Our Town North: Oct. 1, 2023

$1,750,000

Single level home 3 bd. 3ba. + income producing daycare facility, $4K monthly lease income plus 3.12 acres buildable parcel zoned AR. 6868 Cascade Hwy NE, Silverton. MLS#809384

Joe Joe & Dana Giegerich If you’re thinking of buying or selling contact The Giegerich Team !

Dana

$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

$1,350,000

Private Estate on 31.32 acres, 5 bd, 2ba. 2562 sq. ft. Timber framed home, Greenhouses, Timber. 5952 Peaks View RD NE Scotts Mills 97375. MLS#808546

$595,000

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

$998,000

40.83 acres, 3 bedrooms, 1 ba. lodge style home, 24x48 shop with water & power. 20 yr. plus timber, borders BLM. Seller contract. 20739 Hazelnut Ridge Rd. NE, Scotts Mills. MLS#802816

$899,000

Creek front Estate on 1.040 acres. 3 bd, 2.5 ba. granite kitchen counters, hardwood floors, open floor plan, shop bldg. 17576 Abiqua Rd. NE, Silverton. MLS#808202

Under Contract SOLD! Under Contract SOLD! NEW!

$550,000

4.65 acres, 2 parcels. Ideal for agriculture development. EFU zoning. Seller will carry a contract. Monitor Road, Silverton. MLS#807519

$335,000

$335,000

S. Abiqua Rd. Silverton, Beautiful, buildable creek front homesite on 1.420 acres. MLS#806096

$499,000

Dual living, log home, 3bd. 2 ba. & MFG home with 3bd. 1.5 ba., on 1.06 ac parcel, sm. wood shop/ garden shed. 215 Fourth St., Scotts Mills MLS#804645

$799,000

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

$

359,000

Close to downtown Silverton, 2bd, 1ba. 1180 sq ft craftsman style home. Large fenced backyard. Ideal investment. 620 Water St., Silverton

MLS#809238

$285,000

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

MLS#777782

$335,000

Under Contract

S. Abiqua RD Silverton, Beautiful, buildable creek front homesite on 1.350 acres. MLS#806095

$325,000

2 acres buildable! Approved for standard septic. Water well. Sel ler will carry contract. 7685 Dovich Ln SE, Turner. MLS#778883

$127,500

Under Contract

In

By Melissa Wagoner

When Alicia and Justin Roney learned their son Maverick’s daycare – the TLC Child Development Center located at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mt. Angel – was closing its doors, effective immediately, they panicked.

“My husband called the daycare and said, ‘What the heck? We need daycare,’” Alicia said, recalling the position they and dozens of other families who relied upon TLC for childcare found themselves in.

“It was the only childcare option,” Alicia said. “So, we said, we’ll take this on.”

And that’s exactly what they did. With Alicia’s sister, Natalie Olson, installed as head teacher, the Roneys opened their own childcare option – Sweet Pea Learning Center – in the fall of 2022.

“It’s been fun but a lot of work,” Alicia – who spends three days a week working at the center while continuing her work as a psychiatric nurse at the Oregon State Hospital – said. Adding, “The hardest is staffing because it’s so much more than finding someone who wants to work with children. We’re really competing – especially with Silverton – to find people.”

While staffing has been a continual problem, enrollment

Wagon wheel dollers’

has not. In fact, when yet another daycare – the Providence Benedictine Child Development Center – closed its doors eight months ago, the Roney’s agreed to open another center, this time on the campus of John F. Kennedy High School. “Rachel [Stucky] had the interest first,” Alicia said, crediting the Mt. Angel School District’s Superintendent with the initial idea. “She used to be the Director of Head Start.”

Designed to eventually offer a Pathways Program in Early Childhood Education to students at JFK, the center will initially offer discounted childcare for teachers and staff and free childcare to students.

“It’s a taboo topic,” Alicia said of the ongoing need teen parents have to access affordable childcare. “Nobody wants to talk about it…But it’s a passion project of mine.”

Initially offering two classroom aide positions beginning next semester, the program will give students interested in learning more about early childhood development hands-on experience working directly with the teachers and children.

“It’ll be learning as you go,” Alicia explained. “But that’s the best way to learn. And the goal is that, down the road, they can hire an early childhood teacher.” That will enable the school to offer a classroom component as well.

“We’re really excited,” Alicia said about the future. As of Oct. 30, she will be overseeing, not one, but two locations filled with children ages zero to five whose families rely upon Sweet Pea Learning Center for daily childcare.

“We have 35 families enrolled that depend on us to be there and be reliable,” she confirmed.

“And a lot of our families own businesses, so if we close, they close,” Justin continued.

“So, we never close because…you have to go to work,” Alicia finished. “And we’ve been welcomed with open arms.” For information visit www.sweetpealearningcenter.com

Alicia Roney, center, and the Sweet Pea staff are preparing to open a childcare center at Kennedy High. It will be their second location. MELISSA WAGONER

By Melissa Wagoner

When it comes to healthcare, double board certified, nurse practitioner Elizabeth Diaz believes knowledge is everything – it’s how she was raised.

“My parents always instilled that education is the only thing that’s going to get you through life,” Diaz said. So, at the age of 11, Diaz began volunteering at Silverton Hospital in the hopes of one day becoming a doctor.

“For me it was like, I want to go into medicine,” Diaz recalled.

Which meant taking every opportunity that came her way including becoming a certified nursing assistant at 15 – the youngest in her class – working in the Providence Benedictine Nursing Center’s birthing unit throughout high school. In her junior year, she became a certified pharmacy technician.

“I wanted to know more about how medications work,” Diaz said. “I knew, if I would be prescribing them, I wanted to know the why.”

Upon graduation, Diaz attended Linfield University’s nursing program, before eventually being hired as an Emergency Room nurse at the Oregon Health and Sciences University in Portland. Diaz discovered the job to be a good fit, but 2017 she found herself ready to move on.

Blossom Beautifully Medical Aesthetics

Elizabeth Diaz

Initially hesitant to seek out a treatment, Diaz did what she has always done, she learned as much as she could about the procedure.

“When a patient comes in – like your 50-year-old or mid-40-year-old – and they say, I have these fine lines. I say, tell me about your diet. Tell me about what you’re applying,” Diaz said. “A lot of it has to do with patient-centered care.

“When a patient comes here, I want them to know everything about the procedure they’re interested in,” Diaz said. “Because I love educating and being there for my patients.”

“I wanted to do more for my patients,” she explained. She went back to school, this time to become a family nurse practitioner, in the hopes of building something completely new in her hometown. Which is how, on Oct. 1, 2022, Blossom Beautifully Medical Aesthetics came into being.

“Skincare has always been a very important part of my life…” Diaz said of the decision to open a practice primarily focused on skin.

“I had a lot of skin struggles in my life and then two years ago I started getting Botox. A lot of it was to boost self-confidence.”

“I went to a nurse practitioner, and it made me feel good,” Diaz recalled. “And so, I thought, why don’t I provide that in my little community?”

Now, on its first anniversary, Blossom Beautifully is doing just that, thriving as a part of Silverton’s downtown by offering enhancements like Botox as well as acne treatments and skincare and nutrition advice.

“It’s whole wellness care for men and women both – anyone who has skincare concerns and anyone who wants to have a boost in self-confidence and feel comfortable in their own skin,” Diaz said. “It’s a matter of educating the patient.”

It’s a kind of transparency she believes everyone deserves regardless of gender, race or socioeconomic status. Which is why she keeps fees low and her office approachable.

“It’s always been a struggle for farm workers and moms to take time out of their busy day,” she said, pointing out that, before Blossom Beautifully opened, the nearest comparable practice was in Salem.

“My dream would be to make a difference in someone’s life,” she said, “to improve their mental health, help them on their weight loss journey and be able to offer more medical, non-surgical services.”

Since we were children, making and keeping friends has been an important aspect of our lives. It develops us as people and improves our social skills.

Moving to an independent living community during the Fall & Winter can be a smart, strategic move. It’s a good time of year to move for many reasons. Read on for four reasons why it could be right for you. Winter = holidays. And holidays entail lots of occasions for families to get together and celebrate. With all the gatherings taking place, it’s a great time to get everyone involved in your move.

It’s a “bright” thing to do. When cold temperatures set in and the months are dark and dreary, many seniors can feel isolated and alone. A move in the fall or winter can be just the ticket for fixing this loneliness. You can make new friends immediately. Goodwill and cheer abound during the holidays. Our staff and your new neighbors will make your winter brighter.

Fall & Winter may be a good time to sell your home. Depending on the area, there may be less inventory. Buyers who are looking during the winter months tend to be more serious about purchasing a home. Homes listed in the Fall & Winter have a greater likelihood of selling and sometimes sell a week faster than homes listed in any other season.

Moving could cost less. Spring and Summer are very busy times for movers. In the Fall & Winter, fewer people are moving, so you are likely to pay less for their services. Independent senior living is a time of freedom, fun, and fulfillment. Give yourself the retirement you deserve. Kick off your new year with a bang by moving to Country Meadows Village this winter!

