Oregon’s unemployment rate held at 5.2% in November as payroll employment rose by 1,600 jobs, led by gains in leisure and hospitality and health care, according to state employment data.

An exhibition of 11 Columbia Gorge artists is on display at Cathedral Ridge Winery through Feb. 12, with a Jan. 15 meet-the-artist event highlighting regional creativity from across the Gorge.

Sense of Place begins the new year with More Than A Fish: Stories of Salmon and Sovereignty in the Pacific Northwest with Dylan Hedden-Nicely. The conversation will take place at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, Oregon on January 21st. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and the show begins at 7:00 p.m. A livestream option is available to all ticket holders. 

Students at Cascade Locks Elementary turned a jogathon into a smoocharama after exceeding their fundraising goal, prompting Principal Adrienne Acosta to keep her promise and kiss a goat during a school assembly.

A new dog control ordinance takes effect Jan. 7 in The Dalles, clarifying leash expectations, licensing rules and nuisance standards, with an initial focus on education rather than enforcement.

The Dalles Public Library will host a full slate of January programs, including winter reading, STEAM activities, crafts, storytimes and family events, with offerings for preschoolers through adults throughout the month.

The Dalles Public Library was transformed into a storybook kingdom Friday afternoon during its third annual Prince and Princess Tea Party, drawing families for an afternoon of crafts, dancing and imaginative play.

Kiwanis meetings are held every Thursday at noon at Spooky's, and visitors are welcome.

West First Street in The Dalles will close Jan. 13 for about seven weeks as crews upgrade the sanitary sewer main, restricting through traffic between Union Street and Webber Street.

Following an extensive search process, the City of Hood River has selected four candidates to interview for the position of Fire Chief. 

He never quoted scripture, but the truth of it lived in him — the idea that sometimes the branches that look the healthiest are the very ones you have to take off, because they steal the light from where the real fruit  grows.

As 2025 comes to a close, residents of The Dalles paused to reflect on moments that mattered — from family milestones to personal goals — and shared quiet hopes for the year ahead.

The Dalles Public Library will host a full slate of family-friendly programs from Dec. 30 through Jan. 3, including craft nights, teen activities, live performances and an adults-only fantasy-themed evening.

Oregon State Police responded to multiple crashes during Christmas week, including several DUII arrests and rollover wrecks on I-84 and U.S. 197 that damaged barriers and disrupted traffic.

On Monday, January 5, 2026, the City of The Dalles Public Works will begin repairs to a catch basin on the 6th Street Bridge. The catch basin is creating a road hazard and must be repaired.

Some of the most fulfilling work doesn’t happen in front of an audience. For Mark, it happens in kitchens, in gardens, and in small, but powerful, everyday moments.  

Six local organizations joined together to donate $20,000 to the Columbia Gorge Food Bank to help address increased need in the community. Chenowith Water PUD, the City of The Dalles, Hood River Electric & Internet Co-op, Northern Wasco County People's Utility District, QLife, and Wasco Electric Cooperative presented the donation on Thursday, December 18.

As 2025 comes to a close, The Next Door Inc. (TNDI) is thrilled to announce our Philanthropists of the Year! With so many people stepping up to support and care for others, we’ve decided to award not one, not two, but three recipients this year: Molly Fauth in Hood River County, Pray Electric of Wasco County, and donors who wish to remain anonymous from Klickitat County.

When I wrote a column on big institutions, government, utilities, and trillion-dollar corporations, I owed readers two things at once: a clear point of view and clean, verifiable facts.

In my recent column about data centers and public costs, I oversimplified a few details, and while they remain true, it’s not the whole picture. This is the clarification: what was missed, and why the core community question still stands.

Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC), in partnership with Mid-Columbia Center for Living (MCCFL), is pleased to announce the conversion of 21 units at The Annex into permanent supportive housing (PSH).

Affordable Housing is a complicated topic, especially in a region like the Columbia River Gorge, where development opportunities are limited.

At The Next Door, we believe that caring for others is a form of self-care. When we show up for our community, we strengthen our own sense of purpose, resilience, and belonging. That belief comes to life through the people who pour their hearts into this work.  

Matthew’s support of The Next Door (TNDI) comes from one simple belief: that we’re always better off when we work together. In that work, he’s discovered that caring for others can nurture your own sense of purpose, community, and connection.

Caroling by local students, take-and-make STEAM kits, teen gaming, and holiday closures highlight a full slate of late December events at The Dalles Public Library, with programs for children, teens, and families.

For many people, FFA is easy to misunderstand. Some still think it’s just about farming or kids who plan to stay in agriculture. That view misses the point — especially here in our county, where we see firsthand what FFA really does.

On Dec. 19th, the county is shifting into the recovery phase following last night’s heavy rainfall. There are several road closures due to water and debris hazards and officials are asking the public to avoid county recreation areas. Crews are working to clear roads and assess flood damage.