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Our Town Video: Silverton High and NASA Prepare For Eclipse

Our Town, the new documentary web series, is produced by Real Light Films in cooperation with Mt. Angel Publishing, Inc./ Our Town, with support from the Marion Cultural Development Corporation and local sponsors. New episodes will premiere seasonally. For information on upcoming projects or on sponsorship opportunities, contact ourtown@mtangelpub.com or silverfallsfilm@gmail.com.

Silverton High and NASA Prepare For Eclipse from Mt. Angel Publishing on Vimeo.

A total solar eclipse will occur over Silverton, Oregon on the morning of August 21, 2017.  Silverton High School is one of 55 teams chosen from across the nation to work with NASA on a once-in-a-lifetime project: the students will launch a balloon into the stratosphere with a payload containing a video camera to live-stream the eclipse, and sensors to record atmospheric conditions.  Read more... (171 words, estimated 41 secs reading time)

Stepping up for children: Marion CASA seeks to double its volunteers

By Nancy Jennings

“Be a voice, not an echo.”

This quotation from Albert Einstein sums up what being a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children (CASA) volunteer is all about.

According to Shaney Starr, executive director of CASA of Marion County, there are 101 sworn-in CASA volunteers helping represent children in the foster care system. But with 557 Marion County abused and neglected children currently in foster homes, more help is needed.

Starr says the county needs at least 200 trained volunteers, and she’s striving to reach that goal by adding 100 more volunteers within the next 18 months.  Read more... (859 words, 1 image, estimated 3:26 mins reading time)

Art with a flourish: Silverton, eclipse, featured in 2017 festival poster

By Nancy Jennings

Bubbly, free spirit Ashley Schaecher always had an eye for art. The 23-year-old Beaverton resident is excited to be this year’s poster artist for Silverton’s Fine Arts Festival. Using traditional watercolor with modern digital painting, her piece couples iconic scenes of downtown Silverton with the upcoming solar eclipse. She calls her creation’s effect “surreal.”

“I started painting it last July. I worked the eclipse in there. I wanted her (the character) to be doing something with art. I thought ‘What if she’s just painting Silverton?’” The character is wearing a yellow tank top and listening to music with green headphones.  Read more... (482 words, 2 images, estimated 1:56 mins reading time)

World of music Oregon students ambassadors in a universal language

By Eric Quinones

It brought together 350 high school students from across Oregon. It took them half way across the globe. It allowed them to share joy and hope with strangers who spoke different languages. The simple yet powerful “it”? Music.

In July, 22 choir and band students from Silverton High School, and one from Mount Angel left the United States for the busy streets of London, England. They traveled through the vibrancy of Paris, France. They played on the mountains of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, catching sight of the sun as it passed behind the Alps. The trip was capped off in Rothenburg, Germany with a performance of America, The Beautiful.  Read more... (850 words, 1 image, estimated 3:24 mins reading time)

Kitchen experiments

By Melissa Wagoner

As the wife of an Italian, a devoted gardener of tomatoes and the daughter of a dessert enthusiast I was confounded recently to learn that my youngest daughter shows an allergy to wheat and tomatoes (among other things) and a mouth full of cavities in need of repair.

Luckily I am an avid cook and am nothing if not resourceful in the kitchen. I continually substitute ingredients and ignore instructions when it suits me. In other words, I enjoy a challenge.  Read more... (370 words, 2 images, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)

Football teams at work: Foxes new coach hopes to energize squad

It was Tuesday, Aug. 7, just the second day of fall drills and new Silverton High football coach Josh Craig already had a mid-season rasp from voicing encouragement to his squad.

“It didn’t take long,” Craig told Our Town as he finished a morning practice and emphasized paperwork issues and schedule times for his players departing to lunch.

