Local health officials are not expecting coronavirus vaccines to be available in Wasco County this week, but rather, are likely to come in on a second shipment on Dec. 22.

Local amateur astronomer Jo Cruz makes his debut here at CCCNews with the Geminid Meteor Shower and the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. Try and get above the clouds tonight for the best show of the year!

Local businesses hurting from the pandemic can now apply for grants that need to be awarded by the end of the month. MId-Columbia Economic Development District- MCEDD- turned on the online applications this morning.

The City of The Dalles has done it again. City officials are granting $10,000 to Windy River Gleaners so that they can continue to distribute food to local families hard hit by the coronavirus. It is the second such donation in as many weeks.

The Stevenson Warming Shelter is preparing to open soon to provide a safe and warm overnight space for homeless persons during the cold winter season.

The North Central Public Health District is offering mobile flu vaccinations and dispensing up-to-date information on quarantine guidelines for the coronavirus.

A local donor has stepped forward to make $15,000 in matching funds available for Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) effort to raise $50,000 to rebuild the COVID-19 Relief Fund by December 31.

Starbucks Officials have yet to release a statement in regards to why the Starbucks in Cascade Square in The Dalles has temporarily closed. Jory Mendes, a Starbucks media relations representative, is looking into the situation and expects to provide comments in the near future.

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce and Mid-Columbia Health Foundation is looking for nominations for The Annual Distinguished Citizens Awards. This year, the event will be aired via a recording highlighting all the winners on Thursday, January 21st, 2021.

Salmon Claus and his helpers need your help to bring the holiday spirit to Tribal Nation Elders, adults, and children living along the Columbia River!

North Central Public Health has found a significant amount of Wasco County’s recent spike in COVID-19 cases is due to Thanksgiving gatherings. From Dec. 3 through Dec. 8 the county recorded 97 cases.

Our Recent story about the 1947 championship run by The Dalles High school has prompted another, perhaps, fascinating detail. The Dalles produced an NFL guard who has been named in the top 100 to ever play for the Chicago Bears. Our super sleuth Sally Fasulo forwarded this information from Bonnie Osborne and Larry Hatch to CCC News.

CCCNews recently intercepted The Dalles Elk’s Lodge #303 December Newsletter. And we discovered this little gem on the second page. We found it uplifting; we thought you might too.

Drone footage of Sorosis Park post pine tree removal shows the desolation pine beetles have brought to the park. For information on the pine tree removal and future plans for the park read our article from September or stay tuned for further updates.

In this Episode: Jim Drake goes shopping. Not for essentials like food and toilet paper, but for items that only a collector of All Things Media can appreciate. For the next few weeks, I’ll be reviewing my books, movies, CDs, even some games that have been rescued from the Shelves of Obscurity. Come along, if you dare, and let’s find out exactly how far $10.30 goes at local thrift stores.

Columbia Basin Care has announced the winners of it’s Pet Photo Contest!

CCCNews recently got a hot tip from Lynn Smith Gannon when we went to the old electronic mailbag. She said a friendly guy named “David” was volunteering at Sorosis Park seven days a week. She did not have his last name, but we here at CCCNews had our suspicions.

Joe Frisby and Harris Farr, both 24, hit the baskets at Sorosis Park on Tuesday afternoon for a round of Disc Golf under scattered blue skies. The Two men said the course had really opened up for the better since the removal of dozens of pine trees.

Frank Davido at 320 E. Scenic Drive in The Dalles works on his 30 plus feet of lights this afternoon, Dec. 8. He is set to ignite tonight. “It’s a Christmas tree for my flagpole, “ he said. “They’re pretty spendy to buy them. So I made my own- it works pretty good. Good show Frank Davido - thanks for the spirit.

The crash and burn of Ronald Leroy Madorin’s 1955 Chevy Bel Air after a burnout on Second Street in 2018 has a local couple who were injured during the wreck seeking $1.2 million in compensation. They are seeking compensation from The City of The Dalles, The Dalles Main Street Program, The Rotary Club of The Dalles and the Mid-Columbia Car Club.