Hood River County Health Department Director Trish Elliott says the County is staring to see a drop in COVID-19 cases.  Elliott told County Commissioners on Monday that the County continues to have the highest percentage of adults 18 and up vaccinated against the coronavirus.  She says with the rollout of vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, the department is stepping back to change the process for that age group, noting they can’t utilize the same approach as with adults.  Elliott said at a clinic they held last week, 80 youngsters were vaccinated in three hours.

Mt. Hood Meadows has announced its COVID operational plan for the upcoming winter season.  The resort says that in accordance with published Oregon Health Authority requirements, masks will be required in lift lines or other outdoor locations where physical distancing is not possible, and at all times indoors except while actively eating or drinking in designated dining areas.  This season Meadows says it will mix passengers from different parties on chairlifts, and plan to load four to a quad and two to a double.  People can request loading only with members of their own party.  Passengers will be required to wear masks while riding in Mt. Hood Meadows shuttles.  Meadows is advising people not to plan on coming to the ski area without first purchasing lift access in advance.

A man being sought by police after an incident in which shots were fired on Saturday near Shaniko is facing multiple charges including first degree attempted murder.  Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis says 23-year-old Logan Cantwell is alleged to have fired shots at a Wasco County Sheriff’s Deputy near Shaniko on Saturday as he attempted to elude arrest along Highway 97.  No one was injured in the exchange of gunshots, but Cantwell escaped and is still at large.  Ellis indicated Cantwell is believed to be in the Gorge on either the Oregon or Washington side, and he may be going by either Logan Taylor or Kendall Myers.  Ellis described Cantwell as a white 23-year-old male, five-feet-nine-inches tall, with short strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes, and weighing about 182 pounds.  Cantwell is considered armed and dangerous, and if he is seen, the public should not approach him, but contact law enforcement immediately.      

The Port of Hood River says the annual maintenance welding of the bridge deck on the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge should be finished by the end of Tuesday.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says some good weather helped move the project along.  He added the bridge deck was found to be in better condition that they expected to find, with prior welds holding and less deterioration and cracking than projected.  Work by helicopter on a telecommunication utility line on the bridge is still planned for Wednesday, which will bring full 30-minute closures from 9:00 to 9:30 and 10:30 to 11:00 in the morning and 12:30 to 1:00 in the afternoon.  

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce continues to take entries for the Starlight Parade coming up on November 26.  Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson says they are currently at 15 entries, and they will continue to take them the rest of this week.  Farquharson says they would like to get to 30 to 40 entries for the parade that traditionally kicks off the holiday season in The Dalles.  The parade will start at 6 p.m. on November 26 on the regular route through downtown The Dalles, ending with a tree-lighting ceremony at the Chamber office on West 2nd Street.

Oregon Class 5A Football Quarterfinal Wilsonville 42, Hood River Valley 14   Oregon Class 1A Football Quarterfinal Adrian 88, Dufur 6   Washington Class 2B Football First Round Forks 35, Goldendale 20   Washington Class 2B Volleyball Tournament at Yakima Goldendale finished sixth, splitting four matches.   The Timberwolves fell in the fifth place match to Colfax 18-25, 25-18, 25-13, 25-20.   Oregon Class 5A Boys Water Polo Tournament at Corvallis Semi-Final:  Hood River Valley 13, Ashland 6 Championship:  West Albany 11, Hood River Valley 6   Oregon Class 5A Girls Water Polo Tournament at Corvallis Semi-Final:  Hood River Valley 13, Hillsboro 7 Championship:  Ashland 10, Hood River Valley 8

Oregon State Senator Chuck Thomsen announced he will not seek re-election in 2022.  Thomsen said in a statement that the 12 years he has served in the Senate is “a long time” and that it is the right time to move on, especially if the redrawn legislative district boundaries hold up that will see Senate District 26 change to stretch from The Dalles to Canby, removing Happy Valley, unincorporated Clackamas, Damascus, and parts of Portland.  In the wake of Thomsen’s decision, current House District 59 Representative Daniel Bonham of The Dalles announced he will run for the District 26 seat.  Thomsen said the two have agreed to compare notes and campaign together.

Klickitat County Public Health Director Erinn Quinn says COVID-19 case numbers will hopefully drop in November after there were over 380 in October, the largest the County has experienced.  Quinn did say the number of active cases is currently down to 71, the lowest it has been in a while, and there have only been eleven reported so far this week.  Klickitat County’s vaccination rate continues to rise very slowly, with 49 percent of those 16 and older having received at least one shot.  Quinn is hoping the ability for 5 to 11 year olds to be vaccinated will spur a jump in those getting the vaccines.

Hood River County is above 80 percent of those 18 and older having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and case rates are starting to come down in November after high numbers in September and October.  County COVID-19 Coordinator Daron Ryan says with vaccines now available for 5 to 11 year olds, they hope the decrease can be accelerated.  Ryan says several health care providers in the County are involved in getting the pediatric vaccine distributed, trying to get it to as many children as possible before the holidays.  She adds they are encouraging parents to take their children to the primary care provider for the shot, as the youngsters tend to be more comfortable in that setting.

The Dalles City Council voted unanimously to approve an infrastructure agreement with Design LLC, primarily addressing water issues, as a step toward Google eventually establishing a pair of new data centers on former Northwest Aluminum property.  The agreement calls for Design LLC to pay for about $28 million in water system improvements that City officials have said would not only provide sufficient water to cool the data centers, but also leave The Dalles in a better position in regard to water supply than it is now.  But some are skeptical, and concerned about how the projects would impact nearby wells and the surrounding aquifer.  Councilor Dan Richardson acknowledged those concerns. but also said this agreement was not rushed, and he considered it a win for the community.  When asked why Google would turn over the water rights it acquired by purchasing the property to the City, Public Works Director Dave Anderson said the company would not want to have to maintain its own water system.   Meanwhile, The City of The Dalles’ legal counsel explained why the City is suing to keep from being required to reveal the amount of water required to cool Google’s data centers.  Jonathan Kara said the City’s agreements with Google require non-disclosure of the figure that is considered a trade secret, and to cooperate to the extent allowed by the law, adding that the company is required to reimburse the City for the costs of defending that position in court.  The City denied a public records request from The Oregonian to release the figure, but Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis overruled that.  Kara says the next step under state law is for the City to seek recourse through a lawsuit in Circuit Court.