Craig has six offensive starters back and seven on defense from the squad that John Mannion led to a 7-3 record. Mannion has moved on to coach a new program at Mountainside High in Beaverton. Craig, 26, retained most of Mannion’s staff, including veteran coaches Craig Rankin, Mike Fessler, John Howard, Matt Craig and Don VonWeller.  Read more... (680 words, 3 images, estimated 2:43 mins reading time)

Eclipse insights: Former NASA consultant gives advise on Aug. 21 viewing

Extensive press coverage and a quick trip around the Internet makes us all “experts” on the Aug. 21 “Path of Totality” eclipse, at least in the minds of those who do not have our research skills (small children, most dogs, and Great Grandma, who smiles proudly in recognition of our greatness).  Read more... (943 words, 1 image, estimated 3:46 mins reading time)

Eclipse planning: Be prepared

By Mary Owen

The Great Eclipse is coming Aug. 21 and bringing with it thousands of people.

“Traffic numbers are expected to be high,” said Allison McKenzie, executive director of GROW-EDC in Marion County. “It will be busy!”

McKenzie advises having friends and family come early for the weekend and stay after Monday to avoid some of the crowds at airports, train stations and on the road.

“Regular traffic flow and travel may be impacted by the large number of visitors… causing congestion or grid lock,” Silverton Police Chief Jeff Fossholm agreed.   Read more... (649 words, 1 image, estimated 2:36 mins reading time)

New deal: City eyes Eugene Field site

What do you think of a new Silverton Police Station and potentially a city hall on the Eugene Field School site on North Water Street?

The Silverton City Council is seeking public input and the question is urgent ­– there’s a July 17 vote on the line.

On July 7 the council found its bid for the site had moved from second position to first after a developer withdrew his offer to the district. That made the issue pressing.

“The terms of our offer require us to take action at our first scheduled council meeting,” Silverton Mayor Kyle Palmer explained in his call for immediate public input.  Read more... (398 words, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

Opener set: New Foxes football coach faces Sandy in Sept. 1 debut

New Silverton High football coach Josh Craig and the Foxes will open the 2017 season at home at McGinnis Field on Friday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. against visiting Sandy.

Craig replaced John Mannion, who led Silverton to a 57-20 record in his seven seasons at the helm. Mannion is starting a new program at Mountainside High in Beaverton.

The Foxes visit Redmond on Sept., 8. Silverton also faced Sandy and Redmond to prep for last year’s league season, downing the Pioneers 20-13 and outlasting the Panthers 41-35. Redmond, however, took the rematch 35-27 in the OSAA Class 5A playoffs.  Read more... (731 words, 2 images, estimated 2:55 mins reading time)

Bright future: Alex Kraemer hopes to help put world issues in perspective

Silverton was established in 1885. The University of Cambridge is just slightly older, by almost seven centuries. The former is a charming little Oregon town with 9,500 people and 163-year history. The other is one of the world’s top four universities, situated in Cambridge, England with more than 20,000 undergraduates and graduate students. One has a veritable “Who’s Who” on their alumni list, including Charles Darwin, Jane Goodall, Sir Isaac Newton, John Harvard (yes the Cambridge graduate who later founded another pretty well-known school that bears his name), Dian Fossey, and Stephen Hawking. The other has a graduate named Alex Kraemer, a Silverton High alum (Class of 2011) who may be destined to join the list of famous Cambridge grads.  Read more... (814 words, 2 images, estimated 3:15 mins reading time)

A new deal: City offers school district $1 million for Eugene Field property

By Paula Mabry

The “ayes” have it — and on a 6 – 0 vote July 17 the Silverton City Council agreed to move forward with a $1 million offer on the former Eugene Field School site.

Now the city has 60 days to determine if the North Water Street property will work for a new police department and potential city hall and civic center.  Read more... (542 words, 1 image, estimated 2:10 mins reading time)

Food carts: Rolling restaurants find their fans

By Melissa Wagoner

Food carts are gaining in popularity across the state including in the Willamette Valley. With low overhead and ease of mobility, cart owners can combat getting mired in an unprofitable area by picking up and moving to a new spot. Creativity also flows on menus that are varied and often change with the wipe of a white board.

