By Jim Kinghorn|
Aylene Geringer’s Chocolate Box was recently featured as one of Gerry Frank’s Top Picks. Ger, as I like to call him, selects five special places in Oregon each week for his column in the Sunday Oregonian. The Frank in Meier and Frank, world traveler, author and owner of The Konditorei Bakery in Salem knows his chocolate, and apparently, also knows Silverton is the place to be.
Beauty, like art, is in the eye of the beholder. If you’re beholdin’ your art as beauty, you can apply to have your art included in the Silverton Fine Arts Festival, Aug. 20-21. Applications will be accepted until March 31. Call 503-873-2480 for all the details.
As if the world isn’t nutty enough already, there are plans developing in Mount Angel to hold a celebration of hazelnuts this November. The working name for the festival is the Nut Market (which in Mount Angel will surely end up being something like der Verrückte Veranstaltung or die Mutter Market. So if you are completely nuts about your nuts, contact Mary Grant to find out how you can help.
Glenn Damewood wants you to know that Mac’s Place is now open for breakfast at 9 a.m. seven days a week. No word on whether you can stay right through last call, wake up, have breakfast, dust yourself off and then stumble home.
The Man’s quote of the month: Always be yourself because the people that matter don’t mind and the ones that mind don’t matter – Anonymous
Did you know that Silverton High has an equestrian team? Well they do, and they are good enough to compete at the state level. Now, I know you have the same question The Man has: how do they fit the horses in their lockers? For the answer to this and other questions, gallop over to the next meet, April 8-10 at the State Fairgrounds and cheer them on.
The sudden closing of the Towne House left many of the “counter culture” regulars (right, Paul?) wandering the countryside looking for a place to go. Fear not House Heads, word on the street is that Kelly Miller plans 
to have the iconic diner back open by early April.
Speaking of local icons, we lost two of them last week with the passing of Rick Ernst and Keith Kaser. Rick was born and raised a true Silvertonian. As president of Cooley’s Iris Gardens, he was responsible for hybridizing more than 150 new irises and managed the family farm. Never short of opinions, Rick was not the least bit shy about telling you what they were and why. You may not have always agreed but by golly, you knew where Rick stood on a subject – a refreshing quality in today’s world.
Keith, on the other hand didn’t say much, although he once told me he was “walking between the rain drops” on a particularly soggy day. Chosen as Press Secretary for The Man’s unfortunately unsuccessful bid for the White House in ’08, Keith explained his daily 5 – 8 mile walks as a way to “see what was going on” and that it was far better than sitting around all day. In their own way they both left their thread in the fabric that is Silverton. Our heart goes out to their families and friends. They will be missed.
See you on the street…
