Our Town – Silverton, Mt. Angel & Scotts Mills

Brave flights: ‘Flying Tiger’ pilot turns 100, folks rewarded for passions

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

“It is, I believe, the greatest generation any society has ever produced.” – Tom Brokaw, author, The Greatest Generation Mr. Brokaw, meet Captain Art Gregg. Really. You need to meet him. He turns 100 on Feb. 16. You will like him. You ...

Put your life in order: Make a list, cross it off

January 2019 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

I like big lists and I cannot lie. Or something like that. With apologies to rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot, I really do like keeping lists, reading lists, and following lists. I’m one of those guys who will sit down with the ...

Manner your mind: Let’s start the year off with some perspective

January 2019 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

Traditional column. New year. New goals. New resolutions. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cut down on sweets. Uh, huh. That’s history with the five pieces of Moonstruck Chocolate I sucked down last night like a hungry Dyson vacuum cleaner. Lose 30 pounds? ...

Wrestling standouts: Foxes have strong core, tough competition

January 2019 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

The Silverton High wrestling team features some solid veterans who likely will be major players during district and state competition. “We have some upperclassman who have been stepping up and consistently winning,” coach Keegan Davis told Our Town. “Matthew Guenther has ...

Public workshop on Eugene Field site scheduled for Jan. 31

January 2019 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

The City of Silverton is conducting an outreach and planning effort to determine the potential future uses of the Eugene Field site in downtown Silverton. Consultants plan to lead an interactive community discussion, eliciting community input on such topics as community ...

Shining jewels: More than just pocket change

January 2019 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

It was 16 cents, but what it meant to me was worth a lot more. I was at the convenience store the other day, buying a pint – of 2 percent milk, that is. I buy milk almost every day to ...

I’m not going to sing it…But you know the song

December 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

I saw a wonderful post on Facebook last week, paraphrased, “Don’t criticize someone’s choices if you don’t know what their other choices were.” It made me think a lot, especially as Christmas is approaching. It seems we are on a roll, ...

The value of money: Get on board and save

December 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

I read an article the other day about a radical new financial movement. It’s called Financially Independent, Retire Early, or FIRE for short. These are millennials who live frugally so they can retire early. They do it by saving money. What ...

Shouldn’t be this hard: But then again, I’m not that bright . . .

November 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community | Comments Off

With all the great fall weather we’ve been having it doesn’t seem possible that it’s almost Christmas...The Oregon Garden will be lit by a new record 1 million lights, Silverton and Mt. Angel shoppers will be Shop Hopping for the ...

Count your blessings: And avoid the stores Thanksgiving Day

November 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community | Comments Off

A traditionalist by nature, I am not one to treat Thanksgiving like a quick bus stop in a sleepy, one-horse town enroute to the Big City green and red lights. Don’t get me wrong. I love Christmas and look forward ...

The best holiday: Family, friends… and wine!

November 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

I like Thanksgiving a lot, because it coincides with the best holiday of the year. For want of a better name, I’ll call it Winotopia. The day after Thanksgiving, we rent a big van and load up any leftover relatives, friends, ...

Silverton growth predates current council: Guest Opinion

November 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

Watching social media conversations about our Mayoral and City Council elections is interesting. I hear many Stu (Rasmussen) supporters claim voting for him is about controlling the growth in Silverton. Our current mayor and council were not in office when it was ...

Don’t give up on Eugene Field: Guest Opinion

November 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

Please consider this “Chapter 2,” following my letter in the [Oct. 1] issue of Our Town, in which I stated that I would be still and listen, and also that I was convinced that our elected representatives were listening. Well, neither is ...

Cross country stars: JFK’s Lopez, Foxes’ Stutzman run to district titles

November 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Sports | Comments Off

Kennedy High senior Alejandra Lopez won the Special District 2 girls cross country championship Oct. 25 at Cheadle Lake Park in Lebanon. Lopez ran the 5,000 meters in 18:52.3, 17 seconds ahead of runner-up Jessica Neal of Central Linn. The Trojans also ...

House District 18 needs a change: Guest Opinion

November 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

As a House District 18 resident, I encourage folks from Aurora to Silverton to vote for Barry Shapiro,“for a change!” Don’t get me wrong. I like the incumbent, Rep. Rick Lewis. I have met with him on several occasions. He is ...

Showdown win: Next: Foxes face Parkrose

November 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Sports | Comments Off

By James Day ALBANY – The Silverton High football ran up a 17-0 first-half lead Friday night against West Albany, then used grit and determination to hold on for a 17-14 Special District 3 win amid light to moderate rain at ...

Secret praise: A shout-out to Silverton Sheltering Services duo

October 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

It’s time to focus on the positive things going on in the area, after the ugliness of last week’s uber partisan politics at the national level and the plethora of attack ads here in Oregon. Brent Jacobsen and Sarah White are ...

Smith has history of community service

October 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Community | Comments Off

To the Editor: With elections for the City of Silverton fast approaching, I write in support of the re-election of Dana Smith. During her past years in office, Dana has served the city of Silverton and its citizens admirably, effectively handling ...

Knowing it’s time: A property’s future and a hero’s new career

September 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

There is an element wanting to raise Eugene Field School from its soon to be rubble, since the building is scheduled to be demolished soon. Waxing nostalgic is not going to remove the asbestos. Saying “We haven’t had any input” ...

Our heroes: Thank you, firefighters

September 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

Editor: Some brief background: My wife Virginia and I (Tom) lived for 35 years on our family farm close to Mount Angel, where we raised our three boys. Brother Zan and I were born there. Perhaps three years ago for ...

Update Eugene Field process review: Guest Opinion Kyle Palmer, Silverton Mayor

September 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

A few citizens have recently brought back up our plans for the Eugene Field School site, so it’s time for another update. The City purchased the entire EF property in late 2017 after negotiations with the Silver Falls School District, who’d ...

A joyful noise: Listening for the sounds of life

September 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

I like noise. I should clarify that statement. I like most noise. As a guy who has lived and worked in big and small cities – and places where there are no cities at all – the sounds of people are, ...

Two originals: One fateful day took Jean Hadley, Sam Linn

August 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

It is more enjoyable to write about people in a positive way, laughing with them at the funny things they do, touching family events, and the moments in their lives that pull at the heartstrings of others. But when we lose ...

Football preview: Foxes, Trojans dive into fall camps

August 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, School, Sports | Comments Off

Silverton football was 7-4 last season in its first year under coach Josh Craig, advancing to the state quarterfinals before falling to No. 1 Mountain View in a 46-42 shootout in Bend. This year the Foxes are in a reconfigured league, ...

Rethink Eugene Field: Guest Opinion

August 2018 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

Stu Rasmussen On Aug. 6 the Silverton City Council voted to spend over $700,000 of our taxpayer dollars to demolish the historic Eugene Field School to make way for a new City Hall with no plan how to pay for a ...

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