Columbia Gorge Community College board member Kim Morgan has been named as vice president of the Oregon Community College Association, setting her up to assume that panel’s presidency in a couple of years.  Morgan has represented CGCC on the state association board for the past three years.  Morgan joined the board of Columbia Gorge Community College in May 2017.  She will stand for re-election to the CGCC board next spring.  If re-elected, she would serve a full one-year term as OCCA vice president and then automatically assume the statewide presidency for a two-year term.

A different kind of Starlight Parade is planned for Friday evening in downtown The Dalles.  This year, The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquhason says the floats will be parked on Third Street and people can drive by in their cars to see them.  The floats will be in the left hand lane of 3rd Street, and people will drive by slowly in the right hand lane.  The Dalles Public Works Department will place no parking signs along the Reverse Starlight Parade route on 3rd Street between Lincoln and Monroe.  The traveling public is asked to leave all parking spaces open along the parade route on Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise around the country, including in the Columbia River Gorge, health officials continue to urge people not to travel and avoid social gatherings over the Thanksgiving holiday.  Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s two-week “freeze” directs the public to gather in groups no larger than six, and to draw guests from no more than two household, but health officials say it is safer still is to stay home for Thanksgiving, and perhaps visit family virtually.  Hood River County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg asks people to consider how to have a meaningful experience with friends and family without traveling and visiting in person.  Wasco County has reported nearly 100 COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks, and Hood River County has had 68 in that time frame.

The White Salmon Valley School District will continue with distance learning into the New Year.  The district had hoped to begin to move into hybrid learning and bring students back into classrooms on a part-time basis during December, but Superintendent Jerry Lewis says increasing case counts in Klickitat County forced them to change plans.  The Klickitat County Health Department has approved the district continuing to bring in small groups of students to receive individualized instruction and support.

Work is progressing on Columbia Gorge Community College’s new skills center and campus housing in The Dalles.  CGCC’s Dan Spatz says they are on target to open next summer after groundbreaking last July.  Site preparation was done in late summer, foundation work took place in October, and framing is taking place now.  Spatz adds the roofs will be on the buildings by mid-December.  Their targeted completion date is July 19 of next year.

Two people are dead and the driver arrested on DUII and manslaughter charges after and early morning single-vehicle accident on Interstate 84 just east of Hood River Tuesday morning.  According to the Oregon State Police, a preliminary investigation shows that the car driven by 24-year-old Noel Hernandez of Hood River was eastbound at milepost 68 at about 2:33 Tuesday morning when it left the roadway and rolled multiple times.   The OSP says two passengers, 23-year-old Rosalia Gonzalez-Ortiz of Hood River and a juvenile male, sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased.  Hernandez was transported to the Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital where he was treated for injuries.   The OSP says upon being released from the hospital, Hernandez was arrested and lodged at NORCOR on two counts of Manslaughter II and DUII.     The OSP was assisted by ODOT, the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, the Hood River County District Attorney’s Office, Wy’east Fire, Hood River Fire, Mosier Fire and Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue.

The City of White Salmon is developing a conservative budget for 2021 while at the same time trying to make sure they can continue to progress on priorities Councilors have identified.  Mayor Marla Keethler says they are keeping staff sizes where they are, but they did work in a land-use planner.  She feels that position is important in planning for White Salmon’s long-term growth and that goals are actually put into place and not allowed to sit on a shelf.  The second and final hearing on the budget will be held before the White Salmon City Council next Wednesday evening, December 2.

The Dalles Mayor Rich Mays says a meeting is planned for next week to determine how to distribute funding set aside for small businesses to help them through the COVID-19 pandemic.  Mays said they have a $200,000 grant from the state that the City has matched, adding he would like to have seen the money get out quicker than this, but details have to be taken care of for that to happen, including the establishment of eligibility requirements.  Mays noted the funding is more important than ever as businesses operate under the current two-week “freeze’ parameters.

North Wasco County School District 21 has confirmed it will remain in comprehensive distance learning until at least mid-second trimester in mid-January.  In a letter to parents, D-21 Interim Superintendent Theresa Peters says COVID-19 numbers for Wasco County remain above the threshold for on-site or hybrid learning, and they are trending in the wrong direction.  Peters told the D-21 board that in meetings with North Central Public Health District Health Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell it was clear students should not be returning to classrooms right now.  In her letter to parents, Peters said the district will continue preparations for a phase-in of on-site instruction for elementary school students when it can be done safely, and another update is planned for the week of January 18.

The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office says south county residents have reported an increase in criminal activity in the areas of Maupin, Wamic, Pine Grove, Tygh Valley, and Antelope.  The Sheriff’s Office says suspects are breaking and entering into unlocked vehicles, businesses, farm and ranch equipment, fuel tanks, mailboxes, and more.  The Sheriff’s Office says it welcomes any information regarding persons or vehicles involved in criminal activity.  If you see suspicious activity with risk to life, property, or community safety call 9-1-1.  Any additional information can be called in to the Wasco County Sheriff’s Dispatch at 541-296-5454.