Wine industry adapts to post-pandemic business

Yamhill County wineries struggling financially during the first two months of the coronavirus pandemic say they have responded in two key ways to reinvigorate the industry as it reopens: innovation ...

 

Berschauer wins commissioner's race

Carlton political consultant Lindsay Berschauer has won a seat on Yamhill County’s board of commissioners, besting hay and vegetable farmer Barbara Boyer in a pricey race that included controversial ...

Falls Event Center lawsuit against Millegan, Peterson dismissed after sale to Stoller

A byzantine chapter in the long-running saga of the Falls Event Center’s operation in McMinnville was finally settled this month. The event center, part of the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum ...

COVID-19 in Yamhill County - At a Glance

[Updated at 1:25 p.m. Friday, May 22] For the third day in a row, Yamhill County reported no new cases of COVID-19. Total cases remain at 63. Total deaths are seven, with no new deaths reported since ...

 

Wineries reopen to patrons, 'slow and safe'

“First and foremost, it’s not business as usual for Memorial Day Weekend,” said Morgen McLaughlin, executive director of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association. This would ...

 

Bledsoe, Alexandria advance to runoff in treasurer's race

Kris Bledsoe and Paulette Alexandria will advance to a November runoff in the race for Yamhill County Treasurer, a part-time job that manages the county’s $50 million investment portfolio. In ...

Committee approves $117M city budget as pandemic impact looms

McMinnville’s budget committee on Monday approved a $117 million 2020-21 city budget that officials said may require a mid-year adjustment as the city copes with the fallout of decreased ...

 

Letter to Readers: Masked election night slow and quiet

I’ve been going to the Yamhill County Clerk’s Office on election nights since the early 1980s, when ballots were carried from live polling places, rather than arriving in the mail. Tuesday’s ...

Spirit Mountain Casino reopens June 1

Spirit Mountain Casino will reopen at 6 a.m. Monday, June 1. Additional safety measures will be implemented to protect customers and staff. * Reduced hours - Sunday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., ...

 

Attorneys present trail arguments to commissioners

Farmers who live along the proposed Yamhelas Westsider Trail congregated with tractors in front of the Yamhill County Courthouse Thursday morning, protesting the 17-mile corridor for hikers and bikers ...

 

Flags will fly to honor fallen soldiers

Staff members and students will place nearly 6,000 flags in front of McMinnville Christian Academy, previously Bethel Christian School, as a tribute to Oregon’s fallen soldiers. “We ...

 

McMinnville burglary, theft cases solved

Burglaries in McMinnville spiked in March and April, McMinnville police began what it called "high-intensity targeting," and as a result, made 49 arrests of 26 suspects related to 35 cases. "Like most ...

Oregon election: Secretary of state race close, backhoe grabs attention

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A former state senator swept to a surprise victory in the GOP primary Oregon's lone Republican congressional seat. But the most curious election issue involved a backhoe. Meanwhile, ...

 

Bledsoe, Alexandria headed to November ballot in treasure's race

[UPDATED: Thursday, 8:30 a.m.] With few votes left to be counted, it appears the race for Yamhill County treasurer is headed to a November run-off between Kris Bledsoe and Paulette Alexandria.  In ...

Close 12th District State Senate race: Hansen takes lead from Swartzendruber

[Updated with latest returns at 4:35 p.m. Wednesday, May 20] Bernadette Hansen and Ross Swartzendruber were running a close race among the Democrats in the State Senate District 12 race seeking to ...

 

Berschauer wins commissioner race outright

[Updated Thursday 8:15 a.m.] In unofficial results, with few votes left to be counted, Lindsay Berschauer's vote total has held well over over the 50% mark, making her Yamhill County's next commissioner.  In ...

 

Yamhill County fair canceled

The Yamhill County Fair, Oregon’s oldest, has been canceled to meet the state’s ban on large gatherings amid the COVID-19 crisis. The fair has been canceled just a handful of times since the ...

Amity, West Valley fire levies passing, Amity by big margin

The Amity and West Valley fire districts were celebrating levy approvals by voters Tuesday night, based on unofficial returns in Polk and Yamhill counties released by the clerk's office in each ...

 

Schools formalizing graduation plans

Although school buildings closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Yamhill County high schools are making plans to honor the graduating classes of 2020.

By district, these are the most up-to-date plans.

Oregon unemployment soars to 14% for April, highest ever

Numbers released Tuesday show Oregon’s unemployment rate soared to a “catastrophic” 14.2% in April, marking the deepest recession the state has experienced since it began keeping records ...

