The Port of Hood River Commission has approved an increase in tolls for the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge.  Cash tolls for automobiles will go from one dollar to two dollars, while those using Breeze-By electronic accounts will see their toll move up from 80 cents to one dollar.  The new tolls are scheduled to go into effect on February 1, but the Commission adopted a suggestion from board member David Meriwether to push back the implementation date if the new web portal for BreezeBy customer account management isn’t up and running at least six weeks before the implementation date.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says they are closing in on a soft launch for the new portal, but adds there are many examples of computer systems having initial problems, and they want to make sure it’s ready for public use.  Commissioners have said the toll increase is to provide the Port with the necessary resources to both prepare for an estimated $51 million in expenditures over the next 15 years to keep the bridge safe and operational, and to enable ongoing bridge pre-replacement efforts.

The Washington State Department of Transportation has a proposed design for a new connection from Highway 14 to Bingen Point, and will show it at an open house in White Salmon next week.  Bart Treece of Washington DOT says the design would build a new route underneath the tracks to keep traffic moving with as minimal a footprint as possible that would impact property owners.  The 22-point-nine million dollar project is being by the Connecting Washington transportation package approved by the 2015 Legislature.  Treece adds a roundabout would be installed at the location.  The open house will be next Wednesday (December 13) from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the White Salmon Valley Community Library.

Boys Basketball The Dalles 63, Columbia 48:  The Riverhawks win their second straight game to begin the season. Heritage 64, Hood River Valley 60 Stevenson 86, Goldendale 57 Dufur 43, Culver 35   Girls Basketball Hood River Valley 40, Heritage 39:  Haylee Baker’s steal and lay-in with 30 seconds to play gave the Eagles the win after Heritage had come back from an eight point deficit in the fourth quarter. The Dalles 47, Columbia 12 Stevenson 63, Goldendale 56 Culver 52, Dufur 35

122 miles of trail in the Mount Hood National Forest and the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area remain closed in the aftermath of September’s Eagle Creek Fire, and when they will open will remain a question for some time.  Rachel Pawlitz of the U.S. Forest Service Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area says she is hopeful that some of the trails will open in mid- to late-spring, but some assessments won’t begin until spring, when freeze/thaw cycles that can trigger landslides will have played out.  Pawlitz reminds people that the closures are for the public’s safety, noting the trails are a network, and some locations may remain closed because of how they can access trails that are unsafe for use.  Multnomah Falls Lodge opened one week ago but the nearby waterfall viewing areas, including the popular lower viewing platform, and the surrounding trail system remain closed until the next round of repairs is completed.

YouthThink has rolled out a teen-focused version of its Toddler to Teens parent boot camp.  Debby Jones of YouthThink says this version is for parents and influencers of children between the ages of 11 to 17.  Jones says it was put together at the request of those who want to go deeper into the feelings and workings of the brain of a teenager, adding once puberty starts there is as much going on in the brain and body as during the first year of life.  The two hour parent boot camp is offered on a periodic basis.  The next session focused on teens is January 29 at 6 p.m. at the YouthThink office on 610 Court Street in The Dalles.  For more information, go to youththink.org.

The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Saturday morning shooting in the southern part of the county that left a man in his forties dead.  According to the Sheriff’s Office, the man was shot by his 76-year-old father in Pine Grove, about 15 miles west of Maupin, during a domestic disturbance.  The Sheriff’s Office says the man is cooperating with investigators, and no arrest has been made at this time, adding he was taken to Mid-Columbia Medical Center for observation then transported to a care facility.  The Sheriff’s Office adds this was an isolated incident, and there is no danger to the public.  The investigation is on-going, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at 541-506-2580.

The annual “Everyone Loves a Firefighter,” or Project ELFF, food drive takes place in The Dalles area this week.  ELFF commander Eric Pyles of Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue says they will begin Tuesday evening collecting non-perishable food donations in the eastern half of The Dalles.  Cash donations will also be taken that will go directly to the Salvation Army and St. Vincent dePaul to augment their food banks.  Project ELFF volunteers will be collecting in The Dalles east of Union Street on Tuesday, then Wednesday night they will be on the west side of The Dalles, and Thursday in the Dallesport-Murdock area.  Collections will take place all three nights from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A strong October has helped Hood River’s tourism industry catch up after a difficult September due to the Eagle Creek Fire.  Hood River County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mike Glover says the latest lodging report for the month of October showed an offset of the negative effects from the Eagle Creek Fire says lodging revenue put the industry back on a year-to-date increase.  Glover says anecdotal reports from the retail sector show those businesses took a hit in September, but bounced back in October.  He also reports the holiday season is off to a strong start, noting an estimated four-thousand people attended Friday night’s parade and tree-lighting event.

The Dalles area orchardist Mike Omeg has been named the 2017 Good Fruit Grower magazine Grower of the Year.  In announcing the selection, the magazine cited Omeg as representing “all the values of a great grower, a passion for quality fruit, a relentless search for innovation and an extraordinary commitment to service to others.”  Omeg is the fifth generation general manager of Omeg Family Orchards.  He is the third winner of the award from The Dalles area…joining the Bailey family in 2003 and John Carter in 2010.

Rolling slowdowns and delays on Interstate 84 west of Hood River are scheduled in both directions around noon Thursday for the sixth in a rock blasting series necessary to build the latest segment of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail.  The Oregon Department of Transportation indicates the blast, one of the smallest of the series, will take place around noon near milepost 53.  The rolling slowdowns will delay traffic in both directions but the delays are expected to be shorter than for previous blasts.  The schedule may change due to unforeseen conditions.  Further blasts may not be necessary to complete the project.