Oregon will lose a member of Congress while Texas & Florida each gain 4 members, because Oregon blocks housing, while Texas & Florida build housing. @tinakotek.bsky.social

Google is attempting a public land grab for its data center water supply. Contact @wyden.senate.gov & tell him our public land needs to be protected! www.sfgate.com/national-par...

Wednesday, January 21, OHA reported 2 new COVID deaths in Oregon; the total is now 10,943. As of 1/3, hospitalizations are at 0.7 per 100,000 compared to a national average of 1.9. Wastewater levels are increasing in North Bend & The Dalles.

An Amtrak train struck a forklift driver near the intersection of SE 12th Avenue & SE Clinton on Friday. The driver is critically injured. katu.com/news/local/c...

Light snow passing through the Gorge now, with pockets of freezing rain near Corbett.

I'm🦘🦘😡 at The Democrats. They sold their membership list to an environmental nonprofit. How do I know? They have a unique misspelling of my name in their records, & it showed up on the mailing from @audubon.org. The Dems must be hard up for money if they'd stoop this low to do this. They won't ...

After 7 months, phase 2 of the Rowena Fire cleanup is finally starting. www.kptv.com/2026/01/16/r...

The Hood River Bridge will have temporary lane closures on Thursday, 1/15. portofhoodriver.com

Jaw-dropping sunset on yesterday's hike. This is looking east with the sun setting behind me. Wildflowers are beginning, a very early start to the season. Update soon.

The Troutdale Library will be closed through at least the end of January due to roof truss damage. More repairs will be needed later this year. (Oregonian, 1/11/26, p. A2)

Wednesday, 1/7, OHA reported 4 new COVID deaths in Oregon; the total is now 10,940. Hospitalizations as of 1/3/26 are at 0.5 per 100,000, compared to a national average of 1.2. No wastewater update.

Portland cyclist hits pothole at SE 52nd & Division, flies over handlebars, dies. No vehicles were involved. kptv.com/2026/01/07/p... PBOT's Vision Zero focuses on making driving inconvenient. It should focus on fixing the roads & sidewalks.

The clasping Venus' looking-glass (Triodanis perfoliata) is an annual herb native to the Americas, ranging from Argentina to southern Canada. In the Gorge it's uncommon enough to not appear in Russ Jolley's "Wildflowers of the Columbia Gorge." It's from the bluebell family ...

Turning Point USA co-founder Bill Montgomery died of COVID, & Charlie Kirk died from gun violence. The organization opposed both COVID health measures & gun control: www.snopes.com/news/2026/01... If you have ads blocked, use this link: www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...

On 12/31/25, OHA announced 6 new COVID deaths in Oregon; the total is now 10,936. Hospitalizations are at 0.4 per 100,000 as of 12/31 compared to a national average of 0.8. OHA has not updated wastewater data since 12/4.

Free parking days in 2026 for Portland Metro regional parks:

Wishing you all a fruitful & happy 2026 from the Gorge! (US Government photo from the now defunct Gorge air quality monitoring site) We've had a warm winter so far, and a few wildflowers are already blooming in some sheltered spots. Photos soon.

Yesterday we finished balsamroot planting for the season and were rewarded with a stunning sunset with Mt. Hood on the center-right horizon. I brought hot chocolate to celebrate, and with the chilly temperature it was just what I needed.

Bald eagles have returned to the Gorge. 2 good places to see them are The Dalles Dam & the Balfour-Klickitat wayside park in Lyle, WA.

After a stinging referendum signature drive, Oregon Democrats consider repealing the state transportation funding bill to avoid it becoming a major issue in the November election: www.wweek.com/news/state/2...

Merry Christmas from the Gorge! Whether or not you celebrate, the values of peace, gift giving, & good will to all are worthy of practicing & upholding in the region. Speak up when you see those values being violated. The Gorge will reward you in infinite measure.

I got a new printer–I mean, a new box for Mario.

A winter sunset can light up the dark gray basalt cliffs in the east Gorge, making them look like they've been set on fire.

The Historic Columbia River Highway is closed between Larch Mtn. Rd & Vista House due to a landslide. tripcheck.com

On Wednesday, December 17, OHA reported 8 new COVID deaths; the total is now 10,930. 5 were reported the prior week. Hospitalizations are at 0.3 per 100,000 as of 11/29. Wastewater data shows a increased viral levels in Bend, Tryon Creek, Lincoln City, & Corvallis.

