Brooks
Brooks, OR · LATEST NEWS
Statesman Journal
Customers push back as PGE seeks 8th straight rate hike
More than a dozen people joined a Nov. 10 Oregon Public Utility Commission meeting to provide testimony on proposed Portland General Electric rate increases . Most attendees spoke against PGE's proposed plan to increase overall rates by 4.8% and residential rates by 3.9%. That would raise costs for the average residential customer by $8.33 per month, according to PGE. The changes would go into effect July 1, 2027, but would first have to be approved by state regulators, likely by June 15. The potential hike makes eight consecutive years of PGE rate increases , according to the Oregon Citizens' Utility Board . PGE has more than 950,000 customers in Oregon. Its coverage area includes Salem, Woodburn, Silverton and much of the Portland metro area. "The working class people in the Portland metro area, we have nothing left to give," said Jennifer Lighthart, who testified and asked that PGE's residential increase request, at minimum, be denied. "It's not right that a company that brings in billions of dollars in revenue every year is begging the normal regular public for money to hit their goals," Lighthart continued. Kathryn Chambers, a Salem resident, said she is a senior citizen who has health issues
Statesman Journal
Our 5 favorite Salem-area pies to bring home for Thanksgiving
Ahead of Thanksgiving, as the leaves change color and begin falling off the trees, before you stop off at a big box store to pick up a last-minute dessert, many local bakeries in Salem and Marion County have you covered with staple fall pie flavor favorites including apple, pumpkin and marionberry. No need to stress over buying ingredients and pie pans or finding your measuring cups at the bottom of your cabinet with just a few days' notice; many bakeries have taken one of the challenges out of hosting holiday dinners or making you a popular guest. Did your favorite bakery make the list? Or do you have a recommendation for places we should try next? Get in touch: joshua.kornfeld@statesmanjournal.com. Marionberry The Marionberry pie from Willamette Valley Pie Company is one not to miss. The pie has a soft, slightly crumbly crust balanced with a sweet and tart Marionberry filling, which is sure to scratch the cravings of any sweet tooth. Named after Marion County, Oregon, the marionberry was first developed as a blackberry hybrid in the 1940s before commercial production began in the 1950s. The Statesman Journal reported in 2019 that Marionberry accounts for roughly 50% of blackberry production
iheart.com
Oregon National Guard Joins Veterans Day Ceremonies
Oregon National Guard members joined veterans, students and community members at Veterans Day events across the state Nov. 10 and 11, 2026, taking part in ceremonies, parades and school programs in Albany, Salem, Echo and Beaverton. In Albany, Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, The Adjutant General of Oregon, gave remarks...
hh-today.com
A broken post; this website under attack
On my bike rides through Albany, sometimes there’s nothing noteworthy to see. Nothing more noteworthy, anyway, than a sign post that evidently was in some hapless driver’s way. This one was outside the Albany Post Office Monday afternoon, on the northwest corner of Calapooia Street and Second Avenue.
Statesman Journal
Salem delays code change vote that could block Verrus data center
Dozens of people testified at a packed Salem City Council meeting Nov. 9 as council considered clarifying existing codes to bar the construction of AI data centers and hyperscale data centers. Due to the large amount of written testimony submitted the day of the meeting, City Attorney Dan Atchison proposed pushing deliberations and a possible vote until a special meeting on Nov. 12. Councilor Paul Tigan said the council heard from the community loud and clear and supported deliberating on Nov. 12 to consider all the testimony submitted. His motion to suspend the public hearing and conduct deliberations on Nov. 12 passed unanimously. A vote to clarify the code could set a possible roadblock for the Verrus data center planned in the Mill Creek Corporate Center. Hundreds of people testified against the Verrus data center and other AI data centers coming to the city. Opponents cited concerns over water usage, sound pollution, energy use and other environmental impacts. Verrus CEO Nelson Abramson said in written testimony that his company has spent several months meeting with neighborhood associations and would take their input into consideration. He said his company is offering to enter into a Community Benefits Agreement with Salem, enforced
salembusinessjournal.org
At Salem Chamber, Business Leaders Warn of Tax Battles and Affordability Problems
Two days after Oregon's general election, business advocates gathering in Salem warned that employers could face another difficult legislative session. But the discussion at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce revealed a concern extending beyond taxes and regulations:how to address the affordability crisis. At the Chamber's Nov. 5 Business Advocacy...
willametteheritage.org
1915 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for Salem, Oregon
This Sanborn-Perris Fire Insurance Map (T2011.001.002) was first printed in 1895, and updated through April 15, 1915 — showing what the community would have looked like on that date. This volume was originally in the collections of the State Library of Oregon. It was withdrawn from that facility (see...
newsberg.org
Dundee Explores Funding Options for $608,000 Third Street Project
DUNDEE, Ore. — Dundee City Council discussed funding options for improvements to Third Street, adopted final assessments for the Alder Street Local Improvement District, and considered several other city matters during its Nov. 3 meeting. Dundee officials are working to assemble funding for a $607,910 package of Third Street...
btimesherald.com
Hilanders claim 10th state title for Burns
The No. 1 ranked BHS volleyball team defeated the No. 2 Dayton Pirates in the 2026 OSAA 3A State Championship game for the school’s 10th title and co-head coach Paula Toney’s ninth state championship. Burns got to the finals by defeating the Coquille Red Devils in the quarterfinals...
columbiacountyspotlight.com
The Valley Times
A major increase, minor dips highlight Beaverton, Tigard-Tualatin, Sherwood student test scores
Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and Sherwood schools all saw slight dips and some increases in math, science and English test scores, with the Sherwood School District pulling significantly ahead when it […]
diggermagazine.com
Three couples awarded OAN Honorary Life memberships
At the 2026 OAN Convention, three couples — David and Kristin VanHoose, Amethyst Hill Nursery and Hydrangeas Plus® (Aurora, Oregon); Pete and Wendy Brentano, Brentano’s Tree Farm (St. Paul, Oregon), and Jerry and Roberta Simnitt, Simnitt Nursery (Canby, Oregon) — were awarded Honorary Life memberships in the association.