CHICAGO — A 56-year-old widower, a single parent and sole caretaker for four U.S. citizen children, had secured an immigration court date with a good case for being granted bail, according to his attorney.

But despite entering the U.S. legally and securing a work permit, a lawsuit alleges, immigration agents made the man sign a voluntary departure waiver while he was housed in allegedly inhumane conditions at the west suburban Broadview, Illinois, holding facility.

Later that day, he was “on the other side of the border.”

The man’s case is detailed in a sweeping class-action lawsuit filed on Friday against immigration officials, alleging dirty and unsafe conditions at the federal holding facility in Broadview where they say arrestees are being warehoused for days on end.

The complaint, filed in federal court in Chicago, also accuses officials of denying detainees their right to consult with lawyers, effectively creating a “black box” where those arrested disappear with little ability to contact attorneys.

“His children, who are already grieving the loss of their mother from earlier this year, now must process the sudden loss of their father,” the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit is the first class-action effort to bring accountability and relief to detainees, who allegedly are housed there in overcrowded rooms with little contact with the outside world. It is filed on behalf of Pablo Moreno Gonzalez and Felipe Agustin Zamacona, who are both currently detained at Broadview.

An ambulance pulls out from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility on Beach Street on Oct. 13, 2025, in Broadview. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

Named as defendants are Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Todd Lyons, acting director of  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs, Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, interim Chicago ICE Field Office Director Samuel Olson and other parties.

Agency officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Conditions at the west suburban processing facility have come under harsh scrutiny as the Trump administration has ratcheted up immigration enforcement measures in the Chicago area.

An August investigation by the Tribune found that the typical detainee was being held two or three days in the building that is not equipped for overnight stays, far longer than the usual five or so hours in years past.

“Everyone, no matter their legal status, has the right to access counsel and to not be subject to horrific and inhumane conditions,” said lead counsel on the suit Alexa Van Brunt, director of the MacArthur Justice Center’s Illinois office, in a statement.

The complaint paints a grim picture of circumstances at the facility, which largely has been subject to an information vacuum with few opportunities for attorneys, advocates and members of the media to assess conditions there.

But during the “Operation Midway Blitz” enforcement action, the complaint alleges, the consequences of the beefed-up raids and edicts for mandatory detention on a building meant only as a way station have been “dire, and wholly predictable.”

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People are being confined in holding cells with dozens of others, the complaint says, and denied basic necessities like enough food and water, menstrual products and soap.

They are forced to sleep on plastic chairs or the concrete floor, the complaint alleges.

The lights are usually kept on all night, leading to sleep deprivation, the suit says. The temperature swings from too hot during the day to freezing cold at night.

Conditions at the facility have further eroded since the beginning of “Operation Midway Blitz” in September, according to the complaint.

To make matters worse, the complaint says, detainees are often prevented from speaking to their lawyers or obtaining counsel.

“Officers tell attorneys they cannot visit their clients, and attorneys who try to contact their clients inside the facility are rebuffed or ignored. Attorney telephone calls are sent to an unattended line, and their calls and emails go unanswered,” the complaint says.

Meanwhile, the complaint says, officers are coercing people to sign documents that relinquish their rights, as officials try to deport them without going before an immigration judge.

“Defendants are transferring people to distant detention facilities—or sending them out of the country outright—before their attorneys can locate them and intervene,” according to the complaint.

Members of Congress, faith leaders and others have also been turned away from Broadview, the suit says.

“By blocking access to detainees inside Broadview, Defendants have created a black box in which to disappear people from the U.S. justice and immigration systems,” the complaint alleges.

Moreno Gonzalez immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and has been here for about 32 years, according to the complaint. He lives in Chicago with his wife and two of his children, who are U.S. citizens. Moreno Gonzalez was arrested on Wednesday while walking near West Foster Avenue and North Pulaski Road.

Also from Mexico, Agustin Zamacona has lived in the U.S. almost 30 years — most of his life, the complaint said. He was arrested in Wheeling while working as a delivery driver.

Accounts from detainees and their attorneys detail a litany of abuses, from malnutrition and medical neglect to racial slurs and dangerous overcrowding.

There are four small holding rooms at the facility, according to the lawsuit. The two largest are about 30 feet by 30 feet, it said. Sometimes there is not enough room for detainees to lie on the floor as dozens if not more than 100 people are packed in for days on end, the lawsuit said. One woman said the detainees were confined in cells “like a pile of fish.”

