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Saturday Valentine’s Day Sparks a Surge in Weekend Getaway Plans
National
Wire

Saturday Valentine’s Day Sparks a Surge in Weekend Getaway Plans

  • Karen Kelly

As Valentine’s Day 2026 approaches and falls on a Saturday, couples are increasingly turning weekend getaways into the centerpiece of their celebrations, fueling record-level spending on travel and hospitality, according to recent data. U.S. Valentine’s spending reached an estimated $27.5 billion in 2025, with travel a key component of that total as consumers prioritize experiences over traditional gifts, economists say.

‘The absolutely necessary teaching of empathy and humanity’
News

‘The absolutely necessary teaching of empathy and humanity’

  • DAN GOLDMAN, Superintendent, HRCSD
  • Updated

This is an edited version of Dan Goldman’s prepared speech at the Aug. 30 all-staff back-to-school assembly, in which he stressed both the need to embrace technology in learning and for teachers and other staff to engage in true relationships with each other and students, to make sure all students feel accepted where they are welcome to fully experience their learning environments. Included is a link to video featuring Hood River Middle School students expressing “I believe”:

Local vigil held against racism
News

Local vigil held against racism

  • Neita Cecil
  • Updated

Some 70 people attended a vigil Sunday evening on the Wasco County Courthouse steps in reaction to violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., that left a woman dead. Event organizer Dr. Mimi McDonell was overwhelmed by the response to the event, which she publicized earlier that day through social media.