Category Archives: Public Safety

Community News April 2024

• Viva Village April news
• TVF&R asks voters to approve a local option levy for emergency services
• Powerful Tools for Caregivers series offered
• Washington County serves more homeless Veterans after additional voucher award
• Washington County Sheriff’s Office Open House
• Bonamici hosts student loan workshops

January storm hits hard in Cedar Mill

Forecasts were calling for colder temperatures and the possibility of snow from January 10, 2024. The month had started off with mild temperatures and rain. As the weekend approached, some were skeptical. We’ve been fooled before with the promise of snow. But by Saturday, January 13, temperatures had fallen into the 20s and winds had picked up. Moist air from the coast met freezing arctic air right over Portland. It often seemed to be snowing sideways, and it piled up in drifts against fences and buildings.

Community News January 2024

rabbit

• Community Club news
• Bales Cedar Mill Memories meetup
• Telehealth service for free COVID-19 antiviral medication extended to March 31
• MAX Service Disruptions will affect airport transit
• TVWD Fluoridation pausing for construction
• PGE rates going up
• Is Your Go Bag Ready to Go? Free seminar from Neighbors Ready!
• Neighbors Ready Preparedness Progress Survey
• Virtual Town Hall
• Public Affairs Forum
• Afterschool is Cool poster contest
• Prepare for Winter Driving
• Rabbit Rescue
• HERO Kids Registry
• Domestic partnerships for all Oregon couples
• Viva Village January news

CPO 1 News January 2024

• January CPO 1 meeting: Road project update; Sunset Station development
• Development applications approved
• December meeting notes
• CPO 1 updates
• Crosswalks & Other Safety Improvements in the UUA

CPO News October 2023

• October CPO 1 meeting: Domestic Extremism in our county; WCSO and scanners
• Future of the CPO/CCI system: BCC to hear latest OEICE proposal
• Neighborhood Meetings
9400 SW Taylor Street
• Development Applications
Malia Lane two-parcel partition
Mountain View Ridge
• Proposed Plan Amendment:
Commons at Sylvan Highlands
expansion
• CPO1 September meeting notes

Washington County News October 2023

Sheriff Garrett announces retirement, recommends Massey as interim [UPDATE October 3] Acting on their authority under Oregon law and Washington County ordinance, the Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously today to appoint Undersheriff Caprice Massey as Sheriff, upon the retirement of current Sheriff Pat Garrett. Garrett is retiring after serving a notable 35-year career with the Washington

Washington County News

• Regulations on Public Camping Adopted by Board of County Commissioners
• New ambulance provider to start serving Washington County in August

July 2023 Road News

• Thompson Road improvements may face delay from county budget shortfall
• Pedestrian and Biking Improvement Projects online open house
• Cornell Road sidewalk grating to be removed

WashCo news July 2023

camping tent

• County working on rules for homeless camping
• County Budget adopted
• Franchise fees
• Election results

Road News June 2023

• Thompson realignment project 
• Three pedestrian/bike improvements for Bethany area to be built this summer
• Cornell Road improvement
• Filbert sidewalk

The Connect Oregon Network

211 info logo

Many people who have ongoing mental and emotional health problems are survivors of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). These can have lasting, negative effects on health and well-being, as well as on education, job potential, and other life opportunities. They often have difficulty knowing where to turn for help.

Community News May 2023

• Two band concerts and an auction
• Sunset HS Marching Band Can & Bottle Drive
• Treekeepers of Washington Country Events
• TriMet to Mt. Hood or Columbia Gorge?
• Mental Health Resource Fair
• Music Night at Amaterra
• Become a “Changemaker” in the Eco-School Network
• Viva Village May events
• Ask WCSO
• Washington County Forum

Si Senor begins to recover from fire

Donate to the GoFundMe!
The ceiling and roof collapsed into the main section of the kitchen, and smoke filled the building. All the food, fresh and packaged, and all the liquor will have to be discarded. Almost all of the equipment will need to be replaced.

Community News April 2023

• K9 Trials
• Arbor Month Family Friendly Tree Walk
• Trees for Cooler Schools
• Neighborhood Ready! Disaster Scenario Game
• Washington County Forum
• What you get when you call 988
• A Time for Families Weekly Forum
• WCSO Community Academy
• Curtains up! A sampling of April events at the Reser
• Young women: Explore a career as a firefighter at Portland Metro Fire Camp
• TVF&R invites local scouts to register for Scouts Day!
• Viva Village April events
• Cedar Mill Scouts Troop 207
• Ask WCSO: How can I protect myself from mail theft?
• Reser Gallery shows

Handling ‘Snowmageddon!’

