Jason Freilinger is, without a doubt, my choice to be Silverton’s next mayor. As well as being part of the downtown business community and multiple service groups, Jason has been actively serving on city committees, task forces, planning commission and council for more than a decade. He’s been a humble, thoughtful voice on a variety of issues including: • effective […]
Our Town Editor, If you weren’t aware, the cover of your Oct. 1, 2022 Our Town features a painting of Margaret Sanger, who is a racist and in favor of eugenics. She is the founder of Planned Parenthood. A large Planned Parenthood clinic even removed Margaret Sanger’s name from their clinic title, due to her racist and eugenic beliefs. In 2016, […]
I’m not a fan of most holidays. I know what you’re thinking – this guy’s crazy. Who wouldn’t appreciate time off work to spend with loved ones? But hear me out. By and large, holidays are stress-inducing budget busters, and the reasons behind them often get lost in clouds of fireworks and barbecue smoke. To add to the “fun,” […]
Last winter my middle daughter turned 11 and friends and family took turns congratulating her, making comments about how much she’s growing up and what a lovely human she’s become. Then, one week later, my oldest daughter turned 13 and things got a little weird. There were still a lot of well-wishes and congratulations but there were also a lot […]
We’re going to hire a new CEO for the state of Oregon next month, and the sparks are flying, as independent and former state Sen. Betsy Johnson has the Democratic candidate, former Speaker of the House Tina Kotek in attack mode. Apparently, Kotek’s getting nervous. Meanwhile, the Republican candidate, former House minority leader Christine Drazan, seems to be running a […]
He loves unconditionally. He grazes incessantly. What is his is his, and what is yours is his. He can eat a full meal yet want your tuna sandwich immediately after scarfing down a bowl of yummy food. When he puts his head on your knee, crushing the sports page you are about to dive into, it warms your heart because […]
When he was 12, my brother Paul had a knack for comedy. He could do a spot-on impersonation of Andy Griffith, who got his start in show business as a stand-up comedian before starring on television in The Andy Griffith Show. We lived in a house trailer in Bossier City, Louisiana – my dad was stationed there in the Air […]
I secretly wished that Olivia Newton-John was singing her mega-hit, I Honestly Love You to me when it was released in 1974. Stationed at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas, I found her breathy rendition of that song made me even more enamored with her. Certainly at least 50 million young and old men had the same fervent dream, […]
Just got back from Alaska. I hadn’t been in the Great White North for 27 years, and I was anxious to see how things had changed. As it turned out, not much. Alaska was, is and continues to be a whole different ball game. Not only is the weather unlike anything you’ll ever find in the Lower 48 – 35 […]
A friend of mine came to our class reunion last summer and handed me a column I had written sometime ago, dated July of 1980, 42 years ago. I started writing a column then called, “Rap-Up” for the Silverton Appeal. Scary, because it doesn’t seem that long ago. Writing a column is not for the faint of heart, especially if […]
I live in a neighborhood populated by heroes. I’m not talking about Spandex-wearing, pumped-up guys and gals appearing soon at a multiplex near you. I am talking about everyday heroes. The kind of people who pulled their weight in life and as a part of society. They raised families, worked at jobs. They offered a hand to those who needed […]
Here are my thoughts on the recent Silver Falls school board decision to reject the proposed ban on concealed carry. They made the correct decision, albeit just barely. The school shootings epidemic deserves more than just a symbolic band aid. This needs to be treated like the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001, because this is domestic terrorism. Have […]
Editor’s note: Dixon Bledsoe invited a guest columnist for this month. Silverton resident Joel Autry shares a story… When I embarked upon the side hustle of door dashing, I expected to bolster my own personal bottom line. It turns out there was so much more I would discover on this adventure! I discovered a plethora of mom-and-pop type restaurants whose […]
Like many 20-year-olds, I am prime-time in love with the movie Top Gun. I always have been and the fact that a sequel just came out has made my year. It is my nominee for Best Movie of the Year at the Oscars, and I haven’t even seen it. My problem – if you want to call it that – […]
When I first conceived the idea for this column, many years ago, it was first and foremost centered on talking about people – living, dying, laughing, crying, and doing the things they do. Today, it is about people dying and the living they did. Doug “Chet” Bunting passed away this spring. This one hurt. He was a good man, smart […]
“I’m ready to die,” she said, turning her head toward the apartment window. I looked at my mother-in-law, Nadine Stack, not knowing what to say. This was three years ago, and at age 97 she was in good health and still able to get around. She was even a member of the beanbag baseball team at Mount Angel Towers, the […]
Sometimes the best life lessons happen when things take a turn for the worst. That’s what happened last month when I forgot to charge my cell phone before driving my daughter to a gymnastics meet in Hillsboro. I initially believed my dying phone was just a minor inconvenience. I turned on the power saving option, minimized its use and downplayed […]
Some if you may know that I’ve been having close encounters of the medical kind during the last few months. And, no, it wasn’t COVID. It was really nothing super serious, although, for the first time in my life, my doctor ordered me not to exercise. Every other time I’ve gone to a doctor I have been pestered to get […]
I used to think the number one branded company in the world involved Golden Arches or a Swoosh. No more. Not even a close race, like Usain Bolt versus me in the 100 meters. Disney is so far out in front the rest of the pack has been lapped. Twice. Having just spent five days in Disneyland and its sister, […]
I was reading The Wall Street Journal the other day and my heart sank. No, I wasn’t looking at my mutual funds and how they have fallen through the floorboards in the last couple of months. That’s a whole other column. I was reading the results of a national survey. It found that, in 49 states, less than half of […]
