The Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 Weekly Report, released Wednesday, shows a fifth consecutive week of surging daily cases and surging hospitalizations from the previous week.  The OHA reported 5,729 new daily cases of COVID-19 during the week that ended Sunday.  That represents a 21% increase from the previous week and marks the fifth consecutive week of 20% or higher increases in daily cases.  New COVID-19 related hospitalizations nearly doubled from 171 to 333.  There were 26 reported COVID-19 related deaths.  There were 133,563 tests for COVID-19 for the week of April 18 through April 24.  The percentage of positive tests was 6%.  People 70 years of age and older have accounted for 39% of COVID-19 related hospitalizations and 76% of COVID-19 related deaths.  

Republican Oregon Second District Congressman Cliff Bentz is criticizing the decision by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to delay implementation of a Trump Administration critical habitat rule for the Northern Spotted Owl.  The rule lifted critical-habitat protections for the bird from 3.4 million acres in Oregon, Washington and California.  The Agency noted that it ultimately intends to revise or withdraw the January 2021 final rule.  Bentz believes revision or withdrawal of the rule would stop efforts to prevent catastrophic wildfires.

Oregon voters will soon begin receiving their ballots for the May 18 special district elections.  The ballot includes races for local school boards, port districts, and other special districts that provide leadership and direction on essential public services.  Voters can mail back their ballot using the pre-paid postage envelope that accompanies each ballot or they can return their ballots to any official drop box location throughout the state.  Voters with questions about their ballot should contact their county elections office.  More information is available oregonvotes.gov.  

Oregon and Washington fishery managers announced seasons and regulations for 2021 Columbia River summer and fall salmon and steelhead fisheries.  Improved forecasts for summer Chinook, fall Chinook and coho salmon will allow for increased opportunity to target these fish. However, the forecasts for sockeye salmon and upriver summer steelhead are below average and will require conservative retention seasons.  For the summer season, retention of adult hatchery Chinook will open June 16 and continue through July 5 downstream of Bonneville Dam and through July 31 from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Oregon-Washington border.  In both areas, sockeye and hatchery steelhead retention will be allowed June 16 to July 31, but with a reduced bag limit for each.  Fall Chinook retention seasons start August 1 and are longer than recent years, but regulations do vary by river section, and anglers are encouraged to review the detailed descriptions.  Hatchery coho retention will be open throughout the fall season based on the much-improved forecast.  Due to the low forecast for upriver summer steelhead, protective regulations will again be in effect for 2021 fisheries.  These include a one hatchery steelhead daily bag limit, area-specific retention closures, and Thermal Angling Sanctuaries in portions of Eagle Creek, Herman Creek, the Deschutes River, and the Columbia River near the mouths of these tributaries.  

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.