The family farm remains the backbone of this nation’s food system. If we lose that connection between the land and the people who love it, we won’t just lose farms. We’ll lose the foundation of rural America itself.

Mt. Adams Institute’s Sense of Place series presents a special pop-up event: American Wool, Regenerative Agriculture, and the Future of an Industry with Jeanne Carver, taking place Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum in The Dalles, Oregon.

Many people are filled with happy anticipation as the holidays approach. For those who have experienced a significant loss, this is often not the case. Aware that the person who died will not be with them, the holiday season can intensify feelings of sadness, isolation, anxiety, and loss for those who grieve. It can be difficult to decide what to do.

From haunted walk-throughs and trunk-or-treats to costume contests and live music, the Mid-Columbia Gorge will be crawling with Halloween events for all ages this season. Here’s your guide, sorted by date and location.

Klickitat County Childcare Committee (KCCC) has supported the development of a new childcare business in the White Salmon area. It is part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen local infrastructure, providing families with more options.

The 2024 Annual Report for Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) is now available to the public following approval by the board of directors during a recent meeting. The Community Action Agency has served Skamania and Klickitat counties since 1966, supporting low-income families to improve their quality of life.

The Tree of Joy holiday program for low-income families in Klickitat and Skamania counties has grown over the past few years.

The first day of fall arrived this past week. Out in the orchard, the mornings carry a chill, the sky deepens to that September blue, and the seasons shift once again. Farming teaches you that change is certain — the blossoms of spring give way to summer fruit, and autumn reminds us that nothing stays forever.

On the latest CCCNews Podcast, Executive Director and co-founder Kiara Kashubs described how the Gorge Farmer Collective started in March 2020, when farmers suddenly lost access to restaurants and markets. What began with five farms experimenting with an online marketplace has since expanded to more than 35 producers serving families, schools, food banks, and restaurants across Hood River, White Salmon, The Dalles, Mosier, and Lyle.

Since 1981, the United States has recognized October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. That’s 44 years of uniting people from all walks of life to end domestic violence. This year’s theme, promoted by the Domestic Violence Awareness Project, “With survivors, ALWAYS,” showcases that survivors deserve safety, support, and solidarity.

The plan was for the rescue dog I’d chosen to be crammed in a crate and driven by van from Texas to The Dalles. The first text message I received from the Mutts and Meows Rescue in Missouri City, Texas, said they were departing from Texas on Sunday, then it was changed to Monday morning, then to late Monday afternoon. After a flurry of text messages, they reported the van left on Monday evening.

The City of White Salmon will begin roadwork at the intersection of NE Estes Avenue and NE Spring Street starting Tuesday, October 1, 2025. The work is expected to last approximately one week, weather and soil conditions permitting.

Beginning Monday, November 3, at 8:00 a.m., Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) will begin taking calls to schedule appointments for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for low-income residents in Skamania and Klickitat counties who need assistance paying their heating bills.

Not long ago, we talked about how fragile America’s food system has become. Farmers and ranchers face growing challenges — from water regulations and rising input costs to corporate consolidation and uncertain markets. Yet one thing hasn’t changed: when farmers and rural communities stand together, we are stronger.

Youth programs are the focus of White Salmon-Bingen Rotary Club Foundation’s fourth annual Koroga fundraiser. The event will be held on Sunday, October 5, at a private residence on top of Strawberry Mountain overlooking the Columbia River Gorge from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The club hopes to raise $15,000.

Mt. Adams Institute’s Sense of Place event  series returns this fall with its 16th season. The season will launch with Woven in Place: A Rancher’s Journey from Sheep to Fashion and the Olympics on October 8 at Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, OR. 

Not long ago, America was the breadbasket of the world. Our fields and orchards fed not only our own people, but millions overseas. When ships left the Pacific Northwest loaded with cherries, apples, wheat, and pears, we knew the world was waiting for what we grew.

On 9/6/2025 Deputies responded to a “psychotic episode” call. It was reported to them that the subject of the call, a 27-year-old male, had kicked his mother and was allegedly high on drugs including LSD, Ketamine and a large amount of Marijuana.

Not that long ago—within the lifetime of folks still living in Wasco and Sherman Counties—the farm fields echoed with the steady clop of draft horses. Harness jingled at dawn, sweat darkened their hides by noon, and at day’s end the team pulled the wagon home. It was the rhythm of farm life.