The Cascade Singers and Serious Theater in The Dalles have had to suspend operations due to the state’s indoor mask mandate.  The Cascade Singers Fall Broadway Concert will be rescheduled for next Spring and Serious Theater’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life will not be able to start as planned at the end of August.  Since there is no defined end to the mask mandate, the two groups say they are unable to make any firm plans for the rest of the year.  The two groups are asking for donations to help them cover on-going expenses.  Donations can be made at Zion Lutheran Church on 10^th and Union, or mail to 101 West 10^th Street, The Dalles, 97058.

Mid-Columbia Housing Authority has long-term and short-term housing assistance available for residents of Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klickitat and Skamania counties.  Long-term housing assistance is available through the Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 program.  MCHA’s waiting list is open to elderly, disabled, and households with children.  Short term housing assistance is also available for households that have experienced a negative impact due to COVID-19 through two programs, one for Oregon and one for Washington.  For more information or to apply for assistance, visit midcolumbiahousingauthority.org, or call 541-296-5462.

The Oregon Health Authority reported 2,387 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 Thursday morning, a record number of cases for the pandemic,  The OHA also reported two more COVID-19 related deaths in Wasco County.  One was a 101-year-old woman who tested positive for COVID on August 2 and died Monday at her residence, and the other an 83-year-old woman who tested positive on July 29 and died on Wednesday at her residence.  The OHA said both had underlying conditions.  In the latest numbers…Wasco County was reported to have 25 new COVID cases and Hood River County 11.  The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 670, which is five more than Wednesday.  There are 177 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is five more than Wednesday.

Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital has been operating at about 93 percent capacity over the past couple of weeks.  Chief Nursing Officer Becky Kopecky says they have seen an increase of in-patient admissions and an increase of COVID-19 patients in their emergency room.  She says some of this is attributable to people having waited to have a medical issue attended to due to the pandemic.  Kopecky says usually Providence Hood River operates at 70 to 80 percent capacity.  She added they have seen a one-to-three day rate for patient transfers to other hospitals as Portland metro area facilities have been full.

The Klickitat County Health Department says some regions of Klickitat County have been affected by unhealthy air quality brought about by increased wildfire smoke and excessive heat – especially in the Trout Lake, Glenwood, Goldendale, Bickleton, and Roosevelt areas.  Community members with asthma, COPD, lung or heart disease have an increased risk of symptoms or worsening of their disease.  Pregnant women are also at greater risk for smoke related health conditions.  The health department recommends reducing exposure to wildfire smoke by staying indoors, performing only light activities, and keeping windows closed if it is not too hot.  Running air conditioners on re-circulate and closing the outside air intake is also recommended.  Using indoor air cleaners with HEPA filters or making your own air filters with a box fan can help decrease smoke in the home.  Air quality can change rapidly and can vary throughout Klickitat County.  The smoke and excessive heat are expected to continue into the weekend.

Cooling centers remain available for those looking to get out of the heart.  Mid-Columbia Community Action cooling centers will be located at Hood River Alliance Church on 2650 Montello and at St. Vincent DePaul on 315 West 3rd in The Dalles.  They will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Saturday.  Transportation to and from the cooling centers will be offered by Columbia Area Transit.  The City of White Salmon has a cooling shelter at 119 NE Church Street open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. through Saturday.  And Washington Gorge Action Programs has a cooling center adjacent to the Hegewald Center at 710 SW Rock Creek Drive in Stevenson.  It is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Saturday.  

The Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Weekly Report, released Wednesday, showed continued steep increases in daily cases and hospitalizations.  The OHA reported 8,304 new daily cases of COVID-19 during the week that ended Sunday, a 40% increase over the previous week.  There were 322 new COVID-19 hospitalizations, up from 256 last week.  That marked the fifth consecutive week of increases.  There were 40 reported COVID-19 related deaths, up from 25 reported the previous week.  There were 119,416 tests for COVID-19 for the week that ended Saturday.  The percentage of positive tests increased to 9.5%.

The Wasco County Fair and Rodeo will be back next week in Tygh Valley after missing last year due to the pandemic.  The Fair’s Zach Harvey is looking forward to having it back after it was cancelled in 2000.  The Fair will start next Thursday with its annual free day sponsored by The Dalles Disposal along with Kids Day activities.  The rodeo will take place Friday and Saturday, and the demolition derby will be back to finish the Fair on Sunday.  The annual 4-H/F-F-A Livestock Auction takes place at 9:30 Sunday morning.  For information, go to the Wasco County Fair and Rodeo Facebook page.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown today formally announced a statewide indoor mask requirement due to the spike in coronavirus hospitalizations and cases, warning that the state’s health care system could be overwhelmed.  Beginning Friday, everyone who is 5 years or older in Oregon — regardless of vaccination status — will be required to wear masks in indoor public spaces.  The newest coronavirus health and safety measure in Oregon applies to all indoor public spaces, including businesses, grocery stores, indoor entertainment venues and gyms. In addition, people older than two years old will be required to wear masks on public transit.  There are some mask exemptions for activities, including eating, drinking, swimming and organized sports.  In a press conference, Brown claimed she had urged county commissioners to implement their own mandates during a meeting with them, but almost none did.  On Tuesday, 635 people were hospitalized in Oregon because of coronavirus, surpassing the state’s previous record of 622 during November’s surge when vaccine doses were not yet available.  Health officials warned that, without new health and safety interventions in place, coronavirus hospitalizations would far exceed Oregon’s health system capacity in the next several weeks.

During the Governor’s press conference announcing indoor mask mandates, Oregon State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger termed the pandemic as having reached a “dire stage” with daily infections and hospitalizations reaching record highs, adding most of those getting sick are unvaccinated.  Sidelinger said spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant have exceeded previous worst case projections, and there is no immediate sign that will subside without immediate action.  His plea is for everyone to get vaccinated.  Oregon Health Authority Executive Director Patrick Allen did say the number of people getting vaccinated has begun to pick up over the last two weeks, but with spread of the Delta variant, more people need to get vaccinated now.