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.

One year after a serious patrol vehicle collision, Washington State Trooper Anthony Maton continues to recover. On May 29, 2024, Washington State Police Chief John R. Batiste presented Life Saving Awards to Deputies Randy Wells, Chance Leroue, Dustin Vorce, and citizen Colby Cain for their swift actions during the incident.

Attention teens! Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries (FVLR) are having a festival of teen-created films! Submissions will be accepted June 15 - August 15, 2024. And a film premiere will be held September 20, 2024 at 6 p.m. at Cascade Park Community Library and online.

Klickitat County Commissioners have decided to form a new County Department of Corrections which would oversee operational changes and improvement to Klickitat County Jail. Including appointments of a Jail Administrator to run and operate the jail and the establishment of a medical clinic on site. The new Jail Administrator will report directly to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer has opposed the decision.

Over 350 students will experience Water Jam 2024 on May 30 & 31 at Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery in Underwood, WA. Water Jam is an annual culminating experience for students rearing salmon in their classrooms on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) recently released an analysis based on Bank Secrecy Act reports that indicate in a one-year period, from 2022 to 2023, financial institutions reported roughly $27 billion in suspicious activity related to elder financial exploitation.

Jim Daniel, a 24-year resident of Goldendale, has joined the crowded primary race for Washington State Governor as a moderate Republican, vying with 27 others for a spot on the general election ballot.

Summit Cedar Mill, located in Dallesport, experienced a significant fire yesterday that started around 3:00 p.m. The fire, initially triggered by one of the mill’s trucks catching fire, quickly spread due to high winds, igniting nearby stacks of wood.

Mauro Faulha, 28, from Portugal, recently made the trip to the United States from the Azore Islands as he and his pit crew are preparing to get this Hyundai Rally Ready for the Oregon Trail Rally set to take place this weekend in and around both Goldendale and The Dalles.

The Skyline Health Foundation has awarded Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) $8,000 as part of its 2024 Community Health Grant, which supports non-profit organizations within the Columbia River Gorge that work to improve the health and well-being of the community within its service area. 

Seeing the Northern Lights this well usually requires a trip to high latitudes in Alaska or Scandinavian countries, and even then might not be so well observed. This was a Bucket List item I hoped I would live long enough to see. And this was in my backyard!

On the morning of Sunday May 5, Klickitat County Sheriff’s Deputy and Undersheriff, Tim Neher was seriously injured after being struck on the head with a hammer by a male subject, identified as Christian Ray Smith, age 31, after responding to reports of a male subject having a psychotic episode at Red Barn RV Park in Dallesport.

The skies over Klickitat County will see a notable absence after May 1, 2024, as Doug Herlihy, also known as "Air-1," has retired from the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Airwing. For twenty years, Herlihy has piloted his yellow Piper Cub, logging over 1,411 hours of his impressive 19,000 career flight hours in service to the county.

The East Houseless Task Force is hosting a volunteer cleanup of Ekone Park in Goldendale on Saturday, May 11. The event begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at noon, everyone is invited to participate.

2024 marks the 60th year since the Community Action Network was established to help American families and communities overcome obstacles to poverty. Over 1,000 agencies across the country are working every day to create opportunities and transform the lives of their neighbors, making communities stronger and helping families across the US thrive.

Volunteers joined Friends of the Columbia Gorge and the US Forest Service in removing hundreds of invasive plants at the Balfour-Klickitat Area and Trail last Friday April 23rd. 

Skamania County Sheriff's Office dive team recovered a dumpster from Little Spearfish Lake near Dallesport on Sunday, April 14.

On April 15, 2024, East Cascades Works (EC Works) launched its search for a WorkSource Benefits Navigator provider in the Columbia Gorge: Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Hood River, and Wheeler Counties and is inviting proposals from qualified entities interested in providing comprehensive Benefits Navigation services.

Klickitat County Jail remains open as of April 12, but the process has begun to close the jail following accusations of human rights violations after a suicide and one inmate described to have the smell of rotting flesh. Songer has said he will respond to County Commissioner questions if given a reasonable amount of time. The questions are on top of the questions submitted by state and federal agencies regarding conditions at the jail.

Bingen's centennial celebration brought a vibrant atmosphere to the town on Saturday April 13, drawing locals and visitors together to mark the significant milestone in the town's history.