DUII chase caught on camera

December 2022 Posted in Briefs, Other | Comments Off on DUII chase caught on camera

A Silverton man is facing DUII and multiple other charges after a police chase caught on camera ended with the suspect allegedly crashing into a local resident’s front yard. Michael James Imel, 36, was arrested Wednesday, Dec. 7, after officers with ...

Fall update: Football teams fill in schedule slots

July 2022 Posted in Other | Comments Off on Fall update: Football teams fill in schedule slots

The high school football schedules for fall are taking shape, with Silverton High opening on Friday, Sept. 2, with a Mid-Willamette Conference game at Dallas. The Foxes, under new coach Dan Lever, will prep for the Dallas game with an Aug. ...

Sharing space – Oregon nonprofit offers new solution to housing crisis

June 2022 Posted in Other | Comments Off on Sharing space – Oregon nonprofit offers new solution to housing crisis

By Melissa Wagoner When Emily and Elijah Neves got engaged and began searching for a place to live in their hometown of Silverton, the prospects looked pretty grim.  “We both really love this community,” Emily began. “So, we were looking everywhere but ...

Food equity – Defining the problem a first step in finding the solution

June 2022 Posted in Other | Comments Off on Food equity – Defining the problem a first step in finding the solution

By Melissa Wagoner Food is necessary for the survival of all humans but that doesn’t mean access to it is always equitable.  In fact, every month within Marion and Polk Counties more than 45,000 individuals – 15,000 of them children – rely ...

Funding boost – CTE modernizes

June 2022 Posted in Other | Comments Off on Funding boost – CTE modernizes

By James Day The Silverton High School career and technical education program has received a $125,000 shot in the arm. The CTE grant, one of 54 from the state, was part of $7.3 million that will assist 148 middle schools and high ...

Lions Club sends $5,000 for Ukrainian relief

May 2022 Posted in Other | Comments Off on Lions Club sends $5,000 for Ukrainian relief

In April, the Silverton Lions Club members voted to send $5,000 in humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people through Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF). It is the largest donation the club has ever made to any cause. Silverton Lions can ...

Counterpoint: Grasses provide both aesthetic and practical benefits

April 2022 Posted in Gardening, Other | Comments Off on Counterpoint: Grasses provide both aesthetic and practical benefits

An article in the April 1 issue of Our Town [specifically in Your Garden] didn’t have a lot of good things to say about lawns. While we believe the author is entitled to her opinion, as grass seed growers in ...

Tripped up – Elks settle personal injury lawsuit

April 2022 Posted in Community, News, Other | Comments Off on Tripped up – Elks settle personal injury lawsuit

By Stephen Floyd A $975,000 personal injury lawsuit against the Silverton Elks has been dismissed after the parties settled out of court two weeks before trial. The suit was filed Dec. 31, 2019, by Salem resident Patty Wolford, 88, for an incident ...

Back on the ballot – Brentano enters Marion County treasurer race

April 2022 Posted in News, Other | Comments Off on Back on the ballot – Brentano enters Marion County treasurer race

By Stephen Floyd Former Sublimity Mayor and Marion County Commissioner Sam Brentano is coming out of political retirement to run for Marion County Treasurer with an eye to merge the office with the county Finance Department. Brentano filed unopposed for the Republican ...

Public defender challenges Marion County DA

April 2022 Posted in Community, News, Other | Comments Off on Public defender challenges Marion County DA

By Stephen Floyd Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson is being challenged by a public defender for the role as top prosecutor. Spencer Todd, of Salem, filed for the May 17 primary to unseat Clarkson, also of Salem. She was first elected ...

Relief package – Mount Angel allocates $800K in ARPA funds

April 2022 Posted in Community, News, Other | Comments Off on Relief package – Mount Angel allocates $800K in ARPA funds

By Stephen Floyd Mount Angel is moving forward with several upgrades to city departments after allocating more than $800,000 in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds. The city spent months seeking public input and recommendations from staff and committees before the City Council gave ...

Datebook: April 2022

March 2022 Posted in Community, Events & Holidays, Other | Comments Off on Datebook: April 2022

Frequent Addresses Mt. Angel Public Library, 290 E Charles St. Silverton High, 1456 Pine St., Silverton. Silverton Senior Center, 115 Westfield 50 & older. 503-873-3093 Silver Creek Fellowship, 822 NE Industrial Way, Silverton. Weekly Events Monday SACA Food Pantry, 9 a.m. - noon, SACA, 421 S Water St., Silverton. ...

Tower’s shadow – Old Wilco property to be cleaned, cleared, sold

March 2022 Posted in News, Other | Comments Off on Tower’s shadow – Old Wilco property to be cleaned, cleared, sold

By Stephen Floyd Residents in Mount Angel will soon see cleanup activity at the site of the Old Wilco Building after fire investigators concluded the cause of the blaze that destroyed the structure last October could not be determined. Barbara Hettwer, sister ...

