PA N O R A M A A special publication of the Hood River News
2017
Community
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Hood River News • April 8, 2017
New at the History that have lived in the Hood River Valley for generations, Orr aims to have the museum work “as a jumping off point for conversation,” and encourage people to learn more about the history of Hood River and the people that have shaped the community. A temporary exhibition tells the story of Minoru Yasui, a Japanese social activist with family living in Hood River today. Yasui lived in Portland during World War II and spent nine months in solitary confinement for breaking a curfew. The exhibit includes shocking anti-Japanese notices from the timeperiod, news headlines and articles, and photos. A following exhibit will bring viewers snapshots into the past of Hood River. “The museum has a collection of almost 20,000 vintage photographs,” said Orr. These are available on the museum blog Historic Hood River. The display will contain photos from the archives showing what Hood River was like, decades into the past. The next exhibit will make it clear how fashion trends have changed over the years, with a collection of vintage wedding dresses going on display.
It’s a busy exhibit year for ‘setting the context’
H
By GRACE WHITMORE News intern
istory may never change, but The History Museum of Hood River County is always evolving. From an exhibit describing Japanese internment to a display about the invention of the kiteboard, the museum is not only a valuable resource, but also a fun place to explore for locals and visitors alike in Hood River. Lynn Orr, the museum director, wants the museum to be a place learn about not only the past, but the future as well. “We’re trying to set the historical context for the events on the national level,” said Orr. The museum was founded in 1907 as a Pioneer Society and “morphed into a museum in 1978,” said Orr. Five years ago, the museum was renovated. It features temporary exhibits in its atrium that change throughout the year. After the Minoru Yasui exhibit, which takes viewers on an interactive tour through photos and artifacts, will follow many more fresh and indepth temporary displays including historic photos, vintage wedding dresses, and a Latino culture exhibit this fall.
Orr said, “I like to let objects speak for themselves,” when designing exhibits. Every display includes documents and many artifacts that help bring the viewer back in time. With exhibits about the different cultures
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Grace Whitmore, a junior at Hood River Valley High School, has worked as a Hood River News intern for nearly a full year. She is an avid equestrian and editor of The Talon student newspaper.
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Permanent exhibits include the Luhr Jensen gallery, Native American history, pioneer history, orchardist history, and recreation of Hood River.
Photos by Kirby Neumann-Rea
ARTIFACTS FROM across the years await close view at The History Museum of Hood River County, located on Marina Drive, accessible via Button Bridge Road next to Hood River bridge. Admission is $5 and the museum is open daily during the spring and summer.
‘THE ECONOMICS, WELL-BEING AND CULTURE OF OUR LATINO NEIGHBORS ...’ In the early fall, the museum will launch an exhibition of the Latino culture in the Hood River area. The goal with the exhibit, said Orr, is that “it’s made apparent to wider community the contribution to the economics, well-being, and culture of our Latino neighbors to Hood River’s economy.” The museum has developed a committee of members of the Latino community to help devel-
op the upcoming exhibit. “We’ve reached out to the Latinos in the community, so the Latinos can craft their own viewpoint.” Orr stresses the importance of educating and celebrating the Latino culture and their influence on Hood River. According to Orr, most history museums in this area include three topics: pioneers, Native Americans, and apples. But she wants this museum to be more than that: a place to learn about the his-
tory and viewpoints of all the different groups that have shared the Hood River area. The museum has partnered with the Somos Uno and Juntos groups at Hood River Valley High School, and Orr hopes to include interviews from Latino community members. In the end, her goal is simple. She wants to “lay out a little history,” and tell the story of a largely influential group of people in the area.
Conversations and Connections: 2017 Museum Schedule of Events A P R IL / MA Y April 7-May 28 — Exhibition: Danny McCarty Photography: Transformations; opening event Friday, April 7 with presentation by Danny McCarty, 6 p.m. (Exhibition coincides with Portland Photo Month April 2017 and Portland’s International Photolucida, April 20-23.) April 26 — Oregon Humanities Conversation Project: Kerani Mitchell and “Where Are You From? Exploring What Makes an Oregonian,” 6 p.m., free. May 10 — Scott Cook, local author of “Curious Gorge, new edition in preparation, 7 p.m.
