A man was taken into custody in Ellensburg, Washington on charges stemming from an early Friday morning stabbing in The Dalles.  According to The Dalles Police Department, 63-year-old Clay Parsons was taken into custody in Ellensburg and booked into jail on attempted murder and assault charges.  Police say that at about 3:45 a.m. Friday, officers arrived at a residence on the west side of The Dalles and located the victim, who had multiple stab wounds.  The suspect had fled, and was then identified as Parsons.  Information gathered at the scene indicated he was traveling northbound on Highway 197 from The Dalles.  Police did not release the condition of the victim.  The incident continues to be investigated by The Dalles Police and the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office.  Anyone who may have information on the case is encouraged to call The Dalles Police at 541-296-2613.

Like the statewide numbers, both Hood River and Wasco counties saw record highs of daily COVID-19 case counts on Friday.  Oregon Health Authority statistics reported 27 new confirmed or presumptive COVID-19 cases in Hood River County and 21 in Wasco County.   Wasco County is now at 575 total cases…with 350 listed as recovered by the North Central Public Health District using a 30-day standard since the onset of symptoms and in stable medical condition.  Hood River County is now at 464 total cases for the pandemic…with the County Health Department indicating the Oregon Health Department is changing how out of isolation is reported.  Gilliam County had one new case Friday and is at 24 with 17 recovered.  Sherman County also had one new case to also be at 24 with 23 recovered.  The OHA reported 2,176 new COVID cases statewide on Friday to move the pandemic total to 81,437.  There were 30 COVID-related deaths that occurred between November 15 and Thursday included in the OHA’s Friday report…moving the total to 1,004.  The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients across Oregon decreased by two in Friday’s report to 557.  The OHA says there were 115 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit beds on Friday, six more than Thursday.  Klickitat County on Thursday reported 13 new COVID cases to move its pandemic total to 312…with its active cases up 11 to 55…25 of them listed in White Salmon.  Skamania County on Friday added ten new cases to move to 118 total for the pandemic…and the number of currently active cases went up to 17.   The Washington Department of Health on Friday reported 1,853 new confirmed COVID cases and 25 deaths, moving its totals to 174,290 known cases and 2,925 deaths.

As state officials emphasized the danger of continued increases in COVID-19 cases during a Friday press conference, they also outlined their plans for how the first supplies of COVID vaccine expected to arrive this month would be used.  Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen said over 147-thousand first doses of vaccines, fairly evenly divided between the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, will arrive by December 22.  Allen emphasized front-line health care workers will be prioritized to receive the first doses, along with first responders, workers in long-term care facilities and congregate care settings, and long-term care facility residents.  Allen said guidelines for prioritizing the next phase 1 groups, including essential workers, adults with high-risk medical conditions, and those 65 and over, remain under development.  He also said they are setting up a state-wide “cold chain network” of locations to provide ultra-cold storage for the Pfizer vaccine.

Oregon health officials announced during a news conference Friday record COVID-19 numbers with 2,176 new confirmed or presumptive cases and 30 deaths listed in today’s report from the Oregon Health Authority.  The state has now seen 1,004 deaths attributed to COVID.  Governor Kate Brown said the state was on the brink of a “full blown crisis,” while at the same time saying most Oregonians are taking precautions to try to stem the spread of coronavirus.  Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen worried that as case tallies from the Thanksgiving holiday come in during the next few days, the toughest times for the state may still be ahead, and state Public Health Division Director Rachael Banks said the situation for hospital capacities remains precarious.  The state released new modeling showing an average of 2,000 to 2,700 cases per day by Christmas Eve, 75 to 110 of which would be considered “severe.”  

A couple of virtual tree lightings will take place over the next two nights.  The annual lighting of Hood River’s Christmas tree in Overlook Memorial Park will take place in a virtual mode Friday evening at 7 p.m., and the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce says it will be streamed at the Hood River Holidays Facebook page and through visithoodriver.com.  The annual Hood River Holidays parade has been modified by teaming up with the annual lighted fire truck parade, which will start at the St. Mary’s Church parking lot at 5 p.m. and wind its way through Hood River neighborhoods to end at the tree.  Saturday evening the annual Dreaming of a White Salmon virtual tree lighting will take place at 5 p.m., and can be viewed at the Mayor Marla Keethler Facebook page.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported a thrust hub cooling water pipe broke on Thursday, spilling up to 200 gallons of oil into the Columbia River at The Dalles Dam.  The equipment is part of a fish unit turbine designed to provide attraction water for migrating fish.  A statement from the Corps indicated the turbine is now isolated from the river.  Corps technicians are assessing how much oil actually spilled into the river, as some of the 200 gallons may be contained in a draft tube or collection channel within the dam.  Operations Division chief Dwane Watsek says booms and skimmers were used to contain and clean up the oil, and the unit will remain out of service and isolated from the river until technicians assess and repair it.

Hood River County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg says the sources of the increase in the County’s COVID-19 cases in the last few weeks are mostly from social and family gatherings and from people going to work when they are sick.  The County has reported 123 new COVID cases since November 13.  Van Tilburg says in a Facebook video that their recommendations to people have not changed in the last ten months:  wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands, and don’t go to work if you are sick.  Van Tilburg says those precautions will also help protect you from the flu and the common cold.

Oregon Second District Congressman Greg Walden honored long-time Representative Bob Smith in a floor speech on Thursday.  Smith passed away in September at the age of 89.  Walden said Smith was a champion for improving management of public lands and natural resources.  He also added that his predecessor in the Second District seat competed in rodeos while in Congress, an example of how he lived life to the fullest.  Smith spent 22 years in the Oregon Legislature and 14 years in Congress.

The annual lighting of Hood River’s Christmas tree in Overlook Memorial Park will take place in a virtual mode Friday evening.  It will occur at 7 p.m., and the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce says it will be streamed at the Hood River Holidays Facebook page and through visithoodriver.com.  The annual Hood River Holidays parade has been modified by teaming up with the annual lighted fire truck parade, which will start at the St. Mary’s Church parking lot at 5 p.m. and wind its way through Hood River neighborhoods to end at the tree.  There will also be fire truck parades next week in Parkdale, Odell, and Cascade Locks.  

Health officials continue to urge people to get their flu shot if they haven’t already.  North Central Public Health District Health Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell told the Wasco County Commission this week that we are starting to see the onset of flu season.  She reported there were five reported cases of influenza last week, all in the Columbia Gorge region.  Flu vaccine is available from a number of different sources, including your health care provider, pharmacies, and local health departments.