When you live in or near Oregon’s beautiful wine country, staying connected to your community matters. Whether you’re a longtime resident, a new neighbor, or just curious about the area, local news helps you understand what’s happening around you. That’s where the Yamhill Valley News Register comes in.
This newspaper has been the heartbeat of McMinnville and the surrounding Yamhill Valley for well over a century. It’s more than just ink on paper—it’s a trusted source that covers the stories that matter most to locals. In this guide, we’ll explore the history of the Yamhill Valley News Register, what it covers today, and why it remains so important to this corner of Oregon.
What Is the Yamhill Valley News Register?
The Yamhill Valley News Register is a community newspaper published in McMinnville, Oregon. It serves McMinnville and the surrounding Yamhill Valley with coverage of local news, events, culture, and the region’s famous wine industry .
It’s a semi-weekly newspaper, meaning it publishes multiple times per week. Currently, it delivers a printed edition on Fridays via U.S. mail alongside Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday e-editions . The newspaper is published by the News-Register Publishing Co., which is owned by the Bladine family .
The newspaper’s headquarters are located in the historic O’Dell Building at 611 Third Street in downtown McMinnville .
A Rich History Dating Back to 1866
The Yamhill Valley News Register has roots that go deep into Oregon’s pioneer history. Its origins trace back to several Yamhill County newspaper companies that began publishing in 1866 .
The Early Years
The earliest predecessor was the Lafayette Courier, which began publishing in 1866 in the town of Lafayette . By 1872, the newspaper had moved to McMinnville, anticipating the 1889 vote to move the county seat from Lafayette to McMinnville, and became the Yamhill County Reporter .
Another important predecessor was the Oregon Register, founded in 1881 in Lafayette, and the West Side Telephone, launched in 1886 in McMinnville. These combined to form the Telephone-Register .
The Bladine Family Takes Over
The Bladine family entered the picture in 1928, when Lars Bladine purchased the Telephone-Register . Lars had moved from Iowa and built a publishing legacy that continues today. Under his leadership, the paper earned recognition as Oregon’s best weekly newspaper in 1931 and 1935, and the nation’s best in 1939 .
In 1953, Lars’s sons Jack and Phil Bladine purchased the competing News-Reporter—itself a 1905 merger of earlier papers—and merged it with the Telephone-Register to create the modern Yamhill Valley News Register . The paper was established on February 12, 1953 .
Generations of Family Leadership
The Bladine family has owned the newspaper continuously since 1928—that’s nearly a century of family ownership . Leadership has passed through four generations:
- Lars Bladine (1928–1941): Founder of the family’s publishing legacy
- Jack Bladine (1941–1957): Lars’s eldest son, who merged the papers
- Phil Bladine (1957–2008): Guided the paper through expansions
- Jeb Bladine (1991–present): Editor and publisher, inducted into the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association Hall of Fame in 2024
- Philip Ossie Bladine (2014–present): Fourth generation, now editor and associate publisher
This continuity has kept the newspaper focused on community needs rather than corporate profits.
What Does the Yamhill Valley News Register Cover?
The newspaper provides comprehensive coverage of life in the Yamhill Valley. Here’s what readers can expect:
Local News and Government
From city council meetings to county decisions, the newspaper keeps residents informed about how local government affects their daily lives. It covers McMinnville and the broader Yamhill County area.
Community Events
School activities, festivals, parades—the Yamhill Valley News Register captures what makes this community special. Sports are a major focus, with coverage of Linfield College athletics and seven Yamhill County high schools .
The Wine Industry
The Yamhill Valley is at the heart of Oregon’s wine country, and the newspaper covers this thriving industry extensively. In fact, the News-Register Publishing Co. also publishes Oregon Wine Press, a magazine that promotes and grows with the Oregon wine industry .
Opinion and Editorials
The newspaper takes editorial positions on important issues. For example, in 2015, it became the second newspaper in Oregon to call for Governor John Kitzhaber’s resignation amid an ethics scandal .
Awards and Recognition
The Yamhill Valley News Register isn’t just any local paper—it’s repeatedly recognized as one of the best community newspapers in the country.
