Oregonians convicted of felonies will be able to legally petition for reconsideration of their sentence and convictions on January 1st, 2022 when Senate Bill 819 goes into effect. The enactment of the law is considered a huge win for those looking for a second chance at sentencing and at full reintegration into their communities. Wasco County District Attorney Matt Ellis has created a special hearing docket scheduled for January 6th, 2022 at 8:30 AM to hear the first round of petitions from Wasco County community members. The hearing will be presided over by Wasco County Circuit Judge Janet Stauffer.

So instead of sitting around and watching the icicles grow longer, I took this opportunity to get out in The Dalles and meet some of the folks working and playing in the snow. I met business owners, bus drivers, mailmen, and others on this fantastic voyage. Some you may even recognize.

The Dalles high school boys basketball team played in a non-league away game Tuesday, Dec 28th against 6A Century Jaguars in what was a close game. The Hawks battled all game but would eventually lose 60-52.

In May of 2009, Archbishop Desmond Tutu made a trip to Oregon. He agreed to be the keynote speaker at the 40th annual Collins Lecture. He also got to visit his good friend, Bishop Rustin Kimsey and attended church at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in The Dalles. Tutu also filled sandbags during a flood with TD’s Kristine Vercouteren.

I’m writing this as 2021 is coming to a close, to announce that Gorge Community Music will be closing Jan. 25 - Caleb Prescott

When it comes to live music, Jim Drake can get you plugged in. This New Year’s Eve will have you tapping your toes and sipping champagne with the best of them. Events include Sugar Daddies, DJ Budget Money, Al Hare, Nightlife, Bridgid’s Crossing, Brady Goss, ‘SPOT’, and Norman Sylvester Band.

MCMC and OHSU formally ended several aspects of their collaborative agreement that will affect primary care, general surgery, orthopedics, endocrinology in weeks and months to come. It is the latest news about the local hospital that cut ties with OHSU Cardiology in August and has seen 14 clinicians leave the Medical Center in the past year.

The weather forecast calls for sustained very cold temperatures in the next week. Community members can save themselves the hassle and cost of emergency repairs by taking a few simple steps to reduce the risk of burst pipes when freezing weather sets in.

The homeless housing team at Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) began offering Warming Shelter services for unsheltered people in Skamania and Klickitat Counties on December 13, 2021.

This week's question of the week asks us to share in our families, neighbors, and friends culinary traditions, culture...and gives us some ideas of what we might cook for ourselves this Christmas.

Rekindle the magic of this holiday season through the innocent and hopeful letters of local 3rd graders.

LIttle Art City Strikes again. The Dalles Art Center seeking local artist submissions to us for a three-dimensional sculpture created through the medium of blacksmithing. It will be installed at an upcoming “pocket park” at the corner of 2nd and Washington streets in the spring of 2022.

Can you hear those sleigh bells jing-a-ling, ring-ting-ting-a-ling, too? It’s lovely weather for seeing display lights together with you! Locals awarded for the all-out joy in bringing Christmas Magic to our little bend in the river! Read here about a holiday drive-by and the people that make it happen.

The person developed symptoms on Dec. 8, was diagnosed with COVID and admitted to Mid-Columbia Medical Center on Dec. 11, and passed away Dec. 15.

There is a super cool opportunity being offered by the Columbia Gorge Community College’s Creative Writing Club, for students both past and present, to have writing and visual art published.

Northwest Mural Fest has released their second round of mural themes for public input on their website.

This past week, starting Dec 16th to Dec 18th, The Dalles high school boys basketball team played some tough basketball at a tournament in Woodburn and has some real success. The Hawks made it to the semi-finals before falling to Woodburn in a close game.

Monique Adams, LCSW, CADC from MCMC gives some therapist-grade advice to help you get through the holidays, especially if you have a pre-existing mental health condition, are newly divorced, grieving, are LGBTQ, or have estranged family.

When it comes to live music, Jim Drake can get you plugged in. Our local columnist for entertainment Gorge-wide has a good sampling of coming shows and events, including Curtis James, Willy and Nelson Trio, Sugar Daddies, hapa hillbillies, Al Hare, BBLake, MegaNeil, Megan Alder, Chazing Ebenezer, DJ Budget Money, Cowboy Buck and Elizabeth.

Welcome to Question of the Week, a weekly news column that poses timely questions about life, politics, culture, economics, health, and more to people out and about in our communities. Each column features a question that expresses curiosity about other people’s experiences and deepens our understanding of people from all walks of life.