Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
Forest Grove News Times · Forest Grove, OR
Nearby: Forest Grove, ORForest Grove’s “grab, pay and go” art show is popping up for another weekend of original artwork and local creativity. Now in its ninth year, the 97116 Art Show will take over Pacific University’s Kathrin Cawein Gallery, kicking off with an opening reception from 6-10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, at Les AuCoin Hall, 2043 College Way. The annual exhibition showcases hundreds of original creations from artists of all ages and experience levels across Washington County and surrounding areas, with everything priced at $150 or less. Unlike traditional art shows, where purchased pieces often remain on display until the exhibition closes, 97116 lets visitors pluck their favorite creations right off the walls and take them home the same day. Organizers encourage visitors to arrive early for the best selection, with the show continuing from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, and Sunday, Nov. 22. Admission is free.
The Banks Post · Forest Grove, OR
Nearby: Forest Grove, ORJesse Lieble spent 2021 to 2024 in custody at South Fork Forest Camp, a minimum-security prison in the Tillamook State Forest. There, he learned to maintain trails, plant trees and fight fire. Now he's a wildland firefighter for the Oregon Department of Forestry in Forest Grove, he told the crowd at the camp's 75th anniversary ceremony Oct. 29. Lieble and two other men who served time at the camp and went on to careers with ODF were honored guests at the ceremony. The Oregon Department of Corrections and ODF, which run the camp jointly, held the invitation-only event in white tents off the Wilson River Highway. "Being at South Fork made me excited to get out and go to work every day to do something meaningful," Lieble said. He hadn't fought fire before his time at South Fork, he said, "but I found out that I love it." "I learned many skills related to reforestation and firefighting that I needed to kickstart my career with ODF," Lieble said.
Forest Grove News Times · Forest Grove, OR
Nearby: Forest Grove, ORWhile two Forest Grove businesses have bounced back from a sewer line backup that flooded several storefronts at Ballad Towne Square in August, a neighboring Vietnamese restaurant is still trying to regain its footing. Pho Pot owner Michelle Tran hopes to reopen on Black Friday, Nov. 27, at 2834 Pacific Ave., more than three months after contaminated water swept through the restaurant — leaving much of its interior gutted and its finances strained. With months of lost revenue and bills continuing to pile up, the restaurant has turned to community fundraising to help ease the financial burden. A GoFundMe campaign launched Oct. 14 seeks $45,000 to help cover rebuilding costs and ongoing expenses. As of Monday, Nov. 9, it had raised just $445 from 12 donations, about 1% of its goal. “We kept hoping we could find a way through this ourselves,” the owners wrote in the fundraiser.
The Banks Post · Forest Grove, OR
Nearby: Forest Grove, ORFor nearly half a century, Miracle Sign has dominated western Washington County's sign business. Walk through downtown and turn your head. Chances are, there's a Miracle Sign in your view. Now, after nearly 50 years, Lynne and Andy Magner are retiring, and the business will shift to a new model. Located at the corner of Elm Street and Pacific Avenue, where it has sat for most of its existence in what was once the Guyton Dairy, Miracle Sign has pretty much been the go-to sign shop for businesses in Forest Grove, Banks, Gales Creek and beyond. That era is coming to a close. Around Thanksgiving, the Forest Grove shop will stop taking new jobs, and it will finish its remaining work by Dec. 31, Lynne Magner said. By Dec. 31, she said, "we will have the signs come down outside the buildings, and the hours will come down off the doors, and there will be no open sign anymore." Dan Magner, the Magners' son, runs the company from a shop in Beaverton, Lynne said.
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.
The Banks Post · Banks, OR
Nearby: Banks, OR“Just Another High School Play” at the Banks High School, a Dairy Creek history talk at the library, the St. Francis Christmas Bazaar in Roy and 14 more events this week.
The Banks Post · Banks, OR
Nearby: Banks, ORKent Bond, an assistant coach on two Banks Braves state championship baseball teams, received the 2026 Banks Citizenship Award at the Banks City Council meeting Tuesday, Nov. 10. Joey Bonin nominated him. "Kent Bond is the owner of Impact Physical Therapy of Banks, and he exemplifies the Banks values of hard work, service, and commitment to the community," Bonin wrote in the nomination, which was read aloud at the meeting and printed on the city's award sheet. "Kent regularly volunteers his time and expertise, providing free treatment to BHS athletes, and serving as the on-field trainer/triage personnel at football games," Bonin wrote. "This past year, he stepped up to the interim baseball coach after an unexpected vacancy, having already contributed to the Banks culture of excellence, leading the 2019 Braves to a state championship," the nomination said.
