A group is forming as a non-profit community land trust to acquire land for the development of workforce housing in the Hood River and White Salmon areas.  The Big River Land Trust seeks to acquire land to develop homes at an affordable price and then sells the homes while maintaining ownership of the land.  The Trust’s Anne Medenbach says that takes the land cost out of the home price, making it more affordable for the first time buyer, who would then agree to a limit on how much they would sell the house for if they decide to do so in the future.  Medenbach notes while there is no direct government involvement in the trust, both city councils in Hood River and White Salmon have provided letters of support.  She adds it is a fully volunteer group with no staff, and they are working to finish the paperwork for 501-c-3 non-profit status.  The group is talking with landowners about potential parcels to get them started.

Hood River County is doing an Internet survey on public safety services priorities.  County Commissioners have identified public safety as their highest priority as they prepare to make another attempt at asking voters for a funding measure sometime in 2020.  Commissioners with their budget committee resolved to discontinue using reserve funds for general operational services after June 30.  The survey is available online in both English and Spanish, and is available at hoodrivercounty.net through December 15.

The Next Door, which runs over two dozen programs in seven Mid-Columbia counties, is in the midst of its annual fundraising drive.  The goal is $120,000 to supplement what it receives in grants to run the programs.  Next Door Marketing and Development Director Rachel Schmitz says the donations help them show community support to granting agencies.  Those who would like to donate to The Next Door can do so through their website, nextdoorinc.org.

White Salmon will hold its annual “I’m Dreaming of White Salmon” holiday events this Saturday.  It starts with Breakfast with Santa from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Henkle Middle School to benefit music students in White Salmon, continues with activities in the downtown area during the day, moves into a Holiday Wassail at 2:30 p.m. in the White Salmon Valley Community Library and Community Partners S’mores Fire Circles at 4:30 p.m. at Riverview Bank that includes the lighting of the tree and menorah at 5:15 p.m.  Tammara Tippel of the Mt. Adams Chamber of Commerce says at the lighting event there will be the revival of an old tradition with the White Salmon Jazz Band’s Christmas Brass Choir.  In addition, there will be an open house for outgoing Mayor David Poucher at 5:30 p.m. at Feast.

Columbia Area Transit will be providing additional bus service on Friday for the downtown Hood River Holidays parade and tree lighting.  Hood River County Chamber of Commerce executive director Kate Schroeder says CAT will offer additional service on its City Route between 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Friday.  For more information on the bus routes, go to ridecatbus.org.  The Hood River Holidays Parade will be at 6 p.m. on Friday, followed by the lighting of the holiday tree and caroling in Overlook Memorial Park at around 7 p.m.

There will be single-lane closures of the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge on Tuesday beginning at 9:00 a.m. until work to repair a damaged guardrail is complete, likely around 3:00 p.m.   Flaggers will direct traffic on the bridge around the work zone.  This work is likely to cause traffic delays of up to 30 minutes while work is underway, depending on traffic volume.  Bridge users are urged to plan ahead for delay or seek alternate routes during these hours. 

 

 

  

The annual ELFF, or “Everyone Loves a Firefighter,” canned food drive will take place in The Dalles and Dallesport this week.  Collections will take place Tuesday night east of Union Street in The Dalles, west of Union Street on Wednesday night, and Thursday night in Dallesport. running from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each night.  Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue Chief Bob Palmer says food collected stays in The Dalles area.  Volunteers are needed to help with the collection.  Call Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue at 541-296-9445 to learn how to help with ELFF canned food drive.