Our Town – Silverton, Mt. Angel & Scotts Mills

A Slice of the Pie: Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters or a plumber?

October 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Other, People | Comments Off

I recently learned something rather astounding – if you ask for ghost stories, prepare for an onslaught. Houses, storefronts, restaurants, nursing homes – and apparently nearly every school in area – all come with a ghost story or two attached. ...

People Out Loud: Unequivocal – You have a choice on vaccinations, your employer does too

October 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Your Health | Comments Off

Social Media is rife with misinformation, especially in the chaos of COVID. Lazy people use it as their “research.” VAERS is the “Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System”, a reporting system co-managed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food ...

A Grin at the End: Crypto creeps – Hidden for a reason

October 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

The other day I was hanging off a ladder trying to patch a leak in the gutter over our garage doors. It had leaked for 11 years, but this was the moment I chose to fix it. One of my ...

A Slice of the Pie: A little messy, but… Getting kids into the kitchen well worth the effort

September 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Food & Drink, People | Comments Off

Sarah DeSantis has been cooking with her son, Oliver, since he was a toddler. “I grew up with home cooked meals and want my kids to learn to cook and eat in the same way,” DeSantis said when asked what inspired ...

People Out Loud: Balancing act – Oktoberfest, school, life and COVID

September 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community, Food & Drink, Your Health | Comments Off

It is so difficult being a writer, even one throwing out unsolicited opinions just once a month. There is a natural flow of subjects that occur annually, starting with New Year’s resolutions and ending with taking the tree down as ...

A Grin at the End: Faster, higher, stronger – Oregon style

August 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

The Olympics have been over for some time now, but I’m not over the Olympics. The thrill of victory – and the agony of defeat – played out on an international stage is the best way I know to recognize ...

Letters to the Editor: It’s going to take more than words

August 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community, People | Comments Off

A response to Silverton Mayor Kyle Palmer’s column in the city newsletter distributed with the July 15 edition of Our Town. I congratulate you on your article concerning a very significant issue facing this country and more pointedly seems to be ...

Letters to the Editor: The ‘heart’ of JFK wrestling

August 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community, People, School, Sports | Comments Off

I would like to take a moment and point out a person who went above and beyond in developing a positive program in the Mount Angel high school. This person has steadfastly worked to bring a sport ... that has ...

People Out Loud: ‘Promises to Be Good… In Writing.’

August 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community, People | Comments Off

This was an ad for Heidelberg Beer back in 1969-1970. I recall the big billboard was on North Water, right around where Photo Express sits today, and across from the turkey plant. Yes, the turkey plant, where the gobblers hung ...

A Grin at the End: What you leave out … but don’t take out the soul

July 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Other | Comments Off

The key to good writing is what you leave out. Too often, writing makes its way into the public circus without the benefit of editing, and it’s painful. The basic points may be there but they are crowded by half-baked thoughts ...

A Grin at the End: Perspective – Beating the cynicism disease

June 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community, People | Comments Off

We’re all going to be OK. That is the inescapable conclusion I have reached. I was at a minor league baseball game a few weeks ago, scanning the crowd between pitches. There were families enjoying the evening as the boys of ...

People Out Loud: Life lessons – Class of 2021 got more than their share of them

June 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, People | Comments Off

To the graduates of 2021, my sincere congratulations for your wonderful accomplishments. It could not have been harder, right? You weathered COVID-19, quarantines, wildfires, ice storms, and an entirely new but hopefully temporary “normal.” You learned online in your pajamas, caught ...

A Grin at the End: 50 years later – High school when you look back at it

June 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, People | Comments Off

One of the few fringe benefits of this pandemic is the fact that my 50th high school reunion was canceled. That’s right, the Conestoga High School Class of 1971 has let the coronavirus get the best of it. I suppose ...

In Memoriam: Denise Marie Totland (Sept. 7, 1962 – April 27, 2021)

May 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Obituary | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_9933" align="alignright" width="214"] Denise Totland[/caption] Denise Marie (Howes) Totland, 58, passed away peacefully on April 27, 2021. A graveside memorial service will be held in Silverton on Saturday, May 22, 2021, under the direction of Unger Funeral Home. Visit ungerfuneralchapel.com for ...

People Out Loud: A salute to ‘Captain A’ – Plus the hum of a rebounding community

May 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community, People | Comments Off

I remember meeting Arland Anderson as a lowly freshman in high school in 1966. He was a junior and one imposing figure – larger than life. Standing about 6'4" and not “diminutive”, he had a booming voice, and huge and ...

The time is now: Planning for future wildfires shouldn’t be delayed

May 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community, Outdoor Life | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner Weeks out from the official start of summer and fire experts are already warning Oregonians of another potentially difficult fire season. Which is why Carrie Berger, a fire program manager with the OSU Extension service, has recently partnered ...

Letters to the Editor: Support for ‘supermom’ in school board election

May 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community, People, School | Comments Off

We wholeheartedly endorse Melissa Seifer Briggs for Silver Falls School Board. Melissa is an experienced attorney, most recently with the Oregon Judicial Department, and a Silverton native. She and her husband, David Briggs, have five young children, ages 12 to ...

Letters to the Editor: A ‘fresh voice’ for school board

May 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community, People, School | Comments Off

I want to express my support for Stephanie Mantie for a position on the Silver Falls School Board. She has the intellect and background that would greatly benefit our school district at this time. Stephanie has been actively involved in our local ...

Letters to the Editor: ‘Thrilled’ advocates for Mantie

May 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community, People | Comments Off

We have had the privilege of knowing Stephanie Mantie for 20 years. We served together in our church youth group for many years. We have witnessed her raise her kids, serve others, and interact in the community. We cannot recommend ...

A Grin at the End: Duck-duck-boom – Ideas to solve the world’s problems

May 2021 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

It’s been a busy year for the researchers here at Sampson Laboratories (motto: You can never do too much useless stuff). One of our intrepid scientists is coming up with an easier way to make carbon fiber parts for airplanes. I’m ...

Our most admired: Social media stirs the good in us too

November 2019 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

One of the fun parts of social media is people posing good questions to their sphere regarding favorite things, heroes, who they would like to meet, and who they most admire. As for the latter, names like Martin Luther King, ...

State champs: Kennedy volleyball ends dream season

November 2019 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

Kennedy High’s volleyball team completed a near-perfect season Nov. 9 with a 3-0 victory against Central Linn in the Class 2A state championship match at Ridgeview High in Redmond. The Trojans, who won with match scores of 25-14, 25-21 and 25-18, ...

Checking in…From our European bureau

November 2019 Posted in Arts, Culture & History, Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

As time goes on, The Man is constantly reminded that “none of us are getting any younger” and hence, the “Bucket List” comes into play. Ever since high school the Man-ette has whimsically talked of going to France so I ...

Fix high school sound system

November 2019 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community | Comments Off

Fix high school sound system A year ago we attended our grandson’s graduation from Silverton High School. He was one of the valedictorian speakers, and of course, we were looking forward to hearing his speech. We knew we’d be seated in ...

Groundhog Day … All over again, and again, and again

November 2019 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

“I feel like I’m living in the movie Groundhog Day,” I recently told my husband in exasperation. “Load the dishwasher. Empty the dishwasher. Wipe the counters. Fold the laundry. Repeat.” I wasn’t joking. Some days – OK, quite a few days – ...

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