The city of McMinnville will vote next week to continue the Alpine Avenue redevelopment project with former finalist development team Guardian, after first choice Palindrome withdrew from an agreement ...


Commentary

Investigating the Bible: When a church is led by a bully

Ray Stedman (1917-1992) was the pastor for forty years of the Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto, California, and the church continues with a strong ministry today. With this anonymous rhyme, he recognized ...

Jonah Goldberg: GOP facing big questions as Trump passage looms

“Are the Republicans going the way of the Whigs?”

During President Trump’s first term, this question was asked a lot. The answer then: No.

 
Cyrus Javadi: Universal healthcare not viable without cost control

At some point in any failing enterprise, someone in the room finally asks the most dangerous question: “Are we actually making enough money to run this thing?”

 

Jeb Bladine: Rise of AI deep fake imagery has many victims

Here’s a new acronym for 2026 that deserves to become a clarion call against new combinations of human deviance and artificial intelligence run amok: NCSI. No, it’s not another spin-off of ...

 
Quirk of the Week: Par-don the puns you’re about to read

Indoors or out, anywhere golf is enjoyed, the duffer will find twists and turns. Now that the weather has turned, a place with its share of twists provides a warm indoor place for “wood-be” ...

Editorials

 
A lot to like in the result, a lot less in the process

Celebrated English playwright William Shakespeare coined the oft-quoted phrase, “All’s well that ends well,” to serve as the name of a play he wrote and produced in 1623. And even then, ...

All signs point to another year of trail controversy

Yamhill County — where public park development has not been a high priority — has park projects drawing high public interest going into 2026. County leaders are planning to eliminate the expansive ...

 
Leapfrogs and bookends mark local issues at the turn of the year

Resolution and reverberation offer different ways to define 2025 in Yamhill County. As we look at Yamhill County’s year past and year ahead, local issues often either bookended or leapfrogged: many ...

 
Good intentions gone awry leave Oregon in the lurch

It’s been a long time coming, but a sitting Oregon governor finally conceded earlier this month, at Oregon’s annual Oregon Leadership Summit, that business leaders have a point when they complain ...

 
Was top school choice hiding in plain sight?

To the casual observer, the McMinnville School Board’s unanimous Monday night embrace of Dr. Kourtney Ferrua as the next superintendent of schools here may seem the product of a whirlwind courtship. But ...

Letters

News-Register Letters Policy

The News-Register welcomes written opinions about issues of public interest and about the content of this newspaper. Letters from non-local writers are accepted only if they focus on local issues. This ...

 
Letters to the Editor: Jan. 9, 2026

Follow the money We are watching the biggest wealth transfer in history. Wealth that is moving from ordinary Americans to the richest people on Earth. Our middle class is the last repository of wealth ...

Letters to the editor: Dec. 31, 2025

No moral compass I can understand how a person of Christian faith would be encouraged by this president’s remarks during the lighting of the national Christmas tree. Even though I am not affiliated ...

 
Letters to the Editor: Dec. 19, 2025

Weak and damaged A malignant narcissist is defined as an individual with a personality disorder that includes these characteristics: profound lack of insight, extreme grandiosity, lack of empathy, sadism, ...

 
Letters to the Editor: Dec. 12, 2025

Insurance a basic need Democrats may have lost their fight to extend subsidies for purchasing health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, but their efforts have started ...

News & Features

 
Commissioners postpone rural B&B ruling

A more than three-year argument over a home occupation permit will take another week to resolve — at least at the county level. The Board of Commissioners requested more time to decide a case that ...

 
Stopping by: Skills for life

Yamhill Carlton’s national champs advocate for FFA program

 
Scam targets county planning applicants

A recent scam targeting residents has been sending fake Yamhill County Planning Department emails and requesting permit fees be paid over wire transfer. The first reported incident was in November. A ...

Plans to house Blackhawks at airport developing

Black Hawk helicopters could soon be whirring out of McMinnville Municipal Airport. City staff informed Airport Commission members Tuesday that plans are proceeding for timber company Weyerhaeuser to ...

Sheridan city council in favor of food carts

The Sheridan Planning Commission is tasked with creating standards for food carts following a vote by city councilors during a Monday, Jan. 6, meeting.The council previously discussed adding a food cart ...

Icy roads impact commute, delay schools Thursday

Icy roads led to numerous minor crashes Thursday morning, along with school delays to allow buses more time to reach students in hilly areas around Yamhill County. McMinnville, Yamhill Carlton and most ...

