Our Town North: January 15, 2020

Something Fun

Civics 101

Silverton team takes on Europe - Africa off-road rally – Page 10

Complaint over SFSD board member actions enters second phase – Page 4

Vol. 17 No. 2

COMMUNITY NEWS

Serving Mt. Angel, Silverton and Scotts Mills

January 2020

Adventures at the end of the world – Page 6

Our Town P.O. Box 927 Mt. Angel, Or 97362

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Sports & Recreation

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We believe community service is a privilege.

In 2019, we were able to support a lot of people through service, time, and donations, and were pleased to do so. Here is a partial list: Veterans’ Recognition & Suicide Prevention

Little League Girl and Boy Scouts

Kid’s After School Enrichment Programs

Membership in Several Non-Profits and Clubs

Shelter Warming Centers Community Food Banks

Volunteer Members/Leaders of Many Service Clubs

Christmas Presents for Low-Income Families

High School Sports and Activities in Several Communities

Houses for Low-Income People

Chambers of Commerce

Reading Programs for Kids

Law Enforcement

Swimming Programs

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Our Town Life

January 2020

Contents

6

The Silverton Senior Center will be CLOSED on Monday, Jan. 20 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

SILVERTON SENIOR CENTER 115 Westfield Street • Silverton • 503-873-3093 Difficult Conversations Series – FREE Civics 101

SFSD moves into second phase of complainant investigation ...........4 Traveling Vicariously

Voyage to Antarctica...................6 Man About Town...............8 Business

Glockenspiel Restaurant closes.......9 Something Fun

Europe-Africa off-road rally .........10

The Forum.........................11 Briefs.................................11 Sports & Recreation

SHS swim team undefeated.........12 Passages...........................13 Marketplace....................13 People Out Loud.............14 On the Cover & Above

Steve Ritchie hangs out with a group of penguins in Antarctica.

STEVE RITCHIE

Our Town

Paula Mabry Editor & Publisher

Steve Beckner Custom Design

Jim Kinghorn Advertising Director

Tavis Bettoli-Lotten Copy Editor

DeeDe Williams Office Manager

Sara Morgan

Datebook Editor

P.O. Box 927 Mount Angel, OR 97362 401 Oak St. Silverton, OR 97381 503-845-9499 ourtown.life@mtangelpub.com

ourtownlive.com Our Town mailed free to residents and businesses in the 97362, 97375, 97381 zip codes. Subscriptions for outside this area are available for $48 annually.

The deadline for placing an ad in the Feb. 1 issue is Jan. 20.

Contributing Artists, Editors, Writers, Photographers Dixon Bledsoe • James Day • Nancy Jennings Steve Ritchie • Carl Sampson Melissa Wagoner • Brenna Wiegand Katie Bassett Office Wag

Our Town Life

Thank you for spending time with Our Town.

Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Topic 1: FUNERAL PLANNING & OPTIONS with Unger’s Funeral Home, Thursday, Jan. 23.

Two different times offered: 3 - 4 p.m. AND repeating at 6 - 7 p.m.

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TOPIC 2: “WHAT IS HOSPICE & HOME HEALTH SERVICES, AND WHEN ISHOSPICE REALLY NECESSARY?” provided by Signature Home Health Services & Hospice.

Thursday, Feb. 6, 3 - 4 p.m. AND repeated again at 6 - 7 p.m.

TOPIC 3: “ADVANCED DIRECTIVES EXPLAINED” with Cherry Hoffman, Chaplain at Legacy Silverton Health (Hospital), Thursday, Feb. 20, 3 - 4 p.m.

AND repeated again at 6 - 7 p.m.

Did you know there are wonderful Gift Items for sale at the Silverton Senior Center… made by members for members on consignment…

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Be sure to LIKE the Silverton Senior Center on Facebook, where monthly events are listed and be sure to check out our website

Just a reminder that the Silverton Senior Center is a very RENTABLE space for Special Events, Family Get-togethers, Reunions, Meetings, Parties, Milestone Anniversaries. Three areas to choose from plus the kitchen. Reasonable rates.

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January 2020 • 3

Civics 101

How much, too much?

By Brenna Wiegand Silver Falls School District is conducting further investigation into allegations brought against school board member in a Nov. 25 complaint from 112 petitioners.

The complaint asserts that board members Shelly Nealon, Jennifer Traeger, Jonathan Edmonds, Janet Allanach and Lori McLaughlin violated board policies, the Board/Superintendent Working Agreement, prior Superintendent Andy Bellando’s employment contract, the Hiring Confidentiality Covenant and the Oregon Public Meetings Law regarding executive sessions.

The district hired Portland attorney Jollee Patterson for an initial review of the complaint and its accompanying evidence, largely emails. Out of the 17 allegations examined, Patterson singled out eight that “could support a violation” of the referenced policies or agreements and about which “the district may want to engage in additional steps.”

Her report cites several other instances

where policy language “sets forth important aspirational goals but (are) not specific enough to support a finding of a violation.”

Of the 11 allegations regarding Nealon, six were deemed possible policy violations. Of the four against Traeger, one was found to fall under this category, as did one of two allegations brought against Edmonds.

Complaints regarding McLaughlin and Allanach were dismissed because they had not yet taken office at the time of the alleged offenses.

