The 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 October 20, 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._ * * * Tap or click the image to expand ›‹ News in the Grove Current Forest Grove news, free by email Our newsletter brings Forest Grove and Gales Creek news and local events to your inbox. Get the newsletter

_Editor's note: These questions were sent Oct. 9 and received Oct. 20._ County and legislative candidate questionnaires Nafisa FaiCounty Commission chairPam TreeceCounty Commission chairSteve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Harold HutchisonState Senate, District 15Myrna A. MunozState Senate, District 15Rachel ArmitageState Senate, District 16Courtney BangsState Senate, District 16Melisa FinkleState Senate, District 16Susan McLainState House, District 29Brian SchimmelState House, District 29Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to both candidates for Washington County Commission chair. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Washington County Commissioner Nafisa Fai faces Commissioner Pam Treece for the open chair seat on the Washington County Board of Commissioners on the Nov. 3 ballot. **The chair is elected countywide, but our readers live in Forest Grove, Banks and Gales Creek — western Washington County, much of it rural and unincorporated. What are your top three priorities for this part of the county, in order?** As Chair, my priorities for this part of the county are: 1. Reliable rural transportation services. As a Washington County Commissioner, I worked with Ride Connection and Tri Met to expand services in unincorporated parts of the county. I will also commit to working with rural communities to determine which services will be the most beneficial, maintaining budget priorities while also directing resources where they are most needed. 2. Protecting rural farmland, water rights, and livability. I currently serve on the Clean Water Services board, alongside my fellow commissioners. Through that work, I have seen firsthand how essential protecting our clean water is. I am committed to pausing new development on data centers, which helps preserve Washington County’s clean water and fertile soil. 3. Connecting rural residents to currently available services. Utilizing the county’s existing infrastructure is often cumbersome and time consuming. As Chair, I want to make that process more efficient by cutting red tape and improving accessibility to these services, including rental assistance, utility support, and childcare programs. **The county's forecast shows general fund expenses growing faster than revenue, and recent budgets have cut sheriff's patrol positions and library funding for cities like Banks and Forest Grove. In the next budget cycle, what would you protect and what would you cut? Would you ask voters for new revenue?** I would prioritize essential services: public safety, emergency response, libraries, etc. If we do have to cut, I would first conduct a comprehensive review of county spending and distribution. This review would be transparent and available to the public. I would work with the cities and special districts to understand their priorities and potential revenue raising options. I would also work to pull down state and federal funding to relieve the burden on local governments. Through this process, if additional revenue is deemed necessary, I would consider bringing that to the voters. However, any proposal must be specific, targeted, and direct about who is paying and what they are paying for. **County staff say data centers accounted for 82% of the property tax exempted through enterprise zones in the county in the 2025 tax year, about $84 million. What, if anything, should the county and Clean Water Services do about data centers in 2027?** I will continue to advocate, as I have consistently in my current role, for a pause on data center development. We need time to fully understand the long term impacts to our environment, farmland, and communities. $84 million in property tax exemptions is significant, and ratepayers deserve to know what they’ll receive in return. Our county cannot afford to provide tax breaks with no end date to private entities, without knowing what kind of return on investment residents can expect. I would also support increased collaboration between Clean Water Services and other local entities to ensure ratepayers are not unfairly burdened. **Last year the board declared an emergency over federal immigration enforcement, and Forest Grove asked the county to suspend or review its contracts with Flock Safety, a license-plate camera company. What, if anything, should the county do on immigration enforcement and license-plate cameras in 2027?** I supported the declaration of emergency last year, which unlocked county funding to support impacted families. I also believe it did not go far enough. Federal immigration enforcement has negatively impacted families and communities across Oregon. My goal is to continue to meet people where they are, listen to their concerns, and act based on guidance from the community. If we experience an increase in ICE activity again, I am prepared to act quickly and meet the moment with the strength and persistence it requires. For Flock cameras, I would support a comprehensive review of what data these cameras can access, how it impacts individual privacy, and how data is shared between contractors. Surveillance technology must be heavily regulated, transparent, and include strict and enforceable standards for any vendor contracting with the county. Residents have a right to know who is storing their data and how that data is being used. **In August the board voted to raise the countywide vehicle registration fee from $30 to $60 a year, phased in starting in 2027. How should the county's share be spent?** The county should spend its share on essential transportation services that improve safety, visibility, and connection across our county. These dollars should be used to prioritize transportation needs residents experience every day: road maintenance, pavement preservation, dangerous intersections, and improvements that prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety. Rural and unincorporated communities should receive fair consideration, especially where deteriorating roads or unsafe connections limit access to schools, jobs, emergency services, and essential destinations. The county should also coordinate with cities and other transportation agencies to prioritize the use of available funding. **Since 2025 reporting on Clean Water Services' travel and meal spending, the CEO resigned, the board accepted a forensic investigation, CWS's travel policy was extended to board members, and the state ethics commission issued letters of education to two commissioners over their board travel. What further changes, if any, should the board make in how it oversees Clean Water Services?** Clean Water Services provides essential services, and the public deserves to know where their money is being spent. The recent report illustrates the necessity of effective oversight and functional guardrails. Travel and reimbursement rules should be applied consistently to executives and board members. All expenses should have a reasonable and documented public purpose. The board should also make Clean Water Services' financial reporting and decision-making easier for residents to understand. Ratepayers should be able to see how money is spent, how contracts are awarded, and how certain investments affect water quality, environmental outcomes, and utility rates. My goal is restoration of public trust while ensuring Clean Water Services has the oversight and resources necessary to protect our region's water and public health. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** As a County Commissioner for the past six years, I am dedicated to serving the people through this work. I want county government to be accessible to all and transparent as we make decisions that affect our constituents’ daily lives. As Chair, I am committed to fostering productive discussion amongst the board, and engaging with the public openly and often.

A group of BJ's regulars are circled around a table, drinking their coffee and swapping stories. It's a familiar sight to any Forest Grove denizen who has frequented BJ's. The only thing different is that they're sitting inside Waltz Brewing. BJ's regulars around a table inside Waltz Brewing on Oct. 13, 2026. Photo: Chas Hundley BJ's Coffee Company has run a pop-up cafe at Waltz, 1900 A St., since Oct. 1. Sewer line flooding closed BJ's cafe of 34 years at the Ballad Shopping Center this summer, and the family business plans a permanent cafe at 1904 Elm St. "We expect to operate the pop-up until our new café is ready," said Lindsay Jo Smith, who owns BJ's with her husband, Nathan Palmer. "We don't have a firm opening date yet, so Waltz's generosity in welcoming us for as long as we need has been such a relief. We're incredibly grateful to have a place to serve our customers and bring in income while we work toward reopening permanently." Waltz reached out to BJ's after hearing what was happening, offering to be "a spot where customers could pick up their coffee beans or a full popup where they could operate until they had their new permanent location ready to go," said Dana Eytzen of Waltz Brewing. BJ's serves from 6 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Waltz then opens as usual from 3 to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Kids are welcome while BJ's is open, Eytzen said, and at 3 p.m. Waltz goes back to 21 and over. The pop-up serves BJ's regular drink menu, including espresso drinks and brewed coffee, along with pastries. The breakfast and lunch food from the old shop isn't available there, Smith said, and there's seating. BJ's also takes orders on its website for pickup at Waltz. Nathan Palmer's parents, Becky Jo and Ken Palmer, founded BJ's in 1992, and the business takes its name from Becky Jo. Nathan Palmer, BJ's roaster, and Smith took over around 2019, when Becky Jo retired, according to BJ's website. Smith said the sudden closure of the old cafe "was and has been incredibly difficult for our family and employees, and the community's encouragement and support have helped us keep moving forward." A GoFundMe that BJ's started in August had raised $32,155 from 214 donations as of Oct. 20. BJ's had planned to leave the Ballad Shopping Center before the flood. At the end of May, it bought the Cole Carter Building at 19th Avenue and Elm Street, where Olsen Bicycles did business for years. The building has never housed a food or drink business, so BJ's will start from scratch with plumbing, permits and the rest of a cafe's infrastructure, it said in an announcement on its website. Smith said BJ's is working through plan approval and the buildout, and will share an opening target once it has a timeline it feels confident giving the community.

Seventeen months after Forest Grove voters rejected a $29.5 million police station bond by 194 votes, former Police Chief Henry Reimann and Sean Oelke, a former police officer, are leading an effort to pass a bond for the same amount. Measure 34-353 is on the Nov. 3 ballot. It would pay for a 21,500-square-foot station on city-owned land at the corner of 19th and Birch, next to other city buildings. The bonds would cost an estimated 69 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, about $193 a year for the average assessed home, according to the measure's ballot title in the Washington County voters' pamphlet. "I am the co-chair for our PAC committee along with our former chief, Henry," Oelke said in an interview Thursday at the police department's Behind the Badge open house. Reimann said Monday that the group looked into forming a political action committee but did not file one because it was not planning to raise money. As of Saturday, the Oregon Secretary of State's campaign finance database listed no committee registered to support or oppose the measure. "When the first bond didn't pass, I really had a lot of opinions about what was missing and why it didn't pass," Oelke said. Part of it, he said, "was timing, part of it was the recognition, part of it not having a lot of advertisement and people pushing." Oelke, who sits on the city's Committee for Community Engagement, said he is a 10-year law enforcement veteran who worked mostly in Michigan, with his last four years in Portland. He said he already knew Reimann and got involved after the 2025 measure failed. He said that during the 2025 campaign, there was nothing online that gave people a tour of the station if they didn't want to, or couldn't, come in person. "It could be anxiety, you know, mental health reasons, it could be disability or whatever," he said. The city's bond page now includes explainer videos and a photo gallery of the current station. Measure 34-343 failed 2,232 to 2,038 in the certified results of the May 2025 special district election, 52.27% to 47.73%. A precinct-level breakdown of that vote showed the city split geographically, with the east side narrowly backing the measure while the west side, with more voters and heavier turnout, voted it down. This year's measure asks for the same amount for the same site. Both years' explanatory statements describe a station by Mackenzie Architecture that was cut from about 25,000 to 21,500 square feet to reduce costs. According to slides presented to the City Council in March and June, value engineering in November 2025 found $1.4 million in savings while keeping the bond at $29.5 million, and the city applied for a $3 million state grant in February but did not get it. Before councilors agreed to try again, Patinkin Research Strategies presented them with a January telephone survey of 400 likely November voters. Asked how they would vote, 45% said yes, 38% said no and 17% didn't know, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points. Among those who said no, the most common reasons were opposition to higher taxes (29%), a sense that the city was asking for too much (21%) and not being able to afford it (18%). Asked why the city couldn't gut and remodel the current station, Oelke said the cost of new construction is easier to predict. "They may get into a wall and go, 'Oh crap, we can't do this,'" he said. A 2018 alternatives analysis found remodeling or expanding the current station "impractical and more expensive than constructing a new facility," according to the explanatory statement. Asked why the city couldn't build a cheaper, plainer station, Oelke said a police station has to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements and needs bulletproof glass at the front desk and temperature-controlled evidence storage. "This is their home," he said of officers. "This is where they're safe." "I don't feel comfortable that they have one interview room where they bring a suspect and a witness or a victim," Oelke said. "To me, 29 and a half million, I was shocked by that price. That's low to me, just because I understand how much it costs," he said. "It's also about recruiting," he said. When he was looking at departments to work for as an officer, a department's facility was one of the things he weighed, he said. "So we're going to have a hard time if we maintain in this building to be able to recruit officers in." "I know we have, like, five slots open, so we're not, you know, running at full staff," he said. Since the station was built in 1977, the department has grown from 12 to 42 personnel while the 12,120-square-foot building has stayed the same size, according to the explanatory statement. "When you outgrow the space, nobody's going to argue with, 'OK, well, then we need to build a new facility,'" Oelke said. "But now we're arguing that we need to build a facility, and I don't really understand that." No arguments for or against Measure 34-353 were filed in the county voters' pamphlet. In 2025, the only argument filed was in favor, signed by Mayor Malynda Wenzl, Council President Mariana Valenzuela, Councilors Angel Falconer and Michael Marshall and Forest Grove School Board Chair Kristy Kottkey. On Oct. 7, a Forest Grove police officer let an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent through the station's Authorized Personnel Only door. The department said he had asked to use the bathroom. He was then escorted back to the lobby, according to a timeline city staff presented to the City Council on Oct. 12. Members of Indivisible Forest Grove held a demonstration outside the station, and Wenzl said federal agents and the public would no longer be allowed to use the station's restroom. During public comment at the council's Oct. 12 regular meeting, one speaker tied the visit to the bond, saying the city is asking residents to approve it and that the investment should come with "clear expectations for transparency, accountability." According to the slides city staff presented at the work session that followed, staff determined that "no law had been broken, but a review should be conducted to determine if policy was followed," and the city is engaging a third party to review the encounter.

Children played, laughed and chased each other around Forest Grove's newest park Friday evening as about 70 people turned out for its grand opening and to learn its name: Redwood Park. Students at the Neil Armstrong Middle School and the Fern Hill Elementary School picked the name in a vote, Mayor Malynda Wenzl said. The park is at 3705 19th Ave., and a towering redwood stands just off its property, visible from the park. Wenzl, who teaches at the Neil Armstrong Middle School, led the short ceremony with Council President Mariana Valenzuela, who translated her remarks into Spanish. Wenzl opened by thanking the neighbors for coming. Arriving at the park, Wenzl said, she could hear "the giggles, the laughter." That, she said, "is why we did it." When she was elected to the City Council, Wenzl said, she asked where the kids' park was, and the city went looking for land. "There wasn't any," she said. "We bought a house on this property, and we donated the house to Habitat, and we built this park," she said. She thanked city staff, the city's Parks and Recreation Commission, the contractor Forge Civil, Ace Hardware and Miguel Camacho Serna of PLACE, the city's design consultant. "I just want to say to the neighbors, thank you for being patient. I hope you love this park," Wenzl said. "So this is your park. This is this neighborhood's park," Wenzl said just before the name was announced. Penny H., 4 on left and Mabel B., 5, right, had fun playing around the park's large willow tree. Photo: Chas Hundley Parks and Recreation Director Anne Lane said Redwood Park is the city's first fully fenced park. Families with children who tend to wander off had told the city they couldn't use its parks because they weren't controlled spaces, she said. "This park lent itself really nicely to be able to enclose it and make it a controlled space, so that way a parent didn't need to keep a hand on a child the whole time they're trying to play, and the child could just run free and have a good time in the park," Lane said. No gate blocks the entrance, and the park keeps regular park hours, dawn to dusk, she said. "We call it a controlled park space rather than an enclosed park space." A gate connects the park to the Villager Apartments next door. It takes a code, which the apartment complex provides to its residents and manages, Lane said. Parking is on the street. A large redwood towers over the horizon, lending itself to the park name, and other amenities. Photos: Chas Hundley Lane said the park was designed so that "no matter what your physical ability is, that you can access the entire park space," including its paths, play surfacing and play equipment. For people using mobility devices, she said, the play structure has transition points: "You can pull up next to it, and you can offload onto the unit and scooch around on it and use the slide and everything else." The park's development hit a snafu when a large tree that had defined the landscape of the park fell over. "We had the park all designed and we were getting ready to create the construction documents, and we had saved this one really large tree right in the middle of the park. And one morning, it just fell over," Lane said. Working with Camacho Serna, the city decided to preserve that space and plant three new trees where the old one stood, Lane said. The new trees are black tupelos. The fallen tree was a western red cedar, park staff said. Lane said the money to buy and build the park came from parks system development charges. The city collects that fee when it issues a building permit, so the money comes from development fees, not the city's general fund or residents' property taxes. It can be spent only to expand recreational opportunity. The fee was $6,010 per unit in the city's 2025-27 proposed budget, which also set aside $1 million to build the park. The park cost about $1.75 million in all, including the $500,000 land purchase, Lane said. Mark Nakajima runs the Ace Hardware store on Pacific Avenue. He considers himself a manager, he said, but it is kind of an "owner-operator kind of operation." He works there with his wife and mother-in-law. "I thought it would be really neat to put a bench in the park," Nakajima said of learning the property would become a park. Ace donated a custom bench by Forest Grove metalworker Eric Canon, now installed in the park. "We've known each other for a long, long time," Nakajima said. "Eric does benches." Nakajima said the bench was "not necessarily to give Ace a bunch of attention, but just it's nice to have a bench." He said the store has been in the neighborhood since the 1960s, though the business is older than that, and once stood where the nearby apartments are now. With that history, "it just seemed appropriate" to do something for the park, he said. The bench. Photo: Chas Hundley Lane said the city looked for park land on the east side for years, calling that side of town a "recreation desert." She said the City Council adopted an initiative several years ago aiming to put every Forest Grove resident within a 10-minute walk of a park or green space. Forest Grove's 2016 parks master plan showed no park or recreation space on the city's east side, according to a 2024 report by PLACE. Residents there had to cross Highway 47 or Tualatin Valley Highway to reach a park or school, the report said. "Finding a location for a park on the eastside has been challenging," a January 2022 city staff report said. Staff had been working on designs for two possible sites: one at the Fern Hill Elementary School, the other a city-owned half-acre lot on Highway 47. That month, another lot, at 3705 19th Ave., became available. It met all the requirements for a neighborhood park and suited the east side better than the other two sites, the report said. Meeting in executive session, which Oregon law allows when a council confers with its real estate negotiators, the City Council told staff to pursue the purchase, subject to a final council vote at a regular meeting. Staff offered $500,000, which the report called "the upper end of the price range staff could offer." The owner, 3705 LLC, took the offer even though another buyer had offered $40,000 more and waived all contingencies. According to the report, the city's real estate agent said the seller "really liked the fact that the City is putting a park there instead of seeing the property redeveloped as housing." The seller also liked that the city would work with one or more local nonprofits to salvage reusable materials from the house on the lot, the report said. Councilors approved the purchase Jan. 24, 2022, to be paid for with parks system development charges. PLACE's first community meeting on the park was March 4, 2024, at the Neil Armstrong Middle School. It drew "very little participation," PLACE said in its report. That changed when the next open house was held at the future park's location. That open house, held April 9, 2024, drew 32 people, according to a city parks department report. PLACE's count was 16 adults, 16 children and two dogs. People asked for a splash pad, basketball hoops and a community garden, but PLACE's report found the site couldn't support them. It said water play would draw use "too high for a neighborhood park," there wasn't enough space for hoops, which tend to be underused, and a garden faced too much shade, too little space and management challenges. The report called for standard and accessible swings, monkey bars and picnic tables. Five bids, opened March 26 this year, ranged from $608,786 to $1.3 million, according to the city's bid portal. Forge Civil LLC had the low bid. Lane told the parks commission April 8 that the company had been awarded the job. Construction started May 4, according to a parks department report, and finished the week before the opening, Lane said. According to the city's 2025-27 proposed budget, existing staff could maintain the park without a reduction in service, provided its design stayed close to the design at the time.

Homecoming at the Forest Grove High School includes a parade Friday afternoon, a 7 p.m. football game against Liberty that night and a dance Saturday. The parade is set for 4 to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, according to the school's calendar and parade flyer, which list the high school at 1401 Nichols Lane as its location. It starts and ends in the high school parking lot and follows the same route used the last few years, the district said. A route map the school posted shows the parade on Nichols Lane, Bonnie Lane, B Street, Willamina Avenue, Main Street and 23rd Avenue. Forest Grove High School staff volunteers in neon green vests will close streets along the route while the parade passes, according to the school's route and closure plan. The plan lists 16 closure points, from Nichols Lane and Bonnie Lane near the school to B Street at 26th and 23rd avenues and Main Street at 26th, 27th and 28th avenues and at Willamina Avenue, with detours listed for most of them. Volunteers are to set up barricades before the front of the parade arrives and remove them as soon as the end passes. They will also move barricades for emergency vehicles and stop the parade to let them through, according to the plan. After the parade, the Vikings host Hillsboro's Liberty Falcons. The game starts at 7 p.m. at the high school, according to the Oregon School Activities Association schedule. The homecoming court will be showcased during the game, and royalty will be crowned at halftime, the district said. Spirit week runs Oct. 19-23 under the theme "Lost in New York," with dress-up days from the school's associated student body: Liberty Green Monday, with students asked to wear green; Tourist Tuesday; dress like Adam Sandler on Wednesday; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Thursday; and Super Hero Friday. On Thursday, each class wears its color: blue for seniors, red for juniors, purple for sophomores and orange for freshmen. "No masks allowed," the student body's post said of Friday. Saturday's homecoming dance, also themed "Lost in New York," runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 24 at the high school. Tickets cost $15 with an ASB sticker or $20 without one or at the door, according to the school. Daily announcements from Monday, Oct. 19, set a Wednesday, Oct. 21, deadline for dance guest forms, which go to Vanessa Rodriguez in the main office. Students with detentions must serve them before the dance to be admitted, the announcements said.

A year has gone by since Thomas Weightman headed out for one of his usual walks from his home in the Forest Gale Heights neighborhood, on Forest Grove's western edge. Since then, a mass search involving multiple law enforcement agencies, nonprofits and private groups has covered a vast area west of Forest Grove and into the Gales Creek valley. Weightman, who was 78 when he went missing last year, has not been found. In a statement posted Sunday, Oct. 18, the Forest Grove Police Department said the search for Weightman drew in outside search and rescue agencies, drones, aircraft, K9 units, crime analysts and private search groups. The efforts "amounted to nearly 6,000 hours of searching," the department said. "Please just keep looking ... whenever you are out tending your property, walking your dogs, or going for a run," his wife, Patty Weightman, said to News in the Grove. "We have not given up hope." A second full-scale search, started after reviews of cellphone data and reports, turned up nothing, the department said. Private groups also helped in separate searches, "but to no avail." "The case will remain open until Mr. Weightman is found," the department said. Weightman left his family's home near Valley Crest Way and Circle Crest Drive on foot at about 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, and did not return. His family reported him missing that evening. He was last seen wearing black shoes, blue jeans, a red flannel button-up shirt and a dark-colored baseball hat, police said at the time. Officers briefly reached him by cellphone. "Thomas said he fell and was unsure of his location," police said at the time. Efforts to find him using his cellphone information were unsuccessful. Witnesses described seeing him walking toward Gales Creek, and by the second day the search had extended into the Gales Creek area. On the third day, the Washington County Sheriff's Office asked property owners south of Highway 6 along Gales Creek Road, down to NW Mystic Drive and as far east as NW Shearer Road, to search their land. About 800 personnel responded over six days, police said. The search was suspended the evening of Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, and the case was turned over to Forest Grove Police detectives. Police said foul play was not suspected. The Washington County Sheriff's Office led the search and rescue effort. Also assisting, according to Forest Grove Police, were the Hillsboro Police Department, Oregon State Police, the Salem Police Department, American Medical Response, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, Civil Air Patrol, Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue, Mountain Wave Rescue, federal partners, and the sheriff's offices of Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Hood River, Marion, Multnomah, Tillamook, Wasco and Yamhill counties. Patty Weightman directed readers looking for resources about the search to the Find Thomas Weightman Facebook group, which was set up for the search and has maps, information about past searches and photos of Thomas Weightman. Posts with maps and search areas are quickest to find on the group's media tab. Tanner Hoskins, a Gales Creek resident and the founder and executive director of the Pacific Northwest Missing Persons Project, also searched for Weightman. The nonprofit continues searches in missing-person cold cases across the Pacific Northwest after official efforts end. Hoskins said he spent nights trying to locate gates and areas of interest, went out on solo searches, and spent "dozens, if not hundreds, of hours speaking to witnesses and property owners." "I wish I could continue searching," Hoskins said. His group has passed its case information to the Forest Grove Police Department and to CHAIS Inc., which can bring trained search dogs. Hoskins said more than 40 families and government agencies have asked the group for help. He continues to ask people who own land within 3 miles of Balm Grove, especially toward the eastern foothills, to search their property if it hasn't been searched. He said to look closely at areas within 200 to 300 feet of locked gates along tree lines that slope downhill. Property owners can also contact CHAIS Inc. to request a search with its dogs, he said. "Tom is likely on private property, within 3 miles of Balm Grove, and they shouldn't assume he's not on their land," Hoskins said. People can reach the group about assistance needs, donations or volunteering through its website, Hoskins said. Anyone with information about Weightman is asked to contact the Forest Grove Police Department at 503-992-3260.

