I first became aware of Scott Gragg on a lunch trip to the Wooden Nickel shortly after my arrival in Silverton in 1997. There was a New York Giants Scott Gragg jersey on the wall and I got the lowdown on him from my food server. Great story. Silverton High grad in 1990, college player at Montana and then 11 […]
The Silverton High Athletic Hall of Fame banquet is returning Oct. 7 at The Oregon Garden. The event, which includes dinner, a silent auction and the induction ceremony, costs $50 and you can make reservations at silvertonfoxes.com soon, if not today. Organizers tell me they are on a “short timeline” this year so please bear with them if the signup mechanism is […]
By James Day Oregon Governor Tina Kotek visited Silverton on June 22, making two stops. One was to discuss homelessness and housing issues; the other to engage with agricultural and natural resource officials in a luncheon at The Oregon Garden. Our Town attended the homeless session. Media were not allowed at The Oregon Garden session. Kotek, 57, a first-term Democrat […]
By Melissa Wagoner For the past year and a half the Silverton Chamber of Commerce has been working hand in hand with the North Marion Tourism Collaborative (NMTC) – an organization developed to help cities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic – to boost tourism through a regional website (www.exploremc.com), and a mobile kiosk that can be reserved for events. The […]
A defensible space and wildfire resiliency workshop featuring experts from around the state is set for July 22 at The Oregon Garden in Silverton. The 9 a.m. to noon event is free but reservations are required. Space is limited to 50. See https://tinyurl.com/e5uynwuk to register. The workshop offers the essential skills and knowledge needed to protect your home and […]
The post-COVID return of public celebrations includes a ramping up of the traditional July 3 fireworks at the 80-acre Oregon Garden. While the fireworks were back last year, there was still room for improvement, according to Delen Kitchen, the Garden’s Director of Operations. “What we noted was that we needed more food vendors, and more entertainment to keep our guests […]
By Melissa Wagoner On April 15 The Oregon Garden’s newest exhibit was “christened with children and laughter,” according to Director of Operations Delen Kitchen. She oversaw the addition of the first two-story pirate ship to ever to sail into the Children’s Garden. “The plans were drawn in 2018,” she said, pulling out the original drawing created by volunteer Rick Galbraith. He, along […]
By James Day The City of Silverton is considering a proposal that could add a 22-space recreational vehicle parking area on land just north of Mark Twain Elementary School. The 1.52-acre, triangular-shaped site, if the project is approved, would be used for temporary lodging for RVs and movable accessory dwellings. Approval of the project does not require Silverton City Council […]
By James Day With someone like Dana Smith you have to look below the surface and keep in mind the layers of community commitment. Yes, Smith has served in elected positions such as the Silver Falls School district board and her recent eight years on the Silverton City Council. But in the nomination form that elevated her to Silverton’s First […]
By James Day Silverton’s First Citizen Gala is set for Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Oregon Garden’s J. Frank Schmidt Pavilion. This will be the 52nd time the Silverton Chamber of Commerce has honored the community’s top achievers in business, education, volunteering and community affairs. The event starts at 6 p.m. with social time, with the program itself starting at […]
It’s time for Silverton to recognize those who have gone over and above to serve the community. Do you know someone deserving of recognition for their efforts? Do you know of a group that should be highlighted for their good work? Nomination forms are available from the Silverton Chamber of Commerce, 426 S. Water St. or contact [email protected] and have […]
By James Day The Silverton Chamber of Commerce is hosting an election forum on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at the Oregon Garden. The noon luncheon event ($15 for chamber members and $20 for non-members) will take place at the education building, which is just across from the visitor center entry gate. Go to https://business.silvertonchamber.org/events/details/silverton-candidate-forum-20009 to register. Invited to participate will be […]
By James Day When famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright was working on his Usonian house design, one of the goals was to integrate as much as possible the outdoor spaces and the home’s interior. The Gordon House, the lone Wright-designed home in Oregon, has received nearly $30,000 in grant funds to help upgrade the landscape in an effort to fulfill […]
By Melissa Wagoner Whether your goal is to save the planet, save a little money, or perhaps a bit of both, conserving water can be a good place to start. “There are times when your pocket book is the only thing that matters,” Eric Hammond – a horticulturist and member of Sustainable Silverton, an organization whose mission is to increase […]
By James Day Andrew Fox was in the landscaping industry. Eric Druliner worked in law enforcement. They shared a love of beer – and of Silverton. The result: Silver Falls Brewery, which joined the local craft beer scene in 2015 in a converted pole barn in Druliner’s backyard and now occupies a gleaming structure in downtown Silverton. But it’s not […]
By Stephen Floyd The Great Resignation has pummeled the private sector, with record numbers of employers across the country struggling to fill open positions. Local restaurants and retailers are seeking new hires, too. While societal shifts from the COVID-19 pandemic maybe partially responsible, other factors like baby boomer retirements also play a part. Volunteerism for some area nonprofits has been […]
By James Day A planned 22-lot subdivision near the Oregon Garden is closer to reality after the Silverton City Council voted 6-1 to approve the plan. The council action on Oct. 4 overturned a decision to reject the plan on July 13 from the city’s Planning Commission. The council heard the developer’s appeal at its Sept. 13 meeting, then held […]
By Brenna Wiegand The Oregon Garden is calling all veterans to the dedication of a Blue Star Memorial Marker being installed to honor the country’s veterans. The Garden is partnering with the Oregon State Federation of Garden Clubs to install the marker, part of a program started by National Garden Clubs, Inc. at the close of World War II with […]
By Laura DeVito At first, I wasn’t sure it was actually him but his jolly laugh, rosy cheeks, snow white beard and twinkling blue eyes gave him away, even though he was wearing jeans, a flannel shirt and a baseball cap. A newcomer, I quickly learned Santa Claus’ second home is Silverton. And with all the holiday appointments he has […]
By Kristine Thomas Running out of fondue and pretzels in The Oregon Garden’s food booth on the Saturday of Mount Angel’s 50th Oktoberfest only reemphasized to Oregon Garden Resort General Manager Christine Diacetis how important it is to plan carefully and prepare for the unexpected. “We thought we had enough fondue and we weren’t expecting such large crowds,” she said. […]
By Melissa Wagoner On a night out with friends two years ago, Amy Kvenbo met the man of her dreams; she just didn’t know it yet. “We met right before hunting season. He was a burly hairy dude who bought me a drink and I thought nothing of it,” Kvenbo recalls. The mystery man ended up being Matt Alexander from […]
By James Day There is a whole hop load of new at this year’s Oregon Garden Brewfest. The Silverton suds fest, in its 11th year, moved from its usual late April slot to Father’s Day weekend. The event now offers a third tent with free shuffleboard and other games, and the Father’s Day move allows The Oregon Garden to work […]
At its Jan. 5 meeting, the Silverton City Council agreed to sell 2.28 acres of the Pettit property to Moonstone Resort to be developed into a high end pub and restaurant. Moonstone has agreed to pay $300,000 in cash for the property. Funds will go to into the sewer reimbursement fund, a combination of sewer system development charges funds and […]
By Kristine Thomas Christine Diacetis cannot believe it took her this long to visit the Pettit property. Although she moved to Silverton in 2008, it wasn’t until this summer that she finally ventured to the 80-acre parcel that borders The Oregon Garden. “I remember coming down the driveway and turning the corner where I got my first look at the […]
The Oregon Garden begins its 10th summer music series Friday, July 3, at Teufel Amphitheater.
