to 7-5 with the win.   Girls Basketball The Dalles 64, Crook County 19:  The Riverhawks jumped out to a big lead with a 31-point first quarter.  Jodi Thomasian led The Dalles with 13 points, while Bailey LeBreton and Jenna Miller added 12 apiece.   Girls Wrestling Hood River Valley 42, Forest Grove 15 Hood River Valley 31, Century 30:  The Eagles won over the Jaguars in a tiebreaker by criteria to sweep the double dual at Forest Grove.  Aryn Dahlstrom and Alexis McCafferty had two wins apiece for the Eagles.

New management has begun its work at the Home At Last animal shelter in The Dalles.  Home At Last has merged with Central Oregon Animal Friends, whose organization’s executive director Steve Drynan and director of operations Jerilee Drynan both were involved with Home At Last before moving to the Madras area about a decade ago.  Steve Drynan says the transition in management is underway, starting with implementing policies and figuring out the situation of the animals at the shelter.  He adds rebuilding the volunteer base and dealing with the shelter’s financial issues are also top priorities, noting the shelter facility is clean and in good shape.  Drynan notes shelter managers are currently being trained in both The Dalles and at their Madras facility.  He emphasized the key to success long-term will be very good animal care and customer service.

The Port of Hood River Commission approved a number of set up pieces and agreements as the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge replacement process moves from theory toward reality.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says they are starting the implementation of the planning process, with the contracts approved this week bringing in experts and consultants to move forward in a “rigorous and disciplined way.”  The Port recently hired Kevin Greenwood as project manager for the bridge replacement.  Port Commissioners will hold a worksession next Thursday (January 18) at 1:30 p.m. in the Port’s Marina Center conference room with a panel of experts to discuss various elements of the project.

The date for exclusion of students in Oregon schools who are not up to date on their immunizations is Wednesday, February 21.  Trish Elliott of the Hood River County Health Department says schools will be delivering their immunization record reports to the health department by next Wednesday, and then notification letters will go out.  She adds there are a couple of vaccines in particular that are the most likely to be missed:  Varicella and adolescent T-DAP.  Day care centers and pre-school programs are also subject to the state’s immunization requirements.

Boys Basketball King’s Way Christian 77, Columbia 50 Seton Catholic 60, Stevenson 47 Dufur 57, Ione 32 Sherman 70, South Wasco 16   Girls Basketball King’s Way Christian 50, Columbia 27 Stevenson 67, Seton Catholic 39 South Wasco 52, Sherman 24

Two people were taken to Mid-Columbia Medical Center after a report of a shooting in the 2440 block of Badger View Drive southwest of The Dalles.  According to the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and Oregon State Police responded to a call just before noon on Monday of a 51-year-old woman having been shot.  When law enforcement arrived, the woman was found and treated by Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue personnel.  They were told her 49-year-old brother had unintentionally shot her in the leg, and he was having a medical issue when the shooting occurred.  Both were transported to the hospital for non-life threatening conditions.  The incident is under investigation by the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office.