Mid-Columbia Community Action is currently taking applications from seniors and people with disabilities for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program.  The program uses federal funds to provide assistance with winter heating bills through a one-time payment that goes directly to the utility.  Community Action Executive Director Jim Slusher says they sent notifications to past clients in October.  If a senior or disabled person in Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties have not received a notification and believe they may be eligible for assistance, call CAP.  In The Dalles the number for Community Action is 541-298-5131, while in Hood River it is 541-386-4027.  Slusher says they will begin to take calls from the general population to schedule appointments on December 3.

The studded tire season in Oregon begins Thursday.  But both the Oregon and Washington state transportation departments encourage drivers to consider other types of traction tires or chains.  ODOT’s latest study in 2014 concluded studded tires annually cause about $8.5 million in damage to state highways.  Other types of traction tires are available, with those that meet Rubber Manufacturers Association standards for use in severe snow conditions carrying a special symbol on the tire sidewall showing a three-peaked mountain and snowflake.  ODOT claims they work about as well as studded tires on ice, and better than studded or regular tiers in most other winter conditions.

Columbia Gorge Community College has received a $12,900 contribution from the Union Pacific Foundation to purchase additional “stick” welders and more advanced equipment used in alloy welding for the CGCC welding lab.  The grant will enable the college to increase the number of students receiving basic and advanced welding instruction. Coursework includes manufacturing processes, blueprint reading and computer-aided design.  The Dalles High School instructor Robert Clark teaches the class, which is open to area high school students as well as students enrolled at CGCC.  The CGCC welding lab opened in 2014 as part of the Fort Dalles Readiness Center, with Sherman County providing an initial $100,000 contribution to open the welding lab.

Wonderworks Children’s Museum in The Dalles will hold its annual fall benefit on Friday evening at Sunshine Mill.  Wonderworks is a hands-on facility where young children can learn and play.  Wonderworks vice-president Tiffany Hillman says it’s about encouraging the imagination and one-on-one time for parent and child.  The benefit will be Friday evening at 6:30 at the Sunshine Mill.  Tickets are $25 in advance at wonderworkschildrensmuseum.org, or 30 dollars at the door.

Oregon Class 5A Boys Soccer Tournament First Round Churchill 3, Hood River Valley 2:  Harper Neubrick scored two goals on free kicks to lift the Lancers toward the win.  Jairo Ortiz was a goal scorer for HRV. Corvallis 6, The Dalles 0:  The Spartans held off an early quick start by the Riverhawks to take a 2-0 lead at half…then scored four goals in a short span of the second half to blow the game open.  Edgar Montroy had a hat trick for Corvallis.   Southwest Washington Class 1A District Girls Soccer Tournament First Round Elma 6, Columbia 2   Greater Columbia League Volleyball Tournament Championship Sunnyside Christian def. Klickitat-Glenwood 25-15, 25-19, 25-18

With one week until Election Day, ballots continue to be returned to county election offices.  The Hood River County Elections’ Office reports 28.29 percent of ballots have been returned, while Wasco County checks in at 25.42 percent.  Election officials advise that voters should not mail ballots past Wednesday, and it is best to drop in a ballot box even now.  They also discourage voters from giving their ballot to people they do not personally know.  There are groups that will offer to pick up ballots and deliver them to election offices, but there is no guarantee they will deliver the ballot on-time.  Hood River County elections supervisor Kim Kean says they will not mail ballots out after tomorrow, so anyone needing a replacement ballot will need to come into their office to pick it up.

Rich Mays will bring a great deal of experience to the mayor’s chair in The Dalles in January.  Mays is the only name on the November ballot in The Dalles mayoral election.  He was a City Manager for 28 years, most recently in Cannon Beach, before retiring to The Dalles in 2014.  Mays believes personalities and leadership styles make a big difference, and one of his priorities is to make sure Council meetings are civil and people have respect for others points of view.  Mays will be succeeding Steve Lawrence, who will have served six years in the mayoral chair.

A “Cornucopia of Art” will be available at The Dalles Art Association’s 61st Annual Art Auction this Saturday evening at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center.  The Dalles Art Center executive director Carmen Toll says they once again will have a wide variety of art available from local artists, and she adds the location at the Readiness Center adds to the atmosphere.  Doors open for the art auction at 6 p.m. on Saturday, with dinner at 6:30 and the live auction starting at 7:30.  Tickets are $45 each, and available at The Dalles Art Center and Klindt’s Booksellers.  Live auction items can be previewed at thedallesartcenter.org.

The Mt. Hood National Forest announced that a portion of the 16 Road, sometimes referred to as “Red Hill Road” on the Hood River Ranger District will be closed on or around November 5 for approximately 4 weeks due to timber harvest operations taking place in the area.  Forest visitors wishing to use Forest Service Road 16 should anticipate the closure restricting travel access during the week and some weekends.  The 16 Road is narrow and large equipment will be in or alongside the roadway making it necessary to close this section of the road for public and operator safety.  The point closure is located about 7 miles from Red Hill Bridge and about 8 miles from the 18 Road junction coming from the other side.  The 16 Road will remain open on both sides of the closure point.  From Hood River, visitors to the Vista Ridge Trail should turn onto the 13 Road, which connects to Lolo Pass Road in Dee.  Access to the Vista Ridge area through Parkdale will not be available during the road closure.

Football Forest Grove 13, Hood River Valley 0:  The Vikings limited HRV to 167 yards of offense on the way to keeping the Eagles out of the state playoffs. Dufur 22, Wallowa 12:  The Rangers win the Class 1A Special District 3 championship, and will play Bonanza in the first round of the Oregon Class 1A playoffs on Friday at 5 p.m. in Dufur. Stevenson 20, Columbia 14:  Lincoln Krog ran for 188 yards and 24 carries as the Bulldogs clinched the Trico League title.  Stevenson earns a bye into the first round of the Washington Class 1A playoffs in two weeks, while Columbia goes to Evergreen League #2 Montesano to play for a spot in the state tournament. Granger 35, Goldendale 0   Oregon Class 5A Volleyball Playoffs First Round Hood River Valley def. LaSalle 23-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-23:  Katie Kennedy had 33 kills and 16 digs, while Chloe Kurahara had 31 assists to lead HRV to the Final Eight.  The Eagles face top-ranked Corvallis on Friday at 8 a.m. at Liberty High School in Hillsboro.   Oregon Class 1A Volleyball Playoffs Second Round Perrydale def. South Wasco 25-19, 25-18, 18-25, 25-18   Football South Wasco 65, Eddyville 13   Oregon Special District 7 Class 1-A Boys Soccer Final Crosshill Christian 6, Horizon Christian 5 (penalty kicks)   Tuesday Schedule Oregon Class 5A Boys Soccer Tournament First Round Hood River Valley at Churchill, 6:30 p.m. The Dalles at Corvallis, 6:30 p.m.   Southwest Washington Class 1A District Girls Soccer Tournament First Round Elma at Columbia, 6 p.m.   Wednesday Schedule Oregon Class 5A Girls Soccer Tournament The Dalles at North Eugene, 5 p.m. Hood River Valley at Willamette, 5:30 p.m.   Southwest Washington Class 1A District Volleyball Tournament First Round Columbia vs. Elma at Montesano, 5:30 p.m.