The Klickitat County Department of Health Saturday afternoon confirmed a case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).  According to a statement from Klickitat County Emergency Management, the patient is not considered to be a high risk for community transmission.   They did not identify where in Klickitat County the patient was.  In the statement, the County indicates that while the risk to the general public is low, officials are working to identify and contact all those who may have come in contact with the confirmed case so they can be monitored for fever and respiratory symptoms.

Klickitat County officials remind people need to be diligent with social distancing by remaining out of group settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining six feet or more from others if possible.  Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and clean and disinfect objects and surfaces around your house and business.​

Stay home if you have one of the following symptoms…a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, or a cough, or shortness of breath.  Call ahead before visiting your doctor, the hospital, or emergency department.

School districts around Oregon are preparing to follow Governor Kate Brown’s order to close effective on Monday and remain so through Tuesday, March 31.  That’s the cancellation for most district of seven class days, as spring break was scheduled for most schools the week of March 23.

 

The Hood River County School District says it is finalizing plans to provide meal options at several of its sites, and details will be shared as soon as they are confirmed.  Preschools, Primetime programs and childcare providers that are located on school campuses will not be open during the school closure.  The district says it will not be providing distance learning at this time, and whether the days will be made up at the end of the school year or by other schedule changes has not been determined.

           

North Wasco County School District 21 says they will expect staff to return March 30, two days in advance of the planned reopening, but they will assess and confirm or adjust the return dates on March 25.  D-21 will provide meals as a grab and go option from 11 a.m. to noon this Monday through Friday at Chenowith Elementary School and The Dalles Middle School.  The D-21 board announced it will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m. that can be viewed on the District’s webpage.

 

The White Salmon Valley School District says it will be open on Monday, then shut down until April 24, following Governor Jay Inslee’s decision to shut down all K-12 public schools in Washington to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  District administration indicated they are working on a plan to meet the needs of the community during the shutdown, and will have more information in the near future.

 

The Stevenson-Carson School District says on its Facebook page that with Washington Governor Jay Inslee closing all public schools in the state until April 24, they know most state testing has been cancelled for this year, and the last day of school will not be passed on June 19.  The district statement indicates top priority has been given to providing a way for seniors to graduate on time.  The Stevenson district is also prepared to provide breakfast and lunch for students beginning on Monday, partnering with Stevenson-Carson Educational Foundation to supplement these meals occasionally with additional items beyond what a federally funded lunch program can provide.  The meals will be delivered via our school bus routes or available for pickup at our schools between 10 and 12 p.m.   The district is advising its residents to watch their e-mail and Facebook for additional information and an opportunity to sign up for free food for all children.

 

Columbia Gorge Community College will stay open, but CGCC is expanding its on-line instructional capacity so that students will be able to access their classes remotely to the greatest extent possible through virtual conferencing tools.  CGCC is also abiding by Oregon Govenor Kate Brown’s ban on large public events with more than 250 people, effective immediately, through April 8.  That may affect some activities over the next four weeks.  Hands-on career-technical programs and labs will continue in person, but with social distancing measures to maintain a distance of at least three feet between individuals.  College-associated gatherings and group activities that do not allow for individuals to maintain a distance of three feet or more from one another will be cancelled.  CGCC will limit all non-essential travel, including in- and out-of-state, as well as limit all non-essential meetings above 20 people, using virtual conferencing as an alternative.  The college’s Small Business Development Center is working with the SBDC state network to provide comprehensive economic resilience and emergency preparedness for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 virus and other issues in general.  College administrators are reviewing which positions at the college may have the opportunity to work remotely from home.  All operational changes will remain in place through at least April 8.

 

The City of Hood River has suspended official meetings and cancelled all non-essential City meetings, including committee meetings, through April 1.  In addition, Hood River Municipal Court traffic arraignments scheduled for this Tuesday have been pushed back to April 7 at 8:30 a.m., and those scheduled for March 24 have been moved to April 3 at 8:30 a.m.  The City of Hood River is reminds community members if you want to reach municipal government without going to City Hall, questions to City departments can be answered by calling 541-386-1488 or by using the “live chat” function on the City’s website at cityofhoodriver.gov.   People can also sign up for City of Hood River email messages at the website.

