Hood River Valley High School freshman Vivaan Sharma joined Sense of Place on Oct. 14 to show off robots and let audience members try driving them. On stage with Sarah Fox before the lecture, Sharma shared how robotics has taught him perseverance and teamwork, discussing the team’s state championship trip to an international competition.

HOOD RIVER — How did the Columbia River Gorge — a wind-swept region known for pears and water sports — evolve into a hotspot for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones? Jason Hartmann, project manager of the Gorge Tech Alliance (GTA), has the answers.

HOOD RIVER — The Oregon Department of Education (ODE), in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, has honored Anne Edwards as one of Oregon’s 17 Regional Teachers of the Year for 2026- 27. Edwards teaches seventh grade social studies and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) at Wy’eas…

HOOD RIVER — Sense of Place begins its 17th season Oct. 14 with “Homegrown Drone: How a Rural Place Launched a Tech Revolution” at Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave.

UNDERWOOD — For 125 years, millions of tule fall Chinook salmon have passed through the Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery (SCNFH), incubating, hatching, stocking, and returning years later to spawn — a cycle completed by scent after years at sea.

HOOD RIVER — When we think of the arts, we think of a limitless range of human expression: bright colors, abstract shapes, hands-on activities, performing, and so on. But these practices don’t just exercise our creative side; they bridge to other disciplines and help us become more connected, well-rounded humans. 

HOOD RIVER — Piloting a road-legal, solar-powered racecar they built from scratch, a flock of Eagles took Texas in July, securing a third-place trophy at the annual Solar Car Challenge. Led by founding captain Isabel Ulland, the traveling club team — dubbed the Solar Storms — included 11 students from Hood River Valley High School (HRVHS).

THE GORGE — “She never quits,” Jim Jones said, describing his beloved hound and veteran Search and Rescue (SAR) K9 Ellie May. “She’s my best friend.”

WHITE SALMON — They’re creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, the Addams Family descended upon the Columbia High School (CHS) gymnasium last weekend, where students boogied and belted their way through three performances of the hit Broadway adaptation — the school’s first musical production under drama teacher Shawn Friese.

WHITE SALMON — White Salmon Valley Community Library is hosting local author tina ontiveros for a book reading on Friday, May 29th at 6:30 p.m. ontiveros will discuss her memoir “Rough House.”

WHITE SALMON — On May 14, a trio of Columbia High School juniors will travel to San Francisco to pitch their months-long, user-centered engineering project, which converts color into sound.

HOOD RIVER — Born in Madison, Wisconsin, the Midwest’s unofficial cycling capital, Megan Ramey had biking infused in her DNA before she could walk. Now at the helm of several bike-forward initiatives, including Hood River County School District’s Safe Routes to School program, the all-star advocate is charting a new, more sustainable path for Gorge youth rooted in soft mobility.

Students, families, and school staff across Hood River County will celebrate Earth Day by riding together in “Bike Buses” to school on the morning of Tuesday, April 22. These group rides follow planned routes (see map) and create a fun, safe, and visible way for kids to get to school while b…

Central Washington-based naturalist and herpetologist Adrian Slade, who's been infatuated with snakes since early childhood, shared facts and busted myths about our deeply misunderstood neighbors at the Columbia Center for the Arts on March 18 — the sixth presentation in host and curator Sarah Fox’s Sense of Place season 16.

THE DALLES — Nationally-recognized youth speaker Jamar Root visited The Dalles middle and high schools on Friday, Feb. 27.

HOOD RIVER — Sense of Place continues its 16th season on March 18, with “Rattlesnakessssss: Shedding the Myths to Meet the Snake.” The event will take place at Columbia Center for the Arts at 7:00 p.m.