Overnight guests can make the holiday season feel that much more special. Spending extra time with loved ones is part and parcel of the holiday season for millions of individuals, and hosting overnight guests ensures hosts get quality time with friends and family members they may not see much of throughout the rest of the year. Holiday hosts may want to go the extra mile for their overnight guests who...

Millions of people enjoy shopping for gifts and loved ones each holiday season. The spirit of giving is alive and well each December, and that can extend to giving back to one’s community. In addition to supporting local charities when making donations during the holiday season, shoppers can patronize small local businesses over big box retailers and national chains. The decision to do so can benefit communities in myriad ways. ...

Hundreds of Wilsonville residents braved the cold weather to usher in the holiday season at the city’s community tree lighting event on Nov. 30. Decked out in holiday sweaters and hats, attendees clasped steaming cups of hot chocolate as they watched performances from local children’s choirs, the Wilsonville Ukelele Club, Innovative Dance and more. When it was time to turn on the lights, the crowd migrated from the front of the stage to the base of the giant decorated tree in Town Center Park. The crowd counted down from 10 in unison and cheered as the tree lit up with thousands of white lights, revealing the gingerbread cookie tree topper. Families took photos in the glow of the lights and performances continued onstage. With high spirits and smiles, Wilsonville families hummed along to Christmas carols for the rest of the event and enjoyed the company of their neighbors.

Wilsonville resident Kelly Bartlett loved to play with Lego bricks when she was a kid. Now, the 46-year-old mother of two is a Lego artist with statues featured in local stores and in Lego’s Denmark headquarters — and she’s just finished her run on the fourth season of “Lego Masters”. “We had no idea how far we could go when we came on the show,” Bartlett said. “We really just...

The Wilsonville Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee’s multi-part speaker series spotlighting historically marginalized community voices will return next week. The series will kick off at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, with a presentation from Elizabeth Brashear titled, “Fleeing Displacement and Escaping El Salvador’s Civil War for Life in America.” Brashear will share the story of her journey to the U.S. border and her experience adjusting to life in a new country. Her daughter, Karla Brashear, a local immigration attorney and vice-chair of the DEI...

Oregon’s students do not all fit into one box. Of the state’s 550,000 public school students, 333 unique languages are spoken. While many students continue to struggle post-pandemic, the number of high school freshmen on track to graduate is close to 84% — only a percentage point behind pre-pandemic numbers. On Thursday, Nov. 30, the Oregon Department of Education released its annual Oregon Statewide Report Card that measures student achievement and academic progress compared to previous school years. ...

Christmas trees are among the most recognizable symbols of the holiday season, and the popularity of trees is undeniable. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, approximately 25 to 30 million real Christmas trees are sold annually in the United States. Christmas trees also are big business in Canada, where Statistics Canada notes cash receipts from Canadian Christmas tree producers totaled nearly $163.5 million in 2022. Annual spending on Christmas...

After dominating the 5A scene and earning the coveted #1 spot in the state rankings, the Wilsonville High School football team have been named Athletes of the Week for the week of November 29th. The Wilsonville High School football team were considered the #1 ranked 5A team in the state, and they didn’t just meet expectations—they exceeded them. The Wildcats clinched the OSAA 5A state football championship in a come-from-behind...

Although making Christmas dinner can be a significant undertaking, with some planning, collaboration, and the right supplies, laying out a beautiful table of delicious food can be stress-free and even fun. Below are the four essential tools for a stress-free Christmas dinner. The Plan The plan for making Christmas dinner is your most essential tool....

The Portland Trail Blazers (6-12) got another strong road win Thursday, taking down Cleveland (10-9) 103-95 after defeating Indiana a few nights prior. Shaedon Sharpe had another impressive performance, putting up 29 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Blazers while Duop Reath was big off the bench with 13 points. Jerami Grant chipped in 13 points and Jabari Walker had 6 points and 12 points off the bench. ...