“We told the guards that the place was at full capacity, but they kept bringing people inside,” another detainee said, according to the lawsuit. “They treated us like animals, or worse than animals, because no one treats their pets like that.”

Broadview cells smell like sweat and body odor as men are forced to stand shoulder to shoulder.

One detainee, Claudia Pereira Guevara, said she asked for a broom to try and clean the cell but was refused, according to the lawsuit.

“Officers never cleaned the room during the five days she was detained from October 2 to 7. There was no soap, no sanitizer, no showers, and no way to wash herself,” the lawsuit alleged. “She was forced to wear the clothes she was arrested in the entire time she was detained at Broadview.”

Detainees do not receive hot meals and there are no hired food preparation staff at the facility, according to the lawsuit. Instead, they receive two to three cold sandwiches a day without regard for medical needs.

One attorney reported that her 70-year old diabetic client, who also has high cholesterol and blood pressure, was offered sandwiches for every meal, a harmful diet for someone with their medical problems, according to the lawsuit.

Another man’s religious restrictions weren’t respected and officers told him to “take it or leave it,” leading him to go about four days without eating, the lawsuit said.

A mother who was arrested at a routine check-in in June reported being “confined in a holding room for four days with nearly 30 other women, including women who were nursing, pregnant, and elderly, some of whom were held for up to six days,” according to the lawsuit.

“(Detainee) Chao Zhou had no opportunity to bathe or shower at Broadview, and the only shower fixture he saw had a sign on it that read ‘out of order,’” the lawsuit said. “The room stank of body odor.”

Others reported unsanitary conditions. In one alleged incident, a man defecated in his pants, which were placed in the garbage and allowed to remain there all night where it stank up the room.

One inmate became ill – “suffering from numbness in her lower body, an inability to feel her legs, and vomiting” – but was not seen by a doctor and ICE refused to take her to a medical facility, according to the lawsuit. The detainee also saw one man who “appeared to have suffered a heart attack” but officers “laughed at the man and made light of his medical condition,” the lawsuit said.

Another man reported attempting to alert officers to a detainee who was not feeling well but being sworn at by officers who did nothing. They did remove the man once he began foaming at the mouth, according to the lawsuit.

Outside the protest zone in Broadview, it’s not unusual for family members of detainees to bring medications for their loved ones. Attorney Louise Carhart reported that her client required medication for high blood pressure but didn’t receive it from ICE, even though his family brought the prescription to the detention center, according to the lawsuit. Attorney Shelby Vcelka reported similar neglect for a pre-diabetic client.

Detainee Rosalio Pelayo Salgado “reported that agents directed racial slurs at detainees and only gave them food and water for what they felt was good behavior,” the lawsuit said.

Rebolledo Altamirano said officers responded to his requests by saying he was “not supposed to be here.”

The lawsuit also alleges repeated refusal by agents to allow detainees to speak with immigration attorneys. One officer allowed Willian Giménez González to call his wife using his cellphone but when the officer heard his attorney’s voice on the call, he then “reached for the phone and hung up the call himself,” according to the lawsuit.

ICE uses the coercive conditions to trick detainees into waiving their rights and signing forms authorizing their deportation, the complaint alleges.

“Officers have told detainees that they are required to sign forms and that there is no need or right to speak with a lawyer,” the lawsuit said.

The suit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, the MacArthur Justice Center and the Chicago office of Eimer Stahl.

Outside of the detention center, the building has become a focal point for opposition to tactics by Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Protesters have gathered there regularly, at times clashing with police and federal agents.

By DAVID A. LIEB, OLIVIA DIAZ and MARK SCOLFORO, Associated Press

A Republican-dominated Ohio panel adopted new U.S. House districts on Friday that could boost the GOP’s chances of winning two additional seats in next year’s elections and aid President Donald Trump’s efforts to hold on to a slim congressional majority.

The action by the Ohio Redistricting Commission comes as Trump has been urging Republican-led states to reshape their U.S. House districts in an attempt to win more seats. But unlike in other states, Ohio’s redistricting was required by the state constitution because the current districts were adopted after the 2020 census without bipartisan support.

Ohio joins Texas, Missouri and North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers already have revised their congressional districts.

Democrats have been pushing back. California voters are deciding Tuesday on a redistricting plan passed by the Democratic-led Legislature. And Democratic lawmakers in Virginia were voting Friday on a proposed constitutional amendment that, if adopted by voters, could allow lawmakers to redraw congressional districts in response to the actions elsewhere.

