Hood River Fire & EMS is celebrating good news after receiving $384,025 in grant funding from the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM).

Support The Next Door Inc.’s Gorge Youth Mentoring Spring Raffle for your chance to win one of two amazing stays at the Oregon Coast!

Beyond the picturesque scenery and abundant outdoor recreation, Hood River is a place that celebrates the diverse beauty of its residents and visitors. It is a community that believes in the right to live and travel freely, just as you are. In partnership with the Columbia Gorge Pride Alliance, The Next Door, and the Hood River Hotel, Visit Hood River will celebrate these rights and the LGBTQIA+ community and visitors June 2-3 with a lineup of inclusive and welcoming events at the Hood River Pride Celebration.

Bargeway Pub kicks it off with a Little Music City Showcase of three singer-songwriters on Wednesday, May 24 as venues up and down the Gorge are staging some great talent. Pick a show and go.

College board members, following recommendations of a 13-member search committee, last week announced the selection of potential successors to Dr. Marta Yera Cronin, who will be leaving the college effective June 30 to assume a community college presidency in Pennsylvania.

As of May 17th, at 10:45 a.m. Hood River County Special District Election has seen an overall voter turn out of 35.84%. Current results show that over 74% of voters voted yes on the Hood River County School District Levy Renewal. Meanwhile some contested races are still too close to call.

The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office and Hood River City Police responded to a drowning at the Hood River Marina on Friday, May 12th, 2023. The remains of a Hood River man were recovered from the Marina the following day.

Hood River Library’s First Comic Con event, organized by the Teen Council, Rachel Timmons, Teen Librarian and other library staff brought nearly 70 people out to participate in costume contests, performance, a zine making workshop, a free comic giveaway, button making, game playing, a photo booth and more!

“Award Winning Artist Trent Beaver is known as one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier singer-songwriters and he is playing the Bargeway Pub in TD tonight, May 12 starting at 7:00 p.m. It’s just one of many jams to happen this weekend as temps tip into the 90s calling for cutoffs, tanktops and margaritas. Check it all out here with the Gorge’s Prolific One Jim Drake.

The City of Hood River, in collaboration with the Urban Renewal Agency Board (URAB), is making progress in refining the design for the Heights Streetscapes project. Following feedback from community partners and public input, a hybrid design has been selected as the preferred alternative. This design entails a new roundabout, a new traffic light, the closing of Belmont between 12th and 13th, one-way traffic and a bike path on 12th Street, and two-way traffic on 13th Street.

However, representatives from Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), which provides power to the City of Cascade Locks, have now confirmed to Columbia Insight that BPA does plan to charge the city a higher rate for its electricity due in part to the new data center’s power usage. According to a recent City of Cascade Locks memo obtained by Columbia Insight, these new increased rates are expected to cost the city an additional $570,000 a year.

With 16 races, 61 candidates, and a school levy to research, there is much to weigh before the Hood River County Special Election on May 16th.

The new agreement restores a voice for Washington governments in funding, building, operating and maintaining the new bridge, a crucial interstate link.

The 1st annual round dance in honor of missing and murdered indigenous people will be held on Friday May 5th, 2023 from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Wahtonka Community School, in The Dalles, OR. The family friendly event is free to attend. All gorge community members, allies, and native people, are invited to gather, dance, raise community awareness, and promote healing together.

Gorge local, Julie Zapien, shares some of the history of Cinco de Mayo plus some of the best ways you can celebrate this holiday on May 5th, 2023. “Many Mexican-Americans (myself included) do still tend to enjoy what the day brings, yet It is a holiday that has more meaning than just tacos and margaritas...” says, Zapien.

Wasco County Innovation Initiative partners have launched a small business pitch competition that invites entrepreneurs in Wasco, Sherman, and Hood River counties to showcase their business ideas and compete for funding and exposure. The competition aims to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation and provide a networking opportunity for participants. Application deadlines are May 17th.

The raffle to support students in The Dalles and Hood River is aiming to put someone in a new car while local communities pay it forward for sports and extra-curricular activities at high schools in TD and HR. Tickets are $10 for a chance to win a new ‘23 Toyota Corolla. The raffle has the potential to bring $150k.

The Columbia Gorge Pride Alliance (CGPA) Columbia Gorge Pride was established in 2017 to create a secure space for the LGBTQIA2S+ community in the Gorge. To further understand the needs and strengths of the LGBTQIA2S+ community in the Columbia River Gorge, CGPA is conducting an online survey.

The Bargeway Pub welcomes "Martino" Gerschwitz on Wednesday, April 12. Martin has toured with such bands as "Eric Burdon and the Animals" and "Iron Butterfly". In addition to the music, there are talks on the Volcanic Origins of the Columbia River, Comedians, drum circles and a nice run in Cascade Locks ending at Gorges Beer Co. Want to know more?

The Hood River City Council held a meeting on April 10, 2023, to discuss Juneteenth, a water ordinance, Ruthton Park trailhead, transit, economic development, and a project list totaling $87 million for the proposed Westside Urban Renewal District.