Six Rivers Dispute Resolution Center has been selected as one of five community mediation centers from around the nation to participate in a grant-funded pilot project.  The project will develop conflict resolution and leadership skills in young adults ages 21 to 35, with a focus on those who have experienced marginalization.  The project is facilitated by the National Association for Community Mediation and funded by the JAMS Foundation.  It connects five selected centers to jointly create program materials and best practices in conflict resolution and community mobilization.  The other four selected centers are located in San Francisco, Fresno, New Orleans, and Savannah, Georgia.

Stevenson-Carson School District is now offering students access to free Internet Cafes.  The Port of Skamania, the Economic Development Council, and the Stevenson-Carson Education Foundation donated space and resources.   The district’s Internet Cafes operate from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. each weekday and are staffed with school employees who can assist students, if needed.  Families can reserve time-slots where students will be provided with private cubicles which will be deep-cleaned after each use to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.   Families can reserve time at any three locations…at Stevenson High School by calling 509-219-8849…at Wind River Middle School at 509-219-8794…or in North Bonneville by calling 509-219-8756.

Klickitat County officials still don’t have any word from the state of Washington on when counties looking to move into Phase 3 will be considered by the Governor’s office.  Commissioner David Sauter says they are talking with the Washington Department of Health “several times a week” on the subject, but he adds the best thing County residents can do right now is continue to work to keep COVID-19 numbers down.  As of Friday, Klickitat County reported it had only five currently active COVID-19 cases, and Sauter indicated a couple of those should be removed from that list soon.

Design work is continuing for reconstruction of the Cascade Avenue/Rand Road intersection at the west end of Hood River to lead to a signal light at that busy location.  The Oregon Department of Transportation and the City of Hood River are working together on the project.  City Manager Rachael Fuller says realigning the intersection is a key component, noting the project was originally planned for some time ago, so changes have had to be made.  She pointed out there are significant right-of-way issues to work through.  ODOT has the design phase scheduled to continue through spring of 2021.  Construction is planned for next fall, with completion in spring 2022.

There will be a Starlight Parade in The Dalles this year, but it will take on a different form than in the past.  The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce announced it will be a “reverse parade,” with floats parked on 3^rd Street and the public will drive past to view them.  This year’s parade is “Oh, Christmas Tree” and will begin with Santa and a virtual tree lighting.  The Chamber says it is partnering with The Dalles Beautification Committee to encourage the community to decorate trees, windows, and storefronts in that theme.  The Chamber said it has worked with North Central Public Health District and the City of The Dalles to ensure the event meets all state mandates and guidelines.  Parade applications will be available both at the Chamber office and on our website by Tuesday.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has introduced legislation to encourage farming practices that improve soil health and crop resilience and lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.  The Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act builds on a 2018 Farm Bill provision authored by Wyden by creating a permanent soil health program through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  The program would provide $100 million to producers who adopt practices designed to improve soil health through increasing carbon levels in soil.  The bill establishes protocols for measuring soil organic carbon levels before and after these practices begin in order to determine which farming practices store the most carbon.  The act would also establish a Soil Health and Carbon Science Research Program at Agriculture Research Stations that would provide grants to land-grant colleges and universities to conduct research relating to soil health and carbon science and do work at Agriculture Research Stations of the Department of Agriculture.

The Oregon Health Authority on Friday reported 550 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in the state, surpassing the previous highest daily case count by over 100.  There were three deaths reported, moving that number to 649.  The OHA says preliminary data shows the increase is due to continued widespread community transmission resulting in small clusters and outbreaks across the state.   OHA officials said the case count is a reminder that Oregonians cannot let their guards down.  The agency published new face covering guidance this week, which requires that people consistently wear face coverings while indoors at their workplace or all other places where they will be in contact with people from outside their household.  OHA has also asked Oregonians to rethink Halloween – avoid traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating and avoid costume parties with people outside their own households and wear a face covering.  Friday’s count includes four new COVID cases in Hood River County and two in Wasco County.   Hood River County is now at 277 total confirmed or presumptive cases…and the County Health Department says 268 are out of isolation and do not have specific symptoms.   Wasco County is at 347 total cases for the pandemic, with the North Central Public Health District indicating 258 are recovered using a standard of 30 days from the onset of illness with no symptoms, up four from Thursday.

North Wasco County School District 21 Interim Superintendent Theresa Peters told district board members the metrics for going to in-person instruction are not looking good right now.  Peters had previously announced comprehensive distance learning would continue until at the least the end of the current trimester, but she does continue to constantly monitor the metrics.  She alluded to Thursday’s Oregon Health Authority report of ten additional COVID-19 cases in Wasco County.  Peters says anything about nine cases in a week sets them back.  It must remain under that mark for three weeks to allow for K-3 students to return to classrooms.  Peters added they continue to collaborate with the North Central Public Health District on any changes that may occur.

Ballots continue to come in to local election offices at a steady clip.  As of this morning, Hood River County reports that 37.2% of the ballots it sent out have already been returned, 5,890 out of 15,823 distributed.  And it’s a similar situation in Wasco County, with 5,963 having been received out of the 18,403 mailed out, for 32.6%  Four years ago at this point 23.5% of ballots had been returned in Wasco County and 20.6% in Hood River County.  In Oregon, ballots must be received in county election offices or official drop boxes by 8 p.m. on November 3.

North Wasco County School District 21’s enrollment as of September 30 was down by 192 students from last year.  D-21 Chief Financial Officer Kara Flath told the district board a financial impact on future funding from the state is difficult to project.  She says there would be no effect this year, and while normally a substantial drop in enrollment would lead to a drop in funding, D-21 is not alone in seeing this kind of student decrease, so that would blunt the impact.  Flath said 32% of the decrease is attributed to students moving into home schooling, 28% is due to relocation, 23% have transferred to other options, and the remainder either went to a private school or they are unsure of the reason.