Vote of Confidence
We want you to be our next satisfied customer!
By Patti Jo Brooks, Active Media
by Henry Schifter, Active Media
Affordable Floors and Abbey Carpet is excited to be nominated as the Best Floor Covering Shop in the Columbia River Gorge for the 2nd straight year. This special honor is voted by the community, and Affordable Floors takes great pride in the recognition by its patrons. The Best of the Gorge contest, presented by Biocoastal Media Radio, highlights the best local businesses and services within the Columbia River Gorge region as valued by the community.
When they aren’t being nominated for awards, Affordable Floors has been doing business in the area for 32 years. Offering the best possible prices, on-site design professionals, complimentary in-home consultation, and free estimates, as well as professional installation, we have it all covered and there is no reason to shop anywhere else. Stop by and visit our new showroom where we offer our customers the best and largest selection of carpet, hardwood, laminate, L.V.T., and ceramic tile in the gorge!
Visit Affordable Floors Abbey Carpet Showroom at 1512 Osprey Dr., Unit B in Hood River. Give them a call at (541) 386-7799 or email floors@gorge.net. For additional information or to use the room visualizer, visit their website at hoodriver.buyabbey.com.
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Sparkling Season
Community spirit shines bright
By Angie Helvey, Active Media
Small-town Christmas celebrations are always the most magical, reminiscent of Christmas morning in Whoville when everyone gathers around the tree and joins hands to harness the collective holiday spirit. The White Salmon Tree Lighting is a treasured yearly event for the local community that brings the childlike wonder of Christmas to people of all ages!
The White Salmon Arts Council organized the tree lighting for many years, but the Community Partners of BingenWhite Salmon have been running the show since 2010. The event occupied several locations over the years, finally settling on the Riverview Bank property, which everyone agrees is the perfect spot. “It’s a corner location, which makes it a nice, central spot so everyone can enjoy the lights through the holiday season,” says Lloyd Dekay of the Community Partners. “The bank is always gracious and happy to have us.”
The White Salmon Tree Lighting is truly a combined effort. Before tree lighting night, the community pulls together to prepare, and it’s quite a process. A local typically donates the tree, while Izak Riley of Riley Materials and Ryan Kreps of Radcomp provide the crane and man-lift essentials for felling, transporting and decorating the gigantic tree. A whole group of volunteers
strings the lights, hangs hundreds of large and whimsical tree ornaments and, of course, the shining star at the top. Another team also decorates Dock Grade, and the Community Partners work to ensure the adornments rotate, so every year is a delightful surprise!
On the night of Dec. 5, the excitement of the holiday season will be in the air as friends and families gather around in anticipation! The event typically occurs from 4 to 6 p.m., with the tree lighting between 5:30 and 6 p.m. But this enchanting evening has other surprises in store, like a special visit from Santa as he rolls into town on his big red fire truck to greet the children with smiles and candy canes. Firepits are placed throughout the parking lot, and roasting sticks are provided with marshmallows and all the fixings for making warm, gooey s’mores. The local church brings a cookie spread, and other festive providers are invited, especially the one who brings the delicious hot cocoa!
The White Salmon Tree Lighting typically draws a local crowd of over 300 people, and it’s a time to gather with friends and neighbors to celebrate being together. “It’s a lot of fun for kids, but the whole town comes to enjoy the tree lighting, whether they have kids or not,” says Lloyd. “It’s just a good old-fashioned community celebration.” The tree is on a timer, so even if you miss the main event, the dazzling display will be lit every night until January 2025.
For more information on the Community Partners of Bingen-White Salmon, please visit their website at communitypartnersbws.org.
Wine, Wood, and Wonder
The art of Leoni Montenegro
something that Leoni finds impossible to replicate. The experience of opening a barrel evokes memories of vineyards, the sun and the rain, the fruits and the work that goes into making the wine — which all create a connection between his work and the natural world.
Since turning his passion into a full-time business in 2011, Leoni has built strong relationships with local wineries, where he even creates custom pieces to promote their brands. His work is featured at Art on Oak Gallery and at ACE Hardware Store in Hood River, where visitors can admire and purchase his craftsmanship. He also operates a workshop where people are invited to enjoy coffee or wine while seeing his work in progress.