Patterson’s review was presented to the board at a two-hour work session Dec. 30 with discussion centering around whether the district should pursue a conclusive investigation by a second attorney.

“I feel strongly we need to have a further investigation,” board member Tom Buchholz said. “We’re in the process of trying to hire a new superintendent and if we don’t take this seriously; if executive session and hiring procedures around our new superintendent and admin are kind

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of ‘loosey goosey,’ who’s going to want to work here?”

“Isn’t there a difference between exploring policies that you’ve identified as areas of training; where we make sure we understand our responsibilities, and an additional investigation of these complaints to figure out which parts of which policy was being violated?” McLaughlin asked.

“That’s a whole lot of digging into these specific areas and I’m not sure how that serves us.”

“My concern is I feel like our boat of transparency has been sunk,” board member Irv Stadeli said. “How do we navigate to get this ship back sailing?

After reading the report I felt like there was almost more ambiguity than there was clarity. “…I look at it like the speed limit is 55, and if you go 60 you’re not going to get a ticket, right? But if you push that to 70 you’re going to get written up,” Stadeli said.

“It’s about trust and that’s why I want

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some more steps to drill down what these violations meant and what they were,” Buchholz said. “It might be painful for some; a little bit of penance, so to speak, but that’s how you regain the trust so that quality people will want to work here and I’m for that, whatever that may look like.”

“When do we get to work?” Allanach said. “When do we get to start serving the students of this district and doing the work that we were elected to do to assure excellence in education; to support our superintendent and get on with hiring one?

We need to be very aware of what this costs us.”

“I want to set everybody’s mind at ease that we have very talented people working on our Student Success Act application; we’ve got a good roadmap and I have 100 percent confidence that we’re going to have a solid plan that’s going to do the right work for the right kids in the right way,” Silver Falls School District Interim Superintendent Paul Peterson said. “My two cents here is that the most important work for the board is this, right now.”

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SFSD investigation into board communications enters second phase At one point during the meeting Nealon threatened legal action if the board went forward with the follow-up investigation.

“I’m fine giving over information but I’m not going to continue to be put in a position where other people aren’t going to be held accountable for their actions as well,” Nealon said. “A lot of things need to come to light; there’ll be a new records request and it’s not going to be a good thing for this district.

“This is the last straw for me,” Nealon said. “…if you do go forward with this, you’re going to have a very long legal battle.”

“How does this look different two months from now?” Allanach asked. “Even if it comes back that some of us violated some of these policies for some reason, OK, so we’re going to do training and learn about the policies – only now we’ve spent $20,000 to $30,000.…What are we gaining?”

Nealon said more effective would be the opportunity to prove that change has been

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made through future behavior.

“The direction I want to go is to show the modified behavior, and if it doesn’t change, you take action,” she said.

“This is huge for me,” Buchholz said.

“Are we going to be a board that violates working agreements and contracts with the superintendent? I don’t want to be that board.”

The results of the first legal review came on the heels of a general letter of support for the school board listing more than 150 names. The letter cites transparency, community engagement and rebuilding trust with educators among other actions and attributes, as reason for support.

“A group of us were frustrated with the baseless complaint against the board by Dandy Parsons, Ken Hector and their friends who don’t all live in the district,” longtime district resident Chuck Sheketoff said, calling the complainants ‘Negative Nellies unwilling to acknowledge all the good work the new board that began July 1 has accomplished.’

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To questions of the district’s ability to pay for the investigation – cost of the preliminary review was not known at press time; the second phase is estimated at $10,000-$15,000 – Peterson said there is sufficient money in the general fund “to support the work that needs to be done.”

“Even if we have to do an interfund transfer where we appropriate some funds from contingency; that’s why we have those; to appropriate for unusual circumstances, which this certainly is,” Peterson said.

“I would never choose to do this to any one of you, but now that it’s happened, I

feel like it’s our responsibility to respond,” board member Irv Stadeli said. “It’s not easy, but now we have to do it. If we don’t, the ‘what-ifs’ are way bigger.”

In urging the board to move beyond the investigation phase, Nealon noted board members are encouraged to reach out to the community for input. Saying she harbors no hard feelings toward the complainants, she added, “I get it. You care about your schools and you want to see them and your kids thrive.”

The motion to proceed passed on a 4 - 3 vote, with Nealon, Allanach and McLaughlin dissenting. On Jan. 7 the district engaged Rebekah Jacobson, an experienced Salem attorney. Process dictates conclusion by the end of February.

The meeting can be viewed at youtube. com/watch?v=ELnXSB-Bz_k&t=0s.

Peterson said the board is committed to supporting a prompt, thorough, transparent investigation and plans to keep the community informed as the process concludes.

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“The board should be focused on training and the recruitment of a new superintendent and getting to ‘yes’ on a contract with teachers,” he said. “They are wasting time and taxpayer dollars continuing to investigate a complaint that has no merit.”

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January 2020 • 5

Traveling Vicariously

Journey to the Frozen Continent

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 of the world.”

A city of about 80,000 people at the southern tip of South America, Ushaia is definitely remote. It is the southernmost city in the world, in fact. But it is not the end of the world. That would be where I was going.