We asked three of the major service providers in our area about the behind-the-scenes activity that takes place as they dealt with the unexpected and amazing snow event in late February. (Is it over yet?)

Community News February 2023

• Oregon Symphonic Band presents Music Masterpieces
• Sunset HS Marching Band Bottle & Can Drive
• Sunset Youth Lacrosse, register now!
• BRC offers many ways to share the love this Valentine’s Day
• ACMA “Spectacularly 30” celebrates 30 years
• Oregon Chorale presents: The Trials and Festivals of Gilbert & Sullivan
• Mean Girls the Musical
• WCK Parent Speaker Series!
• Fees waived for behavioral health social worker licenses
• Sign up for the Wetlands Conservatory Amphibian Egg Mass Survey training
• Treekeepers presents Tree Walk: Learn to identify local trees
• Bonny Slope Elementary Pancake Breakfast!
• TVF&R offers life-saving tips regarding cardiac arrest
Join the Cedar Mill Scouts Troop 207
Viva Village February events

Community News January 2023

* DMV Cedar Hills closed until January 17
• Cedar Hills Ready! The Big One?
• Sunset Youth Baseball
• TriMet fare increase Open Houses
• Takumi Kato Japanese Drum Concert
• Bonny Slope Elementary’s Pancake Breakfast returns in February!
• Dance Around the World
• Winter storm safety tips from TVF&R 
• Viva Village January events
• Ask WCSO
• Cedar Mill Scouts Troop 207
• Oak Hills opens aquatic training to all

Road News November 2022

Life Time roadwork

• Barnes Road widening nears completion
• Repairs to Cornell near Sunset High completed
• Ridge Road at McDaniel now open
• Springville Road Open House

Neighborhood Streets Program: A county program needing reform

neighborhood program

Urban unincorporated Washington County—for example Aloha, Bethany and Cedar Mill—are expanding rapidly. And for many neighborhoods that can mean streets suddenly change from being local roads to major traffic collectors. The result is often an increase in speeding and traffic accidents. It makes other road users, like cyclists and pedestrians, feel unsafe. In my neighborhood in North Bethany, Joss/Brugger Avenue was intended to be a neighborhood street but, due to delayed development of new larger streets around us, Joss has become a permanent traffic collector.

Washington County News November 2022

• Commissioner District adjustments gets approval
• County appeals flavored tobacco ruling
• County seeks public input about broadband service
• “Operation Green Light” supports local veterans
• Washington County provides integrated homeless services

Update to public safety radio communications system

The radio system serving most law enforcement and fire/Emergency Management Systems (EMS) agencies of Clackamas and Washington County was upgraded to a digital system in January 2022.

Community News September 2022

Petty Fever

• CASA for Children Needs Volunteers
• Powerful Tools for Caregivers
• Oktoberfest at Bethany Village!
• Oak Hills 1st annual fun run and music festival!
• Bottle & Can Drive
• Green Days Recycling Event!
• Nature Night: Cats Safe at Home
• Caring Discipline Series
• Beaverton Arts Mix!
• Cedar Mill Scouts Troop 207 Back to School BBQ
• Beaverton Welcoming Week
• The Reser presents Dakhabraka in Concert
• Big Horn Brass Fall Concert
• Share your fall tree color photos and win!
• Washington County Forum update
• It’s time to consider a Woodstove Exchange
• Parenting Workshops
• Cultivating Humility workshop
• Beaverton High School Band
Electronic Recycle Event
• Grave Matters cemetery tour
• Skyline Grange Garage Sale
• Safe Routes to School
• Multilingual volunteer trainers for Suicide Prevention Program needed
• Waste Prevention Educator position
• September events by Viva Village
• What are some back-to-school safety tips for myself and my student?
• Talk to Your Kids About Fire and Life Safety

WashCo News

hazards

• Redesigned county website debuting in September
• Budget-focused Town Hall meeting
• We want your feedback to make our community safer!

CPO 1 News August 2022

• Neighborhood meetings
• Development applications
• Gas station next to a wetland
• Cedar Hills Apartments
• Leahy Estates appeal is denied
• CPO 1 July meeting notes

Road News August 2022

puddle

• Help plan Washington County’s transportation future
• Dangerous sidewalk puddle gets fixed

Community News August 2022

bethany village concert

• NW Restart presents NW Creations Night Market
• Sunset HS Marching Band Bottle & Can Drive
• Beaverton Night Market
• Conflict Resilience Workshop
• Beaverton Flicks by the Fountain presents Encanto
• Bethany Village summer concert
• The Link of Pure Love
• Viva Village
• Sharing the road with farmers in Washington County
• TVF&R offers tips to prevent window falls
• WCSO investigates child predators

Thompson Crossing decision raises questions about county planning

We asked Stephen Roberts, Director of Washington County’s Land Use and Transportation Department (LUT) to clarify the department’s reasoning in allowing the exceptions to county standards and plans for the Thompson Crossing development. While he didn’t explicitly answer every question, we’re including his responses below.

