Columbus
Woodburn Independent
Chemeketa, partners to present "Oliver!" in August
SALEM — Chemeketa Community College will present Theatre Under the Stars (T.U.T.S), a musical experience with its production of "Oliver!" throughout August 2024 at the Gerry Frank Amphitheater, Riverfront City Park, 200 Water St. NE, Salem. The performance will showcase Chemeketa's students and staff in conjunction with theatre professionals throughout the Willamette Valley and is scheduled for 8 to 10 p.m. every Tuesday in August. It partners with the Children's Educational Theatre, members of the Salem Orchestra and local theatre companies. Tickets priced around $20 per person, and attendees are encouraged to bring low-profile lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic meals to enhance the theatre experience. Tickets may be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/oliver-3348239.
A Portland State University study upends assumptions about Measure 110 impacts
A Portland State University report about the impact of Measure 110 challenges assumptions about law enforcement and the role police officers play as they interact with people with a drug addiction. A key takeaway: Police officers can only reach so many people — even with the power to search and arrest them. The report coincides with preparation by Oregon counties to launch new drug addiction treatment programs as part of...
Ag-tastic! Getting a glimpse into new flavors, ideas and more
Enjoying the flavor of a dried mandarin orange slice may seem like a simple pleasure, but given it was only one of a bounty of dried items for tasting, it was a pleasure worth exploring. In fact, there was plenty to taste, see and do, as well as a chance to peek behind the curtain to get a look at what the North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora has been up to. ...
Our TV picks for Friday, July 19: Lingo; Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Lingo KOIN 8 p.m. Is winning thousands of dollars worth the tongue-tying results of competing in this classic game show revival? With over $50,000 on the line, the teams that step up to take five guesses at solving hidden words certainly think so. RuPaul hosts. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives FOOD 9 p.m. It’s time to dive in deeper for Triple D Nation as Guy goes old school at an Atlanta joint that delivers Southern comfort over melty and mighty Mac ’n’ cheese. Then brisket is on the menu of a San Antonio diner and burritos are scratch made in Scottsdale.
North Marion searching for new wrestling head coach
The Huskies are in search of a new wrestling head coach after Shane Sheppard helmed the program the last five seasons. "I care about this team a lot and they deserve a great coach," Sheppard said in a Facebook post on July 13. "But I am moving and can no longer make it work." The North Marion wrestling team had a total of 45 athletes last season. The Huskies will be returning nearly a dozen regional placers from both the boys and girls team, including sixth-place state finisher Henry Bankhead. Along with Bankhead, North Marion is returning five state qualifiers. The program receives four coaches stipends. Sheppard encourages interested applicants to reach out to him at (503)-602-2677. Potential applicants can reach North Marion's athletic director Mark Sundquist at mark.sundquist@nmarion.k12.or.us and (503)-678-7121.
Hubbard car wash expanding options
The Drive In Car Wash in Hubbard announced recently that it’s launching a new express tunnel option. Whatever manner you like to go about washing your car, this Hubbard establishment has you covered with 2 automatic soft-brush car was bays, 2 self-service bays, vacuums, a shampoo machine and even a self-service dog wash. The new tunnel express will open July 24, and Drive In Car Wash will hold a celebration with free car washes from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2. ...
Oregon governor orders flags to half-staff in honor of late Senate President Peter Courtney
Gov. Tina Kotek ordered flags at Oregon public institutions to be flown at half-staff effective immediately until sunset on Thursday, July 18, in memory of the life and service of Peter Courtney, the former president of the Oregon State Senate and longest-serving state legislator in Oregon history. “President Courtney truly lived by example: he cared deeply for our state, for the people that he worked with, and above all, for his family with vigor, compassion and courage,” Kotek said in a written statement. “It was an honor to serve alongside him and I know his legacy will live on through his many efforts on behalf of Oregonians and in the memory of those who knew him.” Courtney died Tuesday, July 16. He was 81. Kotek’s office first announced the news that Courtney died of complications from cancer in his home, surrounded by family.
Is your lawn getting enough water?
Lawn care is a year-long process. A healthy lawn thrives with the right amount of water and nutrients. Even when the sun isn’t extreme, and the temperatures are cold, a lawn still needs water. That water requirement multiplies when higher temperatures lead to increased evaporation. The experts at LawnLove.com, a lawn care and landscaping resource, say grass needs between 1 and 1 1⁄2 inches of water a week. Precipitation often...
Watch out for these allergy triggers
The human body is a well-oiled machine that is a wonder of biological efficiency when working properly. The body’s immune system is integral to keeping a person healthy. It does that by recognizing foreign invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, and then launching an attack to eradicate them. Sometimes, however, the body treats outside substances as harmful when they’re just nuisances. This is the case with allergens. According to eMedicine...
Peter Courtney remembered fondly by colleagues
Many colleagues and well-wishers expressed their respects and deep tributes to former Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney, who died July 16 from complications due to cancer. He was 81. Courtney served for nearly a quarter of a century as the state senator of District 11, which included Woodburn and much of the surrounding area. He spent 20 years as the senate president, and he was the longest serving lawmaker in Oregon history. ...
