The Port of Hood River Commission approved beginning the paid parking on Port-owned areas of the Hood River waterfront this coming Monday.  A fee schedule was approved during the Port board’s Tuesday meeting.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says much of the necessary equipment is in place.  McElwee adds citations won’t be issued during the first week so people can get used to the new parking configuration.  He said courtesy notices informing users that paid parking is in effect will be distributed.

The Next Door is about to embark on a capital campaign to help pay for its recent acquisition of the former Mid-Columbia Council of Governments building in The Dalles.  Development officer Justine Ziegler says purchase of the building and renovations is costing the agency about $750,000.  Ziegler says they are still working with their campaign consultant on materials to officially roll out the fundraising effort.

Interim Forest Service Chief Vicki Christensen outlined the “surge capacity” in place for air tankers during the upcoming fire season in the West during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday.  During questioning from Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, Christensen said if the Forest Service has deployed all of its air tankers, they will turn to the Department of Defense, along with Canada.  Wyden was highlighting ongoing concerns he heard from Oregonians last week at town halls and other public meetings about how the agency will protect communities from wildfires using air tankers.

How to improve Hood River’s Heights for walkers, bicyclists, and motorists will be the subject of a “walkshop” being put on by the City of Hood River and the Hood River Valley Residents Committee on Wednesday.  “Walkability” expert Dan Burden will conduct a walking tour of the Heights with community members to outline ways to enhance transportation and the area.  The event will start at the Hood River Armory at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.  It’s being done as the City embarks on the Heights Urban Renewal Project.

YouthThink of Wasco County is using some grant dollars to help provide people a better sense of attachment through volunteerism.  The organization is promoting JustServe.org as a place where people can register to be available for various projects, and organizations can find volunteers.  Debby Jones of YouthThink says a recent Gorge-wide community health assessment showed many people listed a lack of sense of attachment as a health concern.  JustServe.org uses zip codes to notify those who sign up of projects in their area.  

The North Wasco County School District 21 Board has declared 70 acres of property on Columbia View Heights to be surplus, and it will be put on the market.  D-21 currently owns 100 acres in that area, and over the years some had called for the district to divest of the property so it can be developed.  D-21 Superintendent Candy Armstrong says if and when the property is sold, revenues would go toward the district’s building needs.  The district will hold on to the remaining 30 acres in anticipation of increased development in that area leading to the need to develop a new school in that location.

Friends of the Columbia Gorge says it has successfully completed a land preservation campaign raising a total of $5.6 million.  The group says it has allowed Friends to purchase and permanently protect eight properties, seven acquired with funds raised by the campaign an, one additional property donated in response to the effort, totaling 470 acres of land along the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge.  Among the properties is 25 acres on Lyle Peak, which is situated above the 550-acre Lyle Cherry Orchard property near Lyle that Friends of the Gorge already holds.  Friends officials indicate the new property will provide wildlife habitat and opportunities for future trail connections.  The Friends of the Gorge land trust has conserved 26 sites across the Gorge for a total of over 1,500 acres.

An informal survey by the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce of its members indicates most businesses had a good first quarter of 2018.  The Chamber’s Ashley Huckaby-May says they asked members if their sales were up or down for first quarter and April of this year.  She said about 90 percent reported sales were up, while ten percent said they were flat, and virtually no one down.  The survey did not ask for opinions on why sales were up.  But this past winter was much milder than last year, when icy conditions made travel through the Gorge difficult.

There is still a need for volunteers to help during build week of Children’s Park in Hood River.  The park is being rebuilt with modern materials after the original wood facility constructed 25 years ago had deteriorated.  Many roles still need to be filled for the upcoming build effort that starts on Monday.  To sign up go to cityofhoodriver.com and click on the Children’s Park Rebuild tile.  In addition, there is a need for community members to loan tools for construction of the play structure.  The list of needed tools is on the website, and there will be tool drop-off events at the park on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Dalles Public Works Department says operations at the municipal wastewater treatment plant are improving but are not yet back in compliance after a recent plant upset that resulted in discharge to the Columbia River of treated wastewater exceeding the plant’s limit for E. coli.   On Tuesday samples were taken at pre-arranged locations in the Columbia River to determine the effect of the discharge on water quality in the river.  Tests on five samples taken between River Mile 186.5 and 189.5 show that E. coli levels at the sample locations were well below bacterial criteria set by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for freshwater recreation.  The Dalles Public Works says plant staff is working to restore the biological balance so that the plant can quickly return to normal operations.  As a precaution, signs advising no water contact will remain in place at locations of public river access until the discharge from the wastewater treatment plant returns to compliance.  Signs are posted on the Oregon shore of the Columbia River, from The Dalles Riverfront Park to West Mayer Park boat launch.