The Port of The Dalles has been has been looking at opportunities for value-added agriculture business that might not currently be filled in the region, and one answer comes as a bit of a surprise.  Executive Director Andrea Klaas says the Port’s current planner through the University of Oregon’s Resource Assistance for Rural Environments, Bayoan Ware, has found custom meat packing is a need, as specialty meat producers can wait for over a year to get their meat cut at a U.S. Department of Agriculture certified facility in central Oregon.  Klaas notes the meat packers are indicating one of the problems they have is a lack of qualified meat cutters, and that’s an impediment to expansion.  She says they plan to convene a focus group to discuss what can be done to meet the deman.  Klaas says they also plan to talk with tree fruit and berry industry representatives to discuss value-added product production in those sectors.

Both The Dalles and Hood River city councils meet Monday evening.  The Dalles City Council will discuss a potential ordinance to create a “civil exculsion zone” in the downtown business area.  It would allow people who violate any one of 24 different offenses to be excluded from the zone for up to 90 days, and face a second degree criminal trespass charge if found in the zone with some exceptions, including work or receiving social and medical services.  The intent is to address aggressive panhandling and loitering in tourist and shopping areas.  The meeting in The Dalles is at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall.  The Hood River City Council meeting includes an Urban Renewal Agency agenda that will include discussion of Lot 1 development on the Port of Hood River Waterfront and the possibility of using urban renewal for infrastructure in that area.  The Hood River meeting begins at 6 p.m. in City Hall.

Oregon Class 5A Girls Water Polo Tournament at Corvallis Semi-Final:  Hood River Valley 16, Ashland 3 Championship:  Hood River Valley 24, Sandy 5:  HRV wins the title for the second straight year.  Faith Ocheskey and Jamie Robinson each had six goals and four assists in the championship game for HRV, while Robinson also had four steals on the way to being named the tournament’s most valuable player.   Oregon Class 5A Boys Water Polo Tournament at Corvallis Semi-Final:  Bend 19, Hood River Valley 15 3rd Place:  Hood River Valley 19, Mountain View 12   Oregon Class 1A Football First Round Dufur 50, Adrian 12:  Dufur meets Falls City in a semi-final game on Saturday at noon at Liberty High School in Hillsboro.   Washington Class 2B Football First Round Liberty 57, Lyle-Wishram-Klickitat 14   Washington Class 1A Volleyball Tournament at Yakima First Round:  Goldendale def. Bellevue Christian 25-15, 25-18, 25-21 Quarterfinal:  Lynden Christian def. Goldendale 25-10, 25-14, 25-21 Consolation:  Castle Rock def. Goldendale 20-25, 25-11, 25-20, 25-20

The Port of Hood River Commission held its final hearing on a proposed bridge toll increase this week.  Under the proposal the cash toll for automobiles crossing the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge would go up from $1 to $2, while Breeze-By rates will go from 80 cents to $1.  About a dozen people testified, many focusing on the impact of the rate increase on low-income residents of the area.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says staff will now go back through hearing comments and consider how some of the concerns can be addressed.  The staff recommendation on the toll increase has included a provision that all new net revenue derived from the increase be dedicated solely to the Port’s bridge repair and replacement fund.

The Columbia Gorge Veterans Museum will hold its grand opening on Saturday, which is Veterans Day.  The museum is located at 203 East 2nd in The Dalles, and is a partnership of American Legion Post 19 and the Mid-Columbia Veterans Memorial Committee.  Museum director Lisa Commander says visitors will find a focus on those who served in the military from the five Mid-Columbia counties.  Commander adds there will be some items for people to handle, and they plan to change exhibits every two to three months.  The museum’s grand opening will be Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., with ribbon cutting at 2:30.  There will be as family spaghetti feed in the American Legion next door.

Saturday is Veterans Day, and there are a number of different activities and observances planned in the area.  In The Dalles, there will be a free breakfast for veterans, reserve and active duty personnel, and Gold Star families from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at The Dalles Civic Auditorium, with cost for all others $5 or $15 for families.  The annual Veterans Day parade in The Dalles begins at 11 a.m. and follows the usual route, with a focus on the service of women in the military.  There will be a community potluck at the Oregon Veterans Home after the parade.        The new Columbia Gorge Veterans Museum at 203 East 2nd will open its doors from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for a Grand Opening event.  In Hood River, the Elks Club hosts a free community breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., and there will be an observance that follows at 11 a.m. at Anderson’s Tribute Center with a reception hosted by the Daughters of the American Revolution to follow.

Mid-Columbia Health Foundation’s Festival of Trees is coming up on the first evening of December, and there is still time for someone who is interested in decorating a tree to be auctioned off to sign up to do so.  Foundation event coordinator Stephanie Bowen says community groups and businesses can still sign-up to provide a tree in the event that will benefit the Celilo Cancer Center Fund and Mid-Columbia Medical Center’s expansion project.  For information on how to donate and decorate a tree go online to mcmc.net/foundation or call 541-296-7275.  Tree decorating will take place on Wednesday, November 29, and the Festival of Trees auction will be Friday, December 1 at The Dalles Civic Auditorium with doors opening at 6 p.m., with tickets $10 and available at mcmc.net/foundation.

The City of Hood River is again seeking public input on housing issues.  The City is using Oregon’s Kitchen Table, a program of the National Policy Consensus Center in the College of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University.  Online or paper surveys are available through November 22.  The online survey, available in both English and Spanish, may be accessed through a direct link at cityofhoodriver.com.  Paper surveys in both English and Spanish may be picked up or dropped off at City Hall at 211 2nd Street or at the Hood River Fire Department on 1785 Meyer Parkway.  The survey is intended to solicit input from people who live in, work in, or want to live in Hood River.

The City of The Dalles is asking residents to pick up leaves promptly so that they do not block the storm water catch basins and before they freeze onto the streets.  The City has purchased a new street sweeper that will be deployed to pick-up leaves that fall into the street, but it cannot pick up piles of leaves.   Residents are asked not to rake leaves into the street, but either compost them at home, put them in your yard debris container for pick-up or put them in a compostable paper bag and take them to The Dalles Transfer Station for free disposal.  The Dalles Disposal is accepting yard debris, from residential customers only, at no charge during the month of November if taken to the transfer station at 1317 West First Street.  Citizens are asked to park off the street during street sweeper work hours of 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Port of Hood River Commission received an economic analysis on Waterfront Lot 1 development from the consulting firm EcoNorthwest that didn’t contain much in the way of surprises.  It indicated to make development on the property feasible, there will need to be public money invested in infrastructure.  Port Executive Director Michael McElwee says with rent costs at the Waterfront already similar to those found in the Portland area, the report shows the challenge to develop on Lot 1.  The Port will be talking with Hood River’s Urban Renewal board about a proposal to develop more specific plans and cost estimates for the infrastructure.  Earlier this week, the Hood River City Planning Commission approved the preliminary subdivision for Lot 1 with a number of requirements related to infrastructure.