Wildfires are a part of nature; they play a key role in shaping ecosystems by serving as an agent of renewal and change. But the fires we are currently seeing burning in Oregon shouldn’t be reaching their current size and severity, according to a wildfire management student researcher Sima Safavi-Bayat.

A westerly flow of wind is developing which will transport smoke from the wildfires along and west of the Cascades back over eastern Oregon and Washington through at least the weekend. Air Quality Advisories and alerts are in effect.

Our first priority is the health and safety of our students and staff. We ask staff to return to their homes and not be in district buildings at this time.

Despite the many difficulties that have already faced teachers due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year, Erin Peter’s says her teaching team is doing their best to make the best of it for their students.

“Even though this year looks completely different, I love getting to ‘see’ my students get excited about learning on Zoom.”

City officials were just advised by the County Emergency Operations Center that the fire has become too difficult to control and therefore too dangerous to fight right now. They have pulled all firefighters off the fire-lines and out of Estacada.

Justify, a German Shepherd mix, leads the pack here, while Janet Dewitt rides her Warlinder horse, Remington, on Crawford Oaks trail just east of Dallesport off State Route 14 at Columbia Hills State Park. She and Cynder McLoud ride the trail once a week. Dewitt said they could see a lot of smoke looking north into Oregon.

With firefighters being overwhelmed throughout the state and heavy winds and low humidity expected to continue, Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill asked local residents to use extreme caution. We cannot afford any more fires, he said.

“GRD is a family.”

Gorge Roller Derby is more than just a roller derby league, it’s a family. So when their very own Kung Fu Lu (known off the track as Jen Hart) and Pitbull (Sarah Breeze) lost their homes in the Mosier Creek Fire- GRD didn’t waste time springing into action to support their team mates.

Columbia Gorge Motors and The Dalles beautification Committee have teamed up in efforts of organizing cleanup events within the community of The Dalles. Volunteers will have their first opportunity to join in the effort this Saturday at Thompson Park, at 10 a.m.

Updated September 9th, 2020 10:00 AM

Fires continue to burn in Oregon and Washington blanketing the PNW in smoke. Eastern winds will carry smoke into the Willamette Valley and new fires to the south may bring smoke into the Eastern Cascades today.

The NORCOR Board of Directors voted unanimously on Friday, August 20th, 2020 to discontinue housing immigration detainees for the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) due to a decrease in profitability. But what started as a celebration on behalf of activists who worked for years to get to this moment may be only one step in a bigger battle.

The Dalles’ Terry Turner likely buys a fair amount of shoes. The 67-year-old could never sit still. And he is proving it more than ever now. He took a nice little run on Thursday morning, Sept. 3, 2020 along Riverfront Trail. Turner is putting in 15 miles every other day, he said. Before lacing up the shoes, Turner was the Hattenhaur Distrubting sales development guru.

Here’s a film capture of a scene from In France Michelle is a Man’s Name, directed by Em Weinstein of The Dalles and New York. The film, shot in Tygh Valley, The Dalles and Goldendale, recently earned the Grand Jury Prize at Outfest in Los Angeles. It will be entered in the Academy Awards for Best Live Action Short Film.

District 21 Teachers and support staff in asked for and received additional days to prepare for the upcoming school year, which is set to begin in The Dalles, Thursday, Sept. 3., 2020. Interim Superintendent Theresa Peters said the decision was made after speaking with multiple teachers who were overwhelmed with preparations for starting the year with on-line classes.

Today Mid-Columbia Center for Living held a private meeting to discuss the end of MCCFL’s contract with the state to act as our local Community Developmental Disabilities Program. Center for Living noted that this was due to current operating costs exceeding state funding.

Military Vehicles in The Dalles on August 27th, 2020, 11:00 AM.

Mid-Columbia Center for Living is handing back the Community Developmental Disabilities Program to the Oregon Department of Human Services due to funding. There is concern over how this will affect those in need of disability services. Employees are also concerned about layoffs.

South Wasco County School District #1 is asking taxpayers to pass a $4-milliion school bond in the Nov. 3 general election to do major renovations to the schools and district buildings in Maupin. Essentially, taxpayers will get a 50 cent match on the dollar should they choose to approve the bond.

With a decrease in COVID-19 cases during the past several weeks, Wasco County is stepping closer to being able to open some schools if trends continue. Of course, each school district will ultimately make their own decision on when they can open up safely. But, recent health news is a good sign we are moving in the right direction.