In a significant move towards addressing local housing needs and community concerns, The Dalles City Council approved General Ordinance 23-1404 during their December 11, 2023, meeting. The ordinance amends the city’s comprehensive plan related to housing and adopts a housing and residential lands needs assessment along with a buildable lands inventory update.

A Housing Needs Analysis  presented to The Dalles City Council on Monday, Dec. 11, shows a slow down in the rate of future population growth resulting in the projected need for 505 new housing units in The Dalles by 2043. 

In Oregon, there are 5,386 kids in the foster care system and counting. Despite such a tremendous need for foster homes, there is an ongoing shortage of foster families in our communities, our state, and nationwide. This year, The Next Door, Inc. (TNDI) has returned to our roots and stepped up to fill our local need by purchasing a home in The Dalles to provide a safe, nurturing home for displaced youth.

Cookies, Cocoa and Photos with Santa organizers presented Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC) with a check for $2,700 on Monday, Dec. 11. 

I don’t think I was more surprised by any movie this year than The Holdovers. I found its initial trailer to be off-putting (I’m just about done watching trailers!), but decided to give it a try anyway after being letdown by several big movies that were out. And I couldn’t have been happier to be wrong!

Multiple Oregon school districts, including Central Linn, Cascade, Colton, Corbett, Condon and Arlington, faced bomb threats on Monday, Dec. 11. In addition to the schools being threatened, two Portland-area synagogues, Neveh Shalom and Beth Israel and some airports were also targeted. FBI agents did not identify which airports had been targeted. Portland International Airport confirmed that they did not receive any threats.

The Dalles City Manager Matthew Klebes has announced changes to the City’s zoom meeting policies following an anti-Semitic “zoom bombing” incident that occurred at the last City Council meeting. Klebes shared that the incident is under FBI investigation and is a part of a recent slew of zoom-bombing and hate speech incidents which have been occurring during online public meetings state-wide.

On December 11, 2023 at approximately 11:30 a.m., Arlington School District received an email advising of a bomb threat. Shortly after, Condon School District received a similar email advising of a bomb threat.

Sign contractors for the Oregon Department of Transportation are working to replace aged and non-compliant freeway signsto increase safety and improve the driving experience for the traveling public on I-84 between exits 82 and 83 today, December 11, 2023.

Mt. Hood Meadows has announced the temporary suspension of their operations through Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, due to warm temperatures and rain causing water oversaturation on the slopes. The resort will reassess conditions on Wednesday and hopes to resume operations as soon as the snowpack sets up.

Tonight Rock Violinist Aaron Meyer will perform at the 12th Annual Rock the Holidays Benefit Concert to support United Way of the Columbia Gorge! There will be two concerts on Sunday, December 10th in the Gorge Room at the Best Western PLUS Hood River Inn.

The Friends of White Salmon Library hosted a holiday quilt reception and open house at White Salmon Library from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday Dec. 9. 

Underriner Ford and Nissan of The Dalles was filled with tears and laughter on Wednesday as the Mott family gratefully received the gift of free gently used Ford Edge, with a trunk full of Christmas presents, including a $250 gas card.

The City of The Dalles Public Works will begin installation of a sanitary sewer extension on E. 10th St. between Oregon St. and Quinton St. The purpose of this work is to connect a property to sanitary sewer service. Construction is expected to occur for approximately three days with expected completion by Wednesday, December 13, 2023.

The Col. Wright Troubadours, a dynamic group of twelve spirited 4th graders from Colonel Wright Elementary School, took The Dalles Library by storm today, filling the air with the joyous melodies of Christmas. This stop marks just one of their captivating 16 performances on a festive tour that spans the heart of The Dalles.

In the early morning hours of December 7, 2023, an adult in custody at Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities (NORCOR) was found deceased.

North Wasco County School Board held a work session on December 7th, 2023 to discuss the previous bond effort and next steps for a future bond effort. 

The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for a new GoForth charging station which has been installed at 404 W 2nd St.

On December 4, Governor Tina Kotek, Senate President Rob Wagner and House Speaker Dan Rayfield jointly announce to commit $19 million to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to help restore winter maintenance services, make safety-focused improvements, and purchase new trucks used for snow plowing.On December 4, Governor Tina Kotek, Senate President Rob Wagner and House Speaker Dan Rayfield jointly announce to commit $19 million to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to help restore winter maintenance services, make safety-focused improvements, and purchase new trucks used for snow plowing.

Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue held their 36th Annual Everyone Loves a Firefighter drive-through food drive otherwise known as Project ELFF on Tuesday, Dec. 5 between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.