It’s time to blow the doors off 2023. Jim Drake gives us a nice little tour of what is happening in the Gorge to ring in the new year. Check out the shows and parties coming up this Saturday, Dec. 31.

Falling Trees take the lives of two in separate highway fatalities on Tuesday, Dec. 27

Santa has sent us letters and drawings from local 2nd and 3rd graders to help us rekindle the magic of this holiday season through these innocent and hopeful writings. Santa has quite a group of pen pals from The Dalles, Dufur, Mosier and Lyle. Check them out here.

Winter weather is in full force this weekend.
A winter storm warning is in effect for the Columbia River Gorge 4p.m. December 22nd to 4 a.m. on December 25th.

With a major uptick in flu cases, the U.S. Center for Disease Control has sent out a Health Advisory to healthcare providers regarding the importance of prescribing antiviral medications for patients with the flu this year. Flu shots are available. Click here to find out more.

The Dalles Wasco County Sheriff partnered with Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC) staff and volunteers and anonymous donors from the community to deliver some Christmas magic to two families in need on Wednesday December 21st. 

“We love to hear people say they drove by our house and they loved the decorations or that their kids really like Frosty,” said Stephanie Hoffman. “I would miss coming home in the evening or leaving in the morning and seeing the lights. I would miss watching cars slow down to look at the lights. I believe the decorations help people get in the Christmas spirit. As a kid, my parents used to drive us around to look at lights. It was one of my favorite things to do.” 

With freezing rain, snow, and wind chill temperatures projected to be as low as -15 to -25 degrees in the coming days, Mid-Columbia Community Action Council is opening a temporary warming center using St. Vincent de Paul’s building at 315 W. 3rd St. in The Dalles beginning 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 21st, 2022.

“It’s kinda hard for me to do this—it’s a lot of work—but I do enjoy doing it, and I do it because the kids come by and they like seeing everything. I have people who will pull up in front of the house at night and stay for 5 minutes just taking it all in,” said Dorothy Waters. “Some years I think, Well, maybe I shouldn’t…But I always do. Recently a neighbor said, Boy, I’m glad you do this every year, it’s so nice to look at.”

In Avatar: The Way of Water, we marvel at the beauty of the ocean, as well as the power, majesty and intelligence of its inhabitants. The gift of spending time in Cameron’s alternative world is being able to return to our own and recognize it as just as beautiful, and dangerous, and precious.  

Maggie Converse, of Bristol Hospice (Previously Heart of Hospice) is planning to lead a monthly, community grief support group at the Hood River Library, beginning January 4. Weather permitting, the group will meet in person for about an hour each month from 4:00-5:00 pm.

“My husband Nathan and I started decorating the year we purchased our home (2003),” said Nancy Hansen. “We started out with a lot of inflatables and then slowly moved to what you see today in our yard and part of our neighbor’s yard. (Yes, part of what’s in her yard we do for her since we had extras, and she loves it. She added the snowman this year.)”

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.

Mid-Columbia Community Concert Association (MCCCA), is proud to bring back by popular demand, the ninth Annual Dancing With The Gorge Stars competition on January 13th, 2023 at 7 p.m. in the The Dalles High School auditorium.

Donna Henderson, LCSW, psychotherapist, artist and writer based in Maupin, South Wasco County shares tips on navigating the holidays after loss.

On December 19th, 2022 at 9:45 a.m, a court hearing for the Tara Koch case, presided over by Judge Karen Ostrye, was held via webex in Wasco County, presided over by Judge Karen Ostrye. The hearing was only minutes long and resulted in the scheduling of a plea hearing on March 20th, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.

For years, our columnist Sarah Cook and her partner have made popcorn and hot chocolate hopped in their tiny Subaru, put on All Classical Portland, and driven around The Dalles as they pretended to assign trophies to the most spectacularly decorated houses.  This year Sarah is handing out accolades in CCCNews with four awards. First up: Best Tree goes to the Hutesons.

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.

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.

This week, I sat down with comedian Jon Bennett, an Australian storyteller who gives an amazingly sordid and bizarre story of his brother’s life with poignant reflection. Bennett will be performing twice this weekend - Tonight, Dec. 16, at the Granada in The Dalles and on Saturday, Dec. 17 at the Bingen Theater. Tickets are still on sale. Click here to find out more.