With Hood River County entering Phase 2 of reopening on Friday, the City of Hood River will open some playgrounds in neighborhood parks soon, but not those at Children’s Park and Waterfront Park.  City Manager Rachel Fuller says they are doing maintenance checks on the neighborhood structures first before actually opening them.  Fuller did say there will be signs at the playgrounds indicating they will not be cleaning them.  Fuller added they will leave the Children’s Park and Waterfront Park play facilities closed for fear of overcrowding, saying those two locations draw a lot of people from the out of the area.

The Oregon Health Authority reported five new confirmed or presumed COVID-19 cases in Wasco County over the weekend…and none in Hood River County.  According to the OHA, Hood River County is at 87 cases and Wasco County 47.  The OHA reported 190 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday and one death, moving totals to 6,937 cases with 190 deaths.  New cases in the past seven days have accounted for 19% of all coronavirus cases in Oregon.  Washington state officials said as of Sunday they were at 28,680 cases with 1,270 deaths.  Klickitat County Monday added two cases to its total, moving to 54 COVID-19 cases, and the state now has Skamania County at five.

The Hood River County Health Department says regional contact tracers are indicating a group of visitors to Cascade Locks have tested positive for COVID-19.  A Health Department statement says the visitors were in the area since April 20, and one member of the group has been hospitalized.  Other members of this group have now returned home to other counties in Oregon.  The Health Department says at this time, it appears that risk of exposure is minimal to the community.  The department says it is working with community partners to schedule a testing event in Cascade Locks.

Klickitat County Commissioners on Tuesday will consider allowing all-terrain vehicles to use some roads in Dallesport and Bickleton.  The County has run a pilot program in Glenwood allowing the ATV’s on some roads, and Commissioner Rex Johnston says that appears to have gone well.  But to do it in Dallesport and Bickleton, the County would have to lower the speed limit on a number of roads from 50 to 35 miles per hour.  The hearing is scheduled for 1:30 Tuesday afternoon, and log-in information is available at klickitatcounty.org.  In other Klickitat County governmental news, the County Board of Health plans to hold a meeting on Thursday at 10 a.m. to discuss moving toward Phase 3 of reopening.

The Klickitat County Fair Board has announced it is cancelling the 2020 fair and rodeo except for the market livestock sale.  In a statement on its Facebook page, the board indicated it was in the best interest of volunteers, exhibitors, spectators, and community to protect the health and safety of everyone by cancelling this year’s event.  The statement also noted the decision was not taken lightly, given the time, heart, and investment put forth by those involved in the fair.  The board added they are looking forward to the 2021 Klickitat County Fair.

Crestline Construction will begin grinding and paving work at the intersection of Cherry Heights Road and West 2nd Street in The Dalles Tuesday through Friday of this week.  The work zone will be controlled with flaggers.  Turn restrictions may be in place, and the use of alternate routes is recommended.  Expect up to 15 minute delays.

Local health officials are urging people not to gather in large groups during the Father’s Day weekend as the numbers of COVID-19 could have risen in Oregon over the last week to ten days.  State epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said at a press conference that the surge in Oregon’s COVID-19 cases is coming from numerous sources, including large outbreaks in Union and Lincoln counties, workplace and congregate care outbreaks, and community spread that remains a concern.  But he added social gatherings as Oregon loosens restrictions is also a factor, and people should take precautions to protect themselves and others.  Sidelinger added that there is good evidence that places where wearing a face covering or mask is the norm see lowered COVID-19 rates.  

The Dalles Wasco County Library will enter phase 2 of its re-opening starting June 29^th.  Library officials say Phase 2 they will be open in a limited fashion, with only 15 patrons into the library at one time.  They will be asking the public to gather the materials that they would like to check out and to vacate.  An employee will take simple vitals and ask a couple of minor health questions as well.  Disposable masks will be available.  In addition, The Dalles Library summer reading program will take place virtually June 22.  A free app called Beanstack will be used to track reading and complete challenges for virtual raffle tickets.  Beanstack will also provide the opportunity to register for craft kits that will be available at the library.

The Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation is looking for vision providers in the eastern Columbia Gorge area to partner in providing discounted exams and eyeglasses for students in Sherman County.  The foundation provides vision screening to students throughout the state, and will be doing so again in Sherman County this November.  Providers are reimbursed through the KEX Kids Fund that is administered by the foundation.  Vision providers interested in helping can call the Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation at 503-413-7399.  Information on the program is available online at olshf.org.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown did not give specifics as to why Hood River County is one of seven that she is requiring masks to be worn in indoor public spaces beginning on Wednesday during a press conference Thursday morning.  Hood River County was approved to move into Phase 2 reopening from the COVID-19 pandemic starting Friday.  She was asked why the counties, which along with Hood River include the three Portland metro counties, Marion, Polk, and Lincoln, whose commission Brown said requested the order, were chosen for the face mask directive, and was fairly general in her reply, citing population density and protecting vulnerable communities.  In a statement, the Oregon Health Authority explained the recommendation to move Hood River County into Phase 2 of reopening from the COVID-19 pandemic beginning Friday, saying it has had only one hospitalization in the past two weeks, and that public health officials have done follow-up for all new cases, which have fallen by half in the last week.  Brown’s face mask directive did not include any specific guidelines, with state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger saying they would be issued early next week.  And when asked about enforcement, Brown said people would not be arrested for not wearing masks, but mainly made an emotional appeal.