White Salmon Community Advantage Magazine August 2024
My father had three older sisters who were a precious part of my childhood. Aunt Helen made sure my siblings and I behaved properly around adults and made us Betty Crocker birthday cakes with store-bought icing, the best treat ever for a family of kids who were being raised on whole wheat and raw honey! Aunt Winnie lived in Pennsylvania, but she prayed for us every day, and brought beautiful little gifts when came to visit. And the school teacher, Aunt Katherine, made sure we had a little culture in our lives and bought us poetry books for Christmas. They all lived well into their 80s, and they all had complete memory loss before they died.
This helps to clear oxidizing heavy metals out of the brain, which interfere with brain signals. I always feel a brightening of my mental facilities when I do this.
When I began having some serious memory glitches 10 years ago I paid attention. I’ve been serious about taking care of my brain ever since. Most things that are good for your brain are good for your whole body: healthy eating, low sugar intake, regular exercise, good sleep, meditation, etc.... But what do you do when all of those are in place and your memory is still slipping? There are two regimens I added to my life that have made a huge difference.
Twice a year, I do a deep, heavy metal cleanse with Spirulina and Glutathione.
Even more important, every day I take a supplement called NMN, short for Nicotinamide Mononucleotide. This is a form of vitamin B3 that gets into our mitochondria and helps to slow down aging, so it’s not just good for memory, it’s good for a myriad of other aging-related issues as well. If you Google “NMN research,” you will find its benefits are being researched in some of the top universities in the world, including Harvard, Oxford and Stanford. NMN helps with memory, increases metabolism, decreases insulin resistance, supports eye health and increases skin’s collagen. We carry a line of products with NMN that we love. We have a straight NMN and some excellent formulations of NMN combined with other supplements that target vision/ brain, blood sugar and aging. Stop by our store to see what you might find to help you feel younger as you age.
Ruth Maletz RN, CNC & Jonathan Maletz, LMHC Daniel’s Health & Nutrition 918 12th Street, Hood River 541-386-7328
Gear Up for Glory
Premier classic car show marks 31 years
By Angie Helvey, Contributing Writer Photos courtesy of Mid-Columbia Car Club
When driving through town in a shiny classic car, it’s not hard to imagine you’ve traveled back to the good old days. Classic car shows have been a traditional summer event for decades, and there’s no better place to experience nostalgia than the picturesque Columbia Gorge. This August, the Mid-Columbia Car Club is proud and excited to invite you to the 31st anniversary of Cruise the Gorge!
Since its inception in 1982, the Mid-Columbia Car Club has held a summer car show every year, and since 1993 it’s been known as Cruise the Gorge. After that, the event exploded. “In 1996, we moved to Sorosis Park, and since our downtown is perfectly arranged for cruising, we invited car owners to ‘drag the gut’ through downtown The Dalles the night before the show,” explains Steve Hudson, Cruise the Gorge Chair and past president of the car club. They hosted record numbers of cars and spectators that year and the city turned the lights to flashing yellow for the event.
These days, Cruise the Gorge is a full three days of fun that always takes place the second weekend in August and is dedicated to celebrating all things automobile! Scheduled this year for Aug. 9–11, the party will kick off Friday evening with the Neon Cruise, a chance for classic car enthusiasts to show off their beauties by open-cruising through the streets of downtown The Dalles. With oldies music in the air and delighted spectators lining the sidewalks of Second and Third streets, it’s a magical night you don’t want to miss. It starts at 7 p.m., and several businesses will be open and holding special events, so it’s the perfect night to enjoy downtown.
The festivities continue first thing on Saturday at scenic Sorosis Park with Show in the Shade. Get ready for a magnificent fleet of shiny, colorful classic cars and a full day of golden oldies, food, specialty vendors, raffle prizes and more! Registration costs $20, and opens at 10 a.m. The first 250 cars will receive dash plaques with goodie bags. The whole community is invited to come to admire the vintage vehicles and soak in the nostalgic vibes. Judging goes until 2 p.m., and the Parade of Champions ceremony begins at 3 p.m. with over 40 unique awards to present.
Saturday evening concludes with the Eagles/Elks Cruise Night from 5 to 7 p.m. at the lodge. The last hurrah of Cruise the Gorge weekend occurs on Sunday, 13 miles south of The Dalles in Dufur. Join other automobile aficionados for the Dufur Threshing Bee and Car Show in Dufur Community Park. Judging is from noon to 2:00 p.m., with an awards ceremony to follow.
