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.

Newly published hospitalization surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control shows the three available COVID-19 vaccines serve as an effective shield against virus-related hospitalizations.  The data tracked hospitalized COVID-19 patients aged 65 and older between Feb. 1 and April 30 in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties and covers approximately 43% of Oregon’s population.  The conclusions confirm the findings of earlier clinical vaccine trials that demonstrated a dramatically lower risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 among fully vaccinated people.  According to the vaccine effectiveness study, the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines reduced the risk of hospitalization by 96% and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine reduced the risk of hospitalization by 84% in adults 65-74 years old.  A previous study released by the CDC reported similar results.  The newly released hospital findings reflect data collected prior to the surge being fueled by the Delta variant in Oregon and in other states.  But the OHA says data collected in the United Kingdom, Canada and Israel have shown similar excellent protection against severe disease caused by the Delta variant.  

The Oregon Health Authority’s monthly update on breakthrough cases found that 81% of the 12,514 reported COVID-19 cases in the state in July were among people who were unvaccinated.  The average age of the people who contracted the virus was 51.   Of the 55 COVID-19 associated deaths reported in July, 91% were among people who were not fully vaccinated.   There have been a reported total of 4,196 COVID-19 breakthrough cases in Oregon, compared to the more than 2.3 million Oregonians who have completed their COVID-19 vaccination series.  Most of the breakthrough deaths occurred in elderly people.

One of the difficulties health officials are dealing with as they try to contain COVID-19 is combatting misinformation.  At Wednesday’s Wasco County Commission meeting, North Central Public Health District Health Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell asked people not to spread misinformation about the virus.  McDonell says if you have questions about the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines, get answers from a health care professional rather than on social media.

A new workforce training skills center and student residential hall are now complete on The Dalles campus of Columbia Gorge Community College.  The “Chinook Residence Hall” is named for the college’s mascot, and school officials say it will emphasize affordability.  There are 12 units with four beds each, as well as two studio apartments for residential managers who may also be students.  Each four-bed unit has a study area, bathroom and kitchenette.  There’s a common kitchen on the first floor and a student lounge on the second floor, and a laundry on each floor.  Rooms on the south side overlook the campus; those on the north overlook the Columbia Gorge.  The skills center will offer new career-technical programs to provide students with family-wage skills.  It will emphasize dual credit training for high school students as well as high-demand training for people of all ages in fields such as welding and construction.  Classes begin fall term and housing applications are open now.  Ribbon-cutting and public tours will be on September 11.

Klickitat Valley Health’s bond measure for improvements to the hospital in Goldendale dropped just below the needed 60 percent approval rate for passage after a second day of counting Tuesday’s primary vote, but more ballots remain to be counted over the next few days.  The proposal had received 59.8% of the vote, 1,545 yes to 1,039 no.  There were two school board races in Klickitat County with three candidates, with the top two primary vote getters moving on to the general election in November.  For the Lyle School Board…Barbara Mills had 275 votes and Garrett Towle 237, to 43 for Bradley Blazer.  And for the White Salmon Valley School District board…Andy Meresee had 668 votes and Peter Harkema 567 to 169 for Kara Polintan.  Klickitat County will release more vote counts on Friday, with an estimated 394 ballots left to count.  In Skamania County…Robert Muth had 125 votes and Kristy Arnett McCaskell 117 in a Stevenson City Council primary, with Kris Bennett at 85 votes.  The annexation of Mill A and Willard into Fire District 1 was being approved 163 to 19.  Skamania County will update its numbers on August 16.

The Washington State Department of Transportation says work will begin on Monday to repair and resurface a 20-mile stretch of Highway 97 between Centerville Road near Goldendale and Ski Lodge Road in Klickitat County.  WSDOT says it has been 11 years since that stretch of highway has been paved.  Crews will also pave sections along Scale House Road and along East Simcoe Drive.  Once construction begins, crews will seal cracks and perform pavement repairs.  Daytime and nighttime single lane closures are planned with flaggers and a pilot car to lead travelers through a single lane.  Delays of up to 20 minutes are expected. Bicyclists will be transported through the work zone upon request, when workers are on site.