We sent questionnaires to all 13 candidates in six county and legislative races that cover Forest Grove, Banks and Gales Creek ahead of the Nov. 3 election, and 12 of them returned answers. Every candidate in a race got the same seven questions. Click a candidate below to read their answers, which appear as the candidates submitted them. County and legislative candidate questionnaires Pam TreeceCounty Commission chairSteve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Harold HutchisonState Senate, District 15Myrna A. MunozState Senate, District 15Rachel ArmitageState Senate, District 16Courtney BangsState Senate, District 16Melisa FinkleState Senate, District 16Susan McLainState House, District 29Brian SchimmelState House, District 29Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Pam TreeceCounty Commission chairSteve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Harold HutchisonState Senate, District 15Myrna A. MunozState Senate, District 15Rachel ArmitageState Senate, District 16Courtney BangsState Senate, District 16Melisa FinkleState Senate, District 16Susan McLainState House, District 29Brian SchimmelState House, District 29Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to both candidates for state House District 29. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Forest Grove City Councilor Brian Schimmel, the Independent and Republican nominee, is running against state Rep. Susan McLain, a Democrat, in House District 29 on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for the 2027 legislative session, in order?** First, affordability and economic stability. Oregon needs comprehensive tax reform that looks at the cumulative burden on households and businesses—not one tax or fee at a time. Before raising revenue, we should examine spending, administrative costs, program effectiveness and measurable outcomes. Second, education. We need better student outcomes, stronger early literacy, improved attendance and greater accountability for the substantial public investment in K–12 education. Funding matters, but so do strategy, execution and results. Third, housing and infrastructure. We need more housing at different price points, faster and more predictable permitting, infrastructure investment and stronger partnerships with cities and counties. State policy should help communities implement locally developed housing and economic-development plans rather than continually adding unfunded mandates. **Name one bill the Legislature passed in 2025 or 2026 that you would have voted on differently, and what you would have done instead. If you were a member of the House at the time, tell us how you voted.** HB 3991, the 2025 transportation package. I was not a member of the Legislature, but I would have voted no. The bill increased transportation taxes and fees while also creating important accountability provisions, including recurring performance audits of ODOT. I would have separated those issues: enact the audits and accountability reforms first, establish clear maintenance and service priorities, identify efficiencies and redirect existing resources where appropriate, then determine the remaining funding gap. The public should be able to see what existing transportation dollars accomplish before being asked for substantially more. **In May, voters rejected Measure 120, the referendum on the Legislature's 2025 gas-tax and fee increases for transportation; 82% of Washington County votes were no. How should the state pay to maintain roads such as TV Highway and Highway 47, and what would you raise, cut or redirect to do it?** The 82% Washington County vote should be heard clearly: returning with another broad package of higher taxes and fees would be a mistake. Oregon nevertheless has a real transportation funding problem. I would start with preservation, maintenance and safety; complete performance audits; examine administrative and project-delivery costs; and redirect existing resources toward core transportation responsibilities before considering new revenue. We also need a fairer system for who pays. As transportation moves away from reliance on the gas tax, commercial users should contribute based on their actual use of Oregon's roads. Large corporate fleets—including delivery fleets operated by companies such as Amazon—should not escape appropriate road-use charges or vehicle fees simply because their vehicles are electric. The same principle should apply broadly: those who use and impose costs on the transportation system should contribute fairly toward maintaining it. Any remaining revenue proposal should be transparent, equitable and directly connected to transportation use. **Data centers have grown quickly in Washington County. What should state policy on data centers be in 2027, on siting, tax breaks, power costs and water?** My approach is informed by what we have actually done at the local level in Forest Grove. As a city councilor, I have supported stronger development standards, a separate utility rate structure for large data-center loads so costs are not shifted to residents and small businesses, and allowing our Enterprise Zone to expire while we evaluate whether tax abatements provide sufficient community benefit. The state should give communities more tools, not fewer, to address these projects before applications arrive. That means meaningful local authority over siting, setbacks, noise and compatibility with residential areas and farmland; stronger standards for water use and infrastructure capacity; and requiring large energy users to pay the costs they create. Data centers also should not automatically receive Enterprise Zone tax abatements. Any incentive should be tied to measurable jobs, investment and community benefit. Oregon needs statewide guardrails, but communities need authority to determine what responsible development looks like locally. **What, if anything, would you change about how Oregon funds K–12 schools?** I would address both funding adequacy and the structural costs state government imposes on school districts. Local districts are repeatedly asked to implement legislative mandates and subsequent agency rulemaking without sufficient long-term funding for the staffing, benefits, reporting and operational costs that follow. Those accumulated obligations can contribute to structural deficits even when state appropriations increase. Before creating a new mandate, the Legislature should identify its full implementation cost, provide sustainable funding and evaluate its effect on existing district responsibilities. Rulemaking should also remain consistent with legislative intent and account for the actual capacity of school districts to implement it. At the same time, funding should be connected to transparent outcomes in literacy, math, attendance and graduation. If the state mandates it, the state should understand the cost, fund it responsibly and measure whether it works. **What, if anything, should the 2027 Legislature do about federal immigration enforcement in Oregon?** Oregon has enacted protections, but recent events have demonstrated a significant gap between statutory policy and the structural backing communities need when federal immigration enforcement occurs on the ground. The 2027 Legislature should provide that backing. That means enforceable statewide operational standards; clear warrant, facility-access and information-sharing protocols; training and legal guidance; indemnification where appropriate; and resources that local governments and law-enforcement agencies can activate during significant federal enforcement activity. The state should also establish a clear process for activating appropriate state resources when there is evidence that Oregon law may be violated, rather than leaving individual cities and local officers to determine in real time what authority, personnel and legal support are available. Local communities should not be expected to confront a federal operation with policy language alone. If Oregon establishes protections in law, the state should provide the structure, resources and operational capacity necessary to make those protections meaningful. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** My career has largely been about implementation—at Intel, in housing and nonprofit leadership, managing public resources, supporting businesses and now serving on the Forest Grove City Council. That experience shapes how I approach legislation. Passing a bill is not the finish line. We should ask: Who must implement it? What will it cost? How will it be funded? What unintended consequences should we anticipate? And how will we measure whether it worked? I am running as an Independent because I believe Western Washington County benefits from a representative who can work across party lines, bring local voices into state policymaking and evaluate ideas on their merits. My governing principle is simple: government should work as well as the people it serves.

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Pam TreeceCounty Commission chairSteve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Harold HutchisonState Senate, District 15Myrna A. MunozState Senate, District 15Rachel ArmitageState Senate, District 16Courtney BangsState Senate, District 16Melisa FinkleState Senate, District 16Susan McLainState House, District 29Brian SchimmelState House, District 29Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to both candidates for state House District 29. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ State Rep. Susan McLain, a Democrat, is running for reelection in House District 29 against Forest Grove City Councilor Brian Schimmel, the Independent and Republican nominee, on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for the 2027 legislative session, in order?** * High-Quality Public Education: Our students and families deserve fully-funded schools. We need to modernize and diversify our priorities. I have advocated for a comprehensive review of our tax system to ensure our services have the resources they need, without placing too high of a burden on working families. My vision includes continued improvement for educator training, diversification of the workforce, and targeted support for all student populations. * Fighting Federal Overreach & Protecting Immigrant Communities: I’ll keep working to hold ICE and law enforcement agents accountable and strengthen civil rights protections, including restrictions on Flock cameras and harmful tools & practices. I will always stand up for Oregon communities against federal overreach. * Safe and Modern Infrastructure: Oregonians deserve a modern and robust transportation system that meets our 21st century needs. I will fight for funding for Safe Routes to School, work to improve safety for all users, and keep our roads maintained to ensure our economy can thrive. **Name one bill the Legislature passed in 2025 or 2026 that you would have voted on differently, and what you would have done instead. If you were a member of the House at the time, tell us how you voted.** Early in my legislative career, I supported a bill that allowed students to opt-out of taking standardized tests. I heard from community members who felt strongly that students should not be required to take exams when they felt unprepared or overburdened by standardized testing. Since that time, we've found that the impact of the policy prevented our state from collecting complete data on student outcomes. I have changed my mind on this issue and believe we need to revisit our policies around testing opt-out. I am working with legislative peers to address this issue in 2027. **In May, voters rejected Measure 120, the referendum on the Legislature's 2025 gas-tax and fee increases for transportation; 82% of Washington County votes were no. How should the state pay to maintain roads such as TV Highway and Highway 47, and what would you raise, cut or redirect to do it?** In 2025, there was bipartisan dialogue and agreement that helped produce goals and policy for a transportation package. We are continuing to work on that bipartisan conversation through 2026 and 2027. While we could agree on the goal of maintaining our existing infrastructure, we didn’t find consensus on the funding source. I am working with the Governor’s office, legislators, cities, counties, and transportation stakeholders on a path forward to keep our communities and economy moving. Our primary funding source (the gas tax) is in decline, and we need to transition to a sustainable tool. The Joint Transportation Committee and the House and Senate committees in 2026 are continuing to review our pilot OreGO program as the foundation for a new vehicle-miles-traveled program for all vehicles. Every option is on the table now as we look for a solution. I went on a 13-stop tour across Oregon with the Joint Transportation Committee, where we heard from folks in Tillamook to Portland to Ontario. In every city, we heard the same theme: We must fix the crumbling roads and aging bridges. Every Oregonian relies on a safe, connected system. **Data centers have grown quickly in Washington County. What should state policy on data centers be in 2027, on siting, tax breaks, power costs and water?** I support a moratorium on data center development while we create a statewide path forward. Our community has been directly impacted by rapid growth in this industry, and we are working diligently to safeguard our environment, land, and resources. I was proud to support the POWER Act to ensure data centers and high energy users cannot pass their usage costs onto families and small businesses. Transparency, accountability, community benefits and good stewardship of air, water and land will all be critical to new policies in this area. I am already working with a statewide coalition to draft legislation that prevents data center development on our world-class farmland. I look forward to elevating the priorities of my community at the state level and advancing data center regulations in the 2027 session. **What, if anything, would you change about how Oregon funds K–12 schools?** Our students and families deserve high-quality, fully-funded schools. As a former teacher of 42 years, education will always be the issue closest to my heart. My classroom experience informs my decisions and keeps me centered on our goal of serving all students. Our current tax structure does not ensure our public services have stable, sustainable, and nimble resources. In previous sessions, I have supported new tools to raise revenue and improve consistency in our school funding. We have a responsibility to fully fund our schools to give educators the time, resources, and support to meet our student achievement goals. I'll keep working to modernize the Quality Education Model and fight cuts to programs our communities count on. In 2024, I championed the Summer Learning bill and worked alongside Gov. Kotek to lay the groundwork for a long-term Summer Learning program. This program helps our students succeed by improving readiness to learn, promoting academic achievement, and providing safe, healthy environments for growth over summer months. Investing in early literacy and evidence-based practices can strengthen outcomes across Oregon schools. In 2025, I voted to strengthen accountability and support for districts that fall behind on our student success goals. I believe there are additional opportunities for accountability around curriculum selection and practices. State sideboards can ensure all schools are using literacy instruction methods and assessments that align with the best available education research — and that all teachers are receiving training and education preparation instruction that prepares them to implement these strategies. We need both stable funding and effective use of public investments to help our students reach their greatest potential. **What, if anything, should the 2027 Legislature do about federal immigration enforcement in Oregon?** I am proud that Oregon is a sanctuary state. Our immigrant neighbors deserve to live without fear that they will be separated from their families with no due process. State leaders have an obligation to stand up for our communities and defend Oregon values. My community in Western Washington County has been heavily impacted by federal immigration enforcement. Agents have acted beyond the scope of their authority, without regard for safety or human decency. Looking ahead to 2027, we are reviewing legal avenues to prevent the use of harmful tools like Flock cameras and shock gloves by ICE. Our goal is to build on our Sanctuary Promise and strengthen protections. In the 2026 Legislative Session, we passed the Immigrant Justice Package. I was a co-chief sponsor of the Law Enforcement Visibility and Accountability Act. I sponsored policies to protect the privacy of patients, tenants and consumers. We ensured students & families will be notified when ICE agents access school campuses and required hospitals to create response plans for when ICE attempts to enter their spaces. Our federal response work is an ongoing commitment, and we are closely monitoring the implementation and enforcement of these policies. As the federal government rolls back protections for our communities, the state must take bold action. I will keep collaborating with our Governor’s office, the Attorney General, legislators and community members to strengthen our existing laws and defend the rights and freedoms of all Oregonians. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** I will always stand up for my community on reproductive rights, gender and LGBTQ+ equality, gun safety, environment and climate justice, and voting rights. Last session, I sponsored legislation to protect funding for Planned Parenthood and strengthen patient privacy laws. While the federal government rolled back protections for clean air and water, I voted to protect public lands from sell-offs and passed a bipartisan, long-term funding tool to conserve our wildlife habitats. I will always stand up for Oregon values. As a lifelong educator, my priority will always be our students and families. Today, my heart is with Bend in this time of grief and loss.

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Pam TreeceCounty Commission chairSteve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Harold HutchisonState Senate, District 15Myrna A. MunozState Senate, District 15Rachel ArmitageState Senate, District 16Courtney BangsState Senate, District 16Melisa FinkleState Senate, District 16Susan McLainState House, District 29Brian SchimmelState House, District 29Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to all three candidates for state Senate District 16. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Independent Melisa Finkle is running against Republican Courtney Bangs and Democrat Rachel Armitage for the open state Senate District 16 seat on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for Senate District 16, and what would you do for its Washington County communities, including Banks and Gales Creek?** Public Safety, Expanding services and delayed maintenance. I would secure state funding for volunteer fire districts, evacuation‑route upgrades, and Highway 6 safety improvements. For Banks and Gales Creek, that means more resources for local responders and safer routes during emergencies. I would expand mobile health and behavioral‑health services by supporting state funding and support partnering with local clinics and CCOs. This brings real, reachable care to families in Banks and Gales Creek. I would fight for rural infrastructure dollars, especially for road maintenance and safer corridors so our communities aren’t left behind. For Banks and Gales Creek, that means keeping our roads reliable for families, businesses, and emergency services, and making sure rural areas get the same level of support and attention as larger cities. **A December 2025 landslide cut Highway 6, which connects Banks and Tillamook, to one lane, and a state study estimated $38 million to $49.4 million to stabilize its 18 priority unstable slopes. Where does Highway 6 rank in your transportation priorities, and how would you pay for the work?** Highway 6 is one of my top transportation priorities because it’s a lifeline between the Coast and Washington County. When a landslide shuts it down, families, businesses, emergency services, and tourists all lose access. Banks and Gales Creek feel the impact immediately. I would look at the data and push for a dedicated transportation budget to stabilize the highest-risk slopes identified in the data study. I would look for funding opportunities and work to secure FEMA and additional funding opportunities that would be specific to landslide-prone corridors. Lastly, I would ask for a reprioritization of dollars and advocate for a shift of funding to identify a stabilization approach and not a short-term upgrade. **In May, voters rejected Measure 120, the referendum on the Legislature's 2025 gas-tax and fee increases for transportation. What, if anything, should the 2027 Legislature do to pay for roads, and who should pay?** The 2027 Legislature should focus on reprioritizing existing transportation dollars rather than repeating a tax or fee increase voters already rejected, and rely on a mix of redirected ODOT funds and possible federal grants, so rural communities aren’t asked to shoulder higher costs while still getting the road repairs they depend on. **In July the Board of Forestry approved a new management plan for western state forests. Together with its habitat conservation plan, it's projected to cut logging about 20% over 70 years. Do you support the plan? Why or why not?** Our western state forests are working forests, and responsible logging provides jobs, revenue, and materials our communities rely on. I support a balanced approach that protects habitat while increasing sustainable harvests, continued improvement for the health of our forests, and ensures communities benefit from funds that natural resources bring. Every year of this plan would cut into the rural economy by decreasing the ability to tap into timber revenue resources. **Under Measure 113, approved by voters in 2022, legislators with 10 or more unexcused absences from floor sessions are disqualified from serving the next term, and SD 16's incumbent is disqualified from this race. Under what circumstances, if any, would you deny the Senate a quorum?** I don’t believe in denying a quorum lightly, and I don’t think it should ever be used as a routine political move. But if a bill is pushed through that genuinely harms my community and every attempt at debate or amendment is shut down, then my responsibility is to defend the people I represent. I will always show up and do the work, but I won’t sit quietly while legislation threatens our local economy, our natural‑resource industries, or the safety of our rural towns. I choose to believe that those that have walked out did not make an easy decision to do so, and I believe ultimately they were standing up for the communities they served. **In 2025 the Legislature paid for wildfire programs with a mix of sources, including an oral nicotine tax and a higher timber harvest tax. Is that the right way to pay for wildfire prevention and response, and what would you change?** I support strengthening proven wildfire programs like South Fork Forest Camp, which trains and mobilizes people who do real work on the ground. That means keeping SFFC fully staffed, fully funded, and ready to respond when a wildfire emergency hits. To pay for this, we need predictable funding with a mix of general‑fund support, federal wildfire grants, and dedicated state wildfire dollars that don’t punish rural industries. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** I’m not a career politician, I was born and raised in Oregon and I have spent the last ten years serving the public as a state employee. I have a strong passion for criminal justice, which is why I earned my bachelor’s degree in the field and am now finishing my master’s degree. That work has shaped how I see policy, people, and the real challenges our communities face. I’ve built my career on helping Oregonians navigate systems that aren’t always easy, and I want to bring that same practical, grounded experience to the Senate.

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Pam TreeceCounty Commission chairSteve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Harold HutchisonState Senate, District 15Myrna A. MunozState Senate, District 15Rachel ArmitageState Senate, District 16Courtney BangsState Senate, District 16Melisa FinkleState Senate, District 16Susan McLainState House, District 29Brian SchimmelState House, District 29Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to all three candidates for state Senate District 16. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Clatsop County Commissioner Courtney Bangs, a Republican, is running against Democrat Rachel Armitage and Independent Melisa Finkle for the open state Senate District 16 seat on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for Senate District 16, and what would you do for its Washington County communities, including Banks and Gales Creek?** My top three priorities are protecting our working forests, farms, and natural resource jobs, fixing our rural roads, bridges, and dikes so communities stay safe from flooding and can get goods to market, and cutting the red tape that is keeping housing and business from being built. Washington County communities like Banks and Gales Creek are part of this district, and they deserve a senator who understands that rural and small-town Oregon is not an afterthought. I will fight for local control, hold Salem accountable for every tax dollar, back our law enforcement, and make sure the jobs and infrastructure that support families here actually get the attention they need instead of being shaped by Portland priorities. **A December 2025 landslide cut Highway 6, which connects Banks and Tillamook, to one lane, and a state study estimated $38 million to $49.4 million to stabilize its 18 priority unstable slopes. Where does Highway 6 rank in your transportation priorities, and how would you pay for the work?** Highway 6 is a high priority. It is an economic lifeline for Banks, Tillamook, and the people who live and work along it. When a landslide cuts a road like that down to one lane, it affects freight, tourism, emergency response, and everyday life. Fixing rural roads and infrastructure is something I have focused on as a county commissioner, and I will keep pushing for it in the Senate. We have to pay for the work by first demanding real accountability for the money already going to transportation. Too much of what Salem spends ends up on administration and urban projects instead of the actual roads our communities depend on. Voters already made it clear they do not want another big tax package that does not fix the problems we can see. **In May, voters rejected Measure 120, the referendum on the Legislature's 2025 gas-tax and fee increases for transportation. What, if anything, should the 2027 Legislature do to pay for roads, and who should pay?** Voters rejected those increases for a reason, and I helped make sure they got a chance to weigh in. The 2027 Legislature should not simply come back and raise the same taxes and fees again. First we need full accountability for how existing transportation dollars are spent so the money actually reaches our roads instead of new managers, overhead, fees, and administrative costs. Rural communities have been paying into the system for years and still watching critical infrastructure fail. Those who use the roads should help pay for them, but only after government proves it is spending what it already has efficiently and fairly. Working families in this district are already stretched thin. **In July the Board of Forestry approved a new management plan for western state forests. Together with its habitat conservation plan, it's projected to cut logging about 20% over 70 years. Do you support the plan? Why or why not?** No, I do not support a plan that locks in roughly an additional 20 percent reduction in logging over the long term. State forests are working forests. They are managed for timber harvests that fund schools, public safety, and county services, along with recreation and conservation. The habitat conservation plan already set aside large areas, and that has real costs for the rural communities that depend on predictable timber revenue and jobs. We can protect habitat without further reducing harvests on the remaining acres. What our communities need is stable, sustainable harvest levels so counties and families can plan, not another round of cuts that force budget shortfalls, closed mills, and lost jobs while claiming it is the only way to care for the land. **Under Measure 113, approved by voters in 2022, legislators with 10 or more unexcused absences from floor sessions are disqualified from serving the next term, and SD 16's incumbent is disqualified from this race. Under what circumstances, if any, would you deny the Senate a quorum?** I will not deny a quorum in the regular course of business of the Oregon State Senate. Denying quorum has been a way for legislators across this country and throughout history to protest or bring attention to major issues. That is an important tool for any party regardless of who is in charge and I support the right for any legislator to protest, especially when extreme and severe circumstances require you to do so. I look forward to showing up and doing the good work for the people of SD 16 when I am elected this November. **In 2025 the Legislature paid for wildfire programs with a mix of sources, including an oral nicotine tax and a higher timber harvest tax. Is that the right way to pay for wildfire prevention and response, and what would you change?** Timber harvest revenue has long helped support forest management and the work that reduces wildfire risk. When harvests are responsible and predictable, that funding source makes sense and keeps the connection between the land, the jobs, and the protection of communities. An oral nicotine tax is not the right primary way to pay for this. I would focus on restoring stable, sustainable timber harvests on state forests so that revenue continues to support prevention and response without relying on new taxes. Good forest management and healthy rural economies go together, and that is how we should fund the work. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** I am Courtney Bangs, an educator, mom of three, and Clatsop County Commissioner. My husband Derek and I are raising our kids on our sixth-generation family tree farm in Knappa. For nearly 20 years I have worked with students in this community, and as a commissioner I have followed through on protecting working forests, expanding childcare, backing law enforcement, and stopping a major gas-tax increase. Portland politicians keep finding new ways to threaten the rural Northwest Oregon way of life. I will keep standing up for the families, workers, and communities of Senate District 16.

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Pam TreeceCounty Commission chairSteve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Harold HutchisonState Senate, District 15Myrna A. MunozState Senate, District 15Rachel ArmitageState Senate, District 16Courtney BangsState Senate, District 16Melisa FinkleState Senate, District 16Susan McLainState House, District 29Brian SchimmelState House, District 29Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to all three candidates for state Senate District 16. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Former state Sen. Rachel Armitage, a Democrat, is running against Republican Courtney Bangs and Independent Melisa Finkle for the open state Senate District 16 seat on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for Senate District 16, and what would you do for its Washington County communities, including Banks and Gales Creek?** Affordability: I am watching out for your family’s pocketbook. I like to say that I will use every tool in Salem’s toolbox to keep costs low. I am committed to cutting fees for small businesses and working Oregonians. We also need to protect health care and access to food banks. I will introduce a bill to fund senior meal delivery programs, like the ones in Forest Grove and North Plains. I will also address the Salem red tape that keeps the cost of housing and child care prohibitively high. Infrastructure: In addition to funding our roads, I will also call for serious investments in wastewater and electricity infrastructure so that we can build housing responsibly and bring good jobs to Senate District 16 without further burdening consumers who already live here. Education: I have a strong background in education, having worked in early childhood, K-12, and higher education. I also grew up sharpening pencils in my mom’s classroom, worked for legislators on the House Education Committee, and worked on education related issues at the Oregon Community Foundation. Rural students deserve access to the same opportunities as students living anywhere else in Oregon. I am going to fight the unfunded mandates that keep rural school districts under water, and make sure education dollars get to the classroom. We won’t see improvements in literacy and math, for example, without funding that specialized instruction time. We need to streamline our testing standards so we can collect accurate data without teaching to the test. And finally, I will fund our CTE programs, arts, sports, agriculture education, shop class, and outdoor school so that students have real-world opportunities to apply what they learn. **A December 2025 landslide cut Highway 6, which connects Banks and Tillamook, to one lane, and a state study estimated $38 million to $49.4 million to stabilize its 18 priority unstable slopes. Where does Highway 6 rank in your transportation priorities, and how would you pay for the work?** Top of my list. Highway 6 is crucial for commerce, everyday travel, and emergency response. The first bill I carried on the floor of the Oregon Senate in 2022 was a bipartisan study of Highway 6. We now have that study. I’m going back to Salem to finish what we started. It’s time to fix the road. **In May, voters rejected Measure 120, the referendum on the Legislature's 2025 gas-tax and fee increases for transportation. What, if anything, should the 2027 Legislature do to pay for roads, and who should pay?** I came out multiple times against this funding package because as critical as it is to maintain our roads, we can’t do it solely at the expense of working people who commute long distances out of necessity. Fee hikes are even more destabilizing. The legislature decided we needed more time to figure out how to tax corporate delivery vans and trucks owned by companies like Amazon. At a time when costs are skyrocketing for everyone, working families apparently did not deserve the same courtesy. Voters in this district have asked me to fight for a better deal, and that’s what I’m going to do. **In July the Board of Forestry approved a new management plan for western state forests. Together with its habitat conservation plan, it's projected to cut logging about 20% over 70 years. Do you support the plan? Why or why not?** I certainly appreciate the need for conservation, especially when it comes to the health of our fish and water quality. I struggle with the approach. I raised concerns about the Habitat Conservation Plan when I served, because it offers no means of compensation for rural communities now grappling with significant losses in revenue. This is also not the only cut to revenue local districts have faced in recent years. I will strongly oppose unfunded mandates that nickel-and-dime rural communities like ours. The development of this plan was especially shocking given the Private Forest Accord, which I helped pass around the same time. Private timber, small woodlands owners, and environmental groups all worked together on these issues and successfully negotiated a compromise. That should be our approach always. I agree as much as anyone that conservation matters and that we need to address climate change, but we can’t callously drive rural communities deeper and deeper into poverty to accomplish these goals. **Under Measure 113, approved by voters in 2022, legislators with 10 or more unexcused absences from floor sessions are disqualified from serving the next term, and SD 16's incumbent is disqualified from this race. Under what circumstances, if any, would you deny the Senate a quorum?** I would not deny the Senate a quorum. You work hard. You pay taxes. You should expect that your State Senator shows up to work. It really is that simple. **In 2025 the Legislature paid for wildfire programs with a mix of sources, including an oral nicotine tax and a higher timber harvest tax. Is that the right way to pay for wildfire prevention and response, and what would you change?** First, I am strongly opposed to taxation by fee. Oregon’s revenue system is set up to squeeze dollar after dollar out of regular working people, and collecting revenue becomes the goal instead of providing any given service. I am committed to taxpayer accountability and making sure our state government works for you. Second, successfully addressing wildfires requires strong partnerships between state and federal agencies, common-sense prevention practices, and coordinated immediate response. In 2022, PGE shut off power in parts of Banks to prevent wildfires akin to what happened in 2020. When preventative shut-offs like that happen, we have to make sure we’re taking care of vulnerable people who rely on electricity. I monitored the situation closely and if elected would continue to hold agencies and companies accountable in these moments. My time working at the Oregon Community Foundation showed me where stronger partnerships between philanthropy and state government are needed. I will build these relationships so that best practices first identified by non-profits can be implemented more broadly. When it comes to forest and water resource management, it is crucial to recognize the differences between state, federal, and privately owned land. It is equally important to recognize the differences in need based on geography. Southern Oregon gets drier and hotter much more quickly than the North Coast. I will make sure we are allowing for local flexibility and directing resources where they are most needed instead of draining taxpayer dollars on a one-size-fits-all approach. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** I am running to stop the Salem squeeze on rural working families. All too often, Salem’s policies are written for the I-5 corridor and don’t work for the rest of the state. Rural working families are forgotten. I know what that feels like. Growing up, my family struggled to get by, but the data never captured our circumstances. Now, I live in rural Oregon and often talk to voters who feel that Salem’s leaders are divided and out of touch. I will be the legislator who builds bridges, works across party lines, and makes sure that we’re solving problems for the whole state, especially rural working families. In 2022, I was selected by local elected officials to serve as Northwest Oregon's State Senator because I knew how to navigate the halls of Salem, work independently, and deliver results. I brought millions of dollars for housing, health care, and infrastructure to rural Northwest Oregon. I also voted against my party and amended bills that were truly harmful for our district. I am proud that four years later, ten former and current County Commissioners across Senate District 16 are endorsing my race. I am also endorsed by a bipartisan coalition of city councilors in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook, and Washington Counties. Local leaders know that I am effective and just like regular Oregonians, they need leadership in Salem that can actually get the job done. This is a job I take incredibly seriously. It was an honor to serve as your State Senator in 2022 and I’d be deeply honored to represent you in Salem again.

