Washington Highway 14 was closed late Thursday night and early Friday morning after a debris slide covered both lanes of the road at milepost 85 near Horsethief Lake.  According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, the slide occurred sometime before 9:15 p.m.  Highway crews worked into the morning to clear the debris and reopen the highway.  The transportation department says the highway was reopened early Friday at 2:40 a.m.

Thomas Worthy has been tabbed to be the new police chief in The Dalles.  Worthy will replace the retiring Pat Ashmore.  Worthy has over 27 years of law enforcement experience in Oregon, most recently overseeing the Oregon State Police Public Safety Services Bureau.  He is completing his Master’s degree in Law Enforcement Public Safety Leadership from the University of San Diego and will complete his course work prior to taking on his new role.  Worthy’s first day as The Dalles Chief of Police will be on April 26, allowing a few days of overlap with Ashmore to give him a thorough orientation and to be introduced to the department and key community stakeholders.  A statement from the City indicated the panel that selected Worthy unanimously agreed he was the top choice.

Hood River County School District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn told the district board on Wednesday that even though Oregon Governor Kate Brown made it sound like schools could reopen when setting a goal of opening them by February 15, the reality is the state’s metrics for schools are not as advisory as they are made out to be.  Polkinghorn told the board while the Governor has put more decision making in the hands of local districts, liability issues haven’t gone away.  Polkinghorn says the House bill does not cover the district for liability if they don’t follow the state metrics.  Polkinghorn added the legal opinion school districts have received is that even though Ready Schools, Safe Learners is supposedly advisory, the language in it still says it’s required.  Polkinghorn told the board his message remains that the district will work with the Hood River County Health Department and follow its recommendations.

Bells will ring Friday at noon throughout Hood River County, one ring for each County resident who has died from COVID-19.  Belinda Ballah of the Hood River County Prevention Department says the church, park, and agency bells will ring in Hood River, Parkdale, and Cascade Locks to take a moment to reflect on those deaths, offer sympathy to family and friends that have lost a loved one, and “contemplate what can we do in a stressful, hard time to continue to keep our community as safe and healthy as possible.”  Ballah adds the bell ringing is planned to take place on a weekly basis.

North Wasco County School District 21 Interim Superintendent Theresa Peters told her board on Wednesday they are waiting for continued guidance from the state on the shift from decisions on school reopenings being made with state metrics to the districts themselves.  Peters says the Oregon Department of Education is to update its guidance early next week, but noted she has submitted blueprints for reopening elementary and middle schools to the North Central Public Health District.  Peters added a survey will go out to district parents by the end of the week to get their input on reopening.

Mid-Columbia Medical Center is closing in on getting their employees vaccinated against COVID-19.  MCMC infection prevention specialist Connie Jubitz says they are most of the way through of getting all of their employees their first doses of vaccine.  Jubitz says MCMC they have had COVID patients in-house consistently in recent weeks.  She adds one of the challenges is getting those patient to an appropriate discharge location.

The Eagle Creek Recreation Area and the Eagle Creek Trail are closed until further notice in order to remove debris deposited from flooding, and repair damage sustained following this week’s rainstorm.  The Forest Service is partnering with the Pacific Crest Trail Association to remove large fallen trees, landslides and to address anticipated damages sustained on the Eagle Creek Trail.  The cleanup will begin as soon as it is deemed safe to do so.  The steep slopes and loss of vegetation from the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire throughout the waterfall corridor make the area prone to landslides, rockfall, and debris flows from heavy rains.  The Forest Service says hikers should use caution when entering burned areas.  Visit ReadySetGOrge.com to plan around closures and find open outdoor recreation areas, and remember to be safe and to use your best judgment when planning your hike.

The Bonneville Power Administration reports that in 2020, for the 23rd consecutive season, the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Program met its annual goal to remove 10% to 20% of pikeminnow, 9 inches or longer, in the Columbia and Snake rivers that prey on juvenile salmon and steelhead.  The program is funded by BPA and administered by Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and the states of Oregon and Washington.  The goal of the sport reward fishing program is to reduce the number of larger northern pikeminnow in the Columbia and Snake rivers.  Since 1990, anglers paid through the program have removed more than 5.2 million predatory pikeminnow.  Biologists estimate that the program has reduced predation on young salmon and steelhead by up to 40% from pre-program levels.  The 2021 season is expected to operate from May 1 through September 30.   For more information about the program, call 800-858-9015 or visit www.pikeminnow.org.  

Washington Third District Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler said on the House floor during Wednesday’s vote on the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump  that fear is our enemy, but the truth is not.  Herrera Beutler, one of ten Republicans to vote for impeachment, said she was “choosing truth.  It’s the only way to defeat fear.”  Washington Fourth District Congressman Dan Newhouse also voted yes as the House voted to impeach Trump by a count of 232-197.  The remainder of the Northwest delegation voted along party lines, with Democrats for impeachment and Republicans, including Oregon Second District Congressman Cliff Bentz, against.  In a written statement issued after the vote, Bentz said he continued to “share the emotions many are feeling in the aftermath of the unprecedented and unacceptable violence this past week.  But the current rush-to-judgement impeachment proceedings have only succeeded in dividing our country even more.”

Hood River County Health Department Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg says Oregon Governor Kate Brown announcement after guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the state will expand COVID-19 vaccination to include people age 65 and older won’t have a lot of impact in the short-term.  Van Tilburg said supply of the vaccine will still be a driving force.  Van Tilburg says they have given out roughly 1,000 vaccines in Hood River County between the health department, Providence Hood River, and the long-term care facility program with Walgreen’s.  He says they are moving down into groups 2 and 3 in Phase 1a.  The governor’s office and Oregon Health Authority will provide more details on the latest vaccine distribution plans, as well as how Oregon will continue to reach populations most vulnerable to COVID-19, on Friday.