Mar 10

Mar 10 Springston drops out of Wasco Commissioner race due to 'intimidation'

Michael Springston said that intimidation caused him to withdraw his candidacy for Wasco County Commissioner on Tuesday, March 8. Members of his own Party, the Wasco County Republicans, led him to the decision, he said.

Mar 8

Mar 8 BMW 335i takes out fire hydrant in alleged DUI and attempt to elude case in TD

Tom Peterson

Home Page, Wasco County

A 23-year-old man was cited and released for drunken driving after allegedly eluding officers in a chase that saw a BMW hit a fire hydrant and then a fence at the corner of Liberty and Fourth streets in The Dalles on Monday, March 7.

Mar 8

Mar 8 Masks will be optional at D21 Schools starting March 14

Tom Peterson

Education, Wasco County, Positive News

After careful consideration, North Wasco County School District will be moving to make masks optional for students and staff in our school buildings and district properties on March 14th.

Mar 8

Mar 8 Lopez selected to take vacant seat on D21 School Board

Tom Peterson

Education, Home Page, Wasco County

Board member Brian Stevens made the motion to select Lopez after noting all of the candidates were well qualified and committed to the community. He also added that Lopez, who resides in Mosier, “checked the box” for representing the people of Zone 1 as Mosier is the densest area of the population in that zone.

Mar 5

Mar 5 Flipping the Bird: A Heartwarming Owl Rescue

Columbia Community Connection

Positive News, Wasco County, The Dalles, Home Page

Back in September of 2021, Nick Freeman wasn’t expecting to find an owl. Let alone capture, rescue, and release it five months later.

Mar 4

Mar 4 Multiple Candidates Running for Wasco County Commissioner; Dufur Rec. to ask voters for $165k

Tom Peterson

Home Page, Wasco County

Races for Wasco County Commissioner will soon be heating up for the May Primary. There are two seats up for grabs and five candidates running. The filing deadline is March 8. The Dufur Recreation District will also ask voters to pass a three-year $165,000 operating levy.

Mar 3

Mar 3 Teaching degree available in Columbia Gorge, $3k scholarships available

Tom Peterson

Education, Hood River County, Positive News, Klickitat County, Wasco County

Do you want to become a teacher but can’t move out of The Columbia Gorge to get the needed education? Here’s a solution.

Feb 28

Feb 28 Dufur School Ranger TECH Program Receives $125,000 Grant

Columbia Community Connection

Education, Home Page, Wasco County, The Dalles

The Dufur School District has been awarded a $125,000 revitalization grant from the Oregon Department of Education to further enhance and develop their career and technical education (CTE) training program for the students of Dufur School, Ranger TECH.

Feb 26

Feb 26 Question of the Week: How do you deal with conflict?

Cole Goodwin

The Dalles, Home Page, Wasco County

This week’s question of the week is a timely question that asks us how we handle conflict and how resolving conflict can bring us closer together.

Feb 25

Feb 25 Japanese drum Ensemble coming to TD; check out March's Library Newsletter

Columbia Community Connection

Art, Education, Entertainment, Positive News, The Dalles, Wasco County

Eight members of en Taiko, a youth Japanese taiko drum ensemble from Portland, will be here to entertain and educate us on Saturday, March 19th. This program will take place at 11:00 in the John and Jean Thomas Children’s Wing.

Feb 25

Feb 25 History Forum: Female Champ Bronc Rider acquitted of murder becomes stunt double

Karl Vercouteren

Entertainment, History, Wasco County, Positive News

Lorena Trickey was a three-time winner of the McAlpin Trophy for bronc, Roman, and relay riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days. In 1925 she won the bronc riding title at Chicago and several championships at Pendleton. She was also acquitted for putting a knife to her husband, ‘Smiling Slim’.

Feb 24

Feb 24 Health District Announces 3 New Board Members

North Central Public Health District

Wasco County, Home Page

New members of North Central Public Health District’s board of health include a former county commissioner from The Dalles, a former head of emergency services in Sherman County, and a retired science teacher who lives in Maupin.

Feb 24

Feb 24 Community College looking for a few good number crunchers

Columbia Community Connection

Home Page, Education, Hood River County, Wasco County

The Columbia Gorge Community College Board of Education seeks interested district electors in Hood River and Wasco Counties for consideration to be appointed to a three-year term as a Budget Committee member.

Feb 22

Feb 22 Pastime turns Tavern in Dufur: Hard Liqs out, Family Friendly in

Jerald Hernandez

Business, Entertainment, Home Page, Wasco County

Heather Phillips, the manager of Kramer’s, and now the Dufur Valley Tavern, wants to run the business differently than its predecessors. Her main goal is to keep the Tavern as a restaurant rather than a bar.

Feb 21

Feb 21 Native American Flute player will be in concert at TD's Old St. Pete's on Saturday

Columbia Community Connection

Art, Education, Entertainment, Environment, Home Page, The Dalles, Wasco County

A free concert by Native American Music Award-winning flute musician James Edmund Greeley from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs will be held on Saturday, Feb. 26th at 7 p.m. in the wonderful Old St. Peter’s Landmark.

Feb 17

Feb 17 Federal Grant Opportunity: USDA to Invest $1 billion in Climate-Smart Commodities

Cole Goodwin

Home Page, Environment, The Dalles, Wasco County

Does your town, business, non-profit, or local government produce climate-smart commodities or have an idea for a climate-smart program that needs funding? The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced it will invest $1 billion in partnerships to support climate-smart farmers, ranchers and forest landowners.

Feb 14

Feb 14 This Week in Gorge Entertainment: What's Love got to do with it?

Jim Drake

Art, Columns, Entertainment, Home Page, The Dalles, Wasco County, Hood River County

When it comes to live music, Jim Drake can get you plugged in. Our local columnist for entertainment Gorge-wide has a good sampling of coming shows and events, including Owl Valentines, West Goats, Noteworthy, Bigfoot, Free Hillbillies, International dining, masquerade Crow’s Shadow, Don Bailey, Scot & Rebecca, Sunny Pache, Helping Hands, Ferment Brewing, The Granada, Serrano Margarita, Maupin Daze.

Feb 8

Feb 8 This Week in Gorge Entertainment with Jim Drake - Feb. 8

Jim Drake

Art, Columns, Education, Entertainment, Home Page, Hood River County, Wasco County, The Dalles

When it comes to live music, Jim Drake can get you plugged in. Our local columnist for entertainment Gorge-wide has a good sampling of coming shows and events, including Honey Badgers, The Jazz Collective, Nancy Wesson, Mutineers, The West Goats, Al Hare, history forums, Superbowl parties, Vertigo, Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield, Rent, and Lowest Pair.

Feb 8

Feb 8 Police pursue pickup in West TD; spike strips deployed; suspect flees on foot

Columbia Community Connection

Home Page, Police log, The Dalles, Wasco County

A Red Ford Pickup was seen by multiple eyewitnesses with The Dalles Police and Wasco County Sheriff’s Office in Pursuit. Even with spiked tires, the suspect led law enforcement officials on a speedy chase through town.

(Photo Credit: Kyiah Rose via Facebook)

Feb 3

Feb 3 TD Survey Results released: High School, Affordable Housing top priority list

Columbia Community Connection

Business, Education, Entertainment, Environment, History, Home Page, The Dalles, Wasco County

Locals want to see an upgraded high school in The Dalles and at the same time want to see more affordable housing, according to a City of The Dalles local survey recently completed for the 2040 visioning process. Find out what else people thought here.

Welcome, friends.