JUN E to AUG US T June 2-Aug. 19 — Exhibition, Wedding Dresses from the Collection.
June 7 — Oregon Humanities: Conversation Project at HMHRC: Adam Davis and “What We Want from the Wild,” 6 p.m., free. TBA — Summer event welcoming members of Latino community at museum. Aug. 30 — Oregon Humanities Conversation Project: Jennifer Burns Bright: “Fish Tales: Traditions and Challenges of Seafood in Oregon,” 6 p.m., free.
SE PT E MB E R t o N OV E MB E R Sept.1 to Nov.30 – Exhibition: Our Latino Community: Economic and Cultural Contributions. Opening event Sept. 1 with presentation by Natalia Fernandez, curator and archivist, OSU Libraries . TBA — Lecture: Dr. Mario Sifuentez, assistant professor, University of California, Merced.
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A teen’s first visit: ‘Y ea rs -ago stories still relevant today’
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approached the door to The History Museum of Hood River feeling guilty. I’ve lived in Hood River for 15 years, but had never visited the museum, nestled in a grove of trees near the mouth of the river for which the town was named. And I could hardly tell you anything about its history. One reason for this deficiency may be that I’m a teenager, and teenagers aren’t supposed to like history. It’s a stereotype, but I’ll admit that in some ways I relate; I’ve spent my share of time staring at pieces of art and random artifacts while visiting museums with family and questioned, “How does this affect me? What’s the point of studying something that happened so long ago?” My short visit to The History Museum of Hood River County helped me to answer these questions. I opened the door and was greeted by kind, knowledgeable museum volunteers and natural indoor lighting. In the center of the museum, documents were stacked on desks and taped to walls, preparing to tell visitors a story that occurred years ago, but is still relevant today. A new exhibit was in the works. I went on to get a tour from Museum Director Lynn Orr, who showed me the exhibits she and the many museum volunteers created. Orr is passionate about her work, and she stressed to me the importance of using the museum as a place for conversation and for understanding events that are occurring today. It’s important that we take into account the past if we want to build ourselves a better future. It can’t be forgotten. That’s where museums come in. This one helped me to form a connection to the place where I live, something that I think everyone should have. After all, Hood River existed for a century before I lived here, and will likely exist for centuries more. I’m only around for the middle of the story, but I owe it to the people that lived here before me to learn something about their part of it. — Grace Whitmore
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Hood River News • April 8, 2017
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A booming village turns 50 I
By PAIGE ROUSE For Panorama
n 1967, Tom McCall became Oregon’s governor, Jefferson Airplane performed at Memorial Coliseum, and social movements transformed the greater Portland area as they did much of the nation. But in the Hood River Valley, other big changes were afoot. The land where the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn sits was the first of three large fill projects initiated in 1959 along the Columbia River in an area previously used as a migrant fruit workers camp, and before that by Oregon Lumber Company. The fill project sat vacant for five years while the Port of Hood River heard several proposals for its use, including a sawmill, trailer park, and truck stop. When the Eddie Mays Inn was approved, there was considerable public discussion about its viability. However, the belief that a hotel/restaurant complex could support tourism growth in the area proved visionary indeed. When construction of the Hood River Village motelrestaurant began in 1966, it was a $2 million ($14 million in today’s dollars) construction project that included a 64-unit, two level motel, two level restaurant that incorporated a lounge, main dining room, coffee shop, two banquet rooms, plus a sales building for Diamond Fruit Growers. T h e E d d i e M ay s I n n opened April 23, 1967, for tours that attracted thousands of people, primarily from the local region despite the fact that portions of the complex were not
quite ready for business. A ribbon cutting ceremony took place April 29, by which time the motel, “gourmet” restaurant, 24hour coffee shop, and cocktail lounge were in full operation. Hood River Mayor Robert Neilson proclaimed the weekend “Hood River Village Days.” At the time, the cost of motel room was $9.50 per night for a single on the “mountain side,” and up to $28 for a large double on the “riverside,” while a suite cost $35. Mays, a popular Portland restaurateur who had expanded operations to Spokane, Wenatchee, Bend,
