Our Town North: March 15, 2023

Under Contract

Under Contract SOLD!

3 bed, 1 ba. vintage home, on 4.41 acres. farm bldg. Dividable & buildable. On the edge of Silverton. 15056 Quall Rd., Silverton. MLS#799863

$288,000

Excellent value! Ideal starter home, 2bed, 1 ba. 764 sq ft. Nice shop, near Silverton pool & park. 50x145 lot dimension. 108 Cowing St., Silverton. MLS#799081

$799,000 Investors, 64.41 acres, 3 adjoining homesites, 2 @ 5 acres, 1 @ 54 acres. Kingston-Lyons Dr., Stayton. MLS#788228

$645,000

3.85 acres. Prestige Estate property, path of progress potential. 835 Grouse St. NE, Silverton. Sellers will consider carrying a contract.

MLS#770597

Under Contract

$595,000

NEW! $595,000 120.50 Acres, Recreation or Timber land, Reprod Timber, road system, Ideal for RV/ Campsite. Maple Grove, Molalla. MLS#802319

Price Reduced $349,000

114 acres buildable, Valley views! Standard septic approved. Quality Dory & Nekia soils 42480 Mount Pleasant Dr., Scio. MLS#794562

$449,000

27.50 acres, creek, 30-year old timber. Excellent investment. Buildable. Crooked Finger Rd. Scotts Mills. MLS#785744

2 acres buildable homesite, views! Approved for standard septic & well. 7685 Dovich Ln SE, Turner. MLS#778883

$285,000

3.080 acres, private building site in city limits, maybe dividable. SW exposure. Standard Ave., Brownsville. MLS#777782

NEW! $127,500

Buildable residential lot, 7650 sq. ft. City water and sewer available. Property has iconic water tower located on it. 617 Keene Ave. Silverton. MLS#802507

On the Cover

Silverton Area Community Aid staff and board members gather for a pizza and salad celebration of their project to move into the former Ratchet Brewery building. PORTRAIT BY JAMES DAY; TEXTURES: © FAITHIE / 123RF.COM & © TRONGNGUYEN / 123RF.COM

Above Right

This aerial shot shows the new greenhouse complex that is taking shape on the nursery’s 240-acre property in the Silverton Hills. COURTESY DRAKES CROSSING NURSERY

Time to be announced! Call for more details 503-873-3093

Wednesday, March 29 from 5:30-6:30pm is an added program for March with Annette Jensen helping folks navigate into retirement. Please call for more details.

Congratulations to Lois Patterson Watcher, Silverton Senior Center’s Volunteer of the Year 2022!!!

Congratulations to Tracy Duerst Silverton Senior Center’s Volunteer of the Month for February 2023!

2nd Annual Senior Follies is looking for Talented Seniors 50+ to perform in June. Applications available until April 15, 2023. All acts are welcome to participate! For more details or application, contact Candace Pressnall at 503-873-3093.

Just a reminder that EVERY First Saturday of the Month is DANCE TIME at Silverton Senior Center starting at 6pm… All kinds of fun, funky, disco, rock & roll music being played both LIVE and Streaming. Admission is only $5! Open to ALL Ages and for anyone who loves to dance but does not like dancing alone. Snacks and dance lessons too! Sponsored by Berkshire Hathaway & Karen Gehrt.

Free Community Breakfasts are starting again, the first Saturday of the month, April 1 from 8 - 11am. Pancakes and more… ALL Ages Welcome! Donations gladly accepted. Proceeds to benefit the Silverton Senior Center.

Plant & Yard Art – Saturday, April 1 from 8am - 12pm…All kinds of Plants… Indoor & Outdoor… Starts and more… PLUS Yard Art!!

Come for Breakfast and start shopping for Spring! 115 Westfield St. Applications to have a table to sell plants are available and table space is only $10. Not just for seniors!

RV park proposed Project planned for property near Mark Twain

By James Day

The City of Silverton is considering a proposal that could add a 22-space recreational vehicle parking area on land just north of Mark Twain Elementary School.

The 1.52-acre, triangular-shaped site, if the project is approved, would be used for temporary lodging for RVs and movable accessory dwellings.

Approval of the project does not require Silverton City Council involvement. The staff decision, however, could be appealed by either proponents or opponents of the project to the Community Development Department. Further appeals would go to the city’s Planning Commission and then the state Land Use Board of Appeals.

Former Councilor Jim Sears spoke about the project at the council’s March 6 session during the public comment period. Sears expressed concerns about code issues that related to the project while also noting that any code changes that might result would not affect the current proposal.

No information was available regarding when the Community Development Department might render a decision. The project site is mainly pasture land. All of the oak trees in that area are part of the Mark Twain property and will not be affected should the RV parking project be approved.

The public comment period on the project ended March 13.

In other action from its March 6 meeting the council:

• Unanimously approved a new agreement with the police officers union which gives officers a 6 percent raise this year and 5 percent in 2024. The deal was discussed at the Feb. 6 meeting but

tabled because of concerns about attrition in the ranks because of compensation issues. Councilors reviewed the issue at a Feb. 23 executive session. The March 6 meeting included participation from labor attorney Diana Moffat, who helped negotiate the Silverton deal, as well as comments from Silverton Police Chief Jim Anglemier and community members Rob Wood and Morry Jones. Four members of the SPD were in the meeting room, but they did not address the council.  The general tenor of the discussion was that although recent losses of officers was frustrating and costly because of training requirements, a wide array of reasons existed for the departures. Also, looking ahead, it was noted that additional benefits for officers could be an item that the Budget Committee could review.

• Gave final approval to its goals for the 2023-24 fiscal year as well as the city’s five-year capital improvement plan. The six goals are: community engagement, transportation connectivity, parks and rec upgrades, implement city master plans, address housing needs and a Main Street

urban renewal project. Key capital improvements planned include a new water treatment plant and improvements to Second Street and A Street.

• Heard a presentation from Terrance Hawley of the Salem Area Trail Alliance (SATA) on a possible collaboration with the city on a trail system at Pettit Lake, which lies between the Rogers Wayside and the Oregon Garden. SATA worked with Oregon State Parks on some new trails at Silver Falls State Park. Councilors reacted favorably to the SATA offer, but no agreement was finalized.

