The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce is working with state officials on a “shop at home” campaign to help local businesses.  Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson says with the pandemic it’s more important than ever to help hometown stores that have been impacted by a loss of business.  Farquharson says many local businesses have adapted by using on-line and telephone ordering during the pandemic, but it’s important the community is aware the businesses are out there and of what they contribute to local life.

The Dalles Public Works Department will continue to paint the center and side lines on streets throughout the community through Thursday beginning at 6:00 a.m. each day, weather permitting.  Motorists are asked to watch for the crews and avoid driving on the wet paint.  The paint truck will be preceded and followed by warning vehicles, with signs calling attention to the wet paint.  The trucks will be spaced according to the necessary drying time of the paint.  Attempting to pass or drive between the trucks will result in a messy striping job and paint damage to the motorist’s vehicle.  Motorists are strongly advised to avoid the wet paint because it cannot be easily removed from vehicles.  Proceed with caution around work areas and observe all temporary traffic control devices.

Public hearings on the last series of updates for the Wasco County Comprehensive Land Use Plan are scheduled for September before the County Planning Commission.  Wasco County Long-Range Planner Kelly Howsley-Glover says these in the Wasco 2040 project include new policies for forestlands and recreation, revisions to sensitive wildlife maps, and an introduction chapter.  She says this includes a new destination resort eligibility map.  The only two areas eligible for a destination resort in the update are in the Pine Grove area and the Big Muddy area where the Washington Ranch Young Life camp is already located.  Two locations in the Petersburg area where removed from consideration earlier in the process.  The hearings will take place online this Tuesday and September 15, both beginning at 3 p.m.  Log-on information is available at wasco2040.com.

North Wasco County School District 21 is going to start distance learning orientation with parents and students on Wednesday, with a soft start to the school year on Thursday and next Friday.  D-21 Interim Superintendent Theresa Peters told the district board on Thursday night the orientation was originally set for earlier in the week, but teachers expressed concern they needed more time to prepare.  Peters said moving the orientation can provide that time while maintaining the planned start of the school year on Thursday.  Peters said individual schools are pushing out orientation information to students.

The Mt. Hood National Forest says beginning today Forest Road 1300 will be barricaded and closed at the junction with Jones Creek Road on weekends when capacity limits at Lost Lake Resort and Campground area met.  That’s four miles from the entrance to Lost Lake.  Forest officials say vehicle parking along the entrance roads to the resort has become a public health and safety concern, adding emergency personnel cannot get through when the roads become congested.  Visitors are advised to have a backup plan if forest locations are full, and do not park in the road where you could prevent someone from receiving lifesaving care from emergency response.  Forest officials advise that arriving before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m., and visiting during the mid-week are great ways to beat the crowds.

The White River Fire grew dramatically Thursday evening, up to 9,791 acres as of Friday morning.  That’s up by over 7,000 acres from Thursday morning.  Fire Public Information Officer Mary Ellen Fitzgerald says strong winds led to the fire making a big push to the east from the Mt. Hood National Forest onto state and private lands.  The fire is just north of the community of Pine Grove and has moved on to state lands in the Smock Prairie area, burning from the northwest to the southeast down the White River and moving into juniper trees and rangeland flats.  The weather forecast for today calls for 9 to 15 mile per hour winds…but also lower humidity.  Fitzgerald says the fire breached primary, alternate, and contingency lines, forcing fire officials to re-evaluate their strategies, but they will have a full complement of resources with over 600 firefighters on site.  There are also four heavy helicopters and a smaller helicopter, and fixed wing retardant drops were called in yesterday.  She adds a Type 1 management team will be coming in to manage fire operations on Saturday.  Fitzgerald says Oregon Governor Kate Brown has invoked the conflagration act, and structural strike teams from the state Fire Marshal’s office are being brought in to protect homes and other buildings in the fire area.  Evacuation advisories issued yesterday remain in effect as of this morning.  The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office gave a Level 3 “Go Now” order for residents who live from Bear Springs Ranger Station along Highway 216 through Pine Grove, to the intersection of Endersby Road and Highway 216, including homes on Endersby, Linns Mill, and Kelly Springs roads.  There were a number of other Level 1 and 2 evacuation advisories issued.  Full evacuation information is on the Wasco County Sheriff’s Facebook page.

The U.S. Forest Service has implemented a reservation system through rec.gov to manage crowd size and provide assured public access to Multnomah Falls and the Multnomah Falls Historic Lodge.  Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Manager Lynn Burditt says the ticketing system is an attempt to ensure a sense of people able to visit the site when they want to while managing crowd sizes.  It’s available at rec.gov.  Upon arrival at Multnomah Falls, visitors must use the Interstate 84 parking lot at exit 31.  There is no parking available along the Historic Columbia River Highway by Multnomah Falls.   Give yourself enough time to arrive within the one-hour time slot reserved; early and late arrivals will not be granted access to Multnomah Falls.

Oregon Health Authority officials said during a Thursday press briefing that the state’s positive COVID-19 trends continue.  OHA Director Patrick Allen said for the week ending this past Sunday cases were down 13 percent from the previous week, and it was the third straight week with a decline.  The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests also dropped from 5.4 % to 5.1%.    But Allen said there is still a long way to go, especially to open schools to in-person learning.  Allen said hospitalizations have dropped by 41% since August 14, but added that must be confirmed by additional data.

The Oregon Department of Forestry said Thursday the Mosier Creek Fire is now in patrol status as mop-up activities have been completed.  Firefighters have established a 300 foot “black” area adjacent to the fire edge and any homes within the fire area, and eliminated any smoke or heat adjacent to the fire edge.  ODF and Mosier Fire will regularly patrol the fire to look for smoke or fire within that edge area.  ODF officials say as fire consumes areas of un-burned fuel within the interior of the fire, smoke may be visible to the public, but usually poses little risk.  However, people concerned about fire activity within the perimeter are encouraged to call The Dalles Unit of ODF at 541-296-4626.  Smoke will likely continue until significant precipitation occurs in the region to dampen fuels and put the fire completely out.

The Columbia Gorge Community College Board of Education has ratified the final construction budget for its new skills center and student housing on its campus in The Dalles.  CGCC Vice-President of Instruction Jarett Gilbert says the school’s plans have not been deterred by the COVID-19 pandemic, but did note the number of rooms in the housing project had to be looked at.  The skills center will house metal fabrication and construction trades programs along with aviation maintenance training.  Completion is set for next summer.