and now Hood River, lasted five years with the organization. In 1972, the property name changed to the Hood River Inn with continued ownership by Ray Rogers and Circle Construction. Larry Juell of Longview, Wash., came on as a new general partner in 1984, and re-hired George North as general manager (previously general manager from 1972 to 1981). North’s afterhours poker nights were popular with many local businessmen. “T hat was the year I started,” recalls Julie Johanson, controller at the Inn who has been there the longest at 33 years. “I was
the only person who survived the ‘Halloween massacre,’ when every other staff member was terminated and had to reapply.” Johanson’s boss left a couple months later and she’s been at the finance helm ever since. The Hood River Inn’s success was turbulent for the m o s t p a r t i n t h e e a rl y decades — continually underfinanced and often mismanaged, according to Johanson. As a result, management turned over freq u e n t l y, ye t ow n e r s h i p stayed relatively stable for nearly two decades. See INN, Page 5
Submitted photos
HOOD RIVER Inn, from the south, in the 1960s and today (top). At left, the site in the early 1960s, prior to construction; sand flats at left corner of the photo, to the west of the bridge head, are now the Port of Hood River marina and business complex. In 50 years, the Hood River Inn has more than tripled in size by many measures, into a 194-unit hotel, vibrant restaurant and lounge, and providing 12,000 square feet of meeting space. Some of the hotel’s mid-19th century “modern” design character remains, but the operations are firmly planted in the hospitality standards of today. The inn has held the number one spot of eight Hood River hotels on TripAdvisor for several years, and is among the top five most-reviewed hotels in the state on the travel site. Its many awards and honors are evidence that the Hood River Inn has become one of the best destination and convention hotels in Oregon.
Hood River Inn 50 Year Timeline 1966 — Construction began for the Hood River Village motel-restaurant and Diamond Fruit sales office complex. 1967— • The Eddie Mays Inn opened. 1972 — Name changed to the Hood River Inn after departure of Eddie Mays. 1984 — Larry Juell joined original owners in partnership. 1986 — Hotel complex was purchased by Hood River Village Resort, Inc. For a short period, Nendel’s management company operated the hotel for new owners as expansion projects were planned, including a new nightclub and fast-food restaurants. 1988— Hood River Village Resort borrowed funds for its $2.5 million expansion project that included a West Wing addition, a complex of shops, plus remodeling and refurnishing 64 existing guest rooms. 1989 — On July 1, D.M. Stevenson Ranch took over operations at Hood River Village
Resort. 1990 — Remodeling of the original coffee shop and restaurant occurred (including addition of dining deck), plus expansion of the lounge east of the restaurant. 1991 — The Inn becomes the Best Western Hood River Inn, affiliated with the international brand. 1995 — The Best Western Hood River Inn was featured in Sunset magazine’s spread, “Lodging in Style Along the Columbia Gorge.” 1996 — D.M. Stevenson Ranch began $1.3 million project to improve the hotel entrance and roadways, including demolition and reconstruction of the gas stations and convenience stores. 2006 — Coffee shop converted to Cebu Lounge space, while former lounge becomes Shoreline Room event space. 2009 - Five new “Riverside Suites” opened
on north end of Marketplace building, with one-, two-, and three-bedroom options plus living/dining areas and kitchens. 2011 — A new shoreline pool, outdoor spa, pool pavilion and fitness facility were constructed east of the hotel on the Columbia River shoreline. Hood River Inn received the Best Western Champion Award of Design at Best Western International’s annual convention. The hotel also earned Best Hood River News file image Western’s “Plus” designation. 2012 — A third-floor addition to the East GUESTS in a Hood River Inn room, c. 1980. Wing was completed, adding 36 new guest rooms, as well as renovations to the entire Riverside undergoes complete renovawing. tions. 2016 — The Inn earned the Best Western 2017 — Best Western Plus Hood River Inn Chairman Award, putting the hotel in the placed No. 45 of “100 Best Fan-Favorite Destop 5 percent of more than 2,400 North tinations in Oregon” by Oregon Business American properties for quality standards. Magazine.