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Pam TreeceCounty Commission chairSteve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Harold HutchisonState Senate, District 15Myrna A. MunozState Senate, District 15Rachel ArmitageState Senate, District 16Courtney BangsState Senate, District 16Melisa FinkleState Senate, District 16Susan McLainState House, District 29Brian SchimmelState House, District 29Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to both candidates for state Senate District 15. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Democrat Myrna A. Munoz is running against Republican Harold Hutchison for the open state Senate District 15 seat on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for Senate District 15, which includes Forest Grove, Cornelius, much of Hillsboro and Rock Creek, in order?** 1. Civil rights protections as outlined in the constitution. No one should be kidnapped and caged on soil ground under any pretense without due processing. Everyone in Oregon MUST respect sanctuary laws and defend our safety. 2. Everyone deserves a quality education. We must assure the public good is protected by building schools that engage and prioritize our youth such that we can continue to run a representative democracy. Children deserve a safe, engaging, fruitful education in a community with diverse opportunity. 3. Healthcare for all. It is time that we energize around universal healthcare in our state and assure we can take care of our health and safety as a public good. These were my three main priorities when I began my campaign. Knocking on doors and listening to the community, I also discovered that housing is a major concern, and the takeover of data centers is a central topic as it affects EVERYTHING on my priority platform. 4. For housing, I am focusing my attention on true affordable housing and what can be done to fix the business formula that leads to wage theft, while widening our view of affordable housing. My hope is that we'll adopt more flexible fees and definitions such that we can actually sustain all of our constituents in adequate housing while we deal with how private equity is running us out of our own towns. 5. Data center tax breaks are stealing the money meant for public good in our community. We intend to stop the sprawl, put health and safety measures in place for data centers, demand transparency, and insist on the ones that are already here paying their fair share. We love our environment and our families and insist on an economy where workers can thrive and our environment is safe from destruction. Our Oregon way of living is priceless. **This year the Legislature paused new enterprise-zone tax breaks for data centers until after the 2027 session. When the pause ends, what should state policy be on tax breaks, electricity and land for data centers in Washington County?** I’m excited to already be working with many of my future colleagues to put forth a number of bills that will press the existing data centers to pay their own bills. From electric bills, to taxes and infrastructure costs, I am feeling confident that data centers will be paying their fair share and it is absolutely because of voters in Washington county. Helping me win the primary was a message for the legislature, and I feel they have truly stepped up to hear us and try to help us feel more comfortable with these things. We’re still not. What I am hearing from constituents is that we do not want ONE MORE data center in our county. It is reasonable to feel this way because they have already been pushed down our throats for years. In North Plains, they are still in the middle of a war about whether data centers should have more rights than people. I say no. My colleagues in the legislature are really the heroes, I must say. I know there are legislative concepts that hope to work against NDAs with corporations from government officials, and type 3 reviews for any further data centers. These things will effectively be a moratorium for Washington county. If they allow us to review every data center planned, I know our community will rise, organize, and say no. It’s why I am here. **A bill this year to bring rural land northwest of Hillsboro into the urban growth boundary for high-tech industry died in committee. Should the state open more land in western Washington County for industry or housing, and how should it decide what stays in farm or forest use?** I agree with farmers that these decisions cannot be made without them. I also think it’s important to engage environmental experts in these meetings. Our county has some of the most amazing soils IN THE WORLD, and we should be working to protect them. There are many people who want to say, if you have a phone, you’re supporting data centers. I find these arguments VERY short sighted. There are different kinds of data centers, and I doubt folks are uncomfortable with the data centers that support basic tech. The problem is what they are trying to sell us with all of the “coming” data centers: A surveillance state, machines to take over jobs - it’s a horrible vision. I urge my neighbors to do deeper research if they think the over 50 data centers we would have with the approved 17 in Hillsboro are just about their social media. The vision is dark and gloomy and only benefits billionaires. I would LOVE to have an economy that considers not just our #1 industry, but our #2, agriculture, and beyond as well! **In May, voters rejected Measure 120, the referendum on the Legislature's 2025 gas-tax and fee increases for transportation; 82% of Washington County votes were no. What, if anything, should the 2027 Legislature do to pay for road maintenance and transportation, and who should pay for it?** I think we have MUCH revenue work to do, and we’ll need to work together to solve this. But I absolutely think the data centers paying their fair share could be a BIG part of the solution for this problem. Why would we be giving major rich corporations tax breaks when we can’t pay our bills? I look forward to hearing from constituents about what solutions we would like to pursue. I know for sure, we don’t need any more regressive taxes (the ones poor people end up mostly paying), I am all for increasing progressive taxes (the ones the rich people would pay). **What should the Legislature do about education funding in the 2027–29 budget?** We should fund it. Schools need us MORE THAN EVER right now. They are under attack by the federal government and if we don’t do something about it, we will be sorry. When folks defend data centers “for good jobs” it truly angers me as it is plainly - propaganda. Schools bring good jobs to people that have values of safety, relationship building, and learning for our children. Our most vulnerable. WHY would we prefer to give data centers tax cuts for the measly 3 jobs each they bring? Last year, Forest Grove cut 60 teachers from their schools. Those were good jobs and the members of the community that lost them can share how horrible this development has been to their personal lives, to our schools, and to our whole community. Yesterday, an outrageous tragedy happened in Bend. I don’t want that for anybody in Oregon. Children should have safe, well equipped, well trained schools for all children. I will fight for education to continue to be part of the promise we make to all Oregonians. We must fully funds our school because they are the center of our community for children. We must be able to keep our students safe in schools. If we cannot even do this, what are we doing? **What, if anything, should the Legislature do in 2027 about federal immigration enforcement in Oregon?** There is SO MUCH we need to do about immigration enforcement in Oregon. I want to make sure we work toward implementing the immigration justice package passed in the 2026 session. I want to make sure we build accountability around the sanctuary state promise- there needs to be systems in place to account for folks that break our state laws. In Forest Grove, this is of high importance. I would like to help us have a government that all constituents can trust and come to. I want to make sure everyone in Forest Grove feels that the police serve us, and this cannot happen without good training, excellent support, and accountability. I will continue to work towards building a system that the constituents of this community support and feel comfortable with. You can count on me to listen and move forward with plans to action. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** Friends and Neighbors, I am interested in bringing our community back to true representative democracy: getting our real problems heard, moved forward, and acted upon. One of the things I love about being an American is our grounding in democracy and that is what I offer. I think it’s important for us all to live peaceful and free lives grounded in our own values without experiencing hate, discrimination, or injustice, and I look forward to serving us in achieving these ideals for our County. A vote for me is a vote for a fellow Grover ready to have the difficult conversations we must have to move forward into an era of leadership that listens to us, centers and solves our problems, and cares.

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Pam TreeceCounty Commission chairSteve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Harold HutchisonState Senate, District 15Myrna A. MunozState Senate, District 15Rachel ArmitageState Senate, District 16Courtney BangsState Senate, District 16Melisa FinkleState Senate, District 16Susan McLainState House, District 29Brian SchimmelState House, District 29Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to both candidates for state Senate District 15. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Republican Harold Hutchison is running against Democrat Myrna A. Munoz for the open state Senate District 15 seat on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for Senate District 15, which includes Forest Grove, Cornelius, much of Hillsboro and Rock Creek, in order?** 1) For our children: recover the lost art of learning. Children are not taught now how to learn, but instead they are having what to think shoved down their throats, to the point that many are functionally illiterate when they graduate from high school. Surprisingly, those graduates have the highest self-esteem, yet with little skill or accomplishment for which to take pride. The social experiment that modern educators performed on the past several decades of children has failed, and its past time to recognize that fact and to recover what we've lost. 2) Reduce government interference and regulation. Our outsized bureaucracy, unaccountable to the citizenry, dominates us with arcane and sometimes inane regulation, for which we can only roll our eyes as we ponder how we got to this state. One easy example is the cost of permits published by the Forest Grove building department ("https://www.forestgrove-or.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2119/SF-Estimated-Fees_2024"): more than $43,000 for fees required to build a 2000 sq.ft. home. Nuts. Another example: DFW regulations are so complex that one must be a lawyer to interpret them. Nuts. Or how about that Waterway Access Permit? Nuts again! 3) Insist that the law be enforced. The elephant in the room is the Immigration Question, and I'll defer that to a later discussion, but this tenet applies to all laws. If it is illegal to litter, then persons caught littering should suffer the penalty for that as proscribed by the law; if someone violates a noise ordinance, they should suffer the penalty for that. Here's what Grok says about non-enforcement: "When agencies charged with enforcing the law systematically fail to do so, or enforce it selectively, the primary cultural effects center on erosion of the rule of law, diminished institutional trust, normalized noncompliance, perceptions of inequality, and a broader weakening of social norms that sustain orderly society." Normalized noncompliance means people no longer respect the law or the law-giver, and society slides eventually into chaos. **This year the Legislature paused new enterprise-zone tax breaks for data centers until after the 2027 session. When the pause ends, what should state policy be on tax breaks, electricity and land for data centers in Washington County?** If possible, operators should locate data centers in rural areas on land considered non-arable before looking to consume land better suited for housing or high-job-producing industries. However, data centers are perfect candidates for existing industrial areas with vacancies, with a caveat that they must pay for any capacity upgrades to local infrastructure that their presence might require, and those upgrade costs are not to be shared by residential rate-payers. Any tax abatements meant to encourage construction should cease once the site has been brought into production. Power rates should not be less than residential customers are charged. Further, data center cooling must not negatively affect ground water quality or local noise levels. State of the art cooling methods appear to favor recirculated liquids. I will add that existing data centers should be brought in line with the caveats listed above. Volume discounted power, and tax abatements should be phased out. **A bill this year to bring rural land northwest of Hillsboro into the urban growth boundary for high-tech industry died in committee. Should the state open more land in western Washington County for industry or housing, and how should it decide what stays in farm or forest use?** It is unclear (to me) how efficiently the land already within the Urban Growth Boundary is being used. Before expanding it, a careful survey of how land inside the UGB is currently being used. I suspect that usage designations could be shifted, freeing some land for industrial use, and other for housing, without the need to encroach on the neighboring farm lands. Further, I believe in preserving our farmlands and forests, encouraging domestic production over imports. I support the use of tariffs to level the competition from overseas producers not subject to the same regulations that domestic producers face. **In May, voters rejected Measure 120, the referendum on the Legislature's 2025 gas-tax and fee increases for transportation; 82% of Washington County votes were no. What, if anything, should the 2027 Legislature do to pay for road maintenance and transportation, and who should pay for it?** Highway maintenance should be paid from the General Fund, allocated by the Legislature as a priority. We ALL benefit from our roads, whether we drive or not. The roads are how commerce is done: nothing travels from where its made to where its used without the roads. Any fuel tax revenues should go directly into the General Fund for disbursement as the Legislature directs. **What should the Legislature do about education funding in the 2027–29 budget?** The current funding level is fine. How its being spent is the problem. Too much emphasis now on non-productive activities, and not enough on those things that make children into good citizens. Let's return to the basics, and forget the divisive policies, practices, and programs that are teaching our children to focus on race, gender, and origin instead of how to read, to write, and to reason. We have fewer students enrolled, yet the budget has grown. Obviously it is being misspent. **What, if anything, should the Legislature do in 2027 about federal immigration enforcement in Oregon?** Comply with the law. One very good thing to due is to rescind the sanctuary state designation, and make it illegal for cities, counties, and other governmental authorities to declare themselves sanctuaries. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** It is well understood that Oregon is in trouble. Ranked #42 for Business, #44 for Education, #50 for Youth Mental Health. Looking at who has presided over this decline, it is clear that it is the Democrat party. Republicans have not held the Governor's office for 40 years. It is time for a change.

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Pam TreeceCounty Commission chairSteve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Harold HutchisonState Senate, District 15Myrna A. MunozState Senate, District 15Rachel ArmitageState Senate, District 16Courtney BangsState Senate, District 16Melisa FinkleState Senate, District 16Susan McLainState House, District 29Brian SchimmelState House, District 29Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to both candidates for Washington County Commission chair. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Washington County Commissioner Pam Treece faces Commissioner Nafisa Fai for the open chair seat on the Washington County Board of Commissioners on the Nov. 3 ballot. **The chair is elected countywide, but our readers live in Forest Grove, Banks and Gales Creek — western Washington County, much of it rural and unincorporated. What are your top three priorities for this part of the county, in order?** My first priority is protecting essential services while being responsible with taxpayer dollars. For rural communities, sheriff's patrols, emergency response, roads, and libraries aren't optional. They're fundamental to everyday life. Second is affordability. Whether you're raising a family, running a small business, farming, or living on a fixed income, rising costs affect nearly every decision. County government needs to consider affordability when making decisions about taxes, fees, housing, and infrastructure. Third is protecting farmland and the character of rural Washington County. Agriculture is part of our economic foundation. Growth should strengthen communities like Banks, Forest Grove, and Gales Creek without sacrificing what makes them special. **The county's forecast shows general fund expenses growing faster than revenue, and recent budgets have cut sheriff's patrol positions and library funding for cities like Banks and Forest Grove. In the next budget cycle, what would you protect and what would you cut? Would you ask voters for new revenue?** We have difficult budget decisions ahead, and residents deserve a clear understanding of the choices. I would protect public safety, emergency response, roads, and libraries first. Before further reductions to frontline services, I want a thorough examination of administrative spending, staffing, contracts, and programs. We should identify duplication, measure results, and determine which activities we can no longer afford. I would not start by asking residents to pay higher taxes. We need to demonstrate financial discipline and explain what we've done to control costs. If additional revenue becomes necessary, voters deserve a specific proposal, clear alternatives, and accountability for every dollar. **County staff say data centers accounted for 82% of the property tax exempted through enterprise zones in the county in the 2025 tax year, about $84 million. What, if anything, should the county and Clean Water Services do about data centers in 2027?** I don't believe Washington County needs more data centers. I support pursuing a legally appropriate moratorium on new development where the county has authority. We already have a significant concentration of these facilities, and their demands on electricity, water, land, and infrastructure deserve serious scrutiny. The reported $84 million in property tax exemptions raises an important question: Are taxpayers receiving benefits that justify those incentives? In 2027, I would review our land-use policies, available legal restrictions, and the cumulative impacts of existing facilities. Clean Water Services must examine water and infrastructure demands and protect ratepayers from unfair costs. We must also recognize the limits of county authority, particularly within cities and areas regulated by the state. **Last year the board declared an emergency over federal immigration enforcement, and Forest Grove asked the county to suspend or review its contracts with Flock Safety, a license-plate camera company. What, if anything, should the county do on immigration enforcement and license-plate cameras in 2027?** I supported the emergency declaration because families in our community were afraid to go to work, send their children to school, and live their daily lives. I remain committed to protecting constitutional rights and ensuring compliance with Oregon's sanctuary laws. License-plate cameras present a different but related responsibility: balancing public safety with personal privacy. These cameras can help investigators locate missing people and solve crimes. But information collected for public safety must not be improperly accessed or used for unrelated immigration enforcement. I support reviewing county contracts, data-sharing arrangements, retention policies, and access controls, including compliance with SB 1516. Independent privacy assessments, audits, and appropriate public reporting should be part of that review. Forest Grove and other affected communities must have a voice in these decisions. **In August the board voted to raise the countywide vehicle registration fee from $30 to $60 a year, phased in starting in 2027. How should the county's share be spent?** Residents paying more should be able to see what they're getting for their money. I would prioritize maintaining existing roads and bridges, improving drainage, preserving pavement, and addressing documented safety hazards. By Oregon statute, the money can only be spent in the right of way, so it can be used on operations, maintenance, or improvements. In western Washington County, roads connect families to schools and jobs, farmers to markets, and emergency responders to people who need help. We should maintain the transportation infrastructure we already have before committing to expansions we cannot afford to maintain. I also want transparent reporting that identifies funded projects, expenditures, and improvements across the county. Residents deserve to know where their money goes. In addition, I will be advocating at the state level to allow for graduated rates for low income and seniors on any fee. **Since 2025 reporting on Clean Water Services' travel and meal spending, the CEO resigned, the board accepted a forensic investigation, CWS's travel policy was extended to board members, and the state ethics commission issued letters of education to two commissioners over their board travel. What further changes, if any, should the board make in how it oversees Clean Water Services?** The issues at Clean Water Services raised legitimate concerns about financial oversight and accountability. Changing policies is important, but what matters is whether those policies are followed. I support stronger board oversight, regular financial reporting, clear expense approval requirements, and independent compliance reviews. Recommendations from the forensic investigation need assigned responsibility, implementation deadlines, and public follow-up. Ratepayers should have understandable information about spending and financial decisions. I'm also concerned about affordability. I've been advocating for affordable-rate programs for households struggling with utility bills. I am looking forward to approving the utility assistance program for low income rate payers on December 8th. Upon approval, that plan will go into effect in early 2027. All future rate increases deserve careful examination and clear justification. Clean Water Services provides an essential service, and residents deserve transparency, responsible financial management, and accountability from its leadership.

Short items from around the area on Friday, October 16, 2026 — community happenings, quick updates, and notes that didn't make a full story. * * * ›‹ In this edition **1** Teen murder mystery party waitlist**2** No Kings rally at the Forest Grove flagpole**3** Forest Grove Fire & Rescue hiring**4** Survivor art at the library**5** Forest Grove library's new children's librarian News in the Grove # Around Town 5 briefs Friday, October 16, 2026✦Daily roundup EVENTS ## Teen murder mystery party at Forest Grove library fills; waitlist open A cactus in a cowboy hat and heart-shaped sunglasses holds a flyer for the party outside the Teen Zone at the Forest Grove City Library. Photo: Chas Hundley The Forest Grove City Library will hold an Old West murder mystery party for teens ages 13 to 18 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, in its Rogers Room, according to the event listing. The game is set at the Gravestone Saloon, and each player will get an email with an assigned character and costume suggestions a week before the party. Registration is required, and the listing showed the party full as of Friday, Oct. 16, with a waitlist open. Each teen must be registered separately, and questions go to the teen librarian at lilyh@wccls.org. A flyer for the party hangs on a decorated cactus outside the library's Teen Zone. ■ ★︎EVENTS ### No Kings rally returns to Forest Grove flagpole Saturday, Oct. 17 Indivisible Forest Grove will hold a No Kings rally from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at the flagpole at Pacific Avenue and 19th Avenue, the group said in a press advisory. It is one of more than 3,000 No Kings rallies planned across the country that day protesting what organizers call authoritarian actions by the Trump administration. Organizers are urging voters to cast their ballots early ahead of Oregon's Nov. 3 general election. They put past No Kings crowds at the flagpole at 600 to 1,000 people. Some signs, chairs, snacks and water will be on hand, and attendees can bring their own chairs and signs. More information is at indfg.org. ■ ☾︎PUBLIC SAFETY ### Forest Grove Fire & Rescue is hiring firefighter-paramedics and EMTs Forest Grove Fire & Rescue is hiring firefighter-paramedics and firefighter-EMTs for current openings and building a hiring list for future ones, according to the city's job posting. Candidates must pass the FireTEAM exam and complete a personal history questionnaire through the National Testing Network by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25. The list will stay in use for 12 months unless the fire chief extends or ends it sooner. The job pays $29.83 to $37 an hour for 48/96-hour shift work, with a 10% premium for paramedic licensure. Candidates must be at least 18 and hold an Oregon or national EMT certificate, and they need one year of fire suppression or related emergency services experience; a paramedic license is highly preferred. Christina Vandehey, a city human resources analyst, takes questions at 503-992-3201. ■ ●︎EVENTS ### Forest Grove library hosts survivor art display through October A poster of a painted tree covered in handwritten paper leaves, with the words "From Survival Through Healing Towards Hope," hangs at the Forest Grove City Library. Photo: Chas Hundley The Forest Grove City Library is displaying artwork made by survivors through the end of October in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Washington County District Attorney's Office said in its calendar of events for the month. Visitors can stop by the library to view the work. ■ ▲︎EDUCATION ### Amanda Woods joins Forest Grove City Library as children's librarian Amanda Woods, who started earlier this year as the Forest Grove City Library's children's librarian, runs storytimes and other children's events in the library's Rogers Room, according to the Forest Grove Library Foundation's October newsletter. She was previously a youth services librarian at Sherwood Public Library and has worked at other Washington County libraries. Woods enjoys nature, animals, singing and crafting, and she welcomes recommendations for unusual picture books. Off the clock, she and her husband, Chris, visit national parks, give kittens temporary homes, make things by hand and read manga. ■ On the calendar ### Saturday around town Sat 8 a.m.Fall PSAT / PSAT de otoñoFGHS- Library, Forest Grove Sat 9 a.m.mai ide: Boxed WomanKathrin Cawein Gallery, Pacific University, Forest Grove Sat 10 a.m.Pumpkin Patch at Carpenter Creek RanchCarpenter Creek Ranch, Forest Grove Sat 10 a.m.Grand Lodge History & Art TourMcMenamins Grand Lodge -- Grand Lodge, Forest Grove Sat 11 a.m.Homecoming | Old College Hall Open House - Oct. 2026Old College Hall, Forest Grove Sat noonTrunk or Treat at Old Town ChurchOld Town Church, Forest Grove See the full calendar News in the GroveFriday, October 16, 2026