The political parties are in an intense battle, because Democrats need to gain just three seats in next year’s election to win control of the House and gain the power to impede Trump’s agenda.

Republicans already hold 10 of the 15 congressional seats in Ohio. The new map could boost Republican chances in districts currently held by Democratic Reps. Greg Landsman in Cincinnati and Marcy Kaptur near Toledo.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

Mid-cycle congressional redistricting efforts could move forward Friday in two more states as part of growing maneuvering to influence which party will control the U.S. House after next year’s midterm elections.

A Republican-controlled Ohio commission is meeting to consider a proposed map that could give the GOP a chance at winning two more seats. Meanwhile, senators in the Democrat-led Virginia General Assembly are expected to vote on advancing a proposed constitutional amendment that would let them temporarily bypass a bipartisan commission and redraw congressional districts to their advantage.

Their scheduled vote comes after the Virginia House passed the same resolution Wednesday. President Donald Trump kicked off the redistricting fray this summer by urging Republican-led states to redraw voting districts ahead of next year’s congressional elections. Republicans in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina already have done so. Voters in Democratic-led California are deciding on new districts.

GOP-controlled Ohio commission considers new map

In Ohio, the map proposed by the commission appears to increase Republican chances in districts held by Democratic U.S. Reps. Greg Landsman in Cincinnati and Marcy Kaptur around Toledo, an area that voted for Trump in last year’s presidential election. Kaptur won a 22nd term last fall by about 2,400 votes, or less than 1 percentage point, while Landsman was reelected with more than 54% of the vote.

If the Ohio commission fails to adopt a map, the job goes to the Republican-led Legislature, which could enact one designed to bolster the size of the state’s GOP congressional delegation, now with a 10-5 Republican majority.

In Virginia, the proposed constitutional amendment being considered by senators is in its early stages. After Friday, the resolution would need to pass the General Assembly again next year, then go before voters by way of a referendum.

Along with California, Virginia would be one of the few states with a Democratic-led legislature to enter the national redistricting battle.

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“There’s a double standard for Democrats in authority that somehow we have to lay down while Donald Trump seizes power that we’ve never seen, and the Republicans run the play,” Virginia House Speaker Don Scott said this week.

Through the constitutional amendment, Virginia’s General Assembly would have the power to create a new congressional map only when other states do so between now and 2030. Democrats have not unveiled their planned map.

Asked about whether his party has begun drafting new districts, Scott said: “You’re not naive.”

The developments come as Virginia has statewide elections Tuesday, where all 100 seats in the House of Delegates are on the ballot. Democrats would need to keep their slim majority in the lower chamber to advance the constitutional amendment next year.

The party’s bullish approach to redistricting reflects members’ confidence in holding onto power. There are roughly a dozen Republican-held seats that are vulnerable to being flipped this year, with Democrats vying to expand their legislative edge.

Conservatives blasted Democrats for undoing efforts to put the maps in the hands of a bipartisan commission, arguing the proceedings went against a Virginia custom of bipartisanship and decorum.

Republican U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, who represents a competitive seat, said this week that “there’s partisan games in Washington that it seems like the partisan games have now trickled down here in Richmond.”

A new Virginia way?

Virginia Republican Minority Leader Terry Kilgore said: “Because we have a disagreement with the President of the United States, we’re going to throw Virginia’s constitution to the wind.”

Still, most Republicans rebuking Democrats curtailed their anger when it came to Trump’s role in the national redistricting fight. One GOP Virginia delegate was a prominent exception.

“Candor requires admitting that this bad idea of mid-decade redistricting did get its 2025 watch by the President,” Del. Lee Ware said, though he later added: “To travel down this tortuous path is to transgress long-standing precedent in Virginia. It is to turn our backs on the Virginia way.”

Democratic Del. Cia Price, the first Black woman to chair the House’s elections committee, rebuffed Ware’s argument.

“I know, that as a student of history, that the Virginia way was once used to quiet dissent in the guise of decorum, but I’m living for the future,” she said. “That’s why new times and unprecedented times call for a new Virginia way. ”

Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Help is on the way for several Washington County nonprofits who help the hungry.

The assistance comes days after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that there would be no Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits released in November due to the continuing government shutdown.

The Washington County Board of Commissioners met on Thursday and approved $250,000 in one-time funding for 10 area food shelves serving Washington County communities.

