Memory Lane 04/0425

A look back at Yamhill County news

10 years ago

n City officials said the tents had to go, but didn’t say anything about the people inside the tents, so they have been invited to stay, leaders at McMinnville Cooperative Ministries have announced.

The controversial homeless camp established last year on the church’s downtown site remains, its residents now making do with cots and sleeping bags, despite passage of an April 1 deadline set by the city for its disbanding. Church leaders marked the Wednesday deadline by staging a Holy Tent event. They invited people from throughout the community to pitch tents in their parking lot that night in solidarity with their cause. Turnout was lighter than hoped. One spokeswoman blamed that on the rain, saying it probably drove away a lot of people.

n The Yamhill County commissioners, deliberating before a packed house Thursday, upheld the expansion of Riverbend Landfill, 2-1. Commissioner Allen Springer, who had been under fire in recent weeks over his extensive contacts with Riverbend parent company Waste Management, Inc., and his ardent support for a company grant program that had critics crying foul, cast the dissenting vote. He was out-polled by commission newcomers Mary Starrett and Stan Primozich in upholding an earlier planning commission approval, coming before commissioners on appeal. Should it win state Department of Environmental Quality approval and survive further appellate challenges, the expansion is expected to give the regional landfill up to 10 years of additional life. Otherwise, it would be facing closure within two years, having reached maximum capacity

25 Years Ago

n The May 16 ballot features Yamhill County’s first contested judicial race in nearly 30 years, and it has attracted a big field, including two municipal judges, a prosecutor and several defense attorneys. Seeking the office are, in alphabetical order: McMinnville Municipal Judge Leon Colas, McMinnville defense attorney Bill Houser, Newberg Municipal Judge John Mercer, McMinnville civil practice attorney Ron Stone, Yamhill County Deputy District Attorney Cal Tichenor, and McMinnville Defense attorney Jim White.

n Hearings on McMinnville’s proposed expansion of its urban growth boundary are not likely until late this month or early next, city officials said Monday. Several months have passed since city planners and two citizen groups identified 1,500 acres of farm and forest land for inclusion in the urban growth boundary expansion designed to meet need for the next 20 years.

In August, city officials were hoping for an October start on the hearing process. City Planning Director Doug Montgomery said, “It’s a frustrating, painstakingly slow process at this point.”

50 Years Ago

n Walt Disney Studios, with all its talent and millions in equipment, was no match last year for former McMinnvillian Will Vinton and his basement film experiment. Vinton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gale Vinton, was presented the 1974 Academy Award for Best Short Subject for his film, “Closed Mondays.” Nominees included Disney’s “Winnie the Pooh and Tiger” and others.

Vinton, 27, is a 1966 graduate of McMinnville High School.

n McMinnville sewer user fees, proposed to increase an average of 75 percent, will be subject of a public hearing Tuesday. Council members this week reviewed a rate proposal prepared by UMA Engineering Pacific, Inc., of Portland. New fees, based on usage of water rather than current flat rate charges, would raise an estimated $315,000 annually as opposed to $18,000 under current fees.