The Oregon Department of Transportation has reopened Interstate 84 between Hood River and Troutdale.  The freeway had been closed since mid-afternoon on Tuesday from an ice storm that arrived following heavy snows in the area.  The storms brought down trees and power lines and left behind huge snowdrifts.  ODOT crews worked around the clock and were able to re-open the road about 11 p.m. Thursday. The road is safe but travelers should still use caution.  The Historic Columbia River Highway remains closed.  Washington Highway 14 opened yesterday between the Hood River Interstate Bridge and Washougal.  

The North Wasco County School District 21 board approved adjustments to the school calendar to help provide more time in a second trimester that has been disrupted by inclement weather.  The board approved changing February 6 from an in-service day to a student contact day, pushing back the end of the trimester to March 17, and pushing back a teacher work day to March 20.  D-21 has had eight full day cancellations and seven delayed starts this winter.  Superintendent Candy Armstrong says they are still within minimum state requirements for classroom time at the middle and high school, but slightly under that mark at the elementary level.  In other business, the board received a report from District maintenance director Don Carter that the snow loads on D-21 buildings are well within tolerance levels.  Armstrong noted they are dealing with leaky roofs, but there are no structural issues.

The Hood River County School District is up to eight full day cancellations and six delays for this school year.  The district had already added make-up days on January 27 and June 14, and Superintendent Dan Goldman says they are working with the teachers’ union to find ways within the current school calendar to make up more time, but adds in all likelihood more days will get tacked on to the end of the school year, and the decisions will involve doing more than just meeting state minimum requirements.  Goldman did say Hood River Valley High School has moved the end of the current semester back one week due to the recent disruptions.

The Dalles Public Works Department will be working Thursday and Friday nights to remove snow from the downtown areas.  To facilitate clearing the roads from curb to curb, Public Works requests no on-street parking downtown from 1st Street to 4th Street, between Taylor Street and Lincoln Street, including side streets, from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Thursday and Friday.  Crews will begin at 6:00 p.m. on January 19 to remove snow from 2nd street first, and then move to 3rd and 4th street on January 20.  During this time, there may be occasional lane closures on 2nd and 3rd Streets, as well as on side streets, to accommodate the snow removal work.  The City encourages motorists to avoid The Dalles downtown area entirely if possible during the snow removal work.  If travel is necessary, please seek alternate routes to avoid the downtown work zone and be sure to stay at least 50 feet away from operating equipment.

Fire damaged an apartment at the complex on 2402 West 10th Street in The Dalles on Sunday.  According to Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue Division Chief Dan Hammel, firefighters who responded found a fire in the exterior wall of the unit, which was contained to the immediate area within the wall, but the interior of the unit was damaged by water and firefighting operations to access the wall space.  The cause of the fire has been determined to be a result of an electrical failure within the wall wiring.  As a result of the damage to the electrical wiring, the power to all six units in the building had to be disconnected and resulted in the displacement of those occupants.  The American Red Cross was contacted to assist with the needs of those individuals.

The Port of Hood River says it is receiving interest in properties at the former Hanel Mill site the Port has been redeveloping.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says they are engaged in early discussions with a pair of businesses that are interested in acquiring space at the site.  On-site utilities are done, but McElwee notes water pressure for fire suppression is still being addressed.  McElwee says the businesses the Port is talking to are in the manufacturing sector.

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizens Award Banquet is coming up on Thursday evening at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center.  Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson says they will be honoring a number of area citizens.  Nominations were made by community members at the end of 2016.  Doors open for the banquet at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday evening at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center, with the event beginning at 6 p.m.  Tickets are available through Monday at The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce office.  Cost is $40, and reservations can be made by calling 541-296-2231.

Boys Basketball Hood River Valley 53, Columbia 27 Dufur 53, Horizon Christian 45 Dufur 67, Ione 37 Horizon Christian 49, Arlington 46 Sherman 93, Mitchell-Spray 44 Sherman 70, South Wasco 34 Condon-Wheeler 61, South Wasco 38 Sunnyside Christian 81, Trout Lake 29 Bickleton 55, Klickitat-Glenwood 41 Sunnyside Christian 77, Klickitat-Glenwood 35 Yakama Tribal 85, Lyle-Wishram 30 Granger 65, Goldendale 38 Goldendale 43, Highland 38   Girls Basketball Horizon Christian 59, Dufur 47 Arlington 47, Horizon Christian 35 Dufur 52, Ione 42 Sherman 56, Mitchell-Spray 41 South Wasco 26, Condon-Wheeler 23 South Wasco 41, Sherman 32 Sunnyside Christian 61, Trout Lake 6 Trout Lake 35, Lyle-Wishram 32 Sunnyside Christian 65, Klickitat-Glenwood 29 Granger 66, Goldendale 34   Wrestling Hood River Valley split eight dual matches at the Oregon Classic in Redmond.  Jason Shaner won all eight of his matches to lead the Eagles over the weekend.   Alpine Skiing   Josie Peterson was first and Erin Sutherland second to lead a group of six Hood River Valley racers in the top ten of the Mount Hood League girls’ slalom at Mt. Hood Meadows.  Petra Ervin of The Dalles was 19^th.   In the boys’ race, Colin Howe of Columbia was top area finisher in second place, while Hood River Valley’s Chris McElwee finished third and Mitchell Lamer fourth.  Martin Carter was the top finisher for The Dalles in eighth.   Nordic Skiing Hood River Valley finished third in the boys and girls standings in a Northern League race at Teacup.  HRV’s Daisy Dolan was eighth in the girls’ race, and Elkin Parker 12th in the boys’ event.  Summit won both team titles.

The National Weather Service says a wet and mild series of storms will move into the Northwest early next week, bringing heavy rains and heightening flood potential.  A hydrologic outlook today by the Weather Service office in Portland indicates snow levels will begin to rise on Monday night, reaching near 7,000 feet Tuesday morning and 8,000 feet Tuesday evening, and combined with the expected heavy precipitation that could bring in around five inches of rain will lead to rapid snowmelt.  The outlook says with above normal snow depths and the lack of a thawing cycle this season, the snowpack in the Cascades will likely will be able to absorb a lot of the rainfall, especially above 3,500 feet.  But it does add the amount of heavy rain will remain the most significant factor in flood potential for area waterways.  The Weather Service says details of the rainfall totals and expected flooding will be refined as the storms approach the Pacific Northwest.

The Hood River County School Board approved a resolution reaffirming their existing educational equity policy that requires immigration officials to have a warrant before going on to school property or accessing students.  Board Chair Mark Johnson says the resolution does not create any new policies, but the board wanted to publicly reaffirm what is already in place.  He said it reaffirms the board’s feelings on the “need to support all students regardless of point of origin or documentation status.”  School districts are required by federal law to provide all children within its boundaries equal access to a public education regardless of citizenship or immigration status, and cannot collect information about a student’s immigration status or that of the student’s family members.