El Caporal Taqueria

Leo Uribe came to the United States from Mexico when he was just 15 years old. In his native country he spent little time in the kitchen because he was told it was a woman’s work. Once in the US things changed.  Read more... (691 words, 3 images, estimated 2:46 mins reading time)

Tuck and twist: New owners take over gymnastics academy

By Melissa Wagoner

Celia and Todd Storey had never been to Silverton, or to Oregon for that matter, but in November 2016 they saw an ad on Facebook and within weeks they were new residents.

The ad was for the Silverton Gymnastics Academy and the Storeys, who had been collecting equipment in order to one day open their own gym, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check it out.

“I had managed a gym in my home town for quite some time, but had never really given much thought about owning our own gym,” Celia said.  Read more... (404 words, 2 images, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)

Reunion: Former exchange student returns for a visit after 33 years

By Nancy Jennings

Timing was everything for Marizel Porcalla. After 33 years, the former Rotary Club foreign exchange student from the Philippines came back to Silverton in July to reunite with her host families.

Marizel spent one school year (1984-1985) at the high school, which was then called Silverton Union High School, while living with three host families.

Marizel first lived with Steve and Nancy Larson, then with Bill (now deceased) and Cherry Hoffman and finally with Bob and Tootie Marcum.  Read more... (720 words, 1 image, estimated 2:53 mins reading time)

Job sharing: Rise, Palmer split AD duties at Silverton High School

Silverton High will use a two-person approach to filling its athletic director position this fall.

The job came open when assistant principal and AD Wade Lockett was promoted to principal. Now, Lockett has announced that James Rise and Kevin Palmer will share the AD spot when school begins in September.

Rise currently coaches baseball and teaches at the high school, while Palmer will be moving over from principal duties at Butte Creek Elementary School.

Rise will concentrate more on the on-the-field duties, while Palmer will handle administrative responsibilities.  Read more... (546 words, 1 image, estimated 2:11 mins reading time)

Merlot with a twist: Mount Angel Book Club uncorks fun

By Nancy Jennings

Oprah Winfrey has one. So do most libraries. Now you can add Mount Angel’s Glockenspiel Restaurant to the list. Raise your glasses and toast “Wine & Words” – their new book club. Started in January, the free monthly literary group is open to the public. Already nearly 20 members strong, the women and men meet on the first Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. Some order dinner during the meeting. Special wines and beers are offered to sample. Complementary French baguette slices fill the bread baskets spread out on the tables.  Read more... (470 words, 2 images, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)

The wonder of it all …

Every once in a while, I am reminded of the fact that I’m not in charge. Neither are you.

I get up early most mornings, and what I often see blows my mind. The stars splashed across the sky, from horizon to horizon, spinning through space billions of miles away, commingled with the planets that share a star with us –
it all gives me a much-needed dose of humility.

Even the weather is uncontrollable. In a time when people chatter incessantly about controlling the climate I find it comforting that they cannot predict what the weather will be in 10 minutes, let alone tomorrow or 50 years from now.  Read more... (604 words, 1 image, estimated 2:25 mins reading time)

Our Neighbor: Delmar Calvert

Our Town, the new documentary web series, is produced by Real Light Films in cooperation with Mt. Angel Publishing, Inc./ Our Town, with support from the Marion Cultural Development Corporation and local sponsors. New episodes will premiere seasonally. For information on upcoming projects or on sponsorship opportunities, contact ourtown@mtangelpub.com or silverfallsfilm@gmail.com.

Our Neighbor: Delmar Calvert from Mt. Angel Publishing on Vimeo.

Driving past the Mount Angel Towers, it’s hard not to wonder about the stories inside this sprawling retirement community. All of us have a story to tell, and one day I stopped by to see if anyone would be interested in allowing me to film an interview with them. That was how I ended up spending a sunny spring afternoon with Delmar Calvert.