 

Scheduled interviews for a vacancy on The Dalles City Council that had been scheduled for Monday have been canceled.  A new date for the interviews is to be announced.

 

White Salmon Mayor Marla Keethler has issued an emergency proclamation related to COVID-19, announcing City Council, Planning Commission, and committee meetings have been cancelled through the end of the month.  Keethler said they are identifying procedures to keep the City operating, and they have information on COVID-19 as it relates to City operations at white-salmon.net.  She added municipal staff is working to put into place procedures to hold meetings online or via telephone.  At this time, the City of White Salmon is not requiring that events within the city limits be cancelled, but they are encouraging that organizations consider cancelling or postponing events that are not essential at this time.

 

Tuesday’s Bingen City Council meeting has been cancelled and Bingen City Hall will be closed to the public until March 24.  During the closure, payments may be left in the drop box outside City Hall, made over the phone, or sent in via the mail.  City employees will be available by phone and email during normal business hours: Tuesday-Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm.

 

Cancellations

Hood River Valley Adult Center will be closed starting Monday until April 8.  Staff will still be working to cook and deliver all Meals on Wheels to all clients.  For those members of our community who come to the daily meal served at the center, you can still come and pick up a meal to take away and eat. They will be set up outside so that you can just drive up and pick up your meal.

 

Mid-Columbia Senior Center will be open next week.  Call 541-296-4788 to make sure your class is meeting.

 

The City Of Hood River has suspended official meetings and cancelled all-non essential and committee meetings through April 1.

 

Bingen City Hall is closed until March 24.

 

The Hood River County Chamber of Commerce suspended all meetings and official Chamber events for the next 30 days, and has postponed the Hood River Cider Fest from April 18 to May 30.

 

Hood River Alliance Church worship services are cancelled for the month of March.

 

Columbia Center for the Arts will suspend all public performances and events through April 10, 2020, including Charlotte’s Web, the Banff Center Mountain Film Festival, and Lunafest. 

 

Starting Today

Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries Programs (including Klickitat and Skamania counties)

Remaining performances of West Side Story by the Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association are postponed.

 

Saturday

OSU Extension Central Gorge Master Gardeners Classes

Hood River Library Foundation Festival of Words

White Salmon Special Olympics Italian Night postponed to April 18.

Maryhill Museum of Art programs through March 31 (the museum will open for its season on Sunday)

The Dalles Mayor Rich Mays’ Second Saturday Gathering

The Dalles Federal Street Spring Fling

Mid-Columbia Senior Center Bingo

 

Sunday

Mid-Columbia Senior Center Pie, Jam, and Dance

 

Monday

The Dalles City Council vacancy interviews.

Hood River Valley High School booster club meeting.

 

Tuesday

St. Patrick’s Day at St. Peter’s Landmark Concert

The Dalles Urban Renewal Agency Meeting

Unit 20 Retired Educators Meeting

Hood River Municipal Court Traffic Arraignments have been rescheduled to Tuesday April 7 @ 8:30 am

Bingen City Council meeting.

 

Wednesday

Aging in the Gorge/Gorge Ecumenical Ministries event on aging postponed until April 15.

Sense of Place Lecture Series: Confluence Story is postponed.

White Salmon City Council meeting cancelled.

 

Tuesday, March 24

Hood River Municipal Court Traffic Arraignments have been rescheduled to April 3 @ 8:30 am

 

 

April 25

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation event at the Hood River County Fairgrounds.

 

Oregon Governor Kate Brown said Thursday the state should prepare for numerous cases of coronavirus as she announced a ban on all organized gatherings of more than 250 people statewide until April 8 to try to stop the spread of COVID-19.  Brown said at a Portland news conference that “we find ourselves in an unprecedented public health crisis” and immediate action must be taken.  Brown clarified the ban applies to organized events, but it does not apply to other places where large numbers of people gather, including stores, shopping centers, and schools.  The order issued late Wednesday defines a gathering as any event in a space in which a minimum of three feet cannot be maintained.  Brown said that includes even weddings, adding if one is planned for fewer than 250 attendees, the elderly and those with health conditions should not go.  Brown said all schools should stay open, but all non-essential school-associated gatherings and group activities should be canceled — such as group parent meetings, field trips, and competitions.  She recommended businesses implement an increased physical space between employees, limit travel, and stagger work schedules where possible, adding she will bring together a group of business representatives to devise a plan for how businesses can ride the crisis out.

