A bill introduced in the Oregon Legislature to establish a pilot program for cities and counties to be able to develop and coordinate homeless service systems includes the Mid-Columbia Community Action Council’s service area.  Mid-Columbia Community Action Executive Director Kenny LaPoint says unlike other selected locations which paired one city and one county, this partners Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties along with the cities of Hood River and The Dalles.  The legislation calls for recipients to receive $1 million for develop a homeless strategic plan and established a coordinated office, but LaPoint told Wasco County Commissioners that Community Action already has those in process, so they want to use the money for implementation and to develop a sustainability plan.  LaPoint is asking local governmental officials to assist in convincing legislators to approve the bill.  

A nationally renowned walkability expert is visiting White Salmon as part of the City’s initiative to update its transportation plan.  Jeff Speck is walking White Salmon with municipal staff, and will present his findings at a virtual workshop Thursday evening at 6 p.m.  Mayor Marla Keethler says the intent of the visit Speck works with communities to make them more walkable.  She says that can activate the downtown business core and drive economic development.  Information on accessing the workshop online is available at white-salmon.net.

Mid-Columbia Medical Center has closed patient visitation at its hospital and clinics as of Wednesday due to the Omicron surge.  According to an MCMC Facebook post, surgical and endoscopy patients will have a support caregiver to ensure safe discharges home.  Instructions for further care and who to call with questions will almost always occur over the telephone and discharged patients being escorted to a vehicle.  The policy is for people visiting patients at MCMC, not people who have appointments.  All appointments will continue as scheduled.  MCMC says it continues to encourage vaccination as the best defense against hospitalization and severe illness with COVID-19.

The Dalles High School Wednesday morning added its wrestling and swimming programs to its list of paused programs for the rest of the week due to an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases.  Basketball programs were paused on Tuesday.  In a statement issued on its various media platforms on Tuesday, school officials said it will continue monitoring the health of its student-athletes, with the goal for all winter athletic programs returning to practice and game action as early as Monday.

Boys Basketball Prairie 65, Hood River Valley 54: Hayden Rose scored 25 points for the Falcons, as HRV played without seven varsity players.  Emanuel Romero scored 23 points and Ethan Rivera 11 to lead the Eagles. Dufur 66, Lyle-Wishram 11 Horizon Christian 35, Grand View Christian 21   Girls Basketball Dufur 82, Lyle-Wishram 20 Horizon Christian 29, Grand View Christian 24

The Dalles High School announced Tuesday it is pausing its athletic program this week due to an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases.  In a statement issued on its various media platforms, school officials said it will continue monitoring the health of its student-athletes, with the goal for all winter athletic programs returning to practice and game action as early as Monday.  The wrestling, ski, and swim teams will continue to practice, but the school says they could be paused if needed.  The school indicated it will release new information as it becomes available.  The pause eliminated home boys’ basketball games with Aloha Tuesday night and Hood River Valley Friday night, and a girls basketball game at home with Hood River Valley on Monday.

White Salmon City Councilors will consider extending the moratorium on new short-term rental properties at their meeting on Wednesday to allow for more time to finish work on new STR regulations.  Mayor Marla Keethler says while the moratorium extension would be approved for six months, there is no intention for it to go on for that longm and the expectation is to have the new regulations adopted by their meeting on February 16.  Wednesday’s Council meeting will be held online beginning at 6 p.m.  For access information, go to white-salmon.net.

Mid-Columbia Medical Center reports it is getting some help from the Oregon National Guard.  In a Facebook post, MCMC says eight officers have been assigned there and arrived on Monday.  MCMC officials indicate they will on the main hospital campus or at Water’s Edge, performing non-clinical roles to support the hospital’s daily operations.  As a result of the Omicron-fueled COVID-19 surge, Oregon National Guard members have been deployed to hospitals across the state to provide needed staffing support.  Hospitals throughout Oregon continue to see a rising number of patients with COVID-19.

Hood River County School District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says they are taking things day to day as they manage the Omicron surge of COVID-19.  Polkinghorn says they are stressing the importance of staying home if showing any symptoms of illness.  He added that last week they saw an increase in the amount of COVID testing they did last week.  Polkinghorn estimated they had about a two percent absenteeism rate among both students and staff last week.

Boys Basketball

South Wasco 88, Dufur 39

Mabton 78, Goldendale 74

Girls Basketball South Wasco 50, Dufur 47

Mabton 61, Goldendale 57