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Community Corner

🌱 Ralph's Run In Forest Grove + How To Help Afghan Refugees

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Beaverton.

Ash DeMello, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Happy Saturday, neighbors! Here's everything you need to know around Beaverton today.

First, today's weather:

A little morning rain; cloudy. High: 47 Low: 31.

Here are the top five stories in Beaverton today:

  1. There's lots of standing water these days, thanks to lots of rain and snowmelt. Click over to LUT News to learn about staying safe when you encounter flooded roadways. Important to note: It takes just 6 inches of moving water to knock over and carry away an adult and 12 inches to carry away a small car.
  2. Washington County Community Library is calling local teen artists to participate in the Teen Summer Reading Artwork Contest. The program is open for submissions until February 19, 2022. The winner will have their artwork featured on 2022 WCCLS Teen Summer Reading materials. (WCCLS)
  3. Standing water has made roadways throughout the area impassable, leading to congestion and delays. If you're planning on taking a drive, here are a few closures:
    • Susbauer and Fern Hill roads (@WashCoRoads)
    • All major Cascade passes in Washington (KGW.com)
    • I-5 south of Chehalis between Grand Mound and U.S. 12 (@WSDOT_SW)
    • U.S. 101 near Tillamook (OregonLive)
  4. And here's another traffic snarl to be aware of: A semi-truck caught fire on I-5 near Nyberg on Friday morning, causing delays. TVF&R responded to the incident and had the situation under control in a relatively short amount of time. Luckily, the truck carried only food and no hazardous materials, officials report. (KOIN)
  5. Learn about one of the principals who help make the Beaverton School District awesome over at BSD's YouTube channel. Andrew Gilford, principal at the International School of Beaverton, says being a grandchild of Holocaust refugees and spending time abroad has informed his approach to education. Hear his story via the link.

Today in Beaverton:

  • Ralph's Run: Start 2022 off right with the ORRC Y2K Half Marathon and 10K Run/Walk with a pancake breakfast at the finish line. Check in at 2037 Douglas Street in Forest Grove. Online registration only. (9:00 AM)
  • Volunteer: Community Garden Work Party at Bethany Lake Park. Get out into nature and feel good about your weekend by helping to weed and mulch a local park. (9:00 AM - 11:30 AM)
  • BSD Honor Band Concert: Support local musicians! In-person attendance is available to friends/relatives of students (up to four per student), but all community members can watch the concert via livestream. (2:00 PM for middle school; 3:00 PM for high school)
  • "Portland Winter" Canvas Painting Instructed Workshop @ Live Laugh Love Art: Learn to paint step-by-step instructions for capturing the iconic "Old Town" sign. $32.50. (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM)
  • One Book, One Beaverton: An Evening of Vaudeville with Leapin' Louie Lichtenstein (at Main) - Register to attend a performance about the history of Vaudeville. (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

  • Five Oaks Museum shares a 1920s throwback image of the historic Weils building, which was severely damaged in the recent downtown Hillsboro fire, plus a message of support for those impacted. (Instagram)
  • A Nextdoor Neighbor from the Snowy Owl Lane-Murray Ridge shares an update about incoming Afghan refugees: "Hi neighbors. - My name is Mouna and I live on Snowy Owl Lane. I work at IRCO (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization). We are currently receiving big numbers of Afghan refugees who are being resettled in Oregon. I'm reaching out as we are collecting donations to help furnish new arrivals home. We will pick up on MLK day." Here's a link to the list of items IRCO is accepting as donations. Click over to the post for more info. (Nextdoor)
  • Here's another opportunity to support businesses affected by the Hillsboro fire: Attend a fundraiser hosted by Noble Hop in downtown Hillsboro (3rd and Main) on January 20 at 4:00 PM. Tap the link for more details! (Twitter)

Loving the Beaverton Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

  • Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
  • Get your local business listed in front of readers
  • Send me a news tip or suggestion at ash.the.copyartist@gmail.com

Alrighty, you're all good for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Ash DeMello

About me: Check out my profile at the Beaverton Downtown Association's blog or follow me on Instagram (you'll be one of eight!).

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

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