Softball Hood River Valley 12, Gresham 0:  The Eagles win their fourth straight game to get back to .500 on the season.   Southwest Washington Class 1A Boys Soccer Tournament First Round Elma 4, Stevenson 0:   The Bulldogs will play a loser-out game at home against Montesano this evening at 6 p.m.   Boys Tennis Redmond 8, The Dalles 0   Boys Lacrosse Hood River Valley 8, Lincoln 6

North Central Public Health District will start taking walk-ins at its COVID-19 vaccination clinics, starting on Thursday.  The clinic runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fort Dalles Readiness Center.  NCPHD’s vaccine clinics have numerous openings, including an evening clinic this Friday with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which is authorized for those 16 and older.  To book an appointment, visit ncphd.org.  The Hood River County Health Department is hosting a walk-in clinic each Thursday morning starting this week for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.  It will run from 9 a.m. to noon each Thursday morning at the department on 1109 June Street.  No appointments are necessary, and the vaccines are free.

With 74 cases of COVID-19 in Wasco County in the most recent 14-day period, and a rapid surge in cases and hospitalizations statewide, the county is one of 15 moving to the extreme risk category on Friday.  In the “extreme risk of community spread” category, only outdoor dining is allowed, and closing time is 11 p.m.  Outdoor seating can now be 100, up from 50.  Gyms can have six members in attendance at a time; churches are at 25 percent indoor capacity; stores 50 percent capacity; and theaters can have only six people per shared space.  Offices are required to do work remotely and close to the public, if possible.  Long term care facilities can have outdoor visitation only.  Schools can continue with hybrid or in-person learning models in the extreme risk category.  In recognition of the lower transmission risk from being outdoors, capacity at outdoor sporting events is increased from 50 to 100.  The 15 counties will remain in extreme risk no more than three weeks, and can move to a lower category sooner if their metrics improve. Updates to risk categories will happen weekly for at least the next three weeks.

Hood River County is one of those moving to the high risk category on Friday.  The high risk category is 25 percent indoor capacity at restaurants and an 11 p.m. closure.  Faith institutions and indoor gyms can have 25 percent in-person capacity.  Grocery stores and other retail stores can have 50 percent capacity under the high risk designation.  Sherman and Gilliam counties remain at lower risk.

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce has joined with a number of different agencies in a local campaign to get citizens vaccinated against COVID-19.  Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson says it’s important for local business and the area economy for as many as people as possible to be vaccinated.  Farquharson noted that next week is Small Business Week, and that the best way to celebrate and support small business is to roll up sleeves and get people vaccinated so those business can begin to get back to normal operations.

Washington Gorge Action Programs has released the results of its 2020 Community Needs Assessment for Klickitat and Skamania counties, and it includes some of the same problems for those living in poverty.  Lack of employment opportunities, food insecurity, an inability to access Internet, and scarce public transportation were all listed as problems, but WAGAP executive director Leslie Naramore says a shortage of available housing is at the top of the list.  The assessment is used by WAGAP to guide the programs it offers, and is also provided to local governmental agencies.  It is online at wagap.org.

A task force will be put together as the City of Hood River develops an affordable housing production strategy over the next few months.  The goal is to identify tools to allow the City to encourage development of more affordable housing for those making 120 percent of the median family income.  City Associate Planner Jennifer Kaden gave City Councilors an outline of who would be sought to be on the task force, including local experts, employers, residents of affordable housing, and housing partners.  Councilor Megan Saunders was appointed to be a liaison to the Council on the task force.  Councilors gave their approval to hire a consultant and more forward with the project.

Baseball Hood River Valley 5, Ridgeview 0:  Mason Spellecy pitched a four-hit shutout, striking out 11 and walking just one.  Jake von Lubken drove in two runs for HRV. Pendleton 14, The Dalles 2:  Austin Agidius had two hits for the Riverhawks. Dufur sweeps Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 13-0 and 12-1.   Softball Hood River Valley 12, Ridgeview 6:  HRV scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning and led the entire game to surprise the previously unbeaten Ravens.  Jessa Nicklesen drove in three runs while Molly Routson and Kaylynn Stanphil had two RBI apiece. Pendleton 15, The Dalles 1:  The Buckaroos scored ten runs in the first inning.   Girls Lacrosse Hood River Valley 13, Cleveland 2:  Eva Horst, Ava Kitt, Emma Kroll, and Josephine Stenn scored three goals apiece to lead the Eagles.   Boys Golf Hood River Valley held off Crook County by four shots to win a four-school tournament at Indian Creek.  HRV’s Ren Tappert won medalist honors with an 80, while teammate Dylan Santee shot an 86.  Joseph Codding had a 97 to lead The Dalles.

The Dalles City Council voted to approve a contract with Jacobs Engineering for design work on the long-discussed Dog River pipeline replacement project.  The contract calls for the cost of the work not to exceed $1,822,442.  City Public Works Director Dave Anderson noted Jacobs’ experience with similar projects with complex permitting needs.  Anderson noted the intent is to finish design work this winter, go out for bids next spring, and start construction in the summer of 2022.

Hood River County Commissioners agreed on setting up four tiers of priorities in planning how to use an expected $4.5 million in federal pandemic relief funding being provided through the American Rescue Plan Act.  Tier 1 is items to help end the pandemic and accomplish maximum immunity within the county, Tier 2 is to continue county services impacted by revenue loss during the pandemic, Tier 3 would provide economic recovery assistance, and Tier 4 would assist in retooling to address new economic realities.  County Administrator Jeff Hecksel says they can’t really go into further detail until they receive more guidance from the U.S. Treasury on how the funds can be used.  The County will receive the funding in two installments, with the first coming fairly soon, and the second expected in about a year.