Three people have filed to run in the Democratic primary for the Oregon House seat in District 59 as the filing deadline for Oregon’s May 19 election passed on Tuesday, and two are from the Mid-Columbia.  North Wasco County School District 21 board member Solea Kabokov and Mosier Mayor Arlene Burns are running for the nomination along with Tyler Gabriel of Culver.  Incumbent Daniel Bonham is unopposed for the Republican nomination.  In the 52^nd District incumbent Anna Williams is the lone Democrat on the ballot while Jeff Helfrich is the lone Republican.  It’s a similar situation in the 57^th District, with Republican incumbent Greg Smith and Democrat Roland Ruhe having filed.  For the State Senate seats in the area Lynn Findley is the lone Republican and Carina Miller the lone Democrat to file for the 30^th District, while 29^th District incumbent Bill Hansell is challenged for the Republican nomination by Garison Alger, while Mildred O’Callaghan is the only Democrat to file.

There will be contested County Commission races in both Wasco and Hood River counties in May.  Incumbent Wasco County Commissioner Steve Kramer will be challenged by The Dalles attorney Marcus Swift for position two on that panel, while former Hood River Mayor Arthur Babitz and Hood River firefighter and paramedic Paul Henke are the candidates for the District 2 seat on the Hood River County Commission that is being vacated by Rich McBride.  Two incumbents on the Hood River County Commission are unopposed:  Chair Mike Oates and District 4 representative Les Perkins.  The District Attorney positions in Hood River and Wasco counties are both contested, with Carrie Rasmussen and Sean Kallery the candidates to replace retiring Hood River D.A. John Sewell, and Wasco County incumbent D.A. Eric Nisley is opposed by The Dalles attorney Matthew Ellis.  Both Hood River County Sheriff Matt English and Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill are unopposed for re-election.  Others who are unopposed in Wasco County are assessor Jill Amery, clerk Lisa Gambee, and treasurer Elijah Preston.  Karen Ostrye is unopposed for Position 3 Judge in 7^th Circuit Court District.

There are plenty of candidates hoping to succeed the retiring Greg Walden in the Second Congressional District.  Eleven Republicans and seven Democrats that have filed for the May primary.  The most recognizable names are seeking the GOP nomination, including former state legislators Jason Atkinson, Cliff Bentz, and Knute Buehler.  The only Democrat with prior elected office experience is former Union County Commissioner Jack Howard.

There has been limited testing done in the Mid-Columbia, but so far there have been no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the local area.  Hood River County Health Department Director Trish Elliott says they have continued their efforts to educate people and preventing spread of not just the coronavirus but other communicable diseases.  She says a key element is for people who are sick to stay home, adding a number of employers are screening employees every day.  The Oregon Health Authority is using 2-1-1 as the go-to public phone number to get general information about COVID-19.  2-1-1 can answer informational questions about symptoms, prevention, transmission, treatment, travel health, animals and pets, and persons under investigation and/or monitoring.  The 2-1-1 service is available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The Dalles City Council discussed its buildable lands inventory and urban growth boundary expansion options during a worksession devoted to those topics Monday evening.  Councilors heard from representatives of the consulting firm working on the inventory, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, and the Columbia River Gorge Commission.  The lands inventory, currently in a draft form, came in for criticism for including a number of lands as buildable for job creation that are already spoken for, including the site for the new skills center at Columbia Gorge Community College, Mid-Columbia Medical Center property, and the location for a proposed Wal-Mart currently before the Oregon Supreme Court.  Mayor Rich Mays notes the Council has the option not to adopt the report when it reaches a final form, adding state rules are a complicating factor.  Councilors also heard from Gorge Commission Executive Director Krystyna Wolniakowski on getting long awaited rules for applying for an urban area boundary expansion within the National Scenic Area.  She said they want to get them done soon, but didn’t give a specific timeline.  Some on the Commission have suggested they want to use a regional approach to such a request that would include considering lands in Dallesport, but The Dalles officials were quick to point out that can’t happen within the state’s land use rules.