Hood River City Councilors are weighing whether to seek to provide curbside compost and yard debris removal.  Mayor Paul Blackburn says some downtown restaurants have been involved in a pilot project to separate out food waste for composting.  The City used to provide yard debris removal on a seasonal basis before that practice was stopped due to budget constraints.  Blackburn does point out with added services would come added cost.  The Council meets this evening at 6 p.m. in Hood River City Hall.

Oregon Second District Congressman Greg Walden was on the escort committee during Pope Francis’ visit to Congress on Thursday.  The Hood River Republican called it an honor to have an up-close view of the Pope’s visit to the nation’s capital.  Walden thought the Pope’s remarks “were challenging and uplifting. Clearly he’s a man of the people who speaks his mind. I think he calls on all of us to be better citizens and better human beings, and really look after those who are less fortunate. It was just an historic day in Washington, and I think for all of America.”  Pope Francis went to the Speaker’s Balcony of the Capitol after his speech to Congress to greet the gathered crowd and gave a blessing.

The Hood River County School District is going to receive more than $400,000 in grant funding for the 2015-16 school year from the Oregon Department of Education.  The “Collaboration Grant” will allow further development of the Hood River Academy, an internal professional development program to increase training opportunities throughout the district.  The grant also provides support for improving the District’s professional evaluation system, increasing leadership opportunities for master teachers, and investigating different compensation models that are more aligned to teacher and student performance.  The exact amount of grant funding is still being determined, but a second year of full funding for the program is now guaranteed.

Volleyball The Dalles def. Hood River Valley 25-17, 25-18, 30-28:  The Dalles remains unbeaten after three Columbia River Conference matches while Hood River Valley falls to 2-1. Stevenson def. Castle Rock 25-21, 19-25, 25-14, 15-25, 15-12 Seton Catholic def. Columbia 25-14, 25-12, 20-25, 25-11   Boys Soccer Hood River Valley 0, LaSalle 0 Benson 3, The Dalles 1 Horizon Christian 2, North Clackamas Christian 0   Girls Soccer Sandy 1, Hood River Valley 0 Seton Catholic 4, Columbia 0 Highland 10, Goldendale 0

Port of Hood River Commissioners received an assessment report indicating overweight trucks going over the Interstate Bridge are causing accelerated deterioration of the structure.  Commissioners indicated the need to be more diligent and rigorous in enforcing weight restrictions on the bridge.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says the effort will in large part involve education about the importance of observing the weight limits to prevent much lower limits from needing to be established.  Additional signage on the weight and speed limits will be part of the plan.  McElwee pointed out the Port does not have the ability to enforce, but they will work closely with the Oregon Department of Transportation weighmaster in Cascade Locks to deal with overweight trucks.  In other business, Port Commissioners approved the purchase of two-and-a-half acres adjacent to the recently acquired Lower Hanel Mill property.

The Oregon Office of Developmental Disability Services will hold two community forums in The Dalles Thursday and Friday to discuss the vision for the future of services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Department Director Lilia Teninty says a Thursday evening session will be geared to families who receive services, while on Friday the forum will be angled for those who provide programs and services.  The Thursday session will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the Friday event will be from 9 a.m. to noon, both in The Dalles Civic Auditorium.  There will be a short presentation followed by a group discussion.  

Boys Soccer Hood River Valley 1, Woodburn 0   Girls Soccer Hood River Valley 1, Liberty 1:  Savanna Brentlinger scored the Eagles’ only goal in earning the draw. Columbia 9, Stevenson 0   Volleyball Hood River Valley def. Hermiston 25-20, 25-18, 14-25, 26-24 The Dalles def. Pendleton 25-23, 25-15, 25-21:  Both the Riverhawks and the Eagles are 2-0 in Columbia River Conference play heading into their first match of the season tomorrow in The Dalles. LaCenter def. Columbia 25-18, 25-19, 25-14 Seton Catholic def. Stevenson 25-21, 25-16, 20-25, 25-21 Dufur def. Sherman 25-15, 25-9, 25-13 South Wasco def. Horizon Christian 3 games to 0 Granger def. Goldendale 25-15, 25-12, 25-17

Hood River County Commissioners approved the purchase of just over 2,887 acres of forestland in the County from SDS Lumber.  It’s the County’s first major forest land purchase in a decade, using part of the proceeds from the sale of holdings in Grant and Umatilla counties to make the $4,620,000 purchase.  The sale includes seven different parcels, the largest involving 1,520 acres near Upper Pinemont Drive.  County Administrator David Meriwether says the lands include a good mix of timber, and are adjacent to other County holdings.  County Commission Chair Ron Rivers noted the purchase completes a circle, replacing a property exchange dating back nearly 15 years when the County exchanged over one-thousand acres of County-owned forestland to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, which led to the purchase of the Eastern Oregon properties.  Rivers adds they still intend to reinvest the remaining proceeds from the Eastern Oregon land sale in the County forest.

Wasco County Commissioners concluded their second town hall on the subject of whether the County should enact a moratorium on marijuana businesses with the intent of putting the question before voters next year, and the response at Monday night’s meeting in Mosier was far different than last week’s in Dufur.  After hearing from an audience split on the issue in Dufur, Commission Chair Scott Hege noted most at the Mosier event were against a moratorium.  Many who spoke emphasized the business opportunities that are available with the marijuana legalization.  Hege says Commissioners will now begin to mull over their options at their meeting on October 7.  If Commissioners were to place a moratorium on any aspect of marijuana business, it would go on the November 2016 ballot for voters to decide.

The Dalles Mayor Steve Lawrence says the “Things to Accomplish List” referred to in an editorial in The Dalles Chronicle on Sunday was written some time ago…and his viewpoint on some of the items in it have changed over times.  Appearing on Bicoastal Media’s Mid-Columbia Today Show Tuesday morning (access the complete program by clicking here), Lawrence said the list was accidentally sent to the Chronicle in December, and he had asked them to delete it.  He termed it a list of what he might want to do as Mayor, said he no longer has it, and is unsure whether he developed it before or after he was elected as Mayor in November 2012.  He said the list was developed from input by citizens and past elected officials about things he may want to address, and had he wanted to produce it for the public he would have “put a question mark in front of each one of those.”  Lawrence added a number of the items on the list he is no longer thinking about, but he is still considering some of them.  The editorial was published in the aftermath of The Dalles City Council’s vote last Monday to terminate the contract of City Manager Nolan Young.  It indicated Lawrence’s list included language indicating he wanted to change the City Manager to get someone who could go through departments and make changes.  Lawrence, who as Mayor does not have a vote on Council matters unless there is a tie, said he felt he had a pretty good working relationship with Young.