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Hood River News • April 8, 2017
In Parkdale, railway marks Hutson Museum Day
M
Photo by Kirby Neumann-Rea
BROAD BOARDWALK and arching magnolia grace the front of Hutson Museum, in the center of Parkdale right next to the Clear Creek Station terminus.
entertainment comes with a western t. Hood Railroad is flair as guests enjoy views on the back on track to Parkride. dale. The fundraising event will partner On April 22, kickoff with other businesses, including day for this year’s upper valley trips, proMcIsaacs’ and Apple Valceeds will go to Hutson ley Barbecue. During an hour layover in ParkMuseum in Parkdale. LEARN MORE The Hood River scenic dale, visitors can enjoy a Find out about railway is stopping picnic lunch and explore tickets and again in Parkdale after the Huston Museum — excursions at admission will be free. a year of operating pasmthoodrr.com. senger service no farThe barn-red Huston ther than south Odell. Museum displays a mix Passengers will take of rocks and minerals, in the Gorge’s remarkable spring vis- Native American artifacts, military items from World War I and II, and tas. And if weather cooperates, local memorabilia. MHRR general manager Ron Kauf“In all the world,� says its man said, they will witness blossom brochure, “you won’t find another weekend in full swing. museum like this one.� The train boards at 10:30 a.m., deThe museum is staffed by volunparts Hood River at 11 a.m., and returns at 3 p.m. Fare starts at $40 for a teers and attracts visitors and field first-class children’s ticket. Onboard trips from April to October.
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Hood River News • April 8, 2017
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Photo by Kirby Neumann-Rea
INN Continued from Page 3
channels. Soon, McDonald’s and Taco Time fast-food restaurants were added. Intending to take advantage of Hood River’s expanding tourism, primarily
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In fall of 1986, Hood River Village Resort, Inc. closed on the purchase of the complex. The company, comprised of Herbert Zieben, Dusty Moss and Ira Roffel, had ambitious plans but suffered a setback when the Oregon Economic Development Commission rebuffed a $7.2 million state industrial development bond request to purchase, renovate and expand the inn. The retail portion of the project, intended as factory outlets, was found unacceptable. Moss said his group’s plans would go ahead regardless of the bonding decision using alternative financing
‘… in 1990 Riverside Grill gained its own identity as well as a desirable dining deck.’ resulting from the influx of windsurfers in the Gorge, Hood River Village Resort began construction on a $2.5 million expansion project. The expansion would add 85 motel rooms in a new
RIVERSIDE Grill today.
wing, convert the Fruit Tree gift shop to a nightclub, add convention space, a convenience store, and an “Austrian village” complex of shops and restaurants along the Columbia River. The financial support the ow n e r- d eve l o p e r s we r e looking for came not only from the local Ben Franklin bank, but also from D.M. Stevenson Ranch, a local family-owned corporation with experience in hospitality ventures. As part of the l o a n a g r e e m e n t , D. M . S t eve n s o n R a n c h w a s placed in second position behind the bank for a construction loan. When the developers were unable to perform on the loan, a buyout was negotiated and the keys were turned over to the Stevensons.
Hood River Inn submitted photo
IN 1990 Riverside Grill gained its own identity as well as a desirable dining deck.
See INN, Page 6
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Hood River News • April 8, 2017
Painting ‘Forest’s Lane’
ARTIST NATE Chavez power washes a retaining wall at Third Street and Industrial Way, where he and fellow artist Nic Vik, right, began work in March on what will be Hood River’s longest outdoor mural, to be completed by early June. The mural will feature a tribute to Forest Andrews, who died in a longboarding accident at the intersection in June 2011. Above: Forest’s signature “Umbrella Man” image.
