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 of late property owner Bob Bodkin, said the initial stage of cleanup has begun with testing for potential […]
By Stephen Floyd The Mt. Angel School District plans to go mask-optional March 14 after state regulators changed a deadline the district expected to fall at the end of the month. Oregon lifted its mandate on masks in public school buildings March 12, however MASD had made plans to carefully craft policy changes up to the state’s original deadline of […]
By Stephen Floyd Community Roots School plans to move its middle school into the Silverton Grange building as part of a partnership to meet the program’s unique requirements. A move-in date is not yet finalized, but school administrators are planning for the start of the 2022-2023 school year. Middle school instructor Bridgett Steveson said partnering with the Grange will help […]
By Stephen Floyd Roughly half of teachers within the Silver Falls School District have either considered leaving during the current school year, or are open to the idea, according to a recent survey by the teacher’s union. Members of the Silver Falls Education Association were anonymously polled to gauge their level of burnout due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 60 […]
By Stephen Floyd The Silver Falls School District has chosen to become mask-optional after statewide mask mandates are lifted March 31. The district board voted six-to-one Feb. 14 to direct Superintendent Scott Drue to draft policies transitioning away from mask mandates that have been in place since 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Opposing the decision was Board Member […]
By Stephen Floyd The Mt. Angel School District is taking a more cautious approach than its neighbors ahead of the March 31 deadline to lift indoor mask mandates in Oregon schools. While the Silver Falls and North Santiam school districts voted to go mask-optional by March 31 and joined the call for an acceleration of the deadline, MASD Superintendent Rachel […]
Mount Angel Interim City Manager Mark Daniel has agreed to remain in his position indefinitely as the city continues searching for a qualified applicant. During the Mount Angel City Council meeting Feb. 7, Councilor Pete Wall said the search for a new city manager had become exceptionally difficult because of numerous other cities also hiring for the position. “This is […]
By Stephen Floyd Robert Frost School has a new principal as of Feb. 7 following a pattern of high administrator turnover within the district. Holly Shotts, who formerly taught a 4th/5th grade blended class at the school, will serve as interim principal through June after former Principal Mandy Pack accepted a job with a different district. Pack had been principal […]
By Stephen Floyd When Hilary Dumitrescu learned she was being honored with the First Citizen Award by the Silverton Chamber of Commerce, she was in the company of friends and past award winners. The Silverton resident, community organizer and business owner said they had the wrong person, that others in the group were more deserving than she was. But she […]
By Stephen Floyd Around two dozen students were asked to leave Silverton High School Feb. 4 during a maskless walk-in protesting state COVID-19 mandates. Demonstrators gathered outside the school entrance that morning, prepared to disregard mandates requiring masks in all school buildings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They were met by administrators who explained, though the district supports students’ […]
By Stephen Floyd The Mt. Angel School District Board is seeking to fill a vacant seat after the recent passing of Board Member John Conklin. The board is scheduled to appoint a new member Feb. 14. Qualified residents have until Feb. 7 to apply. An appointee must be a registered voter, have lived within the district for at least one […]
By Stephen Floyd Students at Silverton High School staged opposing protests last month to highlight what they believed were harmful COVID conditions in the classroom. A walkout held Jan. 19 protested state mandates requiring students to wear face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, while a walkout held Jan. 20 called for a two-week return to distance learning in […]
By Stephen Floyd A Marion County man is facing multiple charges after allegedly abandoning dozens of cans of paint thinner along the roadside at several locations near Scotts Mills. John Hyslop, 50, of Silverton, was arrested Dec. 20 after the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received reports Dec. 17 of numerous cans of paint thinner and similar liquids abandoned south of […]
By Stephen Floyd After months of waiting for a new boiler and battling supply chain shortages, the Silverton Community Pool has reopened to the delight of residents and staff. The pool closed Aug. 26 after the old boiler failed, and was not expected to reopen until late October or early November. But the new boiler ordered by the Silverton City […]
By Stephen Floyd Mark Daniel was already a man of many hats when he became interim city manager of Mt. Angel on Sept. 1. The police chief/emergency manager/firefighter/EMT/DJ knew it was an unusual choice to add city administration to his many responsibilities. But the last four months have shown he was up to the task, with the coming year holding […]
By Stephen Floyd Mt. Angel has lost an institution after Public Works Superintendent Dan Bernt retired following 36 years with the city. Bernt was hired as a utility/maintenance worker in 1985 and became superintendent in 1996. After years of flirting with retirement, he decided to step down as of Dec. 31. During a ceremony Dec. 17 at the Mt. Angel […]
By Stephen Floyd The Great Resignation has pummeled the private sector, with record numbers of employers across the country struggling to fill open positions. Local restaurants and retailers are seeking new hires, too. While societal shifts from the COVID-19 pandemic maybe partially responsible, other factors like baby boomer retirements also play a part. Volunteerism for some area nonprofits has been […]
