North Central Public Health District was sending COVID-19 vaccine booking emails today to those 65 and older, and other eligible groups, who have signed up for their vaccine eligibility notification system.  Phone outreach is also ongoing to senior citizens.  The health district that serves Wasco, Sherman, and Gilliam counties opened 350 appointment slots today for the week of March 15.  However, the email will go to about 2,500 people.  If you are still getting these booking emails and have gotten the vaccine, you are asked to unsubscribe.   The district also added a feature to its website, ncphd.org, that will tell the public whether or not vaccines are available, so they don’t have to keep checking for openings.  It will appear on the district’s home page, vaccine information page, and on the booking page itself.

There was no vote Wednesday by Wasco County Commissioners on the Strategic Investment Plan Google is seeking to build new data centers on former Northwest Aluminum and Rodeo Grounds properties, as negotiations continue between the company and the County and the City of The Dalles.  Wasco County Administrator Tyler Stone says those negotiations revolve around legal language, and he doesn’t expect any significant changes to the agreement that has been outlined to both the County Commission and City Council.  Stone says he hopes an agreement can be ready for the County Commission to vote on March 17, and then the City Council would do the same on March 22.  Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue is also meeting with Google on a fire protection plan for the proposed structures.

During her COVID-19 status report to Wasco County Commissioners on Wednesday, North Central Public Health District Health Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell answered a question about the ability of vaccines to deal with variants of the virus by noting while it is a concern, the vaccines can be adapted.  McDonell says current information shows the vaccines are effective against the variants that have appeared in this country to this point, and vaccine manufacturers continue their studies.  She said these types of vaccines can be changed if the spike protein develops over the course of multiple mutations.  McDonell also said that she gets asked which vaccine a person should get, and she told Commissioners the answer is “whatever is available to you.”  She presented statistics to the Commission showing there have been only ten COVID-19 cases reported in Wasco County for the last two weeks, with a positive testing rate of only 1.1%.

Friends of the Columbia Gorge have appealed decisions by the U.S. Forest Service and the Washington Department of Natural Resources to allow Synergy Resources to conduct a logging project near Major Creek in Klickitat County.  The site is within a Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Special Management Area.  In their appeals, Friends of the Gorge claims the activity is a commercial forest practice, which is prohibited in Special Management Area Open Space-designated lands, and that the logging operation would disturb sensitive wildlife habitat.  Friends of the Gorge have appealed the Forest Service decision in federal court and the DNR decision to the Washington Pollution Control Hearings Board.  

The Next Door is now offering a maternal mental health program.  The Next Door’s Lacey Nichols is coordinating the program, and she says it’s meant to assist women with issues that occur related to child-rearing, adding we commonly think of post-partum mental health but it includes a wider range of issues.  Those who believe they could benefit from the service can call 541-436-0338…or e-mail counseling@nextdoor.org.

The Wasco County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday that an officer in The Dalles Police Department has been barred from testifying in any case it prosecutes because of intentional and malicious deceptive conduct.  District Attorney Matthew Ellis says the decision regarding Officer Jeff Kienlen follows an investigation stemming from a Notice of Discipline letter issued in February 2011 which demoted Kienlen from Sergeant to Officer due to his violation of The Dalles Police Policy for Truthfulness.  In a statement, Ellis says previous District Attorney Eric Nisley never disclosed that letter to defense attorneys as clear discoverable evidence as required under what is known as the Brady rule, stemming from a case in Maryland.  Ellis was a defense attorney before winning election to the D.A.’s position over Nisley last year.  Ellis added the District Attorney’s Office continues its investigation into why the 2011 Notice of Discipline regarding Kienlen was not included in the former District Attorney’s disclosure index, and to review cases from the last ten years to determine if any action is warranted.  Kienlen was given the opportunity to present evidence in response to the allegations, and the D.A.’s office formally notified him of the exclusion decision on Tuesday.   Ellis says this is the first time in recent history that a member from law enforcement in Wasco County has been prohibited from testifying as a State’s witness because of their conduct.

A 36-year-old man was sentenced in Wasco County Circuit Court on Tuesday to 95 months in prison after pleading guilty to domestic violence kidnapping and assault charges.  Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis says Jason Whitman accepted a plea offer.  Ellis says in December 2020, Whitman kept his victim confined for multiple days in her bedroom…and would use a Taser to shock her.  Ellis said Whitman’s victim was able to escape when she convinced him to allow her to go to the liquor store with him.  She was able to call 9-1-1 from the store, and The Dalles City Police and Wasco County Sheriff’s officers quickly arrived and arrested Whitman in the parking lot.  Whitman received a 61 month sentence on the kidnapping charge and 34 months for the assault charge.  The two sentences will be served consecutively.

A Hood River man has been arrested on an arson charge after a structure fire late Monday night at 3300 West Cascade Avenue.  According to the Hood River Police Department, officers arrived at about 11:30 Monday night to find a shed fully engulfed in flames.  The Hood River Fire Department also responded and was able to contain the fire, which damaged one home.  Officers arrested 28-year-old Ricardo Ortiz-Torres, who had been living on the property.  The statement by Hood River Police Chief Neal Holste said officers determined there was malicious intent as a motive for starting the fire.  Ortiz-Torres was booked and lodged at NORCOR on a charge of first degree arson.

The Hood River County Health Department reports more than 6,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in the County, including 3,000 by the Health Department itself.  County health officials say the County has vaccinated more intellectually or developmentally disabled persons than any other county in the state with 49% of our target achieved.  They also have been able to meet 15% of its target population for vaccination.  The department says it is working on a plan to address the vaccination needs of homebound community members.  There is also plan to have a scheduling call center staffed by volunteers as the County advances through eligible populations.  Hood River County COVID-19 vaccination information is available at hrccovid19.org or by calling 541-399-8022 in English or 541-399-8023 in Spanish.

White Salmon will shut down its water system Thursday at 9 a.m. to allow for system repairs.  City Administrator Patrick Munyan says the work will take place on Arnett Road, which is the highest pressure point in the system.  The City is asking residents that if they continue to have water throughout the day, use if for only essential services such as drinking or cooking and flushing the toilet.  Refrain from washing clothes, washing cars, and any kind of irrigation.  The water outage will affect all customers including those located in Bingen that are directly on the White Salmon water system.