Salmon Claus and his helpers need your help to bring the holiday spirit to Tribal Nation Elders, adults, and children living along the Columbia River!

CCCNews recently intercepted The Dalles Elk’s Lodge #303 December Newsletter. And we discovered this little gem on the second page. We found it uplifting; we thought you might too.

In this Episode: Jim Drake goes shopping. Not for essentials like food and toilet paper, but for items that only a collector of All Things Media can appreciate. For the next few weeks, I’ll be reviewing my books, movies, CDs, even some games that have been rescued from the Shelves of Obscurity. Come along, if you dare, and let’s find out exactly how far $10.30 goes at local thrift stores.

Columbia Basin Care has announced the winners of it’s Pet Photo Contest!

Frank Davido at 320 E. Scenic Drive in The Dalles works on his 30 plus feet of lights this afternoon, Dec. 8. He is set to ignite tonight. “It’s a Christmas tree for my flagpole, “ he said. “They’re pretty spendy to buy them. So I made my own- it works pretty good. Good show Frank Davido - thanks for the spirit.

Has the pandemic got you feeling powerless? Do you wish there was a way to make a positive difference in your community? There is!

A walker strides past some incredible views at Sorosis Park in The Dalles this morning, Tuesday, Dec. 8. A crisp 35 degrees and some opening skies shed a bit more light on things this morning. Sunny skies are expected through Wednesday with a high of 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Chances of rain are increasing starting on Thursday with snow forecast in the upper elevations.

The Dalles Art Center has installed two new concrete bases which will soon be home away from home for traveling sculptures which will visit TDAC in the near future.

Grants are available to individuals and organizations for projects in the arts, humanities and heritage. The Trust will make grant applications available on Monday, Dec. 7, for grant funding for projects occurring March – December 2021. Grant awards will generally range from $200 to $2,000 depending on the number of grants awarded and funds available. The deadline for applications is February 1, 2021.

White-Salmon's annual holiday tradition is moving online this year. While we can't gather together in person, we are hoping you will gather 'round virtually this Saturday, December 5 at 5 p.m. to share in the celebration with neighbors and friends. The festivities will be streamed from the "Mayor Marla Keethler" Facebook page.

Moon delights in the clouds above The Dalles this Thursday night, Dec. 3. Calm crisp nights have way of invading your mind and cooling the soul. Good things await in Friday’s fire, set to ignite at 7:29 a.m. Temps are expected to drop to 26 tonight. Get your ice scrapers ready.

Project ELFF could use a little of Santa’s magic tonight in the form of canned food, dry goods and cold hard cash. Firefighters will have their lights flashing at local schools as well as at fire stations in Columbia View Heights as well as West The Dalles. They will be collecting between 6 and 9 p.m.

Dakota Weitman of Hood River Sand, Gravel & Ready Mix performs an air test on a batch of concrete in east The Dalles this morning, Wednesday, Dec. 2. Weitman, a quality control supervisor, said, the test ensures that there is enough air in the concrete so that water can freeze and thaw in the mix without doing damage.

Clear skies and cold temps brought a good frost and icy streets this morning in The Dalles. Be careful taking your first steps on this Tuesday, Dec. 1. I made the mistake of trying to walk through the bark for traction and put my foot in a nice little dog treat. But I still came to work. Win! Be careful the rest of this week as forecasters are calling for clear skies with lows of 28 and highs of 43 for the next five days. It is also nonprofit Tuesday where people are encouraged to give to their local charities - there are more than 150 to choose from in the Mid-Columbia Area.

A little Christmas spirit had Tom and Lindsey Giamei putting up this DIY tree on the side of their business, The Workshop at 201 E. 2nd St. this morning, Black Friday, Nov. 27. The couple is also supporting the Festival of Trees program, inviting community members to decorate an ornament for a donation that will help support the Celilo Cancer Center at Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles.

US postal deliveries this week have already rivaled volume during the week before Christmas last year. Our hats are off to our mail carriers this Thanksgiving. This also reminds us to shop local whenever possible. Like Dean Dollarhide said in a letter to the editor last week, we all need to support our neighbors and friends as we push into the new year as we hope for new beginnings and greater health for all.

The pandemic for your friends and neighbors who were already struggling with poverty, food insecurity, abusive relationships have become almost unbearable. Read more here about one local woman's struggle and how you and The Next Door can help.

The Dalles Kiwanis Programs for December.

While an inversion has The Dalles under some thick gray this morning, Sol made a spectacular showing on Friday afternoon. This photo was shot from State Route 14 at 3:30 p.m., looking south toward Mount Hood. While were a bit gray this morning, it is a good time to check out The Radio Play Disaster on Demand by The Dalles High School Drama Department. Click here for link.

John Schacher, 52, with Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation gives the Kubota and Cyclone Rake a workout this morning at City Park in The Dalles. Frosts like the one last night tend to gum things up in the leaf removal game. Forecasters are calling for 28 degrees Fahrenheit Saturday morning with the high around 50.