• Unanimously approved the creation of an advisory committee that will

craft a parks and recreation master plan. Key projects that the committee will look at include the Pettit Lake trails, a disc golf course and pickleball courts.

• Unanimously backed moving forward with a plan to expand the urban growth boundary and annex 40 acres off of Ike Mooney Road into the city’s stock of land. The complicated process requires Marion County and state approval as well as the backing of the Silverton Planning Commission and City Council. The site is seen as a possible home for a disc golf course. The land was donated to the city by developer Larry Epping with the stipulation that it be used for recreational purposes.

Silverton mayor discusses new park, city goals

Silverton Mayor Jason Freilinger will speak about the proposed All Abilities Park to be located between the Silver Falls Public Library and the Silverton Municipal Pool on Thursday, March 16 at Immanuel Lutheran Church. He will also address the city’s goals for the next two years, as well as what may be major challenges facing the city.

The gathering begins at 7 p.m. and the public is encouraged to attend.

The piece property between Mark Twain Elementary School and the Forest River plant that might be used for an RV parking/storage facility. JAMES DAY

Bond benefit MASD

By Stephen Floyd

The Mt. Angel School District has placed a $7 million facilities bond on the May 16 ballot, with a $4 million state grant attached if the bond passes.

The district board unanimously approved a resolution Feb. 13 to send the issue to voters based on a recommendation from the district’s Bond Oversight Committee.

If the measure passes, the district would receive a $4 million grant from the Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching (OSCIM) Program, which was designed to encourage voter support for school district bonds.

This would bring capital improvement funds to $11 million, with targeted improvements at John F. Kennedy High School, Mt. Angel Middle School, and St. Mary’s Public School. Improvements include upgrades to plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems at all three

pitches $7M bond, $4M grant

buildings, new classroom doors to improve security, and roof repairs.

The middle school would also receive a new boiler and fencing. St. Mary’s would receive new siding, new library windows and other improvements.

If passed, the bond would levy an estimated $1.12 per $1,000 of assessed property value over 20 years, meaning a home valued at $350,000 would be taxed at $392 annually. Actual rates may differ based on assessed values and final interest rates.

The Bond Oversight Committee was appointed by the board to investigate the need for capital improvements within the district and return with a recommendation for a bond amount. They began meeting in December of 2022 and worked with consultants from BRIC Architecture, of Portland, in addition to gathering public input. Committee members included local parents, community members and officials.

Special district positions open

Local special districts will have open board positions during the May 16 Primary Election, and the deadline to apply as a candidate and appear on the ballot is March 16.

Districts with open positions include:

Mt. Angel School District (positions 1 and 4).

Mt. Angel Fire District (positions 1, 2, and 3).

Silver Falls School District (positions 1, 3, 6 and 7).

Silverton Fire District (positions 1 and 5).

Silver Falls Library District (three positions open).

For more information including how to apply, contact the Marion County Clerk’s Office at 503-588-5225 or go to www.co.marion.or.us/CO.

“Whitney and Mike are a great team, working hard to find us the right home at the right price, providing housing and area data which was very helpful to us as newcomers to the Willamette Valley. Communications were superb and enough time was taken with us to culture an indepth understanding and focus on our complex needs/desires. Thank you Ulvens!”

Whitney & Mike Ulven –

w

Marcia & Frans

Mother’s helper Silverton nurse opens lactation consultation business

By Melissa Wagoner

Teryl Grabeal knows first-hand that breastfeeding isn’t always easy.

“I struggled really hard with my first child,” she recalled. “If I hadn’t gotten help I wouldn’t have succeeded.” That experience stuck with her, inspiring her work as both a registered nurse, specializing in postpartum care, and as an Internationally Board-certified Lactation Consultant – the highest certification in that field – for over 41 years, most recently at Legacy Silverton Medical Center.

“I have a passion to help moms,” Grabeal said. That passion recently got a new outlet with the founding of Breastfeeding Nanny, a private breastfeeding consultation practice specializing in home visits, classes and support groups.

“I find that [pregnant moms] are not prepared,” Grabeal said of impetus for the initial series of classes, aimed at helping moms begin preparing to breastfeed long before giving birth.

“Like you can get colostrum going before you deliver,” she said, listing other little known facts like, “hand expressing helps the milk come in quicker” and can even lead to a 137 percent increase in milk production overall.   But most importantly, Grabeal strives to give moms the

Breastfeeding Nanny, Teryl Grabeal

A Registered Nurse and International Board

Certified Lactation Consultant offering classes, private consultations and breastfeeding support groups at  www.calendly.com/ teryllactation,  teryllactation@gmail.com or 503-970-6862.

confidence to give breastfeeding a try.

“There are stem cells in breastmilk – a lot of moms don’t realize,” she began, listing just one of the many health benefits breastfed babies receive. “There’s so many things it’s good for that we don’t even know.”

Which is why she works so hard to help moms achieve the goal of supplying breast milk to their new babies –even if it means thinking outside the box.

“There are a lot of options for moms who can’t breastfeed themselves,” she acknowledged. “But I know friends who help friends, sisters who help sisters, and there’s banked milk.”

And Grabeal is here for it all. “I just love helping moms,” she emphasized. “It’s such a good experience.”

In Memory Of

Halwyn Sullivan May 5, 1935 — Feb. 23, 2023

Daryl Schmaltz Feb. 13, 1968 — Feb. 24, 2023

Derine Albrich July 1, 1935 — Feb. 24, 2023

Herbert Lay Jan. 4, 1934 — Feb. 28, 2023

Sandra Lee June 2, 1942 — Feb. 28, 2023

Carole Almquist Sept. 12, 1940 — March 1, 2023

Juanita Soule Dec. 31, 1932 — March 5, 2023

Teryl Grabeal holding her newborn grandson. MELISSA WAGONER

Passages

Herbert Merlin Lay Jan. 4, 1934 – Feb. 29, 2023

Herbert Merlin Lay, 89, passed away Feb. 28, 2023 at his home in Mount Angel, Oregon, surrounded by his family.

