The Dalles City Council will consider Monday evening approving 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 dollars 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.  Google contends the amount of water it uses to cool data centers is a trade secret, and that has become the subject of a legal dispute with the Oregonian/OregonLive seeking that information from the City.  Wasco County district attorney Matthew Ellis found Google’s water use is a public record and ordered The Dalles to provide that information to the media outlet, but the City has asked a judge to intervene.  This evening’s meeting will be conducted online at 5:30, and log-in information is available at the City of The Dalles website.

Oregon Class 5A Football First Round Hood River Valley 19, South Albany 7:  Ryles Buckley had two interceptions an caught a touchdown pass, and Trenton Hughes ran for a touchdown and threw for a pair of scores as the Eagles ran their record to 9-1 on the season.  HRV visits top-seed Wilsonville for a quarterfinal game this Friday at 7 p.m.   Washington District 5 Class 2B Football Playoff Goldendale 35, Mabton 17:  The Timberwolves advance to face Forks in the first round of the state playoffs this weekend.   Oregon Class 1A Football First Round Dufur 58, Gold Beach 40:  The Rangers advance to visit top-seed Adrian next Saturday afternoon.   Cross Country Hood River Valley nipped Wilsonville by a point to finish fourth and bring home a trophy from the Class 5A girls’ cross country race at the state high school championships in Eugene.  Phoebe Wood finished eighth to lead the HRV contingent.  The Dalles was ninth in the girls’ team standings, led by Alana Casady in 33^rd place.  In the boys’ run…HRV finished fifth and The Dalles sixth.  Individually, the Riverhawks’ Juan Diego Contreras finished third, while the Eagles’ Elliot Hawley was eleventh.   Columbia’s boys finished 15^th at the Washington Class 1A Championship in Pasco.  Camden Uffelman was the top Bruin finisher in 46^th.   Stevenson’s girls were sixth and Goldendale’s boys seventh at the Washington Class B Championship in Pasco.  Isabella Spencer had the top finish for the Stevenson girls in 8^th,  while Alden Williams led the Goldendale boys’ effort in 28^th.

The Oregon Trail Rally will be run in the eastern part of the Gorge this weekend.  The 25th annual race starts tonight at the Portland International Raceway before moving to roads in the Goldendale area on Saturday and the Dufur area on Sunday.  Normally the event is run in May, but was moved to November this year due to the pandemic.  Rally chair Karen Jankowski says they will have a number of nationally-known drivers in this year’s event.  For spectator information, go to oregontrailrally.com.

A scheduled meeting of the Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District Board to consider putting a pair of ballot measure on the May 2022 ballot was postponed on Thursday.  District director Mark Hickok says timing conflicts for board members led to the cancellation.  He says they hope to reschedule the meeting for Tuesday, but that has not yet been finalized.  The board is considering one measure to dissolve the current district and a second to reform with a new permanent property tax rate.  The district’s current rate is locked in under Measure 50 at 34 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value, and dates to when the district was formed and simply about swimming pool operation.  But with the Hood River Valley Aquatic Center pool needing replacement, and the district taking on parks and trails and a demand for other services, officials are considering the need for a different tax rate.

Oregon Class 5A Boys Water Polo Quarterfinal Hood River Valley 24, Ridgeview 4:  The Eagles move on to meet Ashland in the semi-finals next Friday at 2:30 in Corvallis.   EWAC Volleyball Tournament Championship Goldendale vs. Walla Walla Academy at Granger, 7 p.m.

Mid-Columbia Medical Center officials unveiled their vision to create a new healthcare campus at Kramer Field on 6th and Webber in The Dalles, and replacing the ballfields there with a new athletic complex, at a Wasco County Commission meeting on Wednesday.  MCMC officials say the project would include a new hospital with all private rooms, the Celilo Cancer Center, an expanded emergency department, and a new inpatient behavioral health center and mental health services in partnership with the Columbia Gorge Resolution Center.  The proposal includes developing an athletic complex on 35 acres from the former aluminum property site that Google would be giving over to the County and the City of The Dalles in as part of a Strategic Investment Plan still to be signed by the company and BusinessOregon, and the current hospital property would be dedicated to be repurposed for residential housing.  MCMC CEO Dennis Knox said no public bonds would be issued for the project, and Director of Business Development Travis Dray said they want to work with the County and City to build support for the project.  After the presentation Commissioners said there are a lot of questions surrounding the project, and Steve Kramer pointed out “the devil is in the details.”

The Hood River Warming Shelter should be opening in a new location in a couple of weeks.  Sarah Kellums of Hood River Shelter Services says they have a lease on a lot at 1733 Oak, near the junction with Cascade Avenue.  Kellums says they will have 13 pallet shelter units for a total capacity of 26, which they did not reach last year.  She adds this location on Oak provides easier access for public transport than last year’s site at Hood River Valley Christian Church.  Kellums says Shelter Services have the option to renew their one-year lease at their new site, and they are hoping within three years to find a true long-term location to move to.

North Central Public Health District says COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children ages 5 to 11 are available at local doctor’s offices and several local pharmacies, but appointments will not be available through the district at this time.  The vaccine is available by appointment at local doctor’s offices in The Dalles, for established patients only, at:  Mid-Columbia Medical Center’s Family Medicine and Pediatric Clinics, and One Community Health.  Sherman County Medical Clinic in Moro is creating a sign-up list for kids ages 5-11, and it is open to the children of families who live or work in Sherman County.  NCPHD says Fred Meyer, Walgreen’s, and Rite-Aid in The Dalles are also offering the vaccine to ages 5-11, by appointment.  Go to their websites for appointment information.

Eligible energy customers in Washington who are past due on their bills as a result of COVID-19 can receive a one-time credit of up to $2,500 to help them catch up on their last 12 months of payments.  It’s available through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program.  To qualify, participants must earn less than 150% of the federal poverty level.  The now year-round program covers all types of heating including gas, oil, coal, and wood.  An approved participant could also receive a one-time credit to their energy account of up to $1,000 for current and future bills.  Those in Klickitat and Skamania counties can apply for the program can calling Washington Gorge Action Programs at (509) 493-2662 or toll-free at 800-755-1192.

The coalition in charge of utilization of a $600,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to spur economic development and revitalize underdeveloped parcels in and around The Dalles says it is working with several property owners on redevelopment planning and is seeking others, including those with parcels that could benefit from environmental site assessment.  Wasco County and the City and the Port of The Dalles make up the Brownfields Revitalization Committee.  In a statement released Wednesday, the governmental agencies say they are working with property owners on diverse projects including preparation to develop workforce housing in a mixed-use development in The Dalles, removing an old fuel tank from a downtown property, evaluating an old auto wrecking yard for potential redevelopment, and helping North Central Public Health District with an environmental assessment and hazardous materials survey on one of its properties.  The coalition says it is looking for more properties to help.   Contact the Brownfield Revitalization Coordinator, Jim Schwinof at 541-296-5481, ext 1131.