My ultimate destination was the continent of Antarctica. To get there I flew to Buenos Aires and then took a charter flight to Ushaia, where I was to board the M.S. Midnatsol, a cruise ship operated by Hurtigruten, a Norwegian company that specializes in polar region travel. Along with 350 fellow passengers, I would cruise in relative comfort across the vertigo-inducing waves of the Drake Passage to the South Shetland Islands and, eventually, to the Antarctic Peninsula.

The trip would not take me to the interior of the Antarctic continent, an area that is only visited by a few hundred people each year, but would allow me to set foot on Antarctica proper. More significantly, I would get to experience this stunning world of ice and snow and see the amazing mammals, birds and sea life of the region from the land and water. I would also get the knowledge and insights of the 10 naturalists and guides on the trip, with 3-4

A leopard seal and a gentoo penguin.

STEVE RITCHIE

daily presentations onboard.

To reach our destination, we had to cross the Drake Passage, 500 miles of open sea that is legendary for turbulent conditions.

There is no landmass anywhere in the world at that latitude, nothing to slow the winds or calm the swift currents moving where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans collide. I was hoping for the best but prepared for the worst, armed with motion sickness patches, wristbands, and Dramamine. While the crossing going south was, according to the crew, really “not that bad,” I still got seasick. Coming back was worse, much worse, but I survived.

And the seasickness is a small price to pay to gain access to this forbidding yet aweinspiring world. Forty hours after setting

sail we finally left the Drake Passage behind and arrived at the South Shetland Islands, mountainous and snow-covered volcanic rocks populated by a few hundred people at most and a few million penguins.

The latter number is not an exaggeration; the most comprehensive survey of penguins, completed in 2017, put the penguin census at 12 million in Antarctica, mostly in the Antarctic Islands like the South Shetlands and on the Peninsula.

I got my introduction to these social and fascinating creatures on our first landing, which was at Half Moon Bay. Hiking up a few hundred meters from the water brought me to a group, or colony, of penguins. I sat in the snow and watched them, utterly mesmerized by seeing penguins in the wild. Trudging back and

forth with their odd gait between their nesting grounds and the sea on “penguin highways,” they were aware of the presence of humans but were seemingly unaffected by it. They just went about their business of building nests, keeping eggs warm and safe, mating, sleeping. Clumsy and slow on land, they turned into sleek, graceful and powerful creatures in the water. I never tired of watching them on any of the landings.

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A breathtaking look at Antarctica’s landscapes, inhabitants

Above: Kayaking off Danco Island. Right: Ice and snow at Neko Harbor.

frequently, but always from a greater distance than the penguins.

STEVE RITCHIE

photos of the giant ice sculptures as we floated past. The next evening I was on the ship’s deck, bundled from head to toe, as we moved for two hours through a thick fog bank, which would lift enough occasionally to offer glimpses of floating ice on every side. (I later heard the ship captain say this was the scariest moment of the trip for him, and it was memorable for me, too.)

The Midnatsol sailed further south, from Half Moon Bay to Whaler’s Bay on Deception Island to Melchior Island to Danco Island. As we moved closer to the South Pole, the days grew longer and the icebergs and glaciers grew larger. The seascapes were incredible, with the massive chunks of ice casting a netherworld-like blue tone into the vast whiteness.

How cold was it? Not as cold as I expected. Although we did experience severe wind, snow and fog, the temperatures were relatively mild, never dropping too far below freezing. There were two sunny days, amazingly clear and bright. While any traveler would

In Danco Bay I got my first chance to kayak in the icy waters. It was completely exhilarating to paddle around and through the ice, so much so that I kept grabbing for my camera with numb fingers to get

be happy to have these conditions, the warmer temperatures in the Antarctic are, of course, part of a disturbing trend. In the past 60 years, Antarctica has warmed more than anywhere else on the planet, with the average temperature increasing by five degrees. On the peninsula temperatures have increased even more.

And it is not just the air temperatures but the water temperatures are climbing, too, and posing a threat to the entire Antarctic ecosystem. In the last decade six times as much ice was lost in Antarctica as in the

1980s. Warming oceans are threatening the tiny shrimp-like krill that abound in Antarctic waters, and the species that depend on them. The Adelie Penguins, which are found only in Antarctica, have declined in number by 70 percent.

Returning home, the images of Antarctica remain with me. It was an incredible journey, with some sobering insights.

It certainly brings a different meaning to fin del mundo.

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January 2020 • 7

Man About Town

A New Year...

Experts say the new year is a great time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. If you have one that is a little hard to reach and you call the non emergency line (503-873-5328) the Silverton Fire Dept. will come out and help you free of charge and in most cases will even provide the new batteries. The Man has also heard that if you ask really nicely Fire Board member Stacy Palmer will personally come to your house and change them for you...

When Bill and Jennifer Cameron, owners of Alpacas at Marquam Hill Ranch were invited to an event honoring the “100 Best Fan-Favorite Destinations in Oregon” they were thrilled. Imagine their surprise when they found out they were actually the top of the heap, numero uno, the number one attraction in the whole state. The award is given based on visitor reviews from Google, TripAdvisor and Yelp and the

Waiting for the bottle to drop

Cameron’s beat out other tourism stalwarts like Timberline Lodge, Sunriver and Crater Lake National Park.

If you haven’t made the 15 minute drive out Hwy 213 to the ranch you really need to add it to your list...

Pro Tip: For extra cuteness go when there are newborn hembras or machos.