Born in Albany, California in 1934, Herb spent his early life in California where he worked at several state hospitals and the California Department of Corrections, becoming Lieutenant of the Conservation Camp at Slack Canyon, in Monterey County before moving to Oregon.

He married Bessie (Bee) Strand of Silverton in 1953. Their four children, Steve, Mark, Kathie, and Jonathan were born in Northern California. The family moved to Silverton in 1969, when Herb accepted a position as a correctional counselor at the Oregon State Penitentiary. In 1971 he joined the staff at MacLaren School for Boys in Woodburn as a Program Executive, later becoming an Executive Assistant to the Superintendent of both MacLaren and the Hillcrest School for Girls in Salem. In 1996, Herb retired after 27 years with the Oregon Youth Authority.

Herb and Bee lived for 52 years in Silverton before moving to Mount Angel

Derine Agnes Albrich

July 1, 1935 – Feb. 24, 2023

Towers in 2021. After retirement, Herb  and Bee enjoyed traveling and served as Oregon State Park hosts at various campgrounds and historic sites.  In Silverton, Herb and Bee are members of Silver Creek Fellowship and Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Herb is survived by his wife Bee; their children, Steve Lay (Julie) of Terrebonne, Mark Lay (Karla) of Scotts Mills, Kathie Enstad (Pete) of Scotts Mills, and Jonathan Lay (Julie) of Beaverton; 12 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren; and his brother, George Lay, and sister, Connie Elmore, both of Meadow Vista, California.

A visitation at Unger Funeral Chapel, Silverton was held on March 3, followed by a memorial service on March 4 at Silver Creek Fellowship. Arrangements by Unger Funeral Chapel – Silverton.

If you would like to make a gift in Herb’s memory, please consider a donation through Silver Creek Fellowship to Mission of Hope, a mobile food bank and food pantry serving Silverton and Southeast Salem.

Submissions welcomed: 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.

Derine Agnes Albrich was born to Carl and Elizabeth Rutherford on July 1, 1935, in Silverton’s Keene Home serving as the community hospital located on North Water Street. Growing up, Derine lived on Fiske Street with her parents and siblings. She graduated from Silverton High School in 1953. After graduation, she worked for Moore Business Forms in Salem, Oregon. Derine met Robert, the love of her life, in 1958 after being introduced at Salem Golf Club. Robert and Derine married on May 16, 1959, at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church in Salem. Derine and Robert raised their four beautiful children in the Fairmont Hills area of Salem, Oregon. She was an amazing homemaker who loved to sew and bake. Everyone, including her children’s friends, neighborhood kids, or her son’s football teammates always felt welcomed for a meal.

Christmas was her favorite holiday season, and her family was always blessed with homemade baked goods, handsewn stockings, and ornaments. Derine also found time to volunteer with her children’s schools as their room mother and became the scorekeeper for her children’s sporting events. Derine was also very active on the local election board. After their children were raised, Derine and Bob moved back to her hometown of Silverton and lived in their beautiful home on Abiqua Creek. Derine found so much pleasure in watching the changing seasons, beautiful wildlife, and grazing cattle among the many oak trees on their property. She greatly valued reconnecting with her high school friends and absolutely loved acting as the lead coordinator of the 1953 Silverton reunion committee.

Derine and Bob loved to travel. Many times, their adventures took them to Hawaii where they always enjoyed a mai tai watching the brilliant sunsets. They also explored Alaska, British Columbia, and Quebec. Her most memorable trip was a river cruise visiting New Orleans, Mississippi, and Tennessee. This cruise included many jazz musicians including the Ink Spots and Dave Brubeck; she never missed a show on the cruise. As a teenager, Derine even met one of her favorite jazz singers, Ella Fitzgerald, and she shared this experience over and over! Despite these amazing adventures, her very favorite moments were the quiet road trips with her husband through California, eastern Oregon, along the Oregon coast, and throughout the Silverton hills.

On Feb. 24, 2023, our loving wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away peacefully with family by her side. It was a beautiful sunny day. Derine bravely battled dementia for many years and though her vivid memories began to fade, she always remembered her family and friends. Her family will greatly miss her amazing hugs, her talent for storytelling, and her impeccable sense of style with perfectly coordinated outfits and jewelry.

Derine is preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Elizabeth Rutherford; sister, Alma Barr; brothers, Ted, Wayne and Carl. Derine is survived by her loving husband, Robert Sr.; children, Lisa (Mike) Adams, Amy Albrich, Robert Jr. (Laurie) Albrich, and Anthony (Venus) Albrich; grandchildren, Jacob and Samuel Anderson, Jordan, Brenna and James Albrich, and Marius Albrich; sister, Marlene Fullwiler; and many nieces and nephews who loved her.

A private family gathering will be held and Derine will be laid to rest at Willamette National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Derine’s name to Silverton Area Community Aid. Arrangements by Unger Funeral Chapel – Silverton.

A new home

By James Day

The oohing and aahing echoed throughout the cavernous warehouse building.

“We’re so excited,” Silverton Area Community Aid board member Laura Wanker, who along with fellow board member Kathleen McCann, was giving Our Town a tour of the old Ratchet Brewery building in North Second Street on March 1.

SACA, which provides food aid and other community services in the Silverton area, has purchased the building from Ratchet. It will be moving its operations from the Silverton Community Center on South Water Street to the new complex in the next year or so.

Wanker and McCann noted that ADA bathrooms already were in place, pointed out which pieces of the building will be used for SACA’s services, praised Ratchet owners Will Mary and Dan Miletta – “they have been so good to work with” – and showed off a historic sign for Copeland Lumber, a tenant in the building from decades back.

Then, everyone relocated into the former Ratchet dining area for pictures, pizza and salad.

“It’s been really fun to see this all come to life,” said Ken DeSantis, SACA’s executive director. “We’re growing and we plan to grow even more. We’re lucky to have been supported by our community and we’re optimistic that our community will come through for us and we can open our doors within a year or so.”

The cost of the project is approximately $3.5 million, and DeSantis said SACA

excited at plans to locate into brewery building

already has raised $2.3 million. The bulk of the fundraising to come would be spent on renovations, equipment and furnishings.

