The Hood River County Health Department is encouraging people to get their flu shot. Department Director Trish Elliott says the flu vaccine is available now from health care providers and pharmacies, adding unlike the last couple of winters when COVID-19 concerns limited people’s interactions and the spread of influenza, this winter brings the expectation of more flu cases. Elliott says flu vaccine is available the health department as part of their day-to-day immunization availability. She adds the health department expects to hold a community flu shot clinic later this fall.

Girls Soccer

Goldendale 2, Mabton 1

  Volleyball

The Dalles def. Madras 25-6, 25-6, 25-14

Columbia def. Seton Catholic 3-1

King’s Way Christian def. Stevenson 25-20, 25-17, 25-22

Lyle-Wishram def. Horizon Christian 25-15, 25-16, 25-15

Sherman def. Condon 3-0

Klickitat-Glenwood def. Bickleton 25-15, 25-10, 25-21

Goldendale def. White Swan 3-0

Boys Soccer

The Dalles 8, Crook County 1

North Clackamas Christian 3, Horizon Christian 0

Trout Lake 2, Columbia Adventist 0

  Girls Soccer

The Dalles 5, Crook County 1

Hood River Valley 2, Pendleton 0

Trout Lake 1, Westside Christian 1

  Volleyball

Hood River Valley def. Centennial 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 16-25, 18-16

The Dalles City Council reached a consensus to have City Manager Matthew Klebes develop a plan to preserve and maintain the Gitchell/Waldron Drug Building as is, with the possibility of following a path taken in Astoria to project several faded “ghost signs” that are on the building and bring them back to life.  Klebes presented a range of options that included demolition of the building and multi-million dollar restoration possibilities.  But the option to preserve and maintain came with the lightest price tag, about $76,000 in today’s costs but needed over a five to twenty year period.  Mayor Rich Mays and the rest of the Council felt it was a good route to take after years of discussion surrounding the building’s future.  Klebes noted he will be talking with KPFF Consulting Engineers to develop a more formal improvement and maintenance plan to bring back to the Council.

The North Central Public Health District’s board has an executive committee studying the future of the district with Gilliam County having left the district at the start of the current fiscal year.  Wasco and Sherman counties remain in the district, and the question is whether it’s better to be an independent district or return to a contractual agreement where Wasco County provides public health services to Sherman County as was done prior to the district’s formation.  District Board Chair and Wasco County Commissioner Kathy Schwartz says the goal is for the committee to make recommendations to the full board by December.  Whether the decision is to have a separate district or a contractual arrangement, Schwartz says timelines to develop agreements would take place in 2023.

The Port of The Dalles is embarking on updating its strategic plan.  It was last updated in 2012.  The Port has received a $50,000 grant from Business Oregon to help defray the cost of the work, and will be issuing a request for proposals from consultants this week.  A difference from past strategic plans is a need to acquire more property for business development, and Port Executive Director Andrea Klaas says that wouldn’t necessarily be in the form of undeveloped lands.  Klaas says the target is to start work on the strategic plan update in January and finish it in June, in time for the budget for the 2023-24 Fiscal Year and the Port’s annual work plan.

All of the debris from the August fire at the Port of The Dalles Marina has been removed.  Port Executive Director Andrea Klaas says a cleanup crew needed about a week-and-a-half to remove material on the surface and debris that had sunk to the bottom.  Klaas says they are awaiting an inspection report on the docks, but she is anticipating some good news from it.  She says unlike a similar fire at the Marina in July 2021, the damage to the docks involved appears to be cosmetic, and won’t require replacement, unlike docks damaged in 2021.  Klaas says this cleanup has gone quicker than last year after a similar fire.  She says that’s in part due to learning the process during last year’s experience.

Hood River County Commissioners have sent a letter to the Oregon Department of Forestry over a new draft of forest practices rules being applied to local governments, after being told initially local governments would not be impacted by the agreement reached between large private forestland holders, the state, and environmental groups.  County Commission Chair Mike Oates said in a letter to ODF the County only recently learned it would be impacted by rules he says would result in a drop of five-to-ten percent in harvest and road requirements that would limit recreational uses.  Oates says the state got a chance to do its own habitat conservation plan, and local governments should get the same opportunity.  He notes much of what the state wants is already being done by the County on its own.  Hood River County currently manages 34,500 acres of designated forest for sustainable harvest to provide revenue to the County’s general fund.

A LaGrande woman died in a motor vehicle accident on Friday afternoon in Wasco County on Highway 97.  According to the Oregon State Police, the accident occurred Friday at 5:21 p.m. near milepost 63.  A preliminary investigation revealed a car driven by 60-year-old Sandra Miller of La Grande attempted to pass a commercial motor vehicle on the northbound shoulder while it was also passing another commercial vehicle.  The car lost control during the maneuver and left the highway, rolling multiple times.  The OSP says Miller sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.

The City of Hood River says its Wastewater Treatment Plant has discharged effluent that exceeds the plant’s limit for E. coli due to incomplete disinfection.  Sample test results read on Saturday indicated an E. coli exceedance due to what is termed an upset in biological processes.  Water quality monitoring is ongoing, and the ultraviolet disinfection process has been increased to maximum capacity in order to compensate for partially affected biological process upset.  Increased frequency of sampling is taking place at the waste water plant and also at pre-arranged locations downstream in the Columbia River to determine the effect of the discharge on water quality.  Signs indicating “Warning – Contaminated Water – No water contact” will be placed at locations within The Hook Area of public river access on the Oregon shore, west of the waste water plant.  The signs will also have phone numbers to call for information.  Questions can be directed to the Wastewater Treatment Plant at (541) 386-2432 or Public Works Department office at (541) 386-2383.