About 10,400 Washington County residents or roughly 5,000 households receive SNAP benefits, according to information relayed by the county during the meeting. The average benefit in Washington is about $5 a day or $310 a month per household.

“While this is a challenging moment,” said Director of Community Services Jennifer Castillo during a presentation to the Board during the special meeting, “we also see this as an opportunity to demonstrate our county’s ability to be nimble, respond quickly to crisis and compassionately.”

Besides SNAP recipients, the government shutdown is also affecting federal workers who are either furloughed or working without pay during this time, bringing some first-time users to seek help with food.

Jessica Francis, the executive director of Open Cupboard, was one of the nonprofit leaders to speak at the special meeting. The nonprofit organization operates a drive-up option for groceries in addition to a free market in Oakdale and Maplewood.

“I told them we had increasing numbers yesterday that were higher than the day before, which were higher than the day before,” Francis said later.

The county will offer these food shelves the following amounts in funding:

Open Cupboard: $75,000
Basic Needs: $37,500
Valley Outreach: $37,500
Family Pathways: $37,500
Friends in Need: $18,750
Hugo Good Neighbors: $18,750
St. Andrew’s Community Resource Center: $6,250
Community Helping Hands: $6,250
Mahtomedi Area Food Shelf: $6,250
Scandia Marine Food Shelf (Elim Lutheran Church): $6,250

The allocations were determined based on organization size, volume of traffic, communities nearby and proximity to households of SNAP recipients, according to Washington County.

This help would be in addition to the state aid of $4 million for food shelves, announced on Monday by Gov. Tim Walz.

Other counties

Meanwhile, Dakota County is asking the public to step up to fill the gap for its approximately 10,000 residents who could go without their food benefits in November.

“Knowing how this will affect communities, Dakota County is aggressively encouraging our residents to support our local food shelves by making a donation or volunteering,” said Mary Beth Schubert, a county spokesperson, in an emailed reply to a Pioneer Press inquiry on Thursday.

One example is a post that Dakota County recently shared on its Facebook page.

“Many Dakota County families are affected by the ongoing federal shutdown,” the post reads. “About 10,000 residents will not receive SNAP benefits in November. Local food shelves are already seeing increased requests for help. Make a difference by donating food, volunteering your time or contributing funds to a local food shelf to support your neighbors in need. Every action, no matter how big or small, helps make sure everyone in our community has access to healthy food.”

The post directs people to get more info at co.dakota.mn.us/HealthFamily/PersonalFinance/FinancialCrisis.

In addition to multiple social media posts raising awareness, Schubert said on Friday in a follow-up email, the county “will continue to think of new ways to get the word out.”

In Ramsey County, any plans remain to be announced.

“We don’t have anything to share on this right now,” said Casper Hill, a Ramsey County spokesperson, when the Pioneer Press reached out on Thursday.

However, Catholic Charities is offering free community meals and other services available at Catholic Charities Dorothy Day Place campus, a spokesperson told the Pioneer Press. Info at cctwincities.org.

‘You are not going to make everyone drop dead’

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At the same time, a federal judge out of Boston was considering the request by 25 Democratic-led states, including Minnesota, to keep the funding flowing.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani seemed to be leaning toward requiring the government to put billions of dollars in emergency funds toward SNAP, the Associated Press reported.

“If you don’t have money, you tighten your belt,” she said in court. “You are not going to make everyone drop dead because it’s a political game someplace.”

Talwani acknowledged that even ordering emergency funds to pay for SNAP might still be painful for some SNAP recipients because it could mean they get less money and that the money they do get could be delayed. “We are dealing with a reality that absent a 100% win for you, the benefits aren’t going to be there on Nov. 1,” she told the plaintiffs.

Imani Cruzen, Mars King and Frederick Melo contributed to this report.

Less than an hour’s drive south of Portland, Oregon, the Willamette Valley feels very much like Northern California’s Napa and Sonoma wine regions of years past: quiet, rural, friendly, laid back and bursting with jaw-dropping beauty.

Stretching over 150 miles long and 60 miles wide, this agricultural powerhouse covers 5,372 square miles and is the heart of Oregon’s wine country. It produces outstanding Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and other revered varietals which draw wine lovers from around the Pacific Northwest and the world.

The Willamette Valley stretches over 150 miles long and 60 miles wide, covering 5,372 square miles in the heart of Oregon’s wine country. (Photo by Ben Davidson

And it’s not just vineyards that abound here: there are u-pick lavender and fruit farms, hazelnut orchards and honey producers tucked here and there in these rolling hills which rise above the mighty Wiliamette River, which flows 200 miles from mountain tributaries south of Eugene north to its confluence with the Columbia River near Portland.

