The Hood River City Council held a special meeting Monday evening to discuss what projects should go into a potential November 2026 bond measure. A new or renovated police facility received the most support, with a new or renovated public works building, Safe Routes to School, and land for affordable housing also prioritized. There was also plenty of discussion regarding a roundabout at the intersection of Cascade Avenue and Mount Adams Drive, with Councilor Ben Mitchell noting it would be needed to fully unlock the Westside area for development. Next steps include further refinement by City staff, and bringing in a consultant to help guide the process of putting together the bond measure.
Author: mbailey
MCCAC Strategic Plan Centered On Stability
After a flurry of growth over the last five years, Mid-Columbia Community Action has made stability and sustainability the goal of its latest five-year strategic plan. The last five years has seen the establishment of The Annex transitional housing facility in The Dalles, the Gloria Center to bring together a variety of services, and the inclusion of Hood River Shelter Services within the organization. MCCAC Development and Engagement Coordinator Sarah Kellums says one of their goals is diversifying their funding sources. MCCAC Executive Director Leslie Naramore says this strategic plan has three focus areas: strengthening the organization’s systems and communications, advancing equity and language access, and sustaining effective programs and services.
D21 Appoints Director of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
North Wasco County School District 21 has appointed Dr. Allison Ivey as its new Director of Teaching, Learning and Assessment. Ivey will oversee D-21’s K–12 curriculum development, staff professional learning, assessment systems, school improvement initiatives, and federal program administration. Ivey brings extensive experience in district and school improvement, instructional leadership, and equity-centered policy development. Most recently, she served with the Oregon Department of Education as a District Support Specialist with the Intensive Program and as Digital Learning Program Specialist & Interim Director. Ivey began her career as a classroom teacher in Nevada and California before serving as an Instructional Coach and Restorative Justice School-Based Coach. She has also served in higher education as an assistant professor and adjunct instructor at the University of Oregon, and as an adjunct instructor at Great Basin College, leading coursework and clinical experiences designed to strengthen K–12 instructional practice.
NWCPUD Recognized On The Oregonian’s Workplace List
Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District has been recognized as one of The Oregonian’s Top Workplaces for 2025, marking the first time the utility has been on the list. NWCPUD ranked 20th among small employers in Oregon and Southwest Washington, with 115 total organizations earning recognition across all size categories. The Top Workplaces award is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a confidential third-party survey administered by Energage, LLC. The survey measures the employee experience across key themes including engagement, alignment, empowerment, respect and support, growth opportunities, and whether employees feel fairly valued. NWCPUD employees gave particularly high marks in several key areas, including highly recommending working at NWCPUD to others, and 93% feeling their job makes them part of something meaningful. In 2024, the utility was named one of Oregon Business magazine’s “100 Best Nonprofits to Work For” in the state.
Sense Of Place Series Returns October 8
The Mt. Adams Institute Sense Of Place series returns for its 16th season in October. The monthly presentations exploring topics of interest in the region offers a chance to go in-depth with experts for an evening. Series host Sarah Fox says she has been fortunate to be able to get people to come and share what they’ve learned over years of work. This year’s first event will be “Woven in Place: A Rancher’s Journey from Sheep to Fashion and the Olympics” with rancher Jeanne Carver of Imperial Stock Ranch in Wasco County on October 8 at 7 p.m. at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River. Tickets are available at senseofplacegorge.org.
Search Finds A.I. Altered Images Of Minors
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct were located on a cellular phone during service of a search warrant last week. The Sheriff’s Office says the images were altered with Artificial Intelligence, morphing the images into sexually explicit material. The suspect obtained the photographs through public social media sites and utilized an application to alter the images through A.I. The suspect, a Skamania man, was arrested and is currently in custody at the Skamania County Correctional Facility. Nineteen victims have been identified and notified of the incident. The case is still under investigation, and the Sheriff’s Office said it could not release further information at this time.
September 29 Prep Sports Scoreboard
Volleyball
Canby def. Hood River Valley 25-21, 25-17, 25-16
Boys Soccer
Portland Christian 5, Trout Lake-Horizon Christian 0
ODF Reduces The Dalles Unit Fire Danger To Moderate
The Oregon Department of Forestry has reduced fire danger in The Dalles Unit to moderate, and terminated the regulated use closure as of Monday morning. This primarily affects ODF protected lands in Hood River and Wasco counties. Until sufficient rain is received, locally enforced burn bans will remain in effect and should be followed. Those with questions about local burn status should call the ODF office in The Dalles at 541-296-4626 or the local fire department. The ODF urges residents not to become complacent in wildfire prevention. Though there has been recent widespread rain across the state, firefighters continue to respond to new lightning and human-caused starts. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level on non-federal lands has been reduced to level 1 in Hood River and Wasco counties.
Klickitat Man Injured In Highway 142 Accident
A 59-year-old Klickitat man was injured and taken to a hospital in a one-vehicle accident on Highway 142 on Saturday morning. According to the Washington State Patrol, the pickup truck he was driving was traveling eastbound at milepost 14 on Highway 142 at about 11:40 Saturday morning when the vehicle overcorrected in a curve. The truck then rolled, and came to rest down the westbound embankment. The WSP says the driver was taken to Skyline Hospital in White Salmon for treatment of undisclosed injuries. The agency also said the truck was totaled.
Grape Escape Takes Place Saturday
The annual Gorge Grape Escape is set for this Saturday. It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for the White Salmon Valley Education Foundation. This year’s event has a theme of “Enchanted Forest”…and they’ll have live auction, games, a dessert dash, dinner, and more. The Foundation’s Darby McAdams says the proceeds go to help enrich educational efforts in the White Salmon Valley. The foundation also puts 25 percent of all donations into an endowment fund. Tickets are available at wsvef.org. The event is at the Best Western Hood River Inn Gorge Room at 6 p.m. Saturday.