SACA is moving because the agency needs more space. Their basement quarters in the community center have posed vexing challenges for staff and volunteers. It is seismically unsafe. Access for unloading is difficult. The facility lacks private meeting spaces. Plus, it is “dank and dark,” according to SACA officials, “and not as welcoming as it should be.” And although SACA has done a creative job using its available space, it needs more room to expand its programs.

The need is there. SACA’s food pantry visits increased from 2,790 in 2021 to 5,031 last year, when they served 1,900 unique individuals.

SACA also has ambitious hopes that the new facility will become a community resource that can serve a wide variety of needs. The Silverton Coffee Club recovery program already is on board, and DeSantis said other groups might move in as well “and make it a collaborative space for a variety of organizations.”

The building also is home to the “Four Freedoms” murals. The four panels, which were painted by Tonya Smithburg in 2015, are in need of repairs, and DeSantis noted that “depending on the space needs of (SACA’s) community partners, there is a chance we’ll need to add an entrance and/or windows on the side of the building that currently supports the Four Freedoms murals. It is likely that only one panel will have to be moved to a different location on that wall.

“The murals will continue to have a home on our new property, and there is currently no sense of urgency for them to be repositioned or relocated.”

Norm English, president of Silverton Mural Society, said that SACA and the society are “working together to get this figured out. We believe that the depiction of Normal Rockwell’s illustrations during World War II are extremely important to celebrate and enjoy and the response [from the community] shows that [Silverton] believes they are important, too.”

A previous set of Four Freedoms murals, painted in 1994 by David McDonald, was destroyed when the Masonic Lodge on Main Street was razed in 2015.

The current SACA operation in the Community Center on South Water Street, does not have enough space to meet the agency’s needs.

A look inside the building on North Second Street that Silverton Area Community Aid plans to move into in the next year or so. The last two occupants of the building were breweries.

JAMES DAY

Water Mountain Restaurant!

$1,149,000

Stunning New Custom Home! OPEN HOUSE

Saturday & Sunday, March 18 & 19 •1 to 3 p.m.

2637 Bodhi Lane. 3015 s.f. of luxury. Salem address but in great Silverton School District. Super shared well (60 gpm), 3 bdrm, large den, living and bdrms all on main floor. Huge bonus upstairs. New septic. Paved roads and some landscaping when weather clears. Open concept with amazing great room, gourmet kitchen, gas fireplace, AC, sitting comfortably on 2.35 acres in the heart of farm country. Next to 2664 Bodhi Lane. Loads of covered decking, huge garage, plenty of room for a shop. This is one impressive place!

Dixon Bledsoe, Principal Broker, 503-602-4320 WVMLS#799507

$1,000,000

Turnkey business with 2 bdrm cottage, studio apartment, main and extended dining room. Sits beautifully on .94 acres just 1.25 miles to town. Approximately 3,000 s.f. of useable space. Price includes all inventory, equipment, land, apt, cottage, and loads of parking. Private septic, City water. Appointment only. Dixon Bledsoe, Principal Broker, 503-602-4320 WVMLS#802352

$529,900 Gorgeous Property!

1.52 acre home just 3 miles to Silverton. Nice view and lovely Manufactured Home with cedar shake siding. Pole barn, extended garage, tool shed, lush landscaping in back, open landscaping in front. Great deck, front and back. 1568 s.f., 3 bdrm/2bth. Cottage in back is perfect for building out an ADU or craft room. Just a beautiful property. Appointment Only. Dixon Bledsoe, Principal Broker, 503-602-4320 WVMLS#801682

$399,000

Bring Your Own Builder or Use Ours!

2664 Bodhi Lane, 2.27 acres, flat, buildable lot in the heart of farm country. New, strong well, new septic, paved soon. Salem address but great Silverton schools! WVMLS#801789

Dixon Bledsoe, Principal Broker, 503-602-4320

Silverton Senior Center welcomes 50-plus members

You don’t have to be retired to be a member of the Silverton Senior Center. You don’t even have to be 55 – the age at which many businesses begin offering a senior discount. In fact, anyone over the age of 50 can become a member and take advantage of the many activities and resources the organization provides.

“We weren’t 50-plus for a long time,” Executive Director Dodie Brockamp said. “But now it needs to come to the forefront.”

As the center adds new programming, Brockamp is soliciting input from members of all age groups.

“We want to be adaptable and meet the needs of the community,” she said. “And we want to know, what do 50-year-old people want to do and see?”

In answer to the question, the center has already honored two recent requests – one for more dances and the other for a community breakfast. Brockamp would like to add other activities and classes geared toward those in their 50s as well.

“People in their 40s and 50s need to start thinking about their aging future,” she pointed out. “So, we’re coming up with new ideas all the time.”

Silverton Senior Center membership is $48 per year. For more information, go to silvertonseniorcenter. org. To request a class or activity email, email dodiebrockamp@gmail.com.

– Melissa Wagoner

By James Day

The City of Silverton is accepting bids for rehab work on a modular unit that will serve as a warming shelter for clients of Sheltering Silverton.

The city has set aside $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the project. The closing date for bids is March 21. The bid process opened Feb. 28.

Sarah White, executive director of Sheltering Silverton, said that the project, which includes four pallet shelters, hopefully will be completed by early summer.

“Once the remodel on the modular building is completed and inspected, the city will turn that building over to our organization and we will lease the land,” White said, “We will also be putting up four microshelters which were previously purchased by the city on our behalf in 2020. Those shelters will provide transitional shelter for up to eight adults.

“The very rough timeline we are working toward is a June completion date, but we know that several factors could change that. We are hoping to partner with service groups in the community to finish out our outdoor garden space, complete a mural project on the building, and to support our guests as they transition into the new shelter community.”

The pallet shelter program is designed for those seeking to transition to permanent housing, while the warming shelter is set to house folks for only a night or two.

Key work planned for the modular unit, which is located at the city Public Works shops on McClaine Street, includes new interior walls for offices, bathrooms, a storage room with a janitorial supply closet, an entry room and a kitchenette. The structure

also will be painted and feature new flooring, cabinets, countertops and kitchen appliances. An electrical system will be installed as well as fire sprinklers and a 230-foot chain link fence that will surround the warming facility and pallet shelters. Excavation and utility boring will be necessary for power and communication lines.

