Oh, ho, ho, ho. The Season is merry with the wishes of our local children!

Santa has sent us their letters from local 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-graders to help us rekindle the magic of this holiday season through their innocent and hopeful writings to Santa.

I looked to my left and saw the most precisely placed array of lights and light-up figures, everything red and white and orbiting a singular more colorful centerpiece, an electric tree, the lights of which seemed to move in all directions. I’d found my first winner.

Firefighters called to 2-alarm fire early this morning to find several buildings engulfed at mill site on Frankton Road in Hood River. Employees diverted to secondary business in Dallesport. The cause of fire still under investigation.

Esperanza came to the United States as a young child and was eventually granted temporary permission to live and work legally in the US through the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Every two years, she's required to renew her DACA application to maintain her eligibility. And every renewal period, she faces several financial burdens.  

Solstice Wood Fire Pizza ads to diversity at food carts in The Dalles - Growing up, we would occasionally go out and grab a “fast food buffet.” We would drive to multiple fast-food restaurants and pick up different items that sounded good to one or more of the people in the car. No need anymore with 6th Street Station food carts covering a ton of culinary ground in TD.

Crestline Construction is under contract with Maul Foster & Alongi (MFA), we will be installing a 36” storm line across Klindt Drive and River Rd. Construction will be periodic from January 2nd, 2024 through January 31st, 2024, and between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:30 pm. This work will take place on weekdays, Monday to Friday.

Don’t let fear or uncertainty hold you back. Even volunteering for an hour or two a week is helpful. Danielle Barriga knows the sense of well-being and satisfaction that comes with volunteering. And it’s energizing! There’s a big difference between working at a wage-earning job and doing volunteer work. As Danielle emphasized, “A paycheck goes away quickly. The satisfaction lasts.”

The Dalles Public Library hosted its gingerbread house-making event for children and families, witnessing a significant turnout. This year marks the second successful run of the event, with all preordered gingerbread houses being claimed before the event started.

Whenever we consider a change in our lives, even a positive one, we encounter the paradox of transformation. On one hand, we are on familiar ground. It may not be the best, but it’s what we’re used to. When we think of making a change, we run the risk of losing our stable ground. We tend to settle for what is familiar. Why rock the boat?

Preparations for operating the Skamania County Emergency Warming Shelter in Stevenson are in progress. An opening date has not yet been announced, but when it opens, it is expected to be available through mid-March. The shelter is located near the Hegewald Center and is operated by Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP).

In November, Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment declined by 7,300 jobs, following a revised loss of 4,300 jobs in October. November’s losses were largest in professional and business services (-2,900 jobs); construction (-1,700); leisure and hospitality (-1,500); financial activities (-1,300); and information (-1,000). The only industry growing substantially in November was health care and social assistance, which added 2,400 jobs.

The Bargeway Pub welcomes Megan Alder to the stage tonight, Dec. 20 at 6 p.m. for Waterfront Wednesday. The Premier venue for music continues to offer up the gift of local music through Saturday. Want more? Of course, you do. Check out the Gorge’s most comprehensive guide to arts and entertainment here.

Comunidades and Hood River Latino Network hosted a free International Migrant Day celebration on Monday, Dec. 18 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the White Salmon Grange.

A fire was reported at milepost 50 on I-84 near Cascade Locks on Sunday, Dec.17, at 4:18 p.m.  Cascade Locks Fire and EMS were dispatched to the area and discovered a large cache of railroad ties on private property had caught on fire. 

White Salmon Valley School District swears in new board members, and it’s quite an eclectic mix with decision makers coming from backgrounds including filmmaking, public health and speech pathology.

Mike Salsbury offers this Christmas Card from Goldendale with the sights and thoughts of locals as they have come together to celebrate their town, their people, and being together.

January brings the peak season for bald eagle migration in the Columbia Gorge. This January there will be two events celebrating the bald eagle migration: Wings Over the Columbia Gorge, a free webinar featuring eagle experts on January 4th followed by the 14th annual Eagle Watch at The Dalles Dam on January 20th, featuring live raptor demonstrations, eagle watching, and educational activities.

Two killed in vehicle collision just the beginning as police also arrest two others in near vicinity for drunken driving after their vehicles crash, one hitting an Oregon Department of Transportation pickup and injuring the employee.

The 2.79 acres purchased at 4375 RiverTrail Way near Taylor Lake and the Google 3 data plant were alive with some 15 construction workers today, Dec. 15. They were erecting a demonstration facility to mine the air of its carbon dioxide or CO2, in a step to prevent the earth from getting too hot for humans.

The Hood River City Council convened on Monday, Dec. 11. Councilors heard a presentation from the Hood River Lions Club on expanding playground facilities, as well as a presentation from Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC) on new facilities projects to support the effort to end homelessness in the region.