Mid-Columbia Community Action is currently taking applications from senior and disabled residents in Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, and will open it up to the general public on December 1.  Community Action Executive Director Jim Slusher says they have received a similar funding allocation for the program that assists with heating bills as they have the last couple of years.  Senior and disabled residents who have not received a letter on the program and think they might qualify for assistance should call the CAP office in Hood River at 541-386-4027 or in The Dalles at 541-298-5131.  Appointments for the general public will begin to be scheduled at 8 a.m. on December 1, and Slusher advises people they will not be taking any calls for appointments before that time.

The Oregon State Police is continuing to investigate the death of a man whose body was found along side of eastbound Interstate 84 west of Arlington.  Law enforcement officers found the body of 36-year-old Phillip Webb of Vancouver lying next to his vehicle last Thursday in the area of milepost 121 with a single gunshot wound to the head.  Callers reported seeing two separate vehicles in the area of the deceased prior to law enforcement arrival.  The first is described as a dark blue or black newer style full size pickup with a canopy and a male driver.   The second vehicle is described as a cream colored full size pickup.  Webb’s vehicle was a 2011 Toyota Tundra, gray in color with Washington license plates.  The OSP is investigating the incident as death by self-inflicted gunshot.  Anyone who may have stopped on scene to check the deceased’s condition or who may have more information about this incident is asked to call the Oregon State Police – The Dalles Area Command at 541-296-9646.

The Wasco County Commission will conduct a hearing Wednesday on three different appeals of the County Planning Commission’s recent decision to approve a proposal from Union Pacific Railroad to expand the existing railroad siding on either side of Mosier for four miles of new second mainline track and realigned existing track.  One appeal is from Friends of the Columbia Gorge, Columbia Riverkeeper, and Physicians for Social Responsibility, another from the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation, and a third by the railroad itself over some conditions of approval.  The appeal hearing will take place at 3 p.m. Wednesday in the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.

The continuance of the Hood River City Planning Commission’s public hearing on the proposal to change the zoning of the Morrison Park property at the corner of Wasco and 20th Street from Open Space/Public Facilities to Urban High Density Residential to allow the City to partner with Mid-Columbia Housing Authority on an affordable housing project has been pushed back to February 6.  It had originally been expected to continue this coming Monday, but City Manager Steve Wheeler says a number of questions came up in the initial hearing that need to be researched.  Wheeler also noted a heavy schedule of issues in the planning area was part of the reasoning to push the Morrison Park question back to February.

The Mt. Hood National Forest has released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Government Camp-Cooper Spur Land Exchange.  The document describes the potential effects of the conveyance of two parcels totaling approximately 109 acres on the Zigzag Ranger District in Clackamas County in exchange for the acquisition of approximately 769 acres of land owned by Mt. Hood Meadows in Hood River County.  The draft EIS describes the proposed action, a no-action alternative, and two additional alternatives that were considered but not developed or analyzed in detail.  While no significant issues that drive alternatives were identified, the draft reviews the potential effects of the swap on a variety of resources, including cultural resources; hydrology; wetlands; water rights; threatened, endangered, and sensitive species; recreation; visuals; facilities; and socio-economics.  The draft EIS document is available on the Mt. Hood National Forest website, and public comment will be taken for the next 90 days.

YouthThink is bringing in a specialist in psychopharmacology this coming Monday evening at The Dalles Civic Auditorium.  Debby Jones of YouthThink says John Evans is a board certified pain specialist, and will discuss how opioids interact with our bodies and minds.  Jones adds Evans will also address the link between the use opioids and heroin.  The talk is entitled “When a Good Thing Goes Bad…Prescription Drug Misuse”, and will be this coming Monday at 6:30 p.m. in The Dalles Civic Auditorium Fireside Room.  The event is being sponsored in part by The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce, and admission is free.

Tuesday, November 1 Oregon Class 5A Girls Soccer First Round:  Hillsboro at Hood River Valley, 6 p.m. SCAC District Volleyball Tournament:  Goldendale at Connell, 7 p.m.   Wednesday, November 2 SW Washington Class 1A District Volleyball Tournament:  Columbia at Montesano, 5:30 p.m. Oregon Class 5A Boys Soccer First Round:  Putnam at Hood River Valley, 6 p.m.   Thursday, November 3 Oregon Class 5A Girls Water Polo First Round:  Hood River Valley vs. South Albany at Corvallis, 12:30 p.m. Oregon Class 5A Boys Water Polo First Round:  Hood River Valley vs. Ashland at Corvallis, 6:30 p.m.   Friday, November 4 Oregon Class 5A Volleyball Quarterfinal:  Hood River Vallev vs. Marist at Liberty High School in Hillsboro, 8 a.m. Oregon Class 1A Football First Round:  Triad at Sherman, 6 p.m. Oregon Class 1A Football First Round:  Falls City at Dufur, 7 p.m. SW Washington Class 1A Football District:  Columbia at Montesano, 7 p.m.   Saturday, November 5 Oregon Class 5A Cross Country Championships:  Hood River Valley & The Dalles at Lane Community College in Eugene, girls at 1:15 p.m., boys at 1:50 p.m. Washington Class 1A Cross Country Championships:  Columbia, Goldendale, and Stevenson at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco, girls at 10:30 a.m., boys at noon

Fire damaged a home at 844 Cascade Street in The Dalles on Sunday.  The fire occurred at around 3:45 p.m. Sunday.  Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue Division Chief Dave Lapof says the owners of the house were not home, and neighbors called 9-1-1 to report the fire.  Lapof says there was a significant amount of smoke damage, while the kitchen and back of the house suffered structural damage.  No one was hurt and pets that were inside the home survived.  Lapof says an investigation into the cause of the fire was planned for Monday.

A workshop on Hood River County’s Energy Future will take place Wednesday at the Hood River Fire Station.  New Hood River County Energy and Sustainability Coordinator Marla Harvey says the event looks to build on momentum from a similar workshop a year ago, and serve as a kickoff for the county’s energy planning process.  Harvey’s position is being paid for by the County, the Ports and Cities of Hood River and Cascade Locks, and the Energy Trust of Oregon.  It is expected to take about nine months to develop an energy plan for the County.  Registration for the workshop can be done on-line at eventbrite.com.

The Klickitat County Auditor and County Commissioners are working on hiring a new Veteran’s Service Officer after the current officer resigned.  County Commission Chair David Sauter says until the position is filled there will be a Veterans Advisory Board member at the Goldendale and White Salmon veterans’ offices to keep veterans informed.  Anyone with questions is asked to call Klickitat County Auditor Brenda Sorensen or Chief Deputy Auditor Heather Jobe at 509-773-4001 or 800-583-8050.  Since the Veterans Advisory Board identified the need for a Veteran’s Service Officer to assist Klickitat County veterans in the daunting task of getting their benefits just over two years ago, over four million dollars in veteran benefits have been recovered.