155 S. Evergreen Road, Woodburn 503-982-2221 CountryMeadowsVillage.com

JULIE NIGHTINGALE

Community Relations Director at Country Meadows Village

Buy • Sell • Auction • Rentals

$1,173,000 Incredible

SF home located on 74.94 Acres~ Stunning South-facing views of Abiqua Valley~ Metal roof~ 2 small ponds~ 22 AC of Nekia soils~ 52+ acres of forestland replanted in 2020~ Shop built in 2020 & is permitted for additional living~ Scotts Mills~ Jackson Sherwood 971-343-2475 MLS#807702

$679,900 Private & quiet acreage 4bd/2.5ba~2043 SF~ 4.78 AC~4 stall barn w/one paddock & 2 fenced pastures ~4th bed room needs closet~Bonus room~ Mostly level acreage w/plenty of trees & room for all your animals~ Sublimity~ Robin Kuhn 503-930-1896

MLS#801384

$462,000 Charming Single level home w/finished attic bedroom~4bd/2ba~ 1672 SF~ Near Silver Creek, library & downtown~ Large patio~Nice side yard~Plenty of storage~ Mature landscape~ Silverton~ Robin Kuhn 503-930-1896

MLS#808600

$440,000 Stunning Single level 3bd/2ba~1360

SF~ Great floor plan~ Vaulted ceilings in the main area~New roof in 2022~ New A/C in 202~ Furnance & water heater in 2021~ Shed~ Fully Fenced backyard~ Mt Angel~ Korinna Barcroft 503-851-1283 MLS#809438

$287,000 Build your dream home on 2.01 Acres~ Buildable lot w/ views of Mt Jefferson~ Fenced~ Septi approved~ Salem~ Jackson Sherwood 971-343-2475 MLS#806358

7294 Elmers Ct, Silverton~ Robin Kuhn 503-930-1896~MLS#801214

$1,170,000 Grand & timeless 10 acre country estate! 7bd/3.5ba~ 4157 SF~ 10.02 AC~ Mountain & sunrise views~ Upgrades from top to bottom include custom cabinets, white oak hardwood, granite counter tops & radiant floor heating~Basement w/separate entrance~ Library~Barn~ 4 pastures~ Solar Panels~Molalla~ Donna Paradis 503-851-0998 MLS#806714

$650,000 Two story home with abundance of natural light and open floor plan! 3bd/2ba~ 2508 SF~ Bonus room could be 4th bedroom if closet is added~Views from living room~Two separate living areas~ Silverton~ Robin Kuhn 503-930-1896 MLS#806675

$450,000 3bd/2ba~ 1476 SF~ Singel level home~ Vinyl windows~ Gas furnace~ Heat pump & water softener~Orignal wood cabinets through-out~Covered patio~ Storage shed~ Fenced backyard~ Mt Angel~ Rosie Wilgus 503-409-8779 MLS#809793

$425,000 Single level located in one of Mt Angels most desirable neighborhoods! 3bd/2ba~ 1159 SF~ Well manted~ Mt Angel~ Cynthia Johnson 503-551-0145 MLS#808387

By Melissa Wagoner

The Silverton Sidewalk Shindig, which will celebrate its 12th year on Oct. 7, is going to look a little bit different this year.

“The biggest, newest change is that we’re going to have the Music Mainstage at 217 Lewis Street – the old Your Break Tavern,” lead organizer, Sarah Weitzman, said. “And the information center will be at Town Square Park along with the kids’ activities.”

Kicking off at noon, the Shindig will feature over 45 bands on outdoor stages scattered throughout Silverton’s downtown.

“Over 50 percent are local,” Weitzman said. “And this year we have a good percentage of new bands.”

Including Glitz Krieg, a “glam heavy metal rock” band from Euguene.

“And then we do have some old favorites,” Weitzman continued, listing the Crying Omas and last year’s fan favorite, SCSB – a teen bluegrass band – as two of the year’s notable acts.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Shindig will also feature music from nearly every musical genre including country, rock, folk, Hawaiian and even Zimbabwean.

“It’s one of the funnest days of the year in Silverton,” Weitzman said.

“It’s something my family looks forward to every year,” fellow organizer Poppy Shell Wiegand added, “because the music is so diverse.”

$269,900 Buildable lot in West Salems most desirable neighborhood!

.51 AC to build for dream home on~ Salem~ Valerie Boen 503-871-1667 MLS#809200

Because each of the stages is located outdoors, the event is free and available to everyone. “It’s not in a bar,” organizer Emily Pawlak pointed out. “So, kids can come.”

And they do – whole families, with multiple generations, from across the state.

“The hotels were all booked up last year,” Pawlak said.

Silverton Sidewalk Shindig

Downtown Silverton

Oct. 7 Kicking off at noon

Map and schedule available on Facebook and at Town Square Park

While organizers say, due to the nature of the event it is impossible to say precisely how many people have attended in the past, the group estimates the number to be somewhere around 3,000.

“Historically businesses tell us it’s the best day of the year,” Weitzman said. Which comes as no surprise to planner Elizabeth Hess, who commented, “When you’re standing on the street it’s fabulous.”

Torch crowdfunding campaign succeeds

A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign – initiated Aug. 1 by historian, Gus Frederick, and a group referring to themselves as the “Silverton Freethinkers” – has succeeded in raising over $2,500 to fund the digitization of The Torch of Reason, a weekly newspaper published by the Liberal Oregon University from 1896 to 1903.

“It was a prominent voice during the ‘Golden Age of Freethought,’ advocating for secularism, science, and reason in a time when religious conservatism dominated American society,” Frederick wrote. The funds will be used to digitize the paper’s 2978 pages to make them accessible at www.oregonnews. uoregon.edu in six to nine months.

Shindig street singer MADDY TRAVERS PHOTOGRAPHY

Failing pieces Unexpected repairs impact budget, emergencies threaten safety

Editor’s note: Our Town is presenting a school-by-school review of the facility challenges at each building covered by the Silver Falls School District bond proposal on the Nov. 7 ballot. For previous stories go to ourtownlive.com.

By Stephen Floyd

Mark Twain and Robert Frost elementary schools both recently had extreme examples of building failures during the start of a school year.

In fall of 2022, the boilers at Robert Frost had to be replaced after a routine maintenance check revealed they were disintegrating. Supply chain shortages still rippled through the economy and facilities staff had to scramble to find parts and contractors.

They succeeded in finishing repairs before winter set in, but at great cost to the Silver Falls School District’s (SFSD) facilities budget. The unexpected expense derailed a planned resurfacing of the parking lot at Silverton High School.

Then on Sept. 5 of this year – the first day of school – a glass skylight fell 16 feet to the floor of a classroom at Mark Twain, shattering directly next to a table used for group instruction. The window frame, likely original to the 1958 building, suffered from undetected dry rot and simply gave way.

No one was in the room at the time. School had let out just minutes before. Other skylights in the building were

PROPOSED SILVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND EXPENDITURES

* Plan assumes $138M bond passes, earning a $4M State grant, creating the $142M total fund

assessed by a specialist and are not considered immediate problems, but are being kept closed unless they can be replaced.

SFSD officials said there are few examples more vivid than these of the need for facility improvements at its schools. District spokesperson Derek McElfresh said, when a pane of glass drops where minutes before a 6-year-old stood, “obviously there are things that need to be done.”

Now Offering Same Day CROWNS

$ 99 New Patient Special

Cannot be combined with other offers. Limit one coupon per customer. Does not apply towards periodontal maintenance, peridontal scaling/ root planning. Expires: December 31, 2023.

“That’s what bonds are for,” he added.

Over the last several months the SFSD Bond Advisory Committee and district officials – following a series of schoolby-school community listening sessions – constructed a plan to address critical facility challenges to student safety and well-being.

After reviewing the proposal, the SFSD board decided to put the $138 million bond measure necessary to carry out those plans before the voters on the Nov. 7

Coming

ballot. If passed, a state grant of $4 million would also be awarded.

The bond addresses repairs and renovations at 10 district-owned schools, and replaces Silverton Middle School.  For property owners within the district, the estimated cost per thousand tax increase over the current rate is $1.60 per $1,000 in assessed value.

The plan calls for $9.3 million for Mark Twain and $16.3 million for Robert Frost.

Update

“We are absolutely pleased with Whitney and Mike’s service and 110% recommend them to anyone looking for their future home in the area. Do yourself a favor and link up with Mike & Whitney to find your next forever home for you and your family!” – a Happy Client

Have Whitney and Mike Ulven of Silverton Realty lead you on your journey home!

Whitney & Mike Ulven cell: 503-705-6118

whitney@silvertonrealty.com mike@silve rtonrealty.com

303 Oak St. Silverton • www.SilvertonRealty.com

Continued from page 9

Mark Twain

Falling skylight aside, Mark Twain is in need of multiple upgrades common to a 65-yearold building.

Facilities Director Jeff Alderman said the school is notorious for roof leaks. During the rainy season his workers are often forced to triage which leaks get fixed. He said sometimes the calls come in daily and thirdparty roofing companies are hired just to keep up.

Replacing the roof is high on the list of bond projects at Mark Twain, as well as a new HVAC system and the replacement of windows – like the skylight. There are also areas that require asbestos abatement. Plumbing, electrical and other utilities would also be replaced if the bond passes. The building also has significant security needs, with many unsecured doors that lead directly outside, potentially allowing adults or students to go in or out unnoticed. Proposed security upgrades include key card access, as well as security cameras.

As is common with structures built before 1990, Mark Twain has multiple ADA access challenges.

The gym, music room and sensory room are all on one level below the rest of the school. The only ramp access is through an exterior door. Any student who requires ramp access would have to go outside, then down a firstfloor hallway to access a restroom.

At the main entrance, ADA access requires use of a gravel path difficult to traverse for anyone in a wheelchair. The bond proposal includes sidewalk improvements and new entry ramps among other upgrades.

Robert Frost

The classrooms at Robert Frost get so warm on sunny days parents are encouraged to send kids to school with water bottles to stay hydrated during class. This is due to poor ventilation after the HVAC system deteriorated following the building’s construction in 1970.

Principal Jamie McCarty said some parents keep kids home on hot days because the temperature in a classroom can be 10 degrees warmer than outside, or worse in a crowded class.

“You go into a classroom of 30 (students) and it’s just roasting,” he said. “...It’s brutal.”

McCarty said warm classrooms have led to “tough days” for teachers when it is already

challenging to keep kids engaged. One teacher, during hot days this September, brought an AC unit from home to cool down her class.

An HVAC upgrade is one of the highest priorities at Robert Frost, as well as the replacement of other utilities like electrical, sewer and plumbing. There are also plans to improve security and ADA accessibility and to perform hazardous material abatement. One improvement both teachers and administrators called a potential “gamechanger” would be a new gymnasium, which would allow the current gym to become a dedicated cafeteria.

When the school was first built, the gym was intended to be multi-use and a kitchen was installed across the hall. Then in 2019 the state increased the minimum hours of PE necessary for elementary students and the gym had to be dedicated to classes. This forced the school to install a cafeteria in what was once half of the library, in a central, open area in the classroom wing. The smaller space requires more frequent lunch periods to accommodate all students, resulting in three hours of disturbance right outside classrooms. The bond would fund a new gymnasium allowing the cafeteria to move back to its old location.

McCarty said approval of the bond would allow Robert Frost to “better-serve our students in all capacities.”

SFEA endorses bond

The teachers’ union for the Silver Falls School District has come out in support of a proposed $138 million facilities bond on the Nov. 7 ballot.

During the Sept. 11 meeting of the SFSD board, Lori Wyer, president of the Silver Falls Education Association, said a two-thirds majority of members had voted to endorse the bond.

