Art can come in a variety of different mediums, but it’s usually the nonconformists that deliver the most unique and moving pieces. Different stroke angles with a brush or glasses melted into a rainbow of colors, even fire breathing life into creativity, an artists’ world is filled with unending mediums and for Mt. Hood Villages local and artist, Damien Weisgerber, all of that rings true. A recent Portland transplant, Weisgerber is no stranger to The Mt. Hood Villages. Born a

Last week I was in Uncertain, Texas - yes, that’s the real name, supposedly chosen because  nobody was certain what to call the town when the first maps were drawn – co-leading my  annual photography workshop at Caddo Lake. After four years of visiting, the place has  become familiar, but never ordinary. The bayou stretches out in a maze of slow, still, dark  water, lined with ancient bald cypress trees draped in long strands of Spanish moss. It’s a world that feels half-wild

For nearly 30 years, Jamie Simpson has hiked into the local forests in search of edible treasures. Over that time, he’s gathered countless chanterelles, hedgehogs, and lobsters. This mushroom season has been different, though. Fewer finds and a busier schedule has left him low on returns. On Sunday, November 16, however, that tough run ended when Simpson hauled in an enormous cauliflower mushroom. This rare species of mushroom typically weighs about two pounds. The big boys t

All kinds of wildlife — furry mammals, flying birds, crawling amphibians, and even tiny insects — need food, water, and shelter to survive. Each species has its own needs. Some animals can live in small spaces, while others need much larger areas. Some animals need consistent conditions all year, while others only need them at certain times in their life cycle. Your yard or property might already have some of the habitat needed by wildlife. But by improving what’s there or ad

When it comes to creating art that has fundamental and realistic touches, Mt. Hood Villages resident Cassandra Peters sets the bar high. A resident of the area for almost two years, Peters finds passion in the work she creates and shares with her community. Gifted in the art of photorealistic paintings and drawings, Peters takes an image and replicates it through paint with as much of photogenic likeness as possible. “My primary focus is rendering subjects such as people, pet

As temperatures drop and fall settles in, come enjoy an evening of fairytales with more than a dash of dark humor from the Sandy High School Drama Department.  “Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon,” written by Don Zolidis, opens Friday, Nov. 14, and runs Nov. 15, Nov. 20-Nov. 22. All performances are at 7 p.m. and will be on the Sandy High main stage, 37400 Bell St., Sandy.  “This production is like if you took the original ‘Brothers Grimm’ stories before Disney got their hands on

The Sandy and Hoodland Libraries have been raising funds to defer costs to outfit a new mobile library vehicle for several months.  With the vehicle, the staff plan to facilitate programs like their storytime and 1,000 Books before Kindergarten at daycare centers, preschools, and kindergarten classes; provide STEM activities at schools; and offer technology classes at senior centers and retirement communities. "Access to technology and proper instruction empowers seniors to s

Sandy Actors Theatre is pleased to announce the second show of their 49th season, Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple (Female Version),” directed by Joni Tabler. The show runs from November 21-December 14, 2025, with tickets available for purchase online at sandyactorstheatre.com or at the door. “The Odd Couple (Female Version)” is based on Simon’s original, The Odd Couple. This adaptation introduces the audience to Olive and Florence, two women whose desperation and loneliness res

Mark Bachmann has spent more than half a century in pursuit of fish – and something deeper. His book, The Virtue of Fly Fishing V2 , published last spring, gathers those decades of reflection into a 409-page work that is part memoir, part natural history, and part meditation on how humans fit within the living systems that sustain us. “The Virtue of Fly Fishing,” Bachmann writes in his foreword, “is about the art, science, history, politics, religion, romance, and adventure i

The Hoodland Community Planning Organization (HCPO) is happy to welcome local favorite Gary Randall to its community meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 20, main building in the Osprey Room at Mt. Hood Oregon Resort. Gary’s a familiar face around Mount Hood – a photographer, storyteller, and a guy who knows his Oregon history. He’s spent a lifetime exploring the backroads and beauty of this place. He’ll start the evening with a quick Mountain Minute about his photography,