A plume of smoke rose on the far end of a field near Gales Creek Thursday afternoon. Fire season had just ended that morning, and firefighters were taking advantage of the opportunity to light a fire of their own. "Successful test fire," a voice said over the radio. "Let's go ahead with all operations." And with that, they were off to the races. About 20 firefighters and volunteers from local fire agencies and the North Valley Prescribed Burn Association, a newer type of organization in Oregon, were carrying out one of the association's first test fires and training exercises in the Gales Creek Valley. It was a first for Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, spokesperson Matt Johnston told this newspaper, and he called it a big deal. A test fire is about what it sounds like, Johnston said. It's to see if the grass will actually burn, and whether it behaves the way crews want it to for the training exercise and the day's goals. Forest Grove Fire & Rescue was joined by the Banks Fire District, the Cornelius Fire Department and the Woodburn Fire District, as well as Oregon Department of Forestry crews out of South Fork Forest Camp. Volunteers with the North Valley group also took part, along with landowner George Kral and employees of Scholls Valley Native Nursery. Sara Kral founded the nursery, and she and George Kral established it at its current location on Northwest Half Mile Lane, according to the nursery's website. "The PBA had been talking to us for probably three years now, trying to get our involvement," Patrick Wineman, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue's division chief of operations, said. "And we were a little bit careful about wanting to engage with them, because it was coming right out of the back end of the 2020 wildfires that we had. And we weren't very excited about putting a bunch of fire on the ground coming out of the back end of that. The community was still just too sensitive to the fire problem." Crews had to wait for fire season to end, but they also had to burn before the fall rains soak the grass and keep it from lighting, Wineman said. With the big rains still to come, Thursday was pretty much the best day for it weather-wise, and firefighters weren't deployed to large fires elsewhere, he said. The decision to go was made Wednesday, Wineman said. Top, from left: Miles Harvey and Jovanna Talarico, WWOOFers who work with Noah Marquis, walk down the road carrying hand tools, and a Banks Fire firefighter stands beside a Forest Grove Fire & Rescue truck. Bottom, from left: firefighters and volunteers gather for a safety briefing, and firefighters light drip torches before the burn, on Oct. 15, 2026. Photos: Chas Hundley Thursday's burn was off Northwest Half Mile Lane, a short spur off Roderick Road at the base of David Hill between Gales Creek and Forest Grove. It covered nearly three acres of ground owned by George Kral, said Noah Marquis, the founder of the North Valley Prescribed Burn Association. "The goal is to utilize fire as a tool for land management," he said. A second burn planned for Thursday afternoon on Southwest Hiatt Road was called off because of time constraints, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue said in a Facebook post. Marquis, a Dilley-area farmer and restoration professional, founded the North Valley group in September 2024. It is a volunteer organization. He also runs a restoration company, Trees to Soil, and manages property in Washington and Yamhill counties. He keeps goats and sheep for conservation grazing, on his own property and seasonally on others. Prescribed burn associations are community-based networks of people and organizations interested in using prescribed fire, particularly on land that isn't federally owned, according to Oregon State University Extension. They have existed in the Great Plains since the 1990s but are relatively new in Oregon, according to OSU. Oregon's first, the Rogue Valley Prescribed Burn Association, formed in 2021, and OSU now lists 10 in the state. It lists North Valley's territory as Washington, Clackamas, Multnomah, Marion and Yamhill counties. Members include firefighters, landowners, ecologists, agricultural producers, curious neighbors and more, according to an OSU Extension guide for landowners. Most associations don't require any fire experience or qualifications to take part, according to OSU. "I will say that you do need to have a level of awareness, and so it's not just, 'Yay, let's go,'" Marquis said. Fire department crews include people with varying degrees of experience, Marquis said. "And so it's really a benefit for them to come out and work with live fire, rather than having to go work with live fire when it's a suppression situation," he said. "We're dictating what's happening here, rather than the fire dictating what's happening." "Fire, ecological fire, was an ancestral part of this landscape," Marquis said. "When you remove fire from the landscape and let it sit for a hundred years, you end up with a bit of a tinderbox." Gales Creek is where the 1933 Tillamook Burn started, Marquis said. "Familiarizing our community with good smoke rather than wildfire smoke is a really important aspect of what we're doing today," Marquis said. Crews look at the mixing height in the atmosphere and the wind direction, and a small amount of smoke lofts up and away, he said. It isn't the same particulate that comes off a wildfire, he said. Top, from left: smoke rises from the far end of the field, and crew members work along the edge of the fire. Bottom, from left: crew members stand by the flames near the tree line, and flames rise from the grass, on Oct. 15, 2026. Photos: Chas Hundley Marquis first learned to burn in northern Thailand, where farmers burn off crop residue and burn the forest understory for grazing, he said. In Oregon, his restoration work avoided chemicals, which meant cultivating or grazing ground down to bare soil, he said. "That's when I said, I'm not going to pretend to mimic fire anymore, which is what everybody's trying to do," Marquis said. "Go for the real thing." Jon Koenig, a fire captain with the Woodburn Fire District, served as burn boss Thursday. At the pre-burn briefing, Koenig told the crew he has been a prescribed fire practitioner for about 22 years and works with three prescribed burn associations in Oregon, two in the Willamette Valley and one in Central Oregon. On an association burn, a holding team stays outside the burn to make sure the fire doesn't leave the planned area, while a firing team uses drip torches or other ignition devices to carry fire from one end of the unit to the other, according to the OSU guide. From 2019 to 2024, prescribed burn associations in the Pacific Northwest and California conducted more than 500 burns without any escapes, the guide said. 0:00 /0:11 1× Flames rise out of the grass during the training burn on Oct. 15, 2026. Video: Chas Hundley North Valley held its first burn about two weeks before Thursday's, Marquis said. Where and how prescribed burn associations will take shape, including how to make sure everything is contained "so that there's not just a bunch of yahoos lighting stuff up out there," is still in the works, Marquis said. "We are a very cautious PBA, and we're going to go slow and steady," he said. "This is amazing that there's all these fire professionals here for a little three-acre piece of ground. It's not going to last forever," he said. "We need to get a lot more people involved, a lot more comfortable." People interested in joining the North Valley group can fill out its interest form. OSU Extension keeps a list of Oregon's prescribed burn associations, along with background on how they work. Landowners who want help burning their own property should attend an association burn first, according to the OSU guide.

A driver rear-ended a school bus on Goff Road in Forest Grove Thursday morning, police said. The bus had 35 students aboard, the Forest Grove School District said. Neither the students nor the bus driver was hurt, the district and police said. Officers were called to the crash around 8:40 a.m., the Forest Grove Police Department said in a Facebook post Thursday. It happened near the intersection of Goff Road and Mills Lane, said Andrew Colasurdo, a Forest Grove police patrol sergeant. The driver of the vehicle that hit the bus "was treated for minor injuries, though his car has definitely had better days," the post said. Medical personnel responded, but no one was taken to a hospital, Colasurdo said. The driver was cited, and his vehicle was towed because of the damage. One lane of Goff Road was closed for about an hour, he said. Photos in the department's post show the back of bus 656 and a pickup with its front end crushed. "Just a friendly reminder to drive extra cautiously around school buses, and note that with the cooler mornings and bright morning sun, reflective glare from fogged or dew on windows can impede your vision," the department said in the post. School and bus operations staff also came to the scene, Colasurdo said. "A secondary bus was dispatched to the scene and transported the students to the school," David Warner, the school district's director of communications and engagement, said in an email. "All the families of the affected students were contacted by the bus company," Warner said.

The Friends of the Forest Grove Library fall book sale runs Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 22-24, in the Rogers Room of the Forest Grove City Library. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. each day, and the sale closes at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. More than 8,000 books and other media will be for sale, according to the group's website. Hardback books are $3, mass market paperbacks are $1 and other paperbacks are $2. Children's books and coffee table books are priced individually. CDs, LPs and audiobooks are $1, and multi-title media sets are $3. Friends members can shop early at a members-only preview from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, and get a 20% discount on their purchases Friday, Oct. 23. Memberships can be started or renewed at the door, at $25 for an individual, $50 for a family and $100 for a sustaining member. On Saturday, shoppers can fill a standard brown paper grocery bag with books and other media for $10. Money from the sale goes toward library programming and the Friends' annual Forest Grove High School scholarship, Martha Robertson, president of the Friends, said in an email. Donations are still being taken before the sale. "We're nearing max capacity. The Rogers Room only holds so much," Robertson said. Volunteers are needed for setup starting Monday, Oct. 19, for the three sale days and for cleanup the morning of Monday, Oct. 26. Shifts usually run two hours, and volunteers get two free books per shift. Jobs and time slots are on the Friends' sign-up page. Questions can go to the Friends at fgcl.friends@gmail.com.

Forest Grove resident Jackson King was hanging out in the office of Vicki VanLoo, the college and career specialist at the Forest Grove High School, when she mentioned something about getting a commercial driver's license. "I didn't really know much about it, and then I go home and told my dad," King said. "I was like, hey, there's an opportunity to get a free CDL. And he's like, you should get on that. So I filled out the application and then, sure enough, I got accepted." King, 19, is one of nine students who earned a Class A commercial driver's license in the first class of Northwest Regional Education Service District's youth CDL program. Brayden Hamel, a 2026 Banks High School graduate, is another, according to NWRESD. King, a Forest Grove resident, graduated from Forest Grove High School this year. He works at NAPA and is going to college for an associate degree in construction management. "The reason I did it was I just thought it'd be cool to have, it'd be nice to have as, like, a, always something to fall back on," King said. "So if, like, one job doesn't work out, I always have driving to fall back on, too, and it pays decent." According to NWRESD, the 160-hour program guided the first class through the process of earning a permit, getting medically cleared to drive a truck, completing a four-week training course and, finally, earning the license. Washington County students train at Elite Truck School in Hillsboro, according to an NWRESD flyer. Jaimie Brady, a teacher on special assignment at NWRESD who co-led the project, said 17 students applied for the first class. Sixteen were selected for permit training, 14 earned a permit, 12 were invited into the Class A training and nine earned the Class A license. "The hardest part for me was the pre-trip, like the memorization of the whole sheet that you have to memorize," King said. "That was pretty challenging. It took me a little bit longer than normal to pass that part. But on the test, it was easier than I thought it would be." "Yeah, it's fun," King said of driving a big rig. "It's easier than you think it would be. You just got to be a little more vigilant and stop a little sooner." "No, I have not yet, just because of school," King said when asked whether he's used the license. "And I can't really do a lot of the CDL jobs with my school, the degree that I'm trying to get." Asked what he would tell another Forest Grove senior thinking about applying, King said, "Do it." "The best thing that can come out of it is you get a card that can get you a job anywhere," he said. According to NWRESD's Oct. 7 story on the first class, the program grew out of a search by Washington County superintendents for new ways to prepare students for life after high school. NWRESD staff used Oregon Employment Department data to plot industries in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties by demand and pay. Transportation and logistics showed an estimated 16,000 jobs and 1,900 new ones added every year, and truck and bus drivers in that three-county area earn a median wage of $65,000 a year. Because most long-haul trucking companies don't hire drivers younger than 21, the program points students toward local employers, according to NWRESD. Banks Superintendent Brian Sica and the other six Washington County superintendents signed on before the program's leaders held an open house for local trucking and construction companies in May 2025, according to NWRESD. "What immediately stood out to me was both the growing need for people to enter the logistics and transportation fields and the lack of local training opportunities, particularly for high school students," Sica said in NWRESD's story. Brady said the direct cost of the training and licensing fees was $6,365, and that it will go up next year because of fuel prices and licensing fees. NWRESD and corporate partners, including TriMet, NW Natural Gas, Schaeffer's Oil and Oak Harbor Freight, pay the tuition, she said. Students pay for their permit up front and are reimbursed if they're accepted, according to an NWRESD flyer. The Class A training is free to students. This year the program is growing. Each of the 20 school districts in NWRESD's four-county region gets one spot for a senior, Brady said. Elite Truck School will train students from Washington, Columbia and Clatsop counties, and Tillamook Bay Community College will train Tillamook County students. NWRESD will pick one student per district, and Brady said NWRESD is confident Banks and Forest Grove will each have at least one applicant. Applicants must be 18 and graduating seniors, with a year of driving experience in good standing. New this year, they must pass the permit test before they apply. Brady said NWRESD expects to open applications Feb. 1 and close them April 1. Information is on NWRESD's Career and College Readiness page, and questions can go to careerpathways@nwresd.k12.or.us. Businesses interested in sponsoring the program can reach Brady at jbrady@nwresd.k12.or.us or 503-614-1487.

Forest Grove police said Friday they will have an extra presence at Forest Grove schools after Thursday's shooting at an elementary school in Bend, and the Washington County Sheriff's Office said its officers will be in and around schools throughout the county. Bend police said Thursday that three children and a teacher were killed in the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School. "Our hearts are heavy following the tragedy at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend yesterday," the Forest Grove Police Department said in a Facebook post Friday morning. "While school is not in session for Forest Grove students today, we will have extra presence at our schools in the coming weeks." "Please know that we are always available for you and your children should you need us — even if it's just a listening ear," the post said. The sheriff's office posted its own statement on Facebook at 10:40 a.m. Friday. "Our dedicated Youth Services Officers (YSOs) and additional patrol resources will be present in and around schools throughout Washington County," the post said. "If students or parents have questions about school safety, they are encouraged to reach out through their student's school leadership." Asked by email Friday whether it planned a similar extra presence at schools in the Banks and Gaston school districts, in Cornelius, and at the Dilley Elementary School and the Gales Creek School, the sheriff's office did not name any of them. "We do have patrol units, in addition to our dedicated Youth Services Officers, present in or around schools today," Cpl. David Huey, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office, said in an email. "I can't say when they will be at a particular school." Huey also sent a link to a January 2025 sheriff's office Facebook post about its active-shooter training. "We train every year," he said. That post said the sheriff's office Tactical Negotiations Team held a live-action simulated active threat training at the Glencoe High School in Hillsboro over the holiday break. Forest Grove police were among the agencies that took part, the post said. In Banks, Banks School District Superintendent Brian Sica sent a letter to families Friday morning through ParentSquare, the district's messaging service, and the district shared it on Facebook. "It is natural, particularly as parents and educators, for our minds to turn to a difficult question: Could something like this happen here?" Sica said in the letter. "While no school or community can eliminate every risk, I want to reassure you that the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain among our highest priorities." Thanks to the voter-approved school bond, the district's elementary and middle schools have secure entry vestibules, and more security features, including secure entrances, are part of its ongoing construction projects, Sica said. The district works with the sheriff's office and the Banks Fire District on emergency planning, and each school has counselors, he said. Students, families and community members can report threats or unsafe behavior to the SafeOregon tip line confidentially or anonymously at any hour by calling or texting 844-472-3367 or at safeoregon.com, the letter said. For an emergency, call 911. "Families should never hesitate to reach out to their school if their child needs additional emotional support, especially during times like these," Sica said. A press conference was scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday by the Bend Police Department to give the latest information on the investigation and share resources available to community members, the department said. Representatives from the police department, Bend-La Pine Schools and Deschutes County Behavioral Health Services will take part at the Bend Municipal Court, and the press conference will stream live on the City of Bend's YouTube channel.

The Fall Fun Guide is free and comes out every Friday through Nov. 6, covering Forest Grove, Gales Creek, Banks, Cornelius and Gaston. If someone passed this along or you found it on social media, sign up free to get it in your inbox each week. This week, Cornelius Fire takes a fire engine and crew on a Saturday tour of Cornelius farm stands and a pumpkin patch, Old Town Church holds a trunk or treat and chili cook-off that afternoon, and the Forest Grove Farmers Market holds its Halloween market Oct. 21. Two stops on the fire tour are new to the guide: Mike & Debbie's Produce, which listed pumpkins and winter squash in its Oct. 11 post, and New Leaf Farms & Garden, which opened its first pumpkin patch Oct. 11. We're still building this out. If you know of a farm stand, pumpkin patch or fall event in our area that isn't here, email us at chas@newsinthegrove.com. -Chas Hundley, publisher Our Fall Fun map shows farm stands, pumpkin patches and markets around the area, with hours and directions, plus a list of upcoming fall events. ## This week ### Friday, Oct. 16 * Ghost Tours in the Dark, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. from the Old Train Station, 1936 19th Ave., Forest Grove; repeats Oct. 31. A 40-minute flashlight walk through downtown, with cocoa, cider and treats at the end. $12, $10 for members. * Pumpkin etching workshop, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Blooming Junction, 35105 NW Zion Church Road, Cornelius. $40; kids welcome with an adult, and adults get one wine, beer or cider. The garden center stays open until 8 p.m. Fridays in October. ### Saturday, Oct. 17 * Washington County Open Studios Tour, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 43 locations around the county, including two in Forest Grove, two near Banks and one in Cornelius. Free; pick up a map guide at your first stop. Forest Grove studios open for county art tour Oct. 17-18Valley Art, a Forest Grove ceramic artist and studios near Banks and Gaston and in Cornelius open their doors Oct. 17-18 for the free Washington County Open Studios Tour.News in the GroveChas Hundley * Trunk or Treat at Old Town Church, noon to 2:30 p.m. at Old Town Church, 2224 15th Ave., Forest Grove. Candy, decorated trunks, games, a chili cook-off and a best-trunk contest; open to everyone, costumes welcome. * Cornelius Fire farm stand tour, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., a fire engine and crew at New Leaf Farms & Garden (11 a.m.), Duyck's Peachy Pig Farm (noon), Peter's Pumpkin Patch (1 p.m., helmets for kids) and Mike & Debbie's Produce (3 p.m.), all in Cornelius. * Monster Mash, 5 to 8 p.m. at Schlegel Hall at Banks Sunset Park, 12765 NW Main St., Banks. Banks Youth Dance Program's fourth annual: a new haunted house, a 6 p.m. costume contest, games, dancing, face painting and a 360-degree photo booth. $5. ### Wednesday, Oct. 21 * Halloween market, 4 to 8 p.m. at the Forest Grove Farmers Market, Main Street between 21st Avenue and Pacific Avenue. Come in costume to trick-or-treat with vendors; the FG Dancing Witches open the market at 4:15 p.m. ### Thursday, Oct. 22 * Grand Lodge Ghost Tour, sold out: 7 and 9 p.m. at McMenamins Grand Lodge, 3505 Pacific Ave., Forest Grove. When we checked Oct. 15, McMenamins' ticket page listed both tours that night and both Oct. 29 tours as sold out. ## Open all season **Carpenter Creek Ranch** (Forest Grove). The pumpkin patch at 2476 SW Old Highway 47 is open Fridays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Oct. 31. Admission ($15 for ages 12 and up, $10 for kids under 12, free under 2) covers parking, the patch and a playground built from a tractor and a combine; pumpkins are extra, priced by weight. Tickets are limited for its Oct. 31 Pumpkin Smash, where admission includes two pumpkins to smash and feed to the goats and cows. Closed-toe shoes are recommended. In map apps, use the street address, not Carpenter Creek Farm & Winery. Patch details. **Forest Grove Farmers Market** (Forest Grove). Wednesdays, 4 to 8 p.m., on Main Street between 21st Avenue and Pacific Avenue, through the last market of the season on Oct. 28. Oct. 21 is the Halloween market (see above), and Oct. 28 is a Día de los Muertos market, with altars, music, and free champurrado and pan de muerto for those who finish the passport activity. Market info. **Sun Gold Farm** (Forest Grove). The farm store at 6995 NW Evers Road is open Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its Oct. 12 newsletter listed apples, pears, quince, Fuyu persimmons, seven kinds of winter squash and ornamental corn, plus fall decorations: Jack Be Little pumpkins, decorative gourds, corn stalks, straw bales and fall wreaths. It accepts EBT, and with Double Up Food Bucks, eligible purchases are half off at the farm. Sun Gold Farm. **Fraga Farm** (Gales Creek). The self-serve farm stand at 54655 NW Old Wilson River Road is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with farmstead goat cheeses, goat gelato, treats and crafts. When we checked Oct. 15, tickets remained for its Halloween Hoopla goat hikes, Oct. 24 and 25 at 1:30 p.m. ($25 a person or $65 for a group of up to four), except single tickets for Oct. 24. Hoopla tickets. **Tillamook Forest Farm Stand** (Gales Creek). The self-serve stand at 54730 NW Wilson River Highway is open daily, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It posted Sept. 29 that it had small to medium pumpkins and winter squash. It takes cash, Venmo, Cash App and PayPal. Tillamook Forest Farm Stand on Facebook. **Tyler's Pumpkin Patch** (Hillside). Tyler, president of the Banks FFA chapter, grew more than 20 varieties of pumpkins this summer, Danika Greene posted Sept. 20. Her post said he was selling carving pumpkins, decorative pumpkins and gourds at 49486 NW Hillside Road to help fund his other FFA projects: $5 large, $3 medium, $1 small (cash, Venmo or Cash App). She told us Sept. 24 the self-serve stand would be open every day until he sold out. **Blooming Junction** (Cornelius). The garden center at 35105 NW Zion Church Road is open Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., its home page says. Every Friday in October, it stays open until 8 p.m., with workshops, food and drinks. Store hours. **Duyck's Peachy Pig Farm** (Cornelius). The farm at 34840 SW Johnson School Road posted Oct. 4 that it had pumpkins, u-pick hazelnuts and walnuts, and apples, and that its fall pigs were out. It's open Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.; Monday through Thursday, a limited self-serve stand takes cash or Venmo (no u-pick). Cups of feed for the farm's chickens, ducks and guinea fowl are $1. No pets. Duyck's on Facebook. **Pruitt's Farm** (Cornelius). The farm store at 39470 SW Geiger Road is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Oct. 15, it had pumpkins in a range of sizes and colors outside, along with gourds, potted succulents and corn stalks at four for $1. Inside were tomatoes, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts on the stalk, apples, zucchini and ornamental corn at two for $3, plus quilts, crocheted goods and other crafts. A sign at the counter welcomes the Oregon Farm Direct Nutrition Program, and a note says cards carry a 50-cent charge and cash doesn't. Pruitt's Farm on Facebook. **Peter's Pumpkin Patch** (Cornelius). The patch at 1990 SW Lafollett Road is open daily through Nov. 1: noon to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Its corn maze and play structure (for ages 12 and under) are free. A free scavenger hunt runs through the patch, and visitors can find artwork by Portland artist Mike Bennett along the way. Pumpkins are priced by variety, from $2 to $12. On weekends, goats and chickens are out to pet (feed is $1 a cup) and concessions sell apple cider, cider slushies and hot chocolate. Leashed dogs are welcome. Cash, card or Venmo. Patch info. **Mike & Debbie's Produce** (Cornelius). The farm stand at 2125 NW Cornelius Schefflin Road is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., through October, its farm directory listing says; it posted Oct. 11 that Sundays are self-serve. That post listed mini, pie and carving pumpkins; acorn, spaghetti, butternut, delicata, blue kuri, kabocha and sweet meat squash; and Indian corn and corn stalks. Its posts list cash, check, card or Venmo, with no card on self-serve Sundays. Mike & Debbie's on Facebook. **New Leaf Farms & Garden** (Cornelius). The garden center at 3285 NW Susbauer Road opened its first pumpkin patch Oct. 11, with farm-grown pumpkins for $5 to $7 and free entry. Its Oct. 10 post listed 12-inch pansy baskets and mum and marigold pots for $19.99, and it posted that u-pick tomatoes would be 50 cents a pound starting Oct. 13, while the harvest lasts. It's open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; call 503-844-6400 for Sunday hours. New Leaf on Facebook. **Jim Dandy Farm Market** (Banks). The farm market at 45770 NW Sunset Highway is open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Halloween, with wagon rides on weekends. Its Oct. 8 post lists pumpkins of all sizes and colors, u-pick flowers, gourds, squash, straw bales, corn stalks, Indian corn, mums, sunflowers, apples, pears, quince, honey, jams and jellies. Cash or check only. Jim Dandy on Facebook. **26 West Farms** (Banks). The farm at 37420 NW Harrison Road is open Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; it's closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Its Oct. 12 flyer says half of its sales of carving and decorative pumpkins, corn stalks and hay bales go to the Glencoe High School Class of 2027; mention the flyer at checkout. It posted Oct. 13 that teachers who show a school badge can buy small pumpkins for their classes for $1 each, and to message or call 503-521-6744 for orders of 25 or more. It posted Oct. 2 that it also decorates local porches, starting at $150. 26 West Farms on Facebook. **Woodstock Nursery** (Manning). The nursery at 47569 NW Hayward Road is open Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It posted Oct. 7 that it had restocked with large mums and decorative and carving pumpkins, and a later post put its large mums on sale for $20. Woodstock Nursery on Facebook. ## Coming up * Forest Grove High School Homecoming Parade, Friday, Oct. 23, 4 to 5 p.m. The school's calendar lists Forest Grove High School, 1401 Nichols Lane, as the location. * SpooOooky Night Market at Zesti, Friday, Oct. 23, 5 to 9 p.m. at Zesti Carts, 2131 Yew St., Forest Grove. Local vendors, the food carts, a full bar and live music by Vinyl Echos; costumes encouraged. Free. * Ghostly Haunts: Stories from the Community, Friday, Oct. 23, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Old Train Station, 1936 19th Ave., Forest Grove; repeats Oct. 30. Local ghost stories and historic photos from Friends of Historic Forest Grove. $12, $10 for members. Friends of Historic Forest Grove plans ghost tours each October weekendBoard member Nikol Roubidoux will lead downtown tours in the dark, Stephanie Asher will present ghost stories, and local historian Mary Jo Morelli will lead a twilight ghost walk.News in the GroveChas Hundley * Haunted Theatre: Apocalypse in the Grove, Oct. 23 to 25 and Oct. 28 to 31 at Theatre in the Grove, 2028 Pacific Ave., Forest Grove, from 7 p.m. $13 online, $16 at the door; free trick-or-treat time 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 31. Haunted Theatre adds laser tag for 'Apocalypse in the Grove'Theatre in the Grove's Haunted Theatre returns Oct. 23-31 with "Apocalypse in the Grove," an alien-and-zombie walk-through where visitors can rent laser tag guns for the first time.News in the GroveChas Hundley * Pumpkin carving for teens, Friday, Oct. 23, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Cornelius Public Library, 1370 N. Adair St., Cornelius. The library brings the pumpkins; teens bring the designs. * Historic Twilight Ghost Walk, registration closed: Saturday, Oct. 24, 4 to 5 p.m. from the Old Train Station, 1936 19th Ave., Forest Grove. Friends of Historic Forest Grove's event page showed registration closed when we checked Oct. 15. * Gales Creek children's Halloween party, Saturday, Oct. 24, 6 to 8 p.m. at the Gales Creek School, 9125 NW Sargent Road, Gales Creek. The PTO's party for kids up to 18 with a Gales Creek connection: games and crafts, including pumpkin decorating. Come in costume. Gales Creek children's Halloween party returns Oct. 24Kids up to 18 with a Gales Creek connection can come in costume for games, crafts and treats at the Gales Creek School gym Saturday, Oct. 24.News in the GroveChas Hundley * Creepy Critters of the Tillamook State Forest, Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25, 1:30 to 2 p.m. at the Tillamook Forest Center, 45500 Wilson River Highway. A naturalist leads a look at the forest's owls, bats and spiders. Costumes are encouraged; admission to the center is a suggested $5 donation. * Accordion Autumnfest, Sunday, Oct. 25, 1:30 to 5 p.m. at the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center, 2037 Douglas St., Forest Grove. The Tualatin Valley Accordionists and players who sign up perform, and Paul Smith, a featured accordionist at the Mount Angel Oktoberfest for 40 years, plays at 4 p.m. Raffle and light refreshments. Admission is $5 for adults. * Arbor Village closes to outside traffic on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Banks closes NW Trellis Way and NW Oak Way to outside vehicles for trick-or-treaters; residents can still drive in. Visitors can park at Sunset Park and walk over. City to close Arbor Village to outside traffic again on HalloweenNW Trellis Way and NW Oak Way will close to vehicles from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 31; deputies will let residents in, and trick-or-treaters from out of the area can park at Sunset Park.The Banks PostChas Hundley * Verboort Sausage & Kraut Festival, Saturday, Nov. 7, at Visitation Parish, 4317 NW Visitation Road, Forest Grove. Bulk sausage from 9 a.m.; all-you-can-eat dinners 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., $14 to $23. How the Verboort sausage gets madeVolunteers will make this year's Verboort sausage on Halloween and smoke it over vine maple ahead of the Nov. 7 dinner, Leo Duyck told chamber members.News in the GroveChas Hundley Know about a fall event we missed? Add it to our community calendar at newsinthegrove.com/events. Get the Fall Fun Guide every Friday Free, in your inbox, through Nov. 6. Send me the guide One click adds it to the newsletters you already get from us. Send me the guide Already get our newsletter? 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Three children and a teacher were killed Thursday afternoon in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, police said. The suspect, a 16-year-old Bend resident, was shot by a community member who saw him enter the school and went in after him. The children killed were 5, 8 and 11 years old, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said at a press conference Thursday evening at Bend City Hall. A 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken by Bend Fire & Rescue to St. Charles Bend with critical injuries. The families of the victims have all been notified, Krantz said. Police did not release the names of the victims or the suspect. At 12:59 p.m., Deschutes County dispatch received a 911 call from a person in a vehicle who reported being shot at multiple times by a person with a long gun, Krantz said. Over the next several minutes, dispatch received dozens of 911 calls reporting that a shooter had entered the school on Southeast Stone Creek Lane. Dispatch sent an alert tone to all law enforcement at 1 p.m. A minute later, officers responding to the scene directed the school to go into lockdown. The first officers arrived at 1:02 p.m., and moments later an officer reported that the suspect had been shot by the community member, Krantz said. Officers went into the building, confirmed the suspect was dead and cleared the school of any other threats before giving emergency aid to the victims, he said. Officers found five people dead at the scene, including the suspect. Answering a reporter's question, Krantz said the initial investigation shows the shooter forced his way into the school by shooting at locked doors. He said he did not yet know how far into the building the shooter got, whether the shooter knew anyone at the school, or what weapon the community member used. Police would not say what kind of long gun the shooter used or how many rounds were fired. Bend Police, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, Redmond Police, Oregon State Police, federal law enforcement and others evacuated the building room by room. Students and staff were taken on Bend-La Pine Schools buses to Journey Church on South Highway 97 to be reunited with their families, a process Krantz said was still going on Thursday evening. "In August, every Bend police officer went through a full day of active threat training at a local high school," Krantz said. "Unfortunately, this is something we train for on a regular basis, and we must." Police will have a large presence at the school for the next several days, he said. "This is the kind of thing you hear about in other places and pray that it never happens here," Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said. "And it has happened here." "To our staff who helped our students and protected our kids today, we thank you," Cook said. "You did what no one should ever be asked to do." All Bend-La Pine schools are closed Friday, and all activities and athletic events are canceled, the district said. Crisis counselors will be at the Central Library starting at 9 a.m. Friday for students, families, district employees and anyone else in the community who needs support, Cook said. "A school should be a safe place where children can learn and feel secure," Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler said. "What happened today should never happen." Kebler said a community vigil was planned for Thursday night. Gov. Tina Kotek opened her remarks by thanking Silver Rail staff, parents and first responders, and "the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life." "Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well," Kotek said. Kotek said the Oregon Department of Emergency Management is coordinating across multiple state agencies. She said there will be time "for answering all those questions that we all have right now and searching for more ways to prevent this from happening in the future." Kotek ordered flags at Oregon public institutions to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Friday in honor of the victims and survivors of the shooting, her office said Thursday evening. Police have not said whether the shooter had attended Silver Rail. Sheila Miller, the Bend Police Department's communications manager, said officials plan to hold another press conference Friday afternoon. * * * _Editor's note: This story is based on information from the Bend Police Department, Bend-La Pine Schools, the governor's office and the officials who spoke at Thursday evening's press conference in Bend. For the most accurate and up-to-date reporting, turn to Bend's local news outlets, including_ The Bulletin_and_ The Source_, TV newsrooms_ KTVZ_and_ Central Oregon Daily_, and_ OPB_, which has a reporter covering Bend and Central Oregon. Their reporters cover Bend and will be covering the community long after national media moves on._

