Coffis Brothers are playing tonight and bands and entertainment will be bumpin’ in days and weeks to come at Rivertap, Bargeway Pub, Bingen Theatre, Yoga Samadhi, River City Saloon, Thunder Island, TD Library, HR Library, Working Hands Beer, The Pines, Taphouse, TD Arts Center, Discovery Center, Maupin Daze, Red Carpet, Grateful Vineyard, Double Mountain, TD Civic, MCCCA.

Voters in Wasco and Hood River County are slow to the polls this year. “This year we’re dragging behind in voter turnout and I’m not sure why,” said Lisa Gambee, Wasco County Clerk. “There’s a fair amount of candidates in the Governor’s race, so maybe it’s voters fatigue but still it’s been a little bit surprising.”

This is the Youth Empowerment Shelter or YES House, and it's making a comeback after the pandemic temporarily closed its doors. We are the only ones to have a shelter like that east of Multnomah County and East of Deschutes County all the way to the Idaho border. The YES house is our number one diversion from the juvenile justice system.” said Molly Rogers, Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities Director.

Just a fledgling business some 12 years ago, Dirt Hugger now boasts 32 employees, a retail and industrial site, and it is pulling 55,000 tons of green waste from local landfills, providing major reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions through a reduction in methane in the Gorge. If you’re not buying their products, maybe, you should be.

Columbia Riverkeeper’s Board of Directors unanimously named Lauren Goldberg the organization’s new Executive Director starting August 1. Over the last two decades, the $3.5M organization has grown ten-fold while defeating over a dozen new fossil fuel terminals, reducing toxic pollution, and protecting salmon.

More than 30 downtown businesses in The Dalles are pairing up with food and beverage businesses tonight, May 6, to bring locals a Taste of the Gorge. Beer, wine, meats, cheese, guitars and even hat contests are on tap as TD comes alive for First Friday in its second rendition. Grab your appetite and a lust for fun. And see you there!

Billy Bob Thornton is just the tip of the iceberg this week in local entertainment. TD kicks of its First Friday tonight at 5 p.m. with more than 20 businesses participating and music events abound in the Gorge. Read about all your choices here as well as upcoming shows. They include Bingen Theatre, Discovery Center, Bargeway Pub, Maupin Daze, Zim’s, The Pines, Red Carpet, River City Saloon, Ruins, Everybody’s Brewing, Double Mountain, TD Civic, Working Hands Beer, White Salmon Library, Goldendale.

The Dalles Kiwanis held a Q&A session with the 7th District Circuit Court Judge Position 4 candidates Incumbent Judge John Wolf and challenger attorney Caleb Berthelsen on May 5th at 12 p.m. Both candidates were given ten minutes to speak followed by a short Q&A session from the audience.

The Wasco County Commissioners held their regularly scheduled meeting at 9 a.m. on May 4th, 2022. During the meeting Kathy Schwartz responsed to a letter from Mid-Columbia Community Action Council requesting her to join a homeless services advisory board. Also on the agenda was the Google service fee agreement with Wasco County 4-H, requests from Mid-Columbia Center for Living for ongoing support, and a presentation from Mid-Columbia Economic Development on their 2022-2023 goals,.

The Dalles Booster Club will hold its 2nd Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on May 14th at The Dalles Civic Auditorium. Athletes from several generations will be inducted. From Donita Huskey to Johnny Lundell. Read about them all here.

On April 28, 2022, Judge John Wolf and attorney Caleb Berthelsen spoke before the Hood River Rotary Club at a forum moderated by Senior Judge Paul Crowley. Both are candidates for judicial position 4 in Oregon’s Seventh Judicial District, a position held by Wolf since 2011.

The Wasco County Commissioners Meeting will hold their regularly scheduled meeting on May 4th, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. in person and online. This weeks meeting will include a presentation of MCEDD’s 2022-2023 economic goals, Center for Living’s request for services, and a 4-H Service District meeting to discuss google dollars.

Wasco County seeks applicants to serve on the Public Transportation Advisory Committee. The advisory committee considers how transportation funds should be spent and provides the governing body with information about their community’s special transportation needs.

Music and entertainment are on tap for this weekend with a plethora of events and music. Start your Friday with a free concert at The Dalles Art Center as Jenny Don’t and the Spurs will be rockin’ a block party complete with food and drinks. Streets are always open, but drinks and food start at 4:30 p.m. Music at starts at 5:15 p.m.

Get up to date on the recent Wasco County Commission Meeting. The Wasco County Commissioners Meeting held their regularly scheduled meeting at 9 a.m. on April 20th, 2022. They approved the Google community service fee agreement, declared May 6th Child Care Provider Appreciation Day, approved an elections modernization grant, and a memorandum of understanding between the The Columbia River Gorge Commission and the County.

Elections are happening across Oregon on Tuesday, May 17 and the deadline for citizens to register to vote or change party affiliation is Tuesday, April 26. All Wasco County residents are encouraged to participate by registering or updating their current voter information. Click her to find out how.

This weekend and upcoming weeks are loaded with entertainment at River City Saloon, The Dalles Eagles, TD Library, Bingen Theater, Granada, Bargeway Pub, Working Hands Beer, Everybody’s Brewing, Grateful Vineyard, Double Mountain, Zim’s, The Ruins, The Pines, 64 Taphouse, HR Elks.

Vegetable and nut oils brought fierce flames at the Azure Standard warehouse and main office in Dufur on Monday, April 18th, when the building caught on fire for reasons that are yet unknown.

On April 20th, Wasco County Commissioners will consider approving an Intergovernmental Agreement with 11 different taxing districts to share Google community service fee dollars which comes to 25% of Google’s property tax savings with a maximum payment of $2.5 million annually.

Strong, confident people are not born. They are raised and nurtured and mentored and loved. Case in point: Gabriella Haskins - 2022 Distinguished Young Woman for Wasco County. Her path trails back to when she was a toddler watching her older sister on the balance beam and the strong girls that surrounded her.