THE GORGE — “It’s a real wake-up call to just be you and strip away anything that’s not you. I feel like cancer was the gift that gave me the permission to do that,” said co-author of “Cancer, the Gift” Kate Houston, a Hood River local and librarian at the White Salmon Valley library.

THE DALLES — Rebel Metalworks, a custom metal fabrication company in The Dalles, has been named the 2026 Oregon SBA Small Blue Collar Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

THE GORGE — Trisha Schales remembers exactly where she was when the phone call came: REI Experiences, a branch of the retail store she guided trips for, was suddenly and unexpectedly closing at the start of 2025.

THE GORGE — Coming down from a January peak, the market for gold and silver has been incredibly volatile as of late, impacting what customers choose and how businesses operate in the Gorge.

BINGEN — A step into the Whitewater Bodega is a step into whitewater history. Located at 205 W. Humboldt St. in Bingen, the small retail store opened last October with river equipment for kayaking, canoeing, rafting and more. It’s owned by Evan Garcia, a professional kayaker with decades of …

THE GORGE — “Do your givin’ while you’re livin’ so you’re knowin’ where it goes,” said Bob Kenyon, community philanthropist and keynote speaker at Community Legacy Initiative on March 19, hosted as a collaboration with local organization and non-profits. 

HOOD RIVER — The Hood River Soroptimist club is selling colorful flower baskets to raise money for scholarships that help local women continue their education at college or vocational programs.

On Aug. 6, 2025, Sushi Okalani celebrated its 20-year anniversary. The celebration took place at The Ruins, the same location where they held their 10-year anniversary, while being “easily twice as big,” according to owner Justin Williams.