TRACE – Silverton gets in on the ground floor of wastewater testing for COVID-19

March 2022 Posted in Other | Comments Off on TRACE – Silverton gets in on the ground floor of wastewater testing for COVID-19

By Melissa Wagoner Tyler Radniecki knows first-hand that there is a lot to be learned from studying the wastewater of cities. An Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at Oregon State University, he has spent years cataloging the microbes and pathogens found ...

Creekside overlook project moves forward

March 2022 Posted in Briefs, Other | Comments Off on Creekside overlook project moves forward

The city of Silverton was accepting bids through March 3 for the “overlook” project, which will repair a washed-out section of pathway along Silver Creek near the library. In 2015 during high flows of Silver Creek the old wall from an ...

Recognition – Local author wins prestigious Oregon Spirit Book Award

March 2022 Posted in Other | Comments Off on Recognition – Local author wins prestigious Oregon Spirit Book Award

By Melissa Wagoner  When author Lisa Gerlits learned that her book, A Many Feathered Thing, had been named a 2022 Oregon Spirit Book Award (OSBA) winner under the category of Best Debut Book, she almost didn’t believe it. “It’s unexpected because it’s ...

Update: Barn fire at Mallorie’s site still being reviewed

March 2022 Posted in Other | Comments Off on Update: Barn fire at Mallorie’s site still being reviewed

Fire agencies and law enforcement still are investigating a barn fire at the site of the old Mallorie’s Dairy west of Silverton on Hazelgreen Road. The fire, which was called in at 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 26, reportedly burned close to ...

Sustainable Silverton – A push to address city’s changing needs

February 2022 Posted in Community, Other | Comments Off on Sustainable Silverton – A push to address city’s changing needs

By Melissa Wagoner Addressing sustainability and climate change concerns on a city-wide basis is a complicated issue and one that is often exasperated by the very nature of city government. “[The] City Council is comprised of volunteers with limited time and terms, ...

Scholarship powerhouse – Silverton alum group has $2M in assets

February 2022 Posted in Other | Comments Off on Scholarship powerhouse – Silverton alum group has $2M in assets

By James Day In 1993 the Silverton High School Class of 1963 held its 30th reunion. Event organizers decided to invest $900 in excess funds at the end of the reunion and use the proceeds for scholarships. From that small beginning the ...

Rarely retired – Stadeli receives Judy Schmidt Lifetime Achievement Award

February 2022 Posted in Community, Other | Comments Off on Rarely retired – Stadeli receives Judy Schmidt Lifetime Achievement Award

By Brenna Wiegand Otto Stadeli said you could have “knocked him over with a feather” when the Silverton Area Chamber of Commerce crashed his pinochle game to name him recipient of this year’s Judy Schmidt Lifetime Achievement Award. Stadeli, 93, says doing ...

Personal recovery – No-cost workshops encourage thriving, boosting, wellness

January 2022 Posted in Community, Other, Your Health | Comments Off on Personal recovery – No-cost workshops encourage thriving, boosting, wellness

By Melissa Wagoner If you’ve ever been interested in planting your own vegetable garden, curating an art collection, improving your job interview skills, understanding your children, reducing stress, eating better or just becoming a happier person then now is your chance ...

‘If I were mayor’ – Student ideas encouraged

January 2022 Posted in Community, News, Other | Comments Off on ‘If I were mayor’ – Student ideas encouraged

By Melissa Wagoner Mayor Kyle Palmer is well aware that the future of Silverton lies not in his own hands, but in those of the city’s youth – a fact that he finds inspiring. “I’ve spent 23 years coaching youth sports and had spent ...

Penny’s journey – After nine years (nine lives?) cat returned home

January 2022 Posted in Other, Pets | Comments Off on Penny’s journey – After nine years (nine lives?) cat returned home

By Melissa Wagoner Bobbie the Wonder Dog may have met his match in the form of Penny, Pratum Elementary School’s Christmas cat. [caption id="attachment_10888" align="alignright" width="331"] Steve and Kathleen Carlson reunited with Penny after nine years.[/caption] “[Y]ou just can’t make this stuff up,” Pratum Elementary ...

Historical Society plans in-person annual meeting

January 2022 Posted in Briefs, Community, Other | Comments Off on Historical Society plans in-person annual meeting

The Silverton Country Historical Society will hold its annual meeting at the Silverton Senior Center Saturday, Jan. 22, 1 p.m. All are welcome to attend. The meeting will begin with reports on membership, finances and election of new board members. There ...

On the wing – Birding gets hobbysts out in all weather

December 2021 Posted in Other, Outdoor Life | Comments Off on On the wing – Birding gets hobbysts out in all weather

By Melissa Wagoner When Richard Niemeyer bought his wife, Debbie, a pair of binoculars in 2011 he never could have imagined the impact the gift would have on both of their lives.  “It wasn’t a particularly expensive pair,” Debbie said of the ...