Travis Sperle, director of Public Works for the City of Silverton, was slightly less optimistic than White of Sheltering Silverton about the construction schedule.

“I would estimate the project would be around September or October for full completion,” Sperle said.  The Silverton City Council voted to authorize the spending of the $250,000 in ARPA funds at its Oct. 17 work session.

The modular unit at the city of Silverton Public Works complex. The city is accepting bids on rehab work that is needed to enable the portable unit to be used by Sheltering Silverton. JAMES DAY

Silverton students honored with state FFA degrees

The Silverton High FFA program continues to shine in producing students who earn their state degrees.

A total of 13 Silverton FFA students will receive their state degrees March 18 at the Oregon FFA Convention at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond.

The state degree is the highest award a state FFA association can bestow upon its members. Recipients receive a charm that can be worn on their official jacket or on a chain.

Honored from Silverton will be seniors Rebecca Noordam, Kendra Kuenzi, Jackie Leao, Carson Kuenzi, Gabe Voll, Brandon Metzger, Carly VonFlue and Henry Bielenberg as well as juniors

Joanne Noordam, Kidron Schurter, David

Tribbett, Brandon Schurter and Jenna Schurter

Junior or senior class status is required because of the greenhand and chapter degrees that must be achieved first in the students’ freshman and sophomore years, said Scott Towery, the FFA adviser at Silverton.

Having 13 students earn the state degree is much higher than normal, said Towery, who noted that in his 17 years with the program the school averages about six to eight per year. That said, students in last year’s program received 14 state degrees.

A total of 104 state degrees have been earned by Silverton students since 2010, Towery said. In Oregon, which has 109 chapters, approximately 4 to 5 percent of participants achieve the state degree.

Achievements in academics, agriculture instruction, leadership and community service are necessary to fulfill the ten requirements for the state degree.

Silverton, Mount Angel schools focus on equity gaps

By Stephen Floyd

School districts in Silverton and Mount Angel have identified racial and cultural inequity as areas that need greater focus, based on student performance rates published by the state last year.

On Oct. 20, 2022, the Oregon Department of Education released its At-A-Glance reports, breaking down enrollment, test scores and other metrics for individual schools and districts.

In the Silver Falls School District, students performed above the state average in third-grade English with 50 percent meeting expectations, and eighth grade math at 34 percent. They also had exceptional numbers for twelfth graders expected to graduate on time, with 93 percent compared to 81 percent statewide.

Superintendent Scott Drue said the numbers that stood out to him related to student performance within specific demographics. During a Nov. 28, 2022, workshop of the SFSD Board, he noted Latinx eighth graders had a 10 percent performance rate in math compared to 37 percent for their white classmates, 25 percent in third grade English compared to 55 percent for white students, and 86 percent of Latinx twelfth graders were expected to graduate on time.

“Color of skin seems to be a determinant in performance,” said Drue.

He called student equity a “major civil rights issue” and said the district has the tools to help close performance gaps. He said one way would be to develop clear

expectations for students at the classroom level and communicate a clear purpose in instruction.

“It’s not OK to just say, ‘I taught it, they should have got it,” said Drue.

Down the highway in Mount Angel, officials saw a similar need to address performance gaps.

Overall, the district was slightly below the state average for English and math, at 39 percent and 27 percent, respectively. They were above the statewide average for credits earned by ninth graders at 84 percent, and below the average of twelfth graders expected to graduate at 77 percent.

Less than 5 percent of Latinx students met expectations for eighth grade math and 22 percent for third grade English, while 79 percent of Latinx freshmen were completing credits on time. An exception to this gap was the twelfth-grade progress toward graduation, with 83 percent of Latinx students on track to graduate compared to 73 percent of white classmates.

During a report to the MASD Board Nov. 14, 2022, Superintendent Rachel Stucky said these gaps were similar to pre-COVID numbers and reflect a historical trend in Mount Angel.

The board had identified long-standing achievement gaps as a policy priority during its Aug. 8, 2022 meeting. It is pursuing solutions that include parent focus groups, an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and regular community listening sessions.

The Force goes north Retired visual effects designer moves to Silverton

By Melissa Wagoner

You may not know the name Charlie Bailey but chances are you’ve seen at least one of the feature films he helped create during his 31-year career as a designer with Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), the visual effects company George Lucas founded during the production of the original Star Wars films.

“I was the luckiest person in the world,” Bailey said of the chance encounters that led him from working a dead-end construction job during the recession of 1971, to becoming first a model maker for the toy company Mattel, then for ILM.

“It’s been amazing,” Bailey admitted listing the 77 films – many of which went on to win tech awards, Oscars, Emmys and Clios – along with 28 commercials and four amusement park rides that he worked on during his career.

“We got an Academy Technical Award that first year.”

But, while the awards were nice, that wasn’t the only thing that kept Bailey working at ILM.

“It was just working with all the crazy people,” he laughed. “And that we never did anything twice.” Instead, the crew was constantly innovating.

“The hardest project was Howard the Duck,” Bailey said, referring to the

film produced by Lucas in 1986. “We needed a year and we had six months to come up with a duck – life-sized. We developed the animatronics and the head pieces. The prototype was really complex.”

It was also around this time that ILM was starting to explore a new medium – computer graphics.

“At first it was a real worry,” Bailey remembered. “But a lot of that technology was developed at ILM. [In 1985] Young Sherlock Holmes had

a knight that was the first digital character. And before that was [Star Trek:] The Wrath of Kahn with the first computer graphic sequence. People got so interested in computer graphics that it actually generated more work for us and improved our work for ten years.”

Improved, definitely not decreased.

“It was a minimum ten-hour day,” Bailey confirmed. Adding, “People like us were under a really strict schedule. Nobody ever missed a

deadline.”

Promoted in 1986 to manager of what had recently been renamed the “Creature Shop,” Bailey was inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2000, completing his last movie, Terminator: Salvation and his last project – the restoration of the Ark of the Covenant prop (from 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark) –before retiring in 2010.

“By the time I retired I was 65 and I was pretty worn out,” Bailey admitted. “And the business had tapered off – computer graphics had caught up to us.”