Whoo Ho, we all made it on another trip around the sun, it’s a new year and there is a lot going on in Our Towns... After a loooong wait, The People’s Taphouse has finally opened at Main and Water with wood fired pizza and a limited schedule; Glenn

Damewood’s ideas for the old gas station on north Water St. continue to distill; and with demolition already done, construction of the phase two of Silver Falls Brewery’s ambitious expansion will be starting soon. Josh and Paige Echo-Hawk will soon be serving up the fancy drinks and Italian food at The Velvet Curtain Speakeasy in what used to be the diner side of the Towne House, and Live Local Cafe owners Josh and Elisha Nightingale have expanded their caffeine footprint with the addition of the Cast Iron Cafe in the former Leona’s Bakery location in Mount Angel. Kenny’s Kitchen has planted his Southern Barbecue roots on C Street, Gear Up is still gearing up, and rumors continue to swirl about what will go into the former O’Brien’s location when reconstruction is done.

With all that eatin’ and a drinkin’ you’ll want to dust off your sneakers but your health club may not be where it was the last time said sneakers were

dusted off. Mike Thompson has bought his former location and has moved Silverton Fitness from North First Street back to where he started on High Street and Shannon and Greg Gossack will re-open Total Body Health Club in March where Mike was and they used to be on North First Street. Hmmm, could changes at Anytime Fitness be far behind? Fall Line is open, pedaling and peddling bikes and is ready to get your twowheeled hoopty ready for spring, All That’s Good moved from Main Street to the Hartman Building, Bethany Market and the Glockenspiel closed, Oregon Dental Studio opened and that orange storage container in the Roth’s parking lot is actually a fancy new automated bottle drop station... and here, you thought nothing was going on...

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Our Town Life

Business

Auf wiedersehen

Silverton First Citizen Awards announced

Glockenspiel Restaurant closes after 13 years

By Melissa Wagoner The Glockenspiel Restaurant closed its doors for the final time on Dec. 30, 2019.

“It is always sad to see one of our businesses in town close and the restaurant will be missed,” Sarah Bauman, Mt. Angel Chamber of Commerce President, said upon learning of the closure.

A Mount Angel institution since its inception in 2007, the restaurant has drawn tourists from around the world while at the same time feeding the community in which it was housed.

“It’s been a landmark for 13 years,” Henri Dill, who owned the business along with her husband Ernie and their friends Mary and Mike Grant. “People come from all over to eat here and visit the Glockenspiel.”

Becky Ludden is the year’s First Citizen Award recipient.

But the Dills, who also own the building itself, hope the closure will not be permanent and, to that end, are actively seeking a buyer.

The Distinguished Service Award goes to Dip, Dive and Dodge organizers Erica Rumpca and Mindy Duerst.

“We hope someone will be able to take advantage of the beautiful building and wonderful location in town,” Dill said, noting that the Glockenspiel clock, for which the restaurant is named, will continue to play.

“It’s definitely a loss for our region if the Glockenspiel Restaurant were to close permanently,” Kara Kuh, the Assistant Marketing and Public Relations Director for Travel Salem, said. “It’s an iconic attraction that helps convey the history of our region, and one that countless numbers of visitors have enjoyed throughout the years.”

“The Glockenspiel still plays four times a day so people can still enjoy it while they visit our other shops and restaurants in town,” she stated.

Awarded the Business of the Year Award in 2017 by the Mt. Angel Chamber of Commerce, the Glockenspiel Restaurant has supported the efforts of numerous nonprofits throughout the years by hosting of fundraisers. It has supported the local farmers through the purchase of fresh and local ingredients whenever possible.

“With our combined age and health issues, we want to retire,” Henri admitted, noting that the average age of the group is 73. “It’s been a hard decision but we did it.”

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The Silverton Area Chamber of Commerce has named the 2019 First Citizen Award Winners.

The 2019 Business of the Year is The Pill Box. The First Citizen Banquet will be held on Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Mount Angel Festhalle. Tickets are on sale at the Chamber office, 428 S. Water St. 503-8735615.

Our Town will profile the award winners in the Feb. 1 edition.

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The Judy Schmidt Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Bill and Sylvia Long.

Although the decision to close a business was a difficult one, the Dills and Grants are looking forward to the opening of a new chapter in their lives.

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January 2020 • 9

Something Fun

For love of the off-road

Silverton father, son take part in overseas rally

By Melissa Wagoner Seventeen days, 5,117 miles and a multitude of countries – that is what offroad race enthusiasts, Blake Wolfard and his father Bill Wolfard, have set their sights on for 2020.

“My dad’s always been into racing – like NASCAR,” Blake said. “Then he got into off-road racing.”

Originally drawn to the sport after witnessing the Baja 1000 while on a cruise to Ensenada, Mexico, Bill got his official start when he entered the Baja XL Rally 12 years ago.

“It’s a huge cultural event down there,” Blake said of off-road racing in Mexico.

“The community around it is so diverse.

It really drew us in as a family – my brother and me and even my mom.”

And so, for the past 10 years the Wolfards have raced the Baja 1000 as a family, never actually completing the race but coming extremely close and having a great time doing it.

“The closest was seven miles from the finish,” Blake admitted sadly. “We could see and hear the party off in the distance.

But in our defense, the finish rate is less than 20 percent.”

