Washington Gorge Action Programs is opening a Cooling Center adjacent to the Hegewald Center at 710 SW Rock Creek Drive in Stevenson.  It will open Wednesday at 11 a.m. and will remain open until 7 p.m. or until temperatures fall to safe levels in the evening.  It will be open each day until the National Weather Service’s Excessive Heat Warning is canceled, which is currently projected for Saturday night.  Those who are unable to shelter in a cool location and remain safe and healthy are welcome to go to the Cooling Center and get out of the heat. COVID-19 protocols will be in place.  Call (509) 281-1129 for more information.

The Hood River City Council selected 12 people from a list of 34 applicants to serve on its Affordable Housing Production Strategy Task Force.  City Senior Planner Jennifer Kaden told the Council that they looked for a representative range of ages, experience, and demographics in making the selections. Interim City Manager Will Norris did say that there were inherent obstacles to finding younger service industry workers and families that can take part in the plan, but they will look to involve them in other ways.  City Planner Dustin Nilsen added they will respond to all the applicants that did not get picked for the committee and provided them opportunities to participate.  The task force is to provide input to Council in the development of affordable housing policy strategies to be adopted and implemented, and not act as a technical advisory committee.

Wasco County is down personnel in its planning office as it moves into the work of updating its land-use development and National Scenic Area ordinances.  Commissioner Scott Hege says they have recently lost their planning director and senior planner, but he adds they only had 280 days from the adoption of the updated 2020 plan to get the NSA ordinance done, and state money won’t allow much push back on the land-use development ordinance work.  Hege said people will be getting notifications soon about potential ordinance changes, and noted the language in the notifications are required by the state, so he encourages property owners to be engaged in the process.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden led a bipartisan group of Western senators pressing the Biden administration to coordinate and develop a strategy to combat jet fuel shortages that undercut wildland firefighting as wildfires burn across the West.   All of the senators from West Coast state joined in the letter sent to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.  The senators requested a response within two weeks on plans to address fuel shortages for aerial wildfire efforts, coordinating a response if there is a shortage while multiple wildfires are burning, ensuring there is enough available personnel to transport fuel, and steps to ensure private entities have enough jet fuel to support aerial firefighting.  The senators called “a strategic and integrated approach to tackle wildfire” essential.

Movement toward clean-up from last month’s fire at the Port of The Dalles Marina is slow.  Port Executive Director Andrea Klaas says there are a number of different insurance companies involved, and before clean-up could begin all of the companies’ investigations had to be finished.  Klaas says that has happened, and the site has been turned back over to the Port so cleanup work can begin, but the latest challenge is to get all parties coordinated to bring one salvage company in to begin work.  Klaas does say once they a company is selected and work starts, it shouldn’t take a large amount of time to actually get the cleanup finished.

The City of Hood River will conduct sanitary sewer system smoke testing on August 12th and 13th to gain information for future sewer improvements, and some people may notice a distinct odor that results from this testing.  The smoke testing will involve opening and entering manholes in the streets and public utility easements to blow smoke into the sewer system and will occur between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.  A special non-toxic smoke will be used in testing that leaves no residuals or stains and has no effect on plant or animal life.  The smoke has a distinctive odor last only a few minutes where ventilation is adequate.  Should smoke enter your home or business, contact a member of the smoke testing crew working in your area.  The crew member will be able to help and check with you as to where the smoke has entered your building.  To reduce the chance of smoke entering your home/business, pour at least five gallons of water down any infrequently used drain such as a floor drain or unused sink within a few days before the start of the test period.  This will fill up the trap and reduce that potential point of entry.

The Oregon Department of Transportation says starting the first weekend after Labor Day, The Dalles Bridge will be closed from Thursday nights at 8 p.m. to Monday mornings at 6 a.m.  The closures will occur every weekend until Memorial Day of next year.  ODOT says the full weekend closures are needed to facilitate a bridge deck replacement project.  The Biggs Junction Bridge will provide access across the river during closure times.   ODOT says various closure options were considered for the bridge work, including an option that would have closed the bridge for 6 months or more.  After talking with stakeholders including law enforcement and emergency service providers, it was decided that weekend closures would have the least impact on bridge users.  ODOT has worked with the Corps of Engineers to allow emergency vehicles to cross the dam at The Dalles when the bridge is closed and impassible.  

Hood River County Health Department Chief Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg points out that high hospitalization rates across the state are not all about COVID-19.  In a video posted on the department’s Facebook page over the weekend, Van Tilburg noted Portland metro and Willamette Valley hospitals are at or near capacity, but not necessarily because of COVID-19 specifically.  He does say the upshot for rural areas of the state like the Columbia Gorge is those who need specialty care in a larger area may face a wait.  Van Tilburg said the best thing people can do to help with the issue is to take steps to stay healthy.

The Hood River County School District says masks will be required for all students and staff as the 2021-22 school year gets underway in September.  In a statement released on Friday, Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn said the state established the rule to start the year with masks last week.  Polkinghorn said the district will work to look at ways to maximize outdoor learning opportunities, and when the masking mandate is lifted, the district will work with the Hood River County Health Department on modifying its plans related to COVID-19 precautions.  Masks must cover the nose and mouth.  A face shield will not be allowed unless an individual cannot wear a mask for medical reasons.  

Thunderstorms in the area had fire crews in the region hopping to a number of fires late Thursday afternoon.  A fire in the area of 15 Mile Road and McCoy Road in The Dalles rekindled at one point, but was brought under control.  In the Fisher Hill area near Lyle, a fire was reported but contained.  There were two fires near Goldendale, one in the Box Canyon draw and a second in difficult to reach terrain on Ownby Road.  Yakima County officials reported a 2,000 acre fire 20 miles northwest of Naches in the Meeks Table area.