Closures followed, from school districts to clinics, as did emergency declarations and flooding

THE DALLES — The Dalles Lions Club member David Congdon is this year’s recipient of Gorge Radio-Bicoastal Media’s annual “Wheels of Hope” car giveaway. His new ride, a 2015 Ford Focus SE, is the 11th vehicle distributed by the giveaway, which debuted in 2015.

THE DALLES — Severe wind has damaged the Water’s Edge building located at 551 NE Lone Pine Blvd. Adventist Health Columbia Gorge has closed all its clinics located at Water’s Edge, including Immediate Care. No injuries have been reported.

HOOD RIVER — Hood River County School District (HRCSD) cancelled all classes, activities and transportation services on Dec. 17 due to inclement weather. Initially announced as a two-hour delay, HRCSD extended to a full day closure this morning at 7:10 A.M. 

THE DALLES — Concerned community members showed up in droves to The Dalles City Council meeting on Dec. 8, nearly overflowing the council chamber. Many attendees, either representing or supporting the city’s robust Latino community, expressed heartache and anxiety over recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action in town.

HOOD RIVER — The History Museum of Hood River County is calling on community members for financial support. Budget cuts, waning volunteership and post-pandemic economic instability have placed a significant strain on current operations, particularly concerning storage costs.

WHITE SALMON — In collaboration with StoveTeam International and nine other groups throughout Rotary District 5100, the White Salmon-Bingen Rotary Club helped fund the construction of 74 safe and efficient cookstoves in Retalhuleu, Guatemala.

MOSIER — A month-old mutual aid organization is sharing food with Mosier Valley residents, who live miles from any food bank.

An opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment clinic is opening in The Dalles this month, and a key reason its owners decided to locate here was it had so many Gorge clients traveling more than an hour for care at its other clinics.

HOOD RIVER — The third installment of Mt. Adams Institute’s Sense of Place Season 16 will arrive at Columbia Center for the Arts on Dec. 10. Titled “After Gifford Pinchot: Ancient Forests, Timber Wars, and a Century of Change,” the evening will welcome writer Rand Schenck for a deep dive into the past century of Pacific Northwest forest management.