After strong winds sunk a tugboat into the Columbia River a few miles east of Umatilla on Monday, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality said operations are progressing to deal with the impact of the sunken vessel.

Laura Gleim, a spokeswoman for DEQ, said crews have been on scene tending to the vessel and have placed containment booms around the sunken craft in an effort to avoid fuel and oil from spreading into the river.

While environmental agencies are concerned about the 750 gallons of diesel fuel the tugboat is believed to have been carrying, Gleim said that divers’ inspections of the tugboat have shown the fuel tanks appear to be undamaged despite a 3-foot gash in the ship’s hull.

The 38-foot Tug Nova was built in 1963 and is owned by HME Construction, a marine construction firm based out of Vancouver, Washington, according to the company’s website. The vessel will be towed to Vancouver for repairs.

Gleim said there have been no reports of impacts to wildlife.

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Hermiston brothers Seilala Jr. and Siu Sepeni recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout, Scouting’s highest honor.

According to a news release, the Boy Scouts of America’s Blue Mountain Council gave the award on Jan. 19 in Hermiston.

The scouts are the sons of Falefitu and Pitolua Sepeni of Hermiston and both are members of Troop 605, chartered by the Butte Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Their Scout leader is Jeremy Harris.

In order to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, the Scouts each had to earn 21 merit badges and show leadership by planning, developing, and completing a community service project. For their projects, the brothers each built an outdoor information bulletin board and placed them at Harrison Park and Sunset Park.

The projects were funded by the city of Hermiston and took a combined 290 hours to complete.

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Wheatstock Music Festival announced that the Texas-based Randy Rogers Band is headlining the Aug. 15 event. The 13th annual music festival will be held at Quantum 9 Arena in Helix.

The first 1,000 tickets, which go on sale March 1, are $30 each. Tickets at the gate are $40.

Admission is free for active military personnel and kids 12 and under.

Also, VIP packages (which includes a meet-and-greet with headliners and event swag) and shade cabana rentals are available.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.wheatstock.org or www.brownpapertickets.com.

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The menu at the Harkenrider Senior Activity Center for Thursday is roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and birthday cake. Friday is a smorgasboard of cook’s choice items.