Our Town – Silverton, Mt. Angel & Scotts Mills

Mr. SHS: Fox fundraisers under way

April 2017 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By Sheldon Traver When Dakota Parmley looked up at a replica of a 25-foot tsunami wave at Medical Teams International headquarters on March 1, he was awed at its size and capacity for destruction. When he learned the 2011 earthquake near Japan ...

Drop in: Daycare options expand

April 2017 Posted in Community, Other | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner “Finding a balance of what works best for each child and remembering each child is an individual,” is the goal at Circle of Friends Daycare according to Marcus Clark who, together with wife Jennifer Clark, owns and runs ...

Distinguished Service: Kathy Wall, Randy Wavra honored

March 2017 Posted in Community, Other, People | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_7700" align="alignleft" width="213"] Kathy Wall[/caption] By Nancy Jennings When she isn’t volunteering around town, Kathy Wall loves to travel. She is known to hit the open road in her camper van with her devoted dog, Mara, a copper-colored Vizsla. “Once I ...

Live Local: Marketplace to feature locally made food, items in downtown location

January 2017 Posted in Community, Food & Drink, Other | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner When asked where they are from, Josh and Elisha Nightingale look at each other and laugh. The couple has lived in many different places over the years but they agree that Silverton is finally home. Owners of Silver Creek ...

Time is now: Budget crisis loom

January 2017 Posted in Community, Other | Comments Off

Is the Ways & Means Legislative Committee responsible for using honest methods for balanced budgeting? Or is it finding “ways” to avoid our impending tsunami wave of debt by making someone else pay the bill through “mean” political skulduggery? I’ve observed both ...

Attitude adjustments: Advice on setting realistic resolutions

January 2017 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By Nancy Jennings Out with the old, bad habits and in with the new, healthy habits. Thr thought is common every year as we make New Year’s resolutions. This year will be different, we promise ourselves. This will be the year I ...

Changes afoot: Silver Falls has new locations, principals, names, mascots

August 2016 Posted in Other, School | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_7245" align="alignright" width="300"] The Silverton Middle School gymnasium is full of classroom furniture and supplies as the building is undergoing upgrades.[/caption] By Kristine Thomas Silver Falls Superintendent Andy Bellando is confident the dust will have settled by the time school begins ...

Whimsical perfectionist: Exhibit honors the late Larry Kassell

August 2016 Posted in Other | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_7211" align="alignright" width="268"] Larry Kassell in self portrait.[/caption] By Kristine Thomas Julia Kassell has the almost impossible task of trying to summarize her late husband’s work for an art show in August. The challenge before her is what work does she select ...

A Grin at the End: Changing tactics – Out with the resolutions, in with words of wisdom

January 2016 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By Carl Sampson Here we are again, standing on the precipice of an entirely new year. It’s a blank slate that we will fill in for the next 366 days — 2016 is a leap year. I just hope we do a ...

Quilters’ paradise: Stitches in Bloom at The Oregon Garden Jan. 22 – 24

January 2016 Posted in Other | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_6617" align="alignright" width="300"] Stitches in Bloom Quilt Show participants Kathy Bovee, Mary Goodson,Carol Wallace, and Carol Heist with their creations.[/caption] By Kristine Thomas Silverton residents Carol Wallace, Carol Heist, Mary Goodson and Kathy Bovee all share a love of fabric, texture, ...

Finances top agenda: Mount Angel looks to secure its future

January 2016 Posted in Other | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_6564" align="alignright" width="200"] Mount Angel City Manager Eileen Stein[/caption] By Steve Ritchie Chickens, marijuana and false alarms at businesses are some of the issues the Mount Angel City Council wrestled with in 2015. A scorecard of council actions reveals chickens are in ...

Goal: More visitors!

January 2016 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By Steve Ritchie Even as the number of visitors to Oregon state parks swells, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is finding new ways to reach out to the public. The latest example of this outreach is a partnership between OPRD ...

