At the conclusion of vote counts Wednesday.   Updated counts  to be released next week. City of White Salmon Levy Lid Lift For Pool Operations   Yes                                          327   No                                           153   Bingen Mayor   Betty Barnes                           58   Clinton Bryan                         20   Goldendale City Council Pos. 7   Justin Leigh                             378   Terry Luth                               185   White Salmon City Council Pos. 1   Ben Berger                              207   Ashley Post                             252   White Salmon City Council Pos. 3   Jason Sabourin                        203   Jason Hartmann                      197   White Salmon City Council Pos. 4   Dan Caldwell                          221   Amy Martin                            234   White Salmon City Council Pos. 5   Marla Keethler                        240   Maurice Tunstall Jr.                 223     Hospital District 1 Commissioner Pos. 2   Sherrill Basse                          813   Mark Sigfrinius                       1,004   Hospital District 2 Commissioner Pos. 5   Karleen Swarztrauber             1,184   Howard Kreps                        857   Wishram School District Board Pos. 5   Jeri Ruefer-Hore                     52   Peter Leon                               24   Trout Lake School District Board Pos. 2   Joe Dean                                 165   James Jensen                           72   Goldendale School District Board Pos. 4   John Hoctor                            907   T.J. Wilder                              633   Stevenson-Carson School District Board Pos. 2   Callae Hansen                         510   Farley Dudley                         717   Stevenson City Council Pos. 2   Bradlee Seehafer                     122   Amy Weissfeld                       207  

Former Oregon State 59th District Representative John Huffman has been appointed as the new State Director for U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development in Oregon.  Huffman had announced in the summer he would not be seeking re-election to the House in anticipation of the appointment, and officially submitted a resignation letter on October 26.  Huffman will now oversee USDA Rural Development programs in the state.  The appointment announcement was part of a host of Rural Development and Farm Service Agency state director appointments made by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.  USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to develop economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas.  The assistance supports infrastructure improvements, business development, home ownership, community services like education, public safety, and healthcare, and high-speed internet access in rural areas.

The Oregon Department of Transportation says the rock blasting planned for Wednesday on Interstate 84 at milepost 53 has been postponed.  The blasting would have been the fifth in a series of as many as seven blasts necessary to build the latest segment of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail.  No date for resumption of the blasting has been set but it won’t take place until next week at the earliest.

A single vehicle accident involving a truck hauling a manufactured home blocked westbound lanes of Interstate 84 in Hood River for about 90 minutes Monday morning.  According the Oregon State Police, a preliminary investigation indicated the truck was exiting the freeway at exit 63 when for an unknown reason it veered to the left and entered the unpaved shoulder of the freeway, striking the exit 63 sign and two fog markers before coming to rest blocking the westbound lanes of travel.  The truck operator, 36-year-old Michael Cannon of Hermiston, was taken by ambulance to Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries.  The accident occurred just before 9:30 Monday morning.  Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene by diverting traffic off the exit and back onto I 84 westbound.  The crash remains under investigation.

The Hood River County School District has added a coaching stipend for middle school boys’ basketball, girls’ basketball, and track for this school year.  Middle school coaching was cut from the district budget in 2010.  District Superintendent Dan Goldman says the opportunity to restore the stipends came about as the district has been able to restore other program elements lost during the recession.  He noted while volunteer coaches have stepped up to help fill those roles, it did create difficulties for students who wanted to take part.  Goldman praised the volunteers who have stepped up to provide coaching in the middle schools.  Middle school athletic coordinators are now recruiting paid coaches and volunteers to help develop student-athletes.

Dallesport Elementary School is being honored with a School of Distinction Award from the Center for Educational Effectiveness for sustained improvement in English language arts, math, and graduation rates over the last five years.  Dallesport Elementary, a school with 70% of its students living in poverty, experienced a 580% improvement, from the 5th percentile to 34th in ELA/math scores.  98 schools in Washington State have been honored by the Center for Educational Effectiveness and their partner organizations for continuous and substantive improvement.  School of Distinction honorees are selected using OSPI reported data from the data downloads section of the state report card.  A school must have data in at least three of five years to be considered–one of which must be 2017.  “Improvement” is defined as the slope of linear trend over the five years.

Ballots must be dropped off or postmarked by the end of Tuesday’s election in the state of Washington.  Drop boxes will be available until 8 p.m. Tuesday.  In Klickitat County ballots can be taken to the County Auditor’s office at the Courthouse or drop boxes at the corner of South Columbus and West Court in Goldendale, the White Salmon Pioneer Center, Dallesport Community Center, Roosevelt School, Lyle Lions Club, Wishram Park Place, and in Klickitat at Depot Park.  Locations in Skamania County include the Auditor’s Office and the north side entrance of the Courthouse in Stevenson, near North Bonneville City Hall, Carson Transit Station, Little Church of the Valley in Stabler, and the Underwood Community Center.  Tuesday’s vote in Washington is highlighted by votes on a large number of municipal offices.

North Wasco County School District 21’s new alternative school opened Monday on the Wahtonka campus.  Superintendent Candy Armstrong says this version combines online components with hands-on teaching for high school age students who need to make up credits to graduate.  Enrollment is starting with six students, with Armstrong adding the numbers will remain small with students identified within the district as not on track to graduate on time.         Armstrong noted D-21’s Wahtonka Community School that has been an alternative offering focused on hands-on project-based skills is moving toward becoming a charter school in the near future.

Wasco County’s code compliance office is establishing an Abatement and Recycling Assistance Program.  Kelly Howsley Glover of the Wasco County Planning Department says the program is being funded by a DEQ grant to assist property owners who need to do clean-up to alleviate or prevent a violation of County ordinances.  Anyone may apply, but preference is given to low income property owners and seniors.  To apply visit the Wasco County Planning Department website or call them at 541-506-2560.

A mid-year report indicates collection of organic material within the City of Hood River is up 56% in the first five months of the City’s new solid waste program.  The data shows 681 tons of food scraps and yard debris collected in the City from May 1 through September 30.   That total includes food scraps from restaurants, self-haul yard debris delivered to the transfer station, and organic waste picked up curbside.  A new three roll-cart system that separates three distinct waste streams…organic waste, garbage and recyclables…began May 1.  The organic matter goes to the company Dirt Hugger, which converts the material into compost.