The sound of live music, laughter, and dancing spilled out of Pub 26 in Welches on September 19, as neighbors gathered for Fiesta Latina, an annual event honoring Latino and Hispanic heritage on the mountain. Guests enjoyed food and drink specials courtesy of Pub 26, colorful decorations, and a packed dance floor energized by the lively northern Mexican music of Los Nuevos Palomitos. Raffle prizes from local businesses helped support Mt. Hood Unida’s ongoing programs. Now in

Sandy Actors Theatre is proud to announce the upcoming production of The Odd Couple (Female Version ), written by Neil Simon. The play will run from November 21 to December 14, with performances held Friday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m., at Sandy Actors Theatre, located at 39435 Pioneer Blvd, Sandy, OR 97055. Directed by Joni Tabler, this timeless comedy features an all-female cast as it reimagines the iconic Odd Couple dynamic. The Odd Coupl

The chairs never matched, but it was a comfortable room. A wingback angled beside a few dining room chairs, a love seat pushed against the wall – it looked just like someone’s living room when extra guests were visiting. On a cold night in October 2009, Jon Adams took his place, guitar resting on his lap. No microphone. No stage. Neighbors leaned close, coffee mugs warming their hands. I was there, having brought my mother to see Jon play. The room grew quiet as he started to

Judith Louise Norval, 87, born in Cleveland, Ohio on February 17, 1938, passed peacefully at home in Zig Zag, OR September 10, 2025.   Judith loved art and literature. She volunteered as a docent at the Long Beach Museum of Art while living in Cerritos, CA.  When she and husband Ron retired to Oregon in 1993, she worked as a book and art seller at several establishments, including Wy'east Book Shoppe and Gallery in Welches.  She was an avid reader, played Pinochle, Spite and

The creation of art is typically demonstrated with brush strokes, camera flashes, and pencil markings, but to local herbalist Cari Gesch, turning art into a verb involves a plethora of plants, herbs, and passion incorporated into one glorious adventure of health and healing. A resident of The Mt. Hood Villages for the last 13 years, Gesch has immersed herself into the culture that is living in a mountain town, mere miles from a national forest with an abundance of the materia

Less than five miles north of Brightwood - deep in the protected Bull Run watershed - lies the place where a young World War II pilot lost his life. For nearly two decades, the forest kept the secret of what happened to 2nd Lt. Alan Clay Strader, whose aircraft vanished on a rainy morning in 1943. On March 26, 1943, 2nd Lt. Alan Clay Strader took off from Portland Army Air Base in a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, a sleek single seat, twin-engine, twin-tailed fighter. Just 20 years

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines. It’s time to rev it up and go to the 27th Annual Sandy Cruisin’ Car Show on Saturday, Sept. 13, on the grounds of the St. Michael Catholic Church. More than 200 vehicles are expected to roll into the sprawling church lot to compete in the show. Trophies will be awarded in 23 classes, with winners selected by people’s choice. The Dick Larrowe Memorial Trophy, named after one of the car show’s founders, will be awarded to the best in sh

Sandy Actors Theatre is thrilled to announce its upcoming production of FOOLS, a delightfully witty comedy by the legendary playwright Neil Simon. Directed by Patrick Roth, the play will open on Thursday, September 12, 2025, and run through Sunday, October 5, 2025, with performances on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at the Sandy Actors Theatre. Set in a remote Ukrainian village during the late 19th century, FOOLS tells the story of Leon Tolchinsky, an enthusiastic young scho

Jon Tullis in the studio. Music has always been part of life on this mountain – written, played, and shared across generations. Indigenous peoples told stories in song; pioneers carried fiddles and guitars along the Oregon Trail. As communities grew, dance halls, churches, and lodges rang with music – proof that Mount Hood has always had a soundtrack. This is the first piece in a series exploring our local music – its history, what’s happening now, and the people who shaped i

Although living on Mt. Hood offers endless opportunities for outdoor recreation and play, there are other ways community members can find a creative outlet and one of those is local paint nights hosted by Mt. Hood Villages resident Meg Eaton.  Hosting these paint nights in the community since 2022, Eaton has become an artistic staple and instructor with her ever-growing, ever-popular paint nights held at various locations within the Villages. Hosting at places such as The Whi