All that shopping and sweating the little stuff needs to take a break. Find a live show or a movie in this week’s roundup of Gorge Entertainment. Jim Drake also offers a little New Year’s Eve Planner to get you thinking.

A recent order by Oregon Administrative Law Judge Jennifer Rackstraw concludes that minimal impacts at most would come to endangered species such as steelhead and Chinook if wetlands are removed in the construction of a Walmart supercenter in The Dalles. She found the public benefits outweighed some degree of wetland destruction and degradation, stream and river pollution, fish mortality, and wildlife mortality and displacement.

Downtown TD will be bustling tonight, Friday, Dec. 16 as some 25 businesses stay open until 8 p.m. for the Sip & Shop event. Pubs will follow this event with Santa Con on Saturday, Dec. 17 with special drink prices and contests for those holly and jolly enough to don a red and white suit.

Entertainment in the Gorge is hitting a fevered pitch in the next couple of days as opportunities for live music, entertainment, comedy and local concerts are coming down the chimney like a bag of toys. Check out the offerings and opportunities for holiday fun here.

The pandemic has taken a toll on Second Hand Rose thrift store in Bingen, Washington.

Meet Wyld Lee, known as the Feral Oracle of Parkdale, Oregon. As a seer, reiki (energy healing) practitioner, map maker, priestess and Tarot reader she offers a unique blend individually tailored services to help individuals heal, grow, reinvent themselves, and find their path in life.

The Hares have been spearheading a collaborative effort between local restaurants and musicians to bring live music every night to The Dalles. It’s getting noticed. And now it’s getting statewide coverage.

The announcement of Bamba’s Indian Food Bar has been posted on the former site of Pho Sai Gon restaurant at 312 Court St. in The Dalles.

The Steltzer family recently purchased the former Chronicle building at 315 Federal Street with the intent of renovating the building for a natural food grocery and deli as well as creating space for six other like-minded businesses. The project will transform the building which has been shuttered since the summer of 2018. They hope to be open in late spring or early summer of 2023.

As we write to wish you and yours a very happy holiday season, we find ourselves pondering the current and future existence of Local News here, and across the region

Hood River, OR - In November, Lake Taco, an authentic family Mexican restaurant run by Maria and Enrique Ortega, was in danger of closing down forever. Now, thanks to donations from the community, Lake Taco now is in the process of moving into a new location in downtown Hood River.

Mary and Dennis Davis have greeted a lot of people in their service with The Dalles Floozies and Friends. And this year was no different as some 150 boats brought thousands of tourists to the community. Estimates put the total drop in our community around $700,000. But Dennis and Mary’s commitment to teasing tourists? Priceless!

We’re coming into a manic weekend as the days count down to Christmas. And the presents are already dropping as art, music and entertainment are piling up like packages at the post office. This weekend brings us Brewer’s Grade, Anna Veimeister and Aaron Myer to name just a few. Check our latest here and stuff your stocking with some good times.

Oregon Tradeswomen is now enrolling for our Laborer-focused pre-apprenticeship training for women and transgender individuals in The Dalles on Jan. 24th. The introductory class provides insight into the trades and students can elect to enroll in a 5-week course that could lead to an apprenticeship and good money.

Moe Dixon and Tess and Patrik Barr will play a free show at Riverside Community Church in Hood River on Friday, Dec. 2nd at noon. Dixon will also play The Pines in HR starting at 6 p.m. Miles From Nowhere, a four-piece band from Central Oregon will bring a set filled with Classic Rock, Blues, Country and Alternative to Zim’s in TD on Saturday, Dec. 3, starting at 7 p.m.

The Snow Sisters and Goldendale Reindeer Farm are creating a ton of holiday magic for local youths this Christmas Season as they offer events around the Gorge. Tegan Shermikas takes along for the ride as the Sisters work their magic. Sounds pretty fun. We wish we were 5 again.

The Second Annual Turkey Trot 5k Run/Walk Family Fun Run in The Dalles got underway this morning, our day of the bird, Nov. 24. More than 200 people showed up in their best Thanksgiving duds. This year, all proceeds will go toward the TD Backpack program and then those dollars will be matched by Columbia Gorge Motors up to $5k.

But through the doors of the former Baldwin Saloon in The Dalles one found warmth and laughter, a large table bristling with life and community in the space now called the Rooted Commons.

Skip the internet. Skip the mall. Shopping, Drinking, Shopping - Only at Working Hands Brewery on Black Friday, Nov. 25. Check out our weekly roundup of upcoming holiday Bazaars

Crews were drilling at the corner of Crates Way and River Road on Thursday, Nov. 17, as 12 new power poles will be erected in the Port of The Dalles in weeks to come. The Power poles lead to Google’s new data center site at 3500 River Road.