When a system works as designed and allows someone to provide the highest level of service, it can bring immense satisfaction, especially when it enables someone to help another human being improve their quality of life.

If you have photos of The Dalles, or want to take a few, this is your chance to help the City and possibly earn a cash prize.

Grocery Outlet is helping to feed the hungry in The Dalles.

COVID Schmovid! Girl Scout Leader Chrissy Zaugg and her troop persevered to produce a video on free elections and transparency last fall when the pandemic killed social gatherings. The video got rave reviews. And last week, the Oregon Secretary of State awarded Zaugg the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award for her efforts.

Our Jim Drake zoomed in an interview with Jennifer Batten, whose career as a rock guitarist is most notable for several world tours with the King of Pop, Micheal Jackson. Calling Portland home, Batten has assembled a lineup of NW musicians for her new band, Full Steam, who specialize in 80s rock covers. They’re set to play Thursday in Hood River.

Columbia Gorge Community College is offering $600 “Rebound” scholarships to students enrolling for Fall Term 2021 and who enrolled in CGCC credit classes previously but dropped because of the pandemic. Find out more here.

Trena Gray had a little errand today. She wanted to make a friend happy.

While the ribbon-cutting is still planned for 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, the college will offer a livestream of the event for people who do not wish to attend in person. The college is encouraging people to participate via the livestream, while still keeping the ribbon-cutting open to those who prefer to attend in person.

Several local clinics are teaming up to give children a healthy head start for the school year with checkups, immunization, even a free backpack with school supplies.

You did it! To celebrate its golden anniversary of service to the Gorge community, The Next Door’s 50th Anniversary Campaign sought to raise $50,000. The community exceeded that goal, gifting over $57,000!

Jean Kikel and Ron Kikel are winners of The Dalles Beautification Award for August 2021. Their home at 622 East 13th Street is a stunner.

We’re about to have a world-class athletic complex near us. That’s unheard of for a place like the Columbia Gorge. The Maupin Deschutes River Athletic Complex is being built right now. World-class athletes like Usain Bolt could go and set records at that track.

“It’s a milestone for the LGBTQ community in Goldendale to celebrate their first Pride event,” said Kent Apostal, Goldendale Pride Organizer.

The city of HR will be blowing smoke this week. Right in the old sewer pipes. They will be looking for defects and smoke helps detect them. It’s set to occur on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 12 & 13. Take a look at the map. Maybe they're blowing smoke in your neighborhood. Oh, and you might notice an odor.

Hector Valdez and Rober Salcido of Isaac Painting give the porch ceiling a new coat on Thursday Morning, Aug. 5th. The father-son team really got after it, giving the body of the building an entire coat during the day.

600 goats descended on Maupin on Aug. 4th in an effort to restore Bakeoven Creek in its first two miles. Maupin’s Randy Klettke was able to build a team around the idea, bringing the Goat King from Pendleton and some pretty amazing Peruvian goat herders and their trusty guard and herding dogs. It’s the beginning of a long process, but one that could restore salmon spawning beds.

Eleven-year-old Tavin Smith is a hustler in a good lemonade, hot chocolate kind of way. His sister, Sydney, chips in with her cookies.

After a two-year hiatus, the inaugural season and community-run/walk is BACK! The hilly 3K AND 5K courses loop around Sorosis Park and CGCC on gravel, grass, and pavement. Runners and walkers of all ages and experiences are welcome.

Remember a time when you gathered with friends; the sun shining, live music hopping, and delicious food sizzling on the grill? That time is now! The annual Kiwanis Steak Feed is back!

David Osborn will facilitate a program named “The Meaning of Climate Change” via Zoom on Wednesday, Aug. 4th, at 6 p.m. through the Wasco County Library District. Learn out what else is happening in this month’s Library Happenings newsletter.