Columbia Community Connection was established in 2020 as a local, honest and digital news source providing meaningful stories and articles. CCC News’ primary goal is to inform and elevate all the residents and businesses of the Mid-Columbia Region. A rising tide lifts all boats, hop in!
The Oregon Department of Transportation has announced that The Dalles Bridge repair project is behind schedule and will not be completed by May 30th as originally planned. In light of this, ODOT has assured the public that there will be no weekend closures of the bridge during peak season for cherry harvest in June and July.
THE DALLES, OR — The Columbia Basin Care Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for students pursuing healthcare careers. Offering empowerment through education, the $2,500 scholarships support health-related studies in a variety of areas, such as nursing, food and nutrition, public health, social services, and more.
Varsity baseball plays host to Forest Grove Tuesday, March 29, at Bob Williams Field at the Q, first pitch is slated for 5 p.m. We’d also like to welcome our new volunteers to the Riverhawks’ baseball family, as Ray Bustos is serving as our PA announcer, and TDHS Ski Coach Dane Klindt will be running scoreboard.
Michael Duncan, 22, of The Dalles is welcoming back customers into the dining room at Burgerville after a two-year hiatus prompted by a little pandemic. The Burgerville Manager said he was stoked to be opening the doors this morning, March 29.
The Dalles City Council will hear an update on the City’s buildable lands inventory at its regular meeting this evening, Monday, March 28, starting at 5:30 p.m. The buildable lands inventory is used in guiding decisions and requests affecting local employment and the economy.
The City of Maupin and more specifically several rafting guides from competing rafting companies will be featured in a new series on Discovery Plus, slated to air on Wednesday, March 30. And it looks raucous from the trailer. Check it out here.
“Oh!” exclaimed Karen Murphy, laughing, when I asked her what her and Steve Murray are planting this year. “How much time do you have?”
On March 25th, 2022 protesters gathered in Hood River, OR, and cities across the world to denounce government inaction on fighting climate change. The protests were inspired by Fridays for Future, a youth lead environmentalist movement founded by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. The Hood River protest was led, in part, by several youth activists who said they wanted to do something “other than tweet and retweet” about climate change.
“We recognize that food insecurity is a big issue in our town and we’re more than happy to do our part to help alleviate that in any way we can,” said Rachel Carter, Marketing Coordinator for Columbia Gorge Toyota.
Gorge robotics students from The Dalles took top honors at the Oregon State VEX Robotics Championships recently and will advance to the World Finals in Dallas, Texas, May 5-7.
The Gorge Youth Mentoring program at The Next Door has persevered through the pandemic and is changing youths lives for the better.
CyberMind Gaming is exactly what it sounds like… a haven for PC gamers from around the Gorge. “I wanted to have a safe place where my kids, and other youth in our community can play games together, have fun, and stay out of trouble,” said Tyler Smith, Owner.
The Dalles City Council officially hired Matthew Klebes as the new City Manager of The Dalles this evening, March 23.
Klebes, who is the current Wasco County Administrative Services Director, will start with the City on May 16.
Wasco County, the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, and the Link Public Transit will present recommendations and future opportunities for public transportation in Wasco County through an on-line open house March 28th – April 8th.
Wednesday, March 21 was a technicolor knockout in the Gorge with temperatures above 70 degrees and those oh-so-special daylight savings extending afternoon activities. Tom McCall Point Trail atop Rowena Loops was bustling with activity as sightseers and hikers took the trails to stumble on fields of purple, yellow and crimson.
Downtown The Dalles will be "Alive after Five" with multiple businesses partnering and hosting local makers and artisans in their spaces for. "Love Where You Live" is the theme for the first scheduled "1st Friday" in Downtown The Dalles. This ongoing event kicks off on April 1st from 5p.m.-8p.m.
Coming shows and events at The Ruins, Granada, Last Stop Saloon, Zim’s, Route 30, TD Civic Auditorium, Riverside Community Church, Mosier Company, Working Hands Beer, Everybody’s Brewing, Grateful Vineyard, TD Wasco County Library, TD Eagles, The Pines, TD First Friday.
Ryan Christopher Manciu, 44, of The Dalles was indicted on March 17, on five counts of second-degree sex abuse that allegedly occurred between Feb. 1 and March 13 of 2022 in Wasco County, according to Wasco County Court Records.
Julio Calderon, 25, of The Dalles and Martin Leon, 45, work getting the groundwork done for some pathways at Smoke Wring BBQ in The Dalles this morning, Monday, March 21.
“In order to best understand how to address houselessness we need to have solid data that assists with our decision-making,” said Kenny LaPoint, Executive Director of Mid Columbia Community Action Council. “We are grateful for the many partners and community volunteers who came together to make the 2022 Count a success.”
