Klickitat County Commissioners are scheduled once again on Tuesday to decide if they already have the tools in place to deal with potential applications for solar projects.  Commissioners spent an hour last week discussing what they are actually trying to accomplish.  The group noted that in many ways two issues are being pushed together, one involving setbacks and protections for adjacent property owners, and the other involving overall county policy.  Commissioner Dan Christopher said on Bicoastal Media’s Mid-Columbia Today his main two concerns remain how they are taxed and decommissioning.  Commissioner Jacob Anderson said during last week’s County Commission meeting that he believes in the already required environmental impact processes for conditional use permits.  There is currently a six month moratorium on commercial and industrial solar projects that are subject to a conditional use process.

It’s a busy time for the City of Hood River’s Public Works Department.  Municipal Public Works Director Mark Janeck says they are preparing drawings for summer construction and waiting for bids.  Park maintenance is also a priority, and Janeck notes there has been more use of city parks by both residents and tourists because of the pandemic.  There are also plenty of street projects being planned for this spring and summer, including paving taking place this Tuesday through Thursday on 9th Street between State and Hazel and Hazel Street between 7th and 9th.  There will be no parking allowed between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on those days.  

Klickitat County Health Department says it was notified of an additional fourteen COVID-19 cases in individuals associated with Goldendale High School this past week after receiving reports of three positive COVID-19 cases last weekend.  Over 60 students and staff were absent from the High School Friday according to School Administration officials due to the significant number of close contacts and individuals identified as positive cases.  The health district says starting Monday, Goldendale High School will transition to remote learning for this week in order to minimize any further spread of COVID-19 among students and staff.  The decision was made in consultation with the health district out of an overabundance of caution as well as minimize any potential impacts to the GHS Graduation which is scheduled for June 11.  Goldendale Middle and Primary Schools will continue with in-person learning.  Of the individuals testing positive for COVID-19, there does not appear to be any evidence of in classroom transmission between students and staff at this time.

Intermountain Conference Baseball Championship Pendleton 7, Hood River Valley 6:  The Buckaroos scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to pull out the win.  Pendleton had led 5-0 after two innings, but the Eagles came back to take the lead with a four-run fifth inning featuring two run base hits by Trenton Hughes and Mason Spellecy.   Track and Field Hood River Valley’s girls were fifth, while The Dalles finished sixth and HRV seventh in the boys’ portion of the Oregon Class 5A Invitational.  The Gorge schools won the pole vault competition, with Taylor Morehouse of The Dalles the boys’ champion and HRV’s Poppy Miller the girls’ winner.   Justin Peck of Trout Lake won the boys’ 800 meters to top the area effort at the Oregon 1A Championships.  A number of Gorge athletes earned second place finishes, including Landon Heberling of Trout Lake in the boys’ pole vault, Horizon Christian’s Josh Rogers in the boys’ triple jump, Myana Stock of Trout Lake in the girls’ 800 meters, Sophie Hulke of Sherman in the girls’ shot put, Mercedez Cardona of Sherman in the long jump, and Horizon Christian’s 4 by 400 meter relay team.   Boys Tennis Hood River Valley’s Vaughn Reardon finished second and Ben Garafolo fourth in boys’ singles at the Intermountain Conference Tournament in Redmond.   Boys Basketball Hood River Valley 58, Forest Grove 46 Bend 66, The Dalles 53 King’s Way Christian 72, Columbia 30 Kalama 83, Stevenson 37 Dufur 57, Ione-Arlington 48   Girls Basketball Trout Lake 35, Hood River Valley 27 Trout Lake 66, Stevenson 18 Roosevelt 42, Hood River Valley 33 King’s Way Christian 55, Columbia 43 Ione-Arlington 44, Dufur 36

In the drive to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19, North Central Public Health District is expanding its efforts to bring the shots to people.  District Health Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell told Wasco County Commissioners this week that in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Oregon Health Authority, a mobile vaccine unit will be coming to the Gorge.  McDonell said the unit will be in the region starting June 2, and it can administer 300 to 400 vaccines a day.  In addition, NCPHD is planning to do out-clinics at community meal and food distribution sites in the next couple of weeks, and McDonell said vaccinations will start to be done at the NCPHD clinic on May 27.  

The Bingen and White Salmon Community Cleanup will take place Friday and Saturday. The event is centered at the Bingen Recycling Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, and is sponsored by the White Salmon-Bingen Rotary, the Mt. Adams Chamber of Commerce, and numerous other community partners.  The Chamber’s Tammara Tippel says it’s an opportunity to reuse, repurpose, and recycle items in your home and yard and help keep waste from going into the landfill.  A $10 suggested donation helps support future cleanups and other Rotary projects.  For information visit WACommunityCleanup at Facebook or call the Mt. Adams Chamber at 509-493-3630.

Hood River Valley High School English Language Arts teacher Jim Donnelly has been named as the Columbia Gorge’s 2022 Regional Teacher of the Year.  The Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Lottery partner in the regional and state teacher of the year awards.  Regional Teachers of the Year are nominated by students, colleagues, administrators, friends or family members to apply for the award, and are selected by a diverse panel of regional representatives.  Later this fall one of the Regional Teachers of the Year will be named the 2022 Oregon Teacher of the Year.  Donnelly wins a $500 cash prize and is in the running for the state award to be announced this fall.

Baseball Kennedy 2, Dufur 1   Boys Tennis Hood River Valley’s Vaughn Reardon and Ben Garofalo advanced to Saturday’s semi-finals at the Intermountain Conference Tournament in Redmond.   Boys Basketball Hood River Valley 58, St. Helens 35 Horizon Christian 55, Lyle-Wishram 31 Castle Rock 44, Stevenson 36   Girls Basketball Napavine 53, Stevenson 43 Columbia 67, Seton Catholic 45

The Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon State Police are seeking information on how a fire that burned nearly an acre of older logging slash on Middle Mountain south of Hood River started.  The fire on Monday afternoon was on Hood River County forestland and was spotted by the ODF Central Oregon District’s detection camera operator.  ODF says the fire was human caused and is under investigation.  Anyone with information that could help investigators find the person responsible for the fire is asked to call the Oregon State Police Tip Line at 800-452-7888.  The ODF declared fire season in the region underway last weekend.  

Hood River County will move from the moderate to the lower Risk category under Oregon’s COVID risk categories on Friday.  Hood River County is one of five Oregon counties that has achieved at least a 65% vaccination rate among those 16 and older, making it eligible to move down in risk level.  Once a statewide target of 70% vaccinated is reached, counties will no longer be assigned risk levels.  For those who are fully vaccinated, defined as at least two weeks after receiving final dose of vaccine, Oregon Health Authority guidance says they are not required to wear a mask indoors in most public settings where vaccination status is checked.  Masks will still be required in public settings where vaccination status is not checked and in businesses that are continuing to require them.