With so many years devoted to one race, the Wolfards are looking forward to taking on a new challenge, one that will not only take them out of their comfort zone but also off of the continent – the Budapest-Bamako, the world’s largest amateur off-road race and Africa’s largest charity rally, according to their website.

“I’ve always wanted to travel abroad,” Blake said of his original interest in the race, a wild adventure from Budapest, Hungary on Jan. 31 through parts of Europe, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and Guinea that eventually finishes in Freetown, Sierra Leone on Feb. 16.

“It’s going to be crazy,” Blake said excitedly.

But this race – unlike the Baja races the Wolfards are familiar with, where entrants hurtle through three days of silt, rocks and dirt in order to cross the finish line first – is less about speed than about the daily challenges each team will receive.

“A large part of the challenges, or points, are based on GPS navigation,” Blake explained. “Some are getting to a specific

10 • January 2020

Three quarters of the “African Princess” off-road racing team: Tim Price, Blake Wolfard and Bill Wolfard in front of the Suburban that will take them across Africa in the Budapest-Bamako Rally. Not pictured: Travis Critz.

MELISSA WAGONER

location or meeting certain people.

Some are even built on previous days’ events. And there’s an average speed, tracked by GPS, you can get docked by going too fast.”

Armed with only that days’ endpoint location and the challenges assigned, each of the 200-plus, mostly European, teams will have the freedom to choose their own route and to experience the culture as much as they can.

“The pitstops are located specifically in cultural zones,” Blake explained. “Each section does have a culturally significant experience that you’re supposed to observe.”

The team – which has been coined, “African Princess,” in honor of The African Queen, the film produced in 1951 starring Katharine Hepburn – is made up of the Wolfards, – 26-year-old Blake and 54-year-old Bill – as well as long-time family friend and mechanic Tim Price, and California native and fellow Baja 1000 racer Travis Critz.

“It’s a team effort,” Blake verified.

And the team has already been hard at

work for the past year, first obtaining a suitable vehicle – in this case a 1989 Chevrolet Suburban – and readying it for the race.

“It was super cheap and it was in good working order,” Blake said of their car.

“And we know these vehicles are the kind that run forever, it was spacious and fourwheel drive.”

They also did a trial race – the Gambler 500 – in order to make certain there were no kinks to work out.

“We go from Wilsonville to just outside of Christmas Valley, Oregon,” Blake described the race’s route. “You have to use as little money and as little pavement as possible and there’s points awarded for how much trash you pick up.”

Then, after the race and with all systems go, the team took their first leap of faith, shipping their precious vehicle off via boat, to a port in Antwerp, Belgium, where they will fly to meet it on Jan. 26, a mere four days before the race.

“Shipping a vehicle internationally... there’s so many ins and outs,” Blake said.

“We have the ship that it’s on and they

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give us a 30-day window of when it could be there. And part of that 30 days too is when it could be unloaded.”

But shipping the car hasn’t been the only strenuous preparation for this overseas trip; obtaining visas, vaccinations and a myriad of equipment has also been required. “[There’re] certain aspects that have been shockingly easy; like our driver’s licenses are good over there and some of the countries haven’t needed a visa,” Blake said. “But there’s a lot that we don’t know and that’s the biggest thing.”

But despite those unknowns, Blake is feeling mainly confident about the trip.

“We’re pretty well prepared for everything,” he said, listing the tools, vehicle parts, camping gear and other items the team has already sent on a plastic-wrapped pallet via Federal Express. “All the equipment we’re bringing is tried and true,” Blake said confidently. “Technical difficulties are something we’re very familiar with. And we will get there – it may not be pretty, but we will get there.”

Our Town Life

The Forum

Two wonderful concerts I would like to comment on two concerts that I attended in Silverton on Dec. 14.

The Ad Lucem program given at St. Paul Catholic Church was wonderful, without comparison. Professional level singers and musicians provided an unforgettable experience. Seasonal music interspersed with liturgical readings set the stage for the reason we celebrate this time of year.

Silverton Children’s Choir performed a delightful concert at the High School auditorium. Lovely young voices singing their best. Christmas Bells was a highlight number done so well.

Thank you for a very pleasant holiday experience.

– Kate McConnon

Thank you, Silverton!

The Silverton Zenith Women’s Club thanks the community of Silverton for all the help they received for their 2019 Tree of Giving project. Together we were able to make Christmas a little brighter for 91 families (including 244 children) in the Silver Falls School District. We wish to particularly thank: Silverton Together for help with screening families; Rite-Aid, Hi-School Pharmacy, Immanuel Lutheran Church, St. Paul’s Catholic Church, First Christian Church, Silver Creek Fellowship and United Methodist Church for displaying the trees

and accepting/storing individual gifts; Silverton Elks and Mt. Angel Oktoberfest Committee for their generous donations; Silverton Fire Dept. and Les Schwab for their toy drive; Silverton Kiwanis for their donation of toys; Silverton High School students for their drive and help with wrapping; and all the members of the community who donated money, purchased gifts and donated time wrapping gifts. If we have missed anyone, we apologize in advance. Blessings on all and have a great new year!

– Silverton Zenith Women’s Club

Briefs State Senator to address King Observance in Silverton Following a community potluck at the To register a team, see the application 17th annual Silverton King Observance, at the Kiwanis website http://www.