Senior services agency hopes to boost attendance to in-person meal sites

Along with its Meals on Wheels deliveries to homebound seniors (see related story), NorthWest Senior and Disability Service offers in-person dining several times a week in McMinnville, Sheridan and Newberg.  Anyone ...

 
Vintage N-R/Memory Lane: Jan. 9, 2026

10 Years Ago -- Many locals will find the rebuilt McMinnville Public Library plaza a sentimental journey. People who donated to the library’s plaza enhancement project could have large bricks ...

Arrests & Citations: Jan. 9, 2026

Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office Christopher William Melka, 47, McMinnville, Dec. 30, parole violation; held in the Yamhill County Jail without bail. Alfonso Jesus Radilla, 41, Newberg, Dec. 30, ...

 
City moving forward with new Alpine site partner, affordable housing focus

The city of McMinnville will vote next week to continue the Alpine Avenue redevelopment project with former finalist development team Guardian, after first choice Palindrome withdrew from an agreement ...

Protest, vigil planned in Newberg

Progressive Yamhill is organizing a protest of the apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Newberg flagpole, 1003 E. First St. Maduro ...

Dayton may relocate city hall employees after flood damage

The city of Dayton is considering moving employees out of city hall following the December basement flooding that renewed concerns about black mold. Flooding occurs annually in the building’s basement, ...

Third person indicted on charges related to Newberg car prowling

Travis Michael Weddle was indicted Dec. 11 on eight charges connected to summer car prowling in Newberg. Weddle’s charges include theft, fraudulent use of a credit card and identity theft. On Oct. ...

 
Meals on Wheels volunteers hit the road to help seniors

Outside the McMinnville Cooperative Ministries building, where the local Meals on Wheels program is located, Daryll Alt of McMinnville loaded his car with dozens of packaged lunches on New Year’s ...

 
Hazelnuts are a bright spot for Oregon agriculture

While many Oregon farmers pull back amid tariff worries, low crop prices and a difficult labor market, Jeff Newton plans to invest in new hazelnut trees at Christensen Farms near Amity in Yamhill County. Newton, along with other Oregon hazelnut growers, is waiting for a final tally of the volume of nuts they sold in 2025. But acreage and preliminary data show that hazelnut farming is booming in the Willamette Valley.

 

Democratic state AGs will lead opposition to Trump this year

PORTLAND — One year into President Donald Trump’s second term, Democratic attorneys general have filed 71 lawsuits against the administration.

 

‘Ice’ rink skates through second holiday season

Nearly 3,000 people circled the artificial ice of the Glide & Gather skating attraction during the holiday season, according to the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce. The skating rink, set up inside ...

 
Quirk of the Week: Par-don the puns you’re about to read

Indoors or out, anywhere golf is enjoyed, the duffer will find twists and turns. Now that the weather has turned, a place with its share of twists provides a warm indoor place for “wood-be” ...

 
Construction starts on new boutique hotel

Construction of a new boutique hotel on Alpine Avenue began today, following months of planning. Owners Tim Wade and Carole Lundgren said they expect the Piquette hotel to open in early 2027. It will ...

Library book sale Saturday

Friends of the McMinnville Library will host its first book sale of the year from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, in the library’s Carnegie Room. Adult books will sell for $1, children’s ...

Sports

 
Mac Girls Basketball: Grizzlies steal Blues' rhythm in first home victory

The Grizzlies’ record (3-6) is not indicative of their true potential. Head Coach Sean Coste has seen nearly everything in his time on the sidelines, but an 0-6 start to the season was a first in ...

Mac Boys Basketball: Grizzlies ride first-quarter wave to even season record in Aloha

A 29-5 first quarter propelled the No. 36-ranked Grizzlies (5-5) to their second-largest margin of victory this season as they toppled No. 49 Metro League foe Aloha (0-10), 69-45, on the road. Sophomore ...

 
Linfield has eight placers, Willamina alumni return at Mat Cat Open

Grapplers from all walks of life competed in the Mat Cat Open on Sunday, Jan. 4, inside Ted Wilson Gymnasium, with 35 teams taking the mat. The host Wildcats had eight combined placers across men’s ...

 
3A/2A Girls Basketball: Pirates feast from range in win over Bulldogs

The basket seemed five feet wide for the No. 21-ranked Dayton Pirates (9-3, 3-1) Wednesday night as they outshot No. 38 Willamina (1-8, 0-2) en route to a 53-26 victory. Dayton slowed their pace over ...

