Electrified – Oregon State Parks add charging option at Silver Falls, six other parks

March 2023 Posted in Outdoor Life, Travel | Comments Off on Electrified – Oregon State Parks add charging option at Silver Falls, six other parks

By Melissa Wagoner One of the many benefits to visiting one of Oregon’s 108 State Parks is that most are off the beaten track. But that can also make those visitors driving electric vehicles (EVs) a little bit nervous. “Older EVs, especially ...

Science teacher offers eco-trip to Belize

December 2022 Posted in For Kids, School, Travel | Comments Off on Science teacher offers eco-trip to Belize

By Melissa Wagoner “Opening the world through education,” is the mission of the educational travel company, EF Tours, but it’s also the mission of Stacie Harker – an avid traveler and science teacher at Butte Creek Elementary. “I think international travel is ...

Children’s health, globally – Pediatric dentist creates nonprofit

October 2022 Posted in Community, Travel, Your Health | Comments Off on Children’s health, globally – Pediatric dentist creates nonprofit

[caption id="attachment_11960" align="alignright" width="325"] Evaline Achieng, left, a nursing student sponsored by Acorn Kids International with Kenyan AKI student Vivian, far right, and her mother.[/caption] By Melissa Wagoner When Dr. Tim Richardson was in dental school at the University of Washington, he ...

Pudding River project – Bridge work to close Hazelgreen access in 2024

May 2022 Posted in News, Travel | Comments Off on Pudding River project – Bridge work to close Hazelgreen access in 2024

By James Day Silverton-area residents who commute in and out of the Salem-Keizer area will be facing another detour. Marion County will be replacing the bridge over the Pudding River on Hazelgreen Road NE near Torvend Road. [caption id="attachment_11444" align="alignright" width="370"] Pudding River ...

Electric vehicles – Car owners share personal benefits of making the switch

April 2022 Posted in Travel | Comments Off on Electric vehicles – Car owners share personal benefits of making the switch

By Melissa Wagoner With the cost of gas soaring to well over $4 a gallon, more people than ever are considering an electric vehicle (EV) which, according to David Deckelmann – owner of a Nissan Leaf since 2019 – is a ...

Now open: Silverton Road bridge repair complete

February 2022 Posted in News, Travel | Comments Off on Now open: Silverton Road bridge repair complete

By James Day The Silverton Road bridge over the Little Pudding River between Silverton and Salem has reopened to through traffic. [caption id="attachment_10986" align="alignright" width="492"] It’s smooth sailing across the Little Pudding River thanks to the recently completed Silverton Road bridge.[/caption] The $6.4 million ...

A Slice of the Pie: Navigating the maze – COVID testing and the ins and outs of travel

December 2021 Posted in Travel, Your Health | Comments Off on A Slice of the Pie: Navigating the maze – COVID testing and the ins and outs of travel

I just spent an entire morning negotiating the administration and shipping of three specially ordered COVID tests so that my children and I can travel to visit their grandparents in a little over three weeks – and I’m still not ...

Oktoberfest 2021: Planning a big festival during the age of COVID-19

September 2021 Posted in Arts, Culture & History, Community, Travel, Your Health | Comments Off on Oktoberfest 2021: Planning a big festival during the age of COVID-19

[caption id="attachment_10457" align="alignright" width="300"] Much of the Mount Angel Oktoberfest can be enjoyed out of doors along the village streets, or in tents.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10456" align="alignright" width="300"] The familiar Oktoberfest venues will be up and running for the 2021 festival, some ...

Silverton Road: Detour continues

June 2021 Posted in News, Travel | Comments Off on Silverton Road: Detour continues

By James Day The six-month detour for bridge work on Silverton Road between Silverton and Salem appears to be going well, project officials say. “Overall the detour has been very successful, although there is always an adjustment period with any detour and ...

Geology rocks: New book guides exploration of the Pacific Northwest

June 2021 Posted in Arts, Culture & History, Outdoor Life, Travel | Comments Off on Geology rocks: New book guides exploration of the Pacific Northwest

By Melissa Wagoner The Pacific Northwest is a land of movers and shakers – when it comes to geology that is. “The PNW is known as an active margin,” geologist Leslie Moclock described. “That means it’s a place where different tectonic plates ...

Journey to the Frozen Continent: A breathtaking look at Antarctica’s landscapes, inhabitants

January 2020 Posted in Travel | Comments Off on Journey to the Frozen Continent: A breathtaking look at Antarctica’s landscapes, inhabitants

[caption id="attachment_9615" align="alignright" width="300"] Steve Ritchie in Antarctica. Photo by Steve Ritchie.[/caption] By Steve Ritchie When I arrived in Ushaia, Argentina last month, I found many Ushaia souvenirs printed with the slogan fin del mundo which can be roughly translated as “end ...

The hiker’s quest: Learning what’s important from the Pacific Crest Trail

November 2019 Posted in Travel, Your Health | Comments Off on The hiker’s quest: Learning what’s important from the Pacific Crest Trail

[caption id="attachment_9506" align="alignleft" width="189"] Anna Koch on the marker at the end of her journey along the Pacific Crest Trail. Submitted Photos[/caption] By Melissa Wagoner “In a heartbeat,” is Anna Koch’s instant reply when asked if she would once again hike the Pacific ...

District champs: Kennedy blasts Culver, moves to No. 1 in Class 2A

November 2019 Posted in Community, School, sports, Travel, Your Health | Comments Off on District champs: Kennedy blasts Culver, moves to No. 1 in Class 2A

On a cool autumn Senior Night the Kennedy High football team checked off the final box in an undefeated Special District 2 season. The defending state champion Trojans dismantled Culver 40-6 on Oct. 25 to improve to 5-0 in league play ...

