Gail Stolz and Tina Busskohl both found friendship, in addition to learning gardening skills, when they joined the Yamhill County Master Gardeners. Both women moved to McMinnville from places and lives ...
News & Features
Commissioners fire county counsel
The Yamhill County Board of Commissioners voted 2-1 to terminate the contract of County Counsel Christian Boenisch Thursday, and staff and elected officials remained mum as to the reason. Boenisch was ...
Four commissioner hopefuls share their visions for the county
Four commissioner hopefuls discuss their visions for Yamhill County as they vie for two seats in May 19 election POSITION 1 Johnston seeks to continue making connections Yamhill County Board of Commissioners ...
School district approves RIF, saying budget shortfall may mean layoffs
McMinnville School Board members approved an action Monday they said they hope becomes unnecessary: a Reduction in Force notice. Under state law and agreements with its unions, the district can use RIF ...
County approves status quo budget
Despite an approximately $10 million bigger budget, Yamhill County passed a “status quo” budget last week that kept property tax rates steady, retained all positions and slightly lowered fund ...
Stopping By: Gardening together grows friendships
Gail Stolz and Tina Busskohl both found friendship, in addition to learning gardening skills, when they joined the Yamhill County Master Gardeners. Both women moved to McMinnville from places and lives ...
Council dismisses renovation discussion
McMinnville City Council abandoned notions of renovating recreation facilities Tuesday after estimates to improve the aquatic center were reported over $40 million. The city is discussing another municipal ...
Non-operating funds to be used for sports facilities
McMinnville School District will soon begin two projects to improve sports facilities: a new team room for junior varsity softball and upgrades to the dugout and concession stand for varsity baseball. Both ...
New Linfield president to be formally inaugurated during ceremonial week
Mark Blegen, who became Linfield University’s president last summer, will be officially installed Friday, May 8, on the McMinnville campus. The investiture ceremony at 3 p.m. in Ted Wilson Gym will ...
Shooting at Joe Dancer Park, Mac student hospitalized with non-life-threatening injury
At about 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, law enforcement responded to a report of a fight and possible gunshots involving a group of people at Joe Dancer Park in McMinnville.
Free Comic Book Day returns to Willamina
The Willamina Library is set to host the third annual Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 2. “We will have over a thousand comic books to give away to anyone who wants them,” said Tyler Crook, ...
YCSO reports three dead from fentanyl overdoses
Three Yamhill County residents overdosed and were pronounced dead on April 20 in Newberg, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office announced in a Tuesday media release. At about 4:20 p.m. on April 20, ...
Council praises EMPWR, but says it can’t make sign exception
McMinnville City Council lauded EMPWR Nutrition Group as an economic driver and large employer for the community Tuesday, but ruled that status doesn’t give the manufacturer leeway when it comes ...
Arrests & Citations: May 1, 2026
Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office Richard Lewis Tomlinson, 53, Sheridan, April 23, failure to appear; booked into the Yamhill County Jail on $5,000 bail. Johnathon David Bogosian, 37, Yamhill, April ...
Can Oregon GOP launch another anti-tax ballot referral?
New proposal will test political might of grassroots Republicans teamed up with state lawmakers
Plastic recycling event Saturday
Zero Waste’s Plastic Project will host a recycling event for hard-to-recycle plastics from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2. The location will be the McMinnville Covenant Church, 2155 N.W. Second ...
Lafayette committee weighs paying down debt and surcharge for sewer
The Lafayette Budget Committee on April 20 reviewed the nearly $22 million budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which aims to pay off water debt early and use a sewer surcharge to fund improvements at the ...
Putting in overtime: Willamina students take night college trade courses
Willamina High School shop students have been working double shifts of classes — attending high school during the day and night classes at Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC). Four days a week, ...
Quirk of the Week: No waffling: Ice cream just got even more fun
“Ice cream never asks silly questions. Ice cream understands.” — Anonymous Don’t ask why Serendipity Ice Cream did the thing they did on Saturday. They just did it, and a lot of ...
Zero Waste talk addresses food waste, hunger
“Closing the Loop on Food Surplus & Hunger in McMinnville” will be the topic for Zero Waste’s Bubble Rap Speaker Series event on Monday, May 4. The free discussion will last from ...
Demise of local transit overstated, county says
Rumors that Yamhill County Transit is shutting down are unfounded, county officials said; however, changes to routes, fares and its Dial-A-Ride service will begin next month. County staff issued ...
Sports
Linfield softball: Embracing the toughest challenges on way to first time on road at conference tournament in five years
Though the Wildcats finished their regular season 34-6, they know there are improvements to be found the next time they hit the field. That moment will be Friday afternoon, when No. 10 nationally-ranked ...
Mac's McIrvin honored with national merit award
McMinnville High School Athletic and Activities Director Ryan McIrvin has earned the 2026 National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association’s (NIAAA) Award of Merit for Oregon. Organizers ...