The proposal would address infrastructure needs at all 11 schools and Wyer said these improvements were vital for education.

“We feel strongly that this bond is in the best interest of our students and it’s what they deserve. Period,” Wyer said. “We’re anxious to see how it turns out in November, but we’re very hopeful we’ll be able to achieve this.”

Whitney & Mike Ulven, Brokers Licensed in the State of Oregon.

Dog owner indicted in Joe Keeton death

By Stephen Floyd

A Bend woman has been indicted for manslaughter after her three dogs mauled a former Silverton man to death in July.

Jessica Rae Charity, 38, was indicted Sept. 15 in Deschutes County Circuit Court for second-degree manslaughter and criminallynegligent homicide for the July 19 death of Joe Keeton, 56.

The indictment accused Charity of “unlawfully and recklessly” causing Keeton’s death, but did not describe why she was allegedly responsible. A spokesperson for the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office told Our Town they were not able to discuss the facts underlying the charges at this time.

A $100,000 warrant was issued for Charity’s arrest and as of press time she remained at large. If convicted, Charity faces at least 75 months in prison.

Wanted California man arrested in Silverton

Silverton police have arrested a wanted California man after he allegedly attempted to attack another man with a gun last month.

Gary Rayford Chipman, 44, of Rohnert Park, California, was arrested Sept. 9 after allegedly attempting to harm another man with a firearm. Chipman is not allowed to possess a weapon due to a 2019 felony conviction out of Butte County, California.

He was indicted Sept. 18 in Marion County Circuit Court for unlawful use of a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm and held in lieu of $50,000 bail. He also has an active $30,000 warrant for pending matters in Rohnert Park. As of press time, Chipman remained in the Marion County Jail.

90 days for felony DUII

A Mount Angel man was sentenced to 90 days in jail and had his driver’s license suspended for life after pleading guilty to a felony charge of intoxicated driving.

Austin James Berning, 28, pleaded guilty in Marion County Circuit Court Aug. 31 to DUII and recklessly endangering another person for a traffic incident Dec. 19, 2022.

Berning had two prior convictions for DUII in 2015 and 2016, so under Oregon

The dog attack occurred at around 1 a.m. July 19 at a homeless encampment at Juniper Ridge, northeast of Bend, where both Keeton and Charity were living.

First responders found Keeton severely injured and, despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at St. Charles Bend Hospital.

Charity cooperated with the initial investigation and the dogs were taken into custody. Whether or not they are put down will depend on a civil process separate from Charity’s criminal case, said the DA’s office. She was not taken into custody at the time. Authorities told The Bend Bulletin she may be charged with maintaining a dangerous dog, a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Investigation revealed more serious alleged offenses and prosecutors pursued an indictment for manslaughter.

law his new charge was a felony rather than a misdemeanor.

In addition to his lifetime license suspension and three months in the Marion County Jail, Berning received three years of probation and was fined $2,355. He must also undergo a substance abuse evaluation and attend a victim impact panel.

Dietrich accepts plea deal

A former Silverton veterinarian has been sentenced to five years of probation after being convicted in a plea deal for neglecting a herd of sheep.

Brian James Dietrich, 43, pleaded no contest Sept. 20 in Linn County Circuit Court to three misdemeanor counts of second-degree animal neglect. Prosecutors agreed to drop 27 felony counts of second-degree animal neglect, each punishable by up to five years in prison.

Dietrich owned Abiqua Animal Clinic from 2009 to 2016 and currently owns Scio Animal Clinic. While on probation, he may continue working as a veterinarian but otherwise may not have pets or livestock in his care except for six animals already in his possession. He must also surrender 25 live sheep seized by Linn County, and reimburse the county $3,134 for the animals’ care.

Also as a condition of probation, Dietrich was ordered to serve two days in the Linn County Jail with credit for time served and 10 days on a county work crew.

Frequent Addresses

Mt. Angel Public Library, 290 E Charles St. Silver Creek Fellowship, 822 NE Industrial Way, Silverton. Silver Falls Library, 410 S Water St. Silverton Arts Association, 303 Coolidge St. Silverton Community Center/Council Chambers, 421 S Water St.

Weekly Events

Monday

Silverton Senior Center, 115 Westfield St. Seniors 50 and older. Daily, weekly, monthly events. 503-873-3093, silvertonseniorcenter.org

Low Impact Aerobics, 9:30 a.m., Silverton Senior Center. Members free. Nonmembers $5. Repeats Wed. & Fri.

SACA Food Pantry, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., SACA, 421 S Water St., Silverton. Repeats 4 - 7 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m. - noon Thursdays. 503-873-3446, Mt. Angel Community & Senior Center

Store, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., 195 E Charles St.

Repeats Tuesday - Saturday. 503-845-6998

Silverton Meals on Wheels, 11:30 a.m., Silverton Senior Center. Congregate and drive-up dining. $3 donation suggested. Mon. - Fri. RSVP to Carol, 503-873-6906.

Silverton Recovery AA, noon - 1 p.m., 302 N Water St. Seven days a week.

Free Monday Dinner, 5:30 - 7 p.m., Oak Street Church, 502 Oak St., Silverton. Indoor, sit-down dinner. To-go meals also available. All welcome. Free. 503-8735446, oakstchurch@gmail.com

Boy Scouts Troop 485, 7 - 8:30 p.m., St. Edward’s Catholic Church, 211 W Center St., Silverton. Scoutmaster Dave Tacker, 760-644-3147, dave.tacker@gmail.com

Tuesday

Scotts Mills Food Boxes, 9 - 11 a.m., Scotts Mills Community Center, 298 Fourth St. Residents in Scotts Mills/Butte Creek/Monitor rural areas welcome. Food donations welcome. Niki, 503-873-5059

Gentle Yoga, 9:30 a.m., Silverton Senior Center. Donations OK. Also Thursday. Simple Qigong, 9:45 a.m., Silverton Senior Center. $8. Repeats Thursdays.

Mt. Angel Senior Meals, 10:30 - 11 a.m. Delivery only. $3 donation suggested. Repeats Thursdays. Ginger, 503-845-9464.

APPY Hour, noon - 1 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Technical assistance for electronic devices. All ages. 503-845-6401

Silverton Mainstay, 1 - 4 p.m., Silverton United Methodist Church, 203 W Main St. Community space and activities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Repeats Thursdays. 971-2087952, silvertonmainstay.org

Stories & STEAM, 4 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Listen to story, do a project. Snacks. Ages 5-12. 503-845-6401

SACA Food Pantry, 4 - 7 p.m., SACA, 421 S Water St., Silverton. 503-873-3446, silvertonareacommunityaid.org

Serenity Al-Anon Meeting, 5:30 p.m. Zoom. Repeats 10 a.m. Saturdays. For Zoom link, call Barbara K, 503-269-0952.

Cub Scout Pack 485, 6:30 p.m., St. Edward’s Catholic Church, 211 W Center St., Silverton. Boys and girls in K - fifth grade. Deb Hilterbrand, 971-337-5925

Growing Awareness, Nurturing Compassion, 7 - 8:30 p.m. Zoom. Secular presentation promoting mindfulness. No experience needed. Zoom invite: compassionatepresence@yahoo.com.

Wednesday

Silverton Business Group, 8 a.m., Silver Falls Brewery, 207 Jersey St., Silverton. Networking hosted by Silverton Chamber of Commerce. Quilters Group, 9 a.m. - noon, Trinity Lutheran Church, 500 N Second Ave., Silverton. trinitysilverton@gmail.com

Family Storytime, 10:30 a.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Singing, stories, crafts, play. Age 2 - 5 & family members. 503-845-6401

Indoor Playtime, 11 a.m. - noon, Mt. Angel Public Library. Play with toys, spend time with friends. Free. 503-845-6401

Mission Benedict Food Pantry, 1 - 4 p.m., St. Joseph Shelter, 925 S Main St., Mt. Angel. Repeats Friday. 503-845-2468

Line Dancing - Intermediate, 12:30 - 2 p.m., Silver Creek Fellowship. No registration required. Free; donations accepted for instructor. Open to all. Sheila, 503-409-4498 Silver Chips Woodcarving Sessions, 1 - 3 p.m., Silverton Arts Association. All skill levels. 503-873-4512.

Mission of Hope Food Pantry, 2 - 4 p.m., Silver Creek Fellowship. 503-873-7353

Ukes for Youth, 3 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Learn to play the ukulele. Preregistration required if using a library instrument. Ages 8-13. 503-845-6401

Thursday

Yoga, 9 a.m., Silver Creek Fellowship. Open to all. Begins Sept. 14. Sheila, 503-409-4498

Open Art Studio, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Silverton Arts Association 503-873-2480

Painting w/Chris, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Silverton Senior Center. Small fee for supplies. Bingo, 2 p.m., Silverton Senior Center. $1/ card or $2/three cards.

Fly Tying and Casting with Bob Walker, 57 p.m., Silverton Senior Center.

TOPS (Take Pounds Off Sensibly), 6 p.m., United Methodist Church, 203 W Main St., Silverton. Weight loss with support.. First meeting free. Monthly dues $4. All welcome. David, 503-501-9824

Friday

Toastmaster Club, 7:30 a.m., Zoom. Increase listening skills, speaking, thinking, evaluating. Zoom link: tmcommunicators@gmail.com.

Silvertones Community Singers, 10:30 a.m., Silverton United Methodist Church, 203 Main St. Anyone who loves to sing is welcome. Tomi, 503-873-2033

Ukulele Song Circle, 1 p.m., Silverton Senior Center.

