By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times Community members are invited to attend the dedication of the Phoenix Room at the Hoodland Bazaar, honoring the memory of Phoenix Susan Lane, who was killed in November 2024. The event will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Hoodland Bazaar, located at 68278 E. Highway 26 in Welches. Organizers say the dedication is intended as a time to remember Lane and recognize the impact she had on those around her. The gathering will also a

By Gary Randall, For The Mountain Times Growth is often blamed for what communities feel they are losing. New buildings go up, old ones come down, traffic increases, and familiar places begin to look different. It’s easy to point to growth itself as the problem. But growth isn’t the real enemy. Forgetting is. Towns have always changed. That isn’t new. What is new is how often change happens without any understanding of what came before it. When history is overlooked — or neve

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times Approximately 95 residents attended an April 1 town hall at Mount Hood Oregon Resort with Clackamas County commissioners to discuss the county’s short-term rental (STR) pilot program in the Mount Hood corridor. Commissioner Diana Helm, Commissioner Paul Savas, and Commission Chair Craig Roberts attended the meeting. The event gave residents a chance to speak directly with county leadership as officials continue evaluating the STR pilot pr

By Justin Andress, Mountain Times There’s a little shakeup happening at Mt. Hood Village, a Welches-based community that sits on Highway 26. Longtime employee Brandi Ray has been promoted to Administrative Assistant, and that’s nothing but good news for the mountain community. Mt. Hood Village is a pivotal spot on Mt. Hood, whether you realize it or not. Not only is it home to a core group of tenants, the Village sees a wide array of short-term visitors, too. “Traveling nurse

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times The Hoodland Senior Center has a new executive director – Laura Peterson steps into the role this month. She succeeds Carianne Stearns, who has served in the position for the past two and a half years. The executive director acts as a link between staff and the board, overseeing daily operations, fundraising, financial management, program development, and public outreach. “It’s a really special place,” Peterson said. “There’s lots to learn

By Mt Hood Cultural Center and Museum The Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum is pleased to announce a new fundraising event, A Journey to the Lost Township of Swim. It's scheduled for Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum in Government Camp. The morning will begin with a delicious breakfast, followed by a staff-led presentation exploring the history of Swim. Guests will enjoy archival photographs and lesser-known stories before joining a guided wal

1928-2026 Martha Ellen Mandel, 97, of Sandy, Oregon died in Sandy on March 9, 2026. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1928 to Lena and Alvin Luechauer, along with an identical twin sister, Linda. Both graduated from the University of Washington. Martha worked as a Medical Technologist for several decades before earning a Masters’ degree at the Oregon Health Sciences University and retiring in 1990. She taught at Mount Hood Community College and was an active member of Hoodl

November 10, 1931 – February 22, 2026 Katherine “Kathy” L. Coutts, 94, of Damascus, Oregon, passed away at her home on February 22, 2026. Kathy was raised in Seattle to Norwegian parents, Anton and Frida Pedersen, and was the youngest of their five children. She graduated from Ballard High School in 1950 and soon began working in downtown Seattle at Frederic & Nelson department store. In the years that followed, she met her future husband, Jerry, whom she married in 1953. Aft

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times Plates filled, coffee poured, and raffle tickets in hand, 75 community members turned out Sunday, April 12, at Alpine Events to support the Hoodland Senior Center and its Meals on Wheels program. Guests were treated to a buffet-style breakfast served from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring a wide variety of offerings, including eggs and traditional breakfast fare, fresh green salad, fruit, scones, biscuits and more. Attendees described the meal

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times With shovels in the ground and more than 100 residents looking on, Hoodland Fire District officially broke ground April 4 on a new main fire station in Welches, launching a project funded by voter approval last November. The 24,000-square-foot facility will serve a roughly a 45-square-mile area of the Mt. Hood corridor and is expected to improve emergency response and interagency coordination, including with the U.S. Forest Service. The ev