Washington County is taking bids to repair the Stringtown Road bridge over Gales Creek, where a cottonwood tree fell in May and broke part of the concrete railing and deck. Under the contract, Stringtown Road can close at the bridge once, for up to 42 days. Bids are due at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, and the work must be finished by March 31, 2027, according to the county's bid documents. "Construction is anticipated to occur in late winter or early spring," Washington County Land Use and Transportation said Tuesday in an email answering questions from News in the Grove. The closure dates will be set with the contractor chosen for the job, the department said. Drivers will detour along Gales Creek Road, E Street and SW Richey Road, according to the plans. The county estimates the contract at $200,000 to $250,000, and the repair is funded by the Washington County Road Fund, the department said. After the bids are opened Oct. 21, the county will issue a notice of intent to award, followed by a seven-day protest period and then the contract award, according to the department. On Tuesday, May 5, the cottonwood fell from the south bank of Gales Creek, bringing down power and internet lines and landing across both lanes of the bridge. Crews lifted it off with a crane, and the road reopened late in the afternoon of Thursday, May 7. The bridge was damaged but open, the county said at the time. Before the road reopened, Washington County Land Use and Transportation spokesperson Emma Ross said David Evans and Associates, a Portland engineering firm, was to conduct a structural inspection of the bridge that afternoon. "Once the repair design is finalized, we'll have a clearer sense of the full scope, but no further future repairs are anticipated at this time," Ross said in May. A contractor will remove about 20 feet of damaged handrail and the deck beneath it in the middle of the bridge's three spans, then build a new section of concrete deck and handrail. According to the plans, the bridge is 182 feet long. It was built in 1958, according to a state bridge inventory.

The 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 October 13, 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._ * * * Tap or click the image to expand ›‹ News in the Grove Current Forest Grove news, free by email Our newsletter brings Forest Grove and Gales Creek news and local events to your inbox. Get the newsletter

Fire season ends at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, on forestland protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry in northwest Oregon, and Washington County's fire agencies lift their summer burn ban at the same minute. The change covers all five districts in ODF's Northwest Oregon Area, the department said Wednesday: Astoria, Forest Grove, Tillamook, North Cascade and West Oregon. In the Astoria, Forest Grove and Tillamook districts, all restrictions tied to regulated use and industrial fire precaution levels have been lifted, ODF's Forest Grove District said in an update Wednesday afternoon. Washington County's high-fire danger burn ban has been in effect since June 15, the same day fire season began in ODF's Astoria, Forest Grove and Tillamook districts. Every fire agency in the county, including Banks Fire District 13 and Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, is lifting it on the recommendation of the Washington County Fire Defense Board, which consulted with ODF, the agencies said in a joint release. "While fire danger has eased, it hasn't disappeared, and an outdoor fire can still get out of control," the release said. There is no slash burning yet, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue spokesperson Matt Johnston said. Burning slash, the debris left from forest harvesting, requires a permit year-round, the department said. Its Forest Grove District takes questions and permit requests at 503-359-7499 or fgburninfo@oregon.gov. Backyard burning is allowed in the Banks Fire District starting Thursday, Scott Adams, the district's public information officer, said in a Facebook post. Residents should check the district's burn message at 503-324-6262, ext. 2, before burning, he said. Burn piles must be attended at all times, he said, and residents should have a safe fire line around each one and water and a shovel on hand. "If you even think your burn pile may be getting out of control, please call 911 and let us help you," Adams said. He said larger burn piles should be started early in the morning so they will be out, or nearly out, by night. Outside Forest Grove city limits, residents and farmers can start burning debris Thursday, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue said in a Facebook post. Residents may burn only yard debris, under Oregon Department of Environmental Quality rules. Inside the city, yard debris burning is allowed only in the spring season, March 1 through May 15. Burn-day information for Forest Grove is at burndaymessage.com. On land ODF protects, property owners can burn residential yard debris and use burn barrels without a permit once fire season ends, the department said. It asked people to skip burning on dry, windy days, keep water and a shovel at the pile, and never leave a burn unattended. Rules vary by jurisdiction. Washington County's burn ban boundary map shows whether burning is allowed at a given address.

Short items from around the area on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 — community happenings, quick updates, and notes that didn't make a full story. * * * ›‹ In this edition **1** Pacific professor on universal health plan board**2** 97116 Art Show call for artists**3** Free reflective vests from Forest Grove police**4** Final 2026 trout stocking at Hagg Lake**5** Statewide earthquake drill on Oct. 15**6** 'Boxed Woman' opening at Pacific's Cawein Gallery News in the Grove # Around Town 6 briefs Wednesday, October 14, 2026✦Daily roundup HEALTH ## Pacific professor appointed to Oregon's universal health plan board Pacific University Associate Professor of Public Health Rebecca Schoon poses in front of the Oregon State Capitol in Salem. Photo by Thomas Lal. Gov. Tina Kotek has appointed Rebecca Schoon, an associate professor of public health at Pacific University, to Oregon's Universal Health Plan Governance Board, the university said in a press release Thursday, Oct. 8. The nine-member board is charged with developing a universal health care system for the state, and Schoon begins a four-year term in January 2027. Schoon did her doctoral research at Oregon State University on Taiwan's universal health care system. "When I chose my doctoral dissertation research, it seemed like a really niche thing that we would never be able to apply in the United States," she said. The board is preparing to deliver the first draft of its plan to the Oregon Legislature, and if approved, the plan could be referred to voters sometime in 2028. Schoon lives in Portland and was confirmed by the Oregon Senate in September, according to legislative records. ■ ★︎EVENTS ### 97116 Art Show takes artist entries through Oct. 31 The 97116 Art Show is taking entries through Saturday, Oct. 31, for its 2026 show at Pacific University's Cawein Gallery in Forest Grove, according to the show's website. Artists of all ages and skill levels in Columbia, Washington and Yamhill counties can enter online, and there's no entry fee. Artists can enter up to five original pieces priced at $150 or less each. Hanging work can measure up to 12 by 12 inches including the frame, and 3D work up to 12 by 12 by 12 inches, under the show's artist guidelines. All work must be for sale. Artists keep 80% of sales, and the show's 20% commission covers part of its production costs and supports this year's charity. An opening reception runs Friday, Nov. 20, from 6 to 10 p.m., with show hours Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 21 and 22, from noon to 4 p.m., at 2043 College Way. Admission is free, and buyers take their purchases home on the spot. Artists April Hoff and Emily Lux started the volunteer-run show in 2018. ■ ☾︎PUBLIC SAFETY ### Forest Grove police offer free reflective vests Forest Grove police are giving away free high-visibility reflective vests to pedestrians, cyclists, powerchair users and anyone else who could use extra visibility, Community Outreach Specialist Lauren Quinsland said in Oct. 8 emails. The vests are available all year, but the department promotes them mostly in the fall, as daylight shortens and rain and fog set in, and is starting this fall's program the week of Oct. 12. The vests are adult one-size-fits-most. People can ask for one at the front desk in the police station lobby, 2102 Pacific Ave.; the department asks that people take no more than two because supply is limited. Donations from organizations, most notably the American Legion, and from individual community members supply the vests. ■ ●︎OUTDOORS ### Hagg Lake to get 4,100 trout in final scheduled stocking of 2026 The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to stock Hagg Lake with 3,000 legal-size trout and 1,100 trophy-size trout during the week of Oct. 19-23, according to the agency's trout stocking schedule. It is the last Hagg Lake stocking on the schedule this year. ODFW lists the week of a stocking, not the day, and stockings can change with water conditions. The next one scheduled at the lake is 800 trophy-size trout during the week of Feb. 8-12, 2027. ■ ▲︎PUBLIC SAFETY ### Statewide earthquake drill runs at 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 The Great Oregon ShakeOut earthquake drill is set for 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, and people can take part wherever they are, at home, school or work, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management said in a Facebook post the City of Banks shared Oct. 13. Participants practice three steps: drop to their hands and knees, cover their head and neck under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on until the shaking stops. Registration is online, and people who can't join at 10:15 a.m. can still register and run the drill any time during the year. ■ ◆︎EVENTS ### Cawein Gallery opens mai ide's 'Boxed Woman' Friday, Oct. 16 Work from mai ide's "Boxed Woman." Image courtesy Cherie Savoie Tintary Pacific University's Kathrin Cawein Gallery, in Les AuCoin Hall, will open "Boxed Woman," a show by artist mai ide, with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, the university said in its event listing. A tea ceremony performance opens the reception, followed by an artist talk at 6 p.m. A Japanese-American artist from Tokyo now based in Portland, ide works with salvaged fabric and Sashiko stitching, according to her artist biography. She earned an MFA from the Pacific Northwest College of Art and spent 12 years as a material designer in Japan. ■ On the calendar ### Thursday around town Thu 4 p.m.Video Game Tournament: Smash BrosForest Grove City Library Thu 5 p.m.Public Arts CommissionForest Grove Thu 6 p.m.Line Dancing Lessons with BrookeCarpenter Creek Farm & Winery, Forest Grove Thu 6 p.m.Bluegrass Jam SessionWaltz Brewing, Forest Grove Thu 6 p.m.Open MicTaqueria Corona, Forest Grove Thu 6 p.m.Behind the Badge: Now and ThenForest Grove Police Station See the full calendar News in the GroveWednesday, October 14, 2026

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Steve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to both candidates for state House District 31. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Democrat Tom L. Forest is running against state Rep. Darcey Edwards, a Republican, in House District 31 on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for the 2027 legislative session, in order?** My top three priorities: * Ban corporate money in politics, like Hawai'i has done. * Add a 12% income tax bracket for high earners and raise capital gains taxes, increasing the general fund. * Base corporate tax of multinational corporations on Oregon's percentage of worldwide sales (complete reporting) not just American sales (shore's edge, which was Oregon law until 1984) to prevent hiding profits overseas and to increase the general fund per "Beyond the Water's Edge," a March 16, 2023 Oregon Center for Public Policy post by Daniel Hauser. While passage is by no means assured, the legislation itself in all three cases is straightforward. The first will make it easier for everyone in politics to balance the short and long-term considerations, financial and familial, that all humans have, without the overbearing short term, net present value obsession that corporations must have by definition. Our choices need to be yes/and, not either/or. Families are for now and forever. The other two bills will tax the rich more. They'll also make it easier to eliminate unfunded mandates, in education for example, and decouple earmarked revenues from expenses - for example, the gas tax and road maintenance. **Name one bill the Legislature passed in 2025 or 2026 that you would have voted on differently, and what you would have done instead. If you were a member of the House at the time, tell us how you voted.** I would have opposed SB1501, which passed. I would not have voted to fund a billionaire extorting us to keep the NBA Trailblazers in Portland. Let him fund the stadium sky boxes himself. And I say this despite being a Blazers fan who had half-season tickets for over a dozen years. I cancelled them after last season because ownership has provided B+ offense but D- defense for far too long. **In May, voters rejected Measure 120, the referendum on the Legislature's 2025 gas-tax and fee increases for transportation; 82% of Washington County votes and 92% of Columbia County votes were no. How should the state pay to maintain roads such as Highway 6, Highway 47 and Highway 26, and what would you raise, cut or redirect to do it?** The gas tax is regressive, and will get more so as electric vehicles become more prevalent. I want all vehicle owners to pay by weight and miles driven, paying in proportion to use and damage irrespective of gas usage. That said, more fundamentally I also want to decouple road maintenance from the gas tax, supplementing its budget from the general fund by taxing rich people and corporations more. **In July the Board of Forestry approved a new management plan for western state forests. Together with its habitat conservation plan, it's projected to cut logging about 20% over 70 years. Do you support the plan? Why or why not?** The Habitat Conservation Plan is a good balance of blending short-term and long-term concerns, including Federal endangered species laws. It was negotiated over several years with all involved parties - everyone had a seat at the table. It only applies to public lands, which in Columbia County is barely 10% of forested land, and might reduce the already low timber employment (only three commercial lumber mills are in the district, in Rainier and near Mist and Gaston) by at most a few dozen people. That's a small price to pay for long-term sustainability. Never let the perfect be the enemy of the better. Business considerations are important, but not exclusive. **Data centers have grown quickly in Washington County. What should state policy on data centers be in 2027, on siting, tax breaks, power costs and water?** I want data centers to pay for their own water and electric infrastructure, water purification, and property taxes. The road of competing giveaways between states for corporations leads to Mississippi. Let's not go there. **Many homes in House District 31 rely on wells, septic systems, gravel roads and patchy internet and cell service. What would you do in Salem about rural internet and cell coverage and rural road maintenance?** Personally, I rely on a well, septic system, gravel roads, and patchy internet and cell service at my home three miles up a gravel road at 1,300'. I still have a landline as a backup for the sketchy cell service. I want to decouple timber revenues from specific programs, including road maintenance, and use general funds. For wells, septic systems, and patchy internet and cell service I want to supplement the USDA Rural Utilities Service, perhaps forming a similar state agency to complement its efforts. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** In my 15 years on the Banks School District's Budget Committee, I've become very aware of the extremely limited control that many school districts, especially rural districts, have over their funding. The state provides the majority of its budget. Property taxes provide most of the rest, and special purpose Federal programs are about 10% of funding. The district controls none of that. As a legislator, I will be keenly aware of the harm that variability causes in education. In recent decades in Banks, bond measures have only been used for replacing old, high-maintenance, earthquake-risk buildings. The other big challenge is in the many unfunded mandates the state has required over the years, making school management all too often having to rob Peter to pay Paul. I will work to end unfunded mandates: if it's important enough to mandate, it's important enough to fund. * * * My multimillionaire realtor opponent, Darcey Edwards, wanted to keep letting private equity bid up housing prices, voting against HB 4128. She wanted to persist the trickle-down tax cuts from the Big Ugly Bill for rich people like herself, voting against SB 1507. She wanted to give hundreds of millions in tax breaks to data centers and big tech (and was rewarded by Google with a campaign donation) while jacking up your water and electric rates, sponsoring SB 1586. She voted for letting ICE stay masked and anonymous by voting against HB 4138, and against limiting the Trump administration's ability to federalize the Oregon National Guard by voting against HB 4031. Edwards wanted to let stand Federal cuts to Planned Parenthood, voting against HB 4127, and to undermine medical judgment and women's freedom managing pregnancies, sponsoring SB 4087. She voted to gut the Habitat Conservation Plan in service to her donors the Koch Brothers (owners of Georgia Pacific), Weyerhaeuser, AG-PAC, Orloggers PAC, and Hampton Lumber, voting for HB 3103. Individual people are too small a fraction (14%) of her campaign donations - and legislating. Follow the money. I will protect you from the rich and the powerful - the corrupt and malevolent Trump administration, and the billionaire monopolists and other corporations that want one dollar, one vote and one acre, one vote. My vote is for you, not them, and it's not for sale. My website is https://GoingDeepForOregon.ORG. I've put a lot of thought and effort into it, and written every word myself. I even customized a little of the HTML, like the site map (the website is based on an ActBlue template, but I'm an MIT guy). Check it out!

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Steve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to both candidates for state House District 31. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ State Rep. Darcey Edwards, a Republican, is running for reelection in House District 31 against Democrat Tom L. Forest on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for the 2027 legislative session, in order?** My top three priorities for the 2027 session are: 1. Protecting rural economies and natural resource industries. Timber, farming, and the jobs and communities that depend on them matter deeply here. That means opposing the current Habitat Conservation Plan trajectory that is already threatening mills and county revenues (including impacts felt in Banks), supporting small forestland owners, and ensuring state policy does not undercut the industries that sustain our communities. 2. Housing and land-use reform. As a Realtor and landowner, I see the barriers that make housing scarce and expensive. We need practical changes that increase supply and protect property rights while still respecting our rural character. 3. Public safety and addiction response. Families in House District 31 deserve communities where law enforcement is supported, violent offenders are held accountable, and people struggling with addiction have real pathways to recovery instead of revolving doors. I will continue work on behavioral health accountability and practical measures that restore safety without empty slogans. **Name one bill the Legislature passed in 2025 or 2026 that you would have voted on differently, and what you would have done instead. If you were a member of the House at the time, tell us how you voted.** I voted Yes on Senate Bill 739, which strengthened oversight of residential care facilities, assisted living, memory care, and adult foster homes. The bill moved in the right direction with faster investigations, better family notification, and tighter memory care standards. That said, I would have preferred it go further. Stronger timelines and notification rules do not fix understaffing or weak enforcement capacity. I would have pushed for clearer staffing expectations, stronger accountability for repeat violators, and the resources needed to actually enforce the rules. I am continuing to work on legislation to address these gaps so residents and families have real protection. **In May, voters rejected Measure 120, the referendum on the Legislature's 2025 gas-tax and fee increases for transportation; 82% of Washington County votes and 92% of Columbia County votes were no. How should the state pay to maintain roads such as Highway 6, Highway 47 and Highway 26, and what would you raise, cut or redirect to do it?** Voters in House District 31 sent a clear message: no new gas taxes or fee increases. I agree. Oregon should maintain critical roads like Highway 6, Highway 47, and Highway 26 by living within existing revenues and forcing real priorities at ODOT. I would not raise taxes or fees. Instead, I would advocate for canceling some of the large projects that have ballooned in price to unsustainable levels and redirecting those dollars toward basic maintenance, safety, and operations on the highways rural communities depend on. ODOT needs structural reforms, greater transparency on major projects, and a sharper focus on keeping roads open and safe rather than expanding bureaucracy or pursuing political priorities. The solution is better management of the money we already collect, not asking families and businesses to pay more. **In July the Board of Forestry approved a new management plan for western state forests. Together with its habitat conservation plan, it's projected to cut logging about 20% over 70 years. Do you support the plan? Why or why not?** No, I do not support the new management plan or the Habitat Conservation Plan it is paired with. We can protect habitat and meet environmental obligations while still managing state forests responsibly. These plans do not strike that balance. House District 31 depends on timber and the jobs, mills, and county revenues that come with active forest management. The projected 20% reduction in logging over 70 years is already having real effects—including threats to mills and communities like Banks. If fully implemented, the plans would reduce harvest levels on state forests, cut county funding for public safety and education, and undermine the rural economies that have sustained this region for generations. I will continue to push for a more balanced approach that protects the environment while preserving timber volume, jobs, and the Greatest Permanent Value of these public lands. **Data centers have grown quickly in Washington County. What should state policy on data centers be in 2027, on siting, tax breaks, power costs and water?** Data centers can bring investment, but communities need full transparency and real control over whether and where they locate. I am working with a bipartisan group of Representatives to end the practice of non-disclosure agreements that keep the public and local officials in the dark about proposed projects. On siting, local communities should decide. Large facilities should not move forward without clear local approval and proper planning that protects farmland, rural areas, and existing infrastructure. On tax breaks, any incentives should be transparent and include strong accountability so communities can see whether the jobs and economic return justify the lost property tax revenue. On power costs, large users should pay their fair share so ordinary ratepayers are not stuck with the costs of grid upgrades or higher demand. On water, projects must show they have a sustainable supply and will not harm wells, farms, or other users. Full disclosure of actual water and power use is essential for informed local decisions. **Many homes in House District 31 rely on wells, septic systems, gravel roads and patchy internet and cell service. What would you do in Salem about rural internet and cell coverage and rural road maintenance?** Rural connectivity and road maintenance are everyday realities for many families in House District 31. In Salem, I would focus on practical steps that expand service without adding new burdens on taxpayers. On internet and cell coverage, I will work to make sure federal broadband funding reaches unserved and underserved areas in our district, support local providers and public-private partnerships, and reduce regulatory barriers that slow deployment of fiber and wireless service. Reliable cell coverage is critical for public safety and daily life, and I will continue pushing to fill the gaps that leave parts of the district without consistent service. On rural roads, the priority should be basic maintenance of the roads people use every day—including gravel roads—rather than new taxes or large projects that have ballooned in cost. I will advocate for redirecting existing transportation funds toward core maintenance and operations so counties and rural communities can keep roads safe and passable. As a member of the Legislature’s Water Caucus, I also advocate for funding and practical policies that support the district’s wells, septic systems, and water infrastructure so homeowners are not burdened by unnecessary regulatory obstacles. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** Northwest Oregon is my home. I grew up in House District 31, built a small business here, and raised my family here. I understand the pressures of rising costs, concerns about public safety, and the importance of protecting the places and industries that sustain our communities. In Salem I work to make sure the voices of Northwest Oregon families are heard and that decisions reflect the values and priorities of the people who live here. That means supporting law enforcement, holding government accountable on spending, protecting property rights and natural resource jobs, and finding practical solutions on housing and rural infrastructure. I will always show up, listen, and fight for House District 31. It is an honor to represent this district, and I ask for your support so I can continue that work.

