Our Town South: Sept. 1, 2023

CORRECTION: In the Aug. 1 issue of  Our Town, an article titled “Stayton passes restrictions on where homeless can sleep” should have said the camping ordinance passed July 17 in a 4-0 vote. It should also be clarified the ordinance did not designate areas for camping, rather it prohibited camping at parks and city facilities.

The deadline for placing an ad in the Oct.1 issue is Sept. 20. Calendar listings are free for community events. Submissions must include date, time, location and cost. Submissions for the Oct. 1 issue are due Sept. 20.

Executive

Deede Williams, Office Manager • Dan Thorp, Graphic Designer

Tavis Bettoli-Lotten, Designer & Copy Editor

Sara Morgan, Datebook Editor

Steve Beckner, Custom Design • James Day, Sports Editor & Reporter

Stephen Floyd, Digital Editor & Reporter

• Melissa Wagoner, Reporter

Our Town is mailed free to residents and businesses in the 97383, 97385, 97358 and 97325 zip codes. Subscriptions outside the area are $40 annually

Brunson, with her husband Justin, was awarded the Santiam Service Integration Surfboard award at the June end-of-year celebration.

Verdict challenged PacifiCorp asks court to throw out wildfire verdict

By Stephen Floyd PacifiCorp

has asked the court to throw out a $90 million verdict in a wildfire lawsuit, claiming the jury’s decision was not supported by the evidence or the law.

In a motion filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court Aug. 11, the company asked the court to overturn the verdict in James et al vs. PacifiCorp, rendered in June after a sixweek trial.

The filing claims the jury’s decision was based on insufficient evidence, and that there was no legal basis to award noneconomic or punitive damages.

It further argues there are grounds for a new trial based on allegedly improper rulings by Judge Steffan Alexander regarding evidence and testimony.

As of press time plaintiffs had yet to file a response to the motion, and a hearing to argue the matter was not scheduled. A status check hearing was set for Friday, Sept. 1, to discuss pending matters in general.

A jury ruled June 12 that PacifiCorp negligently caused the Santiam, 242, Echo Mountain and Obenchain fires when its equipment was damaged during a historic windstorm on Labor Day 2020. It awarded 17 named plaintiffs $4.4 million in economic damages, $67.5 million in non-economic damages and $18 million in punitive damages.

A second phase of the trial to determine individual damages for roughly 5,000 remaining class members is still pending.

Plaintiffs want Phase II to begin in October. PacifiCorp has filed a motion to halt proceedings until its motion challenging the verdict is resolved.

In its Aug. 11 motion, PacifiCorp argued the verdict should be thrown out due to insufficient evidence, claiming witness testimony was largely circumstantial.

During the trial, plaintiff attorneys argued there was a lack of direct evidence because PacifiCorp destroyed or concealed vital documentation and coerced potential witnesses.

Alexander ruled evidence of this misconduct would be allowed during trial after finding PacifiCorp had repeatedly violated orders to comply with evidentiary laws.

PacifiCorp said in its motion that plaintiffs’ argument of guilt by lack of evidence was still a lack of evidence and the jury could not legally find the company liable.

It also said there was evidence of multiple ignition sources unrelated to PacifiCorp equipment, particularly in the Santiam Canyon where the Beachie Creek fire was burning before the windstorm. These were additional grounds, they argued, to invalidate the verdict.

PacifiCorp also argued non-economic damages were not allowed under a state law governing wildfire lawsuits. It said the law allows only for economic damages for property lost in wildfires, and does not make exceptions in findings of negligence. Additionally the company argued there were

no grounds for punitive damages, which may be awarded if a defendant was reckless or created an unreasonable risk of harm.

PacifiCorp said its response to the storm followed state law and industry standards, and the burden of proof for punitive damages was not met.

PacifiCorp has asked Alexander to set aside the jury’s verdict and rule in the company’s favor, or to set a new trial.

The company claimed the judge should not have allowed evidence that it was failing to mitigate trees near its power lines prior to

the fires and had ample resources to fund tree mitigation.

The filing said Alexander should have allowed the company to rebut claims that it destroyed evidence and coerced witnesses, which it was barred from doing.

PacifiCorp said repeated references by witnesses to fatalities from the fires were grounds for a mistrial, as these were not a subject of the lawsuit and likely prejudiced the jury. Five people died from the Santiam Fire, while four others died in unrelated fires elsewhere in Oregon that Labor Day.

Willamette Valley Vineyards sues PacifiCorp

Willamette Valley Vineyards has sued PacifiCorp for $8.2 million after the 2020 wildfires allegedly caused irreversible damage to the quality of wine grapes throughout the region.

The Turner-based business filed suit in Marion County Circuit Court July 24, claiming soot and smoke from the fires tainted a “vast majority” of its 2020 vintages. WVV said it lost roughly $2.74 million in raw material and finished products, and argued damages should be tripled due to the defendant’s alleged recklessness.

PacifiCorp was served with notice of the suit July 31. As of press time, it had yet to file a response.

In June, a Portland jury found PacifiCorp

liable for negligently causing fires throughout Oregon during high heat and wind conditions on Sept. 7, 2020. It awarded $87 million to fire survivors in the first phase of a class action suit that could result in billions of dollars in total damages. PacifiCorp said it will appeal and continues to deny wrongdoing.

In its suit, WVV included details from the class action trial, including the company’s “willful negligence” and efforts to destroy or conceal evidence.

Oregon wineries suffered significant losses from the 2020 wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research published by University of Oregon in 2021. Statewide grape yields were down 29% compared to 2019.

Sea-Doo collision Power Motorsports sued for fatal crash

By Stephen Floyd

The family of a young boy who died in a Sea-Doo collision in 2020 has filed a lawsuit against the Sublimity dealer who sold the watercraft.

On July 20, a $9.5 million suit was filed in Marion County Circuit Court against Power Motorsports for a fatal collision that killed Zachary James Maynard, 6, of Sweet Home. Also named as defendants are Sea-Doo manufacturer Bombardier Recreational Products Inc., based in Canada, and distributor Powersport Services NW, of Salem.

Maynard was seriously injured by an outof-control Sea-Doo July 20, 2020, at Foster Reservoir in Sweet Home. He died three days later. Plaintiffs claim this was the result of a poorly-designed handlebar throttle and argue defendants negligently shipped and sold an unsafe product.

Defendants have denied liability and claim fellow defendants were at fault, as well as

Sea-Doo purchaser Marco Gonzales and his son Antonio Cassanova-Gonzalez, who was operating the craft before the collision.

Gonzales and Cassanova-Gonzalez, both of Salem, were found liable this spring in a similar lawsuit filed last year in Marion County involving the same plaintiffs and defendants. Neither man responded to a summons and were separately found in default in April and May, while claims against remaining defendants are pending. Unlike typical findings of liability, neither Gonzales nor Cassanova-Gonzalez were named as defendants in the 2022 lawsuit, nor was Powersport Services NW. They were included in the suit at the request of named defendants Power Motorsports and Bombardier, who claimed these third parties were actually at fault. In the July 20 filing, Maynard’s family added Powersport Services NW as a named defendant. They are not seeking damages from Gonzales and Cassanova-Gonzalez. A status check hearing is set for both lawsuits Sept. 7.

