On Thursday The Dalles Public Works Department will be conducting maintenance on a pressure reducing valve which could result in discoloration of the water supplied to some customers.  The discoloration is caused by air bubbles or sediment which is dislodged when flows in the pipes change.  The discolored water does not pose a health risk.  However, you might want to flush the pipes by running the water for several minutes before drinking or washing to avoid any adverse tastes or discolorations.  If the water does not clear, contact the Public Works office at (541) 296-5401.

North Central Public Health District and other clinics in The Dalles area are offering free name-brand backpacks loaded with school supplies to families who bring in their children for well-child checkups or childhood immunizations.   The backpacks are available at NCPHD, which offers childhood immunizations, and One Community Health in The Dalles and Mid-Columbia Medical Center’s family medicine and pediatrics clinics, which offer immunizations and well-child visits.  The backpacks come with school supplies for both younger and older students, including crayons, pencils, colored pencils, scissors, markers, erasers and rulers.  Supplies are limited, so call your healthcare provider to schedule a well-child visit or immunization, or call NCPHD at 541-506-2600 to schedule an immunization.

Wonderworks Children’s Museum in The Dalles reopened a couple of weeks ago after sixteen months of limited operations due to the pandemic.  Wonderworks board member Nichole Biechler (beek-ler) says the closure allow them an opportunity to refresh their facility and bring in new exhibits.  They include a complete camp space with a linear climbing area, and a stage area where kids can play theater and dress-up.  Biechler says they should be getting another exhibit in the next few days:  big blue blocks she expects will be popular with children.  Wonderworks is located at 206 Madison in The Dalles, and is open from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.  Admission is free this month, plus they are holding a school supply giveaway for elementary school students thanks to a grant from the Oregon Community Foundation.

Mid-Columbia Community Action and the City of The Dalles are sifting through possible properties for a location to house a “navigation center” for the homeless.  Community Action has received a one-point-five million dollar grant from the state for the facility, and more funding is being sought to be able to get to two-point-five million.  The Dalles Mayor Rich Mays says they started with a list of fifteen possible properties and they narrowed it down to four or five potential locations.  The center would include a shelter location plus wrap-around services for homeless people, along with administrative offices for Mid-Columbia Community Action.

Clear skies Monday brought warmer temperatures to the Bull Complex Fire on the Mount Hood National Forest twelve miles northeast of Detroit, leading to increased fire activity.  Fire officials say it grew about 300 acres Monday to 6,969 acres.  Helicopters dropped water on active flames to decrease fire intensity.  Today’s weather was to be similar to yesterdays, then a weak front will move through this evening, bringing slightly higher wind gusts but also higher relative humidity.  Firefighters continue to implement indirect containment, using natural features, such as ridges or waterways, and manmade clearings, such as roads.  A total of 463 personnel are assigned to the fire.

Columbia Gorge Community College is offering $600 “Rebound” scholarships to students enrolling for Fall Term 2021 and who enrolled in CGCC credit classes previously but dropped because of the pandemic.  The college says more than 430 students needed to step away from CGCC since the pandemic’s early days in March 2020.   CGCC officials say they are hearing common challenges arising from the pandemic, such as financial setbacks, parents trying to balance their children’s at-home learning with their own college classes, and mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic.  The college will distribute funds on a first-come, first-served basis with the goal to help as many students return this fall as possible.  Apply by going to cgcc.edu and going to the financial aid page.

The Oregon Health Authority reported 4,701 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 for Friday through Sunday, bringing the state total to 257,644.  That’s up by 305 from the three-day period one week ago.  23 new cases were reported for Wasco County, 14 for Hood River County, and five for Gilliam County.  There were 24 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 3,036.  The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 937, which is 37 more than Sunday.  There are 253 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit beds, which is 22 more than Sunday.  As of Monday morning, there were 47 available adult ICU beds in Oregon out of 657 total, and 349 available adult non-ICU beds out of 4,172.

Cooler temperatures minimized fire growth Sunday on the Bull Complex Fire in the Mt. Hood National Forest, and unseasonably cooler temperatures were forecast to remain over the fire area again Monday.  Fire officials say temperatures are expected to increase and normalize starting Tuesday, possibly increasing fire behavior and visible smoke.  The fire is still smoldering, moving along the ground and burning in low brushes and small trees.  Firefighters are working to remove vegetation with heavy equipment and chainsaws to prepare existing roads to use as containment lines.  If conditions are appropriate firefighters may do burnouts along those roads to remove fuel between the roads and main fire to slow the main fire’s progress towards the desired containment lines.  Pumps and hoses are also being installed to support potential future burnouts.  The south end of the fire, closest to Detroit and the Breitenbush Hot Springs, is the current priority containment focus area.

Columbia Gorge Community College is modifying its plans for a ribbon-cutting at the college’s new workforce skills center and student residential hall in September.  While the ribbon-cutting is still planned for September 11 at 10 a.m., the college will offer a livestream of the event for people who do not wish to attend in person.  The college is encouraging people to participate via the livestream, while still keeping the ribbon-cutting open to those who prefer to attend in person.  Masks will be required at the ribbon-cutting, outdoors as well as indoors.  Social distancing will be encouraged.  The livestream and a video “walk-through” of the new buildings will be posted on the college’s YouTube channel, with a link from the college website, cgcc.edu.  The event will take place at the skills center entrance on The Dalles campus.  

Oregon State Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Tina Kotek announced Monday the upcoming public hearings of the House and Senate Redistricting Committees will be moved to a virtual format due to the surge in COVID-19 cases.  Meetings will be held virtually and organized to hear from residents of each current congressional district.  Oregonians can participate by signing up for video or phone testimony, uploading written testimony, or by submitting a map for consideration by September 7.  Meetings for the Second Congressional District are set for September 8 at 1 p.m. and September 10 at 8 a.m., with statewide sessions planned for September 13 at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.  For participation information, go to oregonlegislature.gov/redistricting.