The decision was driven by concerns about the negative impact of excessive screen time on students, including issues such as anxiety, disruptive behavior, sleep disturbances, and reduced attention spans.

Sarah Crook proposed extending this service with the introduction of the Gorge Pass, which would allow students to travel for free throughout the entire Gorge region, including to Portland and Vancouver. 

D21EA President Jodi Ketchum emphasized that the unions now face a critical choice: move forward with the tentative agreement or reopen bargaining.

North Wasco County School District 21 and Union leaders are still embroiled in difficult negotiations about next year's contracts. The district faces a $1.5 million to $2 million financial deficit due to a decline in enrollment. During recent bargaining meetings D21 has proposed what they feel is the best solution to the budget shortfall: capitalizing on staff attrition to cut 10 positions without doing any layoffs.

Jim Daniel, a 24-year resident of Goldendale, has joined the crowded primary race for Washington State Governor as a moderate Republican, vying with 27 others for a spot on the general election ballot.

White Salmon Mayor makes run for state senate seat after a U.S. District Judge shifts district boundaries moving Goldendale, White Salmon and Lyle to the 17th district. There is no incumbent in the race as Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, has announced she is stepping down.

North Wasco County School District 21 (NWASCO D21), the second largest employer in The Dalles, and one of the largest employers in the County is grappling with a notable funding deficit, having concluded the previous fiscal year with just over $21,000. The deficit has resulted in the need to make some challenging choices and conflicts with unions that may have far reaching consequences for the community in the upcoming 2024/2025 school year.

Bingen's centennial celebration brought a vibrant atmosphere to the town on Saturday April 13, drawing locals and visitors together to mark the significant milestone in the town's history. 

Ketchum outlined some of the disruptive behaviors that teachers have endured in the classroom over the years. They included verbal abuse such as screaming and threats made to teachers and other students, physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, and throwing objects in the classroom, and overall classroom destruction.

“There are concerns with the ability to pick up younger students as this piece of the schedule change only applies to high school students,” Santillan-Guzman said referring to the loss of early release days.

The move is the first step in creating additional, land-efficient housing in the community as a shortage in housing stock has gripped the Gorge and the Pacific Northwest generally.

In an unfortunate accident, a 77-year-old driver from Glenwood was attempting to park her car in front of Everybody's Brewing on Jewett Boulevard in downtown White Salmon, when she ran over the curb and struck two women on Monday, Feb. 12th at about 12:45 p.m.

In what White Salmon Valley School District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn called a timely report, the District presented to the board a breakdown of how the district addresses youth and teen suicide. The report came in the wake of a recent teen suicide at neighboring Hood River Valley High School, where Polkinghorn had once been a teacher and principal.

The players were ineligible because they were attending North Wasco County’s alternative high school, Innovations Academy, which did not have OSAA membership, a requirement for eligibility.

“We are looking at our data right now, but we understand that it is just a snapshot, so as we put these new things in place some things will work, some won’t, and will have to evolve as we go,” Columbia High School Vice Principal Kelly Hume said in a Jan. 8 interview.

Washington State lawmakers who voted in favor of the Bill contend that the old law was doing more harm than good when it came to offenders who committed their crimes as juveniles. A level 3 or high-risk offender's requirement to register as a sex offender has reduced from being listed indefinitely to three years after release from a confinement/treatment facility. A level 2 or moderate-risk offender’s requirement decreased from 10 to 2 years.

Bingen City Council gives Craig Trummel the nod to fill the vacant council seat. The insurance underwriter has a background as a private practice lawyer and currently works for WFG National Title Insurance. Trummel expressed his interest in the city’s street and water systems, praising the recent work done on Humboldt Street and noting the unique relationship between the Bingen and the City of White Salmon.

White Salmon Valley School District swears in new board members, and it’s quite an eclectic mix with decision makers coming from backgrounds including filmmaking, public health and speech pathology.

A group of nine protestors lined the sidewalk of Starbucks reopening at the Corner of Sixth St. and Cherry Heights Rd. in The Dalles in a boycott to bring attention to the killings occurring in the Gaza Strip as the Israel Hamas war thunders.

In this case, it mainly benefits residents in this newly annexed area who can expect their property taxes to go down from $9.48 per $1000 assessed valuation to $7.86 per $1000. Property owners will also reap the benefits of reduced utility costs.