James Manning Jr. – Oregoncall State silvertonkiwanis.org/ or Christy Davis,for 541-331-1897.

Senator District 7 (Lane County) – will give the keynote address, titled “Restoring the Dream.”

This free event is open to the public

and will be held Monday, Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30) at Silverton Grange, 201 Division St. Sponsored

by Silverton People for Peace and the Grange. For more information or Southern cuisine dish suggestions, call Robert Sisk at 503-873-5307.

n-up Spelling Bee ow Gr xt ne at n pio am ch cy era lit a ‘Bee’ euvres and a cash bar, Spelling Silverton Kiwanis is accepting second the for s Bee Team application g Bee, llin Spe Kiwanis Great Grown-up for set Wine and Dessert Auction, n at 7 p.m.)

Friday, March 13 (doors ope N. First St. at First Christian Church, 402 from Register a three-person team group or your business, service club ry of friends and family. Your ent in our fee enables 12 preschoolers lity, age qua h hig e eiv rec to community one year. appropriate books by mail for tumes are Clever team names and cos to the add and strongly encouraged nt. fun of this signature eve The event features a spelling

Our Town Life

bee,

heavy hors d’o tions. and both silent and live auc for the Kiwanis also seeks sponsors to 00) ($1 event. From Honey Bee es in hiv Killer Bee ($1,000) and many ip level to between, there’s a sponsorsh gets. fit business or individual bud available Sponsorship applications are Lisa at silvertonkiwanis.org or call ions for nat Do .

Santana at 503-930-7793 d off at ppe the silent auction may be dro Oak St. Bledsoe-Santana Realty, 206

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Sports & Recreation

Swimming update

Aqua Foxes undefeated in dual meets

The Silverton High swimming team is off to a 5-0 start in dual meets and the Aqua Foxes girls squad defeated Crescent Valley for the first time on Dec. 10.

The team prides itself on its depth, and Coach Lucky Rogers reports Silverton has 90 swimmers on the roster this season.

“It is amazing how many kids we have out for swimming,” Rogers told Our Town.

“It is even more amazing how well we do considering almost all of our kids really only swim in our season.

“We are competing against swimmers that swim all year around and have been doing it a long time. We work very hard to be where we are at and we do it as a team.

Top swimmers among the girls are Samantha Zurcher, Marie Tolmachoff, Maggie Kelley, Maddie Broyhill, Hailey Kelley and Catherine Hyde.

Leading the way for the boys are Tristan Allen, Carson Brighton, Michael Hall, Blake Doerfler, Kolton Howell, Cole Runion and Charlie Petrik.

Rogers thinks the squad will finish in the top three at the Mid-Willamette Conference district meet next month in Corvallis. Both the boys and the girls have finished in the top 10 at the state meet the past two year and Rogers thinks this year’s squads can get there as well.

The Silverton girls are ranked No. 1 in Class 5A and own a 44-35 home victory against South Medford, the top-ranked team in Class 6A. The Foxes never trailed against the Panthers and held the visitors scoreless in the final 3:28 while pulling away from a 37-35 lead. Silverton was tied with Lebanon at 2-0 in the early going in the Mid-Willamette. Lebanon won the league a year ago, with the Foxes finishing one game back.

The Silverton boys are 9-1 and ranked No. 3 in 5A. The Foxes took fifth at the prestigious Capitol City Classic in Salem, falling to Class 6A Sherwood in their opener before winning their final three games by a cumulative 267 points to 140, including a 111-50 win vs. Parkrose. The Foxes were tied with Corvallis at 2-0 in the Mid-Willamette. The two teams finished one-two in the league a year ago with the lone loss the 15-1 champion Foxes suffered was an overtime defeat at Corvallis.

“I think we are in real good shape,” Rogers said. “We have a very senior-dominated team. Many of the swimmers are at or better than their times before district last year.

We have an opportunity to send all six relays and many individuals to state this year.”

Kennedy’s girls are the lone unbeaten in the Tri-River after using their swarming defense to earn a 42-34 win Jan. 7 vs. visiting Gervais, then ranked No. 2 in Class 2A. The Trojans have moved up to No. 4 and are 10-3 overall and have a return engagement at Gervais on Jan. 31.

Hoops: It’s shaping up as another banner year for Silverton and Kennedy basketball squads.

Kennedy’s boys are 3-1 in the Tri-River and in the thick of the conference race.

The Trojans’ lone league loss was to

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Marie Tolmachoff, left, Maddie Broyhill, Maggie Kelley and Samantha Zurcher, are shown after leading the Silverton girls squad to sixth place at last year’s Class 5A state swim meet in Beaverton. All four swimmers are back for their senior years. SUBMITTED PHOTO

No. 3 Western Christian, one of four teams that remain unbeaten in league.

More alums: Hannah Doyle, a former Silverton athlete, was named secondteam all-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference pick as a senior midfielder for Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. Her brother, Isaac, a freshman forward played in 10 matches, starting three, for the Barons’ men’s xoccer team.

In football, former Kennedy standout Bishop Mitchell missed the Portland

State seasons with a knee injury.

Former Trojans teammates Nick Suing and Rocco Carley both red-shirted at Oregon State. Former Foxes star Noah Dahl was on the roster at Oregon but did not see any action.

