Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
The Astorian · Wilsonville, OR
Nearby: Wilsonville, ORThe Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation, a private family foundation based in Wilsonville, Oregon, has awarded a three-year $1 million grant to Consejo Hispano. The “unrestricted” grant is in recognition of the Latinx-led organization’s “more than two decades of community-rooted leadership on Oregon’s North Coast.” The award was announced on Thursday, Nov. 5. The Consejo Hispano organization works with youth, women and families in rural Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook counties to help people build stability and intergenerational wealth, exercise leadership and remain connected to their culture. “Consejo Hispano cares deeply for its community, and you can see that care in how its team listens, responds, advocates and creates spaces where people feel safe and know they belong,” said Tyler Hobbs, president of the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation. “At a moment when Latinx families across the North Coast are facing heightened fear and uncertainty, this funding is especially timely.
The Valley Times of Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin & Sherwood · Wilsonville, OR
Nearby: Wilsonville, ORGerber Gear, the Oregon knife and outdoor gear company, has made Wilsonville its new home. The company relocated from its longtime headquarters in Tigard to a new 80,000-square-foot building in Wilsonville so it could have all manufacturing, administrative, design and engineering in one facility. The first day in the new facility was Tuesday, Nov. 3. “Oregon is where Gerber Gear was born and will remain our home for the foreseeable future”,” said Ash Williams, Gerber’s global head of brand and product, in a press release. “The new Wilsonville facility gives our team everything it needs to continue the legacy of designing and producing legendary knives and tools, while continuing to develop Oregon as the knife making center of the USA.” Gerber Gear was founded in 1939 by Joe Gerber in Portland. In 1987, Gerber was purchased by Finnish consumer goods company Fiskars. Tigard has housed the company’s headquarters since the 1960s.
Wilsonvile Spokesman · Wilsonville, OR
Nearby: Wilsonville, ORVoters have once again rejected the use of urban renewal for Town Center redevelopment. As of Monday, 56% of voters voted against approving Measure 3-641 while 44% voted for it. Voters nixed a similar measure in 2024. Measure 3-632 would have allowed the city to create the Town Center Development District. Urban renewal takes the taxes associated with increased property values and uses the money for public improvement projects. The creation of the Town Center Development District would have authorized $152 million in principal indebtedness through fiscal year 2056. Mayor Shawn O’Neil and Councilors Anne Shevlin, Sam Scull and Caroline Berry were in favor of the measure, wanting the city to finally create a more inviting community hub and address urban blight in the center of town. Councilor Adam Cunningham was against it, believing that the plan included too much housing. Now that the measure has failed, Wilsonville residents may wonder what happens next.
Woodburn Independent · Woodburn, OR
Nearby: Woodburn, ORThe November “Who’s on Third” Community Concert will feature local singer/songwriter Joni Harms. Harms is known for writing most of her own songs, enjoying the process of writing about rodeo, cowboys, and the ranch way of living. However, she also notes that her favorite kind of songs to write are ballads or story songs. For this concert she has promised to share some new, recently created, songs with us; along with many of her favorite standards. For November, the concert will be Saturday, Nov. 21, from 3-4 p.m. at the Woodburn United Methodist Church at 700 N. Cascade Dr., in Woodburn. As usual admission will be by freewill offering, taken at the entrance. All money collected goes to pay for future concerts and concert expenses.
Woodburn Independent · Woodburn, OR
Nearby: Woodburn, ORWoodburn’s annual Love Santa program is gearing up and sign-ups have opened. Families that need a little help this holiday season can sign up from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Woodburn Public Library. Other sign-up days are Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9 a.m. to noon, and Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the library. Note: Online signups are not an option. Families must bring proof of Woodburn address (Oregon Health Plan ID, utility bill, etc.). This ID will be checked before entering sign-ups. For more information, email to [email protected]. To learn more about donating or volunteering, go to lovesantainc.org or Facebook.com/lovesantainc, or call Ben at 503-951-1048 or Jenny at 360-980-4412. Distribution of food boxes and toys will be on a Saturday in mid-December at Woodburn High School.
The Valley Times of Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin & Sherwood · Tualatin, OR
Nearby: Tualatin, ORCould Tualatin residents see smaller food cart pods around town before a developer builds a larger pod complete with bathrooms and a covered shelter? Maybe. While the Tualatin City Council made no decision at a work session Monday, Nov. 9, and plans to revisit the topic in the new year, councilors mulled whether the city should consider allowing smaller pods — of four or fewer carts — to locate in the city without the requirements approved in late September. The discussion comes less than two weeks after a new ordinance went into effect requiring full restroom facilities and a seating area designed to protect guests from inclement weather for pods consisting of two or more carts. Interest in larger food cart pods is beginning According to the city, developers have expressed preliminary interest in building a food pod site, which is allowed in six zones throughout the city including the city’s downtown core and the Bridgeport Village area.
Molalla Pioneer / Herald Pioneer · McMinnville, OR
Nearby: McMinnville, ORLocal conventional wisdom thought this year’s Ward 3 city council race in McMinnville would have a conventional outcome. The probable winner would be Carson Benner, an uncontroversial incumbent, a centrist and long-time school board member active in many local civic groups. His main challenger appeared to be Realtor Katie Russ, backed by political heavyweights on the right and by the county Republican Party. Her main chance to succeed would come if the Benner vote was diminished by the less-connected third candidate, Richard Smith Savage, backed by the Democratic Socialists of America. The conventional wisdom was wrong. Russ has taken a distinct third place, and in voting tallies as of the evening of Nov. 11, Savage, the Democratic Socialist — an identification he doesn’t highlight on his website but has in news reports — had a slight lead over Benner for the one competitive McMinnville council seat.
