This display at 4000 Brown’s Creek Road brings a bit of a smile even if it hints at our mortality this morning, Friday, Oct. 30. That’s even more reason to seize the moment. With just a day to go before Halloween locals are dressing up.

Dry Canyon Electric’s Chuck Rystedt watched as his son, Zack dug into a 24-foot pole with his spikes on Thursday morning on Highway 197 near 5-Mile Road. Meanwhile, Zach Reid used a “lasher” to entwine two cables as they were finishing a fiber optic line that runs 15 miles from Dufur School to the Columbia Gorge ESD at the Columbia Gorge Community College Campus in The Dalles.

Art is abounding this gorgeous Thursday, Oct. 29th. A quick run around The Dalles quickly kicks up several feats in public art.

The Dalles City Council is pushing ahead on creating a temporary shelter for the local houseless population. The village of six units is to be located at the end of Terminal Way in a gravel lot between Northwest Natural and Oregon Cherry Growers.

Election ballots in Wasco County should be hand-delivered to dropboxes. The last day to mail them was Tuesday, Oct. 27, according to the Wasco County Election website.

Virginia McKay, a 25- plus year veteran with Windy River Gleaners was at it again this morning, Wednesday, Oct. 28. Food boxes were prepared for some 950 people in East The Dalles. Cars were lined up past the overpass on Old Highway 30.

The ability to monitor and house people with mental imbalances has been “ripped out of the communities at a local level by the state and never been restored.” As a result, people are breaking down on city streets. They’re breaking laws, impacting the economy, and have local leaders flummoxed as the State of Oregon has failed to fund their treatment.

Taxpayers within the Northern Wasco County School District 21 may have seen a decline in their property tax bills this year. Wasco County Tax Assessor Jill Amery points this out in the following document detailing the tax roll, and the retirement of the Middle-School bond.

David Sendejas, 28, Keith Bright, 28 and Chance Sendejas, 26, said it was pretty cold last night. Temperatures dropped a couple of degrees below freezing. The houseless men were resting on Pentland Street next to The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce this morning, Tuesday, Oct. 27. Dalles City Council held a workshop on Monday night bringing in voices from three different counties to discuss the current status of the houseless and those needing mental health assistance.

As of this morning, 7,560 of 18,403 ballots for the Nov. 3 general election had been returned in Wasco County, according to Wasco County Clerk Lisa Gambee. These numbers include ballots dropped off over the weekend but not all of the mail, she said.

Assistant Manager Maria Bartlett was messin’ with Squatch at the West Second Street Market across from Casa El Mirador this morning, Monday, Oct. 26. The new mural, painted by Samantha Bates was completed last week. The market is run by Hattenhauer Distributing Company.

The low water level on the Columbia River near the Union Street underpass reveals pilings from the past this Sunday Morning, Oct. 25. Their symmetrical placement and sheer number beg the question of what stood here at one point. If you know, please tell us about them in our new forum feature.

Renaldo Cruz, owner of Tacos Del Rios at 421 Union St., The Dalles, and friend Ignacio Torres work on the last of the season’s peppers on Friday afternoon. Del Diablo peppers, habaneros, and some others that are so hot they that if you write the name down it catches on fire were plucked from plants that saw their last days.

The Parade must go on! The Starlight Parade will look a little different this year with a little role reversal. Floats will be parked on 3rd street and the public will drive past to view the decorated floats.

Almost a third of ballots had already been returned to Wasco County this morning, Friday, Oct. 23, according to Wasco County Clerk Lisa Gambee.

The Dalles Artist Chris Pothier began installation of the All Together The Dalles Mural at 811 E. Second Street this morning. The mural is a painting of a photomontage of iconic buildings in The Dalles area that are stacked into a mountain within the landscape of The Dalles. Everything seems out of place giving our historic places and landscape an entirely different look and, perhaps, appreciation.

Oregon reports 373 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, 11 new deaths.

Whispering Pines Estates is requesting City approval to re-plat lots 27, 28, and 29 at 2428, 2434, and 2440 W. 14th Street, The Dalles. in the Whispering Pines Subdivision Phase 3. The re-plat will combine the three lots and divide the combined lot into two separate lots of 9,648 SF and 10,297 Square Feet respectively.

Kaila Garwood is selling the last of her dahlias as frost’s wicked fingers are threatening her pedals. The mother of two has been selling the bouquets from her front porch during the past several weeks. But freezing temperatures will soon have her out of business. She is located at 520 E. 7th St., The Dalles. Forecasters are calling for a low of 27 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday and 23 degrees on Sunday. Oh, snap!