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times Residents of the Mt. Hood corridor will have a chance to test their emergency preparedness this month during a large-scale, two-day simulation known as the Great Escape Evacuation Drill, scheduled for May 7 – 8. Organized by Clackamas County Disaster Management, the exercise is designed to evaluate how well communities along the Highway 26 corridor can respond to a fast-moving emergency scenario – and, importantly, how well they can commun

By Justin Andress, Mountain Times Paranormal activity is part and parcel of life on the mountain. Several spots on the mountain have a reputation for otherworldly happenings. Some have even earned an international reputation for their spooky vibes. However, few people think about the Mt. Hood Oregon Resort when they conjure up the area’s most active haunted spots. For most, the resort is the place where you stop to grab a drink or celebrate an occasion with a good meal. Local

By Ty Walker, The Mountain Times It’s been a long time since the Hoodland Fire District’s table has been full at dinnertime. But thanks to more volunteers joining the roster through the fire district’s training academy, they are breaking bread in larger numbers. About a half dozen firefighters now typically gather for the feast. Finding a seat for everyone can be a problem but it’s a good problem to have. Meet 2025 academy grad Joshua Nonamaker. At 18, he was the youngest in

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times The Bach Cantata Choir of Portland is coming to the historic Steiner Log Church this May for two performances featuring works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and other Baroque composers, along with an audience sing-along. The concerts are scheduled for Sunday, May 17, with performances at 3 – 4 p.m. (sold out) and 5 – 6 p.m., with limited tickets still available. The program will be performed at the Steiner Log Church, located at 68835 E. Barlow

By: Amber Ford, The Mountain Times They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if any local eyes have had the great pleasure to behold local artist Ryan Peloquin’s work, agreement would be met with a resounding “wow.” A resident of The Mt. Hood Villages for 14 years, Peloquin’s artistic talents began during his childhood and, with that desire and skill, he never looked back. Born and raised in Forest Lake Minnesota, Peloquin relocated to Portland before arriving in The

By Dr. Robert Kelly, DMD, For The Mountain Times The Winter Olympics concluded last month, and one of the big stories coming out of the event was the US Hockey Men’s and Women’s teams both bringing home gold medals. It was big news, and along with gold medal wins there was also big teeth news, as the hero of the US Men’s Hockey team, Jack Hughes, not only nailed the overtime winning shot but also lost teeth in the process. They are calling it the “Golden Smile,” as a high s

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times Early March brought a lively evening of conversation, dinner, and dancing as the Hoodland Women’s Club hosted its annual Spring Fling on March 7 at Alpine Events in Rhododendron. Guests arrived for a relaxed hour of mingling before sitting down to dinner. The celebration continued on the dance floor as DJ Nathan Ostrander kept the music going throughout the night. The event was held at Alpine Events in Rhododendron, with new owners Dani Wo

Name: Adriane Bovero Place of birth: Sacramento California How long on the Mountain: 3 years If you were not brought here as a child, what brought you to the Mountain: I lived in Portland for 23 years and have always been drawn to the mountain for vacations, recreation, and recharge. In 2023 my wife and I decided to make a major change and buy a vacation home here to live full time. It’s one of the best decisions we’ve ever made for both mental and physical health, along wit

By Marie Kennedy, The Mountain Times The cavern was dark, lit only by flickering candles. Will Frank plucked his guitar, and the sound echoed through the underground café in medieval Caen, France. Nobody spoke his language – and he didn’t speak French – but by the time he reached the “la-la-la” part of Paul Simon’s The Boxer, everyone was singing along. It was 1972. Will had set out across Europe with a backpack and guitar, hitchhiking from country to country for four and a h

By Amber Ford, The Mountain Times They say it takes a village to assure the overall well-being of a community, and when it comes to providing for those who cannot provide for themselves, the Welches Laundromat is doing their part and then some. Located off of Welches Road behind the library, the Welches Laundromat has been a huge resource to community members and to those passing through or vacationing. Owner and Mt. Hood Villages resident Heather Kelner sees her role in the