By James Day Residents of the Second Street area of Silverton can look forward to a summer in which city construction work will align their neighborhood with others in the city. The area on Second between the Home Place Restaurant and Lincoln Street, also known as Mill Town, will be getting sidewalks, new drainage pipes, and those storm water ditches […]
By James Day Sheltering Silverton has received a $564,683 grant from the state to assist in the agency’s emergency shelter operations in Silverton.The funds were part of a $10.4 million pool of state money awarded to Marion and Polk counties and distributed by the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance. Sheltering Silverton will use the bulk of the new funding, $300,000, to […]
By Stephen Floyd The Silver Falls School District has dropped an appeal against a finding that it negotiated in bad faith with non-teacher employees over PERS benefits in 2020. The district was found in violation of labor laws Aug. 4, 2022, by the Oregon Employment Relations Board for negotiations in late 2020 with the Oregon School Employees Association. Parties were […]
By Stephen Floyd The City of Mount Angel is focusing on infrastructure improvements, public safety and building community in a $17.2 million budget passed for the new fiscal year. On June 5, the City Council unanimously approved the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 based on a recommendation from the city’s Budget Committee. Included were $5.2 million in […]
Some residents in Mount Angel may have recently received a survey in the mail or a knock on the door asking for household income information. It’s no scam. The City of Mount Angel is hoping to apply for a federal grant to rebuild Railroad Avenue. In order to qualify, the affected neighborhood must meet certain income requirements. Around 60 households […]
Past acts enhance manslaughter case charges Prosecutors are seeking a stiff sentence for a Silverton man accused of vehicular homicide, claiming prior criminal sentences have had little impact on his behavior. Gustavo Sosa, 27, faces at least ten years in prison if convicted. He has been charged with first-degree manslaughter for a May 23 collision in Salem that killed Victor […]
By Stephen Floyd The City of Mount Angel has agreed to purchase an undeveloped lot for a new City Hall and officials are optimistic the project could be finished without asking voters for a bond. The city has agreed to pay $240,000 for a quarter-acre lot at 295 W. Marquam St. currently owned by Mount Angel Bible Church. The funds […]
AmeriTitle is offering residents in the Silverton and Mount Angel areas a unique opportunity to support local nonprofits through a winner-takes-all bocce ball tournament. The Big Le Bocce is scheduled for June 21 and will allow teams of four to compete for a cash prize to be donated to the local nonprofit of their choice. The tournament is to be […]
The first Silver Falls Film Festival is set for Friday, Aug. 18 during the Silverton Arts Festival. A series of short movies will be shown outdoors at Coolidge McClaine Park as the kickoff for the festival, which continues Aug. 19-20. More than 600 entries from around the world have been submitted, said Mike Turner, Silverton filmmaker and Silverton Arts Association […]
Marion County Commissioners expect to appoint a new county sheriff in the coming days ahead of Sheriff Joe Kast’s retirement June 30. Kast announced his retirement May 4 and commissioners expect to make an appointment during their June 7 regular meeting. Applications from potential appointees were accepted through May 26, as well as public input on who should fill Kast’s […]
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 […]
Brenda Sanchez, district manager of Marion Soil and Water Conservation District, will speak at the Silverton Lions Club meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 18 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 303 N. Church St., Silverton. The presentation will include a brief history of soil and water conservation in Oregon and Marion County. Sanchez will give a detailed description of various […]
By Stephen Floyd The Silver Falls School District (SFSD) Board is hopeful they can compromise with the teacher’s union after an impasse was declared March 17, though administrators say there is little ground left to give. During a special meeting of the board March 23, officials said they were optimistic a negotiated contract was possible during mediation sessions scheduled for […]
If you’ve visited Silver Falls and stopped by the Nature Store or gotten some fun facts at a discovery table, you’ve seen the Friends of Silver Falls State Park volunteers and staff in action. Friends of Silver Falls State Park is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the historic and natural resources of Silver Falls State Park. Members work alongside […]
Mt. Angel American Legion Post and Auxiliary #89 donated seven Apple iPods and music cards to the Oregon Veterans Home at Lebanon for use by the residents in the memory care unit. Each iPod will be loaded with veterans’ favorite music. Also included in the donation were hats, gloves and scarves, hand-knitted by Sherry Ipox, a Mount Angel resident. – […]
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 the Silverton Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Imel allegedly fled in his vehicle and drove recklessly […]
By Stephen Floyd A Silverton man has been admitted to substance abuse treatment after pleading guilty to kidnapping and assault, with the potential for nearly six years in prison if the program is not completed. Zachary Todd Lander, 40, pleaded guilty Nov. 14 to second-degree kidnapping and fourth-degree assault for a domestic violence incident Oct. 1 when he unlawfully transported […]
By James Day Mother Nature has thrown a wrench into the city of Silverton’s ongoing project to replace its intake structure and water pumps on Silver Creek. Recent heavy rains leading to increased creek flows have damaged the portable dam that was erected to protect the work site. City officials briefed the City Council on the issue at their Nov. […]
By Stephen Floyd Teachers in the Silver Falls School District (SFSD) are currently working under last year’s expired contract as labor negotiations drag on in the shadows of high inflation, housing costs and COVID-19 burnout. Negotiations began in April, and teachers with the Silver Falls Education Association (SFEA) started the school year with nine of 16 contract terms settled with […]
By James Day Silverton will have a new mayor come January, but the town still will be led by a Silverton native. Outgoing mayor Kyle Palmer, who has served in the position since 2017, is a lifelong resident, as are the two individuals running to replace him, Morry Jones and Jason Freilinger. Jones is a corporate executive who has served […]
By James Day Two major developments are proceeding in Silverton, with perhaps as many as 110 new homes coming on line in the next few years. Two model homes already have been constructed for the West End Gateway development at the edge of the Silverton city limits just before the Silver Spur RV Park. Larry Hilton of More Realty, the […]
The city of Silverton is accepting bids for lights that will be added to the skatepark. A total of $30,000 in urban renewal funds are available for the project, said Bart Stepp, city engineer. He added that the city hopes to complete the work before the end of 2022. Four lights will be installed at the skatepark, which recently expanded, […]
The party before the party – Oktoberfest Kickoff – will be held at the Mt. Angel Festhalle and Biergarten Sept. 10. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and at 7 p.m. the Gervais Knights of Columbus will serve a barbeque chicken dinner for all ticket holders. The $40 ticket includes dinner, beverages (beer, wine, cider and Pepsi products) and entertainment by […]
By James Day Street trees and landscaping will be added to the skate park on Main Street to help buffer the popular recreation site from the rest of the neighborhood. At its Aug. 5 meeting the City Council agreed to plant seven trees and other landscaping in the planter strip on the skate park side of Main Street. The city […]
By James Day The flurry of construction activity continues on the $19 million Silverton civic center project that is a year away from completion. Community Development Director Jason Gottgetreu, the project manager for the facility, said that “we are looking at an Aug. 22, 2023 substantial completion date, which is about three weeks later than originally anticipated.” The slab for […]
