Hood River’s Full Sail Brewery won seven best of the U.S. medals at this year’s annual World Beer Awards.   Session Premium Lager – which has 22 gold medals to its name already – won U.S. Best Helles/Münchner.   Full Sail Blood Orange Wheat took home gold for U.S. Fruit & Vegetable Flavored Beer, Hop Pursuit IPA won silver for U.S. Pale Beer-IPA, Full Sail Classic IPA won silver for U.S Pale Beer/Golden, Session Black won U.S. Best Dark Lager, Session Cream won the U.S. Best Cream Ales category, and Session IPA took bronze for U.S. Pale Ale.  The international competition that uses a blind tasting system to choose the very best beers across the globe.

The Next Door is campaigning to find 30 men to serve as mentors to area youth in the next 30 days.  The organization runs the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Gorge and Mentors 4 Success programs.  Justine Ziegler of The Next Door says they are always searching for men to take part, and usually have a waiting list of youngsters.  Those who might be interested in being a mentor can call Ziegler at 541-399-4437, or e-mail mentor@nextdoorinc.org.

Boys Soccer Hood River Valley 2, Hermiston 1:  The Eagles ran their unbeaten streak to 46 games with the win. The Dalles 3, Pendleton 0   Girls Soccer Hood River Valley 3, Hermiston 1:  Mona Diaz scored in the first half while Audrey Marble and Claire Davies tallied goals in the second half to lead HRV. The Dalles 4, Pendleton 0 King’s Way Christian 9, Columbia 1 Stevenson 1, Castle Rock 1   Volleyball Hood River Valley def. The Dalles 25-20, 25-20, 25-19 South Wasco def. Sherman 21-25, 23-25, 25-14, 25-14, 15-13 Dufur def. Horizon Christian 25-16, 25-14, 25-16 Lyle-Wishram def. Klickitat-Glenwood 23-25, 25-14, 18-25, 25-22, 16-14 Castle Rock def. Columbia 3 sets to 0 Seton Catholic def. Stevenson 3 sets to 2

The Hood River City Planning Commission is moving closer toward making townhouses a permitted use in R-2 and R-3 residential zones.  They are currently a conditional use in those zones.  City Planning Director Cindy Walbridge says allowing townhouses in those residential zones in the urban medium and high density zones is fairly common around the state with clear and objective criteria.  A site plan review would still be required.  Some who testified before the planning commission asked for further design restrictions for townhouses in those zones.  The planning commission will get the final document from staff on November 7.

The North Wasco County School District 21 board has approved Superintendent Candy Armstrong’s goals for 2016-17, and long range facilities planning plays a large role in them.  Completing a 50-year plan for district buildings by June is one of the three goals, along with effective communication.  Armstrong says they are moving forward with getting the long-range plan put together.  Another goal involves the first year of implementation of a new math curriculum for all grades in the district, and Armstrong says they are making sure teachers have the support they need to be effective in delivering the curriculum.

A 48-year-old man from The Dalles died in an accident involving a motorcycle and a car on Saturday on Highway 14 just east of Wishram.  According to the Washington State Patrol, Sean M. Kennedy died at the scene.  WSP reports indicate Kennedy was traveling eastbound on his motorcycle at milepost 93 on Highway 14 at around 11:40 a.m. Saturday when he crossed over the centerline on a curve, sliding into the westbound lane and laying the motorcycle down.  An on-coming pickup truck then struck the motorcycle.  The driver of the pickup was uninjured.  The WSP says no charges were filed in the accident.

Preparations for the Hood River Valley Harvest Festival coming up in under two weeks are in full swing.  The annual event brings in visitors from around the Northwest.  Hood River County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mike Glover says they use a different marketing strategy for Harvest Fest than other events like the recently completed Hops Fest, using traditional media in major Northwest cities.  Glover says it is hard to gather an accurate attendance estimate for Harvest Fest, but he believes it is in the neighborhood of 10,000-to-11,000.  Harvest Fest will take place October 14-16 at the Hood River Waterfront Event Site.

Cross Country Hood River Valley won both the boys and girls competition at a meet at Champoeg State Park.  The HRV boys were led by a second place finish by Jesse Wiley and Jacob Bromham in third, while for the Eagle girls Lottie Bromham was second and Daisy Dolan third.  The Dalles finished second in the boys race…led by Ezekiel Stelzer in fifth place.  The Dalles girls took fourth…paced by a fifth place finish by Emma Mullins.   Football Hermiston 36, Hood River Valley 6 LaGrande 63, The Dalles 6 Columbia 29, Castle Rock 14 Sherman 30, Dufur 24 Perrydale 69, South Wasco 6 Dayton 52, Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 0 Naches Valley 56, Goldendale 0   Volleyball Hood River Valley defeated Beaverton, David Douglas, and Ridgeview at a tournament the Eagles hosted on Saturday. South Wasco def. Mitchell-Spray 25-111, 25-6, 25-18 Goldendale def. Cle Elum-Roslyn 25-17, 25-13, 25-11   Girls Soccer Columbia 10, Forks 0

The Hood River County School District has selected Opsis Architecture of Portland to serve as to provide architectural services for capital projects and school construction within the district.  It’s the latest step in preparing for construction projects made possible by passage of a 57 million dollar bond measure in May.  District Superintendent Dan Goldman says they are developing timelines for the various projects.  The district currently has a request for proposals out for general contracting services to oversee construction.

A ceremony to officially rename The Dalles Outreach Clinic at the Oregon Veterans Home for The Dalles native and Medal of Honor recipient Loren Kaufman will take place on Saturday.  Kaufman was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his bravery and selfless actions to save his company while serving the U.S. Army during the Korean War.  Oregon Second District Congressman Greg Walden wrote the bill to rename the clinic that unanimously passed the House and Senate and was signed by President Obama.  Walden and Oregon Senator Ron Wyden will both be in attendance at the ceremony, planned for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles.