The Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency Board adopted goals and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.  At the top of the list prepared by The Dalles Community Development Director Alice Cannon, completing a strategic plan for the agency.  Cannon said that plan was delayed to focus on the The Dalles 2040 Vision process that is underway.  Other items on the list include completing design, acquiring the right-of-way, and going out for bid for the Riverfront Connection project, completing demolition of the former Tony’s Town and Country building, ramping up a new Urban Renewal incentive program, and tracking progress on outstanding Urban Renewal loans.

Like much of the rest of the Northwest, the White Salmon Valley School District moved to an optional face-covering policy this week.  Superintendent Sean McGeeney says in visiting district buildings in the last couple of days, people are comfortable with the situation.  McGeeney says they continue taking other COVID-19 prevention steps, and they will be evaluated over time.  McGeeney noted the district’s administrative team re-evaluates those measures on weekly basis, and opted to take a slow, one-at-a-time approach.

Installation of a waterline on Hostetler Street in The Dalles will start on Monday and continue into late May.  Construction will resume at 7h Street & Hostetler, progressing to and across 6th & Hostetler.  Construction hours are anticipated to be weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and road closures and detours with up to 20 minute delays are to be expected for the duration of this project.  Construction & road closures/detours will be segmental as construction progresses along Hostetler St.  The first segment will be from 7th Street to 6th Street with work zone safety advisories in place.  Construction work is anticipated to conclude by May 27.

The City of Hood River is accepting applications for five vacancies on its budget committee.  Appointees must be qualified voters residing in the City of Hood River, and cannot be officers, agents or employees of the City.  City Budget Committee members may also be used to fill Urban Renewal Agency Budget Committee vacancies as needed.  Interested persons should submit a resume setting forth their background, and a statement why they desire an appointment.  Applications are available at Hood River City Hall on 211 2nd Street, online at cityofhoodriver.gov, or by calling (541) 387-5212.  Applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on April 4.  Interviews will be conducted at the April 11th City Council meeting.

The Hood River City Council affirmed Planning Commission and administrative decisions to allow minor adjustments to the site plan permit for the Adams Creek Cohousing development on Sherman Avenue.  A group of nearby residents had appealed the original administrative decision to allow the developer to provide off-site sidewalk improvements on Sherman Avenue instead of Eugene Street, and to relocate water utility infrastructure from on-site to the Eugene Street right of way.  But all five Councilors voting on the issue agree with the Planning Commission decision, with Mayor Kate McBride noting Sherman Avenue improvements are in the City’s transportation plan.  Councilors Mark Zanmiller and Erick Haynie recused themselves due to potential conflicts of interest.

The City of White Salmon has reached a contract with Crestline Construction to repair a failed wastewater transmission line over Highway 141 down the hill to Bingen.  Mayor Marla Keethler says the failure happened two weeks ago, and they are working as fast as they can to get it replaced.  She adds it underscores the need to examine their entire wastewater system, adding they were already preparing to acquire a camera surveillance system that can locate potential problem areas.  The replacement is estimated to cost between $200,000 and $300,000, and Keethler says they can cover it budgetarily.

The Hood River County School District says it is now able to welcome volunteers back into their buildings.  Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says they have had some essential volunteers in the building all year, but now they can accept anyone who wants to help in the classroom.  To learn more about becoming a Hood River County School District volunteer, go to the district website at hoodriver.k12.or.us.

The Dalles Community Action Team is getting ready to make its first in-person trip to Washington, D.C. in two years to make a pitch for area projects to receive federal funding.  Port of The Dalles Executive Director Andrea Klaas says eight Wasco County agencies are preparing their lists for a traveling team as they look to resume the semi-annual trips to meet with legislators and various federal departments.  Klaas says the last two years they’ve done virtual visits, but notes the in-person element is important.  Among the items to be discussed on the trip:  Columbia Gorge Community College’s aviation technician program, an Internet connection facility to allow Internet traffic to travel east out of the Gorge rather than just to the west as it the case now, and federal forest policy and the loss of revenue that has taken place as a result over the years.

One Community Health is launching a new mobile clinic, named “La Clínica.”  La Clínica will be staffed by a bilingual team and offer a range of services.  The clinic will work to improve access to health care in the areas of Parkdale, Odell, Cascade Locks, Celilo Village, Lone Pine, and The Dalles, with plans to eventually to provide services in Klickitat and Skamania counties in the near future as part of an overall campaign to recognize the impact of these social determinants of health.  Launch parties will be held at La Clínica’s weekly locations beginning next Monday at 1 p.m. at Celilo Village.  They are also planned for March 23 at 1 p.m. at Cascade Locks Elementary School, March 28 at 3 p.m. at Lone Pine, and March 29 at 9 a.m. at The Dalles Pallet Shelter and at 1 p.m. at St. Vincent dePaul in The Dalles.  A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be April 1 at 1 p.m. at Wy’east Community Church in Odell.  More information is available at onecommunityhealth.org/LaClinicaMobile.

A former CEO of the Warm Springs Economic Development Corporation pleaded guilty today in federal court in Portland for his role in a fraud scheme targeting the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.  66-year-old Roderick Ariwite pleaded guilty to theft of funds from a tribal organization and interstate transportation of a security taken by fraud.  According to court documents, Ariwite and an accomplice, 49-year-old former Warm Springs Construction Enterprise manager Thomas Valentino Adams, created a construction company that while drawing tribal salaries and travel reimbursements, the pair engaged in work projects.  In 2018, Ariwite and Adams used tribal funds to hire a subcontractor for their company’s project and submitted vouchers for expenses they incurred on behalf of themselves and the company, which were reimbursed with tribal funds.  In total, Ariwite and Adams’ scheme cost the Warm Springs Tribes more than $50,000.  Ariwite faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $500,000 fine and three years’ supervised release.  He will be sentenced in June 6.  Adams pleaded guilty to theft of funds from a Tribal organization in August, and will be sentenced March 29.