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Wednesday,April21,2021
Columbia Gorge News
www.columbiagorgenews.com
TRAFFIC
$7 million is
proposed for trails
Continued from page 1
areas, including smaller
houses on small lots and
duplexes. To see the entire
middle-income housing ad-
ditions, visit www.cityofho-
odriver.gov/administration/
ordinances.
Not coincidentally, the
council is now seeking devel-
opers for the 7-acre plot the
city purchased last year that
would provide apartments
and mixed-value houses for
residents. April 12 the council
began the search process by
looking at flexible plans for
the property that could in-
clude up to 100 apartments,
and 25 or more homes of
various sizes. Staff at the city
and County of Hood River are
talking about coordinating
development of an additional
two-acre county plot west of
the 7-acre plot, which could
expand development op-
tions. The council discussed
a range of financing sources,
especially for the affordable
apartments, to entice devel-
opers to build according to
city housing goals. Among
apartment financing resourc-
es for developers are city,
state and federal grants and
loans, and waiving system
development charges and
property taxes.
The council directed staff
to send out a request for
qualifications, which begins
the competitive search for
a qualified developer. After
choosing a firm, the council
A graph shows how rates will be increased over time.
which more than 100 people
responded.
More than $7 million of
the total is proposed for
pedestrian and bike projects
including sidewalks on Rand
Road, May Street, 22nd and
18th streets, and Belmont
Avenue; trails and crossing
improvements at May and
State streets, Rocky Road
and, Westside, Post Canyon
and Henderson Creek trails;
bike travel improvements
to May to Montello Avenue,
Eugene Street, 12th to 30th
streets, Frankton to Rand
roads, Sherman Avenue to
Belmont Drive, and others.
Nearly $28 million in road
improvements include $6.9
million in improvements to
An undeveloped 6 acres on the west side of Hood River has been
exit 62 from I-84 with state
approved for development by the city.
Gail Oberst photo
transportation funding, $3
million improvements to
Westside Drive; a roundabout
would review plans for the
Councilors said improve-
development with public in- ments to trails, sidewalks and at the intersection of Cascade
and Mt. Adams avenues; two
put. If development proceeds bike paths are among prior-
traffic signals on Cascade at
as planned, construction
ities, but MariRuth Petzing,
could begin in 2022, but
an immigration attorney and Rand and 20th Street, and
City Manager Rachael Fuller Hood River resident, said the another traffic signal at Rand
and Oak Avenue.
warned that there are still
transportation plan spends
Although some projects,
“many unknowns.”
most of the proposed west
side budget improving access including the Cascade/Rand
signal, are already underway,
motor vehicles, Petzing
Westside plans linked for
testified. “Invest in a healthy other projects will be priori-
to trails, bike paths
and sustainable future now,” tized and completed as funds
she said.
arise, Fuller said.
The council April 12 ap-
The planning commission
To view a summary of the
proved more than $34 million
forwarded its recommenda- 20-year transportation plan,
in improvements to the
city’s roads and trails on the
tions to the council based on including the entire111-page
document, visit www.ho-
west side, an addition to the
more than 20 public hear-
20-year transportation plan. ings and a public survey to
odrivertsp.com.
CENTER
services, Ortega said.
As coordinator of the
program, much of Ward’s
Professional
role has been to link students
services provided and families to mental health
services as well as other
Continued from page 1 resources for help with food,
housing, and other needs.
“We want this to be a place
wouldn’t have happened
where students feel comfort
without them so we’re very
and there’s no stigma around
thankful for them.”
it,” Ward said.
Much of the services are
Reducing the stigma
provided during class time,
although some are scheduled surrounding mental health
outside of school hours, said is one of Ward’s number one
goals as coordinator, “not
Michelle Ward, coordinator
just in the district, but the
of the health and wellness
community as a whole.”
program.
Ward has been serving as
“Now that we have this
coodinator for the health and
space, it’s here for (the stu-
wellness program since it got
dents),” said Ward.
started a year ago.
While 4-12 graders have
Acting to achieve her goal,
immediate access to the
building, district officials are Ward and Rita Pinchot, the
working on a plan to be able district’s prevention and
intervention specialist, have
to transport K-3 graders be-
been busy this past year per-
tween Whitson Elementary
School and the health and
forming outreach to classes,
wellness center, said Ortega. introducing themselves to
The building and its
teachers, students and fami-
proximity to school will help lies in an effort to make them
to eliminate one barrier that aware of the services they
keep students from seeking
provide.
help, said Ward.
