I grew up in a family, and community, which revered our small-town newspaper. We read it, we discussed it and we argued about it when we thought the viewpoint was flawed. We knew the writers. We saw them at gatherings, they were the friends of my parents and the parents of my classmates. In other words, they were people just […]
This is an open letter to the person and/or persons who came onto my property and stole the flag I had attached to a soffitt on my house. I can only assume that you removed the flag of Stu Rasmussen because you put him in a box of your prejudice. You didn’t ask why I have the flag. You didn’t […]
On the Silver Falls School District financial situation: Where was (Assistant Superintendent) Dan Busch during the last 12 months? … Where was the School Board? The School Board absence and neglect during the past 12 month is completely unacceptable. The “thank you note” delivered to Mr. Drue at the March 13 public meeting is totally incomprehensible. I invite you to visit […]
Some years ago, a magazine publisher named Steve Forbes was running for president. His main pitch wasn’t how he was going to work for world peace or protect the good old U.S. of A. from all enemies foreign and domestic. Nope, his main pitch was that every American would be able to file his or her federal income taxes by […]
Just this past summer, I lost a dear friend of mine. His name was Justin. He lived outside, had a very unique sense of style, and often made others uncomfortable by sifting through garbage cans for little treasures. He was a complex figure, as we all are, but his personality was marked by a gleaming naivety, an earnest impulse to […]
Perhaps I should have known, when the baby shower for my oldest daughter was derailed by a significant snowstorm, that having a child with a January birthday would be tricky. I blame my initial confidence on her first birthday party, which came off without a hitch. Celebrated with friends and family in a house decorated with balloons, the birthday girl […]
I have never paid much attention to the weather. After all, what’s the point? There is absolutely nothing I can do about it. Plus, the weather forecast is always more of a best guess than a guarantee. Even the meteorologists seem confounded. We’re supposed to be in the middle of an El Niño. In general, that means we should be […]
In the days leading up to my 17th birthday, my grandfather unexpectedly passed away. The days that followed were – unsurprisingly – a blur. But there were moments, mostly having to do with the way the community stepped forward to support us, the grieving family, that have stuck with me through all these years. First, I recall the food – […]
I am the new owner of The Palace Theatre here in Silverton. I am enjoying my adventure in restoring this historic part of our community. It has not been easy, nor has it been inexpensive. Refurbishing the decor, repairing an aging building, upgrading the seating, replacing the sound system and investing in a top-of-the-line projector has not been cheap. But […]
The Silverton Zenith Woman’s Club thanks the community of Silverton for all the help they received for their 2023 Tree of Giving project. Together we were able to make Christmas a little brighter for 216 children in the Silver Falls School District. We wish to particularly thank: Hi-School Pharmacy, St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Silver Creek Fellowship and Wilco for displaying […]
I want to share specifically what Dr. Elizabeth Smith at [Legacy Medical Group] Mt. Angel did on Wednesday, Jan. 17 in order to round on unassigned babies at Legacy Silverton Medical Center. She bundled up, with the help of her two little boys, then walked a little over a mile up and down a very icy gravel driveway to make […]
This is in response to Mr. Harris’ “Happy New Week” advertisement in the Jan. 1 issue of Our Town. First, we want to commend him and the growing team of Christians from local Christian churches for the bold and, we are sure, expensive continuing Christian outreach to Silverton and beyond. Our purpose in writing is to offer an alternative way […]
I have an idea for a TV show. It would be called Who Thought That Was a Good Idea? In it, I would sit at a kitchen table with a pot of coffee and two cups. Also sitting at the table would be my guest – an engineer, architect or other person who designs some of the crazy stuff we […]
To the Editor: Pastor John Fredrick of Oak Street Church wrote in the Jan. 1 issue of Our Town that I believe members of the LGBTQ+ community “are going to hell for being queer.” That is not true. First of all, I did not write that in my ad, nor have I ever believed that. As a Christian pastor I am sure […]
Documenting the early days of my children’s lives came easily as, beginning with my very first pregnancy, I journaled in a Belly Book filled with photo prompts and questions designed to track milestones from the first flutters to the initial contractions and everything in between. I was dutiful when it came to those books, just as I was with every […]
To the Editor: I would like to respond to views expressed in recent advertisements run by Gregg Harris in Our Town. I am not writing to start a debate with anyone nor to criticize how this paper does business. Rather, I am writing as a community member and local pastor. Though there are perhaps many areas where Mr. Harris and […]
An open letter to Rep. Lori Chavez-Deremer: I have called your office and written several letters. I’m still waiting for a response regarding my March 15 recording at your Open House. What ORS allows you to claim your taxpayer funded office is “private property”? Rep. Rick Lewis’ office says this isn’t a thing. Did you lie when you wouldn’t answer […]
I wanted to respond to the Fentanyl article published in the Dec. 15 [edition of Our Town]. As a concerned citizen, mother, and public health advocate, I was happy to see some light being shed on this topic in our community. It highlighted how grim the current opioid crisis is; however, I feel like it overall downplayed the risk our […]
I’m not often caught off guard. I usually keep my antenna up. In Oregon, I’ve found that to be a necessity. The other day, however, I was surprised. In point of fact, I had my socks blown clean off. And here’s the weirdest part – I was in Salem. To clarify, I have worked in that city 22 years. I’ve […]
As we come down the home stretch of 2023, it’s time to take an inventory. Some of the major events of the year: Went snorkeling with the family in Hawaii. Check. Didn’t drown. Check. Took about 20 minutes to recuperate from not drowning. Check. Took about 30 seconds to figure out that I might have a problem more serious than […]
Advocate for yourself and for your family. Have the difficult conversations now so you don’t have to have them later. Buy now or later? Some people – myself included – like shopping during December when the stores feel more festive, while others like to have it all done by December so they can focus on something else. You decide! Call […]
I was heading to the store for another batch of stool softener — if you’re over 70 you’ll understand — when I heard the news: Jimmy Buffett had died. I’m not prone to emotions, but this did make me sad. Not “boo-hoo” sad; more like “that’s too bad” sad. His music had followed me through a big chunk of my […]
As a kid, growing up in a small country town, I walked everywhere – to my friends’ houses, to the playground, to my mom’s hair shop, to my grandma’s house, to the paddock where I kept my sheep and always to school. While I had a bike, and I loved to ride, walking was always easier. I didn’t need a […]
By Kevin McCarty Today I’d like to write about bicyclists. Not spandex-wearing Tour De France competitors atop $15,000 uber-bikes; rather, I’m talking about the regular local Joe who suddenly appears on a slow-moving two-wheeled apparatus on the roadway ahead of you when you’re taking your kids to school, going to the grocery store, or late for a doctor appointment. Worse yet, […]
Last summer I did something that I previously thought my schedule would have never allowed – I spent 15 hours volunteering at my daughter’s theater camp. This statement may sound ordinary to some, especially those who already make time to volunteer on a regular basis, but for others – one out of four Americans, according to the Stanford Center on […]
