The Hood River City Council authorized the continued temporary use of right of way for parklets, permits for the use of private property and parking lots for food, beverage, and commercial uses, suspension of the six-month time limit to locate food carts, and fees for park shelters for the 2022 calendar year.  City Planning Director Dustin Nilsen noted uncertainty around COVID-19 still remains for businesses.  In giving the authorization, Councilors indicated they would plan to revisit the issue in the fall.

The Dalles City Councilors heard a report on an initial community survey as part of its process of developing a 20-year vision plan.  Aubrie Koenig of consultant Barney and Worth said they received 439 responses to a community on-line survey in November, and outlined key themes that came out.  At the top was upgrading high school and public health facilities, along with supporting affordable housing opportunities and small business diversity.  Other main themes from the survey included maintaining paths, trails, and river access, continuing revitalization of downtown with mixed-use development and places to gather, and honoring The Dalles’ diverse history.  Councilors approved scheduling a virtual town hall on the subject for March 9 at 5:30 p.m., with another survey to be done in late March.  

The White Salmon City Council will consider ordinances and resolutions to address short-term rentals at their Wednesday evening meeting.  Councilors, along with municipal planning commissioners, have spent a number of months working on the various regulations they seek to place on STR’s.  Mayor Marla Keethler says the Council has tried to end up in a place that shows they support STR’s but feel strongly that the opportunity to have them should first benefit those who live in the community.  There are different rules for whether an STR is a hosted homeshare or an outright short-term rental.  The meeting begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday via Zoom, with access information available at white-salmon.net.

Hood River County School District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says the district will be communicating with the Hood River County Health District in the wake of the Oregon Health Authority planning to no longer require masking in schools as of March 31.  Polkinghorn says they want to get the pulse of the community to find out what they want the district to do.  Polkinghorn noted the Oregon Department of Education is preparing a new guidance framework for schools that will not involve requiring wearing a mask.

Columbia Area Transit is establishing a new by-reservation medical shuttle service from the Gorge to seven medical services facilities in the Portland area.  The service is available from Hood River and Wasco Counties, with connections for individuals who live in Skamania and Klickitat Counties. Operating days and times are Tuesday and Thursday from 7:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the earliest drop off in Portland at 9:45 a.m. and latest pickup in Portland at 3:30 p.m.  The shuttle will got Providence Portland Medical Center, Legacy Emanuel, Good Samaritan Main Hospital, OHSU Hospital, Veteran’s Main Hospital, Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center, and Indian Health Services.  CAT Medical Shuttle individual fares are $20 each way.  Riders may book up to two months in advance but should schedule at least two weeks in advance.  If the passenger requires a caretaker, the caretaker may ride for free.  To schedule a ride in Hood River County call CAT at (541) 386-4202, and in The Dalles call The Link at (541) 296-7595.  

Lawmakers in the Washington State House of Representatives gave unanimous approval for legislation authored by Washington State 14th District Representative Gina Mosbrucker that would provide further tools to help in cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous persons.  Mosbrucker says the “bring them home” bill would make sure tribes are allowed to pray over the body of a deceased person — a member of their tribe — before the body is moved without compromising the scene before an autopsy is conducted.  She said that was one of the main requests from families during statewide meetings with tribal members in 2018.  The bill also requires the Department of Commerce’s Office of Crime Victims Advocacy to establish two grant programs — one for Eastern Washington and one for Western Washington — that would help to provide services and resources for Indigenous survivors of human trafficking.  A third component of the bill would require jails that release a person in custody who is the subject of a missing person’s report to notify the agency of original jurisdiction that issued the report.

Boys Basketball

Big Sky League Playoffs

Echo 79, Dufur 65

Condon 71, Horizon Christian 51

Hood River County has begun a legalization process to allow parking improvements on Lower Post Canyon Road to allow it to be a part of a fee parking program at County Forest trailheads.  Lower Post Canyon is not in its established right of way for reasons that are unknown.  County Administrator Jeff Hecksel says they need to get the legalization process done before they can look at improvements and put Post Canyon in the fee parking program.  Hecksel says the legalization process will take about a year to go through.  There are six other trailhead locations set to begin a fee parking program that the County Commission is expected to formally approve at a meeting next week.

The Port of The Dalles has received interest in its marina parking lot as a location for charging stations for electric vehicles.  Port Executive Director Andrea Klaas says they have a preliminary proposal from one company to put stations in, and she will propose to the Port Commission to work with a consulting engineer to help with the idea.  Klaas noted they have learned a number of boats now have electric motors that are looking for charging locations.  

Local health officials are reminding parents that Wednesday is School Exclusion Day in Oregon.  That’s the day children will not be able to attend school or child care if their records on file show missing immunizations.  Hood River County Health Department Director Trish Elliott says across the state, there have been larger numbers of students found behind in their shots.  Both the Hood River County Health Department and North Central Public Health District sent letters to parents to indicate which immunizations their child needs.  COVID-19 vaccines are not mandated for school children.  The hepatitis A vaccine, which protects against a communicable viral infection, is a two-dose series now required for children 18 months through tenth grade.