Teachers likewise have
Another barrier to entry
been taking students on tours
is cost. Students who are
of the building, Ward said.
insured through private
“A lot of my referrals come
insurance or state insurance from teachers,” Ward said.
may pay a co-pay, while a
Some students have ap-
donation from a community proached the program with-
member has allowed some
out assistance, and according
to bypass the cost of therapy to Ward, “that’s huge that
they have that awareness. I’m
proud of them that they’re
able to ask for help.”
With the completion of the
health and wellness center
building, everything is able to
be done at the school, from
setting up appointments to
meeting with therapists.
“If you’re worried or if
you’re anxious, school is
going to be the lowest pri-
ority,” said Ward. “So we’re
addressing all the barriers so
that students could learn in a
positive environment.”
With a concrete source of
support, program partners
are thinking of ways to grow
the program. Earlier this year,
Ward began a twice-monthly
parent support group to talk
about struggles, share ideas,
offer one another support
and spend some time just
taking care of each other.
“There’s so many possibi-
lites,” Ortega said.
Ward said that it’s a posi-
tive thing for students to be
back in school making social
connections, especially since
there can be little to no pri-
vacy at home to do telehealth
sessions.
But the signs are clear that
there is a lot of work to be
done to mitigate the effects
of a year away from in-per-
son learning. According
to partial results from a
statewide optional survey
50 percent in the moderate
risk, and 25 percent at high
Indoor gyms can have 50
Households, events risk.
percent capacity at lower and
moderate risk and 25 percent
drive spread
at high risk.
Continued from page 1
Grocery stores and other
retail stores can have 75
percent capacity at lower and
Risk Levels
moderate risk and 50 percent
at high risk.
As a county with 15,000-
30,000 population, risk is
measured by the number of
Vaccinations
cases within a 14-day period.
Lower risk is fewer than 30
Vaccination remains the
cases over 14 days. Moderate best tool to stop the pan-
risk is 30 to 44 cases, and high demic. Wasco County has
risk is 45 to 59 cases.
vaccinated 34.38 percent
The lower risk category
of its population. Starting
allows 50 percent indoor
Monday, April 19, everyone
seating capacity at restau-
16 and older will be eligible
rants and a midnight closure. for the vaccine. To book an
Moderate risk also allows 50 appointment, visit https://
www.ncphd.org/book-vac-
percent capacity, but an 11
p.m. closure. The high risk
cine or call 541-506-2600.
category is 25 percent indoor
capacity and an 11 p.m.
Outbreak
closure.
Faith institutions can have
North Central
75 percent in-person capacity Public Health District
at the lower risk category,
Epidemiologist Jeremy
Hawkins said roughly a third
of the current cases are from
a single outbreak. All of the
cases now occurring are
driven primarily by spread
within households and peo-
ple attending gatherings of all
sizes, he said.
“Early indications are
that this is the start of what I
would consider locally here
our third surge of cases,”
Hawkins said. “That would
certainly track with what’s
happening around the state
and country.”
Hawkins is hopeful vacci-
nation efforts “will help blunt
this surge. We’ve already seen
a couple different scenari-
os where vaccinations are
working. We’ve seen cases
where people in households
are not getting infected if
they’re fully vaccinated. And
we’ve seen a couple instanc-
es of people who are pretty
vulnerable otherwise who
COVID
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Graphic courtesy City of Hood River
Rate increases
approved
by about 80 cents to $105.54
for most residential homes
(3/4 inch meter). In addition
With an eye to paying for
to the base rate, the city will
these and other improve-
add $2.70 per 1,000 gallons
ments related to future
used to its rate, a 14-cent
development, the council
considered increasing system increase.
Commercial and industrial
development charges – water,
users July 1 will see monthly
sewer and other new con-
struction hook-up fees – and base rates increase from $3 to
$50 per month depending on
other resources.
The council also approved meter size, and up to 70 cents
water, storm and sewer rates more per 1,000 gallons used.
Commercial and industrial
increases that target large
new base monthly rates
volume and commercial
range from $570 (2-inch me-
users, shifting the burden
away from residential users.
ters) to than $4,511 (6-inch
Monthly base rates that go
meters).
into effect July 1 will increase
WILDFIRE
Cool, dry spring
hazardous
Continued from page 1
agricultural burns, rekindled
slash burns, and fires spread
from abandoned campfires
across the Central Oregon
District, according to a press
release. Limited moisture in
recent weeks, combined with
strong winds, has resulted in
dry vegetation and fuels on
the landscape.
