Along the Street: Window display voting continues until Jan. 1
Community members have until Jan. 1 to vote on the best window displays on Third Street.
Nine businesses are participating in the McMinnville Downtown Association’s Christmas decorating contest. The public can cast votes on the downtownmcminnville.com website under the “Merry McMinnville” tab.
Winners will be announced Jan. 3. First place will receive $100 in downtown bucks, second will get $75 and third $50.
Participants are Troon Vineyard, Vintage on Third, Vortex Record Store, MacStage, NW Food & Gifts, Alchemist’s Jam, Twist salon, Hopscotch Toys, Timmreck & McNicol, Jacob Williams Winery tasting room and the Tattered Attic, one of Vintage on Third’s vendors.
No Greeters until January
Neither the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce nor the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce will have Greeters programs Friday, Dec. 27, or Friday, Jan. 3. They will resume Jan. 10.
State park fees increasing
Parking fees at many Oregon state parks will increase to $10 a day in January. However, parking is free on New Year’s Day.
Champoeg State Heritage Area near Newberg is among parks with fees increasing from $5 to $10.
Parking pass prices will remain the same. The cost is $30 for a 12-month-pass and $50 for 24 months. They are available at parks or through the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department website, oregon.gov/oprd/.
Check the website about “First Day” guided hikes on Jan. 1 at selected state parks
Ground founders back market
Frank Foti and Brenda Smola-Foti of Carlton have given a boost to the planned James Beard Public Market being built in downtown Portland.
The couple donated $500,000 to the project, bringing the total raised for the market to $3 million.
“We have a great opportunity, finally, to get the market off the ground, and to make the market represent the whole state from an agricultural and culinary perspective,” Frank Foti said. It’s “time to unite from a place of abundance and optimism. We’re so glad we get to be a part of it.”
The market, due to open in 2025 at Southwest Alder Street and Sixth Avenue, will showcase “Oregon’s vast agricultural bounty and rich culinary heritage,” planners said. Forty small businesses will offer a variety of foods and ingredients, from the produce to meat and fish, as well as a teaching kitchen, a bookstore and eateries.
The market is named for James Beard, who was born in Portland in 1903 and went on to shape the national food scene.
The Fortis run The Ground, which includes a farm, market garden, inn, restaurants and event spaces, including Humble Spirit restaurant and Stillwater event center in McMinnville. The new Humble Pub, which, like the other businesses, focuses on fresh, local ingredients, will open in 2025, also in downtown McMinnville.
Foti said they believe the James Beard Public Market will be “a catalyst for appreciating and enjoying the agricultural bounty of Oregon.” It also “will create opportunities for rural and urban businesses while connecting people to food, farm and each other,” he said.
Tasting room to close briefly
Corollary Wines will close its tasting room in the Amity hills until Feb. 13. For more information, go to the website, corollarywines.com.
OSHA fines Newberg contractor
The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division has fined Newberg contractor View Top Construction LLC $135,407 for “repeatedly violating requirements to protect its employees from work-related hazards.”
For instance, OSHA representative said, the company did not ensure workers were protected from falls of 6 feet or more by using a protection system.
Under Oregon OSHA’s penalty structure, penalties significantly increase for repeat violations.
“When employers assign work to be done at heights, they must protect their employees from fall hazards,” said Renée Stapleton, OSHA administrator. “It is a commitment required by law. It is never an option. And workers have a right to work safely.”
PGE will raise rates in 2025
The Oregon Public Utility Commission has voted to limit Portland General Electric’s fee increases to 5.5% to 7.7%, depending on customer type, in 2025.
The increase follows a jump of about 17% at the start of 2024.
PGE said it needs to raise rates to better serve customers. The increases will allow it to create a a local battery energy storage system to improve the availability of PGE’s renewable energy sources, company officials said.
The PUC estimates that residential customers will pay 5.5% more next year. Commercial customers will see a 7.5% increase, and industries a 6% hike.
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