Marty Limbird, a long-time youth soccer coach in the Silverton area who also enjoyed fabulous success at Chemeketa Community College, has taken over the Silverton High boys soccer program. Limbird, a long-time Silverton resident whose wife Liz teaches at Robert Frost, takes over for Derek McElfresh, who led the Foxes to the Class 5A quarterfinals last year. “Marty brings a […]
If you see some local parents huddled around their phones eagerly awaiting the next Snapchat-y, Instagram or Facebook-y you’ll know their child was part of the Oregon Ambassadors of Music group now touring seven European countries to make the hills alive with the sound of music. The kids, led by Frank and Mandy Petrik, all had to raise over $6,000 […]
It was a hot summer night in a basement just outside Philadelphia, and the band was at full throttle. Two screaming guitars, drums and a bass guitar wailing away the time. Then the rhythm guitar player’s mom came downstairs. “You’d better come up here,” she ordered. “Something important is happening.”The date: July 20, 1969. We dutifully set down the guitars […]
Breaking ground On behalf of the many members of the St. Edward’s Cottages project planning group and St. Edward’s Church, I would like to thank the many community folks who attended the cottages groundbreaking ceremony. On a beautiful day the community came together to learn more about the cottages project and hear about how the cottages will help unhoused women […]
My wife, Lisa, and I went out to eat recently and talked with a nice couple. Turns out we had met before – their son knows my wife from her years in education, and I coached the little tyke in T-ball and basketball. He’s 24 now. I love the pictures proud parents post on social media, showing their progeny at […]
The other day I left my cell phone at home. It was the best mistake I ever made. To me, a cell phone is a leash, a cinder block tied to my leg as I try to do important things, only to be distracted by constant beeping, dinging and vibrating. Some people apparently need to know what Kim Kardashian is […]
Memorial Day is upon us, and as most of you know by now, I love veterans. In this day and age where most people think about barbecues, beer, and three-days off, many of us give time to say thanks to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in serving our country, fighting for freedom, and protecting the American Dream. And […]
Every once in a while I run across a news story that makes me laugh out loud. And, no, I’m not talking about Congress this time, although those guys are always good for a few chuckles. This time, I’m talking about parents. Not all parents, just those who would pay any amount of money to get their kids into the […]
The World is back at it again. Brexit is a “Mess-ix.” Iran is in the head-lines for nefarious purposes as President Trump declares the “Revolutionary Guard” a terrorist organization (he is correct), and two popular Hollywood families are skewered in the press for helping their progeny get into prestigious schools by cheating. I have been meaning to work this into […]
The Kennedy baseball team is off to a 9-1 start and is 3-0 in Special District 2 play. The Trojans, who won three of four games in a tournament in Redding, California, are ranked No. 4 in Class 2A-1A by the OSAA after a 2018 campaign in which they advanced to the state semifinals. “We are off to a nice […]
As it was approaching the Most Important Day of the Year for the federal government – Tax Day – I thought I’d take a few minutes and do my duty as a citizen-taxpayer and calculate what I owe to Uncle Sam. I downloaded one of those tax-preparation programs onto my computer, took a couple of sips of a margarita to steel […]
The Kennedy High girls track and field squad has finished in the top 10 at state for the past eight seasons. This year’s squad looks primed to keep the streak alive. “We have potential state champions, great experience with seven four-year seniors and decent depth,” veteran coach Steve Ritchie told Our Town. “The girls should be strong contenders for a […]
Michael Roth, president of Roth’s Fresh Markets, recently presented a transformational gift of $50,000 to the Silverton Health Foundation board of trustees to support the Campus Enhancement Project at Legacy Silverton Medical Center. “The Roth Family’s incredible generosity will help us to continue to grow the comprehensive care our hospital provides the community,” said Sarah Brewer, president of Legacy Silverton. […]
Spring is about to spring and The Man’s thoughts turn to sunshine, warmer days and what the heck is going on in local businesses… So-o-o-o-o, here we go… Ratchet Brewing of Salem is adding a second location – in Silverton, where Seven Brides used to be, Candy Babel is going in where Silverton Jewelry was, and The Peoples Taphouse still […]
By Brenna Wiegand Mount Angel Chamber of Commerce will honor Mount Angel Abbey with its 2018 Distinguished Service award at this year’s First Citizens Banquet. The Abbey has been entrenched in its surrounding community since 1882, co-settlers with the townspeople. “It’s a beautiful idea; we are all very touched by it,” Abbot Jeremy Driscoll said. “It’s a lovely honor because […]
Two of my favorite words regarding social media decorum are “Graciousness” and “Civility.” For those who use social media, especially Facebook, are unfamiliar with those words and do not have access to a dictionary, here are their definitions, courtesy of the Oxford Dictionary: Graciousness – excellence of manners or social conduct. good manners, courtesy – a courteous manner. Suaveness, suavity, blandness, […]
Maybe it’s just me, but the English language seems to be fading into a mash-up of emojis, slang, jargon and gibberish. It breaks my heart when I read some “writing.” It’s nonsensical, pointless, lacking in organization and inexact. Most writers appear to have been absent that day in second grade when the teacher defined a sentence as a complete thought. […]
“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 could write a book about him. Like so many members of the “Greatest Generation,” he is quiet, does […]
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 new telephone book – a really big list – and go through it to see how many names I recognize. […]
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? Toast – see previous chocolate malady. Quit engaging others on politics? Oh, my. That went out the door Jan. 1, […]
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 been having a great deal of success on the mat and in the practice room. Nathan Kuenzi has also […]
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 values, existing physical conditions, redevelopment issues and future vision for the Eugene Field site and design. Everyone interested is […]
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 have with lunch. When the cashier asked for $1.39 I came up short. I was sure I had the […]
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, but not in a good way. Instead of saying quietly in our cars, “I was at the intersection first. […]
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 a concept. My wife and I have done that for decades. We were early subscribers to a newsletter called […]
