Recycling cans and bottles may not be the most glamorous work. Especially when you lift a garbage bag full into a truck and the accumulated liquid of old beer soda, and who knows what, leaks down your arm or hits you in the face. But, darn, if it doesn’t pay well for our furry friends

The Wasco County Commissioners Meeting held their regularly scheduled meeting at 9 a.m. on March 16th, 2022. Highlights from the meeting included a presentation by Mid-Columbia Community Action Council on rates of houselessness in Wasco County, and public comments on MCACC’s Navigation Center.

City and County Officials must come to terms with Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue as time is running out on brokering a deal on how to split future Google Community Service Fees that could be worth $37.5 million over 20 years. Locals could lose control to the state if negotiations fail. They are slated to meet again tonight, March 17.

“This would be a commercial facility,” said Dan Spatz, Capitol Project Director for Columbia Community College. “Such a facility would provide an essential service for test runs and small batches for mid- and large-sized brewers. In concert with the AA in Food Science & Fermentation, this facility could also provide students with valuable and necessary hands-on experience.”

In response to climate change, local governments in the Columbia River Gorge are passing resolutions to decrease carbon emissions. It’s a start.

The grant will go toward increasing water levels of Fifteenmile Creek which intends to better regulate the stream’s temperatures, protect aquatic species and ensure consistent water flow for area farmers.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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’.

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.

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.

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.