YouthThink of Wasco County has received an American Medical Association grant to help reduce the incidence of prescription drug misuse.  Debby Jones of YouthThink says Oregon has one of the highest prescription drug abuse rates in the country, and the organization wants to ramp up its efforts to promote proper disposal of unused prescription drugs.  Jones notes YouthThink has a drop box inside The Dalles Police Department for people to dispose of prescription drugs.   She adds the organization plans to host the Oregon Health Authority’s Jim McElvaney this summer to make presentations in the community to help educate citizens about opioids.

The Hood River County Chamber of Commerce has commissioned a study to determine the economic impact on tourism within the Hood River city limits.  Chamber Executive Director Mike Glover says in the past they have received economic impact information from Travel Oregon, but that’s broken down by county.  Glover says they have asked the same firm that does the Travel Oregon statistics, Dean Runyon and Associates, to put together numbers for the City of Hood River.  Glover says the intent is to provide accurate data to measure what tourism does for Hood River, and could be useful in a number of different issues facing the City.  He adds they should have the study in hand by the end of the month.

The North Wasco County School District 21 budget committee will meet for the first time to discuss the 2016-17 budget on Tuesday evening.  D-21 Chief Financial Officer Randy Anderson says he’s been developing a status quo budget with no major changes.  He notes he has made a slightly smaller enrollment estimate than in years past.  Anderson says there is an addition of half-time reading specialist at the district elementary schools.  The budget committee meeting will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at The Dalles Middle School.

One man is dead and a second in critical condition following a single vehicle rollover crash on westbound Interstate 84 six miles west of Arlington.  The Oregon State Police says 24-year-old Justin Matthew Flowers of Portland died from injuries suffered in the accident, while 23-year-old Hayden Michael Swanson of Portland is in critical but stable condition at Oregon Health Sciences University Hospital in Portland.  The OSP says the accident occurred at about 4:30 Sunday morning.  An investigation indicates the SUV Flowers was driving was westbound on I-84 when it left the roadway for unknown reasons, crashed through the north side guardrail and rolled down a rock embankment, coming to rest approximately 150 feet from the roadway.  Preliminary information indicates the men had not been using their seat belts at the time of the crash and were ejected from the vehicle.  Speed and fatigue are being considered to be contributing factors for the crash.

Two additional rewards are being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for unlawfully killing a bighorn sheep ram in early April near milepost 118 on Interstate 84 east of Rufus, bringing the total to $2,000.  The Oregon Foundation for North American Wild Sheep is offering a $1,000 reward and the Oregon Hunters Association Clatsop County chapter is offering $500 in addition to the $500 already offered through the OHA’s Statewide TIP program.  The Oregon State Police are continuing their investigation into the killing of the bighorn ram.  The deceased ram was located by OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers in a rock slide near the freeway on April 10, and it was determined the ram had been shot with a firearm and left to waste

Stevenson High School and Henkle Middle School of White Salmon won their divisions at the Google Wind Challenge over the weekend inside The Dalles Civic Auditorium.  More than 100 students from 20 local high schools and middle schools competed to build the competition’s best turbines.  29 student teams worked together with volunteer mentors to design, build and test their turbines.  The colorful, creative machines were then presented to local judges who selected the winners based on each turbine’s power and efficiency.  In the high school competition Columbia was second behind Stevenson, with The Dalles and South Wasco tied for third.  Among the middle schoolers St. Mary’s Academy took second trailing Henkle, with Sherman in third.

Baseball Hood River Valley sweeps The Dalles 4-1 and 9-0 Sherman sweeps Dufur 7-6 and 16-6 Stevenson 3, Columbia 2 Goldendale sweeps Highland 7-0 and 11-3   Softball The Dalles sweeps Hood River Valley 2-0 and 9-5 Stevenson 12, Columbia Granger sweeps Goldendale 20-5 and 19-1   Track and Field Parker Irusta won the boys’ 200 meters and the long jump to lead the Hood River Valley effort at the Dean Nice Invitational in Gresham.  Parker Kennedy won the boys’ pole vault, while Katie Kennedy was first in the girls’ high jump.  For The Dalles, Julian Hernandez was fifth in the boys’ javelin and Kayla Seibel sixth in the girls’ triple jump.   Hood River Valley’ Sebastian Barajas won the shot put and the discus at the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays.   Columbia girls were second and the boys fourth at the Panther Invitational in Washougal.  Stacia Bell won the girls’ shot put and discus for CHS, while Lauren Thiesies, Rachel Luther, Haley Blair, and Alondra Casarez-Garcia all finished first for the Bruins.  Addison Newell won the 200 for the Stevenson girls.   Goldendale was the boys’ winner while South Wasco was second to Griswold in the girls’ standings at the Condon-Wheeler Invitational.  Brian Golding won both boys’ hurdles races to lead the Timberwolf boys.  Trout Lake’s Bethany Putnam and South Wasco’s Ana Popchock each won two girls’ events.   Boys Tennis Goldendale 4, Cle Elum-Roslyn 0 Goldendale 4, Highland 1 Mountain View 8, The Dalles 0   Girls Tennis Goldendale 4, Cle Elum-Roslyn 1 Goldendale 3, Highland 2   Boys Lacrosse Oregon Episcopal 12, Hood River Valley 4 Hood River Valley 9, Richland t   Girls Lacrosse Oregon Episcopal 17, Hood River Valley 5

The Dalles Civic Auditorium will hold its third annual open house on Sunday.  This year’s theme is “This Place Matters,” as National Historic Preservation Month begins with the arrival of May.  Tours of the Civic, displays of local historic restoration and information on historic restoration will be available.  Members of The Dalles Main Street and the City Historic Landmarks Commission will be participating, and the Civic will kickoff its capital campaign for theatre renovation.  The open house will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The Hood River Police Department, in conjunction with the Hood River Fire Department and the Hood River County Prevention Department, will hold a National Drug Take Back event on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.  It will take place in the parking lot at the corner of State and 2nd next to Hood River City Hall.  Residents are encouraged to turn in any expired or unwanted prescription drugs during the event.  No illegal drugs or injection needles will be accepted.

The Dalles Public Works will begin on Monday to replace a section of deteriorated pre-1909 steel water main line on Trevitt Street.  Traffic control, detours and road closures will be in effect for the duration of the water line project that is expected to take eight to ten days to complete.   This work is being done in preparation for the repaving of Trevitt Street.  On Monday Trevitt Street will be closed beginning at 7 a.m. to thru traffic from West 6th Street to West 7th Street.   Flaggers will be at the intersection of West 6th Street and Trevitt Street to direct one lane traffic through the work zone.  West 6th Street will be opened up to two lane traffic at 5:00 pm.  On Tuesday, Trevitt Street will remain closed to thru traffic.  Motorists are encouraged to use Bridge and Garrison Streets as alternative routes to avoid the work area.  Meanwhile, crack seal work will take place during the first portion of the week on various streets in The Dalles.