With winter approaching, the Low Income Energy Assistance Program for Wasco, Hood River, and Sherman counties is underway.  Mid-Columbia Community Action handles the distribution of one-time payments of federal funds to help pay the energy bills of those who qualify for the assistance.  Community Action executive director Jim Slusher says they have about the same amount of money to distribute as last year, noting that wasn’t enough to help all those who qualified.  Seniors and those with disabilities get first priority, and Community Action is currently processing applications from those groups.  Those who are seniors or have a disability and think they may qualify for energy payment assistance but have not received an application should call Community Action in The Dalles at 541-298-5131 or Hood River at 541-386-4027.  The general public will be able to make appointments to apply for the program beginning on December 1.

The Next Door is offering a training program called “Protect Our Children” that looks to train people on how to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse.  The program was put together by the Ford Family Foundation.  Lupita Munoz of The Next Door says it is targeted toward anyone in the community that wants to help prevent the sexual abuse of children.  Trainings are planned at Next Door offices in The Dalles on November 15 and Hood River on November 16 at 5:30 both evenings, with dinner and child care provided.  Munoz says organizations can also request trainings be brought to them in Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, and Wheeler counties.  For information call 541-399-6518.

The studded tire season in Oregon began Wednesday.  It will run through March 31.  The Oregon Department of Transportation continues to encourage drivers to consider other types of traction tires or chains.  A study completed in 2014 concluded studded tires cause about $8.5 million in damage each year on state highways.  Traction tires that meet Rubber Manufacturers Association standards for use in severe snow conditions and carry a special symbol on the tire sidewall showing a three-peaked mountain and snowflake.   They work about as well as studded tires on ice, but work better than studded tires or regular tires in most other winter conditions, while causing no more damage to road surfaces than regular tires.

Oregon Class 5-A Girls Soccer Tournament First Round Hillsboro 1, Hood River Valley 0, overtime:  Madison Ellsworth’s goal in the 92^nd minute gave the Spartans the win.  Ellsworth used her left foot to drill a shot from 30 yards out in to the top left corner of the net.  The Spartans had controlled most of the match, outshooting HRV 14-2.  The Eagles finish the season at 9-4-2.   Southwest Washington Class 1A District Girls Soccer Tournament First Round Elma 5, Stevenson 0   SCAC Volleyball Tournament First Round Goldendale def. Kiona-Benton 22-25, 25-27, 25-23, 25-16, 15-13:  The Timberwolves advance to meet LaSalle on Saturday at Granger.

Having heard from about 900 Wasco County residents during a summer of taking input, the effort to update the County’s comprehensive land use plan moves into a new phase.  County long-range planner Kelly Howsley Glover says a work plan based on the public feedback is being submitted to the state for final approval.  Once they get that green light, Glover says they’ll be headed back to the public for a series of workshops.  Glover notes the next phase will focus in on specific issues and details, unlike the first round which involved more visioning.  She adds they anticipate the state will approve the work plan sometime in the winter months.  Public input is still being taken at wasco2040.com.

Oregon Department of Human Services officials are hoping to have the question of who will provide Area Agency on Aging services in Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, and Wheeler counties answered by the end of January.  Public input meetings on the subject are currently being held, and DHS did grant a two-week extension of a deadline for local governments to decide if they want to provide the service to November 8.  Kristi Murphy of DHS says then the state will ask existing AAA’s contiguous to the five-county area if they want to take on the services, and if there is no interest then they would open it up to others.  Murphy noted the process is spelled out specifically in the federal Older Americans Act.  Mid-Columbia Council of Governments has administered the regional AAA, but is in the process of divesting itself of all of its service contracts.

