The White Salmon Spring Festival will take place this weekend, based out of Rheingarten Park.  A full lineup of entertainment is planned all weekend, along with a kids’ play zone and other activities.  The annual parade will take place Saturday morning at 11 a.m., and festival co-organizer Amanda McDonald says this year’s grand marshals are the “Secret Elves” who hang the Christmas lights on Dock Grade Road and do much more:  Celynn Vandeventer…Lloyd DeKay…Ryan Kreps…Bill Wurst…Izak Riley…and Steve Gibson.  The White Salmon Fireman’s Pancake Breakfast will be Saturday morning from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the White Salmon Fire Hall.  A complete schedule is available at whitesalmonspringfestival.com.

A new outdoor sports event will be coming to Hood River next weekend.  The Outfound Series is billed as an outdoor sports and innovation festival including speakers, a start-up competition, product expo, workshops, and other attractions, centered on the Hood River Event Site.  One of the founders of Outfound, Antonio Aransaenz, says they want to bring together the outdoor community in a fun setting with a business element.  The Outfound Series will take place June 9th to the 11th.  Ticket information is available at outfoundseries.com.

Oregon Class 2A/1A Baseball Semi-Final Reedsport 7, Dufur 4:  The Braves ended the title hopes of the top-seeded Rangers one step away from the state championship game.  The Rangers finished the season with a record of 24-2.

Bingen and White Salmon City Councilors will hold a joint meeting Wednesday evening to discuss the concept of combining the two cities into one.  The cities’ two mayors, Betty Barnes of Bingen and David Poucher of White Salmon, and their clerk/treasurers have discussed the possibility for a number of months, noting both communities have struggled to fill board positions.  Poucher points out Wednesday’s meeting is to present the pros and cons of such a move.  Both Poucher and Barnes have said if this moved forward, there would be public hearings on the subject and would eventually go to a vote of the people.  Wednesday’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the White Salmon Fire Hall.

When fire season arrives in the Mid-Columbia sometime in mid-June, it’s going to be a warm season with fuels that have been built up by heavy spring rains.  Rick Fletcher of The Dalles Unit of the Oregon Department of Forestry says the winter and spring moisture has led to fuel build-up.  Fletcher points out that there will be two “fire bosses,” planes capable of scooping water from the Columbia River to dump onto fires, stationed in Dallesport this summer.  To find help on keeping properties in the wildland/urban interface protected from fire, go to odfcentraloregon.com.

Dennis Knox has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of Mid-Columbia Medical Center.  Knox is a Texas native with more than 35 years of experience in the healthcare industry.  Knox comes to The Dalles from Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston.  He also served as CEO at Antelope Valley Hospital, a 420-bed acute care safety net hospital in Lancaster, California, and Universal Health Services in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania where he served as CEO and managing director.  Knox has a Bachelor of Arts in Management Science from Duke University, where he also earned a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration.  MCMC also announced that Edwin Bode has been named interim Chief Financial Officer.  Bode comes from Urgent Point in Los Angeles.  Bode was previously CFO of Vista Health System in the greater Chicago area and CFO of Saint Francis Healthcare in the greater Memphis area.

There will be Memorial Day observances on Monday in the region.  In The Dalles, there will be a gathering at noon at the Veterans Memorial at Kelly Viewpoint, with Mayor Steve Lawrence serving as keynote speaker.  The town of Wasco will hold its usual full Memorial Day of events, including a memorial service at 10 a.m. at The Depot, a parade at 11 a.m., and a full afternoon of family entertainment.  The Klickitat County Cemetery just outside White Salmon will host a ceremony at 1 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Walk of Honor.  And Hood River’s Memorial Day observance will take place at 11 a.m. at Idlewilde Cemetery.

The cherry fruit fly emerged in The Dalles area on Wednesday.  That’s according to Oregon State University Wasco County Extension Horticulturist Lynn Long.  The entire cherry-growing area, including The Dalles, Mosier, and Dufur, are within a cherry fruit fly control district.  All homeowners with a backyard tree as well as commercial orchardists are required by state ordinance to apply a control program.  Long says for homeowners the recommended materials would include Spinosad or Malathion.  To obtain a free pesticide guide for cherry fruit fly and other tree fruit pests, contact the Wasco County Extension Office at 541-296-5494.

A pedestrian was injured in an accident Thursday on Highway 14 about eight miles east of Stevenson.  According to the Washington State Patrol, a 68-year-old woman from Seaview was driving a pickup truck with a fifth-wheel trailer west on Highway 14 at milepost 53 when the canopy came loose on the trailer, partially extended, and struck a 56-year-old Portland woman walking westbound on the shoulder of the highway.  The pedestrian was taken to Peacehealth Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver with unspecified injuries.  The driver of the truck was cited for exceeding legal load width limits.

An updated vote count in Hood River County produced no change in the leaders in close races during the May 16 special districts election  John Everitt’s advantage over Svea Truax for position two on the Port of Hood River Commission increased to eight votes, 1,182 to 1,174.  And Benjamin Sheppard’s lead over David Russo for position two on the Hood River County School District board stayed at six votes, 323 to 317.  In addition, the NORCOR permanent tax rate measure continued to be defeated, 4,162 to 4,117.  Hood River County Elections Supervisor Kim Kean is encouraging anyone who received a challenge letter in regard to their ballot is encouraged to contact the County elections office in the County Administration Building at 601 State in Hood River or call them at 541-386-1442.