By Stephen Floyd Iconic local business Silver Falls Country Store has burned down after suddenly catching fire during the early hours of Feb. 16. No one was injured, however, the building at 172 Silver Falls Drive was a total loss. Chief Brandon Hamilton with the Drakes Crossing Fire District said crews were called around 1:05 a.m. and when they arrived […]
By Melissa Wagoner When Robert Gendhar graduated from high school in Hubbard, he thought he knew what he wanted to do with his life. “I wanted to be an agronomist,” he laughed. But then a few of his friends who volunteered at the local fire district convinced him to come to a meeting. “I enjoyed the atmosphere,” Gendhar remembered, “and the unknown […]
By James Day Cory Misley has been hired as Silverton’s city manager and will start work Oct. 16. Misley replaces Ron Chandler, who retired to Utah in May. Misley’s hiring and contract were approved Oct. 2, on a unanimous vote of the Silverton City Council. As the top administrator for the city Misley will supervise all departments and report to the […]
By James Day City of Silverton officials have called off their plans to host a public meeting to discuss the update of the parks master plan. The meeting was scheduled for Oct. 3 at the Silverton High cafeteria. City officials said that the technical advisory committee working on the plan wanted a bit more time before hosting the public session. […]
By James Day A two-alarm grass fire on Aug. 1 severely damaged a Silverton firewood processing facility off of Pine Street. The blaze, which consumed approximately five acres, was caused by sparks from farm machinery, said Keith Veit, assistant chief of the Silverton Fire District. “A tractor was mowing wheat stubble in the field and it is believed that a […]
Police are investigating a fatal collision on Hwy. 214 near Silverton Reservoir that took the life of a Salem man July 26. According to Oregon State Police, Jeremy Paul Flentge, 52, of Salem, was traveling northbound around 9 p.m. near milepost 37 in a Yamaha motorcycle and came upon a southbound Toyota Tundra towing a loaded dump trailer. As the […]
By James Day About 50 people gathered Saturday morning at The Oregon Garden to learn more about wildfire resiliency and emergency preparedness. Experts from the Silverton Fire District, the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Oregon State University Extension offered tips to the group, which consisted of local residents, environmental activists, fire officials and landscaping professionals. Key topics covered included wildfire risk evaluation, […]
By James Day Virtually every local fire agency is heading into fire season with a bit of extra muscle, courtesy of a pair of state grants. The Oregon State Fire Marshal has awarded $6 million in grants to 185 agencies throughout the state to spend up to $35,000 to add staffers for wildfire season. This is the second year of […]
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 […]
By James Day Silverton native Ed Grambusch grew up wanting to be an air traffic controller. He tried work of a similar vein as a 9-1-1 emergency dispatcher. But once he hooked on as a volunteer with the Silverton Fire District, the career search was over. Grambusch continued his 9-1-1 work as he worked his way into a career as […]
By Brenna Wiegand When the seniors at Silverton High School in Silverton, presented their post-graduation plans to underclassmen, it was obvious that career paths are all over the map. Some students will go from high school to work while others pursue a trade. In many cases, students decide that their goals will require attending a two- or four-year college. “There […]
Here is an overview of local candidates and measures on the May 16 ballot. To have your vote count, ballots must be submitted to an official site by 8 p.m. For a list of locations go to: co.marion.or.us/CO/elections/ and click on Ballot Drop Sites. Mt. Angel School District Position 1: Irene Novichihin, a retired educator with 31 years of experience […]
Local special districts will have open board positions during the May 16 Primary Election, and the deadline to apply as a candidate and appear on the ballot is March 16. Districts with open positions include: Mt. Angel School District (positions 1 and 4). Mt. Angel Fire District (positions 1, 2, and 3). Silver Falls School District (positions 1, 3, 6 […]
Local special districts will have open board positions during the May 16 Primary Election. The deadline to apply as a candidate and appear on the ballot is March 16. Districts with open positions include: • Mt. Angel School District (positions 1 and 4). • Mt. Angel Fire District (positions 1, 2 and 3). • Silver Falls School District (positions 1, […]
A Silverton man died following a three-vehicle collision on Hwy. 214 between Silverton and Mount Angel on Jan. 11. According to Oregon State Police (OSP), Diceon Macias, 19, of Salem, was operating a Honda Civic on Downs Road NE around 9:40 a.m. when he entered Hwy. 214 in an attempt to cross the road. Mitchell Daniel Kuenzi, 23, of Silverton, […]
By Stephen Floyd It took just three days for supporters of Silverton Cat Rescue to exceed a $40,000 fundraising goal after the facility suddenly burned down the evening of Jan. 7. As of the afternoon of Jan. 10, a GoFundMe page set up by resident Katelyn McGill had generated $40,750 for rescue owner/operator Vivian Palm, whose adjacent home also was […]
By Brenna Wiegand Being a good neighbor excludes backyard burn piles that pollute the air and/or threaten to burn down the house next door. “We’ve had to shut doors and windows because of the smell and smoke from a neighbor’s burn pile,” a rural Silverton resident said. “We’ve seen burn piles that included plastic bins, a plastic table and rugs. […]
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 a highly visible swath of commercial property along the railroad tracks that separate the Mt. Angel Highway and […]
By Ed Grambusch Assistant Chief – Silverton Fire District As wildland fire season begins, there are many things that home owners can do to keep their home and property safe from fire: Tips for Keeping Fire Out of Your Home REMOVE leaves, pine needles, and other flammable material from the roof, gutters, and on and under the deck to help […]
Dear Editor, Please allow me to take a minute and thank all 1,542 voters who supported me to serve as a board member of the Silverton Fire District. My hope was that my combined experience in managing taxpayer money and serving as a firefighter would be enough to prevail. Though it is not to be, I wish Chief Giles and all the […]
Measure’s details If the $4.3 million Silverton Fire District bond is approved, the money would be used to: • Purchase and equip firefighting apparatus and firefighting and rescue equipment.• Refurbish three existing pumpers to improve reliability and safety. • Upgrade and make safety improvements to existing fire apparatus and equipment. • Replace self-contained breathing apparatus. • Repair and safety upgrades […]
After 25 years of service to her community, Silverton Fire District Office Manager Cheryl Miles has retired. Miles began her career with the Silverton Fire District on Jan. 15, 1990 as an ambulance billing clerk, and subsequently became an accounting clerk and later office manager. A retirement party was held for Miles March 20 with more than 40 people congratulating […]
The Silverton Rural Fire Protection District is asking voters to approve a $4.3 million general obligation bond in the May 19 vote-by-mail election. The fire district said the bond is needed to improve fire safety and service delivery. If voters approve the bond, it would provide funds for capital costs to: • Purchase and equip firefighting apparatus. • Refurbish three […]
Silverton Fire District 819 Rail Way NE 503-873-5328; www.silvertonfire.com Fire Chief Bill Miles Fire district board: Rick Jackson, Floyd Robinson, Burke Slater, Robert Van Epps, Les Von Flue. Four-year terms. Seats up for election in 2014: None Meetings: Second Tuesday of the month, 7:30 p.m. at Silverton Fire Station in February, March May, June, August, September, November, December Scotts Mills […]
Silverton Fire District continues its investigation into the April 11 fire that damaged the Palace Theatre, a unique and well-loved fixture in Silverton for 78 years.
