A measure authored by Washington 14^th District State Representative Gina Mosbrucker to create a Joint Legislative Task Force to identify the role of the workplace in helping to curb domestic violence gained unanimous approval in the House.  Under House Bill 1056, the new task force must review the role of the workplace in the lives of individuals experiencing domestic violence, the appropriate role of employers and employees in helping reduce the incidence of domestic violence, and whether legislation is needed to address these issues.  The task force would be made up of one member each from a number of different business, labor, and domestic violence prevention organizations.  A preliminary report of the task force findings would be provided to the Legislature by December 1 of this year, with a final report due next year.

The Hood River County School District is continuing the process of preparing its plan for using three million dollars in Student Success Act funding from the state for next school year.  Superintendent Sara Hahn-Huston says they received feedback from about 300 people during a community survey along with in person interviews…and said many of those focused on equitable opportunities for all students across the district.  She added other feedback involved connecting and communicating with students, in particular those with behavioral issues.  Hahn-Huston says district staff are sorting through their data and developing a plan that can be submitted to the state Department of Education, with a worksession planned with the district board in February.

There is less than two days left in voting to see which of five communities will be featured by the “Small Business Revolution” program on Internet streaming services, and The Dalles continues to trail Fredonia, New York in standings released this morning on the program’s Facebook page.  Online voting is now underway and will continue through Tuesday at 8 p.m.  Katie McClintock of The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce says they are encouraging the entire community to vote to get The Dalles over the top.  Those wishing to vote can go to lovethedalles.com to link to the ballot website.  People can register one vote per unique email per device per day.  The “Small Business Revolution” program and Deluxe Corporation will invest $500,000 to improve six small businesses over eight episodes during the fifth season of the program, which is distributed on Amazon Prime and Hulu.

The Port of Hood River is embarking on a traffic analysis of the Waterfront area.  Port commissioners has approved a contract with an engineering firm to do the work.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says they want to know how traffic has changed since development in the area began in earnest in the past decade.  In 2011, the Oregon Department of Transportation did an interchange access management plan that set limits on how much traffic could increase from the waterfront and the Interstate 84 exit 63 interchange at the entrance to the area without some improvements.  McElwee says the Port board wants to know where they stand right now relative to those limits.

Boys Basketball

The Dalles 68, Crook County 67

Horizon Christian 55, Dufur 43

Horizon Christian 51, Echo 34

Dufur 84, Mitchell-Spray 56

South Wasco 50, Sherman 35

Trout Lake 59, Klickitat-Glenwood 54

Bickleton 44, Lyle-Wishram 28

Zillah 93, Goldendale 63

Goldendale 81, Granger 77

Hood River Valley at Pendleton, ppd to Tuesday

Stevenson at Castle Rock, ppd to Jan. 25

LaCenter at Stevenson, ppd to Jan. 27

King’s Way Christian at Columbia, ppd to Feb. 10

Trout Lake at Yakama Tribal, ppd.

Sunnyside Christian at Klickitat-Glenwood, ppd.

Girls Basketball

The Dalles 47, Crook County 45

South Wasco 46, Sherman 35

Dufur 61, Mitchell-Spray 11

Trout Lake 58, Klickitat-Glenwood 12

Zillah 64, Goldendale 30

Goldendale 45, Granger 37

Pendleton at Hood River Valley, ppd to Jan. 28 in Pendleton

Trout Lake at Yakama Tribal, ppd.

Sunnyside Christian at Klickitat-Glenwood, ppd.

Wrestling

Hood River Valley won one out of five matches at the Oregon Classic, losing four before defeating Milwaukie. Chad Muenzer won all five of his matches for HRV. 

The Dalles tied for eighth at the Tigard Invitational.  Steven Preston had the best individual finish for the Riverhawks, taking second at 170 pounds.

Girls Wrestling

Hood River went 3-0 to win its pool at the Oregon Classic before dropping two matches in the final bracket.  Gracie McCafferty and Lauraine Jones won four out of five matches for the Eagle girls.

Alpine Skiing

Hood River Valley’s Eva Jones won the Mt. Hood League girls’ slalom race at Timberline on Saturday, while teammate Marisa Rigert was fifth.  Hannah Beinh of The Dalles was 25^th.

The City of Hood River has narrowed the area a boil water advisory has been issued as a precaution in the wake of last night’s water main leak to downtown Hood River from Sherman to Columbia avenues east of 9th Street.  City Public Information Officer Don Cheli says originally the advisory was for the entire City, they have now narrowed down the area impacted.  He adds state regulations require after this kind of leak water samples be submitted for testing for harmful bacteria and a boil order put in place until the results come back in 24 to 48 hours.  Water users in the core area from Sherman to Columbia avenues east of 9th Street or those who experienced a loss of water pressure or discovered an excessive amount of air in water lines to follow the boil advisory, bringing water to a rolling boil for one full minute, then allow it to cool before using or storing.  Cheli says the leak occurred on 3rd Street near Cascade Avenue near the Union Building.  No cause has been determined.

Basketball games in the Trout Lake and Glenwood school districts are cancelled.

Mid-Columbia Senior Center Saturday night bingo is cancelled.

The White Salmon City Council has instituted a six-month moratorium on development in residential zoning areas to address what is being termed as “inconsistencies” between city codes and the current comprehensive plan as they relate to attainable housing, but with a number of exemptions.  Most notable in the exemptions is the development of single-family residences.  New Mayor Marla Keethler brought the issue to the Council, saying White Salmon’s existing code failed to ever align with housing goals established in 2012.  Specific focus during the moratorium will be given to zoning review and amendments, taking input on actions the council is considering regarding funding, encouraging, and implementing affordable housing development, determining affordable housing thresholds as they relate to development in the form of accessory development units, townhomes, duplexes, and multi-family residences, and ways to stop the continuing decline of mobile home residences in the designated zones.  The White Salmon City Council will hold a public hearing on the moratorium on February 5 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council chambers in the White Salmon Fire Hall.

Ballots will be going out next week for the White Salmon Valley School District’s three-year enhancement levy, which covers parts of the district’s budget not within what the state funds under its definition of “basic education.”  District Superintendent Jerry Lewis says this replaces what used to be known as the maintenance and operations levy, which expires in the district this year. If approved, the levy in year one would be $2.22 per $1,000 of assessed property value, year two would be $2.19, and then $2.16 in year three.  Lewis says they were able to sell their bonds at a very good rate.  Stevenson-Carson, Wishram, Glenwood, Centerville, and Goldendale school districts area also seeking enhancement levies.

The Dalles Dam Visitors Center hosts the tenth annual Eagle Watch on Saturday.  Visitors can watch bald eagles roost in their natural habitat along the Columbia River.  During Eagle Watch on Saturday the visitor center will be open for live raptor presentations provided by the U.S. Forest Service, the Discovery Center, and Rowena Wildlife Clinic.  Visitors are welcome and encouraged to bring their own scopes and binoculars, and there will be a limited number available for use.  This event is free and accessible to those with disabilities.  Eagle Watch will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.  The Dalles Dam Visitor Center is located off exit 87 of I-84, traveling east on Bret Clodfelter Way.