It has secured repeated General Excellence awards from:
- Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association (ONPA)
- National Newspaper Association (NNA)
- Inland Newspaper Association
It has also won ONPA’s Sweepstakes as Oregon’s top non-daily paper in most years over the past two decades . The newspaper’s website has also earned state and national honors for digital excellence .
Memorable Stories and Landmark Coverage
The McMinnville UFO Photographs
One of the most fascinating stories connected to the newspaper involved the famous 1950 McMinnville UFO photographs .
On May 11, 1950, farmer Paul Trent photographed a metallic, disc-shaped object hovering near his farm east of McMinnville. His wife Evelyn first spotted it while feeding rabbits. The Telephone-Register—one of the newspaper’s predecessors—ran the photos on its front page on June 8, 1950 .
The images were syndicated nationally through the International News Service and appeared in Life magazine later that month. The newspaper kept the original negatives, and they’ve been the subject of scientific scrutiny for decades. To this day, the Trent photos remain one of the most analyzed alleged UFO images in history .
Investigative Reporting
The newspaper has also tackled serious investigative stories. In 2014, it reported on the return to duty of three McMinnville police officers who were involved in the fatal shooting of a man who had stabbed a Linfield College student . The officers were cleared by the district attorney and an internal review .
The Newspaper Today
The Yamhill Valley News Register has adapted to the digital age while maintaining its commitment to quality journalism. Here’s how it serves readers today:
Print Edition: Delivered on Fridays via U.S. mail .
E-Editions: Available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays .
Website: NewsRegister.com provides up-to-date coverage.
Digital Presence: The newspaper uses Twitter, Facebook, and its website for early coverage .
The paper has a circulation of approximately 10,921 .
Why Local Newspapers Still Matter
In an age of national news and social media, you might wonder: why does a local newspaper still matter? Here’s why the Yamhill Valley News Register remains essential:
- Local Focus: National outlets don’t cover your school board, your neighbor’s business, or your town’s history. Local newspapers do.
- Accountability: They hold local government and officials accountable in ways that national media can’t.
- Community Connection: They tell the stories that bring neighbors together—sports wins, community events, and local achievements.
- Historical Record: They preserve your community’s history for future generations.
- Trust: In an era of misinformation, a trusted local source matters more than ever.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the Yamhill Valley News Register?
The Yamhill Valley News Register is a community newspaper published in McMinnville, Oregon. It serves McMinnville and the surrounding Yamhill Valley with local news, events, sports, and culture coverage .
Q2: How often is the newspaper published?
It is published multiple times per week. Print editions are delivered on Fridays via U.S. mail, with e-editions available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays .
Q3: Who owns the Yamhill Valley News Register?
The newspaper is owned by the Bladine family, who have been in continuous ownership since 1928—nearly a century . It’s published by News-Register Publishing Co., a closely held corporation .
Q4: How old is the Yamhill Valley News Register?
The newspaper’s roots go back to 1866 with predecessor publications like the Lafayette Courier. The modern News-Register was established in 1953 through a merger .
Q5: Does the newspaper cover the wine industry?
Yes. The Yamhill Valley is at the heart of Oregon wine country, and the newspaper covers the industry extensively. The company also publishes Oregon Wine Press magazine .
Q6: What awards has the newspaper won?
The newspaper has won repeated General Excellence awards from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, National Newspaper Association, and Inland Newspaper Association. It has also been named Oregon’s top non-daily paper in most years over the past two decades .
Conclusion: A Community Treasure
The Yamhill Valley News Register is more than just a newspaper—it’s a thread that weaves through the fabric of the Yamhill Valley community. For nearly a century under Bladine family ownership, it has chronicled the joys, challenges, and everyday moments of life in McMinnville and the surrounding area.
From the famous UFO photographs of 1950 to today’s coverage of high school sports and the growing wine industry, this newspaper has been there for its readers. In a rapidly changing media landscape, it remains a shining example of independent, community-focused journalism.
Whether you’re a longtime resident, a newcomer to Oregon wine country, or just interested in the history of community newspapers, the Yamhill Valley News Register is worth knowing about. It’s a reminder of why local journalism matters—and why it’s worth supporting.