Then, in 2021 something else caught up to Bailey and his wife Pauli, who were then living in Sonoma, California – climate change.

“We got tired of the smoke from the forest fires and the drought,” he said. “And we thought, we’ll go north until we hit rain.”

Their travels eventually led them to Silverton where they bought a small home in an unassuming neighborhood where Bailey took up a new kind of design – the home garden variety –and few people know of his illustrious career.

But that seems to be OK with Bailey who, when asked how he likes his new, quieter life, says, “It’s not quite home yet, but I love it.”

Charlie Bailey, former toy designer for Mattel and model maker, Creature Shop Manager and model project supervisor for LucasFilm. MELISSA WAGONER

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A Silverton-area nursery has received a $540,000 state grant to help it grow seedlings needed for Oregon fire restoration efforts.

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The funds from the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) will allow Drakes Crossing Nursery to expand its business into greenhouse plug production of seedlings and have more stock available for emergencies such as the state’s rash of recent fires.

“In the past 54 years, our nursery has been solely a bareroot operation,” said Savannah Barnes, office manager at Drakes Crossing. “Bareroot seedlings on average have a growing cycle of two years. This process produces a great tree but doesn’t allow us to respond to possible environmental needs. For example, when wildfires burned our local forests, we didn’t have a seedling crop large enough to cover the reforestation demand.

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“Since our crop production follows a two-year cycle, we couldn’t increase our current stock fast enough to help local foresters with replanting needs. This grant has allowed us to move into greenhouse plug production. We have used the funds to purchase and construct 12 greenhouses (still under construction) with the sole purpose of producing plug seedlings. A one-year, same year planting season will give us the advantage of helping increase production when the necessity arises.”

The ODF has awarded $4.4 million in grants, ranging from $238,000 to $540,000 to ten Oregon nurseries. The bulk of the outlets are in the Willamette Valley, including Brooks Tree Farm in Salem, PRT Growing Services in Hubbard, Trillium Gardens in Eugene, Weyerhaeuser in Aurora and Turner and Kintigh Nursery in Springfield.

The funds came from allocations to the ODF from House Bill 5006, which aimed to respond to the devastating 2020 wildfires. In the wake of those fires, there were many barriers to reforesting, including shortages of money, labor, and for some smaller landowners appropriate tree seedlings.

Nurseries are using the funds to invest in everything from adding irrigation to building new greenhouses and seedbed

space as well as storage facilities for storing seedling trees. Funds can also go toward equipment, the cost of collecting or purchasing tree seeds and buying land on which to expand nursery facilities.

“These grants are increasing overall capacity across the state for whenever seedling demand rises,” said Astrea Strawn, ODF’s reforestation coordinator. Strawn said funds must be spent before the end of this summer.

“This makes us optimistic that landowners, especially smaller ones, will have better access to seedlings. When they do, they can promptly reforest after future tree losses to keep Oregon’s working forests working for Oregonians,” she said.

Barnes said Drakes Crossing is “excited to move into this next avenue of growing plug seedlings. Not only will the grant allow us to help our customers in a more effective way, but it will also give us the opportunity to harvest trees in both fall and spring seasons. This is new to us. We haven’t seen a grant written that benefits local reforestation and Christmas tree industries.”

To qualify for a grant, a nursery had to have experience growing high-quality commercial conifer trees for reforestation in Oregon, including Douglas-fir, grand fir, noble fir, western red cedar, ponderosa pine and others.

Which dovetails just fine with Drakes Crossing, which offers a wide variety of reforestation and Christmas tree seedlings, Barnes said.

A Drakes Crossing Nursery employee works with seedlings at the firm’s holdings in the Silverton hills. JAMES DAY

Sports & Recreation Silver Falls Park camping visits up

By James Day

Public use of state parks continues to rebound from the pandemic, a new state report shows, with camping visits at Silver Falls approaching pre-COVID levels.

Overall, Oregon State Parks experienced its second busiest camping and day-use year in history in 2022, the report says. Visitors logged 2.97 million camper nights, just 1.8 percent less than the record-breaking 2021 total. A total of 52 million day-use visits were recorded, down just 2.7% from the 2021 record.

Silver Falls State Park reported 71,828 camping visits in 2022, more than 20,000 more than during the 2020 COVID year, although still not as high as the 2018 figure of 79,167. Similar post-pandemic gains are present in the day-use figures as well. The main day-use facility near South Falls attracted 1,102,096 visits in 2022, well above the 877,044 in 2020. At North Falls the day use figure of 236,600 is 40,000 ahead of 2020.

Detroit Lake, Silver Falls, Willamette Mission and North Santiam are grouped in the valley region of Oregon State Parks. The valley area showed the healthiest increases in usage, with a 7.78 percent increase in camping and a 4 percent increase in day use. The coastal and mountain regions either showed declines or were flat.

Coastal facilities, however, turned in the best camping totals, led by Fort Stevens (318,740), South Beach (215,768), Nehalem Bay (194,829), Jessie M. Honeyman (179,306) and Beverly Beach (170,673).

Two parks surpassed 2 million visitors, Yaquina Bay (2,383,854) and the Valley of the Rogue (2,149,928).

Silver Falls State Park was among the seven sites at more than 1 million with its total of 1,338,696, which includes both the South Falls and North Falls day use areas.

At Detroit Lake, camping visits hit 93,100, the park’s best showing since a 96,466 figure in 2019. In addition

to the pandemic, Detroit-area recreation sites also struggled amid the recovery efforts from the 2020 Labor Day wildfires. Recreation is a big economic driver in the Detroit area, with businesses producing 60 percent of their revenue in August alone.

Detroit State Recreation Area had 158,064 day-use visits in 2022, down significantly from 204,404 in 2021. That 2022 number, however, marks a healthy increase from 2020, the peak of the pandemic-fire impact, when just 149,016 visited the recreation area.

North Santiam State Recreation Area in Lyons, which transitioned last year to operations by Marion County, received essentially no visitors or camping use in 2021 and 2022 because of the fires. The park has now resumed operations for picnicking, camping and boat launching. Willamette Mission has 1,666 camping visits, a dramatic increase from the 56 in the COVID year. Day use visits were at 316,224, a healthy increase from the 263,056 in the COVID year.

