Transportation and Infrastructure
Newberg city officials recently held a marathon discussion with the owners of the defunct WestRock paper mill, discussing the vision for the mill property as well as the future of the riverfront area.
Mayor Rick Rogers, City Manager Joe Hannan, Community Development Director Doug Rux and Public Works Director Jay Harris all met with WestRock officials to discuss the property. Rux said the meeting was mostly just to communicate the master plan for the riverfront area the city is working on, as it includes the property the mill sits on.
From roads to railways, ports to electrical grids, our infrastructure is highly relied upon. It's also highly in need of help.
"We're going to try and help President Trump delivers on his long standing promise to rebuild America's infrastructure," said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.
Don Watson, a retired McMinnville math teacher, told U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici at a town hall Monday he is concerned about gridlock in Congress.
"What can we do to increase bipartisanship, even with an administration that's wacko?" he asked, drawing a chuckle from the 100 or so people gathered to speak with Bonamici at Chemeketa Community College's McMinnville campus.
The City of Wilsonville's South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART) agency has been awarded a $1.45 million grant by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the purchase of new electric-powered buses. Funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation's "Low or No-Emission (Low-No) Bus Program Projects," SMART plans to purchase two 35-foot battery-electric buses and their accompanying charging systems. The City of Wilsonville is providing a $400,000 match, giving the project a total amount of $1.85 million.