Veterinarian denies animal neglect charges

A Scio veterinarian accused of seriously neglecting a herd of sheep is arguing his actions were not criminal but rather the result of common farming and veterinary practices.

Brian Dietrich, 43, owner of Scio Animal Clinic, filed a notice in Linn County Circuit Court Aug. 8 declaring his intent to rely on affirmative defenses against 27 counts of second-degree animal neglect. Each count carries up to five years in prison.

Dietrich claims his alleged actions fall

under a state law that allows injuries to animals in contexts such as animal husbandry and veterinary practices. The notice did not detail what specific practices were being employed.

Dietrich was arrested in July after authorities received a tip in June that a herd of sheep were allegedly experiencing prolonged neglect on a Scio farm. Deputies allegedly discovered 26 live sheep and one dead sheep in cramped conditions without access to potable water.

Hit-and-run suspect denied treatment release

An Aumsville man accused of killing a woman in a DUII hit-and-run was denied release from jail after he requested access to an in-patient alcohol treatment program. Eric Raymond Webb, 49, is being held without bail in the Marion County Jail as he awaits trial for a Jan. 21 collision that led to the death of Julia Aubrey Wade, 26, of Salem. He faces multiple charges including first-degree manslaughter and faces at least ten years in prison.

On July 13, Webb’s attorney, Jason Short, submitted a request to Marion County Circuit Court seeking Webb’s release to an in-patient treatment program for severe alcohol addiction. A release hearing was held Aug. 16 before Judge Tracy Prall. The next day Prall issued an order denying release. She said, based on Webb’s history of convictions for DUII and reckless driving, and mental health problems, he posed a significant danger to the community.

Forest recovery Freres forced to shift gears amid fire losses

Editor’s note: This story is part of a package noting the third anniversary of the 2020 wildfires. The goal is to look forward at what challenges lie ahead for the Santiam Canyon.

By James Day

When the smoke settled in the fall of 2020 Freres Engineered Wood, the largest employer in the Santiam Canyon, was faced with some staggering losses. Its forest holdings totaled 17,000 acres, with 6,000 of them damaged by the Labor Day weekend blazes. Actually, damaged is nowhere near a strong enough word.

In mid-August, Freres forester Aaron Hutchinson took Our Town on a tour of forest property in the North Fork area, just a couple of miles from the company’s Lyons headquarters. What we saw was a veritable moonscape. Stumps, slash, bare ground, knee-high seedlings, scrub brush and ghostly “reprod,” trees that Freres had planted in the past 20 years that were crisped into useless gray remnants of harvestable trees.

A forest products company such as Freres works 20, 30 and sometimes 50 years out because that’s how long it takes the Douglas firs to grow to the size the firm needs for its core veneer and plywood businesses. They cut the mature trees, but they are always interplanting, making sure there are enough trees in the pipeline to keep the volume up. In many parts of the Freres property there are no young trees. And many of the older ones that were salvageable already have been harvested as the company quickly shifted gears, becoming, at least for the short term, focused on replanting and salvage logging instead of its primary functions.

“We lost about 70 million board feet in trees from 10 years old to 100 years old,” said Hutchinson. He studied forestry at Oregon State University. His grandfather logged for Freres. His father drove trucks for the firm.

Here is how Jason McCorkle, another OSU-trained Freres forester puts it:

“The largest damage the fires actually did was in those younger age classes where they were too small to salvage so the company essentially lost a 20-plus year investment in those areas and we must now restart from scratch. The timber industry as a whole will really be feeling that impact in the next 5 to 20 years when those stands would have been large enough to thin and get some return on investment.

“For a company with landholdings as small as Freres it will be a serious hit in the next few decades as we had everything built into a sustainable harvest plan that will now have a huge gap. Larger companies like Weyerhaeuser have so much land they can turn to other tree farms but we just don’t have that luxury. And then there is the added complication that in about 20 years we will have all these acres coming into thinning age (provided nothing burns again) and that will create additional logistical issues.”

Hutchinson: “60-year-old trees are prime for us, sometimes 50. But now, they are all going to come up at the same time. We’re used to having under-aged stands.”

It’s as if Coach Jonathan Smith of OSU was told that his football team would not be able to have any freshman or sophomore players. Sure, he could survive for a year or two with his juniors and seniors … but once they graduated the cupboard would be bare.

And, as The Canyon Weekly tour with forester Hutchinson showed, just because you plant 3.9 million Doug firs doesn’t mean everything comes out fine in the end. Hutchinson noted that without the normal food sources a forest usually provides, voles have been feasting on the fir saplings. And predatory birds, which usually use mature trees for sanctuary and feast on the voles, have nowhere to land. Also, seeds for invasives such as Scotch broom, which had laid dormant and buried for years, have been sprouting.

Forester McCorkle: “We plant on an original density of about 435 trees per acre using a 10-foot by 10-foot grid and then in subsequent years, dependent on mortality rates, we return to the same areas to interplant more seedlings where the original crop died. In the burned areas we have struggled with new vegetation- and wildlife-related issues that have been spurred on from changes to the ecosystem due to the fire - not to mention several hot, dry summers – so our mortality rates have been higher than usual and have resulted in more interplanting than we typically see.”

In the latter stages of the tour we come across the site of the first Freres logging operation, which dates to 1922. Concrete pads and the footings of the house are visible. In time, perhaps such relics will return to being largely hidden signs of earlier use that have been covered by a forest.

Community staple Teen Center closer to permanent location

By Stephen Floyd

The Santiam Teen Center may be getting a permanent home after the Stayton City Council chose to extend its lease and re-examine plans to demolish the building for a park.

During the council’s Aug. 21 meeting, they finalized a lease extension with New Growth Ministries, which operates the program, for the center’s current building at 2800 Kindle Way.

The council gave initial approval July 17 and expressed strong support for both the teen center and Executive Director Katrina Casas.

“Anything that gives us the ability to better-serve the youth of this community is badly needed,” said Councilor David Patty, telling Casas “We’re your partner.”

The city acquired the building, a triplewide manufactured home, in 2017 after purchasing 23 acres along Mill Creek for construction of a multi-use park. During the next two years, the city developed the Mill Creek Neighborhood Park Master Plan, which proposed multiple facilities including a playground in place of the building.

Other proposed facilities include a baseball field, soccer fields, basketball court, skatepark, walking trails and picnic shelters. The city is pursuing grant funds for park construction and there is currently no specific timeline for breaking ground.

While the park plan was taking shape, the building sat vacant and in 2018 the city signed a temporary lease with New Growth Ministries, which opened the teen center the following year. At this time the city expected the building would ultimately be removed once park construction began.

The teen center has since become a staple of the community, providing afterschool programs for teens within walking distance of both Stayton Middle School and Stayton High School. The program is open Tuesday to Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. for 7th through 12th graders and often serves between ten and 20 students per day, according to a city report.

The same report said New Growth Ministries has made around $25,000 in improvements to the structure including

ADA access and laundry facilities that can be used by families in need.

In January the council began discussing a potential lease extension and community groups came out in support of keeping the program at its current location.

