The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a $19 billion program to help farmers and ranchers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The program includes $16 billion of direct support to farmers and ranchers based on actual losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted, and to assist producers with additional adjustment and marketing costs resulting from lost demand and short-term oversupply for the 2020 marketing year caused by COVID-19.  In addition, the USDA says it will partner with regional and local distributors to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat.  The distributors and wholesalers will then provide a pre-approved box of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products to food banks, community and faith based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.  A USDA statement indicated it will utilize other available funding sources to purchase and distribute food to those in need.

Data released this week by Columbia Gorge Community College shows an increase in the number of credit hours for which students are registering, reflecting a full tuition load of 15 or more credits per term, in spite of the college having to go completely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  CGCC vice president of student services Gerardo Cifuentes sasy that metric actually increased by 108 credit hours from spring term 2019 to spring term 2020, even with the technical challenges posed by often-limited access to broadband.  The actual number of students paying full tuition is unchanged from a year earlier at this same point in spring term.  In keeping with other institutions, CGCC did see a decline in “full-time equivalent” enrollment or “FTE,” a formula used by Oregon to calculate state financial support for institutions, from 257 FTE in spring 2019 to 229 FTE in spring term 2020.  Cifuentes said the loss in FTE is driven primarily by fewer K-12 students enrolled in “College Now,” one of three “dual credit” programs that enable high school seniors to gain college credit prior to high school graduation.  With school districts closed over COVID-19 self-isolation measures, College Now enrollment dropped by a large amount.  The college has been expanding its distance learning presence for several years, which helped soften the abrupt loss of on-campus classes when Oregon Governor Kate Brown ordered campuses closed.

Klickitat County will put a ban on outdoor burning in effect for its Burn Ban Zone One on May 1.  Zone One is defined as lands east of the Klickitat County Fire District #7 eastern boundary to include but not limited to Klickitat County Fire Districts #2, 9 and 10, and outside the jurisdictions of the Yakama Indian Nation and he Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.  It also prohibits the issuance of burn permits except for authorized agricultural burning.  Residential barbecues will be allowed.  The burn ban will be in effect through September 30.  The public is directed to check with the appropriate authorities concerning burning restrictions within the corporate limits of any city or town.

No positive COVID-19 tests have been reported in the region today.  There was one each in Wasco and Hood River counties on Wednesday.  That put Wasco County at 12 positive tests, and Hood River County at five.  Klickitat County remains at 16 positive COVID-19 tests, Skamania County three, and Sherman County one.  The Oregon Health Authority listed 68 new COVID-19 cases in an update of statewide numbers on Thursday, moving the total to 2,127, 24 percent of which have required hospitalization.  The death count moved up by five to 83.  In Washington, the latest statistics reported late Wednesday showed 12,494 cases of COVID-19 have been detected, with 692 deaths.

The Port of Hood River Commission has approved a policy for tenants that may seek rent relief during the COVID-19 crisis.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says they will deal with those tenants on a case-by-case basis.  Port documents indicated that 12 of their 23 commercial and industrial tenants are a seeing a more than 50% reduction in business, while the other 11 are seeing very little impact, and in some cases are extremely busy.  Most Port tenants have applied for the Federal Emergency Impact Disaster Loan and the Paycheck Protection Program.

The Hood River County School District is now a couple of weeks into using distance learning to finish the academic year.  Superintendent Sara Hahn-Huston says they have begun rolling out technology distribution to intermediate and primary school students this week.  Hahn-Huston says they have had good success of reaching nearly all of the district’s families to get them set up to continue their children’s education.  Internet connections have been the biggest barrier, with Hahn-Huston saying some parents are taking their children to school parking lots to use wi-fi, and the district is trying to acquire more hotspots.  One decision still to be determined is what kind of graduation ceremony can be held for Hood River Valley High School seniors.  Hahn-Huston says parents of seniors have received surveys asking what they would like to see in a ceremony.

Both Wasco and Hood River counties have reported a new positive test for COVID-19 counts in the region Wednesday.  That puts Wasco County at 12 positive tests, and Hood River County at five.  According to Hood River County Health Department Director Patricia Elliott, the latest case they received a positive test for is not associated with any other cases, has not been hospitalized, and is self-isolating at home.  She adds this patient is an employee of Rosauers Supermarket in Hood River who was last at work on April 19th.  Hood River County Health Department officials are remaining in close contact with the facility, infected person, and the identified contacts as their investigation continues.  Elliott emphasized a person is no more likely to have contracted the virus while visiting Rosauers than if you have been anywhere else in the community.  Klickitat County remains at 16 positive COVID-19 tests, Skamania County three, and Sherman County one.  The Oregon Health Authority listed 57 new COVID-19 cases in an update of statewide numbers on Wednesday, moving the total to 2,059, 24 percent of which have required hospitalization.  The death count remained at 78.  In Washington, the latest statistics reported late Tuesday showed 12,282 cases of COVID-19 have been detected, with 682 deaths.  Oregon reports it has received 39,126 negative tests, while Washington has had 132,749 negative tests.

A large number of business sector representatives from the region took part Wednesday in a webinar on the framework being developed by the state to reopen Oregon’s economy.  Nate Stice, the North Central Regional Solutions representative for Governor Kate Brown, said the big lift for the area is to get the testing and contact tracing capacity put together that is one of key prerequisites for beginning the reopening process along with having the proper health care capacity and personal protective equipment, and plans in place on how to protect health and safety of the workforce.  Stice noted the Columbia Gorge area has the extra burden of accounting for the potential of visitors that could come in once non-essential travel is allowed.  More of the details on the framework, including development of operational plans and geographic criteria, and the finalization of steps and guidelines is expected for the week of May 4.  Stice said the Governor was aware of the impact of the pandemic on the economy of rural Oregon, and if there are ways to keep it moving in the rural parts of the state, they are looking to do it.

The Port of Hood River is planning to resume tolling on the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge on May 1, and will implement a pay-by-license-plate billing system for all vehicles that do not have a BreezeBy transponder.  About seven days after a vehicle crosses the bridge, a pay-by-plate toll bill will be sent in the mail to the registered owners of that vehicle with charges for the $2 base toll rate plus a $3 ancillary fee per crossing, utilizing a system that is designed to normally be used to detect cars that go through without paying a toll.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee said they have received some criticism for the plan, but the bridge needs to get back to generating some revenue to pay for its operation and maintenance.  McElwee estimated that the Port has lost $600,000 to $800,000 in tolls since they had to stop accepting them due to safety concerns for toll-takers.  McElwee is emphasizing that BreezeBy still provides the lowest rates, and accounts can be set up at portofhoodriver.com.  He also says there will be the ability online and through the pay station at the Port’s marina office to avoid the ancillary fee without BreezeBy.  

The North Wasco County Education Foundation is in the midst of a fundraising campaign to generate $20,000 to provide Chromebooks & internet access so all students can participate in distance learning, and also food for a weekend backpack program and gas cards for needy families.   Foundation executive director Rebecca Thistlethwaite says it’s an attempt to provide some basic needs for families in District 21m adding many don’t have the Internet for their children to do distance learning.  To donate, go to www.northwascoed.org