In Hillsboro, this past week wasn’t quite as busy as the one before. But there was still a fair share of local news. If you didn’t keep up, here’s a recap:
La Provence restaurant and Ava Roasteria cafe set for Hillsboro’s Orenco development
Two popular local restaurants are coming to Hillsboro’s Platform District at Orenco next year.
French restaurant La Provence, a patisserie and boulangerie, and Ava Roasteria, a 24-hour coffee shop, have signed leases with the Holland Partner Group, the Platform District’s developer. Holland senior development director Gary Vance said the restaurants will open next summer.
Gordon Faber, former mayor of Hillsboro, remembered for sense of humor, accomplishments in public service
With all the laughter at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hillsboro on Monday, you’d never know somebody had died.
A packed house of family, friends and former colleagues – many of them elected officials and other prominent Hillsboro citizens – gathered to celebrate the life of Gordon Faber, who served for eight years as mayor of the city during a time of immense growth. Faber died last month after a battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The service featured many stories about Faber, whose wit and sense of humor lived on through his friends and had the crowd laughing again and again. The former mayor’s big physical frame matched his outsized personality, and the display of support for him Monday showed that he was clearly loved by many.
Measure 91: Hillsboro falls in line, passes local tax on still-illegal recreational marijuana
During a special meeting lasting less than 10 minutes, the Hillsboro City Council on Tuesday passed a 10 percent local sales tax on recreational marijuana – even though it’s still illegal.
Hillsboro became the third city of the day to impose the tax. Cornelius and Lake Oswego passed similar levies on Tuesday, joining the ranks of Forest Grove and other municipalities in Oregon. The cities are quickly approving the ordinances in time for them to take effect before the Nov. 4 statewide vote on Measure 91, which would legalize marijuana if passed.
Measure 91 clearly grants exclusive authority to tax marijuana to the state and even goes so far as to “supersede and repeal inconsistent charters and ordinances” on the local level. Hillsboro staff has acknowledged that the tax might not hold up in court, but the City Council passed it anyway in hopes it might be “grandfathered” into law because it was enacted ahead of Election Day.
Hillsboro’s 4th Main development selected as Oregon’s best new building
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has selected Hillsboro’s 4th Main development as the state’s “Best New Building,” the agency announced Wednesday.
The $16.5 million building, which hosted a grand opening ceremony in May, is a four-story, transit-oriented, mixed-use project with 71 apartments, underground parking and ground-floor retail space that will include a new taproom stocked with craft beer.
Hillsboro’s candidates for Oregon Legislature: What they said at Wednesday night’s forum
It was billed as a “face off.” But Washington County candidates for the Oregon Legislature mostly did a lot of agreeing with one another Wednesday night.
The state needs to do a better job prioritizing education funding, they declared.
The legislature shouldn’t make a habit of getting involved in local land-use decisions, the candidates proclaimed.
And it’s about time Oregon reformed its tax system, said Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians alike.
Actual solutions to those problems, however, were a little harder to come by – especially given the one-minute time limit on answering questions.
Eight candidates vying for seats representing Oregon House Districts 29 and 30 and Oregon Senate District 15 – all of which cover parts of Hillsboro – appeared at the Hillsboro Main Library for a forum sponsored by the Washington County Committee for Citizen Involvement. Nearly 100 people turned out for the event.
Another brewery — Two Kilts — coming to Hillsboro, which earns nickname ‘Hillsbeero’
By January, two new bars will grace the streets of downtown Hillsboro.
Residents have known about McNally’s Taproom, the pub that will open in the coming weeks on the bottom floor of the award-winning 4th Main building, for a while now.
But another local beer business has joined the party. Two Kilts Brewing Co., which started in Sherwood, recently announced that it will open a brewery just down the street from McNally’s in January. The 11,000-square foot brewpub will also include a whiskey bar and feature live music and indoor and sidewalk seating.
What do you think? What did I miss? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
— Luke Hammill