The Stayton Sublimity Chamber of Commerce said in a Jan. 17 letter to the city the teen center and any future park can coexist, as the park would open up teen center programs.

Stayton Middle School Assistant Principal Matt Olson was already drumming up support for the center in 2022. In a letter to the city that May, he said the impacts of the center have been “incredibly positive” and in his three decades living in Stayton he has not seen a program like it.

In the approved lease extension, New Growth Ministries is charged $1 per month and will pay for utilities and insurance for the building. It must operate as a teen center a minimum of 35 hours per month during the school year, and may be used for other non-commercial purposes outside of teen center hours such as fundraisers.

The council is now expected to discuss potentially amending the Mill Creek Neighborhood Park Master Plan to account for permanent use of the building as a teen center. The master plan allows the city to pursue grant funding and other forms of revenue for the park.

Kids hanging out at Santiam Teen Center. FILE

Riding the waves SIT Surfboard Award honors work with partners, clients

By Mary Owen

A Mill City team member of the Santiam Service Integration (SSI) is riding the waves of success.

Capturing this year’s Surfboard Award is Lisa Brunson, resource coordinator for the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency/ARCHES Program based at the Santiam Outreach Community Center. Santiam Hospital and Clinics partners with Santiam Service Integration to serve people in the Santiam Canyon.

“The Surfboard Award goes to the SI team member who exhibits what Service Integration [Team] is on a daily basis in their work,” said Kim Dwyer, SSI coordinator. “Lisa has gone the extra mile for team partners to collaborate together on cases. She has met people where they are in the community, whether that’s physically, emotionally or mentally.”

Cheryl Hafner posted her kudos on the SSI Facebook page, saying, “I love this gal. Gosh, she has been such a blessing. She has helped me complete and send off documents I would have missed the deadline on had she not helped me. She is a link in my fire recovery. Good job, Lisa!”

Brunson answered, “I love my job and feel like it’s just ‘what I do,’ thank you so much!”

Hanna Nelson told Brunson she is the “most deserving of this award. You go above and beyond for everyone in the community. [Service Integration Team] and [community health workers] would not be as successful as we are if it wasn’t for you. You help us out so much. So eternally grateful. I hope that you acknowledge all of the lives that you help and touch. You’re simply an amazing, incredible person.”

David Peak called Brunson “an incredible person with a wonderful spirit and heart.” Dave Taghon called her “an amazing lady!”

The award was given to Brunson at Santiam Service Integration’s End of the Year event on June 29. That completed the outreach’s sixth year.

Santiam Service Integration serves as a safety net by facilitating resources and information for individuals and families. The program is designed to coordinate community providers and services to identify needs, find solutions, and avoid duplication of services, Dwyer said.

“We are actively seeking our partners to include local school districts, law enforcement, local and state governments, faith communities, businesses, non-profits, early childhood providers, community volunteers, and other interested parties,” she added. “Each of the four teams has a pot of funds that is a contribution from Santiam Hospital and Clinics and the school district [relative to the team (North Santiam, Cascade, Santiam Canyon, and Scio].”

As of June. Dwyer said the four teams had spent $15,257 but leveraged $196,818.

“Leveraging comes from community donations, and other organizations/ agencies that we partner with,” she said.

According to Dwyer, this past year Service Integration had contact –whether through a team partner or a cold call to the office – with 431 households.

“This is a 34 percent increase in the need for assistance through our program over last year,” she said. “Between

the four teams, there were 142 funding requests that were submitted. This is an 89 percent increase in requests over the last year.”

For more information, call 503-769-9319 or message sitmobile@santiam hospital.org.

SSI coordinator, Kim Dwyer presenting Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency resource coordinator Lisa Brunsin with the SIT Surfboard Award at the June end-of-year celebration. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Food aid Stayton Community Food Bank celebrates 40 years of service

By Melissa Wagoner

In the 40 years since the Stayton Ministerial Association created the Stayton Community Food Bank, more than a few things have changed.

“They started out in a small city-owned space downtown,” Sheila Baker – a board member and volunteer for the last 10 years – said recalling the initial space on Ida Street that the organization rented for $1 a month before moving into a 1,000 square foot building on Second Street, and finally, in 2019, the current 2,000 square foot location on Wilco Road. But perhaps the biggest change has been the number of people coming through the door.

“We started very small…” founding volunteer Edna Rickman told Our Town in 2015 in an interview regarding her retirement after 33 years.

In fact, when the organization began the entire month’s budget – a mere $1,000 –was roughly equal to what the food bank

now spends on fresh produce alone.

some – it’s still higher than it used to be.”

Stayton Community Food Bank’s 40th Anniversary Open House

1210 Wilco Road, Stayton Wednesday, Sept. 13, 4 - 6 p.m.

Attendance is by invitation or reservation only.

Call 503-769-4088 for information.

Now, with the food bank’s 40th anniversary right around the corner, the food bank’s Board of Directors is looking forward to saying thanks to those who have offered sustaining support by holding a celebratory open house on Sept.13, 4 to 6 p.m. for those receiving invitations or who have made a reservation.

Edna Rickman

“As we need to, we purchase because the food supply very much ebbs and flows,” Baker said, describing the annual fluctuation that happens each year during both the summer – when gardens tend to overflow – and the holiday season – which coincides with the food bank’s annual food drive.

It’s a variation that generally coincides with a change in the number of people seeking assistance – higher in the winter –lower in the summer.

But this year’s averages – with an increased cost of living and the cessation of numerous pandemic era assistance programs hitting the community hard –

the numbers haven’t dipped.   “This year they just keep going up all the time,” Baker said. In fact, nearly 450 households sought assistance from the Stayton Food Bank in July 2023, up nearly five percent from just the month before. It’s a situation that has been tricky to navigate.

“But the community has been very good about cash donations,” Baker said. In fact, “during the pandemic year we had record donations and – while it’s dropped off

“Some of them have never even been here,” Baker said of the occasion, which will provide donors and interested community members with the chance to tour the facilities. “They can come in and see how we’re operating and where the food goes.”

A lot has changed in 40 years, so even if someone took a tour in the past, there’s still more to see.

“We think we’re doing a pretty good job,” Baker added. “And I think most of the people who come in are very appreciative.”

Frequent Address

Stayton Community Center, 400 W Virginia St. Stayton Public Library, 515 N First Ave.

Weekly Events

Monday

Stayton Community Food Bank, 9 a.m. - noon, 1210 Wilco Road. Repeats

Monday - Friday. 503-769-4088

Santiam Senior Center, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., 41818 Kingston-Jordan Road, Stayton. Seniors 50 and older. Daily, weekly, monthly events. 503-767-2009, santiamseniorcenter.com

Senior Meals, 11:30 a.m. Delivery only. Age 60 and older. Serves Stayton, Sublimity, Aumsville, Lyons, Marion, Mehama. Repeats Wednesday, Friday. $3 donation suggested. For delivery, call Ginger, 503-769-7995.

