Our Town – Silverton, Mt. Angel & Scotts Mills

Looking to rebuild – Community regroups after destructive downtown fire

October 2021 Posted in Business, Community, News, Other, Photo Gallery | Comments Off

By James Day Mount Angel is in recovery mode this week as the community reels from a devastating weekend fire that destroyed historic structures and four businesses. The fire, which was called in just before 1 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, wiped out ...

Skate Park update: Groundbreaking held for expansion

October 2021 Posted in Community, News, People, Sports | Comments Off

By James Day Backers of the expansion of the Judy Schmidt Memorial Skate Park held a groundbreaking Sept. 11 for the next phase of the project. Actually breaking ground given the dry summer proved to be a challenge, so organizer Sue Roessler ...

Development appeal – Council to consider subdivision on Eureka Avenue

October 2021 Posted in Community, News, Other | Comments Off

By James Day The Silverton City Council will hold a public hearing on an appeal of a proposal for a 22-lot subdivision on Eureka Avenue near the Oregon Garden. The city Planning Commission denied the proposal at its July 13 meeting, but ...

New chapter – Sheltering Silverton regroups following founder’s accident

September 2021 Posted in Community, News, Other, People | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner [caption id="attachment_10467" align="alignright" width="300"] Rob and Trish Ambrose, along with newly hired, Hannah Paysinger, make up Sheltering Silverton's new case management team[/caption] When Sarah White created, and later became the director of, Sheltering Silverton – a resource center advocating ...

One year later: Santiam Canyon relief prepares for long-term assistance

August 2021 Posted in Community, News | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner Recovering from a disaster like the one that devastated the Santiam Canyon during the Labor Day fires in 2020 is neither quick nor easy, a reality that was recognized early by the Santiam Canyon Wildfire Relief Fund (SCWRF) ...

Recreating repose – Storm-damaged trees removed at Providence

August 2021 Posted in News, Other | Comments Off

By Brenna Wiegand The feeling of serenity on the campus of Providence Mt. Angel Skilled Nursing Center is – was – owed largely to the stands of mature oaks and other trees that seem to stretch out their arms to shelter ...

Straw bound: Silverton publisher releases new books

August 2021 Posted in Arts, Culture & History, Business, Community, News, People | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner [caption id="attachment_10330" align="alignright" width="249"] Richard Orr[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10329" align="alignright" width="225"] Lester Petrie[/caption] Mike Ashland has always been a writer. “I was a freelance reporter for the Marin Independent Journal and reporter for the Coastal Post in Bolinas,” Ashland recalled. “Some of ...

A unique tune: Glen Damewood honored with First Citizen Award

July 2021 Posted in Community, Food & Drink, News, People | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner [caption id="attachment_10306" align="alignright" width="397"] First Citizen Glen Damewood performing with Syco Billy’s String Band.[/caption] Glen Damewood is a well-known, long-time restaurateur. The owner of Mac’s Place, which he opened with a partner in 1980, as well as two Wooden ...

Business of the Year: The Satern Agency – Country Financial

July 2021 Posted in Business, Community, News, People | Comments Off

By Brenna Wiegand [caption id="attachment_10291" align="alignright" width="300"] Employees of The Satern Agency – Country Financial include, from left, Nikka Martushev, Ale Pena, Debbie Satern and Brent Satern. The insurance and financial planning business was recently named Silverton Business of the Year ...

Historic preservation: Grant to aid repair of former blacksmith shop

July 2021 Posted in Arts, Culture & History, News, People | Comments Off

By James Day [caption id="attachment_10246" align="alignright" width="300"] The 1905 blacksmith shop in Mt. Angel[/caption] Efforts to repair and restore the historic blacksmith shop in Mount Angel have received a shot in the arm. Oregon Heritage, a division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation ...

Houses to build: Habitat for Humanity sets goal of 18 houses in three years

June 2021 Posted in Business, Community, News, Other, People | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner [caption id="attachment_10186" align="alignright" width="200"] The crew worked on the house wrap, windows and doors at the Silverton construction site on April, 7, 2021.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10185" align="alignright" width="300"] Trusses are delivered to the Silverton construction site on March 16, 2021.[/caption] In ...

Silverton Road: Detour continues

June 2021 Posted in News, Travel | Comments Off

By James Day The six-month detour for bridge work on Silverton Road between Silverton and Salem appears to be going well, project officials say. “Overall the detour has been very successful, although there is always an adjustment period with any detour and ...