July 2022 Community News

• Beaverton Night Market
• Bethany Village Summer Concert Series
• Ask WCSO: What is the Sheriff’s Office’s response to drug abuse and overdose in our community?
• SAMBA can and bottle collection continues year-round
• Tualatin Valley Water District (TVWD) Seeks Volunteers for Rate Advisory Committee
• Celebrate the Fourth of July Safely
• Water District updates billing system
• Metro’s Rid Patrol cleans up illegal dumping
• Live Art, Entertainment, and Family Fun at La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival
• Viva Village news

Community News June 2022

kaleidoscope

• Celebration of Life for Mr. James
• It’s prep time. Let’s get ready for the wildfire season together.
• Join us “virtually” at the Washington County Public Affairs Forum!
• Metro funding for Westside Trail? Take the survey
• Civics for Adults
• Scavenger Hunt and Food Drive to support DVRC
• Meet Your Watershed Navigator
Legislative Town Hall
• Tualatin Valley Creates: Kaleidoscope from the Sea
• Fourth of July concert with Britnee Kellogg
• Museo Ambulante—Walking Museum
• Ask WCSO: My kids are good swimmers; is there still an expectation for them to wear life jackets?
• Retirement 101
• City of Beaverton events
• Gallery at The Reser
• Access to the arts: Cultural Coalition survey
• Beaverton Community Band Spring Concert
• Sunset HS Marching Band Bottle & Can Drive
• PlanetCon Fair offers recycling, gear swap, learning, and more
• Become a Master Recycler
• Cedar Hills Ready! presents: Emergency Water Filter Workshop
• Viva Village

CPO News May 2022

thompson road map

• May Meeting: Ballot Measures, Cedar Hills development
• CPO 1 appeals the Thompson Crossing development approval, Biggi sues the county
• CPO 1 April Meeting Summary

Where the sidewalk starts: Washington County pedestrian facilities

roadway diagram

Because there has been confusion and frustration among neighbors recently over what the county requires in the way of “road amenities,” we asked Melissa De Lyser, Public Affairs and Communications Manager for the county’s Land Use and Transportation Department, to give us a rundown on what the county requires in various situations.

Community News April 2022

neighbors

• Student Academic-Contests for Grades 1-12
• Ask WCSO
Neighborhood Ready? How to win friends and survive a disaster!
• SAMBA Can and Bottle Drive
• Summer childcare help from WCK
• Inside WashCo Shows
• Events at The Reser
• Old Wood Stove Turn-in Event
• Donate a bike to Free Bikes for Kids
• Registration for WashCo Bikes Saddle Up Summer Camps is now open!
• Driver’s Ed for Cyclists
• Legislative Town Hall
• State of the County 2022
• Artist Mingle
• Earth Care Fair
• Call for Beaverton Night Market Vendors
• Public Affairs Forum
• Viva Village April activities
• Everyday Choices Can Improve Your Odds

Community News March 2022

Cedar Grove

• When the Water Stops: Water Survival Skills for a Disaster
• Inside WashCo Radio shows
• Beaverton Symphony Orchestra Annual Spring Concerts
• Beaverton Community Band Winter Concerts
• James and the Giant Peach at Lovegood Theatre
• Skyline Grange Garage Sale
• James’ Recycling event
• Student Stop at Bonny Slope and Cedar Mill schools
• HomeWord Bound gala to support CPAH
• Civics for Adults
• Join Beaverton’s Human Rights Committee
• SAMBA Band fundraiser
• Washington County Kids Parent Speaker Series is set to launch!
• Academic Contests
• Treekeepers of Washington County
• Join us Virtually at the Washington County Public Affairs Forum!
• ACMA PTO Monthly Fundraiser
• Take action today to prevent fall injuries
• I see an ESPD sign posted on my road. What is ESPD?
• The Cultural Coalition of Washington County Celebrates 2021 Grant Recipients
• In-Person Networking: Artist Mingle
• Viva Village Monthly Calendar

Cedar Mill Pathway System

mystery plaque

One day a Cedar Mill resident discovered a heavy cedar plaque in her shed. It was beautifully carved and included the words “Cedar Mill.” Its origin was a mystery until Virginia Bruce published a request for information in the October 2020 issue and the community came forward with a wealth of memories.