Tuesday

Family Storytime, 10:30 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Explore literacy through songs, stories. All ages welcome. Free. 503-769-3313

Wednesday

Stayton/Sublimity Chamber Business Network, 8:15 a.m. Network building event for local business, non-profit professionals. Location varies each week. For location, call 503-769-3464. St. Boniface Archives and Museum, 9 a.m. - noon, 370 Main St., Sublimity. Learn about Sublimity and possibly your family history. Free. 503-508-0312

Toddler Time, 10:30 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Explore early literacy with infants and toddlers through different activities. Older siblings welcome. Free. 503-769-3313

Stayton Area Rotary, noon, Santiam Golf Club, 8724 Golf Club Road, Aumsville. Guests welcome. 503-5089431, staytonarearotary.org

Cascade Country Quilters, 12:30 p.m., Santiam Senior Center, 41818 KingstonJordan Road, Stayton. 50 and older.

503-767-2009

Stayton Farmers Market, 3 - 6 p.m., Third and Florence, downtown Stayton. For information, visit Stayton Farmers Market on Facebook or Instagram.

Thursday

Sublimity Quilters, 9 a.m.3 p.m., St. Boniface Catholic Church, 375 SE Church St., Sublimity. Make quilts for local community donations and charities. Everything is provided. New members welcome.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m., Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 1077 N Sixth Ave., Stayton. Families with young children can visit St. Anne’s Atrium to learn about the bible and learn life skills.

RSVP to Sacha Eztel, 503-769-2656; dre@ immacstayton.org.

Point Man Ministries, 6 p.m., Canyon Bible Fellowship, 446 Cedar St., Lyons. Veterans support org. 503-859-2627

English/GED/Citizenship Classes, 6:30 - 8 pm, Stayton United Methodist Church, 1450 Fern Ridge Road. Class is free. Workbook is $20. Runs through June. Begins Sept. 12. 503-779-7029

Friday

Cars & Coffee, 8 a.m., Covered Bridge Cafe, 510 N Third Ave., Stayton. Bring your classic vehicles for coffee, breakfast.

Saturday

Revival Youth Hangout

5 - 6:30 p.m., New Hope Community Church, 657 N Second Ave., Stayton. Youth of the area are welcome. Follow “Revival_Heartbeat” on Instagram and Tiktok. revivalheartbeat@gmail.com

Saturday, Sept. 2

Aumsville Saturday Market

9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Porter-Boone Park, 1105 Main St. Saturday market with fresh produce, flowers, arts, crafts, food, music. Applications for booth space at aumsville.us. Repeats Sept. 9 Movies in the Park

Dusk, Porter Boone Park, 1105 Main St., Aumsville. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy a free movie every Saturday.

Today: Frozen II. Sept. 9: Cars. Sept. 16: Inside Out. aumsville.us

Monday, Sept. 4

Labor Day

Tuesday, Sept. 5 Stayton Lions Club

Noon, Covered Bridge Cafe, 510 N Third Ave., Stayton. Club and new members are welcome. Repeats Sept. 19. staytonlionsclub.org

Wednesday, Sept. 6

Home School Day

10 a.m. - 2 p.m., The Oregon Garden, 879 W Main St., Silverton. Home school students age 5 to 12 can experience a day of outdoor learning. Adults $12, $9 students age 12 - 17, $6 children age 5 - 11. 503-7994792, heath@ofri.org

Caregiver Connection

1 - 2 p.m., Zoom. Free educational support group for unpaid family caregivers caring for a loved one 60 years of age or older, or caring for a person living with dementia. For Zoom invite and register, call 503-304-3432.

Thursday, Sept. 7

Dungeons & Dragons

5:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Sign up at https://bit.ly/47P1Mvc. If bringing your own character, make them level three. For adults and teens age 12 and older. Free. 503-769-3313

Friday, Sept. 8

Sublimity Harvest Festival

5 p.m., Sublimity Harvest Festival Grounds, 11880 SE Sublimity Road. Truck, tractor, monster truck competitions. Food booths, vendors, Kid-Zone, Entertainment Tent. Repeats Sept. 9-10. For list of events, admission, see sublimityharvestfestival.com

Saturday, Sept. 9

Road Run & Walk

9 a.m., Sublimity School, 431 E Main St. 10K, 5K, 3K races. Proceeds benefit Sublimity School Parent Teacher Club. $20/person. Youth 12 & under are free. Register at sublimityharvestfest.com.

Bridges, Bike & Brews

9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Linn County Lamb & Wool Fairgrounds, 38999 NE First Ave., Scio. Covered bridge biking, guided van tours, live music, food, beer garden. Sponsored by Scio Event Center Organization to raise funds for new Fairgrounds and Event Center. Schedule of events or to register: scioevents.com/ bridges-bikes-and-brews.

Harvest Festival Parade

11 a.m., Sublimity. It’s time to “Party Like it’s 1973,” with a parade winding through the streets of Sublimity. sublimityharvestfest.com

Sunday, Sept. 10

Harvest Breakfast

7 a.m. - noon, Sublimity Fire Station, 115 N Parker St. Eggs, pancakes, sausage and beverage. $10 adults. $7 children 5 - 10. Free children 4 & under. $8 seniors 60+. All proceeds benefit Santiam Hospital Auxiliary scholarship program and medical supplies for hospital.

Brown House Tour

Noon - 2 p.m., Brown House Event Center, 425 N First Ave., Stayton. Tour the historic Charles and Martha Brown House. $5/person. Children under 18 are free. For a reserved guided tour, call 503-769-8860.

Monday, Sept. 11

Patriot Day

Daughters of American Revolution

10 a.m., Stayton United Methodist Church, 1450 SE Fern Ridge Road. Celebrate the start of Abigail Scott Duniway Chapter year. Amber Cross with comfort K9s Probie and Barnaby of Sublimity Fire District. All are welcome. Refreshments served.

503-689-6991

Homeless Task Force

6 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to public. 503-769-3425

Sublimity City Council

6 p.m., Sublimity City Hall, 245 NW Johnson. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-769-5475, cityofsublimity.org

Aumsville City Council

7 p.m., Chester Bridges Memorial Community Center, 555 Main St., Aumsville. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-749-2030, aumsville.us

Lyons Fire District Board

7 p.m., Lyons Fire Station, 1114 Main St. Agenda available. Open to public. 503-859-2410, lyonsrfd.org

Stayton Fire District

7 p.m.,. Stayton Fire Station, 1988 W Ida St. Agenda available. Open to public. 503-769-2601, staytonfire.org

Tuesday, Sept. 12

Ancestry Detectives

10 a.m. - noon, Silverton Senior Center. Guest speaker Don Anderson discusses “Who’s Hiding in Your Genes?” Anderson has helped many adoptees find their birth parents. Open to all. Membership: Kathy Valdez, 503-608-4251, adsteering@ ancestrydetectives.org.

Dementia Care Conversations

3 - 4 p.m. Zoom. Free group for unpaid caregivers providing support to a loved one living with dementia. The focus is to provide dementia care information, training and resources to family caregivers. Offered by Family Caregiver Support Program at NorthWest Senior and Disability Services. To request a referral to the group, contact the Aging and Disability Resource Connection at 503-304-3420. Repeats Sept. 26.

Lego Build-It!