Inspiration: Hopes for 2016

January 2016 Posted in Other | Comments Off

Words have a way of empowering and providing guidance. Our Town contacted local religious leaders asking them what words of inspiration, guidance or hope would they share as we begin 2016. Hope “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? ...

The Old Curmudgeon: Thank you all – Sharing best wishes for 2016

January 2016 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By Vern Holmquist Wow! As I am writing this, I realize 2016 is almost here and I am still sitting at this infernal machine trying to make sense of what is going on in our world. Our world has gone a little crazy. While ...

Peace of mind: Family emergency plan, safety items, can be gifts

December 2015 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By Kristine Thomas With families gathering for the holidays, now is a good time to talk about a family emergency plan. And maybe create emergency care gift packages. Silverton Health Safety and Environment of Care Officer Justin Huff said he and his ...

People Out Loud: Politics, people and one grand party

September 2015 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By Dixon Bledsoe As much as it pains me to say this out loud, it isn’t hard to understand the allure of Donald Trump to some people desperate for leadership and real change. He offends me in most ways possible, but I ...

China Diary, Part Two: Incredible hospitality

September 2015 Posted in Other | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_6232" align="alignright" width="200"] Steve Ritchie on the Great Wall of China.[/caption] By Steve Ritchie On my fourth day in Beijing, I got a call quite early in the morning. Still jet-lagged, I reached for the phone and answered groggily. “Hello.” “Good morning Mr. ...

The China Diary: Step One – Getting a visa

August 2015 Posted in Other, Sports | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_6188" align="alignright" width="300"] When covering the Moscow Worlds in theLuhzniki Stadium, site of 1980 Olympics, Steve Ritchie met Xin Li, a journalist from Beijing. “We were seated next to each other throughout the meet and became friends. She will ...

Racemaker: Mount Angel’s Matt Bauman

August 2015 Posted in Other, Sports | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_6128" align="alignright" width="300"] Matt Bauman organizes dozens of running events through his company, Race Northwest.[/caption] By Steve Ritchie When Chris Bischoff and the Oktoberfest board wanted to add a half marathon race to this year’s Oktoberfest activities,w they didn’t have to ...

Much ado about mulch: How to conserve water in your garden

July 2015 Posted in Other | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_6053" align="alignright" width="246"] Brenna Wiegand and her father, Don Conway, prepare mulch for her garden.[/caption] By Brenna Wiegand What can transform the landscape and cut garden water usage by 30 to 50 percent? Mulch! Mulching is simply spreading a layer of something – ...

Bird is the Word: Happy to be wrong – The magic of the farm

June 2015 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By Kali Ramey Martin If you would have told me five years ago that I’d be living in a little white farmhouse right smack dab in the middle of 120 acres of grass seed, I would have laughed in your face. Since ...

New twists: Former gymnast turns into diving star

May 2015 Posted in Other | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_5944" align="alignright" width="300"] Madison Cock will compete in diving for Unversity of Utah[/caption] By James Day Gymnastics’ loss proved to be diving’s gain in the case of Silverton’s Madison Cock. A former level 9 gymnast for the Athletic Edge in Salem who ...

Shiny gold buttons: And other priceless gifts from mom

May 2015 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By Kali Ramey Martin “Close your eyes,” my mom said from around the corner as I covered my face with my hands. “On the count of three…one...two...THREE!” It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Long, emerald colored velvet with a ...

Young entrepreneurs: New generation of driven business owners

March 2015 Posted in Business, Other, People | Comments Off

By Brenna Wiegand They are some of Silverton’s youngest business owners – a group of hardworking, motivated young adults who chose to go after their dreams and make something of their own instead becoming 9-5 employees. Each business owner has an ...

Foxes take hoop title: Boys first in league, girls tied for first

March 2015 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By James Day The Silverton High boys basketball team has won the Mid-Willamette Conference championship. The Foxes took a hard-fought 57-54 overtime win Feb. 20 at Central High School to improve to 11-1 in league play, three games in front with just ...

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