Exploring the Willamette’s Terroir

Like most most growing regions, the Willamette Valley’s unique climate and soil are what make its wines special. Located between the Cascade Mountains and the Coast Range, the valley benefits from cool marine breezes that extend the growing season. The fertile, volcanic red clay “Jory” soil is responsible for some of the region’s most celebrated Pinot Noirs. With more than 700 wineries, the valley is divided into multiple sub-regions, or American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), each with its own distinct flavor profile. The best of these include the Dundee, Yamhill-Carlton, Ribbon Ridge and Eola-Amity Hills AVAs.

Eminent Domain winery in Newberg, Oregon, is a stop on Wine de Roads bike tour. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

On a recent visit to the Willamette Valley, I based myself in Newberg, the region’s northern gateway city. There are more than 100 wineries within a 10-mile radius of town and Newberg itself has seven downtown tasting rooms, all within walking distance of one another. It’s a veritable nirvana for oenophiles.

During my three-day exploration of the Willamette valley, I visited a handful of charming wineries just outside Newberg, including local luminaries Chehalem, Ambar, Bacus and Norris, reserving many of the region’s boutique and medium-sized wineries for my next visit.

Ambar Estate in Newburg, Oregon, has a biodynamic vineyard. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

The wineries’ beautifully designed tasting rooms, each striking in their own way, offer enticing tasting flights of reds, whites and roses and, at a few, carefully matched food menus that draw on the bounty of fresh produce and other food products from the region.

Here are a few of my top choices for wineries to visit in the Willamette Valley:

The tasting room at Chehalem Winery explores the wines and distinct terroir of the winery’s four estate vineyards. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

Chehalem Winery is set in a beautiful hilltop setting in Sherwood. The tasting room experience explores the wines and distinct terroir of Chehalem’s four estate vineyards through a guided five-wine tasting of current releases. The flight menu changes monthly. Afterward, be sure to grab a glass or bottle head to the wineries’ lawn area, settle into an Adirondack chair and take in the wide vineyard views while enjoying seasonally inspired bites from their kitchen (a hat and sunglasses are recommended.) Details: chehalemwines.com

The Japanese-inspired tasting room at Ambar Estate serves a wonderful wine-pairing lunch. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

Ambar Estate is the Willamette Valley’s first regenerative organic certified vineyard. Its beautiful, Japanese-inspired tasting room overlooking the Dundee Hills offers a wonderful wine pairing lunch you don’t want to miss. Details: ambarestate.com

Bacus Vineyards: This small winery produces superb Pinots, Chardonnays, sparkling Brut and Rieslings and has a lengthy tasting menu. Details: bacusvineyards.com

Norris Wines: Located in the coveted Ribbon Ridge AVA, this family-owned winery focuses on Pinot Noirs and Rieslings, all made from grapes grown on their estate. Details: norriswines.com

Domaine Drouhin Oregon: Founded by the renowned Drouhin family from Burgundy, this Dundee Hills winery perfectly embodies its motto, “French Soul, Oregon Soil.” The estate is known for its elegant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and the tasting room offers a beautiful panoramic view of the vineyards. Details: domainedrouhin.com

Stoller Family Estate, the largest contiguous vineyard in Dundee Hills, Oregon, is a great introduction to Willamette Valley wine country. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

Stoller Family Estate: The largest contiguous vineyard in the Dundee Hills, this winery is a great introduction to the valley, with a beautiful tasting room and stunning vineyard views. A five-course gastronomic tasting menu with seasonal ingredients sourced from the farm and local growers is also available. Details: stollerfamilyestate.com

Argyle Winery: If you’re a fan of bubbles, Argyle Winery in Dundee is the place to go. They’re a top producer of Oregon sparkling wine, but also make fantastic Pinot Noirs, Rieslings and Chardonnays. Details: argylewinery.com

Wine Country lodging and dining

The Allison Inn in Newburg, Oregon, is a great base of operations for exploring the Willamette Valley. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

My base camp for my Willamette Valley exploration was Newberg’s luxurious Allison Inn, featuring a 15,000-square-foot spa and vineyard-view rooms. The Allison’s acclaimed restaurant, the Jory, offers delicious Pacific Northwest cuisine perfectly paired with locally-produced wines. The Jory’s farm-to-table cuisine is crafted by Oregon-born Jack Strong, also a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. The inn’s spa is considered one of the top spas in the Pacific Northwest and offers treatments and therapies incorporating the bounty the valley, including fruit, herbs, and flowers, mineral water for hydrotherapy, and, of course, Pinot Noir grapes. Details: theallison.com

Wild Oregon Chinook salmon is among the items on the menu at the Jory, Allison Inn’s acclaimed farm-to-table restaurant. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

Other unique lodging options in the region include the quirky Vintages Trailer Resort (the-vintages.com) in Dayton and the historic Atticus Hotel (atticushotel.com) in McMinnville.