Mountain biking club gears up for new season

A Silverton-area mountain biking club is getting ready for a fourth season and is looking for new riders to become members.

The Silver Falls MTB started in 2020 and focuses on riders in grades 6-12. The club started with 12 riders and was at 22 last season.

Club members practice Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. starting in mid-July on trails in Silver Falls State Park such as the Newt Loop, the Catamount and the new Roemer Meadow trail that head coach Terrance Hawley said “is quickly becoming a team favorite.”

The club is affiliated with the National Interscholastic Association (NIOCA) and will be participating in a 5-race NICA season starting August.

Equipment needed by new riders includes a bike,

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a helmet, water bottle, tubes, tools and a pump. Race jerseys cost $60 and race registration is $275. Sponsorships are available.

“We are trying to get a more diverse population of bikers and would love to add more female riders to our numbers,” said Hawley. “We [also] are currently in need of sponsors to help get loaner bikes for new riders and offset coaching costs.”

Hawley said that parent volunteers also are needed to bring food to races, find group camping for races and help round up sponsors to help the team financially.

Those interested in assisting should contact silverfallsmtb@gmail.com.

– James Day

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North Falls along the Trail of Ten Falls in Silver Falls State Park. JAMES DAY

Winter wrapup Foxes 4th in girls hoops, JFK’s Geschwill wins title

By James Day

A light snow was falling in Corvallis at 9 a.m. Friday when the Silverton High girls tipped off against Rex Putnam of Milwaukie in the game for 4th place at the OSAA Class 5A basketball tournament.

The Foxes started cold as well, missing 20 of their first 21 shots while falling behind by 7 points. But Silverton righted the ship, and went on a 9-2 run in the third period to take a lead the Foxes would not relinquish in a hard-fought 40-34 win. Silverton, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, finished 22-6 in its first year under coach Alyssa Ogle and took home its first state trophy since 2018, when the Foxes finished third. “This feels awesome,” Ogle told Our Town. “I just couldn’t imagine working with  a better group of kids than we have right now.”

The Foxes trailed 11-4 after that 1-for-21 start, but layups by Kyleigh Brown and Justina Semerikov and a 3-pointer by Lily Hayashida tied the game at 11-11.

Putnam led 14-13 at halftime, but Silverton answered with a 12-2 run in the third period to take a 25-18 edge into the final period

Rowan Reilly gave the Foxes their first lead at 17-16, with a Grace Hayashida free throw and layups by Hannah Bashor and Brown pushing the lead to 6. After 2 free throws by Putnam’s Rylee Lemen, Brown sank a 3-point for the 25-18 lead.

The Kingsmen didn’t quit, eventually within 31-30 with 2:45 left on 2 more foul shots by Lemen. But the Foxes hit their free throws down the stretch,with Brown making 4 of 5 and freshman Allie Mansur 3 of 4 to keep the Kingsmen at Bay.

Brown scored 18 points and added 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals for the Foxes. Grace Hayashida added 7 points, while Bashor and Semeriko each contributed 4

points and 5 rebounds.

“This feels good, but it’s not what we wanted,” said Brown, a 5-8 junior. “But we’re happy to go home with a trophy.”

Brown, who had a target on her back the entire tournament, praised her teammates, noting “a lot of people stepped up. This is a fantastic group. We have good team chemistry and love each other.”

Brown finished the tournament with 42 points, 26 rebounds, 10 steals and 7 assists while making 22 of 27 free throws.

Kennedy boys basketball: The Trojans achieved their highest finish ever in the Class 2A tournament, taking third place at the March 2-4 event in Pendleton. Kennedy downed Tri-River foe Santiam 56-46 in the quarterfinals, fell 38-35 in overtime to TriRiver foe Salem Academy in the semifinals and dominated Heppner 65-30 in the game for third place.

“We came so close to playing for that championship,” JFK coach Karl Schmidtman told OurTown. “The game was back and forth with lots of lead changes and both teams had possessions late in the game

that could have decided the outcome.

“After a tough loss like that, you never really know how your team is going to respond and we came out with great energy and confidence against Heppner on Saturday.  We would have loved to have a chance to play for that title, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work out this time around.”

Kennedy’s Ethan Kleinschmit was named first-team all-tournament, with teammate Luke Beyer earning a slot on the second team. The Trojans finished 24-6. Salem Academy went on to defeat another Tri-River team, Western Christian, in the title game. Five of the 8 boys teams came from the Tri-River.

Wrestling: Kennedy’s Alexandra Geschwill captured the first state wrestling title in Trojans history by downing Julietta Leal of La Pine 3-2 in the title match at 130 pounds. Also scoring points for the JFK girls was Jenrose Ifenuk at 190 pounds. The Trojans scored 23 team points and finished 15th in the 4A-3A-2A-1A competition. Adan Reyes (113), Jesus Espinoza (120) and Mathew Chapman (195) all participated for the Kennedy boys, who

finished with 4 team points in the 2A-1A meet.

Silverton, meanwhile, finished seventh in the Class 5A meet with 101.5 points.

“I thought the kids performed great,” coach Jared Wilson said. “Most of our kids performed above their seed, which is always the goal.”

Two Foxes finished second in their weight class, Steven Powell (182) and Brash Henderson (220). Powell, seeded No. 5, knocked off the top seed to reach the finals. Henderson, seeded third, defeated the No. 2 to reach his finals slot.

Kingston Meadors (106) took third, while Bo Zurcher (132) and Oscar Marks (160) lost in matches for third place. Joshua Jones (152) and Dalton Richie (285) also participated for the Foxes.

“I was really proud of how Oscar Marks and Bo Zurcher competed,” Wilson said. The Silverton girls squad scored state meet points for the first time, with McKayla Bonham and Lilly Kamstra both taking fourth in their weight classes.

The Silverton girls basketball squad is shown after finishing fourth at the Class 5A tournament Friday, Mach 10, at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis. The Foxes downed Rex Putnam, 40-34, on Friday to capture 4th place.  JAMES DAY

Coming home Former Foxes McCarty, Ratliff regroup

By James Day

In the quarterfinals of the Class 5A boys basketball tournament last March, Silverton was locked in a tight struggle with Crescent Valley.

