Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s Housing Production Advisory Council is in to its final weeks developing recommendations towards creating 36,000 housing starts per year. Mid-Columbia Housing Authority Executive Director Joel Madsen has been on the group’s Land Availability and Finance subcommittees. He says one proposal that is making it through the process is to leverage state-owned and leased lands available for housing production, and they are also looking at publicly-owned lands in general. The advisory council is to have its recommendations to the governor finished by the end of the year.
Category: Uncategorized
HR Council To Have Consultant Analyze Bond Options
The Hood River City Council approved moving ahead with hiring a consultant to analyze the City’s capital project needs and recommend bond and financing options. The City will be contracting with D.A. Davidson & Co. for up to $20,000. Municipal Finance Director Christopher Longinetti told the Council the focus will be to understand what they don’t know as they consider the pipeline of capital projects they have and what Council wants to pursue. The Council also approved a $59,870 contract with FCS Group to complete an analysis of municipal systems development charges for water, wastewater, stormwater, and transportation.
HR Health Department Reminding Parents About Vaccinations
The Hood River County Health Department is reminding parents to begin to get their children’s vaccinations up to date before the state begins its school exclusion process. Department Director Trish Elliott says that process begins next month with schools beginning to review records to determine the vaccination needs of each student. The exclusion date in Oregon schools will be February 24. All children who are not up-to-date or complete on their immunizations will be excluded from their school or child care facility on that date.
October 10 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Volleyball
The Dalles def. Madras 25-17, 25-12, 25-16
King’s Way Christian def. Stevenson 3-0
Lyle-Wishram def. Horizon Christian 13-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-17, 15-1
Condon def. Sherman 25-17, 18-25, 29-27, 25-21
South Wasco def. Dufur 23-25, 25-19, 25-22, 26-28, 15-10
Goldendale def. White Swan 3-0
Boys Soccer
Livingstone Adventist 4, Trout Lake-Glenwood 2
Girls Soccer
Goldendale 3, Mabton 1
Trout Lake-Glenwood 1, Corbett 0
Cross Country
Goldendale’s boys easily won the team standings in an eight school meet at an EWAC Meet in Pasco. Sean Henriksen was second and Raymond Holycross was third to lead the Timberwolves. In the girls’ race, Goldendale’s Emma Meagher was the individual winner.
City of The Dalles Establishing IT Department
The Dalles City Council approved establishing an Information Technology Department. City Manager Matthew Klebes requested the reorganizational move, noting IT has been in the City Clerk’s office. Now IT will be its own department with a director that will report directly to the City Manager. Klebes says they will be adding a full-time Systems Administrator at a cost of just over $105,000 in the annual budget, but adds the City’s reliance on its IT infrastructure makes this an important change to undertake. Klebes notes it’s important the City protect itself as best it can from the sort of cyberattacks other municipalities have dealt with.
Sherman County Justice Takes Steps On Speeding
Sherman County’s Justice of the Peace is mandating in-person hearings for all citations of vehicles identified as exceeding the speed limit by over 30 miles per hour. In a statement, Justice of the Peace Shandie Johnson says she has seen an increase in those kind of citations over the last few months. If an individual is found guilty of being 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit within Sherman County and has received at least one prior conviction for speeding in the prior 12 months, then a 30-day suspension of driving privileges will be issued, along with a fine and a mandate to attend a traffic safety education course. Johnson adds there has been an increase in citations for speeds over 100 miles per hour on Interstate 84 and Highway 97, and those will now be subject to up to a 90 day suspension based on the individual’s driving record.
Highway Delays Around White Salmon
Daytime travelers who use Highways 14, 141 and 142 near White Salmon at the Skamania and Klickitat County lines, should plan for potential delays. Starting Tuesday, Washington State Department of Transportation’s contract crews will start work to improve stormwater drainage in that area. This work involves targeted stormwater quality retrofits using vegetated filter strips for the purpose of improving highway runoff stormwater quality. Travelers can expect daytime single lane and shoulder closures with flaggers along both directions on Highway 14 between milepost 31.5 near Franz Road and milepost 36.2 near Hardy Creek, on Highway 141 between milepost 5.5 near Powerhouse Road and milepost 6.2 near Campbell Road, and on Highway 142 between milepost 5 near Rivervista Drive and milepost 8. Expect delays of up to 20 minutes when flaggers are present. The project is scheduled for completion this winter.
HR Prevention Offers Opioid Overdose & Rescue Medication Training
The Hood River County Prevention and Health departments are offering a free 30-minute opioid overdose and rescue medication training to members of the community. Along with the short training, all participants will receiving an opioid rescue kit containing gloves, rescue-breathing mask, alcohol wipes, and two doses of Naloxone. Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing and save the life of a person who is overdosing on opioids. Training is offered in both English and Spanish by department staff. For information, e-mail Daron Ryan at the Hood River County Health Department at daron.ryan@hoodrivercounty.gov or Belinda Ballah at belinda.ballah@hoodrivercounty.gov.
October 9 Prep Sports Roundup
Boys Soccer
The Dalles 1, Crook County 1: The Riverhawks lead in the Tri-Valley Conference over Madras is now two points after the draw with a Cowboy team that has not won a game in conference play.
Mannahouse Academy 4, Trout Lake-Glenwood 3: Mannahouse pulls into a tie for first place in Special District 7, as the Mustangs lose in league play for the first time this year.
North Clackamas Christian 7, Horizon Christian 0
Girls Soccer
The Dalles 5, Crook County 1: The Riverhawks remain right behind Gladstone atop the TVC.
Volleyball
Pendleton def. Hood River Valley 34-32, 20-25, 25-18, 25-16
Grand Opening For The Annex On Thursday
Mid-Columbia Community Action Council will hold the grand opening of The Annex Transitional Housing and Shelter, formerly the Oregon Motor Motel at 200 West 2nd in The Dalles, on Thursday morning at 11 a.m. The former 54-room motel has been fully renovated and converted to transitional housing and shelter for families, couples, and individuals in need of stability while they seek long-term permanent housing. Community Action and its core partner organizations will provide 24/7 oversight and services on the Annex site, including housing case management, Veterans services, physical health, behavioral health, youth and family services, and Native and Latinx specific services. The Annex will provide approximately 50 transitional housing and shelter units with around 75 beds. Community Action Executive Director Kenny LaPoint says The Annex highlights the first family specific shelter beds in the Mid-Columbia region, located in a separate building in The Annex’s west property.