It’s officially winter in Oregon, which often means a sharp spike in energy bills as you crank up the heat. Homes can lose up to 60% of the energy used to keep the space warm through inefficient equipment, poor insulation and hidden air leaks.
News from around the Gorge
CASCADE LOCKS — As the Bridge of the Gods enters its centennial year, its owner, the Port of Cascade Locks, is obtaining new information about the bridge’s condition gleaned from early findings of an ongoing study focused on pedestrian safety, bridge preservation, and seismic resilience.
HOOD RIVER — Join the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum (WAAAM) for a special presentation by author Martin Middlewood on Feb. 14 at 2 pm. Middlewood’s talk will focus on the history of Pearson Field and the early days of Pacific Northwest aviation.
HOOD RIVER — The fifth installment of Mt. Adams Institute’s Sense of Place Season 16 will arrive at Columbia Center for the Arts on Feb. 18. Titled “Going Out on a Limb: Life on the Family Farms of Lisa Perry & Ricardo Galvez,” the evening will welcome Perry for a conversation rooted in the agricultural landscape and lived experience of a family farm in the Columbia River Gorge.
GORGE — In 2026, the Gorge Artists Open Studios (GAOS) Tour celebrates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of inviting the public into the working studios of artists throughout the Mid-Columbia Gorge. This free, self-guided spring event takes place May 1–3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and offers visitors an opportunity to experience art at its source — where ideas, materials, and stories converge.
Long pursuit — Feb. 3, a Chrysler sedan escaped Hood River police. A trooper found the vehicle driving in ways that “endangered the innocent motorist public,” and lost it; Wasco County chased the car, and lost it; OSP found it again, and tried to stop it. The car took off, escaping multiple …
BINGEN — The Bingen City Council met on Feb. 3 at city hall, and the first action item was awarding the East Steuben Waterline Sections 2-3 contract.
WARM SPRINGS — A man was convicted to 20 years in federal prison on charges of sexually abusing two minors on Feb. 3.
HOOD RIVER — On Feb. 2, the U.S. Marshal’s Service joined Hood River County Sheriff’s Office (HRCSO) to search the Parkdale area for a local fugitive wanted on multiple local felony charges, according to a HRCSO press release.
Sports
HOOD RIVER — Winter in the Gorge brings short days, cold nights and, if we’re lucky, a fresh dusting of snow across the valley and mountains. While the season can make outdoor recreation feel out of reach to some, local organizations are offering outdoor programs for youth to get out and enjoy the snow.
Business
Featured
WASCO CO. — Suze Riley, sole proprietor of Maupin Coffee Co., really does it all.
THE DALLES — The Columbia Gorge’s largest city, commonly cited as a robust agricultural hub above all, is rarely acknowledged as a creative destination by outsiders. But for residents Marcus Swift and Rian Beach, founders of the nonprofit, all-volunteer event organizer The Dalles Overground (TDO), its vibrant creative foundation represents a community hungry for broadened cultural programming and further artistic avenues.
Featured
THE DALLES — On Jan. 15, Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) published an investigative article detailing The Dalles’ push to expand its water reservoir capacity in the Mount Hood National Forest through a bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz.
Free news: Gorge Grown Food Network is accepting applications for businesses to attend the Hood River Farmers Market’s regular season. Farmers and food vendors should apply by Feb. 12. Artists and craft makers must apply by March 2. Email HRFM@gorgegown.com or call 541-490-6420 with any questions.
HOOD RIVER — The Port of Hood River Commissioners authorized a federal grant application that would help construct a terminal building at Ken …
HOOD RIVER — The Port of Hood River’s Marina Basin should be managed as a shared, multi-use community asset, serving not only marina operation…
Gorge Life
HOOD RIVER — Join the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum (WAAAM) for a special presentation by author Martin Middlewood on Feb. 14 at 2 pm. Middlewood’s talk will focus on the history of Pearson Field and the early days of Pacific Northwest aviation.
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- One person stabbed in Bingen, two in Cascade Locks last week
- Obituary: Heath Kelley
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- Obituary: Aaron Richilano
- Deaths & Services: Feb. 4, 2026
- Obituary: James Reed Jr.
- Obituary: Gordon “Bob” Grange
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- Black in the Gorge has BiG plans
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Latest News
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