The Next Door has surpassed its goal for its annual appeal by a significant amount…but they are still taking donations.  Development Director Justine Ziegler says they have raised so far almost $145,000, well over their $100,000 goal.  Ziegler says she has been “blown away” by the generosity of the region at this time.  She says the money plays a key role in backfilling when some of their services do not receiving funding from expected sources.  To donate, go to nextdoorinc.org/donate.

Washington State 14th District Representative Gina Mosbrucker will continue as deputy-chair of the Washington State House Republican Caucus.  The Goldendale Republican has held that position the last two years.  As deputy-chair, Mosbrucker assists Caucus Chair Paul Harris in presiding over daily caucus meetings when bills, amendments and voting are discussed.  The 14th District lawmaker was also recently chosen to serve as ranking Republican on the House Public Safety Committee.  In addition, she will serve as assistant ranking Republican on the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee, and as a member of the House Capital Budget Committee.  The legislative session begins on Monday and will be conducted remotely due to COVID-19.

The Washington Department of Natural Resources has embarked on Phase 1 of a plan to create fire fuel breaks around White Salmon.  City Councilors last month gave DNR the go-ahead to pursue the first phase of the project, which would be on the east side of White Salmon and reduce fuel loading for a north to south break in the Jewett Creek area from the power station next to Skyline Hospital and extend north.  DNR Landowner Assistance Forester Greg Houle explains that a concentration of the community’s population living in that area led to it being picked for the first phase.  One of the challenges while implanting the project will be protecting the fish-bearing stream, and there will be a buffer established for the stream.  Three more phases are also planned.  Houle says community outreach is being done now, with a goal of implementing the project this spring and summer.

Children’s advocates continue to remain concerned about a higher incidence of abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic, as children remain out of school in distance learning.  SafeSpace Children’s Advocacy Center Beatriz Lynch says calls to Oregon’s Child Abuse Hotline went down 70 percent when schools were first closed by the pandemic last spring, and while calls have gone back up some it still doesn’t match where they were a few months ago.  Lynch says it’s important that communities be vigilant for their children, and watch for signs of abuse.  Oregon’s Child Abuse Hotline is 855-503-7233, while in Washington the statewide End Harm Line is 866-363-4276.

Oregon 59th District State Representative Daniel Bonham will be the House Republican Deputy Leader during the upcoming session.  House Minority Leader Christine Drazan of Canby announced the House Republican leadership team that also included 57th District Representative Greg Smith in an ex-officio role as vice-chair of the Ways and Means Committee.  Bonham has served in the House since late 2017, and was re-elected to the chamber in November.  Republicans will once again be a substantial minority in the Oregon House, with Democrats holding 38 of the 60 seats.

The Klickitat County Health Department says a fourth county resident has died as a result of COVID-19.  According to a health department statement, an 86-year-old individual from Goldendale tested positive for COVID-19 on December 24, and was taken to Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles, where the individual died on Sunday.  The department says it is unknown at this time if the individual had underlying health issues that affected their health in addition to having COVID-19.  This was the first COVID related death in the County since April.  The department is investigating any and all close contacts or possible exposures related to this individual.   At this time, it appears that the case was related to community transmission.

The Hood River County Health Department says it has received its first doses of COVID-19 vaccine for distribution to Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital, and local EMS and law enforcement staff for state guidelines.  A statement from the department says the current amount of vaccine received will not cover all those to receive vaccines in Phase 1a.  Walgreens has been contracted to distribute and administer vaccine to the County’s long term care facilities and they have begun scheduling visits.  Vaccinations of the first group of those designated Phase 1a from EMS and Law Enforcement are to take place Tuesday.  The County says it hopes to receive vaccine weekly and will continue to administer it to all those designated in Phase 1a.

New Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan was sworn into office Monday at a small ceremony on the steps of Dufur School, delivering inaugural remarks from the classroom she attended fourth grade in.  KTVZ in Bend reports Fagan’s oath was administered on the steps of the school by Judge Janet Stauffer, a Dufur resident.   Fagan, who was raised by a single father in Dufur and The Dalles, said in her remarks that she struggled early on both at home and in school, but her fourth grade teacher in Dufur saw her potential and invited her into his after-school chess club, and she eventually became the first girl in Oregon to win the state championship in her division.  Fagan was joined at the ceremony by her two children, her fiancé, and her aunt.

The recreational sturgeon season in The Dalles Pool of the Columbia River from The Dalles Dam upstream to John Day Dam closed Monday night under rules announced earlier in the day by fishery managers from Oregon and Washington.  The states are closing the sturgeon sport fishery to retention since the current catch guideline of 135 fish was exceeded in the first two days of fishing.  Catch rates were very good with an estimated 191 fish harvested the first two days of the year.  Sturgeon fishing remains open in the Bonneville and John Day pools, where the guidelines are 500 and 105 fish, respectively.  Retention sturgeon fishing is closed below Bonneville Dam and below Willamette Falls under permanent sport fishing regulations.  Except for specific sanctuaries, catch-and-release sturgeon fishing remains open in all of these waters, even when retention seasons are closed.

Mt. Hood Meadows officials say they have suspended the passes of some people at the ski report for not complying with masking guidelines and hostile behavior towards employees who ask them to wear their masks.  In a press release posted on the skihood.com website, General Manager Greg Pack confirmed they have removed some people from the mountain and that lift attendants have taken the brunt of hostile behavior.  Pack adds that moving forward if a skier needs to be reminded to wear a mask they will receive a warning, and if they are disrespectful or treat resort employees poorly their pass will be suspended for a minimum of two weeks.  Offenders will need to meet with Meadows management and agree to comply with the resort’s masking guidelines before a pass is reactivated.   If there are any further issues, the pass will be pulled for the entire season, and future season pass purchases will be jeopardized.  Mask compliance is required throughout the resort – on shuttles, in parking lots, in lodges, in lift lines, on chairlifts and all other outdoor locations where someone cannot maintain six feet of distance from those not in their party.  Meadows Chairman and CEO Matthew Drake said he appreciates the vast majority of guests who are complying with the guidelines.