 
3A Boys Basketball: Pirates, Bulldogs crash to overtime ending in battle for first PacWest win

Two teams vying for life in the 3A PacWest Conference duked it out Wednesday night, needing to play an extra four minutes of basketball inside the Dayton High School gymnasium to crown a victor. After ...

 
Wrestling is for girls

As I’ve written before, I’m one of the luckiest guys in the county. I get paid to see the impact of athletics on the county’s students. Friday, I had the assignment of covering ...

 
Girls 3A standouts rise to the top at McMinnville

Dayton’s Aliyah Sauceda proved it’s not about school size, but heart, as the 3A wrestler defeated 6A metro opponents to claim the 170-pound championship at McMinnville’s Mac Storage wrestling ...

 
Grizzlies, Bulldogs steamroll through boys invite at Mac

The McMinnville High School gymnasium was drenched in blood, sweat and tears on Saturday, Jan. 3, while some of the region’s top boys grapplers collided at the McMinnville Your Space Storage ...

 
3A Boys Basketball: Warriors outpace Pirates in Crusader Classic final

Turnidge Gymnasium was lively on Saturday as Salem Academy High School hosted the Crusader Classic and an unplanned Yamhill County rivalry matchup. Each hoping to begin 2026 with an unblemished ...

 
3A Girls Basketball: Warriors fall to Vikings in potential playoff preview

A battle of top dogs commenced Saturday inside Turnidge Gymnasium at Salem Academy High School. The scene introduced No. 2 Amity (7-2, 1-0) to another tough task in what has been a gauntlet of an early ...

Gurash steps up, but Lincoln’s Novy-Hildesley too much as Mac falls 71-57

McMinnville’s varsity boys (4-5) traded buckets with No. 18-ranked Lincoln (5-3) on Friday, but the Grizzlies were outmatched, allowing too many open looks at the rim in a 71-57 loss to the Cardinals ...

Middle schooler Tanner Rauch battles for first while Grizzlies tackle western might in Reno

Tanner Rauch, an eighth grader at Patton Middle School, was the lone McMinnville representative to place at the 2025 Sierra Nevada Classic in Reno, Nevada, from Dec. 29-30. Rauch competed as part of the ...

Seven individuals earn 3A football All-State honors

An undefeated regular season and Special District 2 league year ended in heartbreak for the 2025 Dayton Pirates varsity football team, but their dominance did not go unnoticed, as six individuals earned ...

Amity soccer runs away with All-State honors

Following a prosperous 17-1-1 season and the first state championship in program history, the Amity girls soccer team was awarded with a plethora of 3A/2A/1A All-State awards. Senior Eliza Nisly was a ...

3A Basketball: Tigers, Bulldogs end year with tournament victories

Yamhill Carlton Girls BasketballYamhill Carlton’s girls’ varsity team (8-2) split their first two games at the Valley Catholic Holiday Tournament in Beaverton. On Sunday, Dec. 28, the Tigers ...

 
Mac Basketball: Boys erase 14-point deficit, but fall short to Beavers; girls get first win at POA Holiday Classic

McMinnville’s boys varsity basketball team (4-4) continued to teeter, going back and forth in the win and loss columns, but was nearly provided a dose of late holiday magic in a 52-50 loss against ...

Grizzlies overpowered in first Pac conference dual meet

On Wednesday, Dec. 17, McMinnville High School’s wrestling troupe took a trip to Newberg, where the boys and girls combined to go 6-14 in their bouts against the Tigers. Each side saw three ...

 
Best in class: Mendonca Academy karate siblings make history in Venice

In an unprecedented achievement for American karate, siblings Logan Mendonca (16) and Mackenzie Mendonca (14) have each risen to No. 1 in the world in their respective divisions in the World Karate ...

Grizzlies drop first Pac conference dual meet

On Wednesday, Dec. 17, McMinnville High School’s wrestling troupe took a trip to Newberg, where the boys and girls combined to go 6-14 in their bouts against the Tigers. Each side saw three individual ...

 
Pressure upends Grizzlies in loss to Guardians

McMinnville’s boys varsity basketball team (4-3) was given a lesson in late-game execution on Friday, Dec. 19, in their own gymnasium, falling 65-59. The Grizzlies opened their non-league match against ...

Web Design and Web Development by Buildable