Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue (MCFR) received a call at around 11:07 a.m. of a structure fire at Celilo Inn. According to MCFR Chief Bob Palmer, the fire started in a  room in the middle of the complex on the upper floor.

North Wasco County School District 21 and Union leaders are still embroiled in difficult negotiations about next year's contracts. The district faces a $1.5 million to $2 million financial deficit due to a decline in enrollment. During recent bargaining meetings D21 has proposed what they feel is the best solution to the budget shortfall: capitalizing on staff attrition to cut 10 positions without doing any layoffs.

Sorosis Park was buzzing with activity this morning as a diverse group of volunteers gathered for a weed pulling event organized by Google and North Wasco County Parks and Recreation District.

Fifth graders at Colonel Wright Elementary enjoyed a fun-filled water race organized by retired teacher Steve Chance. Mr. Chance, who returned to the school as a substitute teacher this year. Mr. Chance volunteered to revive the event, hoping to pass the event on to his son, a current teacher at the school in the future.

The week of June 10, 2024, City and County crews will begin work on several pavement preservation projects. These chip seal projects will require short-duration road closures between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at each location on the date the work is scheduled to take place. Detours will be in place during work hours.

On Saturday, June 8, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Klickitat County Trout Unlimited will host a Kids Fishing Day event from 9 a.m. to noon. The event is beginner-friendly and open to the public free of charge.

The official graduation for TDHS will be held at Amaton Field on Saturday, June 1 at 10:30 a.m.

The Dalles High School held a signing day ceremony for Senior Osby Vargas, on Thursday, May 30th, at 3 p.m. to celebrate the continuation of his education and his soccer career at Southwestern Oregon Community College.

The Gorge Pokecenter unveiled its much-anticipated new location at 314 E 2nd St. in a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony orchestrated by The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, May 30.

Notice is hereby given of a vacancy on the Hood River City Council, position of Councilor. The term for this vacancy expires on December 31, 2026. 

The Hood River Urban Renewal Agency (URA) has endorsed a letter of support to transfer the jurisdictional transfer of State Highway 281, from Oak Street to Pacific Avenue, in the Heights of Hood River to the City of Hood River. The jurisdictional transfer is a necessary step for the Agency to move forward with The Heights Streetscape Plan.

The Hood River City Council approved a resolution to increase compensation for future City Councilors and Mayors to foster a more inclusive and diverse community leadership. The resolution aims to reduce financial barriers to civic participation and make service on the City Council more accessible and attractive to a diverse range of candidates.

Black in the Gorge will host its second annual Juneteenth celebration at Jackson Park from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on June 16, 2024! Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is a day of reflection and celebration of African American freedom and achievements. The free community event will feature an afternoon filled with plenty of music, food, crafts, dancing, and fun with various activities and a community art project celebrating freedom, liberation, community spirit and the contributions of the Black community in the Columbia Gorge.

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Gorge STEM Fair - a free, outdoor, family-friendly event focused on all things STEM in the Gorge! Everyone in the community is welcome to attend! This year’s STEM Fair will take place on Saturday, June 22, 2024, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Kiwanis meetings are held every Thursday at noon at Spooky’s and visitors are welcome

One evening, as my co-leader and I closed a group meeting for family caregivers, I reminded those in attendance that one of the major benefits of participation in any support group is the opportunity it creates to simply check in with ourselves on a regular basis— to pause, to listen to our own thoughts and feelings and experiences, and to give voice to them— when that is often the one thing there is not time for in the midst of the sometimes all-consuming experience of caregiving itself. “Oh!” said one man in attendance, “It’s like the line in that song: ‘I just dropped in the see what condition my condition was in.’”

The Columbia Gorge Pride Alliance has unveiled their “30 Days of Gay” event schedule for LGBTQIA2S Pride Month, with a variety of events from book clubs to dance parties; game nights to lego builds; trivia to drag shows, there’s something for introverts and extroverts! No matter where you are on the rainbow spectrum. There’s even a “Speed Friending” event for those who want a little help forging new connections with other LGBTQIA2S+ folx in the gorge!

Memorial Day at Sorosis Park featured a traditional ceremony to honor fallen soldiers. The event included the laying of wreaths, the playing of taps by a bugler, and speeches from high-ranking military and government officials. Attendees enjoyed patriotic music performed by a local band, and a gun salute highlighted the ceremony.

The fourth exhibit of 2024 at The Dalles Art Center (TDAC) is “Don’t Throw It Away, Baby! Up-cycled Function Art by Barbara Kilkenny, Abigail Kaehler, Denise Jiminez, and Jan Byrkit.” Fondly known as the Freedom Sisters Road Show, these four artists have been friends and artistic peers for decades through multiple life stages including marriage, raising children, and the operations of family life.