Running: Mark your calendar for Saturday, Feb. 22. That’s when the 5K and 10K runs will take place in Mount Angel in conjunction with Volksfest.

See racenorthwest.com for details.

Follow me on Twitter.com @jameshday.

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Our Town Life

Passages

Denzel Legard Denzel A. Legard, 93, passed away peacefully on Dec. 27 with family by his side. He was born on March 14, 1926 in Silverton to Esther and Alvin Legard.

Denny graduated from Silverton Union High School in 1944.

Following graduation, he joined the Army Air Corps, serving both at home and in Japan. Upon his return from service, he married Louise Ann Ryan in 1947.

Louise and Denny celebrated 72 years of marriage on Dec. 14.

Denny loved life and the many opportunities it presented. He served as a Silverton Volunteer Firefighter for many years as well as a Silverton City Council member. He was an avid golfer, a talented bridge player, a bird hunter, a deep sea fisherman, a pilot, an RV enthusiast, and most of all, a loving father and devoted husband.

He worked as a manager for Wilco Farmers in Silverton, Mount Angel, and

Mary Trevino

finally Stayton. After retirement, Denny and Louise moved to Newport, Oregon where he spent many years fishing on his beloved boat, the “Louise Ann” and enjoying new-found friends. In 1994 they moved to Salemtowne. Denny loved the Salemtowne golf course and the many friends he made there over the years.

Family and friends will remember Denny as a generous, caring, enthusiastic, and loving man. He is survived by his wife, Louise, his brother Butch Legard, his two children, Suzy (Simas-Murphy) and David Legard, three grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

There will be a private internment at Valley View Cemetery. A Celebration of Life for friends and family was held in Silverton on Jan. 11. Arrangements are under the care of Unger Funeral Chapel.

In lieu of flowers donations can be sent to Silverton Alumni Association.

Feb. 16, 1951 – Jan. 5, 2020

Maria (Mary) B. Trevino passed away Jan. 5, 2020 at Salem Hospital.

Family members recall her beautiful spirit and say she was the most kind, loving, and generous person you could ever meet.

Her beautiful and contagious smile and deep enjoyment of dancing, music, and taking family vacations will be missed.

Mary was born on Feb. 16, 1951 in Batesville, Texas to Aurelio and Marinez Perez. Her roots were in Silverton, Oregon where she lived and grew up attending Silverton schools including Eugene Field where her four grandchildren and daughter attended and her daughter worked.

She graduated from Silverton High School in 1969 and went on to attend Chemeketa Community College where she received an Associate’s Degree in Administrative Health.

She started her career in 1970 at Contel Phone Co. and stayed with them until they closed. Later she went on to retire from the Salem-Keizer School District.

Our Town Life

Shirley Driscoll

March 14, 1926 – Dec. 27, 2019

She married her childhood sweetheart, Guadalupe (Wally) Trevino on Sept. 20, 1969. They recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows in a beautiful and meaningful ceremony in Las Vegas with their family by their side.

She is preceded in death by her father and mother, Aurelio and Marinez Perez; her brother Daniel Perez; and her nephew, Art Perez. She is survived by her three sisters, Alma Cantu, Rose Cardiff, and Janie Perez; and her brother Willie Perez.

She is also survived by her husband, Wally; her daughter, Lydia (Tom) Cain; her four grandsons Ty, Tim, Thomas, and Teagen; and their fluffy puppy, Tucker.

Mary loved being a wife, mother, and grandmother. She was also a beloved aunt to many nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

A celebration of life was held on Jan. 10 at St. Paul Catholic Church in Silverton.

Arrangements by Unger Funeral Home in Silverton.

Feb. 12, 1936 – Dec. 25, 2019

Shirley Driscoll passed away at the age of 83 on Christmas Day 2019.

She was a great mother, sister, aunt, grandma and greatgrandmother. She leaves behind two sons, Tony and David Driscoll. Her son Glenn preceded her in death. She’s survived by sisters Irene and Lucille, was preceded in death by brothers Jack and Clifford.

She had six grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.

She lived a long full life in her own home doing what she loved. She enjoyed crocheting, yard work, baking and her animals. If you went to her house you

could always count on there being a fresh pot of coffee and fresh baked cookies in the cookie jar.

She was always writing letters or sending thank you cards and she never forgot a birthday.

She will be remembered for her sweet personality and her heart-warming smile. Friends and family members won’t forget our endless conversations and how fun she made life. Her warm hugs and adorable laugh will be missed. The family has no doubt she’s in heaven with God who she loved her whole life.

“We love you grandma, sweet dreams until we meet again.”

PASSAGES SUBMISSIONS: Our Town appreciates the opportuity to share life’s Passages with our readers. If there is a birth, engagement, wedding, anniversary, college graduation or obituary of a local resident you’d like to share, please send it to ourtown.life@mtangelpub.com or mail it to Editor, Our Town, P.O. Box 927, Mount Angel, OR 97362, or drop it by our office at 401 Oak St., Silverton any weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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503-845-9499 January 2020 • 13

People Out Loud

Intellectual dishonesty It is a new year. They say hindsight is 20/20.

It feels ironic to look forward in 2020 and think back to 2019. But here goes.