Photos by Kirby Neumann-Rea
CHAVEZ AND Vik, owners of nearby The Remains gallery, gained permission from the city to paint the mural on the north and east sides of the Elks property. The artists received a $2,000 Cultural Trust grant, and are crowd-funding, via GoFundMe/theremains. Double Mountain Brewery hosted a fundraiser on April 7. Above right, in 2011, friends created a shrine honoring Forest at Third and Industrial.
INN Continued from Page 5 “Their challenge was that they tried to fund the West Wing addition, the Gorge Club remodel and the Marketplace at the same time,” General Manager Chuck Hinman recalls. “It was too much. The hotel was successful prior to the West Wing construction, with year-round occupancy rates on 64 rooms running 7585 percent. With more than double the rooms to sell, occupancy rates fell to 55 percent or less.” On July 1, 1989, D.M. Stevenson Ranch took over operations at Hood River Village Resort, where 26,000 square feet of retail space sat vacant pending completion. No changes were envisioned for the popular Gorge Club nightclub, but it later closed when determined unprofitable, and was transformed into the Gorge Room event space. ■
Hinman was initially brought in for a few months to help the Stevensons with the transition, yet after a couple of short-term managers, he became the permanent general manager in February of 1990. Seasoned with a solid resume of hospitality management experience in the Portland and Seattle areas, Hinman had helped the Stevensons with a major expansion and renovation of the Greenwood Inn in Beaverton. Under Hinman’s leadership and with the Stevenson family members’ vast experience, plus development and design sense, numerous improvement projects have been successfully planned and executed, starting with the restaurant, lounge and coffee shop renovations in 1990, when Riverside Grill gained its own identity as well as a desirable dining deck. Another considerable change occurred in 1991, when the hotel became the Best Western Hood River Inn. Although still independently
THANK YOU FOR 50 YEARS!! Photo courtesy of The History Museum
1902 BENJAMIN Gifford photo, looking south from the Washington side of Columbia, to the current site of the hotel. owned, the move offered affiliation with 3,200 properties worldwide. Each decade significant improvements ensued, including entry and roadway enhancements and reconstruction of the Chevron and Shell gas stations and convenience stores. The north end of the Marketplace was converted into five deluxe “Riverside Suites” in 2009. ■
The 2011 addition of a new shoreline pool, outdoor spa
closer to the lobby and restaurant entrance in the former coffee shop space in 2006, and expanded again a couple years later. Mark DeResta was brought on as executive chef in 2009. His avid local following and menus fortified both Cebu and Riverside into popular hangouts for residents as well as visitors, attracted to the fresh, all-natural, and in many cases locallysourced ingredients. Riverside’s wine lists grew in quality and size with the burgeoning regional wine industry and the talents of savvy wine directors. The restaurant earned its first Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2011, and every year since, as well as several regional awards. Riverside underwent complete renovations again in 2016.
‘The Hood River Inn’s success was turbulent for the most part in the early decades — continually underfinanced and often mismanaged …’
It has been our pleasure to provide hospitality, lodging, dining, and convention space for five decades in the Columbia River Gorge community. We are grateful to our many partners, and for our recent Awards & Honors. 100 Best Fan-Favorite Destinations in Oregon fan-favorite
destinations
The Best Western Plus Hood River Inn ranked #45 of 100 top destinations in Oregon based on reviews posted the previous year.
#1 Hotel on TripAdvisor
The Hood River Inn is currently one of the top five most-reviewed hotels in Oregon. We’ve steadily held the #1 hotel in Hood River for several years.
OR Business Magazine PowerBook
In January, 2017, Oregon Business Magazine once again included the Hood River Inn in its Meeting Facilities Power Book.
Best Western Chairman’s Award
In 2016, the Inn earned Best Western International’s highest hotel chain honor, the Chairman’s Award for “Outstanding Quality Standards.”
Champion Award of Design 2011 CHAMPION AWARD OF DESIGN
Each year, Best Western selects eight hotels throughout the U.S. and Canada that are “stellar example of the exceptional level of quality and beautiful aesthetic that Best Western strives for” and honors them with Best Western’s Champion Award in Design.
Consistently #1 or #2 Restaurant in Hood River on TripAdvisor
We’ve steadily held either #1 or #2 spot out of 102 restaurants in Hood River for over a year, which is no small feat considering the breadth of excellent dining establishments in town.