Why the white bike?

white bike

“Ghost bikes” are a traditional way of honoring and memorializing a cyclist killed by a motor vehicle. Here in Cedar Mill you may have noticed a white bike attached to a pole at the intersection of Cornell and Old Barnes Rd., near Sunset Veterinary.

CPO 1 News

• October meeting
• September meeting notes

Washington County News October 2021

registration

• Proposed TVF&R Bond Measure 34-308 on November Ballot
• May 2022 primary

Public Safety News October 2021

Neighborhood watch kids

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office continues to build connections and empower community members to create friendly and safe neighborhoods. How? Through deliberate efforts to expand the Neighborhood Watch Program—though it’s not your parent’s neighborhood watch from the 70’s!

Community News October 2021

ccwc ballet folklorico

• Cedar Hills Ready: Home Fire Safety
• Older Adult Meals in Washington County
• Ask WCSO: What are some things I can do to make my home less attractive to crime?
• Sunset HS Marching Band Can and Bottle Drive
• Special Age Cafe: Celebration of the International Day of Older Persons
• Tualatin Valley Creates offers ArtPass
• Inside Washington County Radio
• Free lacrosse skills clinics offered this Fall
• Cultural Coalition of Washington County 2022 grant applications open
• West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District is hosting their annual meeting
• Viva Village events
• Free N95 and KN95 masks for the AG community!

WCSO and homeless population in Washington County

We asked James M. Coley, Lieutenant – Patrol Division, Washington County Sheriff’s Office to help us understand how the Sheriff’s Office responds to homeless folks in the county, and what residents should do if they encounter campers.

Community News September 2021

• Cedar Hills Ready! “Ready-Set-Go! Family Emergency Plan Workshop”
• Bethany Village Oktoberfest
• It’s “Steptember!”
• I Am My Story Live
• WashCo Forum resumes
• Viva Village September Calendar
• TVF&R will never forget 9-11 and embraces emergency response changes 20 years later
• Ask WSCO: What is Elder Safe?
• Tualatin Valley Creates in-person networking event for emerging artists
• Sunset HS marching band can & bottle drive
• Beaverton Welcoming Week is September 10-19
• Inside WashCo Radio
• DAVS Seeking Passionate Volunteers
• ACMA PTO Fundraising at Red Robin

How does our power grid work?

Electricity provides the energy for many of our daily activities—from each flick of a light switch to charging our devices, we rely on the power grid to live efficiently. Portland General Electric (PGE) is the electricity provider for Cedar Mill, and through their chain model of infrastructure, they ensure that we have consistent access to power.

WashCo News August 2021

• BCC gives green light to develop comprehensive substance use treatment center
• What is Middle Housing?

Public Safety News August 2021

tvfr new air pack

• FEMA Grant-funds safety gear
• Mental Health Response Team expanding

STOP at 4 to save lives

“Stop at 4” is an ongoing safety campaign to educate families about children and window safety.

CPO 1 News June 2021

Cedar Mill Creek

• CPO 1 June meeting
Clean Water Services • Sheriff •
USPS
• CPO 1 May Meeting summary

Ask WCSO

helping home

Help Me Home is a voluntary enrollment program for adults and children who, should they become lost, would have difficulty communicating vital information about themselves due to a medical condition.

Community News May 2021

• Young Women Have A Chance to Explore a Career as a Firefighter with TVF&R
• Hiring wildland firefighters
• Cedar Hills Ready presents: How to Win Friends and Survive a Disaster: 9 Steps to Neighborhood Preparedness
• Ask the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO)
• Power Curve for Women still has openings
• The Arts & Culture Leadership Incubator Digital Showcase
• Fundraiser for “The Halloween Guy” of Vista Cornell
• Washington County Public Affairs Forum
• PCC Music
• Search & Rescue Team opportunity
• Let’s Talk Transportation
• Writer’s Mill
• Acceptance Challenge
• Viva Village
• Washington County DAVS offers support programs for veterans

County leaves ped-bike safety on the table

When we finally get around to putting in a sidewalk here, taxpayers will have to buy the ROW if there's even enough.

People who want safer routes for bicycles and pedestrians look to Washington County to, if not build them, at least encourage them. In some cases, a developer is required to build them when new houses go in.

Does the WCSO allow people to give anonymous complaints or comments?

ask WCSO

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office actively seeks community input—we want to do our best! There are several ways to let us know how we’re doing, including methods for openly reporting so we can contact you if you would appreciate that, and anonymously reporting.

Oregon updates traffic speed rules

speed limit sign in oregon

In January’s discussion on speed limits, we talked about the speeding complaints in our community; ways some communities faced this problem; and measures you can take to help solve speeding problems.