The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center is going to be open on weekends only until further notice.  The museum did a soft open last Saturday, and executive director Carolyn Purcell says they had about 60 people come in the doors.  She says the Discovery Center board decided this week they weren’t ready to go to their regular daily schedule, .and they will stick with weekends for at least a month.  Safety measures include directing visitors through the Center on a certain path, hand sanitizer stations located throughout the building, touching of exhibits is not allowed, the Kids’ Explorer Room is closed, and the regular live raptor programs will not take place tp avoid people congregating, even though the raptors will be on display from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The Discovery Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Access to Cherry Heights Road in The Dalles from West 2nd Street will be closed to westbound traffic on Monday and Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.  It’s to allow concrete crews to construct a new turn lane.  Motorists heading westbound on West 2nd will need to detour via Webber Street to West 6th or take West 6th from downtown.  Vehicles coming off the eastbound freeway ramp, or going eastbound on West 2nd will still be able to turn onto Cherry Heights.  Those heading out of Cherry Heights onto West 2nd will only be allowed an eastbound, right hand, turn.

The Klickitat County Board of Health unanimously voted to apply to move the County into Phase 3 of reopening in the state of Washington.  County Commissioners, who also serve on the Board of Health, will have to approve the application at their meeting this Tuesday before it goes to the state.  Commissioner David Sauter says even though they vote to submit the application they still have plenty of concerns including mixed messaging, pointing out that if they move to Phase 3 it will be more important than ever for people to practice physical distancing and to wear face coverings.  The county will have to meet five criteria to advance to Phase 3, including having no more than five cases per week over a two week period.    

While Hood River County is under Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s directive to require face coverings in indoor public places, that doesn’t mean people have to wear a mask all the time.  County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg says you don’t have to put a face covering on in the morning and leave it on all day.  He says simply wear it when going into public indoor locations like the grocery store or the pharmacy.  North Central Public Health District Health Officer Mimi McDonell recommended to the Wasco County Commission that they opt-in to the Governor’s face covering directive, and that panel will consider it at a meeting this coming Wednesday.  The state of Washington has a similar directive from Governor Jay Inslee starting on Friday.

In a discussion with Wasco County Commissioners on Wednesday about receiving assistance from the state during the coronavirus pandemic, out-going North Central Public Health District Executive Director Teri Thalhofer said she’s never encountered a public health response as politicized as what is currently taking place.  Thalhofer said during the H1N1 crisis a little over ten years ago, the Governor’s office didn’t weigh in much, but it’s different this time in respect to who is doing what, how things get framed, and what the information is.  She added some items have gone to legislative committees before being released.  Thalhofer is retiring and leave her position at the end of the month.  Shellie Campbell will serve as interim director while the search for a permanent replacement takes place.

North Central Public Health District Officer Dr. Mimi McDonell recommended that Wasco County opt-in to Governor Kate Brown’s face covering order currently in effect in seven counties.  McDonell told Wasco County Commissioners on Wednesday that numerous studies are now showing that populations where at least 50 percent of people are wearing masks in public settings are able to significantly reduce transmission of COVID-19.  She added that it doesn’t appear Wasco County is getting that rate of face covering use, and if the County is going to be realistic about reducing transmission she recommends opting-in to the state guidance.  McDonell said Wasco County’s total of COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic is now at 56, an increase of four from Tuesday’s numbers.  County Commissioners will consider her recommendation at a meeting next Wednesday.

Hood River County’s increase in COVID-19 cases since an outbreak in late May seems to be diminishing.  County Health Department Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg says many of the 89 cases that have been reported since the pandemic have recovered, and more will reach that point soon.  He estimated about 70 cases are listed in the County, and more will reach that point this week.  Van Tilburg says recreational social gatherings continue to be the main source of cases in the County, .and that face coverings that are now required in indoor public settings in the County help reduce transmission rates.  He also encourages people to continue to wash their hands, stay home when sick, and employ physical distancing.  

A statewide public health order is requiring people in Washington state to wear facial coverings in most indoor and outdoor public settings. A separate proclamation requires even more stringent requirements on Yakima County, one of the areas hardest hit by the coronavirus. In addition to being covered by the statewide mandate on masks in public, there will now be a legal requirement that prohibits people from entering a place of business _ either indoors or outdoors _ without first donning a mask. Under that same proclamation, businesses in Yakima County are prohibited from allowing a customer to enter a business, or conduct business with a customer in any public space unless the customer is wearing a face covering. The orders take effect Friday.

Wasco County Commissioners joined with The Dalles City Council and the Port of The Dalles in approving a resolution opposing revisions to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Management Plan they believe would unfairly restrict growth for cities in the Scenic Area by severely limiting the size of urban growth boundary expansion requests.  The current proposal would limit UGB increases to one percent or 20 acres.  County Commission Chair Scott Hege said the limitations being considered would stifle economic development in the Gorge.  The Gorge Commission is holding a public comment meeting via ZOOM on Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Northern Wasco Parks and Recreation District will open its swimming pool July 1, but it won’t operate as usual.  District Executive Director Scott Baker says they will have 90 minute open swims at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. each day with limitations on the numbers of people that can be on site during any one session.  He added they worked with North Central Public Health District to develop a safe operations plan.  Swimmers should arrive in their swimsuit, showered, and ready to get into the pool.  The pool lobby, concession stand, and locker rooms will be closed.  For full information, go to nwprd.org.  The Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation District announced the Hood River Aquatic Center will open on Thursday.  That facility has established an online reservation system for its various sessions, and is available at hoodriverparksandrec.org.