The Hood River County Health Department is planning to hold COVID-19 vaccination events in May.  County COVID-19 Response Coordinator Daron Ryan says the aim is provide opportunities for people to get vaccinations outside of normal business hours.  Ryan notes workers will be coming into the region in the next few months, and will need opportunities to be vaccinated outside of weekdays.  She adds the health department is also planning to do pop-up events to provide shots.

Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.8% in March, down from 4.0% in February, continuing its rapid decline of recent months.  The March unemployment rate is well below the 6.1% it reached a year ago and is the lowest since prior to the pandemic-induced recession two years ago, in March 2020, when it was 3.5%.  Oregon Employment Department Economist Gail Krumenauer says In March, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment rose by 5,600 jobs, following a revised gain of 9,700 jobs in February.  The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.6% in March and 3.8% in February.

The Dalles City Council approved providing $500,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Mid-Columbia Community Action Council for its proposed Navigation Center for homeless services and $400,000 to the Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation District for phase one of its Sorosis Park rehabilitation project.  The Community Action grant was made contingent upon site plan approval.  Councilor Dan Richardson made that suggestion, noting while he supports the project as conceived there are still steps to move through.  In other business, the Council approved the contract with new City Manager Matthew Klebes, who starts on the job in May.

The Hood River City Council approved the municipal work plan for 2022. The plan includes six critical projects: continuing development of 780 Rand Road for affordable housing, formation of a Westside Urban Renewal District, implementing an affordable housing production strategy, participating in Safe Routes to Schools, communications projects, moving on Heights Streetscape planning, and cleaning up the zoning code. Another set of projects is listed as significant, and a third set was already underway or carried over from a previous year.

During the recent trip to Washington, D.C. of the The Dalles Community Action Team, funding to allow the Port of The Dalles to purchase land for development was one of the topics discussed with federal officials.  Port Executive Director Andrea Klaas says this stems from the inability of the City of The Dalles to expand its urban growth boundary due to the National Scenic Area.  Klaas there are federal programs identifying industrial land as eligible funding, mostly through Housing and Urban Development.  She added the Port would probably use some of its own funds and federal dollars to leverage state funding opportunities.  

The start of Hood River County’s parking permit program for its County Forest trailheads has been pushed back.  It was originally set to begin on April 1, but it has not begun yet.  County Administrator Jeff Hecksel says a combination of some supplies for the program not coming in, an inability to put signs up in higher elevations due to lingering snow, and staffing issues.  Hecksel noted in planning the program, they did not plan for a large amount of revenue for the first year of the program, adding it’s more important to make sure it is done correctly.  He added once they determine the program can start, it will be posted on the County website.

The City of Hood River will host a two-day open house later this month on potential concepts for 12^th and 13^th Streets on the Heights.  As part of a community outreach process, the City is also launching a community-wide survey from approximately April 15^th to May 13^th to gather community input on the potential street concepts.  The three-week online survey is part of the alternatives phase of an 18-to-24-month effort to formalize a detailed streetscape and urban design plan in coordination with the Hood River Urban Renewal Agency.  Emphasis has been on addressing traffic, transit, bicycle and pedestrian safety, walkability, and the area’s local businesses.  The goal is to establish a comprehensive plan for the major arterials as well as the side streets and intersections along the 5-6 block area that stretches along 12^th and 13th streets between May Street and Belmont and Union Streets.  The in-person open house hours are 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. on April 22^nd and 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. April 23.

Laura Matzer is the new executive director at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.  Matzer started on the job three months ago, after spending ten years prior to the pandemic helping develop museums in the Middle East.  Matzer hopes the Discovery Center can be what she termed a “third place” for people to go with home and work, a place where people feel welcome and want to stay.  The Discovery Center will be hosting its 25th anniversary celebration on May 21.

Rob Garrett is getting settled in as the new executive director at Mid-Columbia Senior Center. Garrett succeds the retired Scott McKay. He says the Center has been operating under normal conditions for the past four to five weeks, getting almost everything restored from pre-COVID times, with events bringing in good attendance. Garrett says they are looking for more volunteers to help at the Center. It is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information go to midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com.

Baseball

Dufur sweeps Stanfield 16-3 and 18-5

Heppner sweeps Sherman 11-1 and 10-0

Weston-McEwen sweeps Lyle-Wishram 18-0 and 11-0

  Softball

Silverton 16, Hood River Valley 11

  Track and Field

Sophie Hulke won the girls’ shot put, discus, and javelin to lead Sherman to a third place finish at the Prairie City Annual Meet.  Kole Martin won the boys’ 200 and 400 meters and the long jump as the Huskies finished sixth in the boys’ standings.

  The Dalles’ Zoe Dunn won the girls’ long jump and was second in the triple jump at the Sherwood “Need for Speed” Classic.  In boys’ competition, the Riverhawks’ Taylor Morehouse won the pole vault and Jaxon Pullen was second in the long jump.

  Glenwood’s Landon Sanchey was third in the boys’ 300 meter hurdles at the Davis Invitational.

  Horizon Christian’s Caleb Yuan won both boys’ hurdles races at the St. Paul Buckaroo Roundup.  The Hawks’ Josh Rogers won the triple jump, while South Wasco’s Storm McCoy was first in the high jump.

  Boys Lacrosse

Hood River Valley 9, Central Catholic 5