Cruise the Gorge is Oregon’s premier classic car show and one of the top events in the country; ask Dennis Gage from the television show ‘My Classic Car.’ Dennis filmed an episode on Cruise the Gorge in 2016. Though he recently announced his retirement next year, he’s filming a few repeat performances of his favorite events over the last 30 years and will be featuring Cruise the Gorge in his encore episodes.
It’s an exciting honor for the Mid-Columbia Car Club and The Dalles community, as well as a testament to the incredible value of this extraordinary celebration.
In over 30 years, Cruise the Gorge has had challenges, but keeping this event alive for locals and visitors to The Dalles is an ongoing initiative for the Mid-Columbia Car Club. “Early on, we decided it would always be a participant-focused event,” says Steve. “Our first priority is making sure you have a good time and go home with a positive impression of our show, our club and our community.”
For more details about Cruise the Gorge registration, visit www.midcolumbiacarclub.org.
Tending the Basics
A portable community service
By Patti Jo Brooks, Contributing Writer
Photos by Henry Schifter
What do an event, a home and a construction site have in common? Sanitation services! Neal Creek Portable Sanitation supplies the Columbia River Gorge region with full-service sanitation. Owner Paul Jones took over Gorge Portable Sanitation, Inc. last January, renaming it under the Neal Creek brand. Local residents may be familiar with Neal Creek Forest Products that Jones has owned and operated in the area for the last six years. The two businesses have a commonality: both supply need-based services to the area with an overlapping clientele.
“We are the only full-service septic company in the area,” Jones points out. “We do septic installs, septic pumping, portapotties, luxury restrooms, and 24-hour emergency services.” Operating in Hood River and Wasco County, Neal Creek Portable Sanitation has become the largest septic service business in the Columbia River Gorge. Out of Hood River and The Dalles, they provide sanitation service to commercial, residential and municipal clients.
Local orchardists, landscapers and contractors are among the clients who rely on Neal Creek Portable Sanitation to supply porta-potty services for their laborers. When wildfires plague the area, Neal Creek Portable Sanitation aids local government by supplying firefighters with restroom facilities at the fire camps. For special occasions and outdoor events, Neal Creek Portable Sanitation provides luxury restrooms: a climate-controlled luxury mobile unit with sinks, private stalls, lighting and mirrors
CALL 503.825.2111
can be brought onsite for your guests’ convenience. So why exactly did a forest products business owner decide to purchase a septic sanitation company? Opportunity, for one! The 20+ year company, known locally as GPSI, sat on a property adjacent to Neal Creek Forest Products. Believing that sanitation services would fit well with the Neal Creek brand, Jones wanted to offer this additional service to Gorge-area residents who for years had been provided with mulch, fire wood, snow removal and bark through Neal Creek Forest Products.
In February, Neal Creek Portable Sanitation purchased Vista Sanitation which held multiple septic contracts throughout the region. Vista’s owner, Wade Kilby, joined Neal Creek Portable Sanitation as COO, bringing with him over 15 years of experience in the sanitation business.
Neal Creek is a big supporter of local activities and nonprofits — Gorge Grown, the Hood River and Wasco County fairs and a Little League sponsorship. A resident of Hood River for more than fifteen years, Jones’ family life includes “two boys and a beautiful wife and coaching a whole bunch of sports and helping out anywhere I can,” he says.
Neal Creek Portable Sanitation is located at 3295 Neal Creek Mill Rd. in Hood River. Call (541) 806-0268 or email info@nealcreekps. com. For more information visit nealcreekps.com.
Regatta Collection by Hallmark Floors
Chase the Rainbow
Are summer’s ocean-going trout back?
By Lucas Holmgren, Contributing Writer
Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is the name for a rainbow trout that is born in freshwater, migrates to the ocean to feed, then travels back into freshwater to spawn. Oregon and Washington historically have had abundant stocks of both “winter” and “summer” steelhead. These names are generalizations, as steelhead runs are very diverse in timing and life cycle, but they designate two different life cycles of fish.
As I am writing in advance, by the time you read this you should be able to immediately look at fish counts to confirm if this year is as good as it seemed in early May. By late June we will know if it is truly an excellent summer steelhead year by looking at Bonneville Dam and Willamette Falls fish counts.
Willamette
River Steelhead
The Willamette River, one of the largest tributaries in the entire Columbia River Basin, has historically harbored massive numbers of steelhead returning at various times of the year. The water quality of the Lower Willamette is notoriously polluted, which makes the freshwater species less desirable for table fare, but the salmon and steelhead that return only migrate through that water briefly, and once they reach their spawning destination, there is some pristine habitat in the Willamette River tributaries.