The Raiders led throughout, but the Foxes kept answering. With 2:40 left, point guard Jordan McCarty uncorked a blistering no-look cross-court pass to a wide-open Austin Ratliff cutting to the hoop. He laid it off the glass to tie the game 45-45. Moments later the Foxes took their first lead and went on to win 49-47 on their way to a runner-up finish in the tournament.

After the C.V. game I was talking with then-Foxes coach Jamie McCarty, Jordan’s father, and I brought up the pass. He just smiled and said something like “they’ve been doing that since the fifth grade.”

Long-time buddies and teammates McCarty and Ratliff and a boatload of other Silverton athletes led the school’s athletic program to perhaps its most successful season in 2021-22. QB McCarty and DB-WR Ratliff helped the Foxes claim the 5A football

title with a 26-20 win vs. Thurston at Hillsboro Stadium. In the winter, as noted, the Foxes finished second in 5A hoops, falling in the title match to perennial power Wilsonville. In the spring Ratliff was a sprinter and McCarty a relay participant as the Foxes claimed the team title at the 5A track and field meet at Hayward Field in Eugene. Girls golf took second at state, and there were strong showings by other teams: boys soccer, volleyball, girls basketball and softball all made the state quarterfinals.

Silverton finished fourth in the OSAA Cup, the annual competition that also credits schools for academics and sportsmanship.

Ratliff and McCarty moved on to the Air Force Academy prep school, with hopes of eventually playing football for the Falcons. Things didn’t work out. Both athletes have returned to Oregon, with Ratliff walking on

at Oregon State and McCarty enrolling at Western Oregon. Both will be eligible to play in the fall at their new schools, with Ratliff studying finance and McCarty a business major.

“Throughout my time [there] I realized that the Academy wasn’t the path I wanted to go down, and me and my family came to the decision of looking for a new home,” McCarty told Our Town

Ratliff offered similar thoughts.

“The deciding factor was that I wanted to play football at the highest level possible and do it in

my home state,” he said. “Additionally, the lifestyle at Air Force was not for me, and I am excited for a new start.”

The decisions could be viewed by some as admissions of failure. As in “hot-shot athletes from a small pond can’t compete with the big boys and come back home.”

But I don’t think that that is what is happening here. And to me, it misses a key point about sports – and life.

Sometimes, knowing where you need to be is one of the most valuable bits of knowledge. Yes, it takes moxie to stick with something, especially when it isn’t working that well. But it also takes guts to pull up stakes and try again somewhere else. It’s also worth noting that the service academy structure is not for everybody.

So, speaking selfishly, I’m pleased that Ratliff and McCarty are back in Oregon, giving us the opportunity to watch them play. Speaking more broadly I think there are lessons here for all of us. McCarty and Ratliff will succeed in the classroom. As well as succeed in life.

Jordan McCarty.

Austin Ratliff. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Grand L Series

SSV Series

Proposed RV Park Leaning

During the past several days I have been keeping tabs on an ongoing social media conversation about the proposed 22 space recreational vehicle park near Mark Twain Elementary School and it has really got me to thinking – what is it those who are opposed to the addition of another RV park in Silverton fear most?

Even as I write those words I realize they might raise a few hackles, especially of those whose homes are near the proposed site. And to them I will say, I understand your worries. I also worry each time there is a change in my neighborhood, big or small. And this proposed addition is going to be a big change.

If built, there is sure to be more traffic, a need for new and different infrastructure and there will be an increased number of people – some long term but many short term – moving in. And I understand that all of that is a real cause for concern to those who live, work or have children being educated nearby.

But might it also be an opportunity as well?

Because there are a lot of people who have family or jobs in Silverton but can’t afford to live here. For them, living in a low-cost RV might be a really smart option.

In fact, I know many hard-working, community-minded people who have chosen life in an RV over the purchase or rental of a traditional home because… …they are retired. My husband has been a park ranger for over 20 years and so I have gotten to know many amazing retirees who have downsized in order to travel. Many volunteer, they

into a fear of the unknown

run programs, clean bathrooms and use whatever skills they have to make their temporary homes a wonderful place and become an active part of the community in whatever RV park or campground they reside.

…they work remotely. I know whole families who, because one or both parents are able to “work from home,” they have chosen a nomadic life. The world is their classroom, the outdoors is their living room and their RV park neighbors are their community. They have chosen to see every day as a chance to explore somewhere new rather than to spend their time and money pursuing a mortgage and a more “traditional” life. …owning or renting a home is just too expensive. My family has, for several years, owned an RV park in Eastern Oregon. It has numerous long-term renters, many of whom are on a fixed income because they are retired, have a disability, or sometimes both. Others

have jobs, but simply earn too low a wage for them to put any money aside for a downpayment or a deposit on a home. Instead, they have made their RV their home. They build decks, plant tomatoes in pots, hang patio lights and fly colorful flags. And I can attest that walking through these “neighborhoods” is no different than walking through my own. In fact, in many cases I find them friendlier. With smaller indoor spaces the outdoor spaces get more use. People wave, say hello, they walk their dogs and help each other when someone has a need. Which is why I have found occasion to ask myself, as I read through the myriad comments, rife with concern about the proposed RV park, what is the real concern? Is it, as has been stated many times, a developer accused of not being forthright with his plans? Or is it a fear of the unknown – a change to the place we all love?

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Chuck White Broker 873-3545 ext. 325

Mason Branstetter Principal Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 303

Kirsten Barnes Broker 873-3545 ext. 326

Whitney Ulven Broker, GRI 503-873-3545 ext. 320

Mike Ulven Broker 503-873-3545 ext. 312

Meredith Wertz Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 324

Ryan Wertz Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 322

Sarah Sanders Property Manager 873-3545 ext. 311

Micha Christman Office Manager 873-1425

Becky Craig Principal Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 313

Michael Schmidt Principal Broker GRI 873-3545 ext. 314

Tayler Whitaker Secretary 873-3545 ext. 300

Jason Marshall Broker 873-3545 ext 302