Mid-Columbia Community Action Council, housing and utility assistance services provider and regional coordinator of the homeless service system, is ushering in a new era with a new logo, new website, new leadership and a new 4-year strategic plan.

Wasco County Commissioners voted to recognize June 19th as Juneteenth in celebration of the federal government’s final execution of the Emancipation Proclamation. Commissioners also cut a deal with Hood River County to continue building code inspections.

Lorena Salazar-Zamora of Bingen is taking her experiences as an immigrant putting them to good use to help others in her role with Washington Gorge Action Programs. The Spanish speaker can help with translations while getting people the services they need.

Here at The Dalles Public Library, our 2021 Summer Reading program was very successful. We had 384 people of all ages sign-up through the Beanstack app. Those aged 0-4 were keeping track of the books read, or read to them; there was a staggering 3,132 books read. Read all about it in this month’s Library Happenings newsletter.

The sound of African marimba is coming to the Gorge, along with the music of Mexico, Eastern Europe, Japan and other far-flung locations, as the Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association presents Music from the Global Village, a new monthly music series.

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.