A church steeple should be on top of a tower where people can gaze up at it. So why is the steeple from St. Mary’s Catholic Church going to be resting in the church’s parking lot?
“Enough is enough, Mr. Mayor,” was the message delivered en masse by the Silverton City Council Dec. 6 in its 6-1 vote to censure Mayor Stu Rasmussen. Rasmussen later called the move “an ambush” … “cooked up in private” by a “kangaroo court.”
There were parties for both Republican Vic Gilliam and Democrat Rodney Orr in Silverton on election night, with people in both camps crowding around laptop computers and watching large-screen televisions for announcements of early election results.
Stu Rasmussen retains the gavel as Silverton’s mayor for the next two years. Rasmussen received 1,364 of 3,382 votes cast, 40 percent of the mayoral vote.
The sudden resignation of Mount Angel Police Chief Brent Earhart has left many community members asking why. Earhart, 54, submitted a letter of resignation to City Administrator Susan Muir at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21.
The announcement that the Homer Davenport Days festival is moving from its traditional first weekend in August to July 15-17 in 2011 was greeted by surprise and concern by a number of citizens and community groups in Silverton.
The three Silverton mayoral candidates actually have much in common. Kyle Palmer, Stu Rasmussen and Judy Schmidt all grew up in Silverton and graduated from Silverton High. Each possesses a long track record of community service; a term often taken for granted, but as a way of life, it is rare indeed.
If you want to see Judy Schmidt’s eyes light up, just ask about her grandkids. “Family is the most important thing in my life and has had the biggest influence on who I am and who I strive to be,” she said. “My husband Bill is my best friend and his support and love has sustained me through good and bad times.”
In recent years, Kyle Palmer has set out in some new directions that have made his life richer and more satisfying. Longtime manager of Silver Creek Animal Clinic, last year he earned certification as a veterinary technician and now spends part of the day performing dental procedures on cats and dogs.0
Stu Rasmussen was the kid taking the toaster apart to see how it worked – and putting it together again, his family none the wiser. His volunteerism started quite early and was fostered by a number of patient mentors.
Rick Cagen is the new vice president and administrator of Silverton Hospital, bringing more than 30 years of experience as a top-level health care executive and community leader.
The weather-beaten, wood-carved sign for Family Medical Group in Silverton has been a fixture in the Silverton community for many years. Generations of residents have come through its shade-covered doors, for checkups, diagnoses and treatments for themselves, their parents, their children.
When he’s not representing the people of Oregon House District 18, or seeking their vote, Vic Gilliam is a part-time actor.
Rick Schiedler is running unopposed in a bid for a second term as Mount Angel mayor. There are three seats up for the city council.
Stu Rasmussen’s main goal as he seeks a second consecutive mayoral term as is to “Keep Silverton Silverton.” Rather than work at remaking the community (especially the downtown area) “to conform to some pie-in-the-sky ideal of what a modern city should look like … indistinguishable in its cookie-cutter blandness,” he is adamant that the only major change he’d consider is a return to all two-way streets downtown.
Oregon’s economy took center stage in a political debate between two Silverton residents vying to represent District 18 for the Oregon House of Representatives. The debate was organized as part of Homer Davenport Days in Silverton. Before a crowd of roughly 100 festival-goers, Republican incumbent Vic Gilliam and Democratic challenger Dr. Rodney Orr squared off Aug. 7 on a makeshift stage at Coolidge & McClaine Park.
The Nov. 2 General Election seems far off, but filing deadlines are fast approaching for those wishing to run for city office in Mount Angel, Scotts Mills and Silverton.
Mount Angel Schools Superintendent Bob Young and Silver Falls School District Superintendent Craig Roessler frequently hear rumblings of financial storms about to create havoc on their school districts.
Silverton Together is keeping it together. Like the clients it serves, the 16-year community assistance organization is facing economic challenges and difficult times call for difficult measures.
Should Marion County voters approve a ballot measure in the May 18 Primary Election to increase the number of country commissioners from three to five?
The 2010 Northwest Festivals Conference Ovation Award Ceremony recognized Mount Angel’s Wurstfest 2009 as Best New Festival or Event in Oregon, Oktoberfest was honored as the Best Cultural and Heritage Event for 2009 and Oktoberfest Public Relations Director Jerry Lauzon is the Oregon Festival and Event Industry’s Volunteer of the Year for 2009.
Susan Muir’s resume had all the attributes the Mount Angel City Council was looking for in a city administrator, said City Councilor Kelly Grassman.
Mount Angel City administrator candidates Mark Kunkler, Susan Muir and David Weiser had a busy schedule during their visit Feb. 19 and 20.
Thanks to more than a quarter of a million dollars in federal grant money, students walking and biking to Robert Frost Elementary School should see some improvements on their route next fall.
Six Silver Falls School District employees will be recognized as Employees of the Year at the First Citizen banquet Feb. 20.