Mac Softball: Stellar defense not enough to stifle Bowmen
With offense at a premium in recent games versus top-ranked Pacific Conference talent, the No. 15-ranked Grizzlies (8-9, 2-3) knew they could not give the opposition extra help. McMinnville’s softball ...
Yamhill Carlton's Kuehnel reaches 500th career victory, cherishes community
It takes consistency to win as much as John Kuehnel has. Yamhill Carlton’s head softball coach has been the heart and soul of the program since 1997. Kuehnel spent what time he had coaching youth ...
Tiger boys volleyball improves league standing, learning lessons in discipline
The Yamhill Carlton boys volleyball team was in a pickle on April 23, with only six players eligible to play. The match against league opponent Valor Christian was pushed back 30 minutes, allowing senior ...
Mac Golf: Boys fall behind at Pumpkin Ridge, girls fighting for conference crown
Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains was the most recent site for Class 6A Pacific Conference action on April 27-28, with McMinnville junior Mabel Findley most notably securing her lowest score of the ...
MHS soccer of ’06: When the stars aligned
McMinnville’s head soccer coach in 2006 was no ordinary Joe. Joseph Crabtree was not an Oregon native. He moved to Yamhill County in 1990, working as the warden at the federal prison in Sheridan, ...
Chehalem Valley Soccer Club hosting youth tryouts in Newberg
Chehalem Valley Soccer Club is having tryouts for 2026-2027 and is encouraging all of those interested to attend. Even if players don’t have a team for the age group they fall in, CVSC may be able ...
Warriors speed by Tigers in first ever meeting of Yamhill County-rival flag footballers
Amity senior quarterback Haley Miersma threw three touchdowns and rushed in three of her own in a 53-0 victory over the Yamhill Carlton Tigers on Friday, April 24. It was the first meeting between county ...
County competitors set new state-best marks at Nike Relays
Jesuit High School hosted more than 150 schools on Friday, April 25, for the annual Nike Twilight Relays. Track and field athletes from across Oregon competed in one of the most intense regular-season ...
Mac Softball: Grizzlies dismantle Falcons after tough meetings with Tide, Vikings
The first full week of Pacific Conference play began with a rude awakening for the No. 15-ranked Grizzlies (8-8, 2-2). After rain forced a scheduled Tuesday matchup with Forest Grove to Thursday, the ...
Mac Baseball: Bears let leads slip away, drop series to Jaguars
April 20 McMinnville 3 Century 6 The No. 9-ranked McMinnville Grizzlies (8-7, 2-4) opened their series with No. 19 Century (10-6, 5-4) on Monday, April 20, with strong outings from both side’s ...
3A Softball: Tigers complete season sweep of Eagles before week of tough trials
A threat in the pitcher’s circle like Vale freshman Sophia Navarrete was just what the No. 6-ranked Yamhill Carlton Tigers (13-3, 7-1) needed to see with playoff hopes in mind. “This is state ...
Keliiheleua: Grizzly grad of '99 had to relearn how to walk before taking off
Through nagging injuries and multiple surgeries, Maile (Smith) Keliiheleua never lost sight of the family members and coaches who helped her achieve every athletic feat she dreamed of. While attending ...
Wildcat Roundup: Men’s golf earns second at finals; baseball rebounds; softball approaches tournament time
Golf Tigard alumni and Linfield junior Douglas Bailey repeated as the Northwest Conference’s medalist in the final NWC event of the season, firing rounds of 68 and 69 (-5) and winning in a playoff, ...
BC Harley reintroduces street-legal bike racing to Woodburn
Harley-Davidson racing is making a comeback at the Woodburn Dragstrip. Since about 2019, the racing strip at Woodburn has had few events for Harley-Davidson, but that was not always the case. More than ...
3A Softball: Pirates playing with intention
The No. 1-ranked Pirates (13-2, 7-0) aim to do three things when they take the field — avoid defensive errors, refrain from walking opposing batters and record double-digit hits. “When we ...
Mac Golf: Triple birdies at Rock Creek
With half the season remaining, McMinnville’s varsity golfers made a trip to Rock Creek Country Club in northwest Portland, where slick conditions made play more difficult for the Grizzly girls and ...
Mac Tennis: Grizzlies battle rain in trio of conference victories
Century, Newberg and Liberty were the foes of McMinnville’s varsity tennis teams last week as the programs tiptoed around inclement weather to put a bow on a trio of match days. For boys and girls ...
Pirate girls claim team title at PacWest League Meet
Among a slew of Class 3A-6A athletes, a trio of Amity Warriors earned top placements on Saturday, April 18, at the Jon Oliver Invitational and Panther Stadium at Central High School. Seniors Trenton Ruston ...