 

Senior bowlers feel lost without favorite pastime

Wanda Nelson grows tired of feeling cooped up. The 90-year old secretary of the Senior Citizens Bowling League can’t wait for her favorite pastime to re-enter her weekly schedule. A longtime ...

 

All-state girls basketball: Arzner, five others recognized

Six local high school girls basketball players were honored with all-state recognition by Oregon head coaches. McMinnville’s Kylee Arzner, Willamina’s Kaya McLean, Kira Rankin and Piper Shrabel, ...

OSAA offers guidelines for Phase One of school athletic activities

The Oregon School Activities Association’s Executive Board continues searching for solutions to the state’s absence of sports. Wednesday morning, the Executive Board met in a closed work session ...

 

Hurl conquers Yamhill County one street at a time

Jeremy Hurl has a mission. In March, the McMinnville resident and Mac Track cross country coach found himself experiencing a rare dissatisfaction with his favorite sport. “I was at a point ...

 

Schools vary when compensating spring coaches

When the COVID-19 crisis led to a swath of spring sports cancellations, local athletic administrations were placed in a unique situation. In the initial days of sport-related fallout, athletic ...

 

One step closer: Mac grad eyes pro baseball career

PHOENIX – Kade Mechals remains on the verge of a professional baseball career. The question is will his opportunity to join a big league club arrive via the upcoming MLB draft in July, or ...

 

Bates calls an audible

Kassidee Bates called an audible. A longtime varsity starter at catcher for McMinnville High School’s softball team, Bates was long thought to be a lock for college softball. After earning ...

 

Four Dayton athletes sign letters of intent

DAYTON – Four Dayton High School student-athletes have signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at the college level. Pirate seniors Kody Fuller, Payton Garrison, Blake Larsen ...

 

What next? Linfield softball players walk different paths

“I will come back.” Kelsey Wilkinson isn’t ready to conclude her Linfield softball career. The senior outfielder played parts of four seasons for the Wildcats, including 14 games ...

 

Showing Love for 2020 Student-Athletes

McMinnville High School principal Amy Fast flashes the heart symbol to cars as they pass by Wortman Stadium on McDonald Lane last Friday. School officials turned on all athletic facility lights to celebrate ...

 

Field of (disrupted) dreams

DAYTON – Entering the spring sports season, Dave Fluke held the unenviable task of following legendary softball coach Rob Umbenhower as head coach of Dayton’s perennial state championship ...

Local athletic directors remain busy with unusual schedules

Randy Rorrer spent the majority of his career in the midst of the infamous Hurricane Alley – coaching and directing sports in Florida. During his time in the Sunshine State, Sheridan High ...

 

Making it work

During the past three years, Amity track and field star Benjamin Hayes faced an overwhelming amount of challenges. Benjamin, who is diabetic, often struggled gaining weight early in his career. ...

 

The new loneliness of the long distance runner

YAMHILL – While her athletic career was flipped upside down by the coronavirus-related cancellations, Yamhill-Carlton track and field athlete Grace Armstrong still prepares for the future. A nine-time ...

Spring sports officially cancelled, rules OSAA

Governor’s order removes possibility for any spring athletic activities, championships According to the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), any hope for a truncated spring sports season ...

OSAA continues suspension of season

OSAA continues suspension of spring sports, championships not cancelled The OSAA Executive Board held an online meeting April 1 to discuss the latest developments regarding the COVID-19 situation. The ...

 

A world without sports? Not so fast, readers

No, readers, the goalposts haven’t moved. As sports editor of the News-Register, my primary mission remains. In the weeks ahead, I plan to write in-depth, personal features about our local athletes ...

 

The Natural: Arzner achieves breakout campaign

Kylee Arzner is in her comfort zone on the basketball court. With the ball in her possession, the McMinnville forward confidently backs down a defender. Teammates make off-ball cuts, and Kylee ...

 

Midrange marksman: Ashley’s shooting, defense earn AoY

Dawson Ashley is a game changer. This season, he stepped up as a breakout star for the Pirates’ boys basketball team. Though a quiet presence and “leader by example,” Dawson ...

 

Sherman’s journey: Dayton wrestler overcomes pain, fear

Travis Sherman waited . . . and waited . . . and waited for his moment. Since he was four years old, the wrestler poured untold hours into the practice mat at Dayton High School. No matter the ...