There are Halloween events going on throughout the area Tuesday afternoon and evening.  In The Dalles, the downtown trick or treat will take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Participants should be on the lookout for orange pumpkin fliers indicating participating businesses.  From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. it will be Monsters in the Park After Dark presented by Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation in The Dalles City Park at Fifth and Union.  Hood River Elks and A Kidz Dental Zone is presenting a Halloween Carnival and Haunted House from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Elks Lodge at 308 Cascade Avenue.  The Hood River Library’s annual Halloween Party with free books, apple cider, and a craft project will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the library.  In downtown White Salmon there will be a haunted house presented by community partners and the Mt. Adams Chamber of Commerce from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  And the Dallesport-Murdock Fire Department’s Halloween Open House is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Dallesport Fire Station, with glow sticks, a search and rescue maze, auto magnet fundraiser, and candy.

The Columbia Gorge Children’s Advocacy Center will hold its annual fundraiser this coming weekend.  The Center interviews suspected victims of child abuse, does medical evaluations, and provides other victim services in Hood River, Gilliam, Wheeler, Klickitat, and now Wasco counties.  Carrie Rasmussen of the Hood River County District Attorney’s office says the Center does that in a supportive, private, child friendly environment.  Saturday’s Harvest Hope for Kids event will include silent and live auctions, music, and food.  It will take place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Springhouse Cellars in Hood River.  Tickets are $25 and available at Waucoma Bookstore in Hood River, Klindt’s Booksellers in The Dalles, and at the door.

The Dalles Art Association will be presenting its 60th Annual Art Auction this Saturday evening.  The event that started 60 years ago in a Nash automobile dealership showroom takes place this year at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center, and Carmen Toll of The Dalles Art Center says the Readiness Center provides more room for attendees.  Tickets for Saturday evening’s Art Auction cost $45 and are available at The Dalles Art Center, Klindt’s Booksellers, and by going to The Dalles Art Center Facebook page.  Doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30, with a live auction following at 7:30.  

Oregon Class 5A Volleyball Tournament First Round Hood River Valley def. Wilsonville 26-24, 30-28, 26-24:  The Eagles fell behind in every set, but came back in all three to sweep and advance to the final eight.  HRV trailed set one 17-10, set two 17-8, and set three 14-8 before eventually winning them all.  Shae Duffy had 12 kills, nine digs, and three blocks for HRV, and Katie Kennedy had 11 kills and 11 digs.  The Eagles meet top-ranked Summit in a quarter-final match on Friday at 1:15 at Liberty High School in Hillsboro.   Oregon Class 1A Volleyball Tournament Second Round South Wasco def. North Clackamas Christian 21-25, 25-14, 25-17, 25-10:  The Redsides advance to the final eight at Ridgeview High School in Redmond.  They will meet Country Christian on Friday at 3:15.   SCAC Volleyball (Regular Season) Goldendale def. Cle Elum-Roslyn 3 sets to 0   Oregon Class 5A Boys Soccer Play-In Sandy 4, The Dalles 0   Oregon Class 5A Girls Soccer Play-In St. Helens 1, The Dalles 0   Boys Soccer (Regular Season) Trout Lake 6, Riverside Christian 2   Cross Country Columbia finished second in both the boys and girls races in the Southwest Washington Class 1A District Championships at Woodland.  In the boys’ run, Jacob Lockman was second, Dylan Beneventi fourth, and Ethan Andrews eighth for the Bruins, while Joules Hope was fourth, Haley Blair seventh, and Lillian Nelson ninth for the CHS girls.  Stevenson’s girls were fifth and the boys seventh.  Cassie Macnab was tenth in the girls race, and Abiy LaCombe tenth in the boys’ run.   Football Stevenson 24, Columbia 21:  Stevenson advances to a Southwest Washington district playoff game in Montesano on Friday. Summit 44, Hood River Valley 7 Glencoe 55, The Dalles 6 Dufur 54, Glendale 22 Mitchell-Spray 42, South Wasco 12 Sherman 68, Perrydale 14 Lyle-Klickitat-Wishram 68, Mabton 22 Highland 9, Goldendale 0