THE GORGE — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensed Goldendale’s Energy Storage Project on Jan. 22 over the objections of 17 tribal governments led by the Yakama Nation — which was excluded from signing the agreement that allows development to proceed on an site with both religious and cultural importance, otherwise known as Pushpum.

Councilors then began a conversation about what the city can do and is doing around immigration enforcement work, and how that work is being communicated to the public.

THE GORGE — A public bus from the Columbia River’s in-lieu fishing sites to Wishram is helping some Indigenous people find stable housing. But even so, it’s still a choice between living at a fishing site, or walking their kids across a highway to school, said Gorge Transit Mobility Manger Kathy Fitzpatrick at a January The Dalles Community Affairs meeting.

The board received good news from Kyle Janiki, certified public accountant (CPA), Clear Trails CPAs, and HRCSD’s audit manager, on the district’s 2024-2025 audit report: an unmodified, or “clean,” opinion, on its financial statement and federal awards audits.