3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. What can you build with Legos? Build a creation to display. All ages. Runs through Sept. 15. Free. 503-769-3313

Cascade School Board

7 p.m., Cascade District Office, 10226 SE Marion Road, Turner. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-749-8010, cascade. k12.or.us

Wednesday, Sept. 13

Veterans’ Stand Down

8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Salem YMCA, 685 NE Court St. Resources event for veterans and families. Potential services offered include disability and social security benefits, employment services, housing and utility assistance, alcohol and drug treatment, VA medical benefits, VASH/Section 8 assistance, SSVF housing assistance, medical resources, dental and medical vans. Food, drink served.

RDS Board Meeting

5 p.m., Beauchamp Building, 278 E High St., Stayton. Revitalize Downtown Stayton monthly meeting. Open to public. 503-767-2317, downtownstayton.org

Santiam Heritage Foundation Board

6 p.m., Brown House Event Center, 425 N First Ave., Stayton. Open to public. 503-768-8860

Thursday, Sept. 14

Veterans’ Stand Down

10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Albany Eagles, 127 NW Broadalbin St. Resources event for veterans and families. Potential services offered include disability and social security benefits, employment services, housing and utility assistance, alcohol and drug treatment, VA medical benefits, VASH/Section 8 assistance, SSVF housing assistance, medical resources, dental and medical vans. Food, drink served.

Mama´s Community Market

Noon - 4 p.m., Aumsville Pentecostal Church, 10153 Mill Creek Road. Food Pantry. Repeats Sept. 28. 971-710-5665

Mount Angel Oktoberfest

All day, Mt. Angel. Food, crafts, music, dancing, car shows, free children’s area. Repeats through Sept. 17. For a complete list of events, visit oktoberfest.org.

Aumsville Fire District

6:30 p.m., Aumsville Fire Station, 490 Church St. Open to public. 503-749-2894

Lyons Library Board

7 p.m., Lyons Public Library, 279 Eighth St. 503-859-2366

Lyons Movie Night

8:30 p.m., Lyons Fire Department, 1114 Main St. Lyons Volunteer Fire Association presents a movie at the station. Movie starts outside at 9 p.m. Bring chairs/ blankets to sit on. 503-859-2410

Saturday, Sept. 16

Flea Market

9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Santiam Valley Grange, 1140 Fifth St., Lyons. Crafts, collectibles. Hamburger lunch available to go and limited seating. Free admission, parking. 503-859-2161

Bethel Clothing Closet

10 a.m. - noon, Bethel Baptist Church, 645 Cleveland St., Aumsville. Clothing from newborn to 2x. Free. 503-749-2128

Joseph’s Storehouse of Hope

11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Mari-Linn School, 641 Fifth St., Lyons. Food boxes. 503-881-9846

Sunday, Sept. 17

Oktoberfest Road Race

9 a.m., Kennedy High, 890 E Marquam St., Mt. Angel. 5K run/walk, 10K run. 10K $35; $40 day-of. 5K $30; $35 day-of. Register at oktoberfest.org.

Monday, Sept. 18

Red Cross Blood Drive

1 - 6 p.m., Foothills Church, 975 Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. Appointments needed by visiting redcrossblood.org.

Stayton City Council

7 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-769-3425, staytonoregon.gov

Tuesday, Sept. 19

North Santiam Watershed Council

6 p.m. Zoom. Open to public. For Zoom link information, call 503-930-8202 or email council@northsantiam.org.

Wednesday, Sept. 20

Stayton Library Board

6 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Open to public. 503-769-3313

Thursday, Sept. 21

Botanical Prints

5:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Create a stamp with clay and make botanical monoprints. All ages. Children should plan to work together with a grown-up. Free. 503-769-3313

NSSD Board

6 p.m., District Office, 1155 N First Ave., Stayton. Board meeting for North Santiam School District. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-769-6924, nsantiam.k12.or.us

Spotlight Theatre Presentation

7 p.m., The Spotlight, 383 N Third Ave., Stayton. Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. $15 adults. $12 senior/ students. $8 youth under 18. Tickets at spotlightct.com, 503-302-0936. Repeats 7 p.m. Sept. 22-24, Sept. 28 - Oct. 1, 2 p.m. Sept. 23-24, Sept. 30 - Oct. 1.

Saturday, Sept. 23

Autumnal Equinox

Turkey Dinner

5 - 7 p.m., Santiam Valley Grange, 1140 Fifth St., Lyons. Turkey dinner with all the trimmings. $10/person. 503-859-2161

Sunday, Sept. 24

Jordan Dinner

10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 39043 Jordan Road, Scio. All you can eat chicken, noodles, potatoes and gravy, green beans, coleslaw, rolls, dessert. Adults $20. Children age 6 - 10 $5. Children under 6 free. Country store, vendors, cruise-in and fly-in. Advance tickets can be purchased through the church. lourdesjordan.com

Monday, Sept. 25

Sublimity Planning Commission

4:30 p.m., Sublimity City Hall, 245 NW Johnson St. Open to public. 503-769-5475, cityofsubllmity.org

Stayton Planning Commission

7 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to the public. 503-769-3425

Tuesday, Sept. 26

Lyons City Council

6:30 p.m., Lyons City Hall, 449 Fifth St. Open to public. 503-859-2167

Wednesday, Sept. 27

Book Club Discussion

4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Discuss Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano. Tea, treats served. 503-769-3313

Thursday, Sept. 28

Reader’s Cafe

3 - 4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Stop in to “taste” a selection of themed titles in children’s literature and build up your personal library with a free book. Designed for readers interested in exploring a variety of book formats and titles. Free.

503-769-3313

Celebrate Stayton FOL

5 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Stayton Friends of the Library hosts a party to celebrate its contributions to the library. As part of the celebration, snacks made from recipes in the 1982 fundraising cookbook, Cooking with Friends, will be served.

503-769-3313

Saturday, Sept. 30

Catio Tour

11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Silverton. Visit homes that have catios to see a wide range of sizes and styles. Learn from homeowners about the building process and features that turned out to be the biggest hits for the cats. Start the tour any time, but finish by 3 p.m. Donations requested. Sponsored by Silverton Cat Rescue. Get a copy of the map at Silverton Farmers Market Sept. 16 & 23 silvertoncatrescue.com

Are You Following the Right Map?

Religions are like maps. A true map of where you really are will get you where you want to go follow it. But a false map will never get you to your desired destination no matter how sincerely you try to follow it.

Most people in the USA have had some encounter with what they assume to be the Christian faith, whether through a friend, a family member, or some other means. These may have involved presentations of the true Christian faith, and that is great. Unfortunately, some may have been only encounters with a false religion that will not get you where you really want to go.

In order to be safe, I will present a biblical explanation of what the Bible actually teaches about Jesus, how your sins can be forgiven, and how you can know for certain that you will go to live forever in heaven when you die.

A Good Place to Start Is At The Beginning

The God revealed in the Bible is the one and only true God. He created the world and everything in it. Look around you. This is real. It’s not some artificial reality or illusion. Like it or not, God exists and so do you.

