‘Little Women’ swept the stage in South Wasco County in early November 2023, showcasing breakthrough roles for SWCSD’S middle and high school theater students.

The South Wasco Times newspaper will focus on local news pertinent to the southern half of rural Wasco County.

Local Wasco County nonprofit seeks to breathe new life into the historic Shaniko Chapel.

Annual Bluegrass Festival in Tygh Valley acts as a fundraising vehicle to bring music education to rural youth.

SWA, along with the South Wasco Health Collaborative partners, applied for and have been awarded a grant from the Columbia Gorge Health Council to seek community feedback on areas that contribute to our overall health and welfare.

Sharon has been a grassroots organizer, trainer and advocate for community food systems, rural communities, and anti-hunger work in Oregon since 1986. She is retiring from the Columbia Gorge Food Bank on July 7, 2023, so SWA wishes to honor Sharon for her extraordinary support of the South Wasco community over the years.

The South Wasco Farmers Market is opening for its second season on Saturday, July 1st at the Tygh School Community Center. The market is operated in partnership with South Wasco Alliance by a group of volunteer community members known as the Farmers Market Advisory Committee. The market mission is to create and encourage a sustainable healthy community by increasing opportunities to sell a variety of products direct to local consumers.

Dr. Alex and Dr. Austen see all patients of all ages, from kids to adults to senior citizens. Their dental services include routine oral care, such as exams, cleanings, and x-rays, as well as treatment for gum disease, bone disease of the mouth (periodontitis), treatment for dental decay (fillings, crowns, bridges, etc.), and simple-case extractions. They also provide several Denture and Partial Denture services.

In February 2023 the Antelope Café and RV Park built in 1959 was purchased by a local ranch family Larry and Brandie McNamee. Tired of seeing the property abandoned since 2019, and knowing the Community was losing hope of any developers making something of the place, McNamee’s chose to make the purchase and immediately hit the ground running.

Their mission is to “get everybody out fishing.” This vision includes working with the South Wasco County School District on a youth fly fishing program and donating guided river trips to nonprofits such as the Deschutes River Alliance and the Native Fish Society. In the future they hope to partner with nonprofits that bring youth and people with disabilities to the Lower Deschutes River.

It’s been almost three years since the Columbia Gorge Food Bank (CGFB) facilitated a community food system organizing event ("F.E.A.S.T.") in Maupin. Since that time, the South Wasco community has accomplished a lot.

Local talent is all around us and it is our privilege to let tell you more about what some of our neighbors have been doing with their talents. If you know local woodcarver John Zipprich you probably have recognized his works in the South Wasco County Library, the Imperial River Company and at Timberline Lodge.

We’re taking this opportunity to recognize the many women in South Wasco who contribute to the betterment of our community through the school, food pantries, library foundation, youth programs, local businesses, local service organizations, as active and supportive parents, and in many other civic capacities.

One notable woman leader from the South Wasco area was Sherry Holliday. She was born in Hood River, Ore. and died at age 75, in 2020, at her home in Maupin, Ore.

Maupin, Oregon - Over $100,000 of investment has recently been put to use at South Wasco County School District to increase access to engineering, computer science, and advanced manufacturing courses.

The City of Maupin continues to host the public recycling center twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, between 9am and noon. The service is widely used, not only by residents of Maupin, but also by surrounding areas. It is a valuable addition to our community, providing eco-friendly waste removal and contributing to the overall sustainability and cleanliness of South Wasco County.

AgriTourism is a way for rural communities to engage with visitors and offer unique experiences, often through locally grown food, food products, education and learning, farm and ranch tours, music, activities, and events (like hay rides or corn mazes), that deepen connection to our community and help locals secure a more stable living here in South Wasco.

South Wasco Alliance invited Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) Food Safety Inspector Naaman Smith to field community questions about licensing and regulations.

The Unti Family at Tygh Creek Farm & Forage helped provide 67 Thanksgiving meals to folks in the community. Donations helped to round out homegrown vegetables and meats, and days of preparation led to a busy day on Thanksgiving - putting together plates of food, making deliveries, and repeating, until late into the evening when everything had been distributed to those who needed a warm meal.

The Maupin Community Visioning meeting was designed to accomplish three primary goals:

to gather ideas about development, opportunity, and growth for the city directly ‘by and for’ the citizens of Maupin; to assemble focus groups with defined ‘first steps’ toward community initiatives and growth; and to maintain the continuity of community work via Maupin residents and in alignment with regional community partners and their respective projects.

The main topic of the meeting covered how state and federal agencies, local fire departments, and community members are all working to be as prepared as possible for next fire season.