Oregon Second District Congressman Cliff Bentz was named the Ranking Member on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.  It places the freshman Republican congressman in a position to weigh in on matters concerning the country’s water resources, federal irrigation projects, hydroelectric power, interstate water issues, and fisheries management.  Bentz says he has spent more than half of his professional and political career working on water issues as they relate to agriculture and communities, adding they are feeling the effects of a “real and regulatory drought.”

Chenowith Elementary School principal Monica Darnall has resigned.  According to North Wasco County School District 21 officials, Darnall had notified parents and staff at the school she would be resigning at the end of the year, but circumstances changed, and due to personal reasons she is returning to her home in Utah.  D-21 officials say Darnall will provide the district with consultation services regarding specialized programs, including dual language instruction, for the next five months.  Current The Dalles High School vice-principal Phil Williams will step in as principal at Chenowith for the rest of the school year effective immediately.  The district says Williams has over a decade of administrative experience at the elementary and secondary levels.

The Hood River County Health Department says by the end of this week it will have administered 6000 vaccinations, completing approximately 25% of its targeted populations.  Oregonians age 75 and above are now eligible to begin vaccination against COVID-19, but County officials say that does not mean they will have the necessary doses or staff available to distribute to all that are eligible.  The County says it is expecting 300 doses per week for the foreseeable future, with about 5000 seniors 65 and up in the county.  In Hood River County if you are age 80 or over you will be contacted to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine by your primary care provider.  If you do not have a primary care provider, the County advises to await instructions.  The health department will be coordinating COVID-19 vaccination for those who do not have a primary care provider once it has vaccine available.  Information can be found online at hrccovid19.org or by phone in English 541-399-8022, and in Spanish at 541-399-8023.

White Salmon city officials continue to work on updates to the city’s comprehensive land use plan.  The municipal planning commission continues to review sections of the plan at its next two meetings on February 24 and March 10, followed by a worksession with the City Council and a public hearing in April and final adoption by the Council in May.  Mayor Marla Keethler says by the time they get to the April meeting they should have a fully fleshed out plan for public comment.  Keethler notes once the comp plan revisions are finished, the real work of developing code changes to reflect it will begin.  Information on the process is available at white-salmon.net.

The on-going planning work for the long-discussed improvements to the entry of Bingen Point for Highway 14 continues.  Mayor Betty Barnes says bids for the project will probably go out in 2022.  The design of the roundabout is currently being developed, and there are still coordination issues to work out with Burlington Northern Railroad.  The Washington State Department of Transportation is working on the project, which received funding from the state legislature in 2015.

Dufur School District is closed but operating remotely. No activities and no lunch deliveries.   Lyle Sch. District is running two hours late, no preschool. Appleton buses on Snow routes   Stevenson-Carson School District closed but operating remotely. Asynchronous learning posted to Google Classroom. Meal pick up rescheduled to Wednesday.   Mill A Sch. District is closed but operating remotely.   St. Mary’s Academy is running on a 2 hour delay.   Mid-Columbia Children’s Council sites closed, families will receive virtual services   OCDC Headstart The Dalles and Odell centers will be closed and serving families remotely

There will not be a Northwest Cherry Festival this April, but there will a cherry promotion in The Dalles in July.  The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says they are planning to do a summer “All About The Cherry” promotion similar to what was done last year, but beefed up and with advertising in other markets.  She said they will once again do the “Cherry Hunt” and “Cherry Trail,” and are working with partners to bring the Little Andy and Ann program back.  Farquharson says the focus of the promotion will be to get people into businesses.  But she added if by July there can be a large-scale gathering, they will organize a street festival of some kind as quickly as possible.

Winter weather cancelled a couple of COVID-19 vaccine clinics in Hood River County last week, and health officials say they plan to move forward this week with giving shots to those 80 and older.  County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg said in a Sunday night Facebook video that they currently have 200 vaccines for those over the age of 80, and another 100 is anticipated to arrive this week.  He adds patience remains a necessity, asking those 65 and over not to call the Health Department but instead wait to hear from their primary health care provider.  Van Tilburg notes providers already have lists of patients in each age group and are reaching out to them.  Van Tilburg says there are around 5,000 Hood River County residents who are age 65 or older.

North Central Public Health District is asking the public to be patient as COVID-19 vaccine supplies remain limited.  The district says everyone who wants one will get one, but it will take time.  NCPHD officials say its vaccine allocation for this week is 300, and it is shared among Wasco, Sherman, and Gilliam counties.  They also noted the three counties have a 65 and older population of 7,250, and they are still vaccinating educators and child care providers.  North Central Public Health District is using an online booking system.  It’s a two-step process involving first signing up on the notification list for eligibility, then once their group is eligible people are emailed a link to the booking system to check for openings.  Mid-Columbia Senior Center is helping seniors with the booking process, call them at 541-296-4788.

The Port of Hood River is going to be soliciting requests for interest from the business and development community in the Barman property at the entrance to the waterfront area at Interstate 84 Exit 63.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says the lot is less than an acre in size, and is zoned commercial.  He says a small hotel or mixed use project are among the possibilities for the location.  McElwee says it is the last vacant commercial property on the waterfront, and even though it is a small lot it is prominently located.