The Banks Post · Banks, OR
Nearby: Banks, ORThe year is 1976. Hagg Lake is brand new, and the water is rising. In Forest Grove, Poppio’s is still slinging slices, and over in Banks, the newly remodeled Brown Derby is serving breakfast until 2 a.m. Welcome to a snapshot of life in western Washington County exactly 50 years ago. This week, we dive into the archives of the Washington County News-Times from November 10, 1976, uncovering the stories that had our neighbors talking, from major civic changes to the rhythms of rural life. A Note on Historical Context: We present these clips as they originally appeared. Please be aware that newspapers of this era often contained language or viewpoints that are racist, sexist, or otherwise unethical by modern standards.
The Banks Post · Banks, OR
Nearby: Banks, ORBanks Taphouse celebrated its grand opening Friday evening, Nov. 6, with a ribbon cutting held by the Banks Chamber of Commerce at the new family-run taphouse on Main Street in downtown Banks. Brent VanLoo held a megaphone and addressed the crowd, and with a snip of a very large pair of scissors, the Banks Taphouse ceremonially joined the downtown Banks business community. Banks Taphouse opened on Halloween after a friends-and-family soft opening, and the ribbon cutting kicked off a grand opening weekend that ran through Sunday, Nov. 8, according to its Facebook page and website. "We're just doing this as a family," VanLoo, a Gales Creek resident who runs the taphouse, said in an interview the day before the ribbon cutting. "My daughter's been a cook and a chef for years." His daughter Nikki VanLoo has had her own food truck, the Nacho Witch, and some of the taphouse's fusion tacos and nachos are inspired by it, VanLoo said.
The Banks Post · Banks, OR
Nearby: Banks, ORMegan Blake's lead over City Councilor Pearcia Bogroff in the race for Banks City Council Position 5 grew to 20 votes in Washington County's unofficial 4 p.m. Tuesday results, and Commissioner Nafisa Fai moved ahead of Commissioner Pam Treece in the race for county chair. Blake had 366 votes (50.76%) to Pearcia Bogroff's 346 (47.99%), with 9 write-in votes. Since Friday, when Blake led by 18, Blake gained 24 votes and Pearcia Bogroff 22. Pearcia Bogroff led by 30 votes in the first results on election night and by four at midnight, and the two were tied at 227 votes each Wednesday. Under state law, a recount would be automatic only if the certified count shows a tie or a margin of no more than one-fifth of 1% of the votes for the two candidates. In a race this size, that means a tie or a one-vote margin. Washington County added Tuesday's update "in recognition of the public interest surrounding several close races," it said in a news post Monday. Another update is expected Friday.
The Banks Post · Banks, OR
Nearby: Banks, ORThe Banks Fire Log is written by the Banks Fire District. The Banks Post does not write, edit, or alter the contents of the fire log.
Columbia County Spotlight · Banks, OR
Nearby: Banks, ORIt was a good day to be a Scappoose Indian at the 4A State Cross Country Championships. Led by freshman Katherine Kessi, who won the individual championship, the Scappoose girls placed fourth in the team competition, scoring 101 points — nine points behind third-place Banks, 21 points behind second-place Philomath and 50 points behind winner La Grande. “I would definitely rate the girls race as one of the top races of the year,” Scappoose head coach Corey Hedger said. “They ran so tough, made some really strong moves in the middle of the race, pushed themselves to help separate from Klamath Union and get close to Banks. Our girls ran really tough, and I am super proud of them and the performance. The girls met the moment and met the expectation and then some.” Kessi — who splits time with the Indians’ girls soccer team — won the race with a time of 18:14.3.
The Banks Post · Banks, OR
Nearby: Banks, ORThis week: Megan Blake pulled ahead in the Banks City Council Position 5 race and Jimmy Bogroff led Mayor Marsha Kirk in Friday's election results; Banks High School drama students stage "Just Another High School Play" Nov. 12-14; and Banks Billiards is for sale at $900,000.