Answering the call: Neighboring fire districts team up to vaccinate public

May 2021 Posted in Community, News, People, Your Health | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner [caption id="attachment_9881" align="alignright" width="300"] Victor Hoffer vaccinating Mayor Don Fleck with the 2000th vaccination since the MAFD began vaccinating -- courtesy of Victor Hoffer[/caption] What started as the Mt. Angel Fire District (MAFD) providing COVID-19 vaccinations to their own ...

Silver Falls School District names Melissa Linder Silver Crest principal

May 2021 Posted in Briefs, Community, News, School | Comments Off

Silver Falls School District has announced the selection of Melissa Linder as the new principal for Silver Crest School and district assistant director of teaching and learning. Her first day will be July 1. Linder’s selection followed a process of community ...

Hiccup: Silverton Road bridge work might be delayed

April 2021 Posted in News | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_9819" align="alignright" width="300"] Logs can be seen from the trees that were felled for utility line relocation on the Silverton Road bridge over the Little Pudding River. The bridge is being replaced and there will be detours around the ...

Arbor days: Tree experts weigh in on tree care following devastating storm

March 2021 Posted in News | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner Within hours of the ice storm horticulturist Eric Hammond began walking, covering as many miles of Silverton’s streets as he could, cataloging the trees – the ones that were damaged, the ones that were toppled and the ones ...

Trial by ice: Neighbors, services unite in the face of shared adversity

March 2021 Posted in Community, News | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_9792" align="alignright" width="300"] An old oak near St. Edward's Church in Silverton by the February ice storm. Photo courtesy Steve Canning.[/caption] By Melissa Wagoner When residents of the mid-Willamette Valley awoke to a world covered in a beautiful blown glass tapestry ...

Banding together: Reflecting on community in wildfires’ wake

October 2020 Posted in Community, News | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_9733" align="alignright" width="300"] Mount Angel’s Magnolia Grill crew delivering food to frontline workers. Submitted Photo[/caption] By Melissa Wagoner “Helping is easy. Being on the receiving end is difficult.” Sheila Zervas Nielsen, a teacher at Silverton High School and resident of Gates, knows ...

Once in a century: Wind-whipped fires devastate some, threaten others

September 2020 Posted in News | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_9727" align="alignright" width="300"] Sept. 9 in Silverton during the height of the smoke from the Beachie Creek Fire. Photo by Jim Kinhorn[/caption] By Melissa Wagoner In the midst of a global pandemic, with civil unrest in the streets, a new catastrophe ...

Living history: Silvertonians give first-hand accounts of Portland protests

August 2020 Posted in News, People | Comments Off

[caption id="attachment_9716" align="alignright" width="300"] A Black Lives Matter memorial on Tom McCall Waterfront Park near the protest blocks in Portland. Photo by Melissa Wagoner.[/caption] “You watch what’s going on for years and it leads to this underlying angst and agitation,”45-year-old Jay ...

Empty skies: Mount Angel July 4th fireworks canceled

July 2020 Posted in Community, News | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner This year Mount Angel’s Fourth of July celebration was going to be different. Sarah Bauman, president of the Mt. Angel Chamber of Commerce, has known that since the pandemic began. “We pretty much wrote the parade off right ...

The decade ahead: Silverton officials discuss projects for city’s future

July 2020 Posted in Community, News | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner In February, Public Works Director Petra Schuetz, Community Development Director Jason Gottgetreu and Mayor Kyle Palmer were discussong the decade ahead for Silverton for an Our Town story. What none knew then, of course, was that in a ...

Peaceful protest: Silvertonians inspired to take action against racism

June 2020 Posted in Community, News | Comments Off

By Melissa Wagoner “I come to report — the kids are not alright,” Keith Amano gravely stated at the George Floyd Memorial Protest in Silverton on Friday, June 5. As the Activities Director for the Immanuel Lutheran Church, Amano has spent years ...

Adapting to closures: School superintendents discuss service strategies

April 2020 Posted in Community, News, School | Comments Off

By Brenna Wiegand Since Oregon closed its schools in mid-March due to the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus, local superintendents have been on a wild ride, chasing after ways to maintain their responsibility to the students. Buildings may be closed, ...

Policy change: Cities change access rules because of virus

April 2020 Posted in Community, News | Comments Off

By James Day Silverton and Mount Angel both have changed their policies on public access to municipal buildings in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and the governor’s social-distancing orders. City Hall offices in Silverton and Mount Angel were closed to the ...

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