To meet Suze Riley is to meet a personality as bold as the dark roast coffee she proudly, passionately and meticulously roasts and retails from her small, but state-of-the-art facility in Maupin, OR.

Chenowith Elementary School is spreading love and cheer throughout the community with its annual Hearts Project, a recent annual tradition that allows students to demonstrate and share what love means to them with our community.

Community members visited The Dalles Wasco County Library on Valentine’s Day to enjoy Italian sodas, and paint a wooden “love” sign.

In an unfortunate accident, a 77-year-old driver from Glenwood was attempting to park her car in front of Everybody's Brewing on Jewett Boulevard in downtown White Salmon, when she ran over the curb and struck two women on Monday, Feb. 12th at about 12:45 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Columbia River Gorge including the cities of The Dalles, Dufur, Maupin, Hood River, Underwood, Stevenson, Carson, Corbett, and Cascade Locks. The warning remains in effect from 8 a.m. on February 14 until 10 p.m. on Thursday the 15th.  A weather advisory has also been issued for the Simcoe Highlands from Feb. 14-16.

The yin and yang is a symbol of perfect balance between masculine and feminine, light and dark and the little bit of light and dark that exists within each. It also symbolizes the harmony between heaven and earth, and the way in which seemingly opposing forces complete and harmonize each other perfectly.

The Dalles Wasco County Library’s Second Saturday Storytime event series kicked off with an incredible turnout of over 100 people on Saturday Feb 10, 2024, much to the surprise of librarians. 

Looking for a special way to celebrate this Valentine’s Day? CCCNews has you covered. 

Each year, the Mid Columbia Health Foundation’s (MCHF) Women’s Giving Circle, donates their dues to local nonprofits. Since it began in 2019, the group has raised over $46,000 for community organizations. For their 2023 annual donation, the Women’s Giving Circle generously selected The Next Door Inc. (TNDI) and the Community Backpack Program as their two recipients! 

The Columbia Gorge Resolution Center is asking citizens to sign a letter of support that will be presented during an upcoming legislative short session in which Wasco County and Mid-Columbia Center for Living will request $36.1 million in funding to build a 16-bed secure mental and behavioral health residential treatment facility (SRTF) and stabilization center on 10th and Walnut in The Dalles, OR.

A Wasco County grand jury indicted local chiropractor, Andrew Houck on two counts of first-degree sex abuse on Jan. 24. CCCNews contacted Houck by phone at his business number for comment on Friday, Feb. 2. “I don’t have any comment,” he said.

Friends of the Columbia Gorge in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service is moving forward on their plans to build a new trail that would connect the communities of Mosier and The Dalles. 

With winter in full force, partners throughout the region have been pooling resources together to help houseless community members cope with potentially life-threatening conditions. To keep this and other efforts going, Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative is extending an open invitation for individuals and organizations to learn more about its members’ work over the past year and their plans for 2024 at its next quarterly meeting from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. on February 13 via Zoom.

Arturo Leyva writes his first food Column for CCCNews. He speaks about a new food truck, what makes Mexican food authentic, and memories of sopitos in his hometown.

February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Teen dating violence doesn’t just affect teens. It also affects parents, teachers, friends, and communities. Around 12% of adolescents report being a victim of physical violence in their dating relationships, according to WhiteHouse.gov, highlighting why it is important for youth to understand how setting boundaries early on can be a great start to a healthy relationship.

The 14th annual Eagle Watch drew over 500 people the The Dalles Dam Visitor Center on Saturday, Jan. 27. Visitors swapped their favorite bird watching stories, photographed the eagles, participated in live raptor education demonstrations, hands-on learning activities, and more.

The annual PIT Count is a federally mandated survey of people experiencing houselessness in communities across the country. The count, which occurs in late January of every year, plays a critical role in determining the level of state and federal funding communities receive to address houselessness. It also provides key insight into the needs of those impacted by houselessness.

Board Member Judy Richardson told a packed crowd at the regular Board Meeting on Thursday, Jan. 25 that another bond attempt was not prudent for such an early date.  Future high school build costs will continue to rise as inflation continues to push up prices on labor and materials. The consumer price index during the past four years averaged 4.8 percent and is estimated to be 3.2 percent in 2024, according to the Consumer Price Index.

The result could lead to the loss of an attorney in the prosecutor’s office, which means there would be fewer people to handle cases if Wasco County does not backfill the funding. 

Former Haven Director Tara Koch’s settlement hearing has been rescheduled for August 6, 2024 at 9 a.m. In Hood River County Court Room 2 after her prior hearing date, which was set for Jan. 12, was canceled.