{span style=”font-size: 12px;”}Seniors and older adults did not seem to get the memo regarding inflation.{/span} {span style=”font-size: 12px;”}As the world continues to navigate a cost-of-living increase, internal data from Bank of America indicates that Baby Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) and Traditionalists (individuals born between 1928 and 1945) are spending more while younger generations are cutting back. Between May 2021 and May 2022, spending by Traditionalists increased by more than 5% while Baby Boomer spending rose by 2.2%. That uptick occurred while younger...

It's well past time to admit the obvious: Measure 110, which decriminalized deadly drugs, has been a disaster. Presented to voters as the "Drug Addiction and Recovery Act," this ill-conceived measure has enabled people to destroy themselves with dangerous drugs and is destroying the quality of life for all Oregonians. Treatment programs that were promised three years ago still don't exist. Multnomah County, for example, has huge amounts of money...

As packages pile up on doorsteps and people scramble to book flights, it can be easy to overlook risks during the holiday craze. Wilsonville Police Chief Robert Wurpes provided advice on how to stay safe this season. Thwarting theft and car break-ins “This time of year, we generally see an uptick in theft, most often in the form of package theft from porches or from vehicle break-ins,” Wurpes said. ...

For the Wilsonville varsity Rocket League esports team, video games aren’t just fun; they’re serious competition. A month ago, the three players on the Wilsonville Rocket League varsity team faced their counterparts from West Linn High School at Warner Pacific University. Like many universities, Warner Pacific turned part of its library into a dedicated esports facility due to the rising popularity of competitive video games. “It was actually the only...

The Oregon Department of Transportation, which hosted an open house Nov. 16 in Wilsonville to provide an update on the I-5 Boone Bridge Replacement Project, is offering an opportunity for more community members to provide feedback that will inform the project. Specifically, project leaders are seeking input from cyclists and pedestrians regarding their travel preferences as they begin consideration of whether to design bike/pedestrian facilities on I-5 or support the City’s French Prairie Bridge Project, which would add a separate Willamette River crossing exclusively for...

Plug-in hybrid vehicles are difficult to sell to American consumers. The technology enthusiasts and early adopters have wanted to jump straight into EVs for decades, while most consumers get some sticker shock when they see the price of a plug-in, which can be almost as much as an EV. The pricing makes sense, because the automaker has to include a full gasoline-fueled drivetrain and an electric drivetrain in the plug-in hybrid, and they have to do all the engineering to get them to work together...

So often in life, uncertainty precedes uncomfortability. A clouded vision of the future may serve as a distraction from the present. Counterintuitively, that unknowing — a sort of blissful ignorance — can be reshaped as a tool to promote deeper focus, greater results. That’s how Oregon State women’s basketball coach Scott Rueck views it, anyway, sitting cross-legged in an armchair inside his office on the precipice of year 14 as...

Comcast RISE awarded 100 Multnomah County businesses in September with comprehensive grant packages, which include business consultation services, educational resources, a $5,000 monetary grant, creative production, media schedule, and a technology makeover. The recipients are among the more than 13,500 entrepreneurs nationwide who altogether received $125 million in monetary, marketing, and technology grants from Comcast RISE since the program’s inception three years ago. Together with Philadelphia-based tech education nonprofit Hopeworks, Comcast has developed an interactive map of RISE recipients in your community. Find your local...

Trent Bray was introduced as the 32nd head coach of Oregon State football Wednesday, Nov. 29 at the Valley Football Center in Corvallis. Bray was announced as the head coach Tuesday evening just four days after former head coach Jonathan Smith accepted the same position at Michigan State on Saturday. "Our unique circumstances and the current college athletic landscape necessitated our swift and thorough search," OSU athletic director Scott Barnes...

For over 30 years, Lance’s Superior Auto Service has been serving the Wilsonville area, making sure your cars are maintained and in perfect working condition. Among the most important of our services is our Power Steering Flush. A properly maintained power steering system is essential, especially as we approach the winter season. The power steering system plays a crucial role in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of your vehicle during cold, icy, or snowy conditions. With the cold weather, steering can become more challenging...