LEGO Lab, 3 - 4:30 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Free. All ages. 503-845-6401

Saturday

Open Art Studio, 9 a.m., Silverton Arts Association. 503-873-2480

Silverton Farmers Market, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Silverton United Methodist Church, 203 W Main St. Produce, plants, flowers. Through mid-October. 503-873-5615

Ageless Yoga, 9:30 - 11 a.m., Silverton Senior Center. Geared toward those 50 and older, but all are welcome. After-Season Indoor Market, 10 a.m. - noon, Silverton Friends Church, 229 Eureka Ave. Produce, eggs, meats, artisan crafts. Free admission. Starts mid-October. Oregon Crafters Market, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., 215 N Water St., Silverton. Local crafters & artists, lmusic, food, spirits. Repeats noon5 p.m. First Friday session 6 - 9 p.m. only. Creciendo juntos/Growing Together Storytime, 1 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. ¡Atrévete a acompañarnos aprender juntos! ¡Atreves de leyendo libros bilingües podríamos hacer lo! Después abrirá una actividad para la familia. Through bilingual books and activities, learn simple words, phrases that help communicate and growth. 503-845-6401

Silverton Country History Museum, 1 - 4 p.m., 428 S Water St. Free. Repeats Sundays. 503-873-7070

Peaceful Heart Meditation, 2 - 3 p.m., Silverton Community Center. Yoga breathing, kirtan and yoga philosophy. No experience required. Everyone welcome. Refreshments served. Free. peacefulheartkirtan@gmail.com

Sunday, Oct. 1

Silverton Grange Hoedown

6:30 p.m., Silverton Grange, 201 NE Division St. Open mic sign-up at 6:15 p.m. The Crying Omas plays at 7:45 p.m. Live music, dancing, alcohol-free drinks, popcorn, family-friendly. Donations requested. Fundraiser for new HVAC system. 503-874-9956

Monday, Oct. 2

Daughters of American Revolution

10 a.m., Stayton United Methodist Church, 1450 SE Fern Ridge Road. Guest speaker is Deborah Marion, area director for SMART Reading. Business meeting follows. All welcome. Refreshments. 503-589-6991

Silverton City Council

7 p.m., Council Chambers. Open to public. 503-873-5321, silverton.or.us

Mt. Angel City Council

7 p.m., Mount Angel Public Library. Open to public. 503-845-9291, ci.mt-angel.or.us

Tuesday, Oct. 3

Drawing Group

6 - 7:30 p.m., Silverton Arts Association. Bring your own materials or some of the associations. Everyone is welcome. Repeats: Oct. 17. 503-873-2480, silvertonarts.org

Mt. Angel American Legion

6:30 p.m., Legion Hall, 740 E College St., Mt. Angel. All veterans are welcome. Masks optional. Jim, 503-845-6119

Parks & Rec Advisory Committee

6:30 p.m., Council Chambers. Silverton Parks & Rec Master Plan Project Advisory Committee. Open to public. 503-873-5321

Wednesday, Oct. 4

Scotts Mills City Council

7 p.m., Scotts Mills City Hall, 265 Fourth St. Open to public. 503-873-5435

Thursday, Oct. 5

Silverton Kiwanis Club

Noon, Main St. Bistro, 201 E Main St., Silverton. New members welcome. Repeats Oct. 19. silvertonkiwanis.org

Google Tools Class

1 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Learn to use Google’s tools for communication, collaboration, productivity and creativity. Owning a computer is not required. Registration needed: 503-845-6401.

Paint Night with Bob Ross

6:15 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Practice Bob Ross’s techniques with an autumn painting. All material provided. Adults only. Registration required: 503-845-6401.

Critique Night

7 - 8:30 p.m., Silverton Arts Association. Bring your latest work for discussion and critique amongst other artists in the community. 503-873-2480, silvertonarts.org

Friday, Oct. 6

First Friday in Silverton

7 – 9 p.m. Explore historic downtown, have dinner, shop, browse galleries, boutiques. 503-873-5615, silvertonchamber.org

Lunaria First Friday

7 - 9 p.m., Lunaria Gallery, 113 N Water St., Silverton. Opening reception for October’s showings. Main Floor Gallery is “Bent Brass and Broken Glass,” mosaics by Pamela Edwards and wire sculptures by Paul Jenkins. Loft Gallery features “Impressions,” paintings by Beth Verheyden. Show open 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 30. 503873-7734

Saturday, Oct. 7

Free Community Breakfast

8 - 11 a.m., Silverton Senior Center. French toast, apple compote, baked eggs, sausage. Free. 503-873-3093

Citizenship Classes

10 a.m. - noon, Immanuel Lutheran Church, 303 N Church St., Silverton. Prepare for the citizenship interview. 10 sessions. Free. Offered in English and Spanish. 50387308656, ministeriolatin.ielaor@gmail.com

Silverton Sidewalk Shindig

Noon - 8 p.m., downtown Silverton. Free, family-friendly live music festival in downtown Silverton. facebook.com/ sidewalkshindig for details.

Silver Crest Haunted House

6 p.m., Silver Crest School, 365 SE Loar Road, Silverton. Kids Hour is 6 - 7 p.m. $5/person. 7:30 - 10 p.m. is full scare time. $10/person. Repeats every Saturday in October.

Monday, Oct. 9

Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Mt. Angel School District

6:30 p.m., District Office, 730 E Marquam St., Mt. Angel. Open to public. 503-845-2345

Silver Falls School District

7 p.m., Silverton High, 1456 Pine St. Open to public. 503-873-5303, silverfallsschools.org

Tuesday, Oct. 10

Ancestry Detectives Field Trip

10 a.m. - noon, Salem Public Library, 585 SE Liberty St. Doug Crosby will orient members to library’s genealogical resources and introduce Deanne Smith, WVGS librarian. Info: adsteering@ancestrydetectives.org

Ukulele Play and Sing-Alongs

6 - 7:30 p.m., Silver Falls Library. Beginner ukulele lesson followed by play and singalong time for all skill levels. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Music provided. Bring ukulele. Free. 503-873-8796

Silverton Planning Commission

7 p.m., Council Chambers. Open to public. 503-874-2207, silverton.us.or

Wednesday, Oct. 11

Scotts Mills Historical Museum

1 - 5 p.m., 210 Grandview Ave. Open for browsing. Free. Or by appointment by contacting Joe Plas, 503-871-9803 smahsmuseum@gmail.com

Silverton Senior Center Board

1 p.m., Silverton Senior Center. Open to public. 503-873-3093

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Club

6:30 p.m. Zoom. Discuss Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Zoom invite: Ron Drake, 503-873-8796

Thursday, Oct. 12

Red Cross Blood Drive

1 - 6:30 p.m., Immanuel Lutheran Church, 303 N Church St., Silverton. Appointments at redcrossblood.org.

Teen Hangout

5 - 6:30 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Help solve a murder. Light charcuterie board with refreshments provided. Grades 6-12. Free.

Introduction to Mindfulness

6:30 p.m., Silver Falls Library. David Steinberg discusses mindfulness, its history, techniques on how to practice it. Call 503-873-8796 to sign up.

Zenith Women’s Club

7 p.m., Silver Creek Fellowship. Women discuss ways to fund, implement projects to benefit Silverton. All welcome. 6:30 p.m. social. Barbara, 801-414-3875

Friday, Oct. 13

The Next Friday

5 - 8 p.m., Mt. Angel. Businesses stay open with vendors, goodies, information, sales and more. discovermtangel@gmail.com

All Ages Game Night

6 - 9 p.m., Silverton Grange, 201 NE Division St. Bring your favorite game. Everyone welcome; kids under 13 must be accompanied by adult. 503-516-5722

Tune Tours

6 - 8 p.m., Mt. Angel Theater & Stu. dio, 220 E Charles St. Live music and entertainment specifically designed for music lovers and seniors, but all are welcome. $10. In association with Abiqua Studios & Tune Tours. jondeshler.com

Saturday, Oct. 14

Pumpkinmania!

3 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Crafts, games, science, carving, pie. Registration required: 503-845-6401 Family-friendly.

Casino Night

6 - 9 p.m., Silverton Senior Center. Gaming, live and silent auctions, appetizers, no-host bar. 21 and older only. $30/person. 503-873-3093

Sunday, Oct. 15

Brush Creek Membership Meeting

4 p.m., Brush Creek Playhouse, 11535 SE Silverton Road, Silverton. All interested individuals welcome, only current, active members can vote. Michael, 503-508-3682

Monday, Oct. 16

Red Cross Blood Drive

11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Mount Angel Abbey, 1 Abbey Dr., St. Benedict. Appointments at redcrossblood.org.

Silverton City Council Work Session

6:30 p.m., Council Chamber. Open to public. 503-873-5321, silverton.or.us

Tuesday, Oct. 17

First Aid & CPR Class

1 p.m., Silverton Senior Center. $35/ person. Age 50 and older. 503-873-3093 to sign up.

Affordable Housing Task Force

6:30 p.m., Council Chambers. Open to public. 503-873-5321, silverton.or.us

Silver Falls Book Club

6:30 p.m., Silver Falls Library. Discuss The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan. Everyone welcome. 503-873-8796

Wednesday, Oct. 18

Lunch & Learn

11:30 a.m., Main Street Bistro, 201 E Main St., Silverton. Businesses connect with fellow businesses. Lunch is off menu on your own. RSVP is encouraged. 503-873-5615

Autumn Shadow Boxes

1 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Create a natural autumn display showcased in a shadow box. Adults only. 503-845-6401

Library Advisory Board

6:30 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Help advise, recommend and advocate for the library. All welcome. 503-845-6401

Thursday, Oct. 19

Book Discussion for Adults

1 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Discuss The Dry by Jane Harper. Copies available at the library. Adults only. 503-845-6401

Silver Falls Writers Group

6:30 p.m., Silver Falls Library. Writers share what they are working on. Ron, 503-873-8796.

Classical Guitar Performance

7 p.m., Silver Falls Library. Peter Fletcher performs “Music of Four Centuries.” Free. Open to public. 503-873-8796

Mt. Angel Planning Commission

7 p.m, Mt. Angel Public Library. Open to public. 503-845-9291, ci.mt-angel.or.us

Sunday, Oct. 22

Soup & Bread Dinner

5 - 7 p.m., Immanuel Lutheran Church, 303 N Church St., Silverton. Benefits local children. Suggested donation $5/ bowl, $15/families. Live music, pottery silent auction. 503-873-8656

Tuesday, Oct. 24

Silverton Planning Work Session

6:30 p.m., Council Chamber. Open to public. 503-873-5321, silverton.or.us

Wednesday, Oct. 25

Historical Society Board

7 p.m., Scotts Mill Historical Museum, 210 Grandview Ave. Open to public. Joe, 503-871-9803

Virtual Film Discussion

7 p.m. Zoom. Watch “Fiddler on the Roof,” and join discussion on book. Free. Zoom invite: Ron Drake, 503-873-8796

Thursday, Oct. 26

Teen Advisory Board

4:30 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Teens, ages 12-18, help collaborate with the library on programs, collections, games and more. Snacks provided. 503-845-6401

Preparing for NaNoWriMo

6 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Taking part in National Novel Writing Month this November? Stop in to get supplies, helpful planning tips, activities and discussions. All ages welcome. Free. 503-845-6401

Friday, Oct. 27

Family Movie Night

4 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Watch liveaction movie Casper on the big screen with popcorn. All ages. 503-845-6401

Saturday, Oct. 28

Walking the Labyrinth

1 - 3:30 p.m., Queen of Angels Monastery, 840 S Main St., Mt. Angel. Walk the outside labyrinth and explore the season of autumn with Sr. Dorothy Jean Beyer, OSB. $10/ person. To register, call 503-845-2556.

