The White Salmon Valley School District will be rolling out two levies for voters in February, but school officials say the net result will be a lower tax rate than what property owners are paying now.  One levy would renew the current three-year Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy, which pays for 17 percent of the district’s annual budget.  The other is a capital levy for safety improvements to district buildings.  Superintendent Sean McGeeney says thanks to growth in the district, the current rates have been going down.  

Oregon State University Extension in the Mid-Columbia continues to work with other agencies on a Community Response Plan for heavy smoke events.  OSU Extension received an $80,000 grant from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to put the plan together.  Extension Air Quality and Food Systems Coordinator Livi Plihal says they are a few months away from finishing.  She adds they are about to embark on focus groups, and hope to have the plan wrapped up in early spring.  She says one of the bigger challenges they have is developing the communication systems to disseminate information.  They also plan to have a mock smoke emergency event to test out the plan.  The plan covers the region from Cascade Locks to Maupin.

Klickitat County’s Tuesday evening election update shows Bob Songer will be re-elected to his third term as sheriff.  The latest numbers saw Songer’s lead over challenger Garique Clifford drop slightly to 153, but only an estimated 35 ballots remain to be counted.  Songer now has 5,675 votes, to Clifford’s 5,522.  Klickitat County will issue another update Wednesday.  Skamania County also issued an update Tuesday on its close Sheriff’s race.  Summer Scheyer had a 27-vote lead with 2,964 to 2,937 for David Waymire.  Skamania County estimates only 20 ballots remain to be counted,

The Hood River Urban Renewal Agency board approved a contract with consultant Elaine Howard to study the feasibility of and develop a plan for a Westside Urban Renewal district.  City officials have looked to such a district as a way to prepare the Westside area for residential development as Hood River deals with its housing supply issues.  Board members, which include the Hood River City Council and two Port of Hood River commissioners, asked Howard about her community engagement plans.  She said the first thing she does is to talk organizations in the community to find out how they are engaging it.  Cost of the work will be about $130,000.  City Manager Abigail Elder says the goal is to finish the project by August of next year.    

The Dalles City Council approved the Vision Action Plan 2040 developed through community outreach over the past year.  The plan includes five community focus areas:  enhancing education, creating economic vitality, providing recreation and open space, strengthening and sustaining community life, and improving governance and infrastructure.  Aubrie Koenig of consulting firm Consor said the plan was meant to be as much of a community plan as possible.  Community Development Director Joshua Chandler said the vision plan will be a part of the discussions during the City Council’s goal setting session on November 29.

A surge of votes in the latest updated count by Klickitat County election officials may be enough to ensure Bob Songer is re-elected to a third term as sheriff.  After trailing by just under 50 votes heading into the weekend, the latest numbers released Monday evening left Songer with a 159 vote lead over challenger Garique Clifford.  Songer now has 5,571 votes, to Clifford’s 5,412.  Klickitat County will issue another update Tuesday, but now estimates only 229 ballots are left to count.  Skamania County will also issue an update today that could impact its close Sheriff’s race.  Summer Scheyer has a 40-vote lead with 2,888 to 2,848 for David Waymire.  Skamania County estimates 125 ballots remain to be counted.  

The Dalles Police Department and North Wasco County School District 21 say they were alerted to an alleged threatening list located at The Dalles High School on Monday, but after an investigation by police and school staff, it is believed that all involved parties were identified and that there was no active threat.  In a statement released on social media, The Dalles Police said they worked with school officials to contact all individuals involved and their families.  Police emphasized there was no credible threat was identified, the school operated normally all day, and there is no cause for concern at this time.  If you are aware of any threatening behavior, or threat to school operation of any kind contact a school official or submit a tip via www.safeoregon.com.  Tips can be submitted by email at Tip@safeoregon.com, the SafeOregon Mobile App, a web form at SafeOregon.com, or with a 24/7 toll free phone number or text message at 844-472-3367.

The City of Dufur will hold a meeting Tuesday evening on updating its ten-year Community Vision and Action plan. Dufur is five years into the plan, and they have accomplished some of the items in it, including sidewalk improvements around Dufur School, infrastructure projects including working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to get funding for sewer improvements, and upgrading park facilities. City Councilor Josiah Dean says they want to hear from citizens about their opinions about the direction Dufur should take. The meeting will take place on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Dufur School. Dinner will be provided.

Oregon Class 1A Six-Man Football

Semi-Final

Triangle Lake 46, South Wasco 20

  Washington Class 2B Football

First Round

Raymond-South Bend 22, Goldendale 7

  Oregon Class 5A Water Polo Tournament at Osborn Aquatic Center in Corvallis

Hood River Valley won the girls’ championship…knocking off Ashland and Hillsboro on the way to the title.  The Eagles’ Emma Titus was named the tournament MVP.  HRV finished second in the boys’ tourney, topping West Albany in the semifinal before falling to Summit in the final.

   

Hood River County will hold a public meeting on a proposed Parkdale Urban Unincorporated Community plan on Wednesday.  County Administrator Jeff Hecksel says infrastructure will be a key topic in discussing the plan, adding he expects many of the questions they will get at the meeting will revolve around what establishment of this kind of plan would mean to the Parkdale community.  Wednesday meeting will run from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Parkdale Elementary School.