This popular annual theatrical performance about influential members of our community from the past has been created on video. Typically a live performance, Cemetery Tales 2021 is a professional video production available for online viewing October 1-3.

The Columbia Basin Care Foundation has awarded $12,500 in scholarships to seventeen local area students pursuing careers in health care during the upcoming college 2021-2022 school year.

Columbia Gorge Community College Library and Learning Commons is hosting a Community Read of bestselling author and CGCC instructor Tina Ontiveros' memoir rough house Thursday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m.

Do you or someone you know need affordable childcare? Take this public child care center needs assessment survey in English or Spanish. The survey closes Friday, September 17th, 2021. Paper versions of the survey have also been distributed to libraries, schools, and other locations.

Columbia Gorge Community College is ready to rock. Join them for a free drive-in screening of Metallica & San Francisco Symphony - S&M2 at the Sunshine Mill Sept. 22. Metallica is offering $1,700 scholarships to locals seeking skills training. Read more here.

The Dalles City Council is set to decide on how to spend $1.74 million in federal dollars coming from the American Rescue Plan tonight, Monday, Sept. 13. Check out the list of projects here.

Between Sept. 1 and Sept. 8, schools in Wasco and Sherman counties reported 19 cases of COVID-19. School-based cases can be reported among students, staff or volunteers. None were due to transmission in the school setting.

The college will also be home to the first-ever Squirt3l Ceramic 3D printer, built by artist and innovator Bri Murphy. Bri is a visiting artist who will be offering a lecture and presentation on Zoom this Friday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m.

The Lyle School District Board of Directors is seeking a district resident to fill an at-large position on the board, which was vacated by Lisa Bren on July 28. The appointee will serve through the next general election in 2023, and may file for election to the position. Applications due by September 17th.

Here at The Dalles Public Library, our 2021 Summer Reading program was very successful. We had 384 people of all ages sign-up through the Beanstack app. Those aged 0-4 were keeping track of the books read, or read to them; there was a staggering 3,132 books read. Read all about it in this month’s Library Happenings newsletter.

Students across The Dalles returned to almost regular School today, Monday, Aug. 30 as classes are meeting in full and teachers and staff are now instructing in person. It has been about 18 months since this has been possible, due to the pandemic.

“We’ve had a great first day of school,” said Ann Varkados, Lyle School District Superintendent. “Kids are excited to be there and teachers are excited. We’re looking forward to having kids in class every day.”

North Wasco County Public School District 21 hosted a listening session to hear staff and community questions and concerns about returning to full-time in-person learning on August 30th. Stakeholder feedback was then incorporated into D21’s 2021-2022 Back to School Plan during the school board work session.

Columbia Gorge Community College is offering $600 “Rebound” scholarships to students enrolling for Fall Term 2021 and who enrolled in CGCC credit classes previously but dropped because of the pandemic. Find out more here.

While the ribbon-cutting is still planned for 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, the college will offer a livestream of the event for people who do not wish to attend in person. The college is encouraging people to participate via the livestream, while still keeping the ribbon-cutting open to those who prefer to attend in person.

Several local clinics are teaming up to give children a healthy head start for the school year with checkups, immunization, even a free backpack with school supplies.

CGCC is bringing a new aviation maintenance technician program to the Gorge to address a shortage in the industry. “The average starting annual pay for a certificated mechanic is $45,000,” and this is increasing every year. Experienced mechanics earn $70,000 per year or more. Read more here.

CGCC is now taking applications for its new dormitory, Chinook Residence Hall. The building features some incredible views and good energy with blues, whites and light wood tones. The building will be able to house 50 students in its current configuration. Read and SEE more here.

Eleven-year-old Tavin Smith is a hustler in a good lemonade, hot chocolate kind of way. His sister, Sydney, chips in with her cookies.

David Osborn will facilitate a program named “The Meaning of Climate Change” via Zoom on Wednesday, Aug. 4th, at 6 p.m. through the Wasco County Library District. Learn out what else is happening in this month’s Library Happenings newsletter.