EDITOR’S CHOICE
Election returns point to two new faces on Philomath City Council
Two seats at the Philomath City Council table could change hands in January. Election returns Tuesday night from the Benton County Elections Office showed former councilor David Low and challenger Amanda Polley in position to join incumbent Jessica Andrade, while incumbent Richard Saalsaa sat in fifth place. Andrade led the five-candidate field with 1,645 votes (25.57%) in the 10 p.m. update of results. Low was second with 1,380 (21.45%) and Polley third with 1,321 (20.53%). Challenger Candy Garcia was fourth…
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NEWS
Philomath Police Log: Embezzlement, meth and psilocybin arrests
Editor’s note: This report is based on information submitted by the Philomath Police Department. Not all calls for service may be included. The status of incidents might change after further investigation. Locations are approximate and may be omitted if they could identify victims of crimes of a sensitive nature, such…
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Fire and Rescue Calls: Newport fire, smoldering branches, burn complaint
Editor’s note: This log is based on information submitted to the media by Philomath Fire and Rescue: FRIDAY, OCT. 23 • 6:21 p.m. — Firefighters were dispatched to a small fire at Main Street and Clemens Mill Road, responding with four personnel in a ladder truck. They found a pile…
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Park board to weigh in on sign, railing designs for City Park bridges
The Philomath Park Advisory Board will help shape the look of two new bridges in Philomath City Park when it meets Tuesday evening. The board convenes at 5:30 p.m. at Philomath City Hall. The meeting will also be live-streamed on the city’s YouTube channel. The board is being asked to…
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Free curbside leaf pickup continues with four more collection days
Philomath residents have four more chances this fall to have leaves hauled away from the curb for free. Republic Services, which provides the service under contract with the city, will collect leaf piles on paved city streets Nov. 5 and again on Nov. 19, Dec. 3 and Dec. 17. The…
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Three Things: Describing Philomath, Dax’s new jobs and a late Halloween night
Not long ago on a visit to the Midwest, a relative asked me to describe Philomath, the place I’ve chosen to call home. In the moment, I did the best I could, but in hindsight, I missed a lot of the highlights. So I’m going to give it another try,…
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MORE NEWS
SPORTS
PHS girls soccer team hosts Estacada in playoff opener
The Philomath High School girls soccer team will play at 2 p.m. Wednesday on its home pitch against Estacada. The Warriors, Oregon West Conference champions, were seeded eighth for the playoffs. Estacada finished runner-up in the Tri-Valley Conference and was seeded ninth. Both teams enter the postseason with 11-3-1 records. Philomath enters the contest on an 11-game unbeaten streak — a stretch that included a scoreless tie against Newport and a forfeit over Taft. Estacada has won five of its…
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Hernandez, deep lineup help Philomath girls to district cross-country title
This coming Saturday in Eugene, Philomath High’s girls cross-country team will have the reigning conference champion and the reigning state champion on the same starting line. Freshman Olivia Hernandez won the Oregon West Conference girls title Saturday at Stayton by 42.8 seconds and led the Warriors to the team championship.…
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PHS football season ends with loss as team’s 11 seniors say goodbye
Philomath High senior quarterback AJ Altishin isn’t worried about how Friday night’s scoreboard will be remembered. “You won’t remember the score of these games,” Altishin said when asked to sum up the season. “You just remember the guys you did it with.” It’s a score the Warriors won’t want to…
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Gallery: PHS football vs. Estacada (Oct. 30, 2026)
A collection of photos from Philomath High’s football game at home against Estacada on Friday.