He created this world as a way to display His goodness, wisdom, love, mercy and justice. He created it for His own pleasure, for His own glory, but also for the enjoyment of all those who would get to be part of it. However, everything He created had to participate in it exactly as He intended. It was to be a display of His “glory” without any flaws. God created mankind— past, present and future— to play a starring role in this display of His glory. That is what it means when the Bible says we are to “do all that we do for the glory of God” (1Cor. 10:31). We were created with the ability to do this perfectly. Every human being, including you, has been made in the image of God in order to play our part in this world — this is what it means to be “godly.” It is to be like God in our own moral character. Life would have been so good, so beautiful, and so enjoyable if only we had trusted and obeyed God as we should.

But almost from the beginning, the first human beings, our original parents, Adam and Eve, doubted the goodness of God. They believed the lie of a fallen angel named Lucifer (i.e. Satan, the Devil). Satan said God is not good, that He was withholding from them something even better than doing the will of God. Adam and Eve doubted the goodness of God enough to actually disobey Him. He warned them not to eat of The Tree

By Gregg Harris

us was sufficient to pay for all our sins, God the Father raised Jesus from the dead after three days in the tomb. Jesus is alive today, and He is Lord of all creation, including you.

“But I’m Not All That Bad!”

you are guilty of committing adultery with them in your heart. By the way, if you have had sex outside of marriage, you fornicated, which is in effect committing pre-adultery with someone else’s future spouse. Both are sins.

• Ex. 20:15 “You shall not steal.”

of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (see Gen. 3). God said that if they did so, they would die. But they ate of it anyway. This reveals that the commandments of God are intended to deliver either a benefit that He wants us to enjoy, or the protection from some harm He wants us to avoid. But in either case, God’s law is not a burden. It is a blessing. It is His instruction on how to live the good life He intends for us.

“All Have Sinned and Fallen Short of the Glory of God.”

By disregarding what God had commanded, Adam and Eve sinned and fell short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Instead of being glorious examples of God’s goodness they became examples of Satan’s evil and rebellion. They, and all of us as their posterity, fell short of God’s glory. That is how the world became a place corrupted by sin.

God could have discarded the whole lot of us right there in the garden but in His mercy He chose instead to make a way for us to be forgiven and restored to friendship with Him as His children in the His eternal family.

He accomplished this at great cost by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus of Nazareth, into this world to live and then die for us. Jesus was completely God and completely man at the same time. He had to be completely God in order to live the perfect life that we were all intended to live, but have failed to live. But he also had to be completely man in order to die in our place the death that we deserve. His sacrifice was required to pay for our sins. He died for us Then, in order to prove that Jesus’ death for

You may be thinking that Jesus’ sacrifice was not necessary for you because, after all, you are “a good person.” We will see about that. God is absolutely holy. That means He is so pure that He cannot tolerate even the slightest rebellion against His perfect will anywhere in His creation. And because God is the absolutely righteous Judge of all the earth, no one will get away with anything. But compared to some people you know, you are not that bad. You look pretty good. But when we compare ourselves to Jesus’ perfect life we can see that even our best attempts to be good fall short of God’s perfect standards.

Have you ever stolen anything? Busted!

• Ex. 20:16 “You shall not covet.”

Have you ever wanted anything that was not rightfully yours with unrighteous lust, envy or greed? That also is a soul-condemning sin.

So, How Did You Do?

Have you broken any of God’s commands? Be honest. We all have. We all deserve to be punished. That punishment will be to spend eternity in the very same hell that has been prepared for the devil (Matt. 25:41). Hell is real— just as real as heaven and earth. You don’t want to end up there. You won’t get to see any of your friends. There will be no parties. You won’t get to “rule in hell rather than serve in heaven.” You’ll be miserable in the burning flames, bound by chains of guilt and regret forever, with no hope of relief.

Again, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We are all guilty before God.

So, Let’s Take a Test.

Let’s see if you really are in fact “a good person.” We will look at a few of the Ten Commandments to see where you stand.

• Ex. 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me (i.e. instead of God).”

Is there anything in your life that has ever been more important to you than God? Guilty.

• Ex. 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain…”

Have you ever used the name “God” or “Jesus Christ” as a way to express anger? Worse yet, have you ever called yourself a Christian when you do not follow Christ?

• Ex. 20:13 “You shall not murder.

Hopefully you have never actually murdered anyone, but Jesus taught that if you hate anyone in your heart God sees that as the equivalent to murdering them in your heart.

• Ex. 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.”

Have you ever cheated on your spouse?

Hopefully not. But again, Jesus taught that if you look a someone with lust in your heart,

So, my fellow sinner, we need a Savior. Someone has to pay for our sin. It may be ourselves, dying and going to hell. Or it may be Jesus, because He died for us. To prove that Jesus really is the Savior, God raised Him from the grave, defeating death. So, why would you not choose life forever with God in heaven rather than death forever with Satan in hell? Why not repent by turning away from your sin and turning to God? Why not be restored to your true purpose in life — living for the glory of God? Why not follow the “true map” of biblical evangelical Christianity to get yourself where you really want to go?

All that God requires is that you repent of your sins and trust in Jesus (Rom. 10:8-10). God will cause you to be born again. He will adopt you into His family. You will be saved. Want to know more? Let’s talk. You can call me 24/7 at 503-926-1388 and we can meet up anywhere and at anytime. Please call.

Men’s Prayer Breakfast!

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

Join us as we study the Bible, pray for our city, challenge one another to grow up & enjoy a great breakfast RSVP by text to 503-926-1388. Go to NobleInn.org/articles to read all 8 of my Our Town articles

“Hell is real — just as real as heaven and earth. You don’t want to end up there. You won’t get to see any of your friends. There will be no parties. You won’t get to “rule in hell rather than serve in heaven.” You’ll be miserable in the burning flames, bound by chains of guilt and regret forever, with no hope of relief.”

Gregg Harris, “Just a sinner saved by Jesus Christ”

Silver Falls upgrades North Canyon access

By James Day

Silver Falls State Park has unveiled new trail links and visitors amenities at its North Canyon day-use area.

Using funds from state general obligation bonds aimed at improving parks and campgrounds, Silver Falls has added a new parking lot, restrooms, an information kiosk and permit pay station as well as a new trail that links the area with North Falls.

The new trail runs 0.5 miles to a splendid viewpoint of North Falls, then continues for another 0.5 miles to North Falls itself and connections to the Rim, Perimeter and Canyon trails. The Rim Trail shadows Highway 214 and ends at South Falls. The Canyon Trail takes visitors on the popular ten-waterfall loop, while the Perimeter heads steeply into the park’s little-used back country, often at altitudes above 2,000 feet.

In addition, hikers can head down the ridge from the North Canyon via a short but challenging existing trail to Twin Falls and another connection of the Canyon Trail as well as access to the nearby cutoff to Winter Falls.

“We are all very excited to have the new area open to our visitors,” Chris Gilliand, park manager, told Our Town

The bond money – ultimately $10 million to $12 million will be spent – also is funding more upgrades. These include a new visitor center and campground, which are planned for property across Highway 214 from the North Canyon area. Interior work for the visitor center is set for 2024, with campground construction set to begin in April 2025.

“The goal is to spread the parking and starting points out across the park,” Gilliand said. “We still anticipate and

JAMES DAY

hope visitors will see South Falls, but we see a need to have a greater developed starting point as you arrive at the park from the north side.