Up, up and . . . Butte Creek students reflect on balloon launch lessons

Butte Creek HAB Team working with Silverton High prepares for launch. Steve Beckner

Editor’s Note: This story is written by the Butte Creek High Altitude Balloon Team. Silverton High will launch a weather balloon as part of a NASA program during the Aug. 21 solar eclipse.

On Aug. 21, a total solar eclipse will be passing over Silverton. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves in between the Earth and the Sun. In doing so it creates a path of darkness, called the “Path of Totality.” When you look up at the eclipse, it can still be super bright so make sure you wear your safety glasses! This is a very rare event, truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Read more... (554 words, 1 image, estimated 2:13 mins reading time)

Principal named: Wade Lockett to take over at Silverton High

By James Day

Wade Lockett will be the principal at Silverton High School this fall.

Lockett, 41, has served as the school’s assistant principal/athletic director during the 2016-17 school year. He replaces Justin Lieuallen, who served one year in the position.

“Mr. Lockett lets his students and colleagues know that they are his highest priority,” said Silver Falls School District Superintendent Andy Bellando. “He has strong skills in building and monitoring relations, he understands the importance of school tradition, and he creates a school culture that is welcoming and supportive of all students.”  Read more... (424 words, 1 image, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

Taking action: Silverton Opportunity working to increase leadership diversity

By Steve Ritchie

The Silverton Opportunity Political Action Committee was officially formed in early March, but its genesis was the November election day rally at Silverton High School that left some students feeling harassed and brought Silverton unwanted national attention.

Naseem Rakha, who is the mother of a high school student, was concerned about the uproar at school on election day and felt uneasy about what might happen the next day, the day after the election.  Read more... (723 words, estimated 2:54 mins reading time)

Cliff hanger: Traeger, Stadeli elected to school board, Nealon holds 19-vote lead

By Steve Ritchie

Challengers in the May 16, 2017 Silver Falls School Board election successfully unseated at least one and possibly two incumbent board members.

While results are still unofficial and votes from some unsigned ballots will be added to the totals on May 31, Zone 4 challenger Jennifer Traeger has an insurmountable 513 vote lead over Wally Lierman. Lierman, who has served for the past 20 years on the Silver Falls School Board, is the current board chair.

In Zone 5 challenger Shelly Nealon holds a slim, 19 vote lead over Aaron Koch, who is the current vice-chair of the board. Nealon’s total is 2,004 versus Koch’s 1,985.  Read more... (667 words, estimated 2:40 mins reading time)

End of an era: Susannah Robinson retires from Bible Release program

By Nancy Jennings

For 40 years, Susannah Robinson has laid solid foundations of faith for more than 300 children through the Silver Crest School Bible Release Time Program. Inside of the quaint Chapel on the Hill Church in the Silverton hills, students from kindergarten through sixth grade have learned about the Bible through fun fellowship. Dropped off from a school bus and picked up by their parents, the children meet every Tuesday for one hour each week.

There are three requirements that need to be fulfilled before taking part in the faith-based program: Parental permission must be given, instruction must take place off school grounds and no state resources may be used.  Read more... (739 words, 1 image, estimated 2:57 mins reading time)

Two treats: Weekend studio tour, music fest

A visual arts studio tour and a music fest fill the first two weekends of Silverton’s June calendar.

June 3-4 the Galleries & Artists Studio Tour spotlights local artists. Visitors can see artists at work in their studios or home, or in the Greenough room at the Silverton Arts Association building or White Oak Gallery. Works will be for sale with all the proceeds going to the artist.

Organizers say welcoming the public into private studios gives them the opportunity to speak one-on-one with artists, learn about their medium, and appreciate the creativity and labor that goes into each piece.  Read more... (363 words, 2 images, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)