Hood River County Commissioners heard from Sheriff Matt English about public safety levy options that could both provide the Sheriff’s Department with funds to meet current needs and also save general fund dollars as the County tries to find a way to close its budget gap.  Commission Chair Ron Rivers said English’s proposals were very well received.  A public safety levy would be one of a number of options available to the County to take to voters sometime next year.  Other possibilities include a prepared food and beverage tax.  Commissioners will hold a worksession December 3 to sort through information gathered at public open houses over the last month with an eye toward developing a road map on how to proceed.

With the establishment of the new Metropolitan Park District to oversee a new swimming pool in White Salmon, the City of White Salmon is offering its help as the new district and its board get organized. Mayor David Poucher says the City has offered to help with legal advice through their attorney and help from the municipal clerk/treasurer to get set up in its first few weeks of operation.  Poucher notes they want to see the progress toward getting a new pool constructed continue while still operating the current pool.  The district was established by a vote during the November election.

Progress continues on construction of the new May Street Elementary School in Hood River.  Hood River County School District Superintendent Dan Goldman says the big challenge has been acquiring steel for the project, but they are on track for a September opening.  The biggest challenge on the schedule will be getting the asphalt required for site work next fall, as demolition of the old school will be taking place in the summertime, and Goldman says they need to finish that before asphalt plants shut down in November.

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for annual Distinguished Service Awards to be given out during the Chamber’s annual banquet in January.  Chamber CEO Lisa Farquharson says they are taking nominees in a number of different categories, including man, woman, volunteer, agricultural person, youth, educator, first responder, and business.  Nominations are open to all residents of Wasco County.  Winners will be honored at the Chamber’s annual banquet on January 17.  Nomination forms are available online at thedalleschamber.com, and the deadline to submit a nomination is December 7.

The Port of Hood River Commission will hold its fall planning session on Tuesday.  A number of topics will be discussed, including the phase of planning for a new Interstate Bridge that will come after the draft EIS process, the next opportunities for development of properties in the waterfront area and at the Lower Mill site, and what the Port would look like as an agency after a new bridge is constructed.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says no matter how a new bridge comes about and who manages it, the Port will face change.  The planning session will start at noon Tuesday at the Port’s Marina Center conference room.

A ban on outdoor burning and the use of uncertified stoves and fireplaces is currently in place in Klickitat County.  The Washington Department of Ecology put the ban in place because stagnant conditions are predicted to return in these counties after a brief break, putting the communities at risk for unhealthy levels of air pollution.  In the first half of last week monitors showed elevated levels of air pollutants.  Fine particles from wood smoke can easily get into people’s lungs causing heart and breathing problems.  Under a Stage 1 ban, all outdoor burning is prohibited including residential, agricultural and forest burning.  Use of uncertified wood stoves, fireplaces, inserts, and other uncertified wood-burning devices are prohibited unless they are a home’s only adequate source of heat.  Cleaner burning certified wood stoves, pellet stoves and other certified wood-burning devices are allowed.  Up-to-date burn ban information is available at www.waburnbans.net.

Oregon Class 1A Football Semi-Final Dufur 46, Hosanna Christian 0:  The Rangers limited Hosanna Christian to just 63 yards of total offense, and scored four second quarter touchdowns to keep their bid for a fourth straight state title alive.  Tanner Masterson ran for 183 yards and four touchdowns while also catching a TD pass, while Asa Farrell ran for 121 yards and a score.  Dufur will play St. Paul in the championship game on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Hillsboro Stadium.   Washington Class 1B Football Quarter-Final Naselle 68, Lyle-Wishram 38   Cross Country Hood River Valley’s Frances Dickinson finished 13^th in the girls’ version of the Nike Borderclash in Beaverton, which featured 80 of the top high school runners in Oregon and Washington.  HRV’s Brinna Weiseth was 25^th, Josephine Dickinson 39^th, and Evelyn Nunez 48^th.

A 66-year-old Vancouver man is dead following a motor vehicle accident late Sunday morning on Highway 14 in western Skamania County.  According to the Washington State Patrol, the motorhome driven by Kenneth Karschney was eastbound on Highway 14 about seven miles east of Washougal when he lost control and left the roadway to the right.  The motorhome when down a small embankment, struck a tree, and then caught fire, fully engulfing the vehicle.  Emergency personnel arrived on the scene shortly after the accident and contained the fire, but Karschney was pronounced dead at the scene.  The accident remains under investigation.

About 75 people attended as the North Wasco County School District 21 board held a “listening session” in the wake of the defeat of D-21’s proposed bond measure to replace school buildings across the district.  Comments from the audience went across the board, came from people who voted both for and against the measure, and touched on themes ranging from voters not having enough information, questioning whether the district could manage construction costs, and taxes being too high in The Dalles as it is, to a recognition D-21 needs to replace many of its facilities.  District Superintendent Candy Armstrong says they will continue to collect data, and they will get more once the election results are certified.  Armstrong added a large number of people in attendance did not speak, but they did receive some written comments.

The Hood River County School District is about to send out letters in regard to beginning the process of adjusting elementary and middle school boundaries.  Superintendent Dan Goldman says with the new May Street Elementary coming online next year with more capacity and Westside Elementary over capacity, and Hood River Middle School full and Wy’east Middle School having space available, it’s time to begin the process.  Goldman says they are currently collection all the possible data to use to project future enrollment, and once that is done a committee made up of school principals, community members, and district representatives will meet to develop a recommendation.  Goldman adds a number of open houses will be scheduled to get public input.