NOV. 3 GENERAL ELECTION
Oregon Capital Chronicle Statewide Voter Guide
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Handcrafted rowboat raises $3,000 for Mount Union Cemetery
Corvallis resident Dawn Warneking was scrubbing her father’s headstone at Philomath’s Mount Union Cemetery in June 2025 when she struck up a conversation with the cemetery’s sexton. Before it ended, she had posed a question he’d never heard in his time overseeing the grounds: Would they accept a wooden boat? Caffey described his reaction as “less than stunned, but more than dumbfounded.” Janet Cornelius, chair of the cemetery’s board, happened to be on the grounds. “We were having just a…
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NEWS
Free StrongPeople strength classes start Nov. 2 in Philomath
Philomath residents looking to build strength in a group setting will have a new option starting next week. StrongPeople, a strength-training program offered through the Oregon State University Extension Service, begins Monday, Nov. 2, at Peace Lutheran Church. Classes meet from 11 a.m. to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.…
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Philomath School Board fills three budget committee seats
The Philomath School Board filled all of its open budget committee seats Oct. 20 by reappointing two community members and adding a newcomer to the group that will help shape the district’s 2027-28 budget. The board approved the appointments of Shelly Brown, Kim Lopez and Lisa Miller. Brown and Lopez…
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Downtown businesses prepare for 1,200 kids at Friday’s Trunk or Treat
Downtown Philomath businesses are stocking up for an even bigger crowd this year as the Philomath Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Trunk or Treat returns Friday. The event runs from 3-5 p.m. Oct. 30 along Main Street between Ninth and 17th streets, plus the Philomath Museum parking lot, the same…
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Philomath Rotary to hear vocational talk from Fred Shaub
The Philomath Rotary Club invites community members to attend its meeting at noon Tuesday at Peace Lutheran Church. The meeting’s main presentation will be a vocational talk by member Fred Shaub. The gathering will be held in a club assembly format with announcements and updates on ongoing projects. Those include…
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Mount Union Stories: Janna P. Kriens (1830-1898)
In this week’s Mount Union Stories, read about Johanna Kriens, a German immigrant and mother of 13 who died of typhoid fever at her Philomath-area home in 1898.
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SPORTS
PHS girls end volleyball season with road loss to conference champions
The Philomath High School girls volleyball team’s season ended Tuesday night with a three-set loss at Oregon West Conference champion Stayton. The Eagles posted a 25-12, 25-7, 25-22 victory and won the league title with a 9-1 record. Stayton (17-4 overall) will now await the release of the Class 4A playoff bracket. Cascade also earned an automatic berth in the postseason by finishing runner-up in the conference at 7-3. “A season full of many ups and downs, but I’m so…
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Philomath girls soccer clinches Oregon West title with 4-1 win at Stayton
The Philomath High School girls soccer team won the Oregon West Conference title on Tuesday night with a 4-1 victory at Stayton. The Warriors finished atop the standings with a 9-0-1 record — the lone blemish being a scoreless tie on Oct. 13 against Newport. Stayton settled for runner-up at…
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Philomath boys soccer closes season with second-half stand against No. 1 Stayton
Down 8-1 at halftime to the top-ranked team in Class 4A, Philomath’s boys soccer team was one goal away from having its season end early on the mercy rule. The Warriors made sure that goal never came. Philomath held Stayton scoreless over the final 40 minutes Tuesday afternoon, including the…
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Gallery: PHS boys soccer vs. Stayton (Oct. 27, 2026)
A collection of photos from Philomath High’s boys soccer game vs. Stayton on Tuesday.
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MORE SPORTS
Philomath in Photos
VIEW PHILOMATH IN PHOTOS GALLERIES FROM PAST MONTHS
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
READ PAST STACKER STORIES
Philomath Community Services
Verses
By Kevin Ahern
AS I GET OLDER
Hairs disappear from my head
But flourish in my nose
Oh how I wish I
Could transplant those
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