State health officials said Tuesday Oregonians no longer have to wear a mask in public outdoor settings, lifting a mandate in place nearly three months.  Since late summer the state has required that everyone wear a mask in a public, outdoor space where social distancing isn’t possible, regardless of vaccination status.  Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen says this change reflects the downward trend in COVID-19 cases.  But Allen also said people should expect to keep wearing masks indoors at least into next year, noting there is still limited hospital capacity available.  He did not want to give any kind of estimate on when more guidelines will be relaxed, adding vaccinations remain the best path out of the pandemic.

The Dalles City Council reached consensus to direct interim City Manager Daniel Hunter to develop a task force to put together a climate action plan.  The move was made after a group of community members made a presentation during Monday’s meeting urging the City to develop such a group to consider actions through the lens of climate change.  Group spokesperson Debi Ferrer said there are likely to be opportunities for communities with a plan on actions to take regarding climate to get funding from various sources.  Ferrer contended there are costs in both action and inaction on climate change, but money spent on action is an investment in the future.

The Hood River City Council voted on Monday night to enter into a six-month exclusive negotiating agreement with Community Development Partners as the latest step toward developing an affordable housing project on property owned by the City on Rand Road.  CDP graded out the highest among proposals that were reviewed by a seven-member committee.  The current proposal includes all rental units with no ownership options at this point, which concerned many Councilors, but Mayor Kate McBride pointed out they are facing a tight timeline to prepare applications for state funding expected to be due early this spring.  The next steps include public outreach, additional design, engineering, and financial analysis, and property rezoning.

The Starlight Parade returns in downtown The Dalles on Friday night.  After holding a static parade last year, this year’s event will be back to normal.  The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says they are excited for the event, which will begin at 6 p.m. followed by the tree lighting at the Chamber office at 7 p.m.  Farquharson noted the weekend also features Small Business Saturday, a day to remind people to support locally-owned businesses in the community.  

Like many municipalities, the City of The Dalles is trying to fill vacancies on its police department.  The Dalles City Council approved the hiring of two new officers, but Mayor Rich Mays noted they have to go through extensive training before they can be on the street.  Mays says they are offering incentives for officers who would are already trained and be willing to make a lateral move to The Dalles.  The City has been actively recruiting for police officers since April.

Hood River’s Urban Renewal Agency board and committee held a worksession to discuss what it would take to form a new Urban Renewal district in the Westside area.  Two current districts, in downtown and the waterfront, will expire this year, creating the opportunity to use Urban Renewal in the Westside if desired.  Mayor Kate McBride says there are many infrastructure needs in that area that Urban Renewal can help pay for and may need to be done in order to spur development of affordable housing in that area.  McBride said Urban Renewal funds could also be used for parks and land for affordable housing.  She emphasized the worksession was to learn more about the options available, and a number of steps would have to take place before a decision could be made.

Klickitat County Commissioners have been developing the County’s 2022 budget, with some belt tightening taking place.  Commissioner Dan Christopher says departments were asked for a three percent reduction in their budgets, not counting payroll.  He said overall they’ve ended up with a balanced budget reducing the budget from 2021 by $3.7 million.  He says they end up with a surplus of $918,000, which would be ready for paying cost of living adjustments to employees while still maintaining a buffer.  Christopher noted with two new commissioners, including himself, the process involved more questioning than usual.

North Central Public Health District says vaccination rates in Wasco, Sherman, and Gilliam counties have picked up significantly with both booster doses and pediatric doses now available.  Nearly 1,900 vaccines were administered in the first two weeks of November.  In Wasco County, 77.6 % of those 18 and up have received at least one dose.  In Sherman County, its 67.6 %, and in Gilliam County, 51.8 %.  For information on district vaccination clinics, go to ncphd.org.  The district adds local physician offices and pharmacies have vaccine available for all ages.

The Sherman County U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center is temporarily closed.  In a statement on Monday, the USDA says Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency staff are working and able to support customers for virtual or scheduled in-person visits.  They are asking for patience during this time.  To connect with NRCS staff, call 541-298-8559, ext. 3.  To connect with FSA staff, call 541-565-3551, ext. 2.

The Hood River County Health Department says a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer currently doing COVID-19 vaccinations in the Hood River Marina area will be able to accommodate five-to-11 year-old children beginning Saturday.  No appointment is necessary for the free vaccines.  The health department is promoting Saturday and Sunday as family days, a chance for everyone in a family to get vaccinated.  Pfizer vaccine is available for ages five-to-11, while for those 12 and up Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available for first, second, and third doses as well as booster shots.  The FEMA trailer is operating from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Tuesday.