The annual Starlight Parade will take place Friday evening in The Dalles.  The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Lisa Farquharson says the parade begins at 6 p.m. at West Sixth and Webber and heads downtown, then to Chamber office for the tree lighting celebration at 7 p.m.  The tree lighting will be at 7 p.m. Winners of the downtown window decorating contest and the coloring contest for the “Oregon is Magic” mural will be announced at that event.  The theme for this year’s Starlight Parade is “Hollywood Christmas.”

The City of The Dalles is offering a free Local Government Academy beginning in January for residents interested in learning more and getting involved with their local government. Assistant to the City Manager Matthew Klebes says the intent is to increase transparency and citizen involvement in local government.  Classes will begin in January, meeting twice a month, and applications are due by December 14.  For more information and to download an application, go to the City of The Dalles website, or call Klebes at 541-296-5481, ext. 1150.

The Washington Department of Ecology is lifting its stage 1 burn ban in Klickitat County Thursday morning at 10 a.m. because of improved air quality.  The ban was put in place on Saturday morning due to stagnant air conditions.  That had led to monitors showing elevated levels of air pollution.  Up-to-date burn ban information is available at www.waburnbans.net.  

With the beginning of the holiday season arriving, The Dalles Police Department will be actively enforcing its downtown parking ordinance.  Police Chief Patrick Ashmore is reminding people that under the ordinance no one should park their vehicle on city streets in the central business zone of the downtown area while at their place of employment, business, or residence between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.  Complete copies of the ordinance are available at The Dalles Police Department.

During a joint worksession Monday evening Wasco County Commissioners and The Dalles City Council agreed while they would prefer the state to handle building codes services, the state’s unwillingness to commit to a local office probably makes it preferable for the County to run it.  The state has been handling County building code services since Mid-Columbia Council of Governments ceased operations a number of months ago.  Members of both panels felt it’s the state’s obligation to take on the task, and that the state could find the workload too large to be handled at its Pendleton office or be pressured legislatively to provide a local office, but neither would be a sure thing.  MCCOG’s building codes program left behind four million dollars of reserves that could be used to establish a local office, but how much of that belongs to Wasco County is still unknown.  Mayor Steve Lawrence said the City would work with the County to do what it can to make a local building codes office work, adding a one-stop location for planning and building services can remain a goal.  County Commissioner Scott Hege noted his board has a lot of work to do before making a decision on taking on the program.

Community Thanksgiving dinners are set for Hood River, Cascade Locks, and The Dalles on Thursday.  Community Thanksgiving dinners take place in Hood River from noon to 4 p.m. at Riverside Church on 317 State Street, and in Cascade Locks at the Port Pavilion from noon to 2 p.m.  Those who are homebound and would like a meal delivered can call 541-806-0900 or email bnew1@live.com.  In The Dalles, the Salvation Army Community Thanksgiving Meal will be at St. Mary’s Academy on 1112 Cherry Heights Road from noon to 3 p.m.  If you are homebound in The Dalles area and need a meal delivered, call 541-296-6417.

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.