Wine Spectator Award of Excellence
Riverside has earned this prestigious restaurant wine list award for six years in a row. A Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is earned for wine lists that offer at least 90 selections.
Oregon Wine A-List Regional Spotlight Award Winner
Oregon Wine Board and Oregon Wine Press collaborate to select and publish restaurant awards for the best wine lists with quality representation from the State.
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and pool pavilion constructed east of the hotel on the Columbia River shoreline was one of the more remarkable upgrades. It included a new fitness facility, an indoor spa and dry rock sauna. The old swimming pool and spa were converted to a parking area south of the East Wing as its third-floor addition brought the total number of guest rooms to 194. As the hotel improvements occurred, so did enhancements in food and beverage. Cebu Lounge was created with appealing design details,
The business complex’s success is most notable as a major local employer with an average of 250 full- and parttime employees, paying an average of $500,000 per month in payroll. The company possesses 41 long-ter m staff members with 10 or more years. The complex pays the city and county nearly $1 million per year for combined transient room tax collections, property tax, and city services. A significant portion of the room tax goes toward local tourism promotions.
Learn more at hoodriverinn.com
Hood River News • April 8, 2017
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A place for fine water District Manager Mark Beam raises a toast with what comes out of the tap in the Ice Fountain Water District, south and west of the city of Hood River. Ice Fountain has won the Best Ground Water in Oregon award three times, two of them within the last seven years (2000, 2009, 2016). The award is given by the Oregon Association of Water Utilities at their annual conference. Oregon Association of Water Utilities represents 771 water systems and individual members throughout the state. This award directly reflects the proactive attitude of both the staff and Board of Directors of Ice Fountain Water District. The Board and staff take a great deal of pride in providing this award-winning resource to its customers, Beam said. Ice Fountain acquired Oak Grove Water Company in 2013, bringing the total number of service connections to 2,078. Today the district has five reservoirs, three pumping stations, and serves 25 square miles of the west side of the Hood River valley.
Kid Awesome v. the Queen Bea Lions Follies present a ‘Super(hero)-sized’ show
Photo by Kirby Neumann-Rea
Mark Beam raises a toast with a glass full of Ice Fountain water.
Submitted photo
LEFT TO RIGHT: Kris Zorza, director, Holly Glaze, secretary, Cathy Hamada, director, Lesley Haskell, legal counsel, Mark Beam, district manager, Brad Fowler, director, Jason Green, executive director of OAWU, Gene Baskins, director, Terry Benton, board chairman, Heath Stintzi, assistant manager, Chris True, water technician. Not pictured: Casey Vannet, water technician.
Gorge Artists Open Studio Tour returns April 28-30 Artist Cathy Stever lends talents to SMART 25th anniversary book By KIRBY NEUMANN-REA
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News editor
orge Artists Open Studio Tour returns April 28-30 throughout Hood River, White Salmon, The Dalles, and environs. Celebrating its 10th year, this free and self-guided tour showcases the highest quality work available from the region and provides an insight into the environment in which art is created. When you take the GAOS tour, you will see works in every artistic field, and in the case of Cathy Stever, the world of children’s books. Stever, of Hood River, is one of 50 talents to contribute to “Oregon Reads Aloud,” a collection of 25 children’s stories by Oregon authors and illustrators, published by Start Making A Reader Today to mark the literacy non-profit’s 25th anniversary. SMART operates in Hood River and Wasco counties,
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pairing volunteers with children for time spent with books. Kids take home two books each month, which they get to keep. “I felt honored to be selected as an illustrator for SMART’S
25th anniversary. Creating a children’s book, Oregon Reads Aloud, to mark the occasion was brilliantly executed and gives SMART the attention it needs for its continued success,” she said.
