North Central Public Health District has received the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine and will have a clinic on Friday using that vaccine only.  There were 150 slots made available for booking on Monday.  The health district has been distributing the two-dose Moderna vaccine already, and says having different types of vaccine available for use can offer more options and flexibility for the public.  To sign up for vaccine in Wasco, Sherman, and Gilliam counties, visit ncphd.org and fill out the form.  Those 65 and older are currently eligible for the vaccine, as are first responders, healthcare workers, educators and childcare providers, and paid/unpaid caregivers and those receiving in-home care.

Boys Soccer Horizon Christian 1, Central Christian 1 Columbia Christian 2, Trout Lake 0   Girls Soccer Kalama 2, Stevenson 0   Volleyball Dufur def. Trout Lake 25-9, 25-15, 26-24 Napavine def. Stevenson 3 games to 0

Wasco County Commissioners received a report last week from a team of staff members that have been exploring options for communicating with citizens.  County Commissioner Kathy Schwartz says going to virtual meetings during the pandemic has led to a jump in citizen participation in meetings.  The report outlined different approaches for various audiences.  Schwartz says the group will come back to the Commission with specific recommendations and costs to move forward with.

Maryhill Museum of Art will be welcoming visitors back when it opens for the season on Monday.  Museum executive director Colleen Schafroth says they have a 25 percent capacity limit at this time, which is roughly about 100 people.  Schafroth says they will used timed entry tickets allowing patrons to access the museum for two to three hours.  Maryhill Museum of Art will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning this Monday.  For ticketing information go to maryhillmuseum.org.

Hood River County officials are studying proposals at the state level to revive the Timber Severance Tax.  One that received a hearing in the Legislature recently would be a five percent tax on all harvested timber to go to wildfire fighting, forest research projects, and local jurisdictions.  But County Commission Chair Mike Oates says it’s difficult to tell if the County could benefit from this tax by what they would gain through sales on private land, or could lose because of having to pay it on sales from the County’s own forestlands.  Oates says the County needs to do the math to determine that.  Private timber owners in Oregon paid a severance tax on the value of the trees they logged until the 1990s, when lawmakers passed a series of tax cuts.

The Dalles Community Action Team is once again facing having to pitch community projects to federal officials via virtual meetings rather than going back to Washington, D.C. to do it in-person.  Port of The Dalles Executive Director Andrea Klaas says they are trying to better target who they talk to in this kind of format rather than attempt to mimic their in-person visits as they did in September.  In addition, the Community Action Team will be learning more through these talks about what kind of opportunities may be available with a new presidential administration.

The Hood River County Health Department says the County is getting very close to having distributed 10,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.  County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg says in a Facebook video they have 11 different entities involved in giving shots, and the County is getting between 800 and 1500 doses per week.  He added they also received in the past week 100 doses of the new Johnson and Johnson vaccine.  Van Tilburg added the County is capable of giving out 3,000 doses of vaccine per week if supplies reach the point where they can do it.

North Central Public Health District says as of February 27, they had administered 7,471 COVID vaccines in association with a number of different entities in Wasco, Sherman, and Gilliam counties.  Wasco County has vaccinated 54.5 % of those 80 and older, 37 % of those 75-79; 23.9 % of those 70-74; and 17 % of those 65-69.   Sherman County has vaccinated 58 % of those 80 and older; 21.6 % of those 75-79; 25.5% of those 70-74; and 22.8 % of those 65-69.  Gilliam County has vaccinated 48 % of those 80 and older; 34.8% of those 75-59; 24.8% of those 70-74; and 12.9% of those 65-69.  Entities currently providing vaccines include North Central Public Health District, Mid-Columbia Medical Center, One Community Health, Sherman County Medical Clinic in Moro, Arlington Health Center, South Gilliam Health Center in Condon and Deschutes Rim Clinic in Maupin.

Oregon State Parks staff are busy preparing campgrounds for a more “normal” 2021 Spring Break and summer camping season.  Although Oregon Lottery and park visitor fee revenue is projected to be down more than $20 million by the end of the 2019-21 biennium that ends June 30, nearly all state parks are open or will be in the next few months, including those parks that will reopen after usual seasonal closures.  Oregon State Parks is also recruiting seasonal staff for park operations, and is able to do so because of spending reductions begun last year.  Overnight camping rates will remain the same as 2020 rates except for a $3 increase for electric hookup and full hookup sites in selected parks May 28-Sept. 6.  Park staff are evaluating the status of two park campgrounds that were temporarily closed because of wildfire damage: Collier Memorial State Park and Detroit Lake State Park.

Football Hood River Valley 30, LaSalle 14:  Tanner Fletcher ran for 313 yards and three touchdowns, and Trenton Hughes ran for the go-ahead score early in the fourth quarter to lead the Eagles to the season-opening victory. Castle Rock 48, Columbia 0 Dufur 60, Pilot Rock 14 South Wasco 55, Prairie City 6 Sherman 54, Echo 19 Wahkiakum 47, Stevenson 7 Goldendale 60, Fort Vancouver 6   Boys Soccer Franklin 5, Hood River Valley 2   Girls Soccer Hermiston 5, The Dalles 0   Volleyball Hermiston def. The Dalles 25-23, 25-16, 25-23 Adna def. Stevenson 3 games to 0   Cross Country Columbia was first and Goldendale second in the boys’ portion of a three-school race with King’s Way Christian in White Salmon on Saturday.  Camden Uffelman was second and August Lorincz third for the Bruins, while Nick Bowdish was fourth and Austin Williams fifth for the Timberwolves.  There were no complete teams in the girls’ race, which was won by Columbia’s Ella Zimmerman with teammate Rian Pederson in second.