The annual harvest is a major cash crop for the four-county area including Wasco, Gilliam, Sherman, and Morrow counties, which produces close to half of the 50 million bushels of wheat in Oregon. Cody Darnielle reported that 150 deliveries were made on Monday, July 15, in The Dalles as harvest moves into full swing.

Upon the conclusion of the presentation of evidence, the grand jury returned a not true bill today, finding that the use of force by Wasco County Sheriff’s Deputies Tyler Williams and Joshua Augustus, and The Dalles City Police Officer Jeremiah Dutton that resulted in Law’s death was justified and not criminal under Oregon law. Sheriff’s Deputy Kanyon Reams and The Dalles City Police Officers Nolan Randall and Ezequiel Pitones were also on the scene during the incident, but the latter three did not discharge their firearms.

Initial attack crews worked through the night putting in dozer lines and burnouts along the east and west flanks from the north down to the unsecured south. The Central Oregon Type 3 Interagency Fire Management Team as well as the Green Incident Management Team from the Oregon State Fire Marshal are in place at the Dufur High School.

Navigating public transit in the Columbia River Gorge can be daunting for many, but Sara Crook, a dedicated ‘Travel Trainer’ with the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) and Columbia Area Transit, is on a mission to change that, one rider at a time.

D21EA President Jodi Ketchum emphasized that the unions now face a critical choice: move forward with the tentative agreement or reopen bargaining.

Join The Dalles community on Thursday, July 4, for a full day of festivities celebrating Independence Day. Start your morning with the Rocket Run along the scenic Columbia River, followed by a free community breakfast and yoga session. Enjoy the charm of the Hometown USA Parade, a concert in City Park, and a lively block party. Cap off the evening with a spectacular fireworks display over the Columbia River. Don’t miss out on this day filled with fun, fitness, and patriotic pride!

Columbia Gorge Pride Alliance (CGPA) celebrated LGBT Pride Month in downtown The Dalles on Saturday, June 29. Hundreds flocked to the event to enjoy celebrating LGBTQ resilience and the fight for equal rights.

The City of The Dalles is seeking community input on tourism and the use of Transient Room Tax (TRT) revenues via a survey available on the City’s website and Facebook page, accepting responses until July 15th at 5:00 PM.

Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis announced the grand jury indicted Noe Zaragoza, Jr. (23) for Murder in the Second Degree, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon With a Firearm, Menacing, and Assault in the Fourth Degree.  Zaragoza, Jr. was indicted on Wednesday, June 26. 

In a move planned nearly two years ago, the Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) Board of Directors announced that Jennifer Pauletto will be the new executive director as of July 1, 2024. Juan Reyes has been selected to join her as the new associate director.

In anticipation of this summer’s dangerously hot temperatures and wildfire smoke events, Mid-Columbia Houseless Collaborative partners will have free cooling kits available for houseless residents. They have also compiled lists of local sites where people may seek safety when life-threatening conditions set in.

This Fourth of July, The Dalles High school will host a Fourth of July Rocket Run, on July 4th at 7 a.m. at Bargeway Pub & Catering! (Day of registration open at 6:30 a.m.) This all-day celebration not only commemorates Independence Day but also fosters community spirit and health.

Police are searching for a suspect involved in a fatal shooting that occurred early Saturday morning , June 22 in The Dalles, OR. The suspect has been deemed armed and dangerous, according to a press release from The Dalles Police Department.

The Columbia River Gorge Festival of Nations returned to Cascade Locks Port in Marina Park after a 14 year hiatus on Saturday, June 15. More than 1,000 people traveled from across the region to celebrate the traditions and culture of the Columbia River tribes.

The City of The Dalles Police and Wasco County Sheriff’s Office released the names of the officers and suspect involved in the stolen commercial boom truck incident that ended in a fatal shooting on June 18.

The National Weather Service (NOAA) has issued a Fire Weather Watch for the Lower Columbia Basin on Sunday, June 23, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

The City of The Dalles is pleased to provide an update on the downtown tree project, a significant initiative aimed at enhancing the beauty and environmental health of our downtown area. Under a contract agreement with The Davey Tree Expert Company (Davey), the City has been diligently monitoring and supporting the newly planted trees to ensure their successful establishment and growth.

The affordable housing development at 780 Rand Road has secured the final pieces of funding needed to move forward. Community Development Partners (CDP) and Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation (CCHC), the City of Hood River’s chosen developers for the project, have been awarded $36.4 million in private activity bonds and a 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit allocation of $3.2 million by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS). 

“I live here,” he said. “We all want to make this community a better place. We want things to go well. “ And that’s not just Parks staff - it’s the big picture, which includes people at The City of The Dalles such as David Mills or Crestline Construction’s Bill Ketchum, he said.

On June 18, the Wasco County Public Library kicked off its Summer Reading Program. The program aims to promote literacy and encourage kids to keep reading throughout the summer break.