By Kelly Romo, Active Media
Leoni Montenegro is a talented wood crafter and designer who discovered his passion for woodworking at a young age. As a child in Guatemala City, he often visited a local carpenter and marveled at the transformation of raw wood into beautiful pieces. Though too young to participate directly, those early experiences left a lasting impression on him and sparked a lifelong connection to craftsmanship, which led him toward a degree in drawing and construction.
After moving to the United States, Leoni eventually returned to his passion for woodworking by creating small pieces like nightstands and coffee tables. His journey took a pivotal turn when a customer asked him to make a chair from a wine barrel for her wedding. When he opened the barrel, he was struck by the curve of the wood, the deep color and the rich aroma within. That moment became the foundation for his art and led him to repurpose wine barrels into unique furniture and art pieces.
Leoni works primarily with French wine barrels. When barrels develop leaks or can no longer be used for wine, wineries sell them. The beauty of these barrels lies not only in the wood’s grain but also in the colors created by wine soaking into the wood. The wine stains the wood and creates a natural signature,
Looking ahead, Leoni envisions expanding his unique artistry to the East Coast, where demand for his wine-barrel creations has steadily grown. With many visitors from across the U.S. discovering his work in Hood River, Leoni sees an exciting opportunity to connect with new audiences who value sustainable art and handcrafted furniture.
For Leoni, this growth isn’t just about business — it’s about honoring the journey that brought him to this point. His customers’ enthusiasm and encouragement fuel his creativity and deepen his gratitude for those who see beauty in his work. Leoni credits his success to God’s blessings and feels that each step has been guided by faith and the support of family, friends and patrons.
Leoni invites everyone to visit his website at www. leonimontenegro.com for a closer look at his collection or stop by his woodshop at 2795 Cascade Ave. in Hood River for an up-close experience. He is also featured at Art on Oak Gallery and ACE Hardware Store in Hood River.
Tues - Sat: 10am to 5pm Sun: 10am to 3pm
2795 Cascade Ave. Hood River
I love Christmas! I love the story, the lights, the music, and buying gifts, and feasting with family and friends. But Christmas can be a mixed bag for many of us. Perhaps you feel anxious about spending a day with a family member who’s not very nice — to put it mildly. Or maybe you have no one to spend Christmas with, or are missing a family member, and the idea of a bright celebration doesn’t feel very good right now. Sometimes in the middle of caring for others, or struggling with our inner selves, we need to pause and take care of ourselves. For me, that might be an evening with a good book, a long conversation with a friend or, maybe, buying myself a gift.
If you’re looking for a gift for yourself, stop by our store and check out our back aisle. It’s easy to miss all the lovely things we have back there. Perhaps your skin needs a little treat. NOW® has a lovely line of top quality skin care products, with researched and clean ingredients, that are amazingly priced. I’m in my 60s, and for my aging skin, I love the NOW® Bakuchiol Skin Renewal Serum, which contains bakuchiol, a plant extract that acts like retinol without drying out or irritating the skin. Over time, it helps fade age spots, triggering collagen growth and
new skin cell production to make your skin look younger and firmer. I use the serum first and then apply Wrinkle RescueTM Moisturizer — it contains SepilliftTM and bluegreen algae extract to decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I call it my mini face lift! NOW carries skin care products for all ages and skin types. Please come by to check them out!
If you love beautiful scents, come smell the Heritage Store Rosewater products scented with Bulgarian rose waters and oil. They are heavenly! Or try out Abra Therapeutics bath salt scrubs infused with aromatic essential oils to give yourself an at-home spa day.
Speaking of essential oils, we have a lot of them! Both individual oils and blends are highly popular, and we have testers for many of them so you can smell before you buy. As an ultimate self-care gift, buy yourself one of our beautiful oil diffusers — just add a couple of your favorite oils, and fill your home with hope and joy during this festive season.
Happy holidays, one and all!
Ruth Maletz RN,
& Jonathan Maletz,
AUTO AND MARINE DETAIL: All Seasons has recently partnered with Northwest Auto & Marine Detail and is offering packages for cars, trucks, vans, RVs and boats. Packages can include paint correction and ceramic coatings as well as interior steam cleaning of seats, carpets and headliners. Give us a call today for a special price quote! *Mention you saw this ad for an additional discount.*