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Steve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to both candidates for Washington County Commission District 4. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Hillsboro City Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair faces former Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway for the open District 4 seat on the Washington County Board of Commissioners on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for District 4, in order?** 1. Ending corporate tax giveaways. Washington County can't complain about budget shortfalls while waiving tens of millions in property taxes for multi-billion-dollar data centers. Public tax dollars belong in local libraries, rural roads, and basic services, not corporate pockets. 2. Protecting farmland and rural communities. District 4 has some of the best agricultural soil in the world. Once you pave over farmland for industrial sprawl, it’s gone forever. I will hold the line on Urban Growth Boundary expansions and protect the farm economy that keeps our rural areas alive. 3. Real transparency and rural representation. Too many county decisions happen behind closed doors or on autopilot—like unpermitted AI license plate cameras showing up on our streets, or enterprise zone extensions getting signed off without a public vote. Western Washington County needs a commissioner who shows up, asks tough questions on the record, and refuses to be a rubber stamp. **In 2025 the county closed a $20.5 million budget gap with cuts to road projects, the library system that serves Banks and Forest Grove, and vacant sheriff's deputy positions. If the county faces another shortfall during your term, which services would you protect first, and where would you look for savings or new revenue?** We need to be honest about why the county is broke. We don't have a revenue problem; we have a corporate giveaway problem. It is a slap in the face to people in Banks and Forest Grove to cut library funding and delay rural road repairs over a $20.5 million gap the exact same year the county waived $84 million in taxes for data centers. In a budget crunch, you protect basic community lifelines first: public safety, rural road maintenance, public health, and the local libraries that anchor our smaller towns. Before we ever ask working families to accept fewer services or higher fees, we have to stop giving away revenue at the top. I’ll look for savings and revenue by letting corporate Enterprise Zone tax breaks expire, stopping new tax waivers for massive tech companies, and cutting outside consultant contracts and top-heavy admin costs before touching a single frontline worker or library hour. **County staff say data centers accounted for 82% of the property tax exempted through enterprise zones in the county in the 2025 tax year, about $84 million. What, if anything, should the county and Clean Water Services do about data centers over the next four years?** The county needs to end property tax exemptions for data centers, full stop. Enterprise zones were created to help businesses bring in family-wage jobs. Data centers eat up huge tracts of land, strain our power grid, use massive amounts of water, and leave behind very few permanent jobs once construction ends. I joined a lawsuit against the City of Hillsboro & Washington County because enterprise zone abatements were handing out nine-figure tax breaks without a recorded public vote. Over the next four years, the County Board and Clean Water Services should require a public vote on any industrial development deal. CWS also needs to put strict caps on water use, require closed-loop cooling systems, and charge full cost-recovery fees so industrial users, not everyday residents, pay 100% of the water and sewer upgrades they require. **How will you stay accessible to residents of places like Gales Creek, Timber, Manning and Verboort, who have no city government?** If you live in an unincorporated community like Timber, Manning, Gales Creek, or Verboort, the County Commission is your local government. You shouldn't have to take time off work and drive into Hillsboro at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday just to get five minutes at a microphone. When I started Grandma Chonga’s Salsa, I spent years working directly with local growers and farms all over this district. As commissioner, I’ll come to you. I will hold regular evening town halls and office hours out in unincorporated communities, at local granges, fire halls, and community centers. I also want to rebuild the county’s Citizen Participation Organizations (especially CPO 13 and CPO 14) and make sure county land-use and road staff actually show up, listen to rural neighbors, and give you a heads-up long before decisions hit a board agenda. **The county board approves urban growth boundary changes for cities outside Metro's boundary, such as North Plains. When a District 4 city asks to grow onto farm or forestland, what would you need to see before voting yes, and what would make you vote no?** As a Hillsboro City Councilor, I cast the lone "no" vote against pushing into 1,700 acres of farmland south of Witch Hazel Village. I also stood with the people of North Plains when they overwhelmingly rejected a massive, rushed expansion onto prime farm soil. I will vote no on any UGB expansion that paves over high-value Class I and II farm soils for speculative industrial parks or data centers, ignores the people who actually live there, or leaves current taxpayers on the hook for new infrastructure costs. Before I would ever vote yes, a city has to prove three things: that it has already used the land inside its current borders efficiently, that the expansion is strictly for real local housing needs (especially affordable and workforce housing), and that the water, sewer, and road upgrades are paid for up front instead of sticking current residents with the bill for developers. **County commissioners also serve as the Clean Water Services board. This year CWS raised sewer and stormwater rates 6.4% for customers it bills directly. As a CWS board member, what would you do about rates and about oversight of the agency?** For too long, the Board of Commissioners has treated Clean Water Services like an afterthought. Meanwhile, working families and seniors on fixed incomes get hit with a 6.4% rate hike on top of rising grocery and power bills. Real oversight means separating the cost of industrial growth from residential utility bills. Households shouldn't be paying for the massive stormwater and sewer pipes needed for tech and industrial developments. As a CWS board member, I will push for an independent audit of rates and capital projects, overhaul System Development Charges (SDCs) so corporate developers pay the true cost of expanding the system, and expand rate relief for low-income families and seniors. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** I’m not a career politician climbing a party ladder. I’m a small business owner, a mom, and a neighbor who got into local government to make sure Main Street businesses and working family farms get a fair shake. Whether it’s standing alone to protect farmland, going to court to stop secret corporate tax breaks, or calling out unpermitted surveillance cameras in our neighborhoods, you will never have to wonder whose side I’m on. I represent the people who elect me, not the municipalities.

County and legislative candidate questionnaires Steve CallawayCounty Commission, District 4Kipperlyn SinclairCounty Commission, District 4Darcey EdwardsState House, District 31Tom L. ForestState House, District 31 _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to both candidates for Washington County Commission District 4. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Former Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway faces Hillsboro City Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair for the open District 4 seat on the Washington County Board of Commissioners on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for District 4, in order?** First, supporting families and a strong local economy. People should be able to live, work, and raise their families in the communities they love. As Hillsboro's mayor, I worked on housing, transportation, infrastructure, and economic development. Those issues are connected, and we need practical solutions that help local businesses thrive and families get ahead. Second, public safety and essential services. Residents deserve safe neighborhoods, reliable emergency response, maintained roads, and services they can count on. We must make thoughtful decisions about county spending while protecting the services people need most. Third, preserving the character of our communities. Western Washington County is special because of its small towns, farms, forests, and strong sense of community. Growth is inevitable, but losing what makes this area special isn't. We need to plan carefully and protect what matters. **In 2025 the county closed a $20.5 million budget gap with cuts to road projects, the library system that serves Banks and Forest Grove, and vacant sheriff's deputy positions. If the county faces another shortfall during your term, which services would you protect first, and where would you look for savings or new revenue?** I've worked through difficult budgets as mayor, and I know there are rarely easy answers. My first priority would be public safety, emergency response, and essential services. In western Washington County, maintaining roads and supporting libraries are particularly important because residents often have fewer alternatives. Before looking for additional revenue, I'd examine how we're spending existing dollars. Are programs delivering results? Can we reduce administrative expenses, improve operations, or partner with other jurisdictions? Sometimes difficult decisions are unavoidable. When that happens, the public deserves to understand the choices, the consequences, and the alternatives. I also recognize that families and businesses are already stretched financially. Raising taxes or fees shouldn't be our first response to a budget challenge. **County staff say data centers accounted for 82% of the property tax exempted through enterprise zones in the county in the 2025 tax year, about $84 million. What, if anything, should the county and Clean Water Services do about data centers over the next four years?** I served as mayor of a city that helped build Oregon's technology economy. I've seen the jobs, investment, and opportunities that industry can bring. I've also seen how development affects infrastructure and surrounding communities. Data centers raise important questions about water and electricity consumption, infrastructure costs, tax incentives, and whether communities receive a fair return. The county should examine the cumulative impacts of additional development and evaluate whether existing incentives are delivering their intended benefits. Clean Water Services should carefully assess infrastructure needs, associated costs, and who pays for them. Not every decision rests with county government. Cities, utilities, and state agencies have responsibilities too. We need to ask the right questions, understand the long-term consequences, and make informed decisions rather than simply assuming more development is always better. **How will you stay accessible to residents of places like Gales Creek, Timber, Manning and Verboort, who have no city government?** You can't represent people you don't know, and you can't get to know them sitting behind a desk. I've always enjoyed being out in the community. Whether it's a pancake breakfast, strawberry festival, or neighborhood gathering, those are opportunities to listen and build relationships. During this campaign, I've visited with parents and staff at Visitation, attended the St. Francis Steak Fry, talked with diners at the Sunset Hwy Bar & Grill, and driven to Timber to meet residents. District 4 has six incorporated cities, but our unincorporated communities deserve just as much attention. I'll continue making myself available by phone, email, and in person, and I'll keep showing up. Some of the best conversations happen around a breakfast table, not a government conference table. **The county board approves urban growth boundary changes for cities outside Metro's boundary, such as North Plains. When a District 4 city asks to grow onto farm or forestland, what would you need to see before voting yes, and what would make you vote no?** As Hillsboro's mayor, I dealt firsthand with the challenges of a growing community. Growth creates opportunities, but it also creates responsibilities. Before supporting an expansion, I'd want to understand why the land is needed, what alternatives exist, and whether the city can provide the necessary infrastructure. That means looking at roads, water, sewer, schools, public safety, and the long-term costs of serving new development. Just as importantly, I'd want to hear from farmers, property owners, neighbors, and residents who would be affected. I would be reluctant to support an expansion that unnecessarily consumes productive farmland, lacks a realistic infrastructure plan, or shifts unreasonable costs onto existing residents. Once farmland is developed, we don't get it back. These decisions deserve careful consideration. **County commissioners also serve as the Clean Water Services board. This year CWS raised sewer and stormwater rates 6.4% for customers it bills directly. As a CWS board member, what would you do about rates and about oversight of the agency?** Clean Water Services provides essential services, and maintaining that infrastructure is important. But every rate increase affects households and businesses. As a board member, I'd want to understand what we're spending, why we're spending it, and whether we're getting good value. That means examining capital projects, operating expenses, financial controls, and proposed rate increases. I'd ask whether projects are necessary, whether alternatives exist, and how costs affect customers. I'm also open to discussing whether the Clean Water Services Board should include more than county commissioners. Adding a couple of local elected officials and residents from across Washington County could bring useful perspectives to the table. Good board members don't simply approve reports. They prepare, ask questions, and make sure they understand the decisions they're making. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** Before serving on the Hillsboro City Council or becoming mayor, I was an educator and school principal in western Washington County. Those years shaped how I approach leadership. As a principal, you work with students, parents, teachers, and families who don't always see things the same way. You learn to listen, find common ground, and solve problems together. I carried those lessons into public office. I've always believed that the biggest decisions require the biggest conversations. That means bringing people into the discussion, especially when decisions are difficult. It means recognizing that no one has a monopoly on good ideas. I also believe we can disagree without being disagreeable. We don't have to share the same opinions to treat one another with respect. I've spent much of my life serving this community because I care deeply about the people who call it home. Washington County's future will be shaped by the decisions we make today. I want to make sure we're listening to the people who will live with those decisions tomorrow. You can't effectively represent a community if you're not willing to be part of it.

PORTLAND — Following President Donald Trump’s escalating attacks on vote-by-mail in the run-up to the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Oregon’s secretary of state, 36 county clerks and election officials in August conducted an experiment. They sent and tracked 108 pieces of mail on three separate weekdays to see if they could identify how long it was taking for the U.S. Postal Service to postmark and deliver regular mail to a county elections office in each of Oregon’s 36 counties. Secretary of State Tobias Read shared the results of the experiment at a news conference Tuesday. Despite the results showing that all pieces of mail would have been postmarked in time to count in an election if they were a ballot, there were wide discrepancies in timing in eastern Oregon and rural counties due to years of Postal Service budget cuts, including the loss of night pickup at many rural post offices. One piece of mail delivered to the elections office in Harney County took 11 days to arrive from the day it was sent, though it had been postmarked within a few days. Under Oregon law, ballots that arrive up to a week after Election Day can be counted if they receive a postmark on or before Election Day. “You can be confident your ballot will be postmarked and delivered on time if you mail it at least a week before election day,” Read said. That means completed ballots must be in the mail by Tuesday, Oct. 27 to be counted in the Nov. 3 election. If a ballot is not in the mail by then, Read urged Oregonians to take it to a ballot drop box or county elections office. Election workers will mail ballots beginning Wednesday. Read also previewed a soon-to-launch statewide ballot tracking website that was previously only available to Oregonians in Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Yamhill and Marion counties. Oregonians in the state’s other 31 counties will be able to sign up at OregonVotes.gov/track to receive a text, call or email alerting them when their ballot is sent to their address, when it’s received by the county elections office and when it’s accepted for counting. The site is not yet live but is expected to launch within the next few days. The statewide expansion of the ballot tracking service is only available for the 2026 midterm election, and it is being funded with part of a $1.25 million allocation in September from the Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board. Some of that money has also been used to add more than 20 new ballot boxes to several counties across the state, bringing the total across Oregon to more than 300. Daniel Cortez, president of the Oregon chapter of the American Postal Workers Union, joined Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read at a news conference in Portland on Oct. 13, 2026. (Photo by Alex Baumhardt/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Daniel Cortez, president of the Oregon chapter of the American Postal Workers Union, joined Read at the news conference and reiterated his calls to get ballots in the mail at least a week in advance of Nov. 3. “It used to be postmark meant: when the postal service received that item. Now, it’s when it goes across a machine. And as the secretary said, that could be a few days after originally being dropped off or placed in the mail,” Cortez explained. He said Oregonians are also welcome to walk up to a USPS retail counter, get a postmark from the clerk on the spot and submit their ballot. He said his union members, who have handled Oregon’s primarily vote-by-mail system for nearly two decades, will be taking election materials seriously. “The attacks on vote-by-mail that we’re seeing, both from our nation’s capital and, unfortunately, here in Oregon, are terrible,” he said. “Not only are they an affront to our democracy, but they are attacking my members’ integrity, and trying to say that somehow we will not deliver mail that we have been entrusted to deliver. It’s a sacred trust.” Read encouraged Oregonians to “remain vigilant” in the face of any voter intimidation attempts over the next three weeks, especially from federal officials. Trump has refused to rule out sending troops to polling locations, and armed National Guard troops have been photographed in front of ballot boxes in Washington, D.C., though Guard officials have said the troops were loitering around the boxes, not guarding them. Read said if Oregonians notice tampering at ballot boxes or intimidation they should not physically intervene, but either call law enforcement at 911, call their local elections office or call the Secretary of State’s hotline. **If you believe your rights as an Oregon voter have been violated:** Contact the Secretary of State’s Office at 503-986-1518 or elections.sos@sos.oregon.gov “It’s completely unacceptable, but unfortunately, it is not surprising for this administration,” Read said. He added that the recent surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and arrests in the state late last week, including agents who surrounded a fruit and vegetable processor in Brooks to conduct arrests, and who tear-gassed a crowd of protestors in Salem over the weekend, raises questions about federal interference in Oregon close to an election. “I cannot believe that that timing is coincidental,” he said. “This is another important reminder to know your rights and be prepared to vote this November.” _This story originally appeared in the_ Oregon Capital Chronicle_and is republished here under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Read more stories at_ oregoncapitalchronicle.com_._

Accordion players will take turns playing at the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center on Sunday, Oct. 25, at the Accordion Autumnfest. It runs from 1:30 to 5 p.m. at 2037 Douglas St. Admission is $5 for adults, and children get in free. Paul Smith is the featured player at 4 p.m. The poster says Smith is best known for the years he spent as a featured accordionist at the Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel, and that he also performed regularly in French, German and Irish restaurants in the greater Portland area. Smith, 74, lives "about three miles above Estacada" and started playing accordion when he was 7, he said in a phone interview. His run at the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest was about 35 years, he said. "I haven't done it in the last few years. I've had some trouble with my hand, fingers locking up on me, and I just kind of thought I'd better not get on the stage anymore," Smith said. "I worked with some great musicians, and my son drums for me ... I had a good run, that's what I told them." Smith said he had to cancel his Forest Grove appearance last year. "My hand got real bad, and I hated to do it, but it's gotten better," he said. "I've done some things to help it, so I'm hoping to have a good one this October." Smith said he had been "dormant" with the accordion until seven or eight years ago, when a friend from the Puyallup area who was hosting an accordion club there got in touch. The two had played together at the Edelweiss Inn in Vancouver in 1973, 1974 and 1975. "He got a hold of me and said, 'Hey, you got to come up here and play,' and so I had to really practice a lot," Smith said. Doris Osgood of Forest Grove, who hosts the event with the Tualatin Valley Accordionists for the Northwest Accordion Society, started the gatherings, then called "socials," in the autumn of 1991. "Because many of us wanted to play in places other than skanky venues that we'd never take our children, I hoped to invite players to Forest Grove twice yearly to play at the senior/community center," Osgood said in an email. In the early years, many professional players took part when they could, and people traveled from Seattle, Tacoma, the Tri-Cities, Walla Walla, Roseburg, Medford and Vancouver, Washington, along with Portland, Beaverton and Hillsboro, she said. "With the closure of all of the large accordion studios that once provided social interaction along with performance and adjudication, accordion players needed connection," Osgood said. "The socials provided that." A few years ago the name was changed to the Spring Accordion Celebration and the Accordion Autumnfest. "Attendance ebbs and flows," Osgood said. She said the events average about 80 to 100 people, and because it's a long day, many of the senior listeners come for a short time. Players who want a spot on the program are asked to RSVP to Osgood for a time slot. Remaining times go to players who sign up at the door. Each player gets two selections or one longer piece, up to eight minutes, and the poster says young players are always welcome. Smith said he doesn't play anywhere regularly, but he plays for accordion clubs, including the Rose City Accordion Club in Portland and clubs in Seattle and Puyallup. Those clubs have a featured player, then open the program to anyone who signs up, with about eight to 10 minutes each for a couple of songs, he said. Quite a few young people are taking an interest in the accordion, Smith said. "Some of them are really going to be really good, you know," he said. "They already are." According to the poster, the Tualatin Valley Accordionists will also perform. A small ensemble from the Rose City Accordion Club will play two songs, according to the fall issue of the Northwest Accordion News. Featured players are new in recent years, Osgood said. Last spring, Sergei Teleshev and his daughter Maria Telesheva were featured. Telesheva has received scholarship support from the event since she was young. She first played there at age 6, and more recently as a high school graduate with a music scholarship to the University of Oregon. A raffle at the Autumnfest benefits the youth scholarship fund named for the late Chester Pietka, a master accordionist, teacher and music store owner in Eugene who had a large studio of students for many years. Osgood said Pietka discovered the Forest Grove event and always came to help encourage young players. Osgood had a small scholarship fund before she met Pietka. After he died, many people donated in his memory so young players would have money for lessons, she said. "The amount of the scholarship varies depending upon the funds available," Osgood said. "Generally I'm able to give the young applicants enough to cover 6 months worth of lessons." Players 18 and under who take lessons from a recognized teacher, or want to start with one, can apply with a written request in their own words that gives their age, their goals for playing, their teacher's name and general information about themselves, according to the Northwest Accordion News. Requests go to Osgood. As of Oct. 11, no young players had committed to play this fall, but Osgood said she expects two or three. She has received RSVPs from a few people out of state. Sheet music and light refreshments will be available. The gatherings are held on the fourth Sundays of April and October. Players who want a time slot can reach Osgood at 503-357-0417 or dorisosgood32@gmail.com.

Oregon’s governor has effectively issued a moratorium on new data centers and data center expansions in the state by ordering environmental regulators to pause approving new state and federal air and water pollution permits for data center projects until next July. Kotek issued the order Friday in a letter to Leah Feldon, director of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The La Grande-based nonprofit Oregon Rural Action, which has called for a statewide three-year data center moratorium, shared the news in an email on Tuesday. “This time limited pause will provide an opportunity for me to evaluate and digest recommendations forthcoming from the Advisory Committee, and to provide space for policy and/or regulatory reforms that may be considered in the upcoming 2027 session of the Legislature with my support,” Kotek wrote in her letter to Feldon. Kotek’s seven-member Data Advisory Committee has held seven fact-finding meetings over nine months and in mid-September issued a 20-page “preliminary learnings and questions” report, a departure from the cost-benefit analysis of data centers in the state it was tasked with providing when it was established. The public has until 5 p.m. Oct. 24 to submit comments based on the report. Kotek has declined repeated requests from the Capital Chronicle for more than two months to discuss the data center industry in Oregon and emerging issues with the data centers among Oregonians. She is expected to propose a policy to address concerns in January when the Legislature next meets. She did not publicly announce her directions to Feldon ahead of Tuesday night’s final gubernatorial debate with Republican opponent and state Sen. Christine Drazan, who has repeatedly attacked Kotek for previously supporting tax breaks for data centers. Instead, the governor used official channels over recent days to highlight her support for Oregon’s immigrant communities and a Tuesday executive order directing state agencies to look for ways to reduce health care costs. Kotek’s latest order halting new air and water permitting follows a roughly one-year pause she recently ordered on approvals to develop data centers on state land or in state buildings. She has repeatedly insisted she lacks the power to order a statewide moratorium on data centers without legislative action. According to information provided by Kotek’s office, there are no state agencies currently considering permitting data centers on state land or property. Oregon Rural Action in a statement said the pause on air and water pollution permits could impact a proposed Amazon hyperscale facility in Boardman. An air pollution permit the company needs to build the facility is under review and approval is ultimately up to Feldon’s discretion, the group wrote. Local residents have sent dozens of public comments asking the environmental quality department to hold an in-person hearing on the hyperscale facility’s air quality permit, and 700 people have signed a petition calling for the hearing, according to the group. Adrienne Talbot, a spokesperson for Amazon, said the pause was issued abruptly and would “eliminate thousands of construction jobs, hundreds of onsite operational jobs, halt billions of dollars in planned investment and impact a key source of revenue for many Oregon communities and small businesses.” Oregon is among the top 10 markets for data centers in the U.S., according to Pew Research, and has for more than 20 years attracted massive server facilities due to the state’s lack of sales tax, moderate climate, relatively cheap electricity and generous property tax incentives for industrial development. Eastern Oregon is home to the state’s largest facilities, including most of Amazon’s data centers, a recent ECOnorthwest analysis found. _This story originally appeared in the_ Oregon Capital Chronicle_and is republished here under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Read more stories at_ oregoncapitalchronicle.com_._

Girls flag football will be an official high school sport in Oregon this spring, and the Forest Grove High School plans to field at least two teams. At its Monday meeting, the Oregon School Activities Association's Delegate Assembly voted to make girls flag football a sanctioned activity. The first sanctioned season is spring 2027, after two years as an emerging activity, according to the OSAA's announcement. Oregon is the 25th state to sanction the sport. Fifty-seven varsity teams played last spring, with more than 1,400 participants. Tualatin beat South Salem 32-26 at Liberty High School to win the season's culminating event. Forest Grove High School Athletic Director Doug Thompson said 38 girls played for the Vikings last spring, on a varsity schedule with some added JV games. "This coming season we anticipate an increase in participation and plan on having at least two teams based on our numbers," Thompson said in an email. Perry Herbst, who coached the team last spring, will return as head coach, Thompson said. "It has become a very popular sport not only in FG but around the state and country," Thompson said. "We are excited that OSAA has now recognized it as an official sport, and we are looking forward to the season." Forest Grove went 2-8 last spring, 1-6 in league play, with wins over St. Mary's Academy and Tillamook, according to the OSAA. Nike pledged home and away jerseys for every Oregon varsity team that plays in the inaugural season, and for any school that adds the sport in its first three sanctioned seasons. The Seattle Seahawks donated $30,000 to expand opportunities across the state and provided equipment to help schools start programs, according to the OSAA. Girls flag football is the second sport the OSAA has added through its emerging activity process, after boys volleyball in 2025-26. It will also be played at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. A plan book and dates for the 2027 season will come later, according to the OSAA.

Forest Grove's monthly building activity report for September lists permits for four new one- and two-family homes, but the total value of the month's permits is down from August of this year and from September 2025. Sixty permits with a total value of $1,530,185 are shown on the report's total line for September, though the report's category counts add up to 61. In August, 72 permits, including 10 for new one- and two-family homes, had a total value of $5,183,412. ### This post is for subscribers only Become a member to get access to all content Subscribe now

The Forest Grove City Council voted 7-0 Monday to stop accepting and approving applications for new data centers for 120 days. Councilor Brian Schimmel moved to adopt Resolution 2026-47 at a special meeting that began just after 4 p.m. and lasted about 35 minutes, and Council President Mariana Valenzuela seconded the motion. No one may submit, and the city may not accept, process, approve or issue, new applications or permits for land use approval or construction of a new data center as a principal use under the resolution. It also covers expanding an existing data center by 20% or more. It takes effect on adoption and lasts 120 calendar days. Its written findings cite four areas of concern: the city's economy, housing, electricity, and public health and the environment. News in the Grove laid out those concerns in a preview published Monday morning. City Attorney Josh Soper told the council that one sentence had been added to the end of Section 1 since the meeting packet was published. "There may have been a lack of clarity about the scope of when the moratorium applies and doesn't apply," Soper said. The new sentence makes clear the moratorium is not intended to apply where someone has already received land use approval for a data center, Soper said. Schimmel asked how the change would affect an existing project. Soper said the project has already received land use approval, so the intent is that the moratorium would not stop it from building what was approved, and asked staff to speak up if that was wrong. The moratorium would apply to future land use applications, such as for an expansion or an additional phase, Soper said. Soper said the added sentence is in line with the vested rights doctrine, under which a developer that has started a project and invested enough in it can see it through. Asked whether the land use application approved in 2024 was for three phases, staff said it was for two buildings that could be built in multiple phases, along with associated site improvements. Three people testified at the hearing, including Cherie Savoie Tintary, who spoke in favor of the moratorium. "Six years ago, I had lung cancer," said Tintary, a nonsmoker. Emissions from data centers would "really affect people like me," Tintary said. Responding to the testimony, staff said the moratorium "will provide the opportunity for us to review our codes and look at possible amendments," that state law sets a process the city must follow to amend its development code, and that staff hope to do that within the 120 days. Forest Grove gave public notice of the special meeting at 3 p.m. Sunday, about 25 hours ahead, according to Mayor Malynda Wenzl and Senior Planner Dan Riordan. "I saw some comments like, oh, there's only 24 or 25-hour notice, like you're not allowing for community input. And I'm going to push back against that and say we are up here at this special meeting because we've been listening," Wenzl said. If the work isn't finished in time, the council could agree to ask to extend the moratorium, Wenzl said. "I don't want to speak for all of us, but I believe what I've heard is that the intention is for us to do the work in 120 days," Wenzl said. "This kicks off the timeframe where we can have a conversation about changing our rules," Councilor Angel Falconer said. Falconer said the council has to change its rules "in a way that meets our obligations as policy makers" and doesn't waste community resources. Councilor Donna Gustafson asked whether the city could publicize its next steps, with dates or approximate dates, so the community can follow along. Schimmel asked whether the city would partner with Hillsboro on an environmental evaluation or hire its own contractor. Wenzl said that was a conversation for a later work session. Under Section 3 of the resolution, the council must review the moratorium within 120 days and decide whether it needs to be extended or repealed.