“We will often reach capacity at the South Falls parking area on busy days, and visitors tend to start parking in unsafe locations when this happens, such as along the highway shoulder or blocking emergency vehicle access.”

The North Rim Trail, which opened July 17, is rated Americans With Disabilities Act accessible for its half-mile run to the viewpoint. The trail segment between the viewpoint and North Falls, however, is not ADA accessible.

In addition to the other upgrades the North Canyon’s nature play area also has reopened.

Community Chorus starting Christmas rehearsals

The Santiam Canyon Community Chorus is beginning rehearsals for its winter season and singers of all skill levels are encouraged to participate.

Organized through Santiam Hearts 2 Arts, the group features vocalists from throughout the region and is gearing up for Christmas performances both in-person and over the radio.

Rehearsals begin Sept. 11 at Stewart’s Hall, in Mill City, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and continue every Monday. Auditions are not required, as anyone willing to commit to practice is welcome.

Organizer JoAnn Hebing said members can invite friends who love to sing to share the experience. For information, contact Hebing at 503-859-2502.

Spots still available for youth benefit golf event

It’s not too late to sign up for this year’s Mike Long Youth Benefit Golf Tournament.

The tournament was renamed to honor Long, long-time organizer of the event. He passed away in March. This year’s tourney is Saturday, Sept. 16 at Mallard Creek Golf Course in Lebanon.

Organizers are seeking players, volunteers, donors and sponsors for the event, which raises money for Santiam Canyon students and

nonprofits. To register to play or for more information about becoming a sponsor or a donor, go to ybgolf.com or call 503-949-1252.

The tournament started in 2001 by Long and his wife Jan with the goal of raising $500 for one scholarship. It passed the $300,000 mark with last year’s event. Tournament proceeds from 2022 paid for $18,500 in scholarships for 13 high school seniors and kicked in another $17,000 for seven local youth organizations.

A look at North Falls from the new North Canyon viewpoint. Amenities of the new space include a parking lot, with a visitor center and campground planned across Highway 214.

By James Day

Out along the North Santiam River, about halfway, in river miles, between Stayton and Mehama/Lyons, lies a little oasis of paradise.

Eagles and ospreys soar above the sparkling river. Salmon rush through the water while battling upstream to their spawning grounds. Deer and elk often can be seen paddling across the swift-moving flow. Baby swallows peep and chirp and poke their heads out of the numerous bird boxes that dot the property’s thick assortment of trees. Kayaks zip by, riding the current west into Stayton.

The property, which is slightly less than an acre, features a 1,200-foot main house, an artists’ studio, a sizable shop and one of the most popular, indeed almost revered, Airbnbs in the country.

Tim and Cyndi Hill, then Salem residents, bought the property in 2015 after a fouryear search for a riverfront retreat.

Cabin experience receives coveted designation

“The first time we came here I nearly jumped out of my skin,” Cyndi Hill said. “It had a shop and space for an art studio. We fell in love with the place.”

The Hills added the 680-square-foot cabin in time for the August 2017 eclipse, which achieved its two minutes of totality in dramatic fashion above the surging river and framed by the towering trees.

The bookings have run strong ever since, although the reservation book now is chock-full almost 12 months out. The increased demand is a function of a recently announced national honor the Hills received from Airbnb. They were named Airbnb’s “most hospitable” host, not just for Oregon, but for the entire United States. The cabin has more than 400 5-star ratings in three key categories, cleanliness, check-in and communication.

Tim Hill works as a Realtor and Cyndi Hall is a trainer for Salem-Keizer Public Schools.

Tim did a huge chunk of the heavy

lifting in the cabin build, with only the permit-heavy chores such as electrical and plumbing requiring contractors. Cyndi, meanwhile, converted a small shed on the parcel into her “Artsy Fartsy

Studio.” She specializes in acrylic pour, offers clinics/workshops for visitors and mails the finished products to guests once they have dried.

The cabin features a huge tub in the

The bedroom at the cabin along the North Santiam River, operated by Tim and Cyndi Hill. Airbnb ranks the experience of a stay there the “most hospitable” in the United States. PHOTOS BY JAMES DAY

bathroom, painted scenery behind the bed that changes periodically, curtains that were custom-painted by Cyndi, two comfy recliners in front of the TV and a huge porch with brightly painted deck chairs and a pleasing view of the river.

A covered swinging bench sits on a concrete pad just a few yards up from the river bank, although it’s moved to higher ground during the winter when the river rises.

There is no kitchen, although the cabin

offers a microwave plus a grill on the porch. The goal, as the Hills put it, was not to have guests enter the unit and be greeted with the residual odor of frying bacon.

The unit has a full complement of pots, pans and dishes – as well as a gleaming ice bucket and champagne flutes. The Hills wash everything, eliminating the nagging doubts about whether the guests cleaned everything to the correct sanitation level. And it removes dish washing from the checkout routine of guests.

The Hills stayed open during the COVID pandemic but dramatically dialed up the cleaning and disinfecting protocols. In post-pandemic times the protocols have remained just as rigid, making the high cleanliness ratings a natural.

The guest list leans toward Oregon and Washington residents, with a good chunk of California visitors. The Hills estimate that more than half of their guests are repeat customers. One California artist, twice stayed for 11 days. The minimum

stay is two nights. There is no maximum. The cost is about $150 a night. Many book the cabin for special events such as weddings and anniversaries.

One North Carolina couple went straight from their car to the river, wading right in despite the stingingly cold water. As the story goes, they were giddy at the idea of going into a water body that does not contain snakes.

The Hills have inner tubes available at a retaining wall near the river and emphasize, via introductory conversations and a thick guest reference book in the cabin, the outdoor activities available in the region. Some guests, they say, take it all in, sound fired up… but then never leave the cabin.  Poignantly, other guests, particularly those in medical fields, often come alone for a few days… just to get away from the work stress and recharge the batteries.

The Hills understand. Tim Hill sums it up this way: “To have the opportunity to live on the river like this is pretty special.”

The cabin’s inviting swing overlooking the North Santiam River.

Every fall about this time I hunt up the high school football schedules and put the StaytonCascade date on my calendar. For the record, the two Class 4A rivals play each other Oct. 27 at Federico Field in Turner. My prediction will be cool weather and a slight chance of rain… and one of the hardest-fought contests you will see all season.

With two of the most experienced coaches possible on the respective sidelines. Shane Hedrick is the new man at Cascade. He has coached at South Albany, Central, Willamina and Oregon City. His greatest run of postseason success came at Central, where he made the state semifinals five times.

Randy Nyquist of Stayton also has coached at Jefferson, Toledo, West Albany and Oregon City and won three state titles at West Albany. Both Hedrick and Nyquist have received awards from the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association for 30 years of coaching service.

Nyquist and Hedrick, however, are different from your humble columnist. They did not circle the date of the rivalry game. They are far more interested in who they are playing right now.

When asked about how his squad will fare in league play, Hedrick replied: “Our pre-season schedule is brutal, with

road trips to Baker [Sept. 1] and Marshfield [Sept. 8] in weeks one and two.”

Nyquist, meanwhile, opens with a lessdaunting road trip. The Eagles start the campaign Sept. 1 at Molalla.

