News in the Grove & Gales Creek Journal Weekly Newsletter
January 17, 2026, Volume 1, issue #38.
We have a new internal feature that tells me when our email is getting clipped. It's getting clipped, so I'm keeping the intro short: Thanks for reading! Make sure to scroll down and look for that link that says "message clipped," there's like, a third of a newsletter more. Or just visit our website and find this newsletter in story form and read it all in one go!
-Chas Hundley, publisher
What's in this newsletter?
🚧 Highway 6 back to two lanes after December landslide repairs
Highway 6 is back to two lanes after nearly a month of emergency repairs following December's landslide and sunken grade. Flaggers remain on site, with guardrail work scheduled for Monday.
🏛️ City renews emergency declaration, codifies sanctuary status
Forest Grove codified its status as a sanctuary city Monday under Oregon's Sanctuary Promise Act, becoming only the second city in the state after Portland to adopt such a measure, according to the city manager.
⚖️ Man convicted again on sex abuse charges after retrial
Leo Gabonia has been sentenced—again—after his first trial was thrown out, and will serve more than 30 years in prison after a Forest Grove police investigation that began in 2017 led to his first conviction.
...and more stories and 30+ events!
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On to the Forest Grove-area news.
Nigel Jaquiss
Chas Hundley
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Chas Hundley
Forest Grove events
What's going on this week?
🆓 = Free show or live music
Find all events online.
Events in BOLD with a ⭐ were enhanced with a sponsorship.
Saturday | January 17, 2026
JT Wise Band — Garage Door
Totally Kroaked Karaoke — Red Rooster Saloon
Sunday | January 18, 2026
FGHS Marching Band and Color Guard Bottle Drop Drive — Les Schwab Tire Center
Monday | January 19, 2026
Bingo Night — Pelagic Brewing
Tuesday | January 20, 2026
Preschool Storytime — Forest Grove City Library
Chess Club — Forest Grove City Library
Adv. Line Dance Practice — Zesti Food Carts
Forest Grove FFA — Forest Grove High School
Tuesday Trivia at Waltz — Waltz Brewing
Wednesday | January 21, 2026
Friends of Historic Forest Grove Museum & Library Open — Old Train Station
Gales Creek Gleaners — Gales Creek Community Church
Teen Zone Crafting Hour — Forest Grove City Library
Community Forestry Commission
Pods & Pints- Podcast Club at Waltz — Waltz Brewing
Thursday | January 22, 2026
Canta Con Amigos — Forest Grove City Library
Sister City Committee Work Session
Cub Scout Pack 213 — Dilley Elementary
Gales Creek Library — Gales Creek Elementary School
Bluegrass Jam Session — Waltz Brewing
⭐ Rockstar Bingo — The Red Rooster Saloon
Open Mic — Taqueria Corona
Line Dancing Lessons with Dance Your Boots Off — Zesti Food Carts
Gayle Ritt — Garage Door
Find all events online.
Around town & coming up
Things that didn't quite make it to a full story and upcoming events beyond this week. Disappointed? Us too. Get a subscription so we can hire a full-time Forest Grove journalist!
Indivisible Forest Grove plans healthcare protest
Indivisible Forest Grove organized an "ICE Out for Good" protest on Jan. 10 that drew more than 100 community members to the corner of Route 47 and Pacific Avenue. The demonstration was part of a nationwide protest and came together in less than 24 hours.
Organizers said the rally was in response to the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis, Minn., who was shot and killed by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross on Jan. 7.
The group returned to the same corner today (Saturday, Jan. 17) at 2 p.m. for a healthcare rally focused on ACA premium increases, proposed Medicaid cuts, and risks to Medicare. Dr. Robert Seward of Mad As Hell Doctors will speak. The event takes place on the sidewalk in front of Wauna Credit Union.
Area chambers team up for networking night
The Banks, Forest Grove/Cornelius, and North Plains chambers of commerce are hosting a joint networking night on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Peak Chiropractic in North Plains. The event is open to members of all three chambers. RSVP required.
Organizers hope to make the multi-chamber mixer a quarterly event with rotating hosts.
Free workshop for retiring farmers
The Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District is partnering with Oregon Agricultural Trust to offer a free "Navigating Farm Succession" workshop on Thursday, Jan. 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The workshop will feature succession planning case studies from Oregon farmers and a presentation by Maria Schmidlkofer, an attorney who specializes in estate planning and farm business succession. Lunch is included, and attendees can receive one free hour of one-on-one consulting with succession plan experts.
Registration is free. More info: tualatinswcd.org or contact Alex Hale alex.hale@tualatinswcd.org or 503-713-7906.
The workshop will be held in North Plains at the Jesse Mays Community Hall (30975 NW Hillcrest Street).
That's the newsletter.
Questions? Hit the reply button!
-Chas Hundley
