Snowstorm response wasn't perfect, but vastly better than Portland's
Last week’s snowstorm was adventuresome in Yamhill County, primarily in good ways. About five inches of snow transformed our communities into temporary winter recreation parks. But memories will ...
Banning plastic bags a case of good intentions, with tradeoffs
Plastic bag bans are more of a gesture than a significant environmental benefit. There are plenty of pros to reducing the common carrier of groceries and other goods, the most significant being reducing ...
Oregonians yearn for leaders who stir souls
In the inaugural address Monday, Gov. Kate Brown invoked the memory of Tom McCall in her opening and Mark Hatfield in her closing. That’s fitting, as the two former governors, both Republicans, ...
If committed to be fair, cities need to collect what is due
After years of lurching from one financial crisis to another, Willamina has finally begun to get its financial house in order. City leaders rightly deserve the full support of the citizenry. But they’ve ...
Donations, deductions a great way to begin 2017
There is just a day and some change left to purge your closets and garages for usable items that can transform into goodwill for your fellow human beings (and provide deductions at tax time). The ...
Elections, of course, dominate Readers Forum topics in 2017
The News-Register prints its top ten news and sports stories of the year, which its done annually for many years. We also find it interesting to recap the most frequently discussed topics in our Readers ...
Contracting jail services could provide dividends
We are not big fans of the contracting out of public services to private agencies. We take particular exception to the contracting out of services falling within a public agency’s core function, ...
Further coordination can improve already robust service community
For several years, a group of volunteers associated with McMinnville churches worked together to provide shelter during times of extreme cold. Known as C-WISH, the effort was discontinued this year after ...
Rave economic reviews don’t extend past PDX
State and federal stats paint a glowing picture of Oregon’s economy. In colorful prose, accompanied by flashy maps and graphics, analysts tell us it’s red hot and rolling. But the Oregon story ...
Let’s hope records bill moves us closer to culture of transparency
When a public records denial is challenged in Yamhill County, it falls to District Attorney Brad Berry to issue a ruling. Berry considers each challenge thoughtfully, professionally, expeditiously, but ...
McMinnville malls a vital facet of local commerce
The commercial areas stretching along Highway 99W in McMinnville won’t win any national awards or earn any feature write-ups in travel magazines, as the city’s downtown “living room” ...
Clear end-point finally emerges in protracted Riverbend saga
Riverbend Landfill’s nearly decade-long expansion campaign is rapidly approaching the make or break point. That message was driven home with unmistakable clarity earlier this week, when parent Waste ...
County's acceptance of responsibility promising sign in jail suicide
When a mistake is made in newspapering, a published correction typically suffices. When an error is made in law enforcement, it could cost someone their life. And in small, cold recompense, it could cost ...
Trail warrants shot to succeed, but farm concerns need vetting
Despite expressions of concern from area farmers, some legitimate and some over-animated, we continue supporting creation of the Yamheles Westsider Trail and urge all parties to collaborate on outstanding ...
Always new ways to give during the holiday season
Much of our holiday season routine is repeated year after year. We indulge in the same or similar foods, traditions, parties, movies and so on. But within those constraints, opportunities inevitably arise ...
