Hasso Hering

It may look bad, but don’t worry

Written May 23rd, 2014 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

Well, that big crack in Pier 1 of the Willamette River railroad bridge in Albany is one less thing we have to worry about. It looked ominous to me when I published this photo in March. But an independent engineer has told the Portland & Western Railroad and its parent company that the pier is […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Genesee & Wyoming, ODOT Raild, Portland & Western, RailStar Engineering, Willamette River bridge

Bike graduation at Oak Grove

Written May 22nd, 2014 by Hasso Hering

Comments: one response.

Thursday was graduation day for the fifth-graders at Albany’s Oak Grove School who took part in a weeklong “bike safety carnival.” With volunteer instructors and chaperones leading they way and bringing up the rear, several groups of half a dozen or more rode through North Albany neighborhoods and headed down busy Gibson Hill Road to […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: bike safety classes, Oak Grove School, Safe Routes to School, Sunrise School, Waverly School

Housing stock gets a boost

Written May 22nd, 2014 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

The housing stock of rentals in Oregon’s mid-valley will get a substantial boost this summer when two big Albany apartment complexes should be finished and ready to rent their units. At the corner of Hill Street and 34th Avenue, the 90-unit Plum Tree apartments expect to start renting about mid-June. Construction of the development was […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany apartments, Albany building permits, mid-valley housing

Edgwater Village: The next chapter

Written May 21st, 2014 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 3 responses.

Another chapter in the long story of Edgewater Village, the planned multimillion-dollar housing development on Albany’s riverfront: The city’s agreement on the project will be modified, and the developer now hopes to start construction of the first house in September.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: CARA, Edgwater Village, George Diamond

‘Local local:’ Save that woodland

Written May 21st, 2014 by Hasso Hering

Comments: one response.

On a very local front, whether a stately stand of Douglas firs, oaks and other trees in North Albany is retained or cut down for houses may depend on how expensive nearby street projects turn out to be. The less expensive the street work, the better the chances of turning the woodland into a park.

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: Albany City Council, Benton County parks, Crocker Lane N.W., Valley View Drive

Power grab: Crowd mostly skeptical

Written May 20th, 2014 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 3 responses.

If the Millersburg City Council goes ahead and expels Pacific Power in favor of its own municipal electric company, it will be over substantial opposition from the town’s residents. That was my impression after Tuesday night’s public hearing at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Millersburg city council, municipal utility, Pacific Power

Council questions I-5 plan details

Written May 19th, 2014 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

Whether any of the changes proposed for Interstate 5 at the Santiam and Knox Butte interchanges in Albany ever get built is an open question. Still, the Albany City Council does not like some of the details and would like them at least looked at some more, and preferably changed, before they become part of any settled plans.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany City Council, Interstate 5, Knox Butte interchange, Santiam interchange