The cool spring tempera-
tures have reduced green-up
of vegetation which typically
slows fire growth in wildland
fuels this time of year, the
release stated. The Central
Oregon District has had
that analyzed 6-12 graders
eleven fires year-to-date; four
and how they have adjusted
times the ten-year-average.
to the COVID-19 pandem-
These fires have burned more
ic, students are reporting
than 200 acres of private
symptoms of anxiety and
lands protected by ODF,
depression.
the ten-year-average is less
Part of why the survey is
than ten acres for the same
being done, Ward said, is to
have some understanding of time-frame.
Hood River County Forest
what resources are needed to
mitigate adverse effects, and Manager Doug Thiesies
has also warned of high fire
with community partner-
danger, especially in low-
ships through the school
district, Washington Gorge
er elevation. “Hood River
Action Programs, medical
County fire season typically
services, local police depart- begins in June, but this year
ments and other community wildfires have already ignited
in the area,” Thiesies said in
organizations, “the group is
able to work together to help a press release. “With fire
danger heightened by lack of
address needs.”
rainfall in April, Hood River
In preparation for open-
County Forestry Department
ing the building, adult and
reminds the community that
student volunteers planted
200 native plants around the conditions are unseasonably
dry in forest lands below
building. The plants were
2500’ elevation.”
generously donated by the
In recent weeks, fire
Underwood Conservation
crews in Hood River County
District and Yakama Nation
have responded to multiple
Fisheries and compost was
donated by Dirt Hugger. The wildfires in the area resulting
from debris burning and
plants will provide a beauti-
unattended campfires, and
ful outdoor area around the
more dry, warm weather is
Center, as well as provide
habitat, offer a natural screen expected this month.
“We ask residents and visi-
between the Center and
the road and help provide a
tors to please be cautious be-
solution to drainage issues in cause wildfire risk is already
the area.
high,” said Thiesies. “Please
do not abandon campfires. If
you leave a campfire or burn
pile, be sure to soak it, stir it
and soak it again until there
is no smoke, steam or heat —
it needs to be out cold.”
In 2020, multiple fires
got infected but had one dose burned in Oregon, some
catastrophic, resulting in a
of the vaccine and so their
State emergency declara-
symptoms have been pretty
minimal. Maybe headaches
tion. Numerous parks and
and a stuffy nose. A cold
recreation areas were closed
essentially.”
in the region, including
Wearing a mask, avoiding Hood River County’s forest,
gatherings and getting vacci- Mt. Hood National Forest,
portions of the Columbia
nated remain the best ways
to reduce the surge.
For more information,
please visit COVID-19
Vaccine in Oregon, contact
North Central Public Health
District at (541) 506-2600,
visit us on the web at www.
ncphd.org or find us on
Facebook.)
River Gorge National Scenic
Area, and Oregon State Parks.
The public is advised to
exercise caution and follow
any upcoming restrictions for
everyone’s safety.
According to ODF, The
current short-term weather
outlook is for daytime tem-
peratures to reach 80 degrees
or warmer, with no moisture
in the ten day forecast. Based
on this forecast the Central
Oregon District is urging
landowners to pause any
burning planned at this time
until some precipitation is
seen on the landscape and
the risk of wildfire is reduced.
“We are strongly recom-
mending landowners not
burn for the remainder of
this week due to weather and
fuel conditions,” says Mike
Shaw, ODF’s Central Oregon
District Forester.
When weather conditions
moderate and burning can
be accomplished safely, land-
owners should contact their
local fire department or ODF
office to determine if burning
is allowed and if a permit
is needed. Safe burning
guidelines included keeping
the fire small, have water and
tools available to suppress
the fire if needed, never
leaving the fire unattended,
clearing the area surrounding
the burn pile to mineral soil,
ensuring the fire is out (cold
to the touch) when burning
is complete. Never burn
during windy conditions.
Additionally, revisit the burn
area in the days following to
make sure there is no heat
remaining. Debris burning
includes field/pastures and
irrigation ditch burning to
reduce thatch.
Campfires should be small,
have fuels cleared away from
the fire ring, never be left
unattended, and should be
completely extinguished
prior to leaving. Drowning
with water and stirring is the
best way to be certain the fire
is out.
If a fire does escape, the
responsible party can be cit-
ed for an uncontrolled burn
and held accountable for the
suppression costs of the fire
as well as any damage caused
by the fire, Shaw noted.
For updates on fire
dangers, call your local fire
district or visit its website.
Oregon Department of
Forestry’s website contains a
page to check for fire restric-
tions: oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/
Pages/Restrictions.aspx or
call The Dalles ODF office at
541-296-4626.
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