There is little doubt our country is more divided than ever. The past year was tough. It is easy to blame, hard to take responsibility, difficult to hold those accountable who don’t believe they erred, and useless to try to convince others the errors of their way on social media. I can’t recall an argument I won in 2019 on social media or someone who had their statistical outlier opinion swayed by my crystal-clear thinking and clever repartee. So, in 2020, I am not even going to try.

What is paramount? Getting the horse of civility back in the barn. We owe each other that. If the chasm grows wider, it is conceivable that our 244-year-old experiment in democracy is doomed.

My angst and lethargy are less politically caused than fueled by common sense, values, ethics and logic taking vacation of indeterminate destination and duration.

One of my favorite phrases is “intellectual dishonesty.” Wikipedia defines it well:

“When one avoids an honest, deliberate and comprehensive approach to a matter because it may introduce an adverse effect on personally and professionally held views and beliefs.” Someone intellectually dishonest knows what the right answer is but articulates a contrarian belief in order to fit what they want to be true.

It is one of my favorite expressions because it explains so much of what I see, hear, and read, be it on television, in conversations, or on Facebook. Let me explain with examples across both sides of the political aisle.

When Donald Trump bragged about his ability to assault women because of his celebrity, most people were appalled. An intellectually dishonest person, who longs

Both sides suffer from it for a huge tax break, a robust stock market, a conservative Supreme Court, and a border wall, might say, “Fake News,” “Boys will be boys,” or “That was 10 years ago.” People actually said this stuff. It wasn’t fake news.

He said it. It is on tape. A man is not a boy, and the vast majority of men and boys do not behave like this. And 10 years ago? He was an older man at the time he said it. It was wrong at 16, and it is wrong at 80.

Likewise, when the other side proclaims that the impeachment process is not about politics at all but about upholding the Constitution, that is intellectually dishonest.

Why? While I believe it is true that they want to protect the Country, it most certainly is also about politics, winning in November, flipping the Senate, altering the Supreme Court, and keeping the House.

In my world, the Swamp has red AND blue alligators, and the purple ones will keep them from eating each other.

What I hope for in 2020 is civil discourse.

Honest, open discussion. Respect. Listening more, dominating the conversation less.

Not interrupting. Not throwing out straw

men. Not responding, “Yea, but they did it, too…” Looking for consensus if, when, and wherever possible. A fair election not disrupted by those outside of our borders.

No war with Iran and a dialogue with a purpose – peace. And swift, decisive action when someone steps over the line.

Locally, a contract with our teachers and staff that respects and pays them appropriately and competitively for their talent, their education, and their wonderful work with our children. A relationship of mutual respect. Administration is not the evil empire, nor is the union representing the workers. In this case, there ARE fine people on both sides. Budgets must be managed wisely. Priorities must be set.

We can’t do everything at once because invariably, lack of clear focus will scramble results. We can’t defer maintenance. We can disagree on much, respectfully, but keeping the kids at the forefront gives us commonality, where progress is born.

This is what I hope for in 2020, because 2019 is in the rearview mirror. Happy New Year. Really, even if we disagree.

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Our Town Life

Quality Dental Care in a Friendly Environment

In Memory Of …

Martha Fessler

July 16, 1939 — Dec. 22, 2019

Pedro Padilla

Aug. 4, 1983 — Dec. 23, 2019

Eleanor Eich

Jan. 15, 1924 — Dec. 24, 2019

Shirley Driscoll

Feb. 12, 1936 — Dec. 25, 2019

Freda Haven

Oct. 9, 1925 — Dec. 27, 2019

Denzel Legard

March 14, 1926 — Dec. 27, 2019

Daniel Kelsey

Oct. 20, 1947 — Jan. 2, 2020

Pauline Beals

March 4, 1930 — Jan. 4, 2020

See full obituaries at www.ungerfuneralchapel.com

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#T2571 PIONEER VILLAGE $415,000

4 Bedroom in Pioneer Village with master suite on the main level.

Great back deck area with covered pergola. Rustic wide pine plank flooring through-out the house.

No carpet. Gas F/A with heat pump, A/C, central vac system, Double convection oven. Above ground pool area, could be additional parking for trailer or boat. Call Michael at ext.

314 or Chuck at ext. 325.

(WVMLS#755661)

SALEM/KEIZER SOLD! #T2572 DESIRED NEIGHBORHOOD 3 BR, 2 BA 1837 sqft. Salem. Call Meredith at ext.

324, Ryan at ext. 322 $328,600 (WVMLS#755984)

#T2574 GREAT 1940’s HOME 3 BR, 1 BA 1151 sqft Call Michael at ext. 314 or Chuck at ext. 325 $232,500 (WVMLS#757321)

(WVMLS#757761)

Trust The Hometown Experts 303 Oak St • Silverton • 503.873.3545 16 • January 2020

SPECTACULAR LOCATION 3BR, 2 BA, 1525 SQFT

Amazing views from this 3 bedroom 2 bath rental in the country near Sublimity. It is located on an active tree farm, so can get kind of loud and busy. Huge yard with plenty of space. Landscaping and garbage included. 6 month lease. No pets.

No smoking. $1625/mo. $1725/ dep. Call Micha or Sarah at 503-873-1425.

Rentals available in Silverton and Surrounding Areas. For Rental info call Micha at 503-873-1425 or check our website.

BROKERS ARE LICENSED IN OREGON

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