Bazaar & Lasagna Dinner

5 - 6:30 p.m., Marquam United Methodist Church, 36971 S Highway 213, Mt. Angel. Bazaar. Benefit lasagna dinner with the trimmings. $12/person. Children under 6 eat free. Pre-order dinner by email is appreciated, but also available at door. dickdianelee@gmail.com. Proceeds support local nonprofits.

Family Bingo and Fun

7 - 9 p.m., Immanuel Lutheran Church, 303 Church St., Silverton. Prizes for kids, teens, adults. Free refreshments at halftime. Basket drawings. Free admission. $5/3 bingo cards. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit Zenith community projects. Barbara, 801-414-3875

Monday, Oct. 30

Vigil for Peace

2:30 - 3:30 p.m., Towne Square Park, Silverton. Silverton People for Peace gather to advocate for peace, social justice issues on all levels of society including a focus on issues of current concern. Open to all. 503873-5307

Tuesday, Oct. 31

Halloween

Red Cross Blood Drive

8:15 a.m. - 2 p.m., Silverton High, 1456 Pine St., Silverton. Appointments at redcrossblood.org.

Mt. Angel Candy Crawl

3 - 5 p.m., Mt. Angel. Trick-or-treat along Mt. Angel’s city streets at participating businesses.

Candy Crawl

3 - 5 p.m., Mt. Angel Public Library. Drop-in for a special treat. 503-845-6401

Silverton Goblin Walk 4 - 6 p.m., Downtown Silverton. A safe, fun way for kids to trick-or-treat. Look for orange pumpkin signs in participating businesses.

Park plans Public discussion delayed

By James Day

City of Silverton officials have called off their plans to host a public meeting to discuss the update of the parks master plan.

The meeting was scheduled for Oct. 3 at the Silverton High cafeteria. City officials said that the technical advisory committee working on the plan wanted a bit more time before hosting the public session. No new date has been set.

The committee has been meeting monthly since May, with further meetings set for October, November and December.

The parks and recreation update – the first since 2008 – is one of the six major goals of this City Council term. Key initiatives identified by councilors include finding space for disc golf and pickleball facilities as well as establishing trails at Pettit Lake along the Cascade Highway near the Rogers Wayside.  Councilors also are working to annex 40 acres of city property along Ike Mooney Road. At their Sept. 11 meeting councilors discussed the property acquisition. The

heavily wooded land is projected for use as a park, with the possibility of a Silverton Fire District substation.

The urban growth boundary expansion and annexation of the 40 acres cannot be completed until approved by the Marion County Board of Commissioners.  The land was donated to the city by developer Larry Epping with the stipulation that it be used for recreational purposes. Also in play for possible inclusion in the parks plan is the property south of the new Civic Center on the former Eugene Field School site, as well as the section north of the Civic Center past A Street. Opinions on what to do with the parcels range from splash fountains, sports courts (such as pickleball), space for the farmers’ market and some combination of park property and parking.

A 2018 city survey of more than 400 residents noted the community’s top preferences for the property as a) a gathering space; b) preservation of trees; c) room for festivals; and d) a splash pad.

SEDCOR honors Gooley for community service

John Gooley, board vice president of the Mt. Angel Foundation and longtime executive with Withers Lumber, has been honored for his volunteer work.

Gooley received the 2023 Community Service Award from SEDCOR, the Strategic Economic Development Corporation of Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties. The award was presented at SEDCOR’s annual membership luncheon Sept. 8 at the Salem Convention Center.

The award was one of eight presented. Other categories were for agribusiness, business partner, entrepreneur, innovative product, public/private partnership, community leadership, and manufacturer.

SEDCOR officials praised Gooley for his work on the Mount Angel Festhalle, his service on several boards, and, most recently his leadership in putting

together a public/private partnership to build the new Gem Equipment Welding Room at John F. Kennedy High in Mount Angel, Gooley’s alma mater.

In his remarks at the luncheon Gooley noted the assistance he received from Gem Equipment as well as the support of more than 40 individuals and businesses (whose names are on a plaque outside the welding room), including Tommy Reidman, K&E Excavating, River Bend, the Grant Co., the Michael Roth Foundation and Gooley’s employer for nearly 50 years, Withers Lumber.

The welding room debuted with an Aug. 31 open house. Gooley handed over the keys to Mt. Angel School District Superintendent Rachel Stucky and the crowd watched as a plasma cutter, paid for with a grant from Marion County, etched “THANK YOU EVERYONE” on a piece of sheet metal.

Finalists Three tour Silverton as council prepares to select new city manager

By James Day

The Silverton City Council is in the home stretch in its effort to hire a new city manager.

The council is seeking to replace Ron Chandler, who retired and moved to Utah in May.

Councilors, who started with a batch of 27 applicants, have reduced that list to three, with the finalists introduced to the public on Sept. 18.

It was a busy day for Ben Burgener, Cory Misley and Will Ibershof. They went through a rotation of a city tour with public works maintenance division supervisor Mike Dahlberg, an interview with the councilors, an interview with a panel of city department heads and then appeared together at the evening public session.

Councilors met again on Sept. 21, in an executive session to further discuss the candidates but no word was available at Our Town presstime regarding an offer being

extended to any of the candidates. All six city councilors as well as Mayor Jason Freilinger were on hand for the public session. Also on hand were State Rep. Rick Lewis, a former Silverton city manager and police chief, former councilor Dana Smith, Police Chief Jim Anglemier and volunteers and board members from nonprofits such as the Senior Center and Sheltering Silverton.

Hall sworn in as deputy chief in Mount Angel

By Stephen Floyd

The City of Mount Angel has promoted Charles Hall to the new position of deputy police chief as the department evolves following Chief Mark Daniel assuming his co-role as city manager.

Hall was promoted during a ceremony in City Hall July 24 from his position as sergeant, which he had held since 2018.

A statement from the Mount Angel Police Department on Facebook said the promotion would help Hall “move even

further up the ladder in the future.”

“DC Hall has taken significant steps to become a solid leader,” said the statement, which encouraged residents to congratulate the new deputy chief.

The move comes comes as Daniel enters his second year of serving as both police chief and city manager for Mount Angel. He had been chief for four years when he assumed the role of interim city manager in 2021, and after a search for a full-time candidate, the council selected Daniel as city manager in 2022.

After introductory remarks by Freilinger, the three candidates introduced themselves and then engaged in group conversations with the approximately 30 people on hand.

Here is a brief background summary:

Ben Burgener: For the past four years Burgener has been the city administrator of Stanfield, a town of 2,000 in Umatilla County in Eastern Oregon. Previously he served as city manager in Ada, Minnesota.  He is a graduate of Brigham Young University, with a master’s of public administration. Burgener also worked as a finance and administrative services manager for the Utah Department of Transportation.

Will Ibershof: Ibershof is currently chief operating officer of KSR Healthcare. From 2018 until earlier this summer he was city administrator for Sultan, Washington, a town of 4,650 about 25 miles east of Everett.  His municipal government service began in 2001 when he became a council member for Duvall, Washington, a city of about 8,000 just east of Seattle.  He served as mayor of

Duvall from 2005-2017, while working professionally for Cherry Valley Associates as a consultant and as a public sector manager for Waste Management. Ibershof has a bachelor’s in communications from the University of Puget Sound and a master’s in public administration from the University of Washington.

Cory Misley: Misley is a project manager for Oregon solutions with the National Policy Consensus Center at Portland State University. He previously served for three years as city manager in Sisters and three as city manager for La Pine. He also served one year in Washington, D.C., as an apprentice with the Center for Sustainable Communities. Misley earned a bachelor’s in political science and psychology from Portland State and master’s in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University.

All three candidates have strong Pacific Northwest experience. All three have master’s degrees, a key criteria for the councilors. All three have served as a city’s top administrator. And all three have experiences that add to their strengths. Burgener has public sector experience with the Utah Department of Transportation. Ibershof has lengthy private sector experience and also served as a mayor in Washington state. Misley’s resume includes policy work with think tanks on sustainability and Oregon solutions.

Councilors hired Scott Dadson of the MidWillamette Valley Council of Governments to conduct the search.

Silverton city manager finalists Ben Burgener, left, Cory Misley and Will Ibershof, participated in a public forum Sept. 18 at the Silverton Senior Center.  JAMES DAY

Mount Angel City Manager and Police Chief Mark Daniel, left, swears in his new deputy chief, Charles Hall. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Francis X. Gubbels Nov. 11, 1937 – Sept. 11, 2023

Francis X. Gubbels passed away on Sept. 11, 2023, surrounded by family. He was 85.

Frank was born to Joseph and Veronica Gubbels on Nov. 11, 1937 in Pittsville Wisconsin. The family moved to Oregon in 1946 where they bought the family farm in Silverton.  In his younger years he joined the National Guard.

He was an avid bowler and through that he met the love of his life, Joyce Allen in 1967. They were married for 55 years.

Frank loved to farm and worked other jobs but the job that provided for his family was a trash collector for United Disposal/Allied Waste where he retired after many years.

He had many hobbies and top of the list was hunting and fishing.  He enjoyed many hunting trips with his buddies, then with his family.  He taught his family to fish and spent many summers on the Siletz River and other lakes. He was a master at telling

James Kellogg Dec. 16, 1937 – Aug. 21, 2023

stories and a good joke.  He loved a good meal, especially if it was a picnic.

Frank was good with his hands and remodeled the family farm house in his spare time.

He had the “gift of gab” and could strike up a conversation with a complete stranger and talk for hours.  He always had time to answer a question or give advice and had knowledge about most anything if you asked...or even when you didn’t ask!

