CCCNews Pod - Honest Local News for the Mid Columbia, Listeners Edition

An entrepreneur with an idea for a new product may know exactly what they want to build but have no idea how to make a prototype. Another may have customers and a working business but be struggling to hire employees, buy equipment, or find enough capital to expand.

CCCNews staffers Josh Albert and Aaron Girdham pulled back the curtain on life inside the newsroom during a casual and often humorous podcast conversation that introduced listeners to the personalities behind the stories.

The Columbia Gorge Health Council has received a state grant to expand community health worker training across Oregon, building career pathways while improving access to health care and social services for rural and underserved communities.

Advances in cancer treatment are improving survival rates and quality of life for patients, but new trends — including rising cancer rates among younger people — are reshaping how doctors approach care, a local oncologist said during a recent podcast interview.

Wasco County commissioner candidate Lisa Gambee said the county must focus on transparency, infrastructure and long-term planning as it navigates growth driven by new revenue and development.

Gambee, who is running for Position No. 1 in the May 19 primary election, outlined her priorities during a recent CCCNews podcast interview, pointing to housing affordability, wildfire preparedness and responsible use of public funds.

Wasco County commissioner candidate Nichole Biechler said she would focus on collaboration, fiscal responsibility and workforce development as the county navigates growth, housing shortages and rising revenues tied to data center development.

Wasco County commissioner candidate Robb Van Cleave said collaboration, long-term planning, and disciplined use of public funds will be key as the county navigates growth, housing shortages, and rising revenues tied to data center development.

Wasco County Commissioner Phil Brady is making his case for reelection, emphasizing housing development, wildfire preparedness and long-term financial stability as the county enters what he described as a period of growing revenue and opportunity.

Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill, Hood River County District Attorney Matthew Ellis, Program Manager Rebecca Schilling, and Lead Navigator Nick Smallmon described the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program as a voluntary alternative to jail for people involved in low-level, nonviolent “livability” crimes such as trespass, shoplifting and minor drug possession.

The CCS News Podcast sat down this week with three leaders behind the new Community Roots Wellness Hub in White Salmon, a collaborative mental health and community-services space that opened earlier this fall inside the former Comprehensive Healthcare building across from Harvest Market.

The Dalles Art Center is seeing a renaissance under the leadership of Executive Director Ellen Woods Potter, who joined this week’s “What’s Up, The Dalles” podcast to share big updates on public art, youth programming, and the center’s role in the evolving cultural fabric of downtown.

The latest episode of “What’s Up, The Dalles” brought together community leaders and local entrepreneurs to spotlight downtown revitalization efforts, upcoming fall events, and ongoing investments in The Dalles’ cultural and business landscape.

In a wide-ranging conversation on the CCCNews Podcast, Mid-Columbia Center for Living Executive Director Al Barton warned that looming changes to Medicaid could leave rural Oregonians with fewer behavioral health services — even as demand continues to grow.