A recently announced agreement will see Mid-Columbia Community Action take over the lead on operations of the Hood River Warming Shelter this winter.  Hood River Shelter Services will still be involved in volunteer coordination and providing shelter clients access to high-quality food.  Mid-Columbia Community Action Executive Director Kenny LaPoint says they are targeting a November 15 opening date for the 24-bed pallet shelter site on 1733 Oak Street.  LaPoint says Community Action taking the lead on operations will allow for some streamlining of efforts with their shelter site in The Dalles.  

Columbia Gorge Discovery Center will host its fourth annual Columbia River Indian Autumn on Saturday.  The Discovery Center’s Mikey Goyette says admission will be free, with the event featuring artisans, musicians, cultural dancers, storytellers, and vendors from the regional Native American community.  There will also be a salmon bake at 11:30 a.m., with a cost of $20, and tickets for that are available at gorgediscovery.org.

A new fiesta, El Grito, will kick off Hispanic Heritage Month at White Salmon’s Rhinegarten Park on Sunday afternoon.  Washington Gorge Action Programs is helping to put on the event, which will include music and food along with organizations available to share resources.  El Grito translates loosely in English as “The Scream.”  It is celebrated as the battle cry that effectively launched Mexico’s War of Independence.  The phrase comes from a speech Father Miguel Hidalgo delivered to his parish in Dolores, Mexico in September of 1810 to inspire a revolt against colonialism and inequity.

The Oregon State Marine Board will be holding open houses around the state during October, including one in Hood River.  A Marine Board release says the goal is to better understand the needs of boaters around the state, share resources available to boaters, and gather input on the agency’s direction.  Topics to be addressed include boating safety and education, regulations and policies, boating access facilities, marine law enforcement, boat registration fees and the agency budget, and outfitters and guides  The open house in Hood River will on October 10 from 5 pm to 7:30 pm at the Hood River Library.

Trevitt Street between 9^th and 12^th in The Dalles will experience roadway closures while replacement of sewer and storm main lines takes place beginning next week.  Crestline Construction says work on Trevitt will require roadway closures beginning on Monday.  Motorists are advised to look for alternate routes to access Sorosis Park and Colonel Wright Elementary School during the construction work to take place over the next two months.

Boys Soccer The Dalles 3, Sisters 1 Trout Lake 2, Hood River Valley JVII 1   Volleyball South Wasco def. Lyle-Wishram 25-8, 25-7, 25-11

Hood River City Councilors approved allocating just over $2.6 million for construction of long-discussed improvements to the intersection of Rand Road and Cascade Avenue, including signal lights and a realignment of the intersection. The City entered into an agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation for the project in 2017, and design and right-of-way phases of the project underway for over two years are nearing completion. City Engineer Wade Seaborn says an advertisement for construction bids will go out in late October, with the anticipation of work starting in the spring, but pausing during the summer. The goal would be to complete the project by Memorial Day 2024.

The Dalles City Council reached a consensus to hold off on approving the City’s Employment Buildable Lands Inventory, choosing instead to seek a dialogue with the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development about its unique growth challenges. Scott Hege, who said he was speaking as a private citizen and not in his role as a Wasco County Commissioner, told the Council with over 70 percent of what was cited in the inventory as buildable lands owned by one company and likely never to be available to the community, the City really doesn’t have the 20-year supply DLCD wants them to have. Hege said he thinks there is an opportunity to talk with DLCD about the issue. Councilor Tim McGlothlin said there is insufficient land available for economic growth, and a pause was needed. City officials have been fighting Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area restrictions on its urban growth boundary options for a number of years.

The Hood River City Council gave the go-ahead to proceed with a feasibility study for a proposed Westside Urban Renewal District. A timeline presented by City Manager Abigail Elder called for the study phase to be wrapped up by March of next year, while a specific tax increment financing plan would be done by October of 2023. Councilor Mark Zanmiller said with previous discussions about a Westside Urban Renewal plan, he wants the feasibility study to be done as quickly as possible, but Elder did point out there has been very little formal public involvement. A Westside Urban Renewal district plan would need to be in place by the end of 2023 to establish the first year of tax increment financing in Fiscal Year 2024-25.

The “Get Ready The Dalles” emergency preparedness event returns from a pandemic hiatus this Saturday. The event features a number of different local agencies providing information to the public on ways to be prepared for all kinds of emergencies. Tonya Brumley of event sponsor NW Natural says the various agencies will be offering help to cut through all the various guidance for people to be ready for any emergency. “Get Ready The Dalles” will take place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue on 1400 West 8th Street.