The Hood River County Health Department has received another shipment of COVID-19 vaccines this week.  County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg says they expect a total of 2,500 doses this week, and much of that has been distributed to primary care clinics in the County. Currently Group 6 is eligible for vaccination, but Van Tilburg says the expectation is to open to the next group, that includes frontline workers, next week.  The Hood River County Health Department is updating vaccination information at hrccovid19.org.  Their COVID-19 call center number is 541-387-6911.  

With the wildfire season coming soon, Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill is urging all County residents to sign up to receive Citizen Alert notifications for text, email, and phone call alerts.  Magill says Citizen Alert allows emergency officials to distribute evacuation alerts and other information very quickly.  A link to sign up for Citizen Alert in Wasco County is available on the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.  Along with signing up for Citizen Alert, Magill asks people to prepare an emergency evacuation kit, become familiar with Evacuation levels, practice fire prevention and defensible space recommendations, and follow the guidelines of your local Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Forestry.

A bill authored by Washington 14th District State Representative Chris Corry to provide compensation for ranchers and farmers whose land leases are terminated early by the Washington Department of Natural Resources was unanimously approved in the State Senate, and is headed to Governor Jay Inslee for his signature.  Corry spent two years working on the bill with all parties.  House Bill 1199 would provide some compensation to farmers for those losses, including infrastructure investments made on the land like fencing and other improvements.  The measure would establish a formula for leases, along with other obligations, that would support both land lessees and state interests.

Boys Soccer Hood River Valley 4, Pendleton 0:  Milo Clarkson and Braneslav Petrovic scored two goals apiece to keep the Eagles perfect in the Intermountain Conference. The Dalles 6, Redmond 4   Girls Soccer Redmond 3, The Dalles 1 Hood River Valley 5, Pendleton 3   Volleyball The Dalles def. Redmond 25-19, 20-25, 18-25, 25-16, 15-9 Ridgeview def. Hood River Valley 26-24, 25-15, 25-8 Sherman def. Mitchell-Spray 25-18, 25-10, 25-17

The Hood River City Council closed a public hearing on a proposed middle housing code, and will conduct a vote on a first reading on April 12.  There will be a number of amendments on a variety of issues to be incorporated into the code, but it remains an effort to allow duplexes, triplexes, and cottage-style housing to try to increase supply and provide affordable workforce housing.  Councilor Mark Zanmiller pointed out the code will be a work in progress even after it is passed.  Fellow councilor Megan Saunders says data shows that the Council needs to take steps like this is to create more affordable housing, but it’s not the end-all solution.

After lagging much of the winter, a series of mid-February storms and stabilized cool temperatures have moved the snowpack in the Hood, Sandy, and Lower Deschutes Basin well above normal and past its historic peak at 137 percent of normal snow water equivalent.  Scott Oviatt of the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Oregon Snow Survey says we should be at the peak for this year, but the worry would be seeing above normal temperatures and a rapid melt.  He does say the long-range forecast appears favorable.  Oviatt says currently on Mt. Hood, there is the equivalent of 70 inches of rain stored in the snowpack.

The Dalles City Hall will begin a phased re-opening on Monday.  City Hall offices will be open by appointment only Mondays through Thursdays.  People will need to call to arrange an appointment with the department they need to deal with.  Masks and social distancing will be required.  Traffic Court will continue to be held via Zoom until at least June 1.

The Hood River County Health Department says as of Tuesday morning it has about 250 openings for the Johnson & Johnson one dose COVID-19 vaccine at its upcoming Thursday clinic at River of Life Assembly in Hood River.  People can check for eligibility and schedule an appointment at the clinic by going to hrccovid19.org.  Thursday’s clinic is the first of a number the department is planning.  The County says once they have established a consistent supply of vaccine it will open additional clinics for scheduling.  All future Hood River County Health Department vaccine clinics will be scheduled though its website at HRCCovid19.org.

The Barlow Ranger District plans to implement a series of prescribed burns west of Wamic over the next several weeks.  Depending on the weather, fire personnel may start ignitions as early as Friday on the North and South Rock prescribed fire units.  Both units are located approximately 3 miles SW of Pine Hollow and 5 miles west of Wamic.  The two areas are about 622 acres combined.  Fire personnel are planning for up to three days of ignitions.  Visibility along Mt. Hood National Forest roads in the area and nearby Rock Creek Road may be temporarily reduced.  Smoke may also be visible from Highway 197.  No road closures are anticipated, however access to Forest roads in the burn perimeter may be temporarily restricted while firefighters are actively lighting.  Forest visitors traveling in the vicinity should use caution and adhere to any closures to provide for firefighter and public safety.

The Next Door has named 11-year-old Josie Robidoux of Hood River as its 2020 Philanthropist of the Year.  According to a Next Door Executive Director Janet Hamada, Josie and her dad decided to build and sell wooden garden boxes and donate the proceeds to The Next Door.  After nearly two months of building and selling, Josie and her dad built 32 garden boxes.  In June of 2020, Josie handed The Next Door over $2,000 for its services.  She is the youngest recipient of the organization’s Philanthropist of the Year award.  This year, Josie plans to operate a homemade slime and gadgets stand, again donating proceeds to The Next Door.