City Manager Appointed + Local Olympic Fencer + "Into the Woods"

Hola, and welcome to Thursday! In this edition, you’ll find a few top news items as well as some events to enjoy on this sunshiny day. The highlights include a new city manager, a Beaverton resident headed to the Olympics and a chance to see a live theater production at a local high school.

Today’s Weather:

Expect a high of 80 and partly cloudy skies.

Here are the top five stories in Beaverton today:

1. The City of Beaverton named its new permanent city manager Wednesday morning. Jenny Haruyama will assume the role in August. Haruyama previously served as city manager for Tracy, California. (@CityofBeaverton)
2. Emergency crews responded to downed power lines near the Sunset Transit Center Tuesday afternoon. Passengers deboarded MAX Blue and Red lines as train service paused and shuttles helped complete commutes. Shuttle service continued Wednesday as repair crews work to fix the problem. (@TVFR)
3. Local resident Mariel Zagunis is preparing for the 2021 Olympics with some trepidation, reports Alex Hasenstab and Kanani Cortez. The Beaverton fencer has withstood numerous delays due to the COVID pandemic, which made training and staying motivated difficult. Despite 16 months of pandemic-related challenges and few opportunities to compete, Zagunis is expected in Tokyo this July. (Beaverton Valley Times)
4. Locals wrestle over the new city charter, which effectively changes the City from a “strong mayor” system to a council-manager system. Gabby Urenda reports on the key arguments for and against the change. Former city council candidate Jerome Sibayan points to the council-manager system’s lack of accountability to the public, while other experts contend that professionalizing leadership with the strong City Manager role allows cities to be managed by data. (Beaverton Valley Times)
5. Chehalem Elementary students enjoyed class outdoors this week. The non-profit EcoSchool Network donated supply kits such as yoga mats and easels to help kids get some fresh air. (@beavertonsd)

Today in Beaverton:

• Are you a musician? At The Garages Satellite Pub hosts Open Mic Night tonight. It’s a great place to listen or be heard or both. (6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.)
• Celebrate Latinx culture virtually at PCC Rock Creek’s Semana de Nosotrxs. Tonight’s event, “What is it like to teach English in Mexico?” is presented by Lic. Dulce Carreto Tehozol. (6 p.m.)
• Beaverton High School Theatre presents “Into the Woods”— Join these local thespians for their first live performance of the year. (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

Beaverton Patch Notebook:

• Beaverton School District is launching a new communication tool for families, an app called ParentSquare. The district will transition toward the end of this month, so BSD leaders recommend parents begin downloading the app soon. (BSD)
• Washington County is still looking for feedback regarding a general use trail alternative to TV Highway, connecting the Westside Trail trailhead near 160th Ave to 209th Ave. Why not take the opportunity to peruse the project’s virtual Open House in honor of World Bicycle Day? (Tualatin Valley Trail)

That’s all for today. Feel free to reach out to beaverton@patch.com with any feedback or news and events that you’d like to see in the Beaverton Daily Digest.
-Ashley

About me: My name is Ashley DeMello, and I’ve worked as a freelance writer for the last eight years. I live in the Beaverton area. When I’m not gathering info for this newsletter, you’ll probably find me running very slowly along the Westside Trail.