Cookies, Cocoa and Photos with Santa organizers presented Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC) with a check for $2,700 on Monday, Dec. 11. 

I don’t think I was more surprised by any movie this year than The Holdovers. I found its initial trailer to be off-putting (I’m just about done watching trailers!), but decided to give it a try anyway after being letdown by several big movies that were out. And I couldn’t have been happier to be wrong!

Multiple Oregon school districts, including Central Linn, Cascade, Colton, Corbett, Condon and Arlington, faced bomb threats on Monday, Dec. 11. In addition to the schools being threatened, two Portland-area synagogues, Neveh Shalom and Beth Israel and some airports were also targeted. FBI agents did not identify which airports had been targeted. Portland International Airport confirmed that they did not receive any threats.

The Dalles City Manager Matthew Klebes has announced changes to the City’s zoom meeting policies following an anti-Semitic “zoom bombing” incident that occurred at the last City Council meeting. Klebes shared that the incident is under FBI investigation and is a part of a recent slew of zoom-bombing and hate speech incidents which have been occurring during online public meetings state-wide.

On December 11, 2023 at approximately 11:30 a.m., Arlington School District received an email advising of a bomb threat. Shortly after, Condon School District received a similar email advising of a bomb threat.

Sign contractors for the Oregon Department of Transportation are working to replace aged and non-compliant freeway signsto increase safety and improve the driving experience for the traveling public on I-84 between exits 82 and 83 today, December 11, 2023.

Mt. Hood Meadows has announced the temporary suspension of their operations through Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, due to warm temperatures and rain causing water oversaturation on the slopes. The resort will reassess conditions on Wednesday and hopes to resume operations as soon as the snowpack sets up.

This past weekend, Dufur transformed into a winter wonderland as the Frontloading Hometown Christmas swept through the town, leaving behind a trail of magic and festive joy. From the Dufur Market to the Balch Hotel, the entire community came alive with a myriad of Christmas-themed events, making it an unforgettable experience for locals and visitors alike.

Tonight Rock Violinist Aaron Meyer will perform at the 12th Annual Rock the Holidays Benefit Concert to support United Way of the Columbia Gorge! There will be two concerts on Sunday, December 10th in the Gorge Room at the Best Western PLUS Hood River Inn.

The Friends of White Salmon Library hosted a holiday quilt reception and open house at White Salmon Library from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday Dec. 9. 

Providing an overview of the upcoming winter season for the Mid-Columbia region and North Central Oregon, the forecast aims to deliver concise and practical insights starting today. As of now, precipitation levels hover between 110% and 130% of normal, with temperatures averaging 1 to 3°F above the seasonal average.

Underriner Ford and Nissan of The Dalles was filled with tears and laughter on Wednesday as the Mott family gratefully received the gift of free gently used Ford Edge, with a trunk full of Christmas presents, including a $250 gas card.

The Steering Committee of the Tri-County (Hood River, Sherman, and Wasco) Hazardous Waste & Recycling Program will hold a meeting on December 13th, from 9 AM to 11 AM. The meeting can also be accessed virtually upon request.

In the early morning hours of December 7, 2023, an adult in custody at Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities (NORCOR) was found deceased.

North Wasco County School Board held a work session on December 7th, 2023 to discuss the previous bond effort and next steps for a future bond effort. 

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for a new GoForth charging station which has been installed at 404 W 2nd St.

On December 4, Governor Tina Kotek, Senate President Rob Wagner and House Speaker Dan Rayfield jointly announce to commit $19 million to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to help restore winter maintenance services, make safety-focused improvements, and purchase new trucks used for snow plowing.On December 4, Governor Tina Kotek, Senate President Rob Wagner and House Speaker Dan Rayfield jointly announce to commit $19 million to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to help restore winter maintenance services, make safety-focused improvements, and purchase new trucks used for snow plowing.

Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue held their 36th Annual Everyone Loves a Firefighter drive-through food drive otherwise known as Project ELFF on Tuesday, Dec. 5 between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The City of Goldendale, Klickitat County, Washington Gorge Action Programs and representatives from Recovery Cafe held an in person and virtual town hall on homelessness, drugs, and mental health at the Klickitat County Services building in Goldendale in the Mt. Adams room on December 5, 2023.

Two of Santa’s reindeer in training, Cookie and Elf made an appearance at Coastal Farm and Ranch last night to the delight of families who came to see the reindeer and enjoy some free cookies and hot chocolate.