Along the Street: McMinnville’s annual Santa Parade set to return

Organizations, businesses and individuals have until Tuesday, Nov. 16, to sign up for McMinnville’s annual Santa Parade, which will return Friday, Nov. 26, after taking a year off during the pandemic.

The parade will start at 4:30 p.m. the Friday after Thanksgiving. Lighting of the tree in McMinnville City Park will follow.

The entry fee is $20 for walking groups and $30 for vehicles. All entries must be holiday related; no politics or preaching are allowed. Music must be pre-approved.

Entries will gather between 3 and 3:30 p.m. in the Yamhill County Jail parking lot, then move to Third Street and roll west through the downtown area.

To sign up for the parade, go to the McMinnville Downtown Association website, www.macdowntown.com.

MDA and Third Street businesses are continuing a promotion called “’Twere the Weeks Before Christmas.”

Shoppers can earn one scratch-off ticket for every $25 they spend. The tickets are printed with a variety of prizes, from discounts to free items, with a grand prize of a $500 MacBucks gift card.

For more information, contact the MDA or individual downtown businesses.

Winning scarecrows

Two Dogs Taphouse’s double-headed “Orthros” scarecrow captured the most votes in the Scarecrows on a Lamp Post contest during Halloween.

Winners were announced Nov. 1. Second-place was a tie between the Zac & Taylor’s Beetlejuice scarecrow and the Mumpkin, created by Rhonda Westart.

Heating help

Some Yamhill County residents will get help with their heating bills this winter, thanks to NW Natural’s Gas Assistance Program.

NW Natural employees, customers and shareholders contributed $163,000 to the program this year. Funds will help low-income families and seniors pay their winter heating bills.

Yamhill County’s share will be distributed through the Yamhill Community Action Partnership, or YCAP.

“We’re so grateful to those who donated to help their neighbors in need,” said Mary Moerlins, director of environmental policy and corporate responsibility.

NW Natural covers the program’s administrative costs, she said, so 100% of the funds can be donated to recipients. Since it began in 1982, NW Natural’s GAP has raised more than $6.5 million for community action groups that distribute the funds directly to those in need.

Chamber Greeters

Staples, at 1150 N.E. Highway 99W, will host the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce Greeters program at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 12.

A virtual Greeters session is planned for 8 to 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 19, featuring Chemeketa Community College. No session will be held Nov. 26, the day after Thanksgiving.

For more information, go to the Chamber website, mcminnville.org.

The Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce will host a Greeters program from 8 to 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 12, at the Joyful Roberts Group, 700 Deborah Road, Suite 200, Newberg.

The Nov. 19 Greeters program will be at First Federal, 121 N. Edwards St., Newberg. No session is scheduled Nov. 26. For more information, go to www.chehalemvalley.org.

Young cooks

Nov. 10 is the deadline for entering the See Ya Later Foundation’s cooking competition for fifth- through eighth-graders.

The first 10 young cooks who sign up can earn prizes by preparing their favorite pumpkin dishes. Entry fee is $10.

Entrants need to make and submit their favorite pumpkin dish and write about what they enjoyed and didn’t like about making it, their favorite thing to cook and the most complicated recipe they’ve ever made.

Registration can be completed online at www.seeyalater.org.

For complete rules, go to the SYL website.

Amity crafters

Amity Cut & Style will host a “Makers’ Market” from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, at 108 Fifth St. in Amity.

Customers can choose from handicrafts such as earrings, baked goods, clothing and wooden signs. Admission is free.

Pharmacy files

Bi-Mart says the pharmacy files from its McMinnville store have been transferred to the McMinnville Walgreens, 603 S.E. Baker St. Pharmacy customers also can fill their prescriptions at any Walgreens store.

Bi-Mart recently announced that it was closing all of its pharmacies and partnering with Walgreens to serve its former customers.

“Bi-Mart Pharmacy has long been affected by increasing costs and fees that have simply made it unfeasible to operate the pharmacy profitably within a chain of stores our size,” company officials said.

They also noted that additional costs associated with the Oregon Corporate Activity Tax was a factor in the decision.

Send business news to Starla Pointer at spointer@newsregister.com.