More than maps: Geography curriculum developed with trip to Greece

September 2019 Posted in Community, Travel | Comments Off on More than maps: Geography curriculum developed with trip to Greece

[caption id="attachment_9408" align="alignleft" width="300"] Savannah Sinn at the Acropolis.[/caption] By Melissa Wagoner Teaching geography can be difficult, but it is especially tricky when the students are five years old.  “We don’t have a specific geography curriculum,” Savannah Sinn, a kindergarten teacher at Bush ...

All in the journey: Silverton teen hikes Pacific Crest Trail

April 2019 Posted in Community, Travel, Your Health | Comments Off on All in the journey: Silverton teen hikes Pacific Crest Trail

[caption id="attachment_9127" align="alignright" width="133"] Silverton hiker Anna Koch, shown at right at the start of the Pacific Crest Trail’s start near the Mexican border. Courtesy Rochelle Koch[/caption] By Melissa Wagoner 19-year-old, Anna Koch is setting out on the journey of a lifetime ...

In the elements: Silverton hiker rescued after two days in Columbia Gorge

February 2019 Posted in Community, sports, Travel, Your Health | Comments Off on In the elements: Silverton hiker rescued after two days in Columbia Gorge

[caption id="attachment_9028" align="alignright" width="225"] Leslie Drapiza. Submitted Photo[/caption] By Melissa Wagoner “Since this has happened I’ve had these moments where I’m like, ‘Am I really alive?’” avid outdoorswoman Leslie Drapiza of Silverton said during a recent retelling of the harrowing rescue that ...

Traveling with kids: Adventure for the whole family

February 2019 Posted in Community, Travel | Comments Off on Traveling with kids: Adventure for the whole family

[caption id="attachment_9031" align="alignleft" width="225"] Guy Rodrigue and Dorothy Brown-Kwaiser took their son Sullivan to Santiago, Spain.Submitted Photos[/caption] By Melissa Wagoner It took Lisa Gerlits a number of years to find the joy in traveling with children. The mother of three – Alexander, ...

Summer adventure: Foxes brothers take baseball Dominican Republic tour

September 2018 Posted in School, sports, Travel | Comments Off on Summer adventure: Foxes brothers take baseball Dominican Republic tour

[caption id="attachment_8696" align="alignleft" width="300"] Silverton High brothers Riley Kramer, left, and brother Kyle, spent a week in the Dominican Republic last month, playing baseball, donating gear and participating in clinics. James Day [/caption] By James Day Riley and Kyle Kramer had a bit ...

Roaming Reeders: Family packs up for two-year Cambodian adventure

July 2018 Posted in Community, Travel | Comments Off on Roaming Reeders: Family packs up for two-year Cambodian adventure

[caption id="attachment_8528" align="alignleft" width="300"] Tyrone, Amara and Emily Reeder Melissa Wagoner[/caption] By Melissa Wagoner Emily and Tyrone Reeder love living life outside their comfort zone, which is why this August they are packing up their bags and heading to Cambodia. “We like being ...

Checking in: McClaine House revitalized as bed and breakfast

February 2018 Posted in Community, Travel | Comments Off on Checking in: McClaine House revitalized as bed and breakfast

[caption id="attachment_8204" align="alignleft" width="225"] Karen Choules looks forward to new guests at The McClaine House. Nancy Jennings[/caption] By Nancy Jennings Karen Choules is a “homebody” who loves decorating, painting furniture, cooking and gardening. These qualities suit her well as the new owner/innkeeper ...

Patagone: Adventurer shares her pack through Patagonia

December 2017 Posted in Travel | Comments Off on Patagone: Adventurer shares her pack through Patagonia

[caption id="attachment_8040" align="alignright" width="300"] Stevie Anna Plummer assembles her crew for the 1,000-mile journey through Patagonia[/caption] By Brenna Wiegand Though her party consists of herself, her dog and two horses, Stevie Anna Plummer is taking the whole world along on her ...

Cuban adventure: A land old, new, and changing

October 2017 Posted in Travel | Comments Off on Cuban adventure: A land old, new, and changing

By Steve Ritchie It was 9 a.m. on a Monday morning in early February. We were God knows where, bouncing around the pot-holed back roads of Cuba in the second rear seat of a 1948 Plymouth sedan packed with nine people ...

A Grin at the End: Parklandia – Driving 1-5 or 1-205 can cause you to swear

October 2016 Posted in Columnists & Opinion, Travel | Comments Off on A Grin at the End: Parklandia – Driving 1-5 or 1-205 can cause you to swear

My wife and I were heading for the airport, on our way to pick up one of kids. Oh, did we get I-205ed. To the ultimate max. It took us an hour and a half to get from Clackamas to the airport, ...

Venturing off road: Wild adventures in Costa Rica

March 2016 Posted in Travel | Comments Off on Venturing off road: Wild adventures in Costa Rica

[caption id="attachment_6776" align="alignright" width="268"] Costa Rica[/caption] By Steve Ritchie Driving to the remote Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica would not be easy, I suspected, but I tend to be an optimist when it comes to travel. My wife, Susan, and I had ...

A ‘pura vida’ destination: The people and nature make Costa Rica a memorable adventure

February 2016 Posted in Travel | Comments Off on A ‘pura vida’ destination: The people and nature make Costa Rica a memorable adventure

[caption id="attachment_6652" align="alignright" width="300"] Susan Murray and Steve Ritchie in Costa Rica[/caption] By Steve Ritchie Leaving the beach at Junquillal on the Pacific Coast after watching another gorgeous Costa Rican sunset, I was brushing the wet sand off my feet before hopping ...