By Amber Ford, The Mountain Times The Mt. Hood Villages and Mt. Hood National Forest are home to many creatives who seek inspiration and refuge in the beauty that is their backyard. But one lifelong local has taken her residence and not only used it as inspiration for her artwork, but has created and designed pieces that give meaning, direction, and knowledge to her beloved community. Mt. Hood Villages resident Liz Cox is not only a gifted artist, but is also using her skills

By Amber Ford, The Mountain Times Ya know when you’ve been putting a book on the back burner for so long you almost forget about it? Forget about the high praise from your best friend? The fact the cover of the book seems way too “bright” for the current mood you’re in? No? Only Eleanor? That has become a running theme in this literary-loving household and, due to this most recent read, is now on our top priority of things to change, because holy catnip, this novel (here it

By Justin Andress, The Mountain Times For its 10th year, the Clackamas ESD Regional Art Show called attention to the creative efforts of Clackamas County students in middle and high school. The show celebrates the work being done by students spread across 10 public school districts and nearly 30 schools. The art show ran from March 30 through April 28, when an awards ceremony announced the winners in each category. Amid the stiff competition, Welches Middle School students st

By Amber Ford, The Mountain Times Life in The Mt. Hood Villages is different for every family residing within the vast wilderness that is the national forest. From work, school, sports, dance lessons, and fitting in family time, dads raising kids in The Mt. Hood Villages share one common bond: showing unconditional love, protection, and teaching their kiddos what it means to be a true mountain resident. Although there are more dedicated fathers on this mountain than there are

By Greg Johnson, For The Mountain Times Hello, dear readers, and welcome to another edition of Fore, your source for all things golf. This is the place to come if you’re dying to catch up on local gossip within the mountain golf community. You may notice that your regular voice has taken a little sabbatical, and I have been bestowed the honor of filling in. I will try my best to live up to the standards Bradford has set, and I understand that those are some big shoes to fi

Place of birth: San Diego California How long on the Mountain: 35 years If you were not brought here as a child, what brought you to the Mountain? After our kids left home, my wife and I decided it was time to get out of town. She agreed and said she wanted to move to Welches. In 1925, her grandfather built a cabin on Plaza Trail right on the Salmon River. She, her mother, and her brother stayed in the cabin every summer from the early 1950s until she was 18 or 19. We looked

By Amber Ford, The Mountain Times While the world of Marvel would have us believe that all super heroes wear capes, possess superpowers, and can travel throughout the space/time continuum, Mt. Hood Villages residents and winter sports enthusiasts exploring the slopes of Mt. Hood may think differently. Our resident superheroes may not be able to move buildings, but they tirelessly move snow and make their own Mt. Hood magic. Although winter proved to be nonexistent, those head

These are close-up illustrations of fruit, by the middle school Art class. Blueberry Pomegranate Kiwi Strawberry Melon Grapefruit

By Blake Miller, For The Mountain Times There’s something special about the bond between pets and older adults. Research has shown that owning a cat or dog can actually benefit seniors’ health in many ways. First and foremost, pets encourage routine. Whether it’s walking a dog or feeding a cat at the same time each day, structure can be grounding. Routine helps reduce feelings of loneliness and gives a sense of purpose, something to look forward to every day. Beyond routine,

By Dr. Robert Kelly, For The Mountain Times In my last few articles I talked about the sports stars and pop culture celebrities who were in the news recently with tooth mishaps. Another funny story to tell involved a movie star with a dental problem in real life …and that problem was conveniently written into the script as part of the storyline. A while back, there was a movie called “The Hangover.” It was wildly successful and spawned sequels. The story was about a group

By Andrea O’Neil, For The Mountain Times Wildfire mitigation requirements tied to insurance and future building standards are becoming increasingly important in the Hoodland area, and over the last year I have been working to prepare both myself and my customers for what may be ahead. Like many people, I initially thought much of the concern had subsided when the State of Oregon walked back the original wildfire hazard maps. However, after being contacted by a customer last y

By Creanna Gallegos, for the Sandy Standard The Hull Foundation & Learning Center’s Annual Tea has grown into one of the most cherished traditions in our community. What began 12 years ago, on a Saturday afternoon in 2014, with the intention to bring awareness to Hull Foundation and Learning Center – and our services to the blind community – has evolved into a signature celebration that brings together friends, supporters, volunteers, and guests from across Oregon and beyon

By Dr. Robert Kelly, For The Mountain Times I know magazines and newspapers are not as prevalent as they used to be, but back in the 90s, before smart phones and tech took over, they were consumed vociferously by the public for all the latest news, gossip, and entertainment. One entertainment, celebrity, and pop culture magazine, US Weekly, had a routine section called “Stars, They’re Just Like Us!” and it would showcase random pictures of celebrities doing “normal people”

Understanding Sciatica, Piriformis Syndrome, and What You Can Do About It By Dr. Melanie Brown, Chiropractor, Mountain Life Clinic, for The Mountain Times That deep ache in your glute that won’t go away — especially when sitting or driving — might not just be a sore muscle. For many people, it’s related to irritation of the sciatic nerve, and the source isn’t always where you think. The sciatic nerve starts in the lower spine and travels through the hip and down the leg. It r

By Orchid Health Hoodland Clinic, For The Mountain Times When you walk into the Orchid Health Hoodland Clinic, you are greeted by experts dedicated to the health of our mountain community. However, you might notice different initials after your provider’s name, specifically NP or PA. While these titles might seem random, understanding these roles is key to navigating your healthcare journey with confidence right here in the Mt. Hood corridor. Advanced practice clinicians, inc

Dennis G. Welches You should be receiving your ballots in the mail at the end of April for the May 19th Primary election. All voters, regardless of their party registration, will receive a Nonpartisan Ballot which has Judges, County Commissioners, and other elected positions. It will also have two measures: Statewide Fuel Road Tax Measure and County Public Safety Measure. The November Election is getting a lot of attention, so this Primary Election may be overlooked. Many of

By Rep. Jeff Helfrich, For The Mountain Times As Oregonians get ready to vote in the upcoming primary, a lot of people are thinking about sitting this one out. “It’s just the primary.” That thinking is exactly how nothing changes. Primaries don’t just pick candidates. They decide what direction this state is going to take, long before November ever arrives. And if we’re being honest, the direction we’ve been going isn’t working. You don’t need a report to tell you that. You c

By Lion Milt Fox, for The Mountain Times Thank you for attending our annual Jim Turin Memorial Scholarship Dinner. We had a nice turnout of 80-plus happy customers. The dinner was chaired by Lion Craig Calvert and prepared by a small but great crew of hard working Lions. Proceeds from this dinner help with funding for our Scholarship program. These scholarships are for Oregon Trail School District graduates who are also graduates of Welches School. Thanks also go to St. Mich

By Steve Wilent, For The Mountain Times I recently had the pleasure of visiting Little Crater Lake, one of my favorite places on the Mt. Hood National Forest. The sun was shining, the air warm — t-shirt weather. But in a way it was a bit eerie: It was April 8 at about 3,000 feet in elevation, and there was no snow in sight. In most years, deep snow would make driving to the lake in April impossible. A woman walking her dog on the trail to the lake said, “It’s weird. We should

By Bradford Bixby, For the Mountain Times Welcome back, dear reader, to another edition of Fore, the only column (in this paper) to tackle all of the controversies in the turbulent world of golf. For instance I will be the only to point out what a choke fest the last round of this year's Masters was. First Rory McIlroy shoots mediocre one under after giving up a six stroke lead the day before. Then he three putts from four feet to double bogey and fall out of first place, fal