Beyond the vineyards

The Wayward Winds Lavender Farm offers visitors the chance to pick their own lavender while it is in season from late June through early August. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

While wine is the star of the show, the Willamette Valley offers plenty of other activities to fill your time.

The charming towns of Dundee, Newberg, and McMinnville serve as the main hubs for a wine country trip. McMinnville’s bustling Third Street is a particular highlight, with its hip eateries, boutique shops, and tasting rooms. Newberg’s charming, walkable downtown features owner-operated restaurants, cafes, locally owned galleries, and shops. The city is also home to George Fox University, the arts-devoted Chehalem Cultural Center, and the Hoover-Minthorn House, the only presidential site in Oregon.

Foodie finds

The valley’s culinary scene is a delight. Stop by Red Hills Market in Dundee for gourmet sandwiches and wood-fired pizzas, perfect for a picnic. In Newberg, the Forage Cafe is set in a Craftsman bungalow and specializes in wood-fired oven and Italian dishes. Details: foragecafe.com.Tina’s Restaurant is a longtime favorite for wine country cuisine in the region. Details: tinasdundee.com

The Stoller Wine Bar offers a curated selection of wines, beer, wine-based cocktails and nonalcoholic beverages, with paired plates from a food truck parked in front. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

The Stoller Wine Bar features award-winning wines from Stoller Family Estate, Chehalem Winery, History, Chemistry, and Stoller Swing wineries. Centrally located in the heart of downtown Newberg, the bar offers a curated selection of wines, beer, wine-based cocktails and nonalcoholic beverages, with paired plates from a food truck parked in front.  Details: stollerwinegroup.com

Beer lovers shouldn’t miss the Wolves & People Farmhouse Brewery located in an old wooden barn outside Newberg. Using pure well water, wild yeasts (some propagated from its own fruit trees and beehives), local and heirloom grains, hops, and fruits, and house sour cultures, the brewery creates, ages, blends and bottles unique, small-batch beers exhibiting the wildness of Oregon terroir. Visiting here is a unique Oregon beer-tasting experience. Details: wolvesandpeople.com

Outdoor adventures

Visitors explore Wayward Winds Lavender Farm in Newburg, Oregon. Lavender blooms in the midsummer months. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

The region’s natural beauty makes it ideal for outdoor activities. In addition to vineyard tours, there are river paddles, hikes, walking trails, golf, cycling, hot air balloon rides, scenic drives, or a simple picnic in one of Newberg’s many parks.

A guided bike tour and an on-your-own hike

Wine de Roads in Newburg, Oregon, offers a wine tour by bike through the Willamette Valley, with stops for tastings at three wineries. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

I joined a very fun “wine tour by bike” with Wine de Roads. The tour has access to four of the region’s premier wine AVAs as you ride riding at a leisurely pace with stops for tastings at three wineries. Details: winederoads.com

You can also go for a hike in a nearby state park, such as Silver Falls State Park, which features a breathtaking 7.2-mile loop trail that takes you past 10 waterfalls.

Jetboating

Captain Scott Heesacker, a retired Portland firefighters, operates NW Jetboat Charter from Rogers Landing in Newberg, Oregon. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

We spent a fascinating morning cruising the Willamette River with amiable Captain Scott Heesacker, a retired Portland firefighter, on his fire-red private jet boat. On our four-hour cruise, we covered 45 miles of the river, taking in views of osprey in their nests, bald eagles, and other birds, and hunted for agates on a gravel bar in the middle of the river. The tour departs from Rogers Landing park in Newberg. Details: nwjetboatcharter.com

Planning your trip

Eminent Domain winery is a stop on the Wine de Roads bike tour. (Photo by Ben Davidson)

There’s an abundance of information on the Willamette Valley online. Two useful websites for planning your visit are tastenewberg.com and willamettewines.com. For general Oregon travel information, visit traveloregon.com.

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