KPTV reports that The Dalles Airport today had its wettest day since records began in 1948 with 2.14” of rain.

Scientists have created a new protein-based gel that can regenerate damaged tooth enamel. The material mimics a natural process to regrow enamel mineral structure inside holes and cracks. This technology could prevent decay and treat sensitive teeth. www.healthday.com/health-news/...

Intermittent heavy rain is passing through the Gorge now. Be alert for local flooding & hazardous conditions on roads.

Excellent fact check of the president's speech yesterday. You'll need 2 cups of coffee to get through it all. www.factcheck.org/2025/12/fact...

The Hood River Bridge at sunset yesterday on a balsamroot planting trip. The town of Hood River is on the left, and Bingen is on the right.

Washington's Mt. Adams rises behind an aspen grove at Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Mosier, Oregon "Impeach Dozy Don" 🇺🇸

Parents outraged as Corbett school principal delays reporting to County Sheriff of student circulating AI-generated nude image of another student: katu.com/news/local/c...

Raul Malo, leader of The Mavericks, dies at 60 from colon cancer. Please get screened; thanks to the Affordable Care Act colonoscopies are covered. www.theguardian.com/music/2025/d...

Mario has it cushy. The rain is so bad today that he’s opted for the bed instead of going out for his morning walk.

Columbia coreopsis or golden tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria v. atkinsoniana) is one of the few winter blooming plants in the Gorge. It grows in sandy or gravelly riverbanks. Native Americans used the plant as a ceremonial chant lotion. The root was used as a life medicine, & ...

Cool clouds from today’s atmospheric river that look like ferns.

Federal environmental approval has been granted for the replacement of the Hood River Bridge. The project isn't ready to build yet, as a $532 million federal grant application is still in progress. hoodriverbridge.org/project-upda...

Senators from western states with Democratic delegations wrote a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee chairs, Susan Collins (R-ME) & Patty Murray (D-WA) asking for emergency funding for wildfire recovery in the Gorge that the Trump Administration is withholding. (Oregonian, 12/2/25, p. A4)

Lots of organizations are asking for donations on Giving Tuesday. Below is a list of ones that work in the Gorge & are worthy of your support. If you don't see one listed, that's because they practice bigotry & exclusion of marginalized people. (links in ALT)

Word to the wise: Portland General Electric used to have a grace period for paying your electric bill. As of this month, it appears to be gone. Be careful about paying your bill to avoid the extra charge.

In rare years, the Gorge can have fall color displays rivaling New England's. This one appears in the National Geographic book "Life in Color." Fujichrome Velvia 100 4x5 exposure #BelieveInFilm

An injured hiker was rescued Thanksgiving Day near Ainsworth State Park, hiking off trail. (Oregonian, 11/29/25, p. A4)

OHA dropped a Thanksgiving bombshell on Wednesday, reporting 29 new COVID deaths in Oregon after zero over the prior 6 weeks. The average over those weeks is 4.1, which agrees with data before that. This appears to be a reporting delay, not a sudden increase. It means COVID ...

Happy Thanksgiving from the Gorge! The land gives us much to be thankful for & asks for little in return. Please protect it by writing to authorities when they allow exploitation of its natural wonders. Don't give to bigoted nonprofits or ones that spend money unwisely. Do ...

OREGONIANS!!! Due to new legislation passed this year, the Oregon Public Utility Commission is developing new guidelines for how to divide energy costs between residential & commercial customers. TELL THEM DATA CENTERS NEED TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE!!! apps.puc.state.or.us/docketpublic...

A thin crescent moon is directly above Mt. Hood at sunset on our balsamroot planting day last Saturday.

On a nighttime walk near my home recently, a dark shape flew silently above me. It was an owl, landing on a power line about 15 ft. overhead. I got a flash photo with my phone. It looks like a barred owl. Any experts with another opinion, please reply.

Earth star mushrooms are doing well now in the Burdoin Fire burn area of the Gorge. They bear spores in late winter & early spring. They are related to puffballs & are not edible. More at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myriost... Although once considered to be a single species, genetic ...

The email I've been waiting for years to arrive finally did. Kevin Gorman is retiring as director of Friends of the Gorge. This is a critical step that might have positive implications for the nonprofit. Gorman presided over a policy of bigotry towards the LGBTQ+ community & ...