News

The Benton County Board of Commissioners has approved the appointment of Jane Vetto as its new county counsel after a months-long recruitment. Vetto will begin work in the position on Monday, April 13.  Benton County employed local-government executive recruitment firm Strategic Government Resources to conduct the candidate search.  Vetto will replace Vance Croney, who is retiring after more than 25 years as Benton County Counsel.   Croney participated in the… Read more: Benton County to welcome Jane Vetto as new county counsel 

Jessica McLennan was crowned the 2026 Benton County Fair & Rodeo Queen on Feb. 7, during a celebratory evening at the Benton County Event Center & Fairgrounds where community members gathered to honor royalty, volunteers and the tradition behind the fair and rodeo.  Behind the scenes, Kristi Schrock has spent 20 years helping young women step into boots that carry… Read more: Benton County Fair and Rodeo Queen program celebrates 25 years of leadership, tradition

The Benton County Board of Commissioners proclaimed March 2026 as Women’s History Month during its March 3 meeting. The proclamation followed a gathering that included female leaders from across County government. Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California, in 1978. In 1987, Congress designated March to honor women’s contributions to… Read more: Benton County celebrates Women’s History Month

The Benton County Board of Commissioners voted on March 3 to deny the proposed expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill, reversing their previous decision. The decision on reconsideration has been transmitted to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.   The Board adopted the findings in a Feb. 24 staff report as the findings of fact, removing the need for staff to prepare findings of fact for the Board to adopt in the March 17 Board meeting as… Read more: Board of Commissioners votes to deny application to expand Coffin Butte Landfill 

MONROE, Ore. — The Monroe Festival returns Saturday, May 16, 2026, and organizers are actively seeking vendors and sponsors to be part of this signature community event. Benton County and many other community partners plan to be there in support of the festival, celebrating the kind of local collaboration and community spirit that make Benton… Read more: Monroe Festival returns May 16; vendors and sponsors invited to join the celebration

Visitors to Benton County’s Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way might notice new art on the walls the next time they stop by. The artwork is part of the Corvallis Art Guild’s Hanging Around Town program, which brings rotating exhibits by local artists into community spaces across Corvallis.  Artists are featured at the Kalapuya Building for about two months at a time,… Read more: Local artist Rhoda Fleischman featured at Kalapuya Building through Hanging Around Town program

As Benton County prepares to recognize the Day of Remembrance for Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II, Benton County Deputy District Attorney Kevin Hashizume says the annual observance carries deep personal meaning rooted in his family’s history.  The national Day of Remembrance commemorates the signing of Executive Order 9066 in 1942, which led to the forced… Read more: Deputy District Attorney shares family story as Benton County marks Day of Remembrance 

A drone view of Crystal Lake Cemetery in Corvallis shows one of Benton County’s historic pioneer cemeteries, where generations of local residents — including some of the region’s earliest Black pioneers — are laid to rest. The Benton County Board of Commissioners proclaimed February 2026 as Black History Month during its Feb. 3 meeting, recognizing… Read more: Benton County proclaims February 2026 Black History Month, highlights local legacy 

For Benton County Safety Officer Ray Woothtakewahbitty, service has always been about mission, people and accountability.  Woothtakewahbitty, whose name is Comanche meaning “arrive and strike,” comes from a family and culture with deep military roots. He is Comanche on his father’s side, and like many Indigenous peoples, the Comanche people have a long history of military service.  “Almost everyone on that side… Read more: From combat to county service, military experience shapes Benton County safety officer 

The 25th annual Festivus disc golf tournament returned to Adair County Park on Saturday, drawing players from across the region to celebrate both a winter tradition and 25 years of disc golf at the disc golf course in Benton County’s Adair County Park. The tournament’s name comes from the fictional holiday “Festivus,” popularized by the… Read more: Festivus disc golf tournament celebrates 25 years at Adair County Park, crowns repeat champion