Our TV picks for Thursday, July 18: Grand Prix; Ghosts; Lucky 13
Grand Prix TCM 7:15 p.m. As they highlight July’s star of the month, Eva Marie Saint, TCM airs this 1966 flick, also starring James Garner and Yves Montand, alongside three other Saint features: 1964’s “36 Hours,” 1960’s “Exodus” and “Carol for Another Christmas” also from 1964. Ghosts ...
2024 Buick Encore GX delivers comfort, value, and utility
Buick has quietly been reinventing itself over the past 10 years. Gone are the rather sedate passenger cars that characterized the brand. They have been replaced by an all-SUV lineup that offers a size and price point for almost any buyer. Unlike their General Motors sister brands, Buick offers no body-on-frame full-size SUVs or pickup trucks, but instead focuses on the family-friendly crossover market. Honestly, you can find a family SUV from any brand these days, but Buick is offering a special value because even...
Peter Courtney, legendary and longtime leader of Oregon’s state Senate, has died
Peter Courtney, the longest-serving state lawmaker in Oregon history whose booming oratories and one-of-a-kind style made him a Salem legend, died Tuesday, July 16. He was 81. Gov. Tina Kotek’s office announced in a release that Courtney died of complications from cancer in his home, surrounded by family. Courtney’s death marks the passing of an Oregon political original. He was a wily and sometimes dour Democrat who rose to the peak of legislative power and became so enmeshed with the city he represented for nearly five decades that Salem has a bridge, housing complex and state hospital campus all bearing his name. Oregon Public Broadcasting is a news partner of this publication. Find the original story here.
Faithfully July 2024: God is more powerful than any problem
I come before you today with hope. Lift up your heads. See with your own eyes that God is more powerful and present than any problem. Didn’t God wake us up this morning? No one else keeps our hearts beating while we sleep. Wherever we sleep, in a building, tent or car, God gives us each breath. It’s not us who tells our arms and legs to move, to stretch and shake off tiredness. Also, we have a sense of which way is up. When...
Woodburn Fiesta Mexicana on the horizon
Summer has inched past the mid-July point, and in Woodburn that means Fiesta Mexicana is on the horizon. This year’s gala is scheduled for Friday through Sunday, Aug. 16-18, at Legion Park on Park Ave.: noon to 11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. This year’s 60th anniversary of the event will again feature all the attractions that have grown into the festivity over the years: more than 60 vendors, a soccer tournament, car show, parade,...
Readers Respond: “Phones are a distraction in the classroom”
Your Oregon News asked readers whether phones should be allowed at schools. Many readers said phones are distracting in schools; others said kids need them for safety in case of an emergency like a school shooting or anxiety attack. Some readers pointed to cell phones as factor in kids' mental health. Nearly 60% of respondents said cell phones should not be allowed in schools at all. About 31% said there should be limited cell phone use allowed. About 7% said phones should be allowed everywhere...
30,000 children in low-income Oregon families missing out on extra food benefits
Thousands of low-income Oregon families are leaving food money on the table this summer. The Department of Human Services said Monday, July 15, that families with 320,000 children have received extra food assistance for the summer but families with another 30,000 children who qualify need to apply. The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children, or Summer EBT, provides a one-time payment of $120 per child to help low-income families...
Portland General Electric: 5 tips to avoid scammers
In light of recent reports of deceptive activity, Portland General Electric customers should be aware of common misleading practices and ways they can protect themselves and their information, the utility reported Tuesday, July 16. Since the beginning of 2024, customers have reported more than 1,117 instances of scams or misleading activities to PGE’s customer service advisers, 783 of these targeting residential customers, the company said. While most deceptive practices reported...
Wildfire smoke to blow into Portland Tuesday, poor air quality expected
Smoke from various wildfires will blow into Portland on Tuesday, July 16, creating hazy skies and worsening air quality in the metro area. KOIN 6 Meteorologist Josh Cozart forecasts southerly winds pushing the smoke north into the Willamette Valley. Although air quality is expected to suffer in Portland, the conditions will be far less severe than those seen in 2020, when then-acting U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar declared a federal public health emergency in response to the wildfire smoke smothering the city. Temperatures are expected to reach 96 degrees in the Portland metro area late Tuesday afternoon. A KOIN 6 Weather Alert is in place Tuesday for dangerous heat, dry weather, and an increased wildfire potential as thunderstorms have a chance of producing dry lightning east of the Cascades. KOIN 6 News is a partner of this publication. Find the original story here.
Peter Courtney, longtime Senate leader, dies at 81
Tributes are being paid by nearly every top official in Oregon to Peter Courtney, the longest serving state legislator and Senate president. Courtney died Tuesday, July 16, of complications stemming from cancer, according to an announcement by Gov. Tina Kotek. He had surgery to replace an aortic valve six months ago after he had been diagnosed in 2023 with congestive heart failure. He had already had a kidney removed in 2021 as a result of urethral cancer. He was 81. ...
Woodburn Independent
4K+
Posts
5M+
Views
The Woodburn Independent has been serving Woodburn and the surrounding area for more than 131 years. As the community’s best source for local news, local readers count on the independent every day to deliver stories about local people, events and what’s happening at city hall and in local schools.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.