Parents and guardians of teens getting ready for a driver's permit can learn the process step by step at a free Forest Grove Police Department class from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Forest Grove City Library. Teen Drivers 101 covers the requirements for a permit and license, teaching tips, laws that apply to teen drivers, auto insurance, and getting ready for the written and skills tests, according to the city's event listing. Drivers manuals and other resources will be available. "No sign ups are required for the class. It is primarily for parents/guardians, however their teen driver is also welcome," said Lauren Quinsland, community outreach specialist for the Forest Grove Police Department. Quinsland will present the class. "We know that the process of getting a permit and licensure can be daunting, especially for those of us who took our permit test with a pencil and paper and roundabouts weren't as common," Quinsland said. "Our hope is that parents/guardians can go into that process with confidence and feel like they have some tools to help their teen succeed – not just in passing the tests, but becoming responsible and safe drivers," she said. "This is our fourth class, and it's been exciting to see it grow," Quinsland said. "The plan is for the class to become a regular event throughout the year." The library is at 2114 Pacific Ave., across from Pacific University and the Forest Grove Post Office. For more information, email Quinsland at lquinsland@forestgrove-or.gov or call 503-992-3104.

Kaiser Permanente and the Portland Fire, Portland's WNBA team, are putting $10,000 toward food vouchers for shoppers at the Forest Grove Farmers Market on Wednesday, Oct. 14. "There are no rules on who can receive the food vouchers and we'll be distributing them until the $10,000 runs out," said Elizabeth Aguilera, director of communications for Adelante Mujeres, the Forest Grove nonprofit that runs the market. Each voucher is worth $25, according to the market. They will be handed out only during the Oct. 14 market, from 4 to 8 p.m., and can be spent at the Forest Grove Farmers Market through its last day of the season, Oct. 28. Wednesday's handout is part of "Latine Breast Cancer & Whole Health: A Day of Wellness," a pop-up at that night's market. Organizers said it brings breast health education, whole-health resources and health care access directly to the Latine community. Kaiser Permanente's Cancer Care Team will be there. The nonprofit Pink Lemonade Project will bring resources and a conversation with a Latina breast cancer survivor, and Project Access NOW will offer health care navigation and enrollment resources, including support for immigrant and uninsured communities. The Fire will bring a Pop-A-Shot basketball game. A Day of Wellness builds on the Fire's Mammogram March Madness campaign, which the team started in March for Women's History Month to promote breast cancer awareness and early detection alongside the college basketball tournament, Aguilera said. In March, the team held a Mammogram March Madness workshop in Portland with a youth skills camp and a panel. "We were community partners for that event, but since it was far away from our community the Fire is having another similar event for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but this time on the west side," Aguilera said. Aguilera and Andrea Chunga-Celis, Adelante Mujeres' director of development, sit on the Her Voice Council, a community advisory group for RAJ Sports, which owns the Fire and the Portland Thorns. Forest Grove is one stop in a monthlong Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign by the Thorns, the Fire and Kaiser Permanente with the Pink Lemonade Project, announced Oct. 2. That night is also the market's annual pet costume contest. All friendly pets are welcome, according to the market. Sign up from 5 to 6 p.m. at the information booth at 21st Avenue and Main Street. The pet parade runs from 6:30 to 7 p.m., and winners will be announced after the parade, with prizes for first, second and third place. The market runs Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. on Main Street between 21st Avenue and Pacific Avenue. Its last two markets of the season are a Halloween market on Oct. 21 and a Day of the Dead market on Oct. 28.

The Forest Grove/Cornelius Chamber of Commerce will host a free, public forum for Forest Grove City Council candidates from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Forest Grove Community Auditorium, 1915 Main St. Seven candidates are running for three councilor seats on the Nov. 3 ballot: Mallory Hiefield, Karen Martinez, Matthew Knight, Mariana Valenzuela, Chris Mejia, Sandra Pereyda and John LePari, according to the city's elections page. Six of them answered our candidate questionnaire. Five of the seven have confirmed they will attend, and the chamber is working to finalize participation from the other two, Claudia Yakos, the chamber's executive director, said in an email. A meet and greet with the candidates opens the evening at 5:30 p.m., before the moderated forum begins. Jeannine Murrell, a past district governor of Rotary District 5100, and Blake Timm, associate director of communications at Pacific University, will moderate. Attendees can submit questions for the candidates that night, and the moderators will present as many as time permits, Yakos said. No registration is required. "Our goal is to provide a welcoming, nonpartisan setting where residents can meet the candidates, hear their perspectives, and better understand their priorities for Forest Grove," Yakos said. Yakos said the chamber hosted a similar forum during the previous City Council election, and TVCTV will cover this one. Details are on the chamber's event page. Council candidates were also invited to a Forest Grove American Legion Post 2 forum at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at the American Legion Hall, 2003 21st Ave., Michael Perrault of the post said in an email.

As controversy over a boom in new data center construction grows, Forest Grove is the latest Washington County city to consider a temporary halt on new facilities. The City Council will meet at 4 p.m. Monday in a special session to hold a public hearing on a resolution that would stop the city from accepting or approving applications for new data centers for 120 days. Resolution 2026-47 is the only item of business at the meeting, set for Monday, Oct. 12, in the Community Auditorium, 1915 Main St., and on Zoom. Adjournment is scheduled for 5 p.m. A regular council meeting will be held that evening at 7 p.m. Hillsboro's City Council enacted a 120-day moratorium on applications for new and expanded data centers and battery energy storage facilities at a special meeting July 27, according to that city's website. Tigard's City Council took up data centers June 23 and agreed that updates giving them their own use category in the city's development code could be part of a code project planned for later this year, according to that city's recap of the meeting. Beaverton's council voted 7-0 on June 16 for a resolution supporting that city's existing prohibition on utility-scale, standalone data centers, according to the signed resolution. In Banks, the City Council was briefed on data centers at a Sept. 8 work session and heard that the city's code doesn't list them among the permitted uses in its industrial zone, so an application would likely need a review in which the city decides whether the use is allowed, according to the city's recording of the session. Washington County commissioners discussed a moratorium for unincorporated areas Sept. 1 and did not reach consensus to start the process, according to a data center FAQ page on the county's website. ## Where Washington County cities stand on data centers What each city council has done about data centers in the past year, from pausing new ones to not taking it up. * __Adopted a moratorium * __Moratorium hearing scheduled * __Briefed on or discussed data centers * __Took other action on data centers * __No data center item on a council agenda * __Records incomplete Hover over a dot for details. Click it for the sources.Tap a dot for details and sources. See what every city has done, with sources * ### Hillsboro __Adopted a moratorium **Sept. 9, 2026:** The Planning Commission approved proposed code changes that define data centers and set where they would be allowed, limited or prohibited, and sent them to the City Council. City of Hillsboro **July 27, 2026:** The City Council enacted a 120-day moratorium on applications for new and expanded data centers and battery energy storage facilities at a special meeting. It expires Nov. 24, and the council could extend it for six months, the city says. City of Hillsboro * ### Forest Grove __Moratorium hearing scheduled **Oct. 12, 2026:** The City Council holds a public hearing at a 4 p.m. special meeting on Resolution 2026-47, which would stop the city from accepting or approving applications for new data centers for 120 days. City meeting packet **Aug. 26, 2026:** An attorney for the city notified the state that Forest Grove might consider a moratorium, according to emails in the meeting packet. City meeting packet * ### Banks __Briefed on or discussed data centers **Sept. 8, 2026:** The City Council was briefed on data centers at a work session and heard that the city's code doesn't list them among the permitted uses in its industrial zone, so an application would likely need a review in which the city decides whether the use is allowed. City recording of the work session **July 14, 2026:** City Attorney Dan Kearns told the City Council at a work session that a data center was unlikely to come to Banks and that he didn't think a moratorium was warranted. Councilors asked for a session with the city's planners on how the city's code applies. City recording of the work session **June 9, 2026:** The City Council discussed whether the city's code already prohibited data centers, and staff agreed to review the code for the next month's work session, according to meeting minutes. City Council minutes * ### North Plains __Briefed on or discussed data centers **Sept. 21, 2026:** Councilor Anna Warrington led a City Council discussion of banning data centers. All councilors generally agreed data centers are not a desirable land use for North Plains, and the interim city manager said he would work out next steps with the Planning Commission, according to draft minutes. No vote was taken. City Council draft minutes **Sept. 9, 2026:** The Planning Commission's chair said no ban is necessary at this time because the city lacks the power grid, water supply and land inside its urban growth boundary to support data centers, according to draft minutes. Planning Commission draft minutes **May 18, 2026:** Mayor Aaron Dumbrow said the council had already directed the Planning Commission to update the zoning code to prohibit data centers, according to meeting minutes. City Council minutes * ### Sherwood __Briefed on or discussed data centers **Jan. 24, 2026:** At a goal-setting work session, the City Council discussed potential data centers and asked staff to bring more information and a possible data center policy to a later work session, according to meeting minutes. City Council minutes No data center item appears on a Sherwood council agenda after that, through Oct. 6, 2026. * ### Tigard __Briefed on or discussed data centers **June 23, 2026:** The City Council took up data centers at the mayor's request. Staff said they are considering a new code category for data centers, and a majority of councilors agreed staff did not need to work on that change separately from a larger code update, according to meeting minutes. City Council minutes No moratorium or hearing on one appears on a Tigard council agenda from October 2025 through Oct. 6, 2026. * ### Beaverton __Took other action on data centers **June 16, 2026:** The City Council voted 7-0 for a resolution supporting the city's current prohibition on utility-scale, standalone data centers. The resolution says it is not meant to limit technology infrastructure that is accessory to a permitted use. City of Beaverton Resolution No. 4961 No moratorium or hearing on one appears on a Beaverton council agenda from October 2025 through Oct. 6, 2026. * ### Cornelius __No data center item on a council agenda **May 4, 2026:** During a presentation on Clean Water Services' rates, the City Council's discussion touched on the effect of future data centers on wastewater treatment, according to work session minutes. City Council minutes No data center item appears on a Cornelius council or planning commission agenda from October 2025 through Oct. 5, 2026. * ### Durham __No data center item on a council agenda Nothing about data centers appears in Durham council or planning commission minutes or agendas from October 2025 through Oct. 13, 2026. * ### King City __No data center item on a council agenda No data center item appears on a King City council or planning commission agenda from October 2025 through Sept. 23, 2026, the latest posted. * ### Tualatin __No data center item on a council agenda No data center item appears on a Tualatin council or planning commission agenda from October 2025 through Oct. 12, 2026. * ### Gaston __Records incomplete Nothing about data centers appears in the nine council agendas and packets available, from October 2025 through July 2026. Records for several meetings from May through September 2026 were not available online. * ### Unincorporated Washington County __Discussed a moratorium, did not move ahead **Sept. 1, 2026:** County commissioners discussed a moratorium for areas outside cities at a work session and did not reach consensus to start the process. They directed staff to draft a resolution for a later meeting. Washington County data center FAQ How we checked: News in the Grove searched the council agendas, packets and minutes each city has posted online since October 2025 for data center items and read the records it found. Minutes for the most recent meetings were not yet posted in most cities. Hillsboro's entry comes from the city's own announcements. Updated Oct. 12, 2026. City and county boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. If adopted, the resolution would bar anyone from submitting, and the city from accepting, processing, approving or issuing, new applications or permits for land use approval or construction of a new data center as a principal use. It would also apply to expanding an existing data center by 20% or more. It would take effect immediately on adoption and stay in effect for 120 calendar days. State law limits a moratorium of this kind to an initial 120 days, and the council could renew it for additional periods of no more than six months each, according to a staff report by City Attorney Josh Soper. A moratorium is "a temporary pause on development" and "not a permanent ban on development," the report says. Data centers are now permitted outright in all of Forest Grove's industrial zones, and the city has no land use regulations written specifically for them, according to the report. The council has acted on other fronts. Mayor Malynda Wenzl told News in the Grove on Oct. 6 that the council created a higher electric rate tier for large loads and let the city's enterprise zone expire, which she said "will now not give tax abatements to data centers for right now." Soper's report raises concerns in four areas: the city's economy, housing, electricity, and public health and the environment. On the economy, Forest Grove's Economic Opportunities Analysis projects 3,843 new jobs through 2044 under the highest of its three growth scenarios, which would require an estimated 235 net acres of employment land. Forest Grove has enough of that land in total but only two sites larger than 20 acres and none larger than 50, according to findings attached to the resolution. Data centers typically need large sites, and building them in the city could consume its developable large-scale employment land and "generate a disproportionately low number of jobs," the report says. On housing, the city is working on a Housing Capacity Analysis that staff expect will find Forest Grove lacks enough buildable residential land to meet demand over the next 20 years. To address the anticipated shortfall, the city may need to consider measures such as rezoning industrial land for housing, and data centers could consume land that may be required for that, the report says. On electricity, Forest Grove runs its own utility, Forest Grove Light & Power, which gets its power from the Bonneville Power Administration. A study by ECOnorthwest and the University of Virginia, cited in the report and included in the meeting packet, estimates that data center electricity use was equal to about 23% of statewide retail electricity sales in 2025, up from 11.6% in 2022. Its scenarios put that share at about one-third in 2030. Evidence also indicates data centers can affect public health and the environment through air and noise pollution, waste heat and chemicals discharged into wastewater, and the city's current regulations may not be enough to prevent that, the report says. City staff have started studying those effects and reviewing the city's regulations, but a data center could proceed under the current rules while that work is in progress, according to the report and the findings. Staff made no recommendation on the resolution. As defined in the resolution, a data center is a facility used for storing, processing or managing digital data, including those used for colocation, cloud computing, artificial intelligence training or inference, or digital asset mining. Telecommunications switching, routing and network transmission centers that mainly carry voice, video or broadband communications aren't included. Before a city can adopt a moratorium, state law requires it to hold at least one public hearing, adopt written findings and notify the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development at least 45 days before the final public hearing, the report says. An attorney for the city sent that notice Aug. 26, according to emails in the meeting packet. Testimony at the hearing must be directed to the criteria a moratorium has to meet, the report says. Written testimony can be submitted through the city's Contact City Council form, and the city asks that it name the item and say whether it is in favor of, against or neutral to the resolution, according to a meeting notice from City Recorder Mariah Woods. The Zoom meeting ID is 850 7572 2488 and the passcode is 97116. Councilors hold their regular meeting at 7 p.m. in the same room, with a public comment period. A work session follows at 8:30 p.m., listed on the agenda as "City Discussion Regarding Federal Activities." A presentation prepared for the session says staff will review past city actions related to federal immigration activity and update the council on an "ICE encounter at the FG Police Department." No public comment will be taken and the council will take no formal action at the work session, the agenda says.

A former appointed state senator and a Clatsop County commissioner will compete against each other in November to represent Oregon’s politically split North Coast in the state Senate. The seat stretches between the coastal towns of Neskowin and Astoria and east into parts of Washington and Columbia counties. Sen. Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook, holds the seat, but she can’t seek reelection because she participated in a six-week quorum-denying walkout protesting Democratic bills in 2023. A constitutional amendment Oregonians voted for in 2022 bars lawmakers who miss more than 10 floor sessions without an excused absence from seeking reelection. Democrat Rachel Armitage and Republican Courtney Bangs are stepping up to fill that seat, but first they’ll have to convince the mostly nonaffiliated registered voters in Oregon’s 16th State Senate District to vote for them. There are slightly more registered Republican voters in the district than there are Democrats, though prior to Weber’s 2022 election Democrats had represented the area for two decades. At a Tuesday candidate forum at Astoria High School, Armitage framed herself as a candidate who’s been involved in the community from a young age and ready to split from her party if it means voting in the best interest of the district. Armitage previously served in the same senate seat when county commissioners in 2022 appointed her to finish former state Sen. Betsy Johnson’s seat after she resigned to run as an Independent candidate for governor. Armitage served in the Senate for a year. Bangs, a county commissioner of five years, pitched herself as a working-class mom who has pushed to improve rural childcare, coastal highways and the overall cost of living. “I’ve always said that if you want to get something accomplished, you ask a busy woman to do it because we don’t have time to waste in accomplishing what we need to get done,” Bangs said. ## The candidates for Oregon’s North Coast senate seat ## Rachel Armitage **Party:** Democrat **Age:** 35 **Residence:** St. Helens **Education:** Bachelor’s degree in Geography and Political Science from University of Oregon, currently studying for a master’s in liberal studies at Reed College **Current occupation:** Substitute teacher **Prior elected experience:** Previously appointed as senator **Fundraising:** $80,000 raised in 2025 and 2026 as of Thursday **Cash on hand:** $15,347 as of Thursday ## Courtney Bangs **Party:** Republican **Age:** 47 **Residence:** Knappa **Education:** Bachelor’s degree in animal science and master’s degree in agricultural education from Oregon State University **Current occupation:** Substitute teacher **Prior elected experience:** Clatsop County Commissioner **Fundraising:** $540,600 raised in 2025 and 2026 as of Thursday **Cash on hand:** $23,000 as of Thursday Forum moderator Craig Hoppes, superintendent of the Astoria School District, asked both candidates about their stances on transportation funding — one of the most pressing issues whoever is elected will have to face. The Oregon Department of Transportation is facing a $200 million budget gap for the 2027-29 cycle. If lawmakers don’t find a fix, the department says it would have to eliminate hundreds of positions and cut preventative and urgent maintenance services for the state’s roads, bridges and highways. Democratic lawmakers in 2025 tried to raise money for the department by raising the gas tax by 6 cents along with increasing car registration and title fees and the payroll tax meant to fund public transit. A Republican-led referendum in May blocked those fees from taking effect. Armitage said she opposed raising the gas tax last year, and she also opposed the move by Oregon Democrats to shift the controversial gas and transportation tax referendum to the May primary election ballot from November’s general election. “I don’t think that working families got a fair deal,” Armitage said. “If we think the gas tax is bad, when you’re on minimum wage and you’re working 40 hours a week at a restaurant and you’re paying a fee to get your license or your vehicle renewed, that takes a healthy chunk of your paycheck and that can be destabilizing for working families in a way that is not acceptable.” To bridge some of the transportation funding gap, Armitage said she supports charging road user fees for electric commercial fleets that the Legislature currently exempts. Bangs also opposed the gas tax, even helping gather signatures for the referendum that killed it. Oregon’s roads need the state’s attention, but the transportation agency needs to have accountability with the money it spends, she said. “When I saw that package come from the state and recognized that an abundant amount of the money was going to go to administrative fees or hiring new managers, I realized that that money wasn’t going to be hitting our roads,” Bangs said. “I also recognized that an abundant amount of that money was going to be going to the Portland metro area.” She didn’t specify a funding source she’d support to fix Oregon’s roads. Hoppes also asked the candidates about their stances on abortion. Bangs said she doesn’t support abortion because of her faith, but she doesn’t see abortion access in Oregon changing anytime soon. Instead, Bangs said she’d like to do more to support women who are seeking or sought abortion. As county commissioner, Bangs helped lead the creation of a grant program funded through public and private funds to increase childcare across the North Coast, and during the pandemic, she started a food delivery program to families in need. Armitage commended Bangs for that work, saying the government should do more to make it easier to have children. > Gas tax, party switch are undercurrents in North Coast Oregon House race “A lot of my friends are choosing not to have children because it’s just too expensive,” Armitage said. “I fundamentally believe in a woman’s right to choose. I don’t think that the government needs to be anywhere near our bodies in any respect, and I think that we need to make our society a whole lot better for parents and children in many ways.” To boost job opportunities in the North Coast, Armitage said she’d push to cut red tape and fund grant programs that boost small businesses. She’d also push for investments in wastewater treatment so people can create more jobs. Bangs said she’d adopt recommendations from Gov. Tina Kotek’s prosperity council, a nonpartisan group of business advisers charged with recommending ways to boost economic development. Bangs said she’d start with reducing payroll taxes and raising the ceiling for Oregon’s corporate activity tax, which applies to businesses with more than $1 million in sales or other commercial activity. Counties will begin mailing ballots to registered voters on Oct. 14. The last recommended day to return ballots by mail is Oct. 27. To return ballots using a drop box, voters must turn in their ballots by 8 p.m. Nov. 3. _This story originally appeared in the_ Oregon Capital Chronicle_and is republished here under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Read more stories at_ oregoncapitalchronicle.com_._

We sent the same seven questions to all eight candidates for Forest Grove mayor and City Council ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Six of the seven council candidates returned written answers, which appear as they submitted them, and Mayor Malynda Wenzl, who is running unopposed, answered the questions by phone. Click a candidate below to read their answers. Forest Grove candidate questionnaires Malynda WenzlMayorMallory HiefieldCity CouncilMatthew S. KnightCity CouncilKaren MartinezCity CouncilChris MejiaCity CouncilSandra PereydaCity CouncilMariana ValenzuelaCity Council

Forest Grove candidate questionnaires Malynda WenzlMayorMallory HiefieldCity CouncilMatthew S. KnightCity CouncilKaren MartinezCity CouncilChris MejiaCity CouncilSandra PereydaCity CouncilMariana ValenzuelaCity Council _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to all eight candidates for Forest Grove mayor and City Council. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ City Council President Mariana Valenzuela is running for reelection. She is one of seven candidates for three Forest Grove City Council seats on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for Forest Grove, in order?** 1. Housing development focused on affordability and the protection of our land from negative environmental impacts. 2. Support for our local business community to promote growth and retention. 3. We create strength when we work together. I believe we should build bridges through partnerships to support our community. **Name one decision the City Council made in the past two years that you would have handled differently, and what you would have done instead. If you were on the council or were mayor at the time, tell us how you voted on that decision.** We voted 5-0 to allow the construction of Crane Data Center. At the time, we considered zoning and decided that Crane met the criteria. Unfortunately, the question before us was not whether we wanted a data center in our town, but rather whether Crane could build the data center on that land zoned for light industrial construction. I voted in favor. However, we are now working on our zoning codes and requirements that consider environmental impacts. **Over the past year, the Forest Grove City Council declared a state of emergency over federal immigration enforcement and set aside up to $50,000 for community groups (Nov. 10, 2025); declared Forest Grove a sanctuary city by resolution (Nov. 24, 2025); asked Washington County to suspend its contract with Flock Safety, a license-plate camera company (Nov. 24, 2025); and wrote sanctuary status into city code on a 6-1 vote (Jan. 12, 2026). A renewed emergency declaration expires Dec. 31, 2026. What, if anything, would you want the city to do on this issue in 2027, and why?** I voted in support of this resolution to mitigate the heavy emotional burden immigration enforcement brought on the community. It is important to build community trust so that everyone who lives in Forest Grove, regardless of immigration status, feels safe contacting public safety or emergency services. It has been heartbreaking to see working families separated and surrounded by uncertainty. I hope we continue to protect all members of our generous community. **Under state rules, Forest Grove must analyze how much housing it will need and whether it has enough buildable land inside its urban growth boundary to meet that need. What kinds of housing should Forest Grove add over the next decade, and what should the city do to get them built?** Forest Grove is working to meet state housing mandates, with an updated Housing Capacity Analysis expected by May next year. Because most local homes are single-family residences, we need more townhouses, duplexes, and subsidized and affordable options for low- and middle-income families. We must also protect and support our manufactured-home communities. **The city's urban renewal agency owns three downtown properties and plans to seek development proposals for them, expected by Dec. 31:** * **Theater Building: a study the city commissioned found it a viable site for a boutique hotel, likely with public help.** * **Site B and the Woodfold lot: two attempts to land a grocery store on Site B fell through, and an August study found a new grocery store is unlikely to succeed in Forest Grove for now. A public plaza and housing have been discussed, and the two lots could be offered together.** **What would you want built on these properties, and how much of the agency's roughly $1.5 million in incentive money should the city spend to get it?** I would like to see a boutique hotel in the Theater building. Site B and the Woodfold lot provide more options. Our community has expressed the need for a new grocery store. Yes, there was a project that fell through, but I am hopeful we can build a grocery store in the future. A combination of housing and a public plaza is also part of my vision. However, keeping new housing developments affordable must be a consideration. In terms of the funding, we should support these new developments by providing the necessary incentives. **Centro Cultural's contract to run the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center ends Dec. 31, and the city's Parks & Recreation Department takes over Jan. 1. The city plans to keep the senior programs and add recreation for all ages. Staff estimate a net first-year cost of about $30,200 beyond what's already budgeted. What should the center's priorities be under city management?** We will continue with the services for our seniors while at the same time, the City will create programs for all ages to make the center a place for all members of the community, including our youth. Centro has done a wonderful job by providing an inclusive place and they are working with the City through the transition period to not disrupt our community members activities. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** Serving the City of Forest Grove has been an honor, and I am running for reelection to keep our momentum going. Over the last four years, I have worked to support my community by voting in favor of parks, recreational programs, public safety, and to secure funding to repair aging infrastructure. Our work is ongoing and requires steady, experienced leadership to see it through. I ask for your vote so we can finish the work we started and ensure our city remains a vibrant, affordable place for everyone who has chosen Forest Grove to be their home.

