Wasco County and Home At Last Humane Society officials will talk about options for public funding of some of the animal shelter’s services, but the road to get there may be difficult.  Home At Last board president Paul Viemeister and development director Erin Foote Morgan spoke to the County Commission during Wednesday’s public comment period, with Viemeister saying there needs to be more than the current five percent funding from public sources and more collaboration from the County and the City of The Dalles.  But Commissioner Steve Kramer and County Administrative Officer Tyler Stone pointed out that the County has provided the shelter building on River Road, and Kramer noted a tax levy measure could impact other special districts through property tax compression.  Commission Chair Kathy Schwartz asked for a meeting to be set up between County officials and Home At Last.

Hood River County Commissioners told staff to go ahead and keep talking with a company that would like to do testing for a geothermal energy project on County forestlands, but with a dose of skepticism.  GeoX Energy has approached the County about the possibility.  Commission Chair Mike Oates notes they are just doing due diligence, and noted without any of these kind of facilities actually in place it’s hard to know what the potential pitfalls are.  In a presentation to the Commission, GeoX officials said Hood River County has proximity to a heat source, Mt. Hood, and is near a transmission line.

After a cooler and wetter spring than expected, temperatures have warmed in the Gorge during July, and that means fire fuels are drying out.  Oregon Department of Forestry The Dalles Unit Wildland Fire Supervisor Erick Castaneda says hot temperatures and high winds have fire crews on alert.  Castaneda noted last week they had to deal with a 15-acre fire in the Mosier area, but were able to get it knocked down thanks to some wetter fuels underneath trees.  But he expects with continued drying, fire crews will have a busy summer.  

The Mid-Columbia Broadband Speed Survey continues through mid-August.  Mid-Columbia Economic Development District and the Wasco County Broadband Action Team developed the survey.  Carrie Pipinich of MCEDD says the survey is looking to better define gaps in service in Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klickitat, and Skamania counties, and explore strategies to improve them.  The survey that asks for connectivity speed information can be accessed at mcedd.org.

Klickitat County Commissioners approved designating Skamania County Community Health as Klickitat County’s provider of mental health crisis response on what is expected to be a temporary basis beginning on August 6.  Klickitat County will now search for a permanent replacement for Comprehensive Healthcare, which announced in June it would withdraw from the role.  During a worksession prior to the vote, County Public Health Director Erinn Quinn said Skamania County only intends to provide crisis services on an interim basis for 90 days, and Klickitat County will have to find individuals to provide the services.  The next step will be to find a permanent solution to start in early November.  Quinn said Skamania County Commissioners next week are expected to sign the agreement.  

Work has begun to create a central public entrance point for Hood River Middle School.  Hood River County School District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says the facility has been difficult to secure because of the number of doors it has, adding to get to the main office to check-in visitors had to walk through the hallways of the school.  Polkinghorn says the work currently being done will change that.  He says in the sunken courtyard between the old school building and the newer sixth grade wing, a new connection between the two is being built that will include a new main office, and it will become the school entrance.  The project should be finished sometime during the holiday season.

Hood River County Commissioners will have planning staff look at time, place, and manner regulations related to psilocybin product manufacturers and service centers.  In 2020 Oregon voters passed a measure to allow psilocybin to be used for clinical purposes within supervised and licensed facilities, and the Oregon Health Authority will start receiving applications in 2023.  County Commission Chair Mike Oates says they would like to craft their own regulations rather than just using what the state is putting together, noting the amount of high-value farm use lands in the County.  In addition, there was concern that state-developed regulations might not be as sensitive to buffering issues near facilities such as schools in unincorporated areas.

For employers, finding employees remains difficult.  The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says it doesn’t matter whether it is a front-entry job or administration, getting applicants has been a challenge.  Farquharson says the shortage of employees has forced some businesses to adjust and shorten their hours and cut some services.  She adds there are many different factors, ranging from people being able to work from home to housing costs in the Gorge, but adds this is a nationwide issue, and businesses are having to adapt to it.  

With large numbers of people recreating in the Hood River Marina and Waterfront areas, the Port of Hood River is reminding people to keep in mind water safety.  The Port’s interim executive director Genevieve Scholl says they’ve been using signage and other information outlets to remind people how the Columbia River have underwater currents and very steep drop-offs.  Adding to the safety issues this summer are higher than usual Columbia River water levels.

A contingent of local officials will be in Washington, D.C. this week lobbying for federal funds for replacement of the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge.  An application for a 195 million dollar federal grant was submitted a few weeks ago.  Hood River Mayor Kate McBride, White Salmon Mayor Marla Keethler, Klickitat County Commissioner Jacob Andersom. Port of Hood River Commissioner Mike Fox, and bridge replacement director Kevin Greenwood are all taking part.  The Port’s Genevieve Scholl says Congressional representatives in the region have expressed support for the grant in a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.  Scholl said there should be a decision on the application by the end of the year.