What the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office described as a “multiple vehicle pileup” on Highway 35 near White River tied up traffic on that road for a time on Sunday afternoon.  The Oregon State Police say there was no major crash, but instead multiple slide offs and people getting stuck in some wintry conditions.  There were no injuries.  The OSP is reminding motorists that as snow arrives in the mountains, higher elevation roadways hazardous.  Be prepared and have traction tires or devices, and know road conditions before you go by visiting tripcheck.com.

With the 2020 election in the rear view mirror for many people, Hood River County continues to look at how to establish a ballot drop box somewhere in the mid or upper Hood River Valley.  The County had received request from some citizens prior to the just concluded election to get a new drop box established, but County Administrator Jeff Hecksel noted the security needs for such a box made it difficult to quickly put a location together, especially a temporary one.  That is a less of an issue if they acquire a permanent box.  Hecksel says the Records and Assessment Department has applied for a grant to purchase a new box.

Republican challenger Jeff Helfrich continues to creep closer to incumbent Democrat Anna Williams in the Oregon House District 52 election after another round of election returns were released out of Clackamas County on Friday, but the gains were not as substantial as in updates issued Thursday.  Williams now has 18,219 votes while Helfrich is at 17,439, with Libertarian Stephen Alder now at 919.  That leaves Williams with a 780-vote lead.  Thursday that lead dropped from 1,875 votes to 891 over two updates.  Clackamas County will release another update late today.  

The Hood River County School District announced Thursday evening it intends to reopen elementary schools for hybrid learning for kindergarten through fifth grade students on November 30. The County currently meets the Oregon Department of Education’s metrics to reopen schools for elementary students…but must continue to meet the health criteria that is posted weekly.  Under a weekly hybrid schedule, each student will be assigned to an A Day group or a B day group.  A Day students will receive on-site instruction Mondays and Thursdays, and B Day students on Tuesdays and Fridays.  The school day will align with current comprehensive distance learning schedules…beginning at approximately 7:45 a.m. and ending at about 11:45, with distance learning activities in the afternoon.  The district did set two additional closure days for K-5 students to allow for elementary school staff training and preparation on November 23 and 24.  Students in grades 6-12 will continue to have distance learning on those days.

A 28-year-old man was arrested on charges related to a carjacking in The Dalles on Tuesday.  The Dalles City Police say the man identified as Marcos Antonio Vargas is lodged at NORCOR.  The police department says the Vargas was being pursued by the Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office on westbound Interstate 84 on Tuesday when he came into the city limits and then allegedly stole a local citizen’s vehicle at gunpoint.  It was located a short time later by Wasco County Sheriff’s deputies, and in the pursuit the vehicle crashed at the intersections of Highways 216 and 3, where the suspect was taken into custody.  Vargas received medical attention and then was booked into NORCOR on numerous charges.  The Dalles Police says Vargas is not a resident of Wasco County and has no known ties to the community.  The public is encouraged to call The Dalles Police Department at 541-296-2613 if they have any information about the case.

North Central Public Health District Health Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell says the COVID-19 outbreak at the Oregon Veterans Home in The Dalles has been well contained to this point.  McDonell told Wasco County Commissioners that between practices the Veterans Home already in place and quick response to the initial cases there, the Department of Social and Health Service reported all recommendations are being followed.  She added the Veterans Home was able to safely isolate residents who were affected and impacted staff members were in quarantine.  Two residents and four staff members were diagnosed with COVID, along with some other family members.  Residents and staff at the Veterans Home will be tested weekly until there are two consecutive weeks of negative tests.

Wasco County Clerk Lisa Gambee says the ballot counting process went smoothly on election night.  Gambee told Wasco County Commissioners because of early ballot returns…they were able to process and tabulate 10,800 ballots by the end of Monday, and they counted about 14,000 ballots in total.  She notes the election won’t be certified for 20 days.  During the next two weeks people whose ballot signature was challenged for forgot to sign will have an opportunity to correct.  Gambee said races that had any kind of volume of votes are unlikely had to change from that small percentage of ballots.

The Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge will be closed to all vehicle traffic for 5 hours starting at 11:00 p.m. Thursday until Friday at 4:00 a.m.  Port officials say the closure is required for repairs to the bridge’s lift span bearings.  Bridge access will be closed at the Washington and Oregon approach ramps and motorists must use alternate routes to cross the Columbia River during these hours.  Emergency response vehicles will need to coordinate emergency crossings through their 911 dispatch departments, but there will be extended periods during which no crossings are possible.  For more information, contact the Port of Hood River via email to porthr@gorge.net.

Rich Mays won re-election to his second term as Mayor of The Dalles.  Mays received 4,252 votes to 1,814 for Solea Kabokov and 698 for Jason Garrett Gibson.  The two incumbents for The Dalles City Council stayed on the panel by narrow margins.  For Position 2 Darcy Long-Curtiss had 3,193 votes to 3,095 for John Willer, and for Position 5 Rod Runyon grabbed 3,305 votes to 3,192 for Tiffany Prince.  Dan Richardson was elected to Position 4 with 3,968 votes to 1,256 for John Grant IV and 596 for Forust Ercole.  Wayne Jacobson won the Northern Wasco PUD Subdivision 3 board seat with 575 votes to 446 for John Amery.  South Wasco School District’s bond measure was approved, 751 votes to 607.  Peggy Sue Tucker was elected as Mayor of Antelope with 21 votes to 4 for John Silvertooth-Stewart.  Michael Small received 19 votes and Joseph Walter 12 for two seats on the Shaniko City Council, with Louie McKenzie receiving 7.  Shaniko’s five-year renewal for its fire protection district was being defeated 12 to 11.

https://results.oregonvotes.gov/ResultsSW.aspx?type=CTYALL&cty=24&map=CTY

The Hood River County elections’ office on Wednesday said Cathy Fallon and Tamara Ferrell topped a lengthy list of write-in candidates to earn positions on the Cascade Locks City Council.  Butch Miller was the only name on the ballot for the three positions, and won a seat with 454 votes.  Fallon received 114 write-in votes and Ferrell 93…with Jackie Bradford next with 81 votes.  58 different people received at least one write-in vote, with 22 receiving two or more votes.  Among the more unusual votes, one was cast for Kanye West, and one for miscellaneous.

The four incumbents retained their position in Hood River municipal elections on Tuesday.   Kate McBride retained the mayoral position, receiving 2,483 votes to 1,339 for Dani Correa.  Gladys Rivera was the top vote getter for City Council with 2,227, with Megan Saunders right behind at 2,223 and Mark Zanmiller taking the third spot at 1,839.  Susan Johnson received 1,639, Brian Towey 1,470, and Don Harring 911.  Bobby Dale Walker was elected as Mayor of Cascade Locks with 339 votes, with Samantha Verschuren receiving 266.  Revisions to the Hood River County Charter were approved by over 75 percent of voters, 8,045 to 2,613…and the measure in Cascade Locks setting service fees for self-sustaining city cemetery operations was approved 379 to 276.

https://results.oregonvotes.gov/ResultsSW.aspx?type=CTYALL&cty=25&map=CTY