Forest Grove candidate questionnaires Malynda WenzlMayorMallory HiefieldCity CouncilMatthew S. KnightCity CouncilKaren MartinezCity CouncilChris MejiaCity CouncilSandra PereydaCity CouncilMariana ValenzuelaCity Council _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to all eight candidates for Forest Grove mayor and City Council. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Sandra Pereyda is one of seven candidates for three Forest Grove City Council seats on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for Forest Grove, in order?** I'm Sandra Pereyda and my top 3 priorities are : 1.) The quality of life for Forest Grove residents 2.) No data centers. No Flock or ALPR cameras. 3.) Resources should be invested in the people who live, work and raise families here. **Name one decision the City Council made in the past two years that you would have handled differently, and what you would have done instead. If you were on the council or were mayor at the time, tell us how you voted on that decision.** On October 14, 2024 Forest Grove City council approved the site development application for the data center on Mountain View lane. This was extremely angering to me for 3 reasons. 1.) This data center is located next to 2 schools. There are no long term health studies on the affects these data centers will have on our students and families. We won't find out about any health issues until it's too late. 2.) This Data center is located near The Homestead, a 55+ community with no long term health studies. It is also located near urban residences where people live and raise their families and children. In the short term, it affects these families economically, as their houses have gone down in value, hinting at the fact that there is nothing desirable about living next to a data center. 3.) Fern Hill Wetlands is located on the other side of this Data center. No long term environmental studies have been made. I can only imagine the harm this is going to create. 4.) The voice of the community was not heard. There were community members in 2024, and despite the uproar about this data center, it was still approved. I would have voted no. I understand the legalities, but what protections are in place for us? Who is going to advocate for the community? We should have the ability to explore any legal avenue to be able to say no, especially when it’s the will of the people. **Over the past year, the Forest Grove City Council declared a state of emergency over federal immigration enforcement and set aside up to $50,000 for community groups (Nov. 10, 2025); declared Forest Grove a sanctuary city by resolution (Nov. 24, 2025); asked Washington County to suspend its contract with Flock Safety, a license-plate camera company (Nov. 24, 2025); and wrote sanctuary status into city code on a 6-1 vote (Jan. 12, 2026). A renewed emergency declaration expires Dec. 31, 2026. What, if anything, would you want the city to do on this issue in 2027, and why?** I fully support the state of emergency over federal immigration enforcement. I would actually support an increase in funds to this state of emergency. $50,000 helps support our community that is facing an extremely traumatic time. This is a time when POC and immigrants are being targeted. Regardless of status, people are being taken and thrown into detention centers, where they have little to no access to basic human rights, such as food or even medical attention. The data does not show that ICE is going after criminals. They continue to target hard working families that have built their life here. I have seen first hand how this money has helped our residents, our students and our loved ones. I want to continue to help people affected by the atrocities that I.C.E is commiting. I also would like to personally thank Centro Cultural for all their hard work and for helping connect our community to resources. **Under state rules, Forest Grove must analyze how much housing it will need and whether it has enough buildable land inside its urban growth boundary to meet that need. What kinds of housing should Forest Grove add over the next decade, and what should the city do to get them built?** I would love to see affordable housing being built in Forest Grove. Both houses for first time buyers, and apartment complexes that go based on average income for Forest Grovians. Housing is a human right, and it saddens me to hear that most people spend over 30% of their paycheck on rent/mortgage. I am also one of the renters who spend over 45% of my paycheck on rent, leading to having a second job to afford all my other bills. This is only because of luck that I was able to find an apartment that isn’t as expensive as other apartments. I realize that privilege and want to make sure that other people can also find housing they can afford. **The city's urban renewal agency owns three downtown properties and plans to seek development proposals for them, expected by Dec. 31:** * **Theater Building: a study the city commissioned found it a viable site for a boutique hotel, likely with public help.** * **Site B and the Woodfold lot: two attempts to land a grocery store on Site B fell through, and an August study found a new grocery store is unlikely to succeed in Forest Grove for now. A public plaza and housing have been discussed, and the two lots could be offered together.** **What would you want built on these properties, and how much of the agency's roughly $1.5 million in incentive money should the city spend to get it?** I look forward to learning more about the downtown properties and the development proposals being set for this. I would love to hear what the community believes is the best option, as I feel like the community's voice would be important for such a huge life changing project for the City of Forest Grove. As for the 1.5 million dollar incentive, I believe that if we use any of it at all, that it should be put towards incentivising our community members, local businesses and families. **Centro Cultural's contract to run the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center ends Dec. 31, and the city's Parks & Recreation Department takes over Jan. 1. The city plans to keep the senior programs and add recreation for all ages. Staff estimate a net first-year cost of about $30,200 beyond what's already budgeted. What should the center's priorities be under city management?** I would love the priorities to be our elderly and our children. I am glad that Parks and Recreation plans to keep their senior programs and wants to add recreation for all ages. Our children and elderly deserve to have spaces for them. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** First and foremost I am always a person for the everyday person and I want to continue to be the voice for the people. I see how some people’s voices have not been uplifted enough and I want to make sure I can be a vessel to build a platform to hear these stories. This is not just for Forest Grove voices but for voices all over Oregon. I love Forest Grove and I love Oregon, and I want people to continue to be able to enjoy the beauty that both Forest Grove and Oregon has to offer.

Forest Grove candidate questionnaires Malynda WenzlMayorMallory HiefieldCity CouncilMatthew S. KnightCity CouncilKaren MartinezCity CouncilChris MejiaCity CouncilSandra PereydaCity CouncilMariana ValenzuelaCity Council _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to all eight candidates for Forest Grove mayor and City Council. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Chris Mejia is one of seven candidates for three Forest Grove City Council seats on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for Forest Grove, in order?** 1. Affordable, diverse housing and livable neighborhoods My priority is making sure people who work, grow up, and retire in Forest Grove can afford to live here. That means adding a mix of small homes, duplexes, townhomes, apartments, and senior housing while protecting neighborhood character, improving sidewalks, parks, and transit, and preventing displacement. 2. Downtown and local economic vitality My second priority is a walkable downtown and strong local businesses. We should focus our urban renewal investments on projects that bring people downtown housing over shops, small-scale hospitality, arts and culture, and public spaces so dollars stay in Forest Grove and we create more living-wage jobs close to home. 3. Community safety, trust, and climate resilience, my third priority is a safe, welcoming community that’s prepared for the future. That includes emergency preparedness, climate-resilient infrastructure (trees, cooling centers, safe routes), and policies that build trust between residents and local government especially around policing, immigration, and civil rights. **Name one decision the City Council made in the past two years that you would have handled differently, and what you would have done instead. If you were on the council or were mayor at the time, tell us how you voted on that decision.** Decision: The request to Washington County to suspend its contract with Flock Safety, the license-plate camera company. How I would have handled it differently: I share concerns about privacy, civil liberties, and the potential misuse of surveillance technology, especially in the context of immigration enforcement. Data and impact review: Require a public report on how Flock data is used, who has access, how long it’s retained, and what safeguards exist. Community oversight: Establish a community advisory group—including civil rights advocates, immigrant community representatives, and technical experts—to review surveillance tools and recommend clear policies. If I had been on the council at the time, I would have voted to condition any suspension or continuation of the contract on clear privacy protections, public reporting, and community oversight, rather than a simple yes/no decision without that framework. **Over the past year, the Forest Grove City Council declared a state of emergency over federal immigration enforcement and set aside up to $50,000 for community groups (Nov. 10, 2025); declared Forest Grove a sanctuary city by resolution (Nov. 24, 2025); asked Washington County to suspend its contract with Flock Safety, a license-plate camera company (Nov. 24, 2025); and wrote sanctuary status into city code on a 6-1 vote (Jan. 12, 2026). A renewed emergency declaration expires Dec. 31, 2026. What, if anything, would you want the city to do on this issue in 2027, and why?** Forest Grove has taken strong steps: declaring a state of emergency, adopting sanctuary resolutions, and writing protections into city code. In 2027, I would focus on moving from emergency posture to durable, practical support while keeping our sanctuary commitments. I would support: * Letting the emergency declaration sunset if conditions allow, while keeping sanctuary protections in city code and policy. Emergencies should be temporary; rights and protections should be permanent. * Codifying clear limits on local involvement in civil immigration enforcement: No city resources, staff time, or data sharing for civil immigration actions, except where required by law. * Investing in community support instead of fear: * Legal clinics and “know your rights” education * Language access and culturally specific outreach * Partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and faith communities to support mixed-status families * Transparent communication: Make it easy for residents to understand what sanctuary means, what the city can and cannot do, and how to get help. The goal is a Forest Grove where immigrant families feel safe seeking services, reporting crimes, and participating in civic life without relying indefinitely on an emergency declaration. **Under state rules, Forest Grove must analyze how much housing it will need and whether it has enough buildable land inside its urban growth boundary to meet that need. What kinds of housing should Forest Grove add over the next decade, and what should the city do to get them built?** Over the next decade, Forest Grove needs more homes of more types, especially for working families, seniors, and young people just starting out. I would prioritize: * Missing-middle housing: * Duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes * Townhomes * Small apartment buildings near transit and services * Affordable rentals and ownership options: * Income-restricted apartments * Shared equity or land-trust models to keep homes affordable long-term * Senior and accessible housing: * Single-level units, ADA-accessible design, and locations near transit, health care, and groceries. city should: * Align zoning with our housing goals: Allow more missing-middle housing in appropriate areas, especially near transit corridors and downtown, while maintaining design standards that fit neighborhood character. * Use incentives strategically: * Tax abatements or fee reductions for projects that include affordable units * Density bonuses for mixed-income developments * Partner with nonprofits and mission-driven developers: Support projects that serve low- and moderate-income households, seniors, and people with disabilities. * Invest in infrastructure: Make sure water, sewer, streets, and sidewalks are ready, so housing projects aren’t stalled by basic capacity issues. Housing policy should be about who gets to live here, not just how many units we can count. **The city's urban renewal agency owns three downtown properties and plans to seek development proposals for them, expected by Dec. 31:** * **Theater Building: a study the city commissioned found it a viable site for a boutique hotel, likely with public help.** * **Site B and the Woodfold lot: two attempts to land a grocery store on Site B fell through, and an August study found a new grocery store is unlikely to succeed in Forest Grove for now. A public plaza and housing have been discussed, and the two lots could be offered together.** **What would you want built on these properties, and how much of the agency's roughly $1.5 million in incentive money should the city spend to get it?** Theater Building (potential boutique hotel): I would like to see a small boutique hotel with strong community use on the ground floor, for example: * Ground-floor activation: Café, small performance space, or flexible event space that local groups can use. * Local character: Prioritize a design and operator that reflect Forest Grove’s history, Pacific University, and the surrounding wine country and outdoor recreation. Site B and Woodfold lot: Given the studies showing a new grocery store is unlikely to succeed right now, I would focus on mixed-use and public space: * Housing overactive ground floor: * Upper-story housing (including some affordable units) * Ground-floor small retail, food, or community-serving uses * Public plaza: * A flexible plaza that can host markets, performances, and community events * Good lighting, seating, and trees to make downtown more inviting day and night. How much incentive money to spend: The agency has about $1.5 million. I would: * Use a majority, but not all, of the funds $900,000–$1.1 million to unlock high-impact projects on these sites, especially where we can secure affordable units, public space, or community benefits. * Reserve a portion for future catalytic projects or to close gaps if construction costs rise. Every dollar should be tied to clear public benefits: affordable housing, local jobs, public space, and long-term tax base growth. **Centro Cultural's contract to run the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center ends Dec. 31, and the city's Parks & Recreation Department takes over Jan. 1. The city plans to keep the senior programs and add recreation for all ages. Staff estimate a net first-year cost of about $30,200 beyond what's already budgeted. What should the center's priorities be under city management?** With Parks & Recreation taking over and a modest net new cost, the center should: * Protect and strengthen senior services first: * Meals, social activities, health and wellness programs * Transportation support and outreach to isolated seniors * Maintain cultural responsiveness and partnerships: * Continue working closely with Centro Cultural and other community organizations * Ensure programming is welcoming to Latino, immigrant, and other historically marginalized communities. * Add intergenerational recreation thoughtfully: * Design programs where seniors and younger residents can share space, gardening, technology help, storytelling without crowding out senior-focused services. * Focus on accessibility and inclusion: * Affordable or sliding-scale fees * Language access and clear communication about programs * Attention to mobility, hearing, and vision needs in the building and activities. The center should remain, at its core, a reliable home base for seniors, while becoming a bridge that connects generations and cultures in Forest Grove. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** I believe local government works best when it listens carefully, explains decisions clearly, and measures results honestly. * Ask hard questions, especially about who benefits and who might be left out. * Build policy on data, lived experience, and community input not just headlines or pressure from the loudest voices.

Forest Grove candidate questionnaires Malynda WenzlMayorMallory HiefieldCity CouncilMatthew S. KnightCity CouncilKaren MartinezCity CouncilChris MejiaCity CouncilSandra PereydaCity CouncilMariana ValenzuelaCity Council _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to all eight candidates for Forest Grove mayor and City Council. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ City Councilor Karen Martinez is running for reelection. She is one of seven candidates for three Forest Grove City Council seats on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for Forest Grove, in order?** Sustainable and efficient city growth, improve FG Police dept working conditions and local business support and profitability. **Name one decision the City Council made in the past two years that you would have handled differently, and what you would have done instead. If you were on the council or were mayor at the time, tell us how you voted on that decision.** I wouldn’t change any of my votes during my time on City Council. **Over the past year, the Forest Grove City Council declared a state of emergency over federal immigration enforcement and set aside up to $50,000 for community groups (Nov. 10, 2025); declared Forest Grove a sanctuary city by resolution (Nov. 24, 2025); asked Washington County to suspend its contract with Flock Safety, a license-plate camera company (Nov. 24, 2025); and wrote sanctuary status into city code on a 6-1 vote (Jan. 12, 2026). A renewed emergency declaration expires Dec. 31, 2026. What, if anything, would you want the city to do on this issue in 2027, and why?** Forest Grove continues raising concerns over the Flock cameras. As convenient as Flock cameras can be for solving crimes, they are also proving to be an issue for the publics’ general privacy. There’s a fine line between public safety and becoming a surveillance state, Big Brother. **Under state rules, Forest Grove must analyze how much housing it will need and whether it has enough buildable land inside its urban growth boundary to meet that need. What kinds of housing should Forest Grove add over the next decade, and what should the city do to get them built?** A little back story first, taxes and permit fees increase the cost of building market-rate housing by approximately $50k before building even begins. ‘Affordable’ (no numeric defining affordable) housing isn’t affordable for those in the lower and middle income brackets. Building-up (mid- & high-rise) increases the square footage cost 4-5x’s that of a single level home related to concrete and steel for elevators and then the unusable space of halls. People primarily want single-family homes not condo or apartment style homes. North Carolina and Texas have lower housing prices because they don’t have urban growth boundaries which are restrictive, yet UGBs are meant to preserve agricultural land, forest land and other natural features for rural activities Habitat for Humanity is a model to be emulated as they know how to build affordably and understand the needs of the community they serve. They should be given more support and resources to provide housing where the needs lie. I don’t want to see Forest Grove lose its small town feel related to sprawl. **The city's urban renewal agency owns three downtown properties and plans to seek development proposals for them, expected by Dec. 31:** * **Theater Building: a study the city commissioned found it a viable site for a boutique hotel, likely with public help.** * **Site B and the Woodfold lot: two attempts to land a grocery store on Site B fell through, and an August study found a new grocery store is unlikely to succeed in Forest Grove for now. A public plaza and housing have been discussed, and the two lots could be offered together.** **What would you want built on these properties, and how much of the agency's roughly $1.5 million in incentive money should the city spend to get it?** Vision 2040 was compiled through extensive interaction with the community giving council some direction. What business model would be willing to build in Forest Grove, as well as, be a good fit for the community? As mentioned, the public request for an alternative grocery store has not been deemed feasible for our community. When a proposal fits the desires of the communities need, the council would likely move forward. As far as how much of $1.5 million should be spent, very little would be preferred. Any proposal would need to be extremely desirable to add a monetary incentive. **Centro Cultural's contract to run the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center ends Dec. 31, and the city's Parks & Recreation Department takes over Jan. 1. The city plans to keep the senior programs and add recreation for all ages. Staff estimate a net first-year cost of about $30,200 beyond what's already budgeted. What should the center's priorities be under city management?** Priorities would be to expand the program offerings and make the center more profitable over time. Initially, P&R will be able to utilize space for staff and winter programs. They will be reaching out to other potential partners in the community. As with any endeavor, change will be slow at first as staff becomes aware of need. The city will be able to bridge the gap in the meantime with the goal of becoming self-sufficient. Perhaps Centro will be able to continue some partnership with the city as well forming new partnerships. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** I am not a politician. I’m not afraid to buck the system and ask hard questions. My concerns are for the good of Forest Grove. How do we maneuver the proposed mandates for our best outcome? Many of the laws passed by the Oregon legislature keep Forest Grove limited in making preferred decisions for our community.

Forest Grove candidate questionnaires Malynda WenzlMayorMallory HiefieldCity CouncilMatthew S. KnightCity CouncilKaren MartinezCity CouncilChris MejiaCity CouncilSandra PereydaCity CouncilMariana ValenzuelaCity Council _This is part of a series of News in the Grove candidate questionnaires ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. We sent the same seven questions to all eight candidates for Forest Grove mayor and City Council. Answers appear as the candidates submitted them._ Matthew S. Knight is one of seven candidates for three Forest Grove City Council seats on the Nov. 3 ballot. **What are your top three priorities for Forest Grove, in order?** 1. Retaining our best city employees and protecting Forest Grove’s institutional knowledge. Forest Grove has highly skilled employees working in Light & Power, water, public works, police, fire and other essential services. In many of these positions, the City invests significant time and resources developing specialized skills and knowledge. Employee retention is important enough that the City has already negotiated service-recognition and retention incentives for skilled Light & Power employees. I want to understand our actual turnover by department, why employees leave and what it costs Forest Grove to recruit and train replacements. When an experienced employee leaves, we lose more than a position. We can lose years of institutional knowledge, relationships and experience that are difficult and expensive to replace. Forest Grove should be a place where talented employees can build a career and where the investment we make in our workforce stays here. 2. Making sure growth is truly in Forest Grove’s best interest. We should be planning five, ten and twenty years ahead and asking two basic questions before major decisions: What is in it for Forest Grove, and is this truly the best decision for Forest Grove? Growth can be positive, but growth itself should not be the goal. We need to understand impacts on roads, water, electricity, schools, police, fire and city finances, who pays for infrastructure, what a project adds to our tax base and what lasting jobs it creates. We also need to consider whether our decisions help small independent businesses stay and grow. They create jobs, support local organizations and give Forest Grove much of its character. Residents, businesses, schools and community partners should be involved earlier, before most of the work is already done and before major commitments are made. 3. Protecting Forest Grove’s long-term financial health. We work hard for our money, and we should expect the City to treat taxpayer and utility dollars with the same care. We need to understand not only whether we can afford something today, but what it will cost to operate, maintain and replace in the future. Fiscal responsibility does not mean saying no to every investment. It means spending wisely, measuring results and making sure Forest Grove remains financially strong for the next generation. **Name one decision the City Council made in the past two years that you would have handled differently, and what you would have done instead. If you were on the council or were mayor at the time, tell us how you voted on that decision.** I would have handled the Crane Data Center differently. My concern is not that Forest Grove attracted a large investment. It is whether we negotiated strongly enough before making long-term commitments. For a project of this size, I would ask: What is Forest Grove giving up, what are we getting in return, and is this the best deal for our community? I would have pushed harder to understand the long-term effects on electricity, water, infrastructure and our tax base, along with the number and quality of permanent jobs created. If we provide substantial incentives, Forest Grove should receive substantial, measurable benefits in return. Forest Grove has value, our resources have value, and major projects should leave our community stronger than they found it. **Over the past year, the Forest Grove City Council declared a state of emergency over federal immigration enforcement and set aside up to $50,000 for community groups (Nov. 10, 2025); declared Forest Grove a sanctuary city by resolution (Nov. 24, 2025); asked Washington County to suspend its contract with Flock Safety, a license-plate camera company (Nov. 24, 2025); and wrote sanctuary status into city code on a 6-1 vote (Jan. 12, 2026). A renewed emergency declaration expires Dec. 31, 2026. What, if anything, would you want the city to do on this issue in 2027, and why?** Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility. Forest Grove should follow Oregon law and focus on local responsibilities: keeping people safe, providing emergency services and supporting our community. There also has to be a human side to this discussion. If someone is the victim of a crime, has a medical emergency, is in danger or simply needs help, they should be able to call police, fire or emergency services without fear. I would not automatically continue an emergency declaration year after year. In 2027, I would review whether a true local emergency still exists, how city resources were used and whether continued local action is necessary. Let the federal government handle federal immigration enforcement, let Forest Grove focus on local public safety, and when someone needs help, we should be there to provide it, with no questions asked about immigration status. **Under state rules, Forest Grove must analyze how much housing it will need and whether it has enough buildable land inside its urban growth boundary to meet that need. What kinds of housing should Forest Grove add over the next decade, and what should the city do to get them built?** Forest Grove needs housing people can actually afford and a real path to homeownership. That means starter homes, townhomes, duplexes, apartments, senior housing and options for people who want to downsize without leaving the community they know and love. Affordability must go hand in hand with good planning. New housing should be built where roads, utilities, schools, police and fire can support it. The City should also review permitting, development costs and regulations and remove unnecessary barriers that make housing more expensive without providing real public benefit. **The city's urban renewal agency owns three downtown properties and plans to seek development proposals for them, expected by Dec. 31:** * **Theater Building: a study the city commissioned found it a viable site for a boutique hotel, likely with public help.** * **Site B and the Woodfold lot: two attempts to land a grocery store on Site B fell through, and an August study found a new grocery store is unlikely to succeed in Forest Grove for now. A public plaza and housing have been discussed, and the two lots could be offered together.** **What would you want built on these properties, and how much of the agency's roughly $1.5 million in incentive money should the city spend to get it?** Forest Grove has limited downtown retail space, and leasing costs continue to rise. I see these properties as an opportunity to create more places where small independent businesses can afford to open, stay and grow. With the Woodfold property, the city-owned sites and nearby Schlegel properties available for redevelopment, I would explore a coordinated, multi-project approach with restaurants, retail, flexible commercial space, housing and public gathering areas. Done well, this could create a stronger business district rather than a collection of disconnected projects. On the Theater Building, I understand why the City is exploring a boutique hotel. If a qualified private developer believes a hotel can succeed and is prepared to make a substantial investment, I would support considering that proposal. But the private sector should determine whether it is financially viable and assume the development and operating risk. The City can help create opportunities for private investment, but there should be a clear limit on the City’s financial exposure. For Site B and Woodfold, I would especially like to see flexible commercial space for small and growing businesses. I would not commit the full $1.5 million up front. Public dollars should leverage significant private investment, be tied to clear milestones and provide measurable benefits to Forest Grove. We have a rare opportunity to shape this part of downtown for decades, and we should use it to expand business opportunity and strengthen our tax base. **Centro Cultural's contract to run the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center ends Dec. 31, and the city's Parks & Recreation Department takes over Jan. 1. The city plans to keep the senior programs and add recreation for all ages. Staff estimate a net first-year cost of about $30,200 beyond what's already budgeted. What should the center's priorities be under city management?** Forest Grove has roughly 4,000 residents age 65 and older, and our seniors deserve a strong, welcoming and protected place in this community. I believe the Senior and Community Center should be financially supported by the City, with a governing board made up of seniors, community members and other stakeholders. The people who use the center should have a real voice in how it grows and changes. I support serving the broader community, but we should never lose sight of the seniors who helped build Forest Grove. As programs are added for families, youth and other groups, senior services should remain protected and properly funded. I want the center to remain a place where our seniors know they are valued, respected and always have a seat at the table. **Is there anything else you'd like voters to know?** I grew up in Forest Grove, graduated from Forest Grove High School and still call this community home. I am a husband, father, grandfather and small-business owner. Owning and operating a business has taught me that decisions have consequences. You have to watch costs, take care of your employees, listen to your customers and plan for the future. I believe many of those same principles matter in local government. I also believe a strong small-business community is essential to a strong Forest Grove. Independent businesses create jobs, support nonprofits and schools, sponsor community activities and give our city much of its identity. I want Forest Grove to be a place where small businesses can start, stay, grow and succeed. I am not running because I believe I have all the answers. I believe good decisions come from asking hard questions, listening carefully and understanding the long-term consequences before we commit. We can disagree without becoming divided. We may not always see every issue the same way, but we can still respect one another and work toward a better community. That is what Stronger Together means to me.