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MORE SPORTS
Philomath in Photos
VIEW PHILOMATH IN PHOTOS GALLERIES FROM PAST MONTHS
TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 2026: Philomath native Joey Webber, who serves as Portland Timbers mascot Timber Joey, applauds as a specially designed scarf is unveiled during Native American Heritage Night at Sunday’s Timbers game. (Photo by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde) 
SATURDAY, OCT. 31, 2026: Trunk or Treats attracted hundreds of kids on Friday afternoon in downtown Philomath. (Photo by Mike Brawner) 
FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2026: A fall afternoon in Philomath City Park. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News) 
THURSDAY, OCT. 29, 2026: Cinnamon rolls, cookies and hot chocolate were among the items served at a fundraiser last weekend for Tom Overlin. The At Home Properties event was organized to help Overlin with medical expenses. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News) 
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28, 2026: Philomath High sophomore Kaylie Thomas shoots photos for the yearbook at Tuesday's boys soccer game. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News) 
TUESDAY, OCT. 27, 2026: A view from Neabeack Hill looking west down Applegate Street. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
SATURDAY, OCT. 24, 2026: The Willamette Community and Grange Hall on Greenberry Road was built in 1923 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 2026: Maxtivity's Glory, a human-powered kinetic sculpture vehicle, joins Philomath Elementary's bike bus on Friday morning. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News) 
THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 2026: A scene from last weekend's Autumn Craft Show at Philomath Scout Lodge. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News) 
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 2026: An evening-sky view looking east toward Plymouth on Tuesday. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News) 
TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 2026: The Oregon Department of Forestry's Ryan Schmidtgall demonstrates fire behavior and defensible space at the Philomath Fire and Rescue open house event earlier this month. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
SATURDAY, OCT. 17, 2026: Steve King's Blinky Lights Halloween display at 597 Neabeack Hill Drive. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 2026: Fall colors at Philomath City Park. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 2026: A rooster skeleton Halloween yard decoration on Main Street. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14, 2026: A participant in the Great Pumpkin Run turns off the Hunsaker Bike Trail onto Applegate Street on Sunday morning. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 2026: Philomath Fire and Rescue's Engine 251 provides rides to youngsters Saturday during the organization's annual open house event. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
SATURDAY, OCT. 10, 2026: PHS junior varsity girls soccer coach Anton Grube talks to his team in the shade on a hot day before a game Thursday. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News) 
FRIDAY, OCT. 9, 2026: The Paul Mariman Memorial Cross-Country Course will be the site of Philomath High's annual meet on Saturday. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 2026: Tree service workers trim limbs away from a power line while a bicyclist uses the bike lane on Applegate Street. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 2026: Don Rogers shares his experiences spending his junior year in high school on a Rotary Youth Exchange in Jakobstad, Finland at Tuesday’s Philomath Rotary Club Meeting. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 2026: A new sign for the Philomath Police Department has been installed in front of the station. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
SATURDAY, OCT. 3, 2026: A Philomath High band member glances back at bandmates while pounding out a beat on the bass drum during Friday morning's homecoming parade. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News) 
FRIDAY, OCT. 2, 2026: The spirit rock at Philomath High promotes this week’s Golden Hour-themed homecoming dance. A homecoming parade is scheduled for 9:40 a.m. Friday. (Photo by Eric Niemann) 
THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2026: The Philomath Farmers' Market on a fall Sunday afternoon. The market will operate through Oct. 18. (Photo by Eric Niemann)
GALLERIES
STATE
COMMENTARY
STACKER
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Philomath Community Services
Verses
By Kevin Ahern
SIDE STORY
I wanted a square
To build upon
But cut corners and got
An octagon
Where to Write
Click on the name below to send an email to an elected representative:
U.S. SENATE
Sen. Ron Wyden
Sen. Jeff Merkley
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Rep. Val Hoyle
OREGON LEGISLATURE
Sen. Dick Anderson
Rep. David Gomberg
BENTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Commissioner Pat Malone
Commissioner Gabe Shepherd
Commissioner Nancy Wyse
PHILOMATH CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Christopher McMorran
President Teresa Nielson
Councilor Jessica Andrade
Councilor Diane Crocker
Councilor Spencer Irwin
Councilor Brent Kaseman
Councilor Rich Saalsaa
PHILOMATH SCHOOL BOARD
Chair Tom Klipfel
Vice Chair Erin McMullen
Director Ryan Cheeke
Director Erin Gudge
Director Sandi Hering