Frank’s greatest passion was love for his family.  He loved spending time with all his family and never missed a moment to say “I love you.” He is survived by his wife Joyce, sons Dennis (Melissa), Anthony (Shannon), daughter Sherri (Ryan) plus 9 grandchildren Cody, Dustin, Nate, and Jenna Gubbels, Ethan, Zach and Ashlynn Gubbels and Wyatt and Abigail Hansen. He is now united in heaven with his son Matthew, his parents and sisters plus many friends that passed before him.

Jim Kellogg passed away peacefully at home in Sublimity, Oregon on Aug. 21, 2023. He was 85. He was born Dec. 16, 1937 in Gold Hill, Oregon. At age 10 his family moved to Salem, Oregon. He graduated from South Salem High School.

Jim married Lorraine Mitzel on Dec. 26, 1965. They were married 57 years. In 1970 they moved to the Silverton Hills. He was a sergeant with the Silverton Police Department, retiring in 1992 after 21 years of service. In the fall of 1992 they moved to Sublimity, Oregon, where he and Lorraine enjoyed 30 years of retirement.

He was a member of the Elks Club, NRA, Lost Dutchman Mining Association, The Griswold Cast Iron and Cookware Association and he was a licensed ham radio operator since the early 1970s.

Jim enjoyed classic cars, steam engines and vintage tractors, camping, photography, computers, gold mining, buying and selling

Griswold cast iron and guns, talking with his ham radio friends every morning, watching classic western movies and shows, spending time with family, his lifelong friendships and all of the beloved dogs that he had throughout his life.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Noel and Virginia Kellogg.

Jim is survived by his wife, Lorraine Kellogg, children Dani (Martin) Sutliff, John Kellogg, Kelli (Ricky) Burbage, Lane Kellogg, as well as his sister, Trish Elliott. He also leaves 10 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren.

His memory will be treasured by those who knew and loved him. There will be a private service with immediate family.

The family wishes to express their appreciation to Bristol Hospice for their care and thoughtfulness. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Oregon Humane Society. Arrangements were made by Weddle Funeral Service, Stayton, Oregon.

Norma Dyer April 9, 1931 – Oct. 17, 2019

A memorial service was held Sept. 27, 2023 for Norma Faye Dyer, (née Smith). She died at her home in Silverton, Oregon on Oct. 17, 2019. She was 88.

The daughter of Norman and May Smith, she was born in Washington State on April 9, 1931 at the height of the Great Depression. She grew up in Portland, Oregon, graduating from high school in 1948. Her parents did not support her dream of a college education for women despite her having received a scholarship.

On Oct. 18, 1952, Norma married Thomas Clayton Dyer (1927-2002), and settled in her husband’s hometown of Spokane, Washington, producing a family of four children born within five calendar years. In her 30s she achieved her dream of attending college. She graduated with highest honors from Eastern Washington College in 1971, followed by a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Gonzaga University in 1973. Norma moved back to her beloved Oregon in the 1980s. She purchased a home in Silverton and was grateful to live there for the remainder of her life.

Norma worked to support counseling venues such as suicide hot lines, and halfway homes, and worked both at the Mount Angel Abbey and for the priests at St. Mary Catholic Church.

She loved her children and supported their creative and educational goals; she was a good listener; she enjoyed cooking, music and musical theater, gardening, flowers, reading, painting, spent treasured time at the Oregon Coast, was intellectually curious, and very smart.

During the illness that claimed her life, her children and their spouses supported her in her changing needs, enabling her to remain in her home until the end.

Norma is survived by four children and their families: son, Theodore (Darlene) Dyer; daughters Pamela (Michael) Barainca, Christine (Thomas) Carlisle, and Rebecca (Richard) Long; as well as grandchildren Rachael (Colby) Glenn, Alisa (Matthew) Bozin, and Ahna, Sonia and Micah (Diane) Hendrix; great grandchildren Paxton and Orly Glenn, Tyler and Olivia Bozin, and MJ and Chase Hendrix. Survivors include her brother-in-law, Lawrence McArther, husband of her half-sister, Lou.

Jim William Thomas May 27, 1937 – Sept. 5, 2023

Jim William Thomas was born in San Diego, California, on May 27, 1937, to Joseph and Anna (Johnston) Thomas as the seventh of 10 children.

Jim grew up in Escondido, California, where he met the love of his life, Geneva Walker. They embarked on their lifelong journey together when they married on Nov. 14, 1956, and enjoyed 57 beautiful years of marriage.

Following a successful career as a telecommunications engineer at Contel, Jim retired to pursue his passions, which included hunting, fly-fishing, traveling, flying remote-control planes, and wholeheartedly supporting his grandkids in their various endeavors.

Jim never met a stranger and radiated encouragement to everyone he encountered. He was unwaveringly devoted to his family and his faith in Christ. He set an exemplary standard for being

Jeffrey Hash

Frank Gubbels

a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

As the family mourns his loss, they also celebrate the remarkable life he lived and the profound impact he had.

Jim is survived by daughter, Bonnie (Jim) Brockamp, son, Chuck (Michele), his brothers, George and Terry, his sister, Joan Hett, along with nine grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and one great-greatgrandchild.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Geneva, his daughter, Vicki, his son, Jay, and his granddaughter, Paige. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to outwardchurch.com/ Jim in his memory.

A celebration of his life was held on Sept. 30 2023 at Outward Church in Salem.

Arrangements by Unger Funeral ChapelSilverton.

June 12, 1971 — Sept. 11, 2023

June 11, 1937 — Sept. 12, 2023

and Removal, Tree and Stump Removal, Driveways, Dump Truck Hauling, Retaining Wall Systems, Field Drainage, Septic Systems

503-510-5480

apexexcavationinc@gmail.com

Roberta Reser

Susan Newell

March 3, 1954 — Sept. 14, 2023

July 3, 1939 — Sept. 15, 2023

Sammie Hattabaugh, Jr. Nov. 26, 1951 — Sept. 17,

Advisor

Sports roundup

By James Day

The Silverton High volleyball program is off to a strong start under “new” coach Kirsten Barnes, who is back leading the program after guiding the Foxes to eight league titles during her first stint with the team from 1996-2010.

Silverton was 7-4 overall at Our Town presstime and 4-2 in the pressure cooker that is the Mid-Willamette Conference. The Foxes were ranked 9th in Class 5A by the OSAA after dealing Corvallis its first league loss by a 3-0 margin on Sept. 21. The rankings are top heavy with MWC teams. Defending 5A state champion Crescent Valley is No. 1, West Albany is third and South Albany is seventh. West won the 2021 state title and Corvallis took the 2018 crown.

Silverton’s two losses were to South Albany and West Albany. The West match on Sept. 19 was an instant classic with the Bulldogs taking a thrilling 4-setter, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23 and 26-24.

The top four teams from the MWC advance to the state playoffs, with two state-wide at-large slots also open.

The Foxes are led by senior Alexis Haury, who has committed to play for the University of Washington next season. Haury is a terrific all-around player, but the talent level is strong throughout the lineup. Olivia Boyd and Gabriella Haury are tough at the net, while Brooklynn Pfeifer and Gracelyn Jensen are constantly on the floor digging out balls. High-energy Helen Schmitz tops the team in assists … and enthusiasm. She easily leads the league in high 5s.

Cross country: A total of 34 teams and nearly 500 runners participated in the Silver Falls Oktoberfest Invitational on Sept. 13 on the fire roads and the Maple Ridge Trail at Silver Falls State Park. The meet included teams from Class 1A through 5A, with a big-school team, Class 5A Corvallis, dominating the proceedings. The Spartans sent out 56 runners and won team titles in all 4 events, boys and girls varsity and boys and girls JV. Corvallis also produced one individual champion, Miles Betts in boys JV.

In the 5K boys varsity race Matthew Resnik of South Albany triumphed in 15:19.8. Silverton’s AJ Aker was 10th in 17:16.2, while Kennedy’s Johnathan Kintz was 13th in 17:25.9. Silverton finished 5th in the team race.

In the girls varsity race Daisy LaLonde of Class 2A East Linn Christian took first in 18:48.4. Briar Hachenberg of Kennedy was 13th in 21:33.3, while Lauren Ortega (2:15.24) of Silverton was 15th. The Foxes finished second in the team race.

The girls junior varsity race of 3,400 meters, was won by Clara Persons of Regis in 14:20.3. Sophia Seeder of Silverton was 9th in 15:29.1. The Foxes took second in the team race. Silverton took 4th in boys JV, led by Aiden Schaecher (14th in 13:02.8).

Soccer: The Silverton boys were 5-1 and ranked No. 9 in class 5A heading into its Mid-Willamette opener after Our Town presstime at perennial power

Barnes back at the helm

Woodburn. The Foxes girls are 1-3-2 after non-league games. The Kennedy boys are 1-2-1 overall and 0-1 in Special District 2. The Kennedy girls, competing on a cooperative team with Gervais, are 0-5 and had yet to play a district match at presstime.

Alumni watch-Lopez: Former Kennedy High athlete Alejandra Lopez is a senior at Southern Oregon, where she has helped the Raiders to a No. 9 ranking in the NAIA. In the Raiders’ first meet of the 2023 season, the Jim Hunt Humboldt Invitational in Arcata, California, Lopez ran 23:22.4 for the 6-kilometer race and finished second, just 0.10 seconds behind the winner. Lopez earned All Cascade Conference honors in both track & field and cross country in the 2022-23 seasons.

Alumni watch-McCarty: Ex-Silverton QB Jordan McCarty is providing a spark off the bench for the Western Oregon football team. McCarty, who transferred to the Wolves from the Air Force Academy, has hit all 7 of his passing attempts for 103 yards, including a 48-yarder on Sept. 23 against Central Washington. McCarty has rushed for 33 yards, including a 9-yard TD against South Dakota State. McCarty is backing up redshirt junior Gannon Winker for WOU, 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the Lone Star Conference.

Running: Christopher Buxton of Tampa, Florida, 44, captured the 5-kilometer event in the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest races at Kennedy High. Buxton ran 17:54.2, with Yesenia Hanson, 28, of Salem third overall and the first female finisher in 19:02.8. The 10K race was won by Todd Coblentz, 55, of Stayton in 40:22.6. Amelia Cuomo, 24, of Eugene, was fourth overall in 44.50.0 and was the top woman runner. Approximately 450 people entered the races.

