Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has introduced legislation to encourage farming practices that improve soil health and crop resilience and lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.  The Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act builds on a 2018 Farm Bill provision authored by Wyden by creating a permanent soil health program through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  The program would provide $100 million to producers who adopt practices designed to improve soil health through increasing carbon levels in soil.  The bill establishes protocols for measuring soil organic carbon levels before and after these practices begin in order to determine which farming practices store the most carbon.  The act would also establish a Soil Health and Carbon Science Research Program at Agriculture Research Stations that would provide grants to land-grant colleges and universities to conduct research relating to soil health and carbon science and do work at Agriculture Research Stations of the Department of Agriculture.

The Oregon Health Authority on Friday reported 550 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in the state, surpassing the previous highest daily case count by over 100.  There were three deaths reported, moving that number to 649.  The OHA says preliminary data shows the increase is due to continued widespread community transmission resulting in small clusters and outbreaks across the state.   OHA officials said the case count is a reminder that Oregonians cannot let their guards down.  The agency published new face covering guidance this week, which requires that people consistently wear face coverings while indoors at their workplace or all other places where they will be in contact with people from outside their household.  OHA has also asked Oregonians to rethink Halloween – avoid traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating and avoid costume parties with people outside their own households and wear a face covering.  Friday’s count includes four new COVID cases in Hood River County and two in Wasco County.   Hood River County is now at 277 total confirmed or presumptive cases…and the County Health Department says 268 are out of isolation and do not have specific symptoms.   Wasco County is at 347 total cases for the pandemic, with the North Central Public Health District indicating 258 are recovered using a standard of 30 days from the onset of illness with no symptoms, up four from Thursday.

North Wasco County School District 21 Interim Superintendent Theresa Peters told district board members the metrics for going to in-person instruction are not looking good right now.  Peters had previously announced comprehensive distance learning would continue until at the least the end of the current trimester, but she does continue to constantly monitor the metrics.  She alluded to Thursday’s Oregon Health Authority report of ten additional COVID-19 cases in Wasco County.  Peters says anything about nine cases in a week sets them back.  It must remain under that mark for three weeks to allow for K-3 students to return to classrooms.  Peters added they continue to collaborate with the North Central Public Health District on any changes that may occur.

Ballots continue to come in to local election offices at a steady clip.  As of this morning, Hood River County reports that 37.2% of the ballots it sent out have already been returned, 5,890 out of 15,823 distributed.  And it’s a similar situation in Wasco County, with 5,963 having been received out of the 18,403 mailed out, for 32.6%  Four years ago at this point 23.5% of ballots had been returned in Wasco County and 20.6% in Hood River County.  In Oregon, ballots must be received in county election offices or official drop boxes by 8 p.m. on November 3.

North Wasco County School District 21’s enrollment as of September 30 was down by 192 students from last year.  D-21 Chief Financial Officer Kara Flath told the district board a financial impact on future funding from the state is difficult to project.  She says there would be no effect this year, and while normally a substantial drop in enrollment would lead to a drop in funding, D-21 is not alone in seeing this kind of student decrease, so that would blunt the impact.  Flath said 32% of the decrease is attributed to students moving into home schooling, 28% is due to relocation, 23% have transferred to other options, and the remainder either went to a private school or they are unsure of the reason.

The City of White Salmon has begun accepting applications for its COVID-19 CARES Act funded Community Relief Fund and Business and Nonprofit Grant.  The White Salmon Community Relief Fund will provide grants up to $1000 for families who can show a hardship related to COVID-19 such as reduced work hours or unemployment or changes in childcare/schooling.  The grants will cover payment of utilities, rent or mortgage payments.  The White Salmon Business and Nonprofit Grant Program will provide grants up to $10,000 to eligible businesses or nonprofits who have been impacted by COVID19 and are Small Business Administration eligible.  Businesses must be located within the city limits of White Salmon.  Applications are available online at www.white-salmon.net/COVID19.  Deadline to apply is Wednesday, November 4 at 5 p.m.

North Central Public Health District Health Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell told Wasco County Commissioners that there have been no COVID-19 cases associated with the outbreak at Flagstone Senior Living and its memory care unit since October 1.  The outbreak that started September 5 resulted in 52 confirmed COVID cases with 12 fatalities.  McDonell said there were a number of lessons to be learned, most notably the importance of quick testing, and increasing understanding of the symptoms in older adults in long-term care and to be on the alert for them.  McDonell added communication is also critical, and working hard with all families and agencies involved to be forthcoming about information without invading privacy.

While the Hood River County School District eyes returning to in-person instruction for students in kindergarten through third grade by November 9, it has determined students in fourth through twelfth grade will remain in comprehensive distance learning until the end of the first semester on February 2.  District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn said the semester date is most important for high school students, and also the district wants people to be able to do some planning for the near-term.  Hood River County does not currently meet ODE and OHA health metrics to reopen schools for in-person instruction for students in grades 4-12

Public lands managers are wondering how the recent wildfires in the western part of the state might impact recreation in the Columbia River Gorge.  Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Manager Lynn Burditt told the Wasco County Commission that the potential closure of recreation sites in the Willamette Valley could change visitation patterns next year in the Gorge.  Burditt said the Bi-State Recreation Insights Group put together during the pandemic will continue to meet to prepare for what they could see this winter and into next spring and summer.

With less than two weeks until the 2020 election, more than 16% of Oregon’s registered voters have already returned their ballots.  By comparison, data from the Oregon Secretary of State Office’s Elections Division shows at this time during the 2016 presidential election, 12.8% of the state’s voters had mailed their ballot, and it was 11.4% in 2012.  As of this morning, Hood River County reports that 29.1% of the ballots it sent out have already been returned…4,596 out of 15,809 distributed.  And it’s a similar situation in Wasco County, with 4,868 having been received out of the 18,298 mailed out, for 26.6%.  In Oregon, ballots must be received in county election offices or official drop boxes by 8 p.m. on November 3.