Stever provided salmon and seal photos for “Something Fishy” by Trudy Ludwig. “I got involved is to help kids and promote literacy,” Stever said. “I was approached to participate through KGW, a sponsor of SMART, and they encouraged SMART to look at my online portfolio and they liked my artwork. All the authors and illustrators volunteered their support through their writing and art. I was so happy to be a part of a great cause and I happily donated my time. Further, I had the additional honor of being paired with the author Trudy Ludwig.” Since retiring in 2014, “along with creating art and volunteering, I’ve been traveling and enjoying my family,” Stever said. She has added onto her house, which includes an art studio. “I’ve had a great time creating art and this will
be my second year participating in Gorge Artist Open Studio Tour,” she said.
It’s the year of the Superhero show, starting with the Mid-Columbia Lions Follies. The 2017 show will be “Kid Awesome and the Disco Girls.” It is an original script with story by Terri Tyler and Bev Bridgewater, written by Tyler. According to Bridgewater, the production folks had this show in mind quite a few years ago, thinking it would have good appeal after the Superman vs. Batman movie was released. They had no idea that the superhero phenomenon would riseup, not only in the movies but on the small screen as well. The show takes place in Supertown, which has ordinary citizens, and Super Hero High, where the up and coming superheroes are trained. Kid Awesome, played by Onar Smith, is the lead character. He and his superhero teens are learning to fight crime. The teenage superheroes are Miss Scarlett (Megan Ball), Terra Firma (Courtney Castaneda), Flame (Emily Curtis), Donkey Boy (Kelsey Stewart), Flush (Brandon Moore), Mezmarana (Maggie Ishizaka), Barb Wire (Savannah Demchuk), Procrastinator (Arayah Nelson), Napoleon (Colton Nussbaum) and Lego Boy (Mateo Garcia). Kid’s father, Captain Awesome (Wayne Tengwall), is now the coach at Super Hero High. He and his cohorts, Superman (Jeremy Belcher) and Batman (Wade Hogg), defeated the
evil Queen Bea (Andrea Fox) and her Disco Girls (Sarah Fox, Rachel Weatherly, and Emily Hogg) 20 years ago. Now, through a series of events, Queen Bea is brought back to her evil ways, united with her Disco Girls and brings in a new group — the Glitter Girls (Natasha Muenzer, Sofiya Cron, and G r a c e Bigelow) to help take over Supertown. Will she be defeated? Who will save the day? Can Kid Aw e s o m e and his superheroes rise to the occasion? And what about Dave Tallman, I mean Archie Bolt? How will he fit into all this? All these and other questions will be answered. At the same time, audiences will enjoy disco, 1980s and current pop songs. It’s a high energy, super-charged show that will please all ages. The Follies is a fundraiser for Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation. Last year’s show raised $14,000, with total donations over the last 40 years quickly approaching $400,000. Show dates are April 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 at 7:30 p.m. The Sunday matinee is April 23 at 2 p.m. Folks are encouraged to show up in costume for the matinee. ■
Tickets are available from Lions members and various outlets around town. For more information, call Lion Trudy Tallman at 541-386-2763.
Taking the Tour Meet the artists and see their work spaces in the Gorge Artists Open Studio Tour April 28-30. The self-guided tour is open all three days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See gorgeartists.org for details, or pick up physical copies of the tour guide from Hood River Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, Art on Oak, Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River Inn, Waucoma Bookstore; WyEast Winery, Mt. Hood Winery; Mt. Adams Chamber of Commerce on Highway 14, White Salmon Bakery, Northshore Café; Klindt’s Booksellers and Stationers in The Dalles, The Dalles Art Center, and The Dalles Chamber of Commerce.
CATHY STEVER’S work appears with the story “Something’s Fishy” — the book is available at Waucoma Books and Klindt’s Bookstore for $24.99. Proceeds benefit SMART literacy programs.
Art and Gifts in Clay, Metal and Glass, Oil Paintings, Photography, Jewelry and more
LOCAL ARTISTS COOPERATIVE STUDIOS OF Sally Gilchrist of White Salmon, left, and Peny Wallace of Mosier, right, are among the stops on the tour.
108 Oak Street, Hood River | Open 7 Days a Week, 10am-6pm 541-386-2830 | www.madeinthegorge.com
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Hood River News • April 8, 2017
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