Our Town – Silverton, Mt. Angel & Scotts Mills

The happiest places I know

June 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

If you want to see happy people I can think of no better place to go than a graduation. Graduations are all about happy. Whether they celebrate a child’s “survival” of kindergarten, eighth grade, high school or college, every graduation ...

Farewell: Coach Mannion moves on

May 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

Silverton boys basketball coach Steve Roth, who led the Foxes to the 2015 Class 5A state championship, has resigned his position. “When I took over three years ago I didn’t expect it to be a long-term decision,” Roth told Our Town. ...

Youth movement: Good things happening in the under-35 crowd

May 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community | Comments Off

Kudos to the Silverton City Council for selecting Rhett Martin for the seat vacated by Kyle Palmer, now mayor filling Rick Lewis’ seat, which was vacated so Mayor Rick could take over for Rep. Vic Gilliam’s spot in the Oregon ...

All stars: A newspaper lovers’ guide to columnists

May 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

God, I love newspapers. Not the faint whispers of journalism you see stumbling along these days, but real, robust newspapers packed full of insightful and important things that I need to know. I’m talking about The New York Times, The ...

Nurturing types: Stories about caring for the young and not-so-young

April 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community | Comments Off

Miss Becky is leaving the building. Mic drop. After 12 years of hugging, loving, and teaching three and four year old little darlings, Becky Detherage is hanging up her pre-school hat. Becky started James Street Christian Preschool at the Assembly of God ...

A life changer: Sweet, sweet music memories

April 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Music & Band | Comments Off

I remember the day that changed my life. I was in ninth grade and a friend and I got tickets to a concert. It wasn’t just any concert. Gladys Knight and the Pips and the Temptations were the featured acts. By ...

The Itch: Call of the great outdoors

March 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community | Comments Off

It’s the beginning of March. It’s been cold. Usually wet. We’ve seen our share of rain. Even snow this year. The sky is dark and gray, gray, gray, and the days have been short. It’s the time of year best ...

Sliderules: The tool of the titans… some called them nerds

March 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

I was cleaning out my desk drawers at home the other day, and ran across one of the most powerful computers ever invented. It was an Acu-Math No. 500, also known as a slide rule. I showed it to my 20-year-old ...

How I see it: Please, don’t make excuses for bad behavior

February 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

This is a hard column to write because it represents things I care deeply about. Some people will agree with me, some won't. Let me politely say, "I don't care." God bless Vic Gilliam and his family. Red or blue, conservative ...

Give your best: SHS senior Megan Mannion selected Future First Citizen

January 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, School | Comments Off

By Kristine Thomas Silverton High School senior Megan Mannion clearly followed the advice given to her by her parents, John and Inga Mannion. Whether it’s competing on the volleyball court or softball field, organizing an event for the Associated Student Body, studying ...

Body maintenance: My car gets a checkup, so why shouldn’t I?

January 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

I try to take good care of my car. Every 3,000 miles or so I have the oil changed. I used to do it myself, but I find crawling under a car is less inviting as a I slip past ...

A few thoughts: Good work, hard work and a new baby

January 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

It does my heart good to see anybody but especially young people step out of their comfort zone to help others, selflessly, compassionately and without the need for accolades. Ismael Caudle, Mateo Miller and Rieve Randall are three Silverton Cub Scout ...

Trump’s turn: How the new president and Congress can fix health care

January 2017 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

A few years ago, I invented a new health care system that would be far superior to Obamacare, Medicare and all the other forms of care we taxpayers are now forced to finance. With Donald Trump’s election as the next ...

Bird is the word: Honestly grateful

November 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

I’ve got to be honest with you. It’s been a hard year. From riding the highest highs of becoming a mother to the lowest lows as I held my brother’s hand as his marriage broke apart. From navigating the sleepless early ...

History Lessons: We need some education and accountability

November 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

If you’re under 60 years old, don’t read this column. You won’t understand it. I remember growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. They were not the “good old days,” as some people describe them, but they were different in ...

The Man about town: There’s only so much we can do

November 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

The Man will readily admit that doesn’t watch much Major League Baseball, the game just doesn’t move fast enough to hold my interest. But I gotta tell ‘ya the 7th game of this years World Series was one of the ...

People out loud: Ever present to be thankful

November 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

This is a year for which we have so many things to be thankful. Individually, we have to determine if our glass is half full or half empty. That is a personal philosophy dictated by individual circumstances, personalities and choice. ...

The Ol’ Curmudgeon: Vote. If you don’t, who will?

November 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

Well, the time is almost here and we are about to vote for a new president. He or she will decide the direction our country will take. Certainly a big decision. Not a job for the inexperienced. In the last election, ...

Bird is the word: You can have your palaces, finding my focus

November 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Your Health | Comments Off

There have been times in my life when I’ve felt utterly and entirely content. Like no matter how much or how little I had, it was enough. I woke up every morning with a word of gratitude on my lips. I ...

League title elusive: Foxes fall to Corvallis in MWC finale

November 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Sports | Comments Off

The third time was not the charm for the Silverton High girls soccer squad. The Foxes, who were denied a Mid-Willamette Conference title by Corvallis the past two seasons, entered Tuesday night’s home contest against the Spartans with the same stakes: ...

A grin at the end: Difficult to define. Weird and wonderful Oregonian things

November 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community | Comments Off

I’ve only lived in Oregon 17 years and I’m yet to put my finger on what, exactly, makes this state tick. I’ve read Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey. I’ve stood in line at Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland. I’ve gone ...

The Ol’ Curmudgeon: Night to Remember

October 2016 Posted in Arts, Culture & History, Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

Oh, what a night to remember. It was a night New York would be proud to claim and it happened right here in the Wine Cellar. Yes, it was that good – the music of Cole Porter and Hoagy Carmichael, ...

People Out Loud: Coming Together

October 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

We Are One. What a concept in this tumultuous year filled with bad news, hatred, worldwide conflicts, partisan politics and unified efforts with the sole purpose of winning arguments at someone else’s expense and exposing differences as a means of ridiculing. ...

A Grin at the End: Parklandia – Driving 1-5 or 1-205 can cause you to swear

October 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Travel | Comments Off

My wife and I were heading for the airport, on our way to pick up one of kids. Oh, did we get I-205ed. To the ultimate max. It took us an hour and a half to get from Clackamas to the airport, ...

Air shows: Action and awe are the real deal

September 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

By Carl Sampson I am standing on a patch of grass watching a man named Brad Wursten defy gravity. He is in a tiny airplane called an MXS-R, which is hanging by its propellor a couple thousand feet in the air. ...

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