Unfortunately, summer steelhead runs have dwindled. What was once a thriving fishery in rivers like the Clackamas, McKenzie and North Santiam, the more recent numbers are but a shadow of their former glory. Of course, dedicated anglers still get out there with some success, but overall catch rates have plummeted.
A Promising Early Season
Although April and May are considered “early” for returning adult summer steelhead, the Willamette does get a number of earlier steelhead, much like their early spring Chinook salmon runs. This year, quite a few summer steelhead were caught in April while anglers were fishing for spring Chinook salmon. While this is usually a good sign, it’s not a guarantee of a good year of fishing.
What is very encouraging is the number of summer steelhead that have passed Willamette Falls. By May 3, almost 3000 “summers” had passed over the falls. In contrast, in 2022, that number was around 750. If this trend continues, 2024 summer steelhead fishing predictions are not only good, they’re possibly great!
Fishing for Summer Steelhead
These fish are not only incredible on the barbecue (when legal to harvest), but they also happen to be the fastest freshwater fish on earth. If you hook a fresh summer steelhead, your heart will be pounding as the fish does somersaults trying to shake your hook. You’ll need to check local regulations to see if bait is allowed, if barbless hooks are required and so on. For someone just looking to start summer steelhead fishing, some excellent techniques to learn are float fishing jigs, coon-stripe shrimp or casting a spinner.
Spinners especially are simple to rig and relatively reliable for getting bites, even for beginners. Float fishing jigs and bait are very effective, but require much more attention to water depth and mending technique.
There are ample resources for the specifics of these techniques and information about where to go, but if you’re going to try for steelhead anytime — this summer seems to be the year!
Bloomin’ Good Time
Dahlias Festival a colorful community event
By Kelly Romo, Contributing Writer
Photos by Jen Blair Photography & Natalie Kristeen Photography
Immerse yourself in a vibrant celebration of nature at the annual Dahlia Festival hosted by Swan Island Dahlias. This beloved event, featuring over 370 dahlia varieties, transforms the picturesque fields of Canby into a kaleidoscope of color and beauty. From early August to late September, visitors are invited to explore the stunning display gardens, stroll through expansive flower fields and partake in a variety of engaging activities on Wednesdays through Sundays. With free admission, live music, local food carts and a unique gift shop, the Dahlia Festival offers an unforgettable experience for all ages. Join them for a day of floral enchantment, community and joy as you celebrate the splendor of dahlias in full bloom.
Hybridizing new dahlia varieties is a meticulous process at Swan Island. They let bees handle initial cross-pollination and then select seed pods from preferred varieties. Each year, they cultivate 15,000 seedlings,
gradually narrowing them down to five to fifteen new varieties introduced annually. The selection criteria include long stems, flower quality, and uniqueness. With over 370 dahlia varieties on display, festival-goers can discover new favorites. Look out for creatively named varieties like “Petal Faster,” “Tutu Much” and the striking red and yellow “Incrediball.” Each name adds a touch of whimsy to the vibrant blooms.
This year’s festival introduces the new and expanded gift shop that offers a wide range of local goods, from soaps and lotions to cookbooks and canned foods. Visitors can also find unique items
for pets, gardening and babies, making it a specialty shop worth exploring.
Local vendors and musicians play a significant role in the festival, creating a lively atmosphere with carefully selected bands that ensure a diverse and enjoyable experience for weekend visitors. Be sure to check the event calendar for the lineup of bands and food carts during your visit. Plan to spend a few hours exploring to make the most of your time at the festival. Start with the display garden to see all the varieties in one place, then stroll through the fields. The koi pond is a favorite among children and those
who appreciate the beauty of these fish. Enjoy the food carts, live music and gift shop. On weekends, bring a blanket for a relaxing afternoon surrounded by fields of flowers while you listen to music and savor delicious food and drinks.
Swan Island Dahlias ensures accessibility for all visitors, with ample ADA parking, accessible restrooms and pathways. The level grounds and free entry make it an inviting destination for people of all ages and income levels.
Swan Island Dahlias is more than a farm; it’s where passion, history and community converge in a spectacular celebration of nature’s beauty.
Visit the festival at 995 NW 22nd Ave. in Canby from August through September, open Wednesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.. Check the event calendar at www.dahlias.com to see the lineup of bands and vendors so you can join them and immerse yourself in the vibrant world of dahlias!
