The U.S. Farm Service Agency is now accepting applications for the Department of Agriculture’s pandemic assistance for timber harvesters and haulers program.  It provides financial relief to logging and log trucking businesses who experienced losses due to COVID-19.  Applications are being accepted from timber harvesting and hauling businesses who had a gross revenue loss of at least ten percent between 2019 and 2020.  To be eligible, 50 percent or more of the businesses’ gross revenue must be from cutting or transporting timber, or processing wood on-site on forest land.  Interested producers can call 877-508-8364 or contact their local Farm Service Agency office for information, or go to farmers.gov.  Applications will be accepted through October 15.

Volleyball Ridgeview def. The Dalles 24-26, 25-12, 25-16, 25-15   Girls Soccer Adna 11, Stevenson 0

A two-year effort by the Hood River Basin Partnership has resulted in completion of a 20-year strategic action plan to continue work to restore aquatic habitat.  Watershed 2040 encompasses a scope of work for restoring fish habitat, streamflow, and water quality over the next 20 years.  Hood River Watershed Group coordinator Cindy Thieman says the nine groups involved have worked together on these issues for two decades, but it’s the first time they’ve put together a long-range plan. The partnership includes the Watershed Group, Hood River Soil and Water Conservation District, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, East Fork, Middle Fork, and Farmers Irrigation Districts, the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.  The plan can be seen at hoodriverwatershed.org.

Klickitat County Public Health Director Erinn Quinn told County Commissioners and the Board of Health on Tuesday that the County saw more COVID-19 cases in August than from March to July combined, and there may be even more in September.  Quinn did say the last couple of weeks have provided what she hopes is the start of a positive trend:  a slight decrease in the number of cases they are seeing.  Representatives of both Skyline and Klickitat Valley hospitals reported no one was currently hospitalized due to COVID at their facilities.  But Skyline’s Jenna Newcomb pointed out it remains a challenge to transfer patients to Portland area hospitals for a higher level of care for any reason because of the strain COVID has brought to those facilities.

Maryhill Museum of Art says Stonehenge Memorial, the iconic replica of England’s ancient original, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.  Located three miles east of the museum on a bluff above the Columbia River, Stonehenge Memorial was constructed by Maryhill Museum of Art’s founder Samuel Hill between 1918 and 1929.   Stonehenge Memorial is significant as both a close replica of ancient Stonehenge and as a memorial to Klickitat County men who died in World War I.  Although he clearly supported the Allied cause, Hill was a Quaker and a pacifist.  In constructing the memorial, he wished to honor soldiers who gave their lives to what he saw as the folly of war and make a public statement about the tragedy and futility of the events that led to their deaths.  With its altar stone dedicated on July 4, 1918, more than four months prior to armistice, Stonehenge Memorial is among the earliest World War I memorials in the country.

Mt. Hood National Forest has lifted its fire restrictions effective Thursday due to increased moisture as well as cooler and shorter days.  Industrial Fire Precaution Levels (IFPL) across the Forest were ecently downgraded to Level II east of Highway 26 & Highway 35, and Level I across the rest of the Forest. This allows firewood cutting and other activities requiring chainsaws and equipment to resume, although Level II restricts hours of use to minimize fire risk.  Forest officials caution that fire danger remains high. After months of drought, vegetation remains dry and is susceptible to sparks.  Remember to have plenty of water and a shovel on hand when maintaining a campfire, and make sure your campfire is cold to the touch before you leave it unattended.  Fireworks and explosive materials are always prohibited on all national forests.  

Boys Soccer LaSalle 6, Hood River Valley 1 Putnam 3, The Dalles 1   Girls Soccer LaSalle 5, Hood River Valley 1 Putnam 5, The Dalles 0   Volleyball Crook County def. Hood River Valley 25-15, 25-6, 25-21 Pendleton def. The Dalles 25-18, 25-17, 24-26, 21-25, 15-8 Columbia def. Riverside 25-19, 25-13, 25-13 Dufur def. Horizon Christian 25-14, 25-6, 25-2 Sherman def. Mitchell-Spray 25-19, 25-12, 25-20 Winlock def. Stevenson 25-14, 25-15, 21-25, 22-25, 16-14 Goldendale def. White Swan 25-5, 25-10, 25-16  

The Hood River County School District is talking with the Hood River County Health Department and One Community Health about offering COVID-19 vaccination clinics as the vaccines become available for younger children.  District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn said there are no definitive plans as of yet.  Polkinghorn adds a high percentage of the County’s students that are eligible to receive the shots have done so:  64% of those age 12-18.  Polkinghorn says the Oregon Department of Education hasn’t yet issued any kind of guidance on what kind of metrics will be used to determine when school COVID restrictions can be eased.  

The White Salmon Planning Commission will conduct a workshop Wednesday evening on short-term rental regulations.  The White Salmon City Council last week extended a moratorium on new short-term rentals while regulations are developed.  Mayor Marla Keethler noted STR’s have a place in the community and the local economy, but there is a necessity for some controls based on four key factors:  location, duration, quantity, and occupancy.  Wednesday’s Planning Commission meeting will be held on Zoom beginning at 5:30 p.m.  Go to white-salmon.net for log-in information.  

Regulated-Use Closure restrictions within Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District will ease beginning at 12:01 Wednesday morning.  There will be no change to the activities restricted, including prohibiting all open fires.  The primary change to the Closure is restriction of activities such as mowing of dried grass and chainsaw use between the hours of 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.  District Forester Mike Shaw said recent moisture and cooler temperatures has reduced fire danger across the District, but warmer than average temperatures are forecast for the next week or more with no expected precipitation.  The lack of precipitation, combined with drought conditions and extremely dry fuels continues to keep the risk of wildfire ignition elevated even as we transition to fall.  Fire Season remains in effect with debris burning, including burn barrels, not allowed at this time.