“There’s something special about the twinkle of holiday lights, isn’t there?” That is the question posed by the organizers of the 2nd Annual Holiday Lights Contest, which is currently underway in Woodburn. Jen Cantu and Stephanie Wells invite Woodburn residents to register and showcase their showy holiday-light displays as part of a contest that will yield a $300 gift card for one prized spectacle. A flyer for the contest invites residents to “Join you neighbors for a festive competition of holiday cheer!” Entries will be accepted through Friday, Dec. 15. More information will be forthcoming about the homes adorned with holiday-season lighting so residents can navigate through the neighborhoods to take a look. For information or to enter, visit https://shorturl.at/isvUV, or contact Cantu at jen@landmarkprofessional.net, 971-322-6276; or Wells at stephanie@livinglocalnw.com, 503-931-9122.

Come December, the holiday season has hit full swing. Celebrants of various faiths and backgrounds participate in holiday celebrations, which are unique to each faith. Although Chanukah is a relatively minor holiday on the Jewish religious calendar, it has recently enjoyed a more significant share of fanfare. That popularity is perhaps due to the proximity of Chanukah to another major December celebration featuring a bearded fellow in a red suit. Chanukah isn’t mandated by the Torah, and isn’t even mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Rather,...

Woodburn's Cruz Veliz rattled off 10 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Bulldogs to their first win of the season 61-52 against 6A Clackamas on Tuesday, Dec. 5. Veliz finished with a team-high 20 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals. "Once the fourth quarter came, I (knew we were) going to have to find a way to get stops and get layups," Veliz said. "We had our moments where we played really good and our moments where we played really bad,...

A large Oregon-based purveyor of nursery trees has been hit with a lawsuit after recently paying various fines from state health and safety officials. Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division officials fined J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. a total of $960 for 18 violations of worker-protection laws in the past three years, according to state records. The company with more than 500 employees has paid all the fines. In...

No greenery is more recognized during the holiday season than Christmas trees. However, wreaths likely take a close second to towering evergreens when it comes to green holiday decor. It is important to treat wreaths with care to maximize their longevity and beauty. The following tips can help ensure wreaths remain fresh and festive throughout December. Choose the right design ...

Visitors hoping to camp at the last minute will soon have the chance to view and book same-day campsite openings online statewide starting Jan. 1, 2024. Previously, most sites required booking 24 hours or more in advance of arrival when reserving online. Same-day online reservations started as a pilot project at two coastal parks and expanded last summer to all 17 coastal state park campgrounds. “Same-day reservations at the coast...

The December “Who’s on Third?” community concert will feature Roger and Nancy Wilhite, a piano and organ duo who plan on performing “Sacred, Secular & Seasonal Selections” with some surprises thrown in for extra fun, 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at Woodburn United Methodist Church, 700 N Cascade Drive. All “Who’s on Third?” concerts are open to the public. A free-will offering is collected at the door to support the concert series. Concert organizers urge attendees to invite friends or neighbors to enjoy the live music.

I first tested the 2023 Honda Pilot with the TrailSport package at Mudfest 2023, the most recent outdoor activity vehicle competition organized by the Northwest Automotive Press Association. Although it did not win any prizes, I was so impressed with the improvements to the off-road options for the midsize three-row crossover SUV that I highlighted them in a follow up article. In that article, I called 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport AWD the “Most improved” entry at Mudfest 2023, saying: ...

A bipartisan pair of Oregon state senators will try again to give retired veterans an income tax break after running out of time in the most recent legislative session. Sens. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer, and Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, said Wednesday, Nov. 29, they plan to revive a bill they introduced this spring to allow veterans aged 62 or younger to exempt up to $17,500 in military pensions from their taxable state income. ...

The joyous holiday season is enhanced by the beautiful and festive decorations that adorn homes and businesses during this special time of year. Twinkling lights are part of the holiday decorating equation. However, tangled lights in storage bins and boxes can sap anyone’s holiday spirit. Christmas lights can turn into a tangled mess no matter how hard people work to avoid such an outcome. Christmas lights get tangled partly because...

The Oregon State University Extension Service Metro Small Farms Program welcomes farmers to attend Field to Market: Selling farm-direct, producer-processed, value-added products in Oregon. The program will be offered on four days, two of which will be held locally, including a session at the extension service facility in Aurora. Here’s what’s happening: Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 9 a.m. to noon at the OSU North Willamette Research and Extension Center, 15210...

HILLSBORO FIRST TUESDAY ART WALK — Downtown Hillsboro’s Cultural Arts District welcomes residents and visitors for the First Tuesday Art Walk in December, 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5. Enjoy live music, visit local galleries and art spaces, dine, and shop in downtown Hillsboro. Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center, 527 E. Main St. in Hillsboro. HOLIDAY BRASS — Feel the power, precision, and prowess of the Oregon Symphony brass section as musicians fill the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall with a festive mix of classical...

Made-for-TV movies often depict holiday shopping in the best possible light. The story’s protagonist wanders into the town center and quickly finds everything on their list at a series of perfectly decorated local boutiques with nary a shopper in sight. Hot chocolate or mulled cider and repartee also tends to be par for the television movie course. People in the real world understand that holiday shopping doesn’t always work so...

The Oregon State men's soccer team punched their ticket to the College Cup for the first time in program history following a 1-0 win over No. 3 North Carolina Saturday. Following the game, head coach Greg Dalby spoke with media members and reflected on the team's run this year. Dalby took over the team in January of 2023 and completely retooled the team. Sixteen new players came into the program,...

West Linn product Jackson Shelstad came up huge for Oregon men's basketball as he hit a game-winning 3-pointer in overtime as the Ducks defeated Michigan 86-83 Saturday, Dec. 2 at Matthew Knight Arena. It was just Shelstad's third game in UO's green and yellow, and his first career start. This was not the first time a West Linn graduate wearing the No. 3 has scored the winning point in an...

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. ...

Canby PD has annual coat, sock drive rolling CANBY: The Canby Police Department is in the midst of its annual coat and sock drive. The drive is looking for new and gently used coats, along with new socks, that will be shared with The Canby Center to help those in need in Canby. The drive lasts through Dec. 29. Donations can be made from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in...

The Oregon volleyball team cruised to a sweep of Hawaii 25-23, 25-12, 25-17 in the second round of the NCAA tournament Friday at Matthew Knight Arena, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the ninth time in program history. Morgan Lewis led the way on the attack with 14 kills while setter Hannah Pukis dished out another 29 assists. The Ducks hit at .266 mark while holding the Rainbow Warriors to just .061 swinging. Forcing the tough attacking night for Hawaii was the block of the Ducks, which picked up eight blocks as a team, led by Kara McGhee with four of them. Up next will be a matchup against 3-seeded Purdue in Madison, Wisconsin as the No. 1 seed in the region is the Badgers, who advanced to the Sweet 16 as well. The No. 2-seeded Ducks with a win over Purdue would play either Wisconsin or Penn State in the Elite Eight.

The No. 3 Washington Huskies were crowned champions of the Pac-12 in their final game as members of the conference, taking down No. 5 Oregon by a score of 34-31. The Huskies dominated the game early building a 20-3 with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. Oregon roared back to life, marching down the field to score a touchdown before halftime and once again finding the end...