Willamina schools close; relief center available in Sheridan

With public safety power shutoffs looming, the Willamina School District closed its campus Friday, Sept. 9.

That night’s scheduled football game between rivals Sheridan and Willamina was moved to Sheridan instead of Willamina.

The Portland General Electric Recharge Relief Center will be open at Sheridan High School Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“As the (weather) situation progresses, we will evaluate,” said Stacy Maloney, PGE Director of Customer Experience.

She said the 36-foot trailer is equipped with resources to aid community members in areas where the utility company has to proactively turn power off for the safety of that community due to the potential of a wildfire threat.

Ice, water, WiFi and charging stations for mobile devices are available in the center, according to Maloney. There are also chairs and tables for visitors to relax.

“It certainly feels good to support the community and our customers,” she said. “It’s a hard situation. We put our customer needs first.”

PGE has designated 10 public safety power shutoff zones that are at a high fire risk.

Those areas are shown on a map that can be accessed at portlandgeneral.com/psps. It’s the best way to confirm if you power may be shut off.

Sheridan and Willamina are included in the Southern West Hills Area.

Cooling stations in Sheridan are located at Trinity Lutheran Church,  311 SE Schley St., and Sheridan Church of the Nazarene, 917 S. Bridge St.