Buxton’s Public Coast Farm was host to the Inaugural Blueberry Festival on Saturday, July 24, an event that drew crowds to the storied home of the Apple Valley Airport, Ramblin’ Rod Anders, and more.

The Portland office of the National Weather Service issued an “Excessive Heat Watch” for much of the Willamette Valley and surrounding areas beginning Thursday and extending through Saturday evening. The area under the heat watch includes Banks, but ends in Manning.

Ramblin' Rod Anders, the Apple Valley Airport, the proposed Salmonberry Trail, the Public Coast Farm and now, the inaugural Blueberry Festival this Saturday in Buxton all have called the same property home.

Fire crews are pushing into the interior of the Game Hog Creek Fire as they work to establish a 300 foot perimeter free of burning material, the Oregon Department of Forestry said on Wednesday.

100 years ago: Two Portland residents run afoul of game wardens in Gales Creek, it's blackberry season in Timber, and everyone is making hay while the sun shines and more. This week, the clips in this history column come from the July 14, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

A new design for Oregon salmon license plates will be available to vehicle owners September 1, 2021, with money from plate sales going toward salmon habitat and restoration efforts.

Over the weekend, crews were able to complete line construction into the Elk Creek drainage where the terrain is steepest, halting the spread of the wildfire, with the aid of two airplanes and a number of helicopters.

The June 2021 police log, as presented to the Banks City council on Tuesday, July 13.

A single engine air tanker is headed to Hagg Lake to begin scooping water to drop 800-gallon water drops on the cliffs surrounding Elk Creek after two of the three helicopters expected to fight the Game Hog Creek Fire were grounded by mechanical problems Saturday morning.

Game Hog Creek Fire Updates: - Fire grew to 133 acres - Two helicopters, with a third expected Saturday, now fighting fire - Cooler coastal air expected to help firefighting efforts today

100 years ago: A who's who tour of cattle farms in Banks, Gales Creek and Roy, a big dance at Balm Grove, and more. This week, the clips in this history column come from the July 7, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

A rummage sale to benefit the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Roy began today and will continue until Saturday.

Efforts to fight the Game Hog Creek Fire continued overnight, and the Oregon Department of Forestry continues to express confidence in halting the wildfire’s spread. “It held well overnight. We feel good about it,” said ODF Forest Grove District Forester Mike Cafferata. The fire has burned over 130 acres.

“Although the fire remains uncontained because fire lines are still being built, the fire’s spread was largely stopped at about 70 acres,” the Oregon Department of Forestry said Wednesday evening.

Game Hog Creek Fire updates for Wednesday afternoon: - The bulk of the fire "appears manageable" according to the ODF - Part of the fire cannot be fought due to steep terrain - Fire is between 70 and 100 acres in size

The Game Hog Creek Fire escaped fire lines Tuesday afternoon and is now growing in the Tillamook State Forest.

A summary of calls from June 2021, and a message from the Banks Fire District.

Banks' Main Street Salon is opening a newly renovated room to add new services, and will hold an event on Friday, July 16 from 3 to 7 p.m. with refreshments and live music to mark the occasion.

The city of Banks is lifting some restrictions on water usage, moving from stage 3 to stage 2 in the city’s water curtailment plan.

100 years ago: Forest Grove mulls paving Gales Creek Road from their then-city limits to Thatcher Road, a rural community outside of Forest Grove at the time, a pioneer from the Banks area — his family name now graces the region's newest park at the Killin Wetlands — dies and more. This week, the clips in this history column come from the June 30, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

Oregon Department of Forestry fire crews are fighting a six-acre blaze in the Tillamook State Forest, and staged and refueled a helicopter in Buxton. “We really appreciate the fire station there and how Banks Fire has made it available to us and other emergency services,” said ODF Forest Grove District Forester Mike Cafferata.

The Oregon Board of Forestry will meet virtually on Monday, July 12 to continue the search for Oregon’s next state forester, a process that will continue unimpeded after Senate Bill 868 failed to move forward before the legislative session ended in late June.

The state has largely reopened, but the Tillamook Forest Center will remain closed until at least September, citing staffing changes as a factor.

The region to the west and north of Banks entered fire season on June 22, which prohibits fireworks use in lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry. Fire danger is currently high. For Buxton, Manning, Timber, Hayward, Tophill and Mountaindale residents, find out if you can legally light fireworks on this ODF-created map.

Fire officials, elected officials, and city leaders everywhere are asking local residents to skip the fireworks this year and head to a professional display, Hagg Lake to enjoy the water, or watch a display on TV instead over wildfire concerns.

Oregon’s risk level framework and the majority of masking, capacity, and social distancing measures were lifted Wednesday, June 30, doing away with the majority of the state’s mandatory precautions to fight the coronavirus.

Local and state officials are increasingly warning of significant fire danger ahead of the Independence Day weekend, and now Governor Kate Brown has taken the step of declaring a state of emergency for all of Oregon over wildfire danger.

The city of Banks issued a notice Wednesday morning halting all outdoor water use and limiting customers of the city's water system to health-related and food preparation needs for at least two weeks.

100 years ago this month: St. Francis in Roy was dedicated, and Gales Creek swimmers were asked to stop swimming in the nude and more. This week, the clips in this history column come from the June 23, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

In Hillsboro, the closest official recording location for the National Weather Service, the all-time high since records began in 1929 is now 114 degrees, after breaking the original record of 108 degrees from July 21 2006 twice this weekend.

Oregon’s junior senator will hold a virtual town hall for Washington County residents on June 29, a tradition for Sen. Jeff Merkley, though in non-pandemic years, the events are generally held in-person at a local gathering place.

Two individuals made their mark in Banks on Friday and Saturday, the Washington County Sheriff's Office said, leading police on a series of pursuits by car, on a motorcycle, and on foot, eventually culminating in the arrests of two men this weekend.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office was searching for a woman last seen near Banks on Saturday afternoon.

The Oregon Legislature wrapped up Saturday, marking the end of an eventful session that included high profile legislation, a resignation and the first expulsion of a legislator in state history.

With record-breaking temperatures on the way this weekend, local health officials are urging Oregonians to take caution, and fire officials are urging people to not be the cause of a wildfire.

Oregon’s risk level framework and the majority of masking, capacity, and social distancing measures will be lifted no later than June 30, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced in a press conference on Friday, June 25. They could be lifted earlier if 31,264 adults get their first shot.

In this column, we take a look back 100 years ago in western Washington County, pulling clips and stories from the annals of local newspapers and historic documents. This week, the clips come from the June 16, 1921 edition of the Washington County News-Times.

The Portland office of the National Weather Service issued an “Excessive Heat Watch” Wednesday morning for almost the whole state of Oregon, including the entirety of Washington County.

Local firefighters from Washington County and the Oregon Department of Forestry are providing aid to other Oregon counties anticipating potential fires in central Oregon and currently battling blazes in southern Oregon as most of the state enters an extended hot and dry period.

After a year’s hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Annual Banks BBQ, Truck & Tractor Pull will return to Banks from August 20 - 22 at Sunset Park.