Foxes volleyball coach Kirsten Barnes talks to her squad during a timeout Sept. 19 at West Albany. Silverton fell to the Bulldogs in a spirited 4-set match but rebounded later in the week to down Corvallis 3-0 to move to 4-2 in Mid-Willamette play. JAMES DAY

Sports

Football

7 p.m. Kennedy vs Banks

Tuesday, Oct. 10

Boys Soccer

4:15 p.m. Kennedy vs Western Christian/ Amity

7:15 p.m. Silverton vs West Albany

Thursday, Oct. 12

Football

7 p.m. Silverton vs McKay

Tuesday, Oct. 17

Volleyball

6:30 p.m. Silverton vs Woodburn

Boys Soccer

7:15 p.m. Silverton vs Corvallis

Girls Soccer

7:15 p.m. Silverton vs Corvallis

Thursday, Oct. 19

Boys Soccer

7:15 p.m. Silverton vs Crescent Valley

Friday, Oct. 20

Football

7 p.m. Kennedy vs North Marion

Tuesday, Sept. 24

Girls Soccer

7:15 p.m. Silverton vs McKay

Friday, Oct. 27

Football

YMCA Program Offerings

Silverton Pool

Questions? Contact Annika Rogers arogers@theYonline.org

Private Lessons • Aquacise

Water Yoga

Swim Team questions? Contact Megan Colgan mcolgan@theYonline.org

Year-Round Swim Team

The Pool will be closed October 19-22.

VOLLEYBALL: © LIGHTWISE / 123RF.COM, SOCCER BALL: © SORAPONG CHAIPANYA/ 123RF.COM

Kawell

Where the people are loved and the Word of God is preached. Located at Barlow & Monte Cristo Roads. Meet Pastor Tim Douglass and join us Find us on Facebook You Name It, We Frame It! Small Town Service. Small Town Prices. 105 S. First St., Silverton 503-873-6771 Open Tuesdays - Saturdays 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sports

Questions? Contact JJ Mascolo jmascolo@theYonline.org

Fall Basketball

Registration is open

More Programs

Toddler Time offered Tuesday and Thursday morning 8-11 a.m. at the Community Center Gym.

Pickleball offered six days a week at the Community Center.

Adult Basketball offered three days a week at the Community Center.

In the works, Early Release Wednesdays from 2-5 p.m. at the Community Center.

Unexpected path Scott Gragg – Fox player, football pro, high school coach

I first became aware of Scott Gragg on a lunch trip to the Wooden Nickel shortly after my arrival in Silverton in 1997. There was a New York Giants Scott Gragg jersey on the wall and I got the lowdown on him from my food server.

Great story. Silverton High grad in 1990, college player at Montana and then 11 years as an offensive lineman in the NFL with the Giants, 49ers and Jets. Towns the size of Silverton don’t usually produce 11-year NFL starters. But then the story got better.

Gragg came back to Silverton in 2006 to coach football with the Foxes and teach math. He also coached at his other alma mater, Montana, before settling in at McNary High, first as athletic director and now as principal.

Quite a run, quite a run.  Gragg (Class of 1990) will be inducted into the Silverton Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 7 (see information box for ticket info) along with the 1968-69 boys basketball team, girls basketball coach Tom Steers, threesport girls athletes Mary Purdy (Class of 1989) and Linda Riedman (Class of 1993) and special contributor Chuck White.

SHS Hall of Fame Gala

Saturday, Oct. 7, When: 6 p.m. VIP reception 5:15 p.m. Schmidt Pavilion, Oregon Garden

$50 per individual, $400 for a table of 8 (includes 8 drink tickets)

Tickets: www.silvertonfoxes.com (click on the Hall of Fame Gala tab) email silvertonhof@gmail.com

“I’m honored to enter the SHS Hall of Fame,” Gragg told Our Town in email exchanges. “Most of my success was realized after high school. In fact, I would argue that my wife is more deserving of the hall of fame than me. I will always cherish the friendships and support I received from teammates and coaches. I’m also excited to be included in a HOF class that I enjoyed cheering on as a student and alum.”

Gragg’s wife, Toni (Trierweiler) lettered in volleyball, basketball, and track and field. She was a part of the 1989 girls state championship team which finished second the following year after rampaging through an undefeated regular season. She also placed at state in the shot put and held the school record for 20 years.

“My fondest memories as a studentathlete at SHS centered around the strong relationships created with teammates and coaches,” Gragg said.  “This transcended football and basketball. I loved cheering on the girls at their two state championship runs at the Salem Armory.  Winning a playoff game as a coach after a long drought at Silverton was a great memory.”

Gragg watched as the girls, coached by fellow inductee Steers, down Henley 51-46 for the AA title in 1989 and fall the following year to Vale by a 53-49 count in the title game. Gragg coached as the Foxes appeared in the 2007 and 2008 Class 5A playoffs, downing Hillsboro in 2008.

I interviewed Gragg in 2006 during fall camp for his first year with the Foxes. It

was a lengthy session, but his most memorable answer was to a question I asked him about what outcomes he was looking for and what in his mind constituted success.

He said, and I’m paraphrasing, that he wanted his players to come back for their 5-year or 10-year reunions, hang out and talk about how they had a good time playing football at Silverton High. I found that inspiring. Gragg and Toni met in their sophomore year at Silverton and have been married for 28 years. They live in Salem and have two children, Anna and Brian.  Anna, a standout Division 1 volleyball player at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, is married and living in Montana. Brian is studying theater and sound production at the University of Montana, his dad’s alma mater.

Gragg clearly believes in education. He graduated from Montana with a bachelor’s in math … and kept on going, earning a master’s, his administrative license and his doctorate at George Fox University in Newberg.

I asked Gragg about his career path.

“I don’t think it was planned or expected,” he said.  “However, looking back, I don’t think it could have played out more perfectly than it did.”

And if I had asked him in high school?

“I would have told you that I aspired to be a wildlife biologist somewhere in the Northwest.”

My sense is that he would have made an excellent one.

A Turning Leaf Home Medical

Right: Scott Gragg

Now That’s a Great Question!

Well, this is my 9th article in Town. They have been very well received. I get lots of encouragement to keep on writing. But some folks have also asked a few questions about some pretty important issues. So, I thought it might be helpful to respond to those questions here.

Do You Hate People in the LGTBQ+ Community?

No. Some people wrongly assume that as a Christian I have to hate homosexuals. But as a Christian I am commanded by God to love ALL my neighbors as myself (Rom. 13:9). And by His grace He has given me the desire to do so, no matter who they are. So, no, I don’t hate anyone. That is the truth. But this question does raise an important point that may surprise you. Everyone on the LGBTQ+ flag has been made in the same image of the very same Creator God as everyone else. Like it or not, we are all brothers and sisters by creation. Therefore we are all worthy of the same neighborly love and respect from one another.

But we also bear the same moral obligation to do only what God has defined to be right and good in every area of our lives. That is how we live for His glory, by doing everything His way. The sad truth is that we have all failed to do so, whether it be by our sexual sins, or by any of the other ways we defy His righteous will. We may lie, steal, murder, or dishonor our parents, but the result is still the same. We have all “sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (see Rom. 3:23).

But in spite of our sins, God intends to save all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-21). That already includes some of the folks represented on the LGBTQ+ flag (see 1 Cor. 6:9-11). God has shown His love for the world by sending His one and only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. The same Jesus that has saved me from my sins stands ready to save anyone who comes to Him. All we have to do is repent (i.e. turn away from our sins), and believe in Jesus to save us. But how can we know that this is true? When God raised Jesus from the dead after three days in a tomb, He proved that everything Jesus said is true. He is who He said He was. His death was accepted by God the Father as sufficient payment for all our debts to God. That is why we are ALL welcome to come back to God. All we have to do is accept His gift of forgiveness and acknowledge Him as our Lord (i.e. our Master). No one is excluded from this offer. No one who comes to Jesus will be rejected. All are just as welcome as anyone else to become a fellow brother or sister in Christ. So, that is not the problem. However, there is a problem.

By Gregg Harris

Do you think the Christian life is better than any other way of life?

Are You a “Christian Nationalist?”

The Problem Is, We Hate God!

Now, you may be thinking, “I don’t hate God. I don’t even believe in the God of the Bible.” But according to the Bible, everyone believes in God. We just don’t want Him to exist. In our hearts we all know God is there. We all see the beauty of His creation and we can hardly hold back our worship. But we do hold it back (See Rom. 1:18-24). We refuse to be thankful. Why? Because if we were to acknowledge God exists, our rebellion against Him would have to stop. We would have to repent.

So, most people suppress their knowledge of God in a life of sin, which is a slow-motion way of dying. We dive deeper into rebellion. It starts with our pride. We think we know better than God. We reject His law. We do stupid things. We do alcohol, then drugs. We don’t want to wait until we are married to have sex. We start with porn, which may ruin our ability to enjoy real sex. We love money. We lie. We lust. We cheat on our marriage. Our marriage dies. We keep our act together, at least for a while, for the sake of our career or our kids, but eventually we lose our grip. We may hit bottom. We may end up living alone. Or on the streets, kicked out by family, shunned by friends, homeless, addicted, and suicidal.

This slow disaster is how God, in His goodness, brings us to repentance before it is too late. Unless we do believe, repent and trust in Jesus, we will all face God’s eternal judgment after we die. So, the root problem in most of our lives is that we are running away from the God who created us. The only solution is to stop running. Turn back to God. Listen to what He is saying: “Repent and believe the gospel.” That’s the good news.

Yes. Biblical, evangelical, Bible-believing, born-again Christianity is the only truly good and wise way to live in this fallen world. I’m not says this. This is what God is saying. In Prov. 8:36 God says, “All those who hate me love death.” Look around you at the culture of death that has taken hold of so many lives. Many t-shirts, tattoos, and video games are adorned with human skulls, often wrapped about with snakes. They shout “I love death!” Ahh, but you say, “It’s just a shirt!” “It’s just a tattoo!” “It’s just a game!” why do you love it? The death cult in modern society is shaking its fist at God. You may think I am a prude, but I’ve been where those folks are. I was rescued from Marxism in the Youth International Party. I was a Yippie with the morals of an ally cat. I did it all in the 60s. But Jesus saved me.

If by Christian Nationalist you mean one who wants to discriminate by law against those who are not Christians, the answer is a resounding “No!” But if by that you mean one who would like to see others come to know God through Jesus Christ, and then exercise their God-given rights as citizens under our Constitution to influence law and public policy in ways that honor God’s will, then, “Yes,” I would like every nation on earth to enjoy being such a free, good, and wise nation.

