A COVID-19 outbreak has been identified at the Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles.
Nine cases are identified currently, and include staff, residents, and household contacts of staff.
The initial case was confirmed on Sunday, Oct. 25 and the latest was confirmed today, Friday, Oct. 30.

Staff, teachers, and administrators pulled off some awesome costumes this afternoon, Friday, Oct. 30, as students dawned their own capes, masks, and wigs and came by their schools for a little drive-by celebration.

Here's our weekly news show to keep you informed on news & events in the Mid-Columbia Region.
October 30th, 2020.

The Forest Service and Klickitat Trout Unlimited are proposing a new site development in efforts of enhancing recreation opportunities at the mouth of the Klickitat River. Plans call for adding parking, prohibiting the launch of motorized boats, installing a restroom, and restoring natural vegetation, and eliminating erosion. The proposal intends to improve water quality, scenery, and vegetation in the lower Klickitat National Wild and Scenic River Corridor.

A former marine and a holder of three black belts is putting a family spin on the former Pastime Saloon & Restaurant in Dufur. “This will be a family place,” said new owner Russell Niemeyer. “No hanky-panky going on. And it’s my job to see that it stays that way.”

This display at 4000 Brown’s Creek Road brings a bit of a smile even if it hints at our mortality this morning, Friday, Oct. 30. That’s even more reason to seize the moment. With just a day to go before Halloween locals are dressing up.

Dry Canyon Electric’s Chuck Rystedt watched as his son, Zack dug into a 24-foot pole with his spikes on Thursday morning on Highway 197 near 5-Mile Road. Meanwhile, Zach Reid used a “lasher” to entwine two cables as they were finishing a fiber optic line that runs 15 miles from Dufur School to the Columbia Gorge ESD at the Columbia Gorge Community College Campus in The Dalles.

Art is abounding this gorgeous Thursday, Oct. 29th. A quick run around The Dalles quickly kicks up several feats in public art.

The Dalles City Council is pushing ahead on creating a temporary shelter for the local houseless population. The village of six units is to be located at the end of Terminal Way in a gravel lot between Northwest Natural and Oregon Cherry Growers.

Dawn LeMieux is the program coordinator with The Next Door, through the organization she supports the native families and individuals within our community. Since the pandemic hit, community members in the Celilo Village have faced loss and hardships. With the help of LeMieux The Next Door has supplied an abundance of hope and support for the Celilo Village community in the midst of the pandemic.

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) will be hosting the 2020 Columbia Gorge Economic Symposium virtually on Friday, November 6. Considering recent impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic on our regional economy and community, this year’s event will focus on economic and employment trends, as well as the road ahead for recovery and resilience.

Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) and the Klickitat County Senior Services are assisting seniors to apply for two programs, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Klickitat PUD Senior Discount. Application processes will primarily be handled over the phone this year, rather than in person.

Election ballots in Wasco County should be hand-delivered to dropboxes. The last day to mail them was Tuesday, Oct. 27, according to the Wasco County Election website.

Virginia McKay, a 25- plus year veteran with Windy River Gleaners was at it again this morning, Wednesday, Oct. 28. Food boxes were prepared for some 950 people in East The Dalles. Cars were lined up past the overpass on Old Highway 30.

The ability to monitor and house people with mental imbalances has been “ripped out of the communities at a local level by the state and never been restored.” As a result, people are breaking down on city streets. They’re breaking laws, impacting the economy, and have local leaders flummoxed as the State of Oregon has failed to fund their treatment.

Taxpayers within the Northern Wasco County School District 21 may have seen a decline in their property tax bills this year. Wasco County Tax Assessor Jill Amery points this out in the following document detailing the tax roll, and the retirement of the Middle-School bond.

David Sendejas, 28, Keith Bright, 28 and Chance Sendejas, 26, said it was pretty cold last night. Temperatures dropped a couple of degrees below freezing. The houseless men were resting on Pentland Street next to The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce this morning, Tuesday, Oct. 27. Dalles City Council held a workshop on Monday night bringing in voices from three different counties to discuss the current status of the houseless and those needing mental health assistance.

The Next Door is holding its annual Stories of Hope event to raise money and spread awareness to support over two dozen programs aimed at supporting and empowering people with health promotion services, family services, youth services, economic development services, and treatment services in Wasco, Hood River, Skamania, Klickitat, Sherman, Gilliam, and Wheeler counties.

As of this morning, 7,560 of 18,403 ballots for the Nov. 3 general election had been returned in Wasco County, according to Wasco County Clerk Lisa Gambee. These numbers include ballots dropped off over the weekend but not all of the mail, she said.