Columbia Gorge News

08/23/2026

Death and service announcements are updated throughout the week on the Columbia Gorge News website.

Daniel Schmidling, Michael Lloyd Coffey, Leon Nielsen, Randall L. Portner, Shirley Kay Justice, Rose Marie Schwinge, Helen Chappel, Frederick “Fred” Alden Mooney, C.E. “Bud” Harris, Arlene Lambert, Michael Wayne Keene

08/22/2026

THE GORGE — “Every pregnancy is different,” said Esther Mondragon, a nurse and head of the perinatal team at One Community Health, which offers bilingual pregnancy support from pre- to post-natal care.

THE GORGE — “Every pregnancy is different,” said Esther Mondragon, a nurse and head of the perinatal team at One Community Health, which offers bilingual pregnancy support from pre- to

08/22/2026

While visiting Montana, locals Mike and Colleen Ballinger watched these two juvenile Rufous Hummingbirds in their nest.

08/22/2026

The opinions expressed are “your voice,” and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Columbia Gorge News, its staff, publisher or advertisers.

Emergency thanks

08/22/2026

The Crown Point Country Museum opened its doors this March to a rural community of only a few thousand. The log cabin-inspired building is 3,500 square feet, tucked away not far from the Portland Women’s Forums and the Crown Point Vista House.

The Crown Point Country Museum opened its doors this March to a rural community of only a few thousand. The log cabin-inspired building is 3,500 square feet, tucked away not

08/21/2026

GOLDENDALE — The animal shelter project was the primary point of discussion in Klickitat County’s Board of Commissioners Aug. 11 morning workshop session.

08/21/2026

Last week’s history mystery showed a crowd of people looking up at an old train engine, on the train tracks. According to an August 9, 1966 edition of The Dalles Chronicle, it shows “The Queen of the Rails,” a huge 800-class steam locomotive.

Last week’s history mystery showed a crowd of people looking up at an old train engine, on the train tracks. According to an August 9, 1966 edition of The Dalles

08/21/2026

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) is proposing a 1,200-megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system (BESS) at the former aluminum smelter site adjacent to John Day Dam owned by NSC Smelter, LLC.

A BESS is commonly seen as a companion to other variable energy sources such as solar or wind. In this case, it might work in tandem with the proposed hydropump storage facility, known as the Goldendale Energy Storage Project, which CIP is pursuing in tandem with Rye Development. The project has seen immense pushback from the Yakama Nation, as previously reported by Columbia Gorge News.

The hydropump is expected to generate 1,200 MW of energy per cycle, and both projects plan to share the same 500-kilovolt transmission interconnection. Right next door is 1,118 MW hyperscale data center being planned by Blue Owl Infrastructure.

Story link in comments.

08/21/2026

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 …

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.

08/21/2026

FREE NEWS: Home energy bills can be expensive, and local government agencies feel the sting of those costs, too. Across Gorge communities, school districts and fire departments are taking advantage of state grants for small-scale solar projects.

TROUT LAKE — Home energy bills can be expensive, and local government agencies feel the sting of those costs, too. Across Gorge communities, small agencies like school districts and fire