What about “Women’s Rights?”

I’m for ‘em. The two sexes are equal in value but quite different by God’s design. The two sexes are complementary to one another, like a nut and a bolt. Equality does not require men and women to be the same. Be different. Why not use your rights to do what is right?

The Christian life does not destroy what is truly good and wise and beautiful in human culture. Jesus came only to destroy the works of the devil — all the lies and corruption. So, yes, I believe the biblical Christian life is the only truly good and wise way to live.

Are You a “White Supremacist?”

No, I am not. My first wife, Sono, who passed away in 2010, was a 2nd generation, American-born, Japanese. She was far superior to any white guy I’ve ever met. But all kidding aside, God created only one race, and that is the Human Race. Adam and Eve were our first parents. Our genetics bear this out. But we are also all descended from Noah and his family after the world-wide flood (see Gen. 7-10). All ethnic groups proceed from the same stock. Skin color does not affect our abilities as human beings, but living under the burden of racial discrimination can. Neighborhoods matter. A long series of foolish decisions will bear bad results no matter what color your skin may be. So, equal opportunity to make a long series of wise decisions is the only real solution. And when Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, you get the benefit of having the best “Life Coach” you could ever imagine. Letting Jesus run your life is the smartest thing you can do.

However, a woman’s choice to abort her baby should be against the law. I am pro-life because God requires all human life to be protected by law from conception to natural death. An unwanted baby should never be murdered any more than an unwanted neighbor. God says those who dishonor His image in their fellow human being by acts of murder should be put to death (Gen. 9:6). Protecting a baby’s life in its mother’s womb is no different than protecting any other life. Having said that, the Bible is also clear that we have a responsibility to care for the needy. Women who bear their children are heroes who deserve the support of their families, churches and their communities. If we truly love the baby, we must also love its mother.

Why do you spend so much money to publish these articles?

I do this because I care about you. I want to spend eternity with you as part of God’s family in heaven. You are well worth the investment. Thankfully, I no longer have to bear this expense all by myself. A growing team now supports me in buying a full page of advertising space each month. If you would like to join my team, please do so. Call or text 503-926-1388. Let’s do this together.

Men’s Prayer Breakfast!

Every Thurs. morning 5:30-7:00 AM at 409 South Water Street, Silverton

“So, the root problem in most of our lives is that we are running away from the God who created us. The only solution is to stop running. Turn back to God. Listen to what He is saying: “Repent and believe the gospel.” That’s the good news.”

Gregg Harris, “Aspiring to Be a Bible Answer Man”

Troubadours Singing the stories of our lives

I was heading to the store for another batch of stool softener — if you’re over 70 you’ll understand — when I heard the news: Jimmy Buffett had died.

I’m not prone to emotions, but this did make me sad. Not “boo-hoo” sad; more like “that’s too bad” sad. His music had followed me through a big chunk of my adult life. Songs like “Come Monday,” “Margaritaville” and even “Cheeseburger in Paradise” struck a chord with me. I listened to his music and read his books. He was also an airplane nut, which put him at a whole other altitude, in my humble opinion.

In other words, he seemed like my kind of guy. I would have loved the opportunity to have a cup of coffee with him.

We all have troubadours in our lives. Jimmy was one. He built an empire based on his laid-back image. He reminded me of a duck swimming, serene above the waterline but paddling like crazy below. I’m told he became a billionaire. That didn’t come from only strumming his six-string on a porch swing. He worked hard composing, writing, building hotels and cultivating a following of Parrotheads, fans who enjoyed the concept of relaxing while working at it.

In his early days, Buffett really was a troubadour. He’d play at bars, coffee houses and other venues in places like New Orleans, passing the hat among those patrons who listened to what he had to sing and say.

His songs serve as markers along the highway, helping us remember how we rocked, rattled and rambled through life. We all remember the songs that were popular in high school, when we got married and other special occasions.

Jimmy’s songs were like that.

But he wasn’t the only one. Thankfully, there are many other troubadours out there. Right here, they are performing in local bars, brew pubs and other

venues. They don’t arrive in a Gulfstream or leave in a limousine. You might be able to buy a souvenir T-shirt from them — and they will be the cashier.

They sing, play the guitar, and share their music with the audience. They are storytellers in the original sense of the word. They sing about life, love, and other things that we all experience. They don’t have a huge backup band or elaborate light show. They have a guitar and maybe a harmonica.

It is a wonderful way to spend an evening, listening to these 21st century troubadours as they reveal something about themselves — and all of us. It’s something Netflix can’t do. Nor can Nintendo.

At the end of their performances, I always try to offer them some words of encouragement. I want them to keep gigging and growing.

They provide a sound track to our lives, and no one else can do it like them.

So sing on, keep the beat and tell us a story.

Carl Sampson is a freelance writer and editor. He lives in Staytona.

GENERAL FIREWOOD – MCCULLY MOUNTAIN

WOOD

We sell camp firewood in bundles. You cut by the cord. Cut and split by the cord you haul. We deliver a cord and half. We sell logs you haul. Your truck and trailer. We can load 15' to 30'. We do roughcut lumber. Call Gary at 503-859-3558. Fir, Alder, Hemlock & Hog Fuel. We can cut to your size. Place orders now for this season.

FOR SALE 2,800 gallon water tank. $1,000 cash. Scotts Mills. You haul. 541-913-6329.

NOTICES

RUMMAGE SALE to Benefit

Missions. Fri. & Sat., Oct. 6 & 7 9am-4pm Immanuel Lutheran Church

303 N. Church St-Silverton

SERVICES

HOUSE CLEANING

House cleaning jobs wanted. Exp., with many references. 503-873-6401

HANDYMAN & HOME REPAIR SERVICE

Installation and repair of fencing, decks,doors, gutter cleaning, moss removal, power washing, yard debris removal.

CCB# 206637 Call Ryan 503-881-3802

JESSE’S LAWN SERVICE & HANDYMAN Pruning, edging, trimming, blackberry cleaning, gutter cleaning, arborvitae, moss treatment, yard cleanup, stump grinding, powerwashing, haulaway. 503-871-7869 tfn

HOUSE CLEANING

House Cleaning Jobs wanted. Experience, with many references. 503-873-6401

To advertise call 503-845-9499

SILVERTON

#T2784 WONDERFUL 1920 CHARACTER 3 BR, 2 BA 1484 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322

$624,800 (WVMLS#805924)

#T2789 SILVERTON MOBILE ESTATES $180,000

Wow!! So many amazing updates in this home from the floor up! Newer roof, paint, flooring, cabinets, counters, fixtures, kitchen, bathrooms, plumbing and so much more. You will not find another one like this one in the desirable Silverton Mobile Estates. Conveniently and centrally located in the park. You must see this one. Call Becky at ext.313 (WVMLS#807664)

#T2792 FAIRY TALE COTTAGE

$770,000

Known locally as ‘Fairy Tale Cottage’, one of Silverton’s best loved Historic Homes, built in 1935 in English Cottage style w/ turret entry & finial, clinker brick & slump stone façade, cedar shingle roof w/rolled gables, raked cedar siding, catches the attention of passers-by. Interior has original mahogany trim, double hung & leaded glass casement windows, oak hardwood floors, coved ceilings, custom cabinets, 14 rooms, 2 FP’s, B’fast nook. Full basement. Wonderful street near park. Bonus rm could be 4-BR. Call Michael at ext. 314 (WVMLS#808110)

#T2761 GREAT OPPORTUNITY 1.66 Acres. Salem. Call Whitney at ext. 320 or Mike at ext. 312 $199,000

(WVMLS#800102)

#T2775 SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY 3 BR, 2 BA 2190 sqft 3.36 Acres. Dallas. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $533,000 (WVMLS#803517)

#T2781 RURAL SETTING 3 BR, 2 BA 2044 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $725,000

(WVMLS#805144)

#T2791 DUAL LIVING 4 BR, 3.5 BA 2693 sqft 4.58 Acres. Salem. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $948,700 (WVMLS#807708)

#T2794 HIGHLY DESIRABLE COUNTRY

PROPERTY 2 BR, 1.5 BA 1548 sqft 2.2 Acres. Salem. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $596,700 (WVMLS#808219)

#T2794 HIGHLY DESIRABLE COUNTRY PROPERTY $596,700

Great opportunity to own in a highly desired area. Close to city amenities, set up for a shop or additions to the home. Sits above the valley, treed property in a quiet area. Private lane off of 70th Ave with a few neighbors. 2 Bedroom, 1.5 bath, with an upper room that can be used as a 3rd bedroom. Come tour this home today, so many possibilities. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. (WVMLS#808219)

SOLD – #T2788 HEART OF ABIQUA HEIGHTS 3 BR, 2.5 BA 2926 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322

$835,000 (WVMLS#806991)

#T2789 SILVERTON MOBILE ESTATES 2 BR, 2 BA 1248 sqft Call Becky at ext. 313 $180,000 (WVMLS#807664)

#T2790 GREAT LOCATION 2 BR, 2 BA 1386 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $448,500 (WVMLS#807686)

#T2792 FAIRY TALE COTTAGE 3 BR, 2 BA 2997 sqft Call Michael at ext. 314 $770,000 (WVMLS#808110)

SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES

#T2775 SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY 3 BR, 2 BA 2190 sqft 3.36 Acres. Dallas. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $538,000 (WVMLS#803517)

#T2791 DUAL LIVING 4 BR, 3.5 BA 2693 sqft 4.58 Acres. Salem. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $948,700 (WVMLS#807708)

#T2794 HIGHLY DESIRABLE COUNTRY PROPERTY 2 BR, 1.5 BA 1548 sqft 2.2 Acres. Salem. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $596,700 (WVMLS#808219)

BARELAND/LOTS

#T2761 GREAT OPPORTUNITY 1.66 Acres. Salem. Call Whitney at ext. 320 or Mike at ext. 312 $199,000 (WVMLS#800102)

#T2795 2 BUILABLE LOTS .45 Acres. Silverton. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $147,800 (WMLS#808971)

NEW! – #T2793 BEAUTIFUL 6 ACRES 6.00 Acres Call Chuck at ext. 325 $399,000 (WMLS#808134)

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 WWW.SILVERTONREALTY.COM

Meredith Wertz Broker, GRI 873-3545 ext. 324

Ryan Wertz Principal 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