The Cougars were 4-6 a year ago under interim coach Tyler Turner, who was retained on Hedrick’s staff, which also includes his son, Grant Hedrick. Cascade lost its playoff opener at LaGrande. Stayton was 7-3 overall, won the rivalry game 21-18 and lost at Pendleton in the playoffs.

Regis, meanwhile, shifts from a co-coaching mode with Alex King and Joe Manibusan to Manibusan taking the reins solo in the Ram’s second year playing nine-man football. Regis opens Friday, Sept. 1 with a home game vs. Gaston. The Rams were 9-2 a year ago and tied Colton for the Tri-River title before falling at Heppner in the quarterfinals.

Back for Manibusan is standout quarterback/defensive back Kollin Schumacher, who passed for 2,137 yards

and 31 touchdowns, while turning in single-game yardage totals of 326 and 323. The 5-8, 150-pounder had a 6-TD game and a 5-TD game.

Top targets this year include Noah Koenig, Korben Schumacher and Charlie Miller. Koenig missed much of last season with an injury but still turned in a 164-yard receiving game. Linebacker Thomas Bischoff, who was the Tri-River defensive player of the year a year ago will anchor the defense. Manibusan also is high on transfers Noah Richter (running back) and lineman Abe Richter (offensive line) from Beaverton. Here is a look at what is new elsewhere in high school sports:

Cascade: The Cougars have a new wrestling coach, Spencer Crawford, who is replacing the veteran Jason Lovell. Lovell coached Crawford at Cascade from 2012-15. Crawford, a local real estate agent, was a two-time Oregon state champion. He started

Joe Manibusan JAMES DAY

Kollin Schumacher JAMES DAY

Spencer Crawford SUBMITTED PHOTO

his wrestling career in the Scio-based Tombey Mat Club at the age of 4.

Regis: The Rams have hired Elaine Blish to take over the volleyball program.

Stayton: The Eagles have hired Taylor Ellis to coach the volleyball squad and also will be hiring a boys tennis coach for the spring season. In addition, Stayton will be adding the Ty Hart Memorial Fitness Center to the array of facilities upgrades the Eagles have put together in recent years. No date yet for the groundbreaking. The facility honors former Stayton student and athlete Ty Hart, who died in a 2016 helicopter crash in Hawaii while serving with the U.S. Marines Corps.

Track & Field: Sublimity resident and Regis assistant track and field coach Alison Wood has produced another American record in the high jump. Wood, who competes in the 45-49 masters category, leaped 1.66 meters (5-5.25) on June 23 at an Oregon Track Club event at Hayward Field in Eugene. She hoped to break the record again at the USATF masters championships July 20-23 in Greensboro, North Carolina, but she was only able to clear 1.64 meters ( 5-4.5) before missing three attempts at a record 1.67 meters (5-5.75). Wood won her own competition by more than a foot and her 1.64 would have won the 25-29, 35-39 and 40-44 age groups as well.

Sports Datebook All home games

Friday, Sept. 1

Football

7 p.m. Regis vs Gaston

Thursday, Sept. 7

Volleyball

5:30 p.m. Regis vs East Linn Christian

Girls Soccer

6 p.m. Stayton vs Cottage Grove

Friday, Sept. 8

Football

7 p.m. Stayton vs Gladstone/ Riverdale

Saturday, Sept. 9

Cross County Stayton Invitational

Volleyball

Cascade Tournament

Boys Soccer

4 p.m. Cascade vs Cottage Grove

Tuesday, Sept. 12

Boys Soccer

6 p.m. Stayton vs Gladstone

Volleyball

6 p.m. Cascade vs Cottage Grove

Thursday, Sept. 14

Boys Soccer

6 p.m. Stayton vs Tillamook

Friday, Sept. 15

Football

7 p.m. Stayton vs Junction City

Tuesday, Sept. 19

Volleyball

6 p.m. Stayton vs Sweet Home

Wednesday, Sept. 20

Volleyball

5:30 p.m. Regis vs Gervais

Thursday, Sept. 21

Boys Soccer

6 p.m. Stayton vs Sweet Home

Volleyball

5:30 p.m. Regis vs Western Christian

6 p.m. Cascade vs Sweet Home

Girls Soccer

4 p.m. Cascade vs Philomath

Friday, Sept. 22

Football

7 p.m. Cascade vs Henley

7 p.m. Regis vs Colton

Tuesday, Sept. 26

Boys Soccer

6 p.m. Cascade vs Sweet Home

Volleyball

6 p.m. Stayton vs Cascade

Girls Soccer

6 p.m. Stayton vs North Marion

Thursday, Sept. 28

Boys Soccer

6 p.m. Stayton vs Cascade

Girls Soccer

4:15 p.m. Cascade vs Stayton

Volleyball

5:30 p.m. Regis vs Chemawa

Friday, Sept. 29

Football

7 p.m. Stayton vs Philomath

7 p.m. Cascade vs Cottage Grove

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

Browser beware

It’s going to be a long election season. Already, the folks on unsocial media are stretching, bending and breaking the truth about various candidates.

How is a responsible voter to navigate all of the untruths?

My best suggestion is to delete Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and all of the other apps.

I feel dumber every time I look at them, and I have no reason to believe what they say. Here’s why.

When you’re a journalist, an editor is looking over your shoulder asking questions: Who said that? Where did you get that information? Did you verify that? Where’s the other side of the story?

If you’re asking how I know this, I have been an editor for the better part of 50 years. I can tell you flat-out that the twerps posting garbage on Facebook are just trying to pull the wool over your eyes.

Some ways you can tell that a post is a work of fiction: Attribution. If there is no attribution, there is no reason to pay any attention to a post. Lately, I’ve seen “stories”

False information spread too easily on ‘social’ apps

everything you see online, unless you can verify it.

I don’t like politics. I’ve found that skepticism is warranted whenever a politician opens his or her mouth. They will make promises with the full knowledge that they cannot and will not follow through. Then they will hand off the hot potato they created to someone else and shrug their shoulders and walk away.

critical of various candidates that were “attributed” to the Associated Press, The Washington Post and CNN, among other news outlets. When I checked those websites, no such stories existed. They were made up.  Who said it? Most made-up “stories” have no quotes saying who said what. That means they were made up.  When did it happen? A legitimate news story will have a time reference. Did it happen yesterday or ten years ago? Or did it ever happen?

The same for photos. Photo-editing software is so good that, unless you know what to look for, you cannot tell if a photo was faked. To make things worse, “deep fakes” of videos can make anyone appear to say or do anything. In other words, ignore anything and

But that does not give the trolls on unsocial media license to make stuff up.  There’s plenty of factual material that can be used.

For example: Lately it seems the two leading presidential candidates are spending a lot of time trying to keep themselves and their children out of jail. Is this the best we can do? Our country has 326 million people. Are these two guys the best and the brightest? I doubt it. Plus, they’re old enough to be my dad, and I’m older than dirt.

In the meantime, do not trust what you see on unsocial media. Find a source of news that is trustworthy, separates facts from opinions and fiction, and follows the rules of journalism and you’ll be fine.

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

GENERAL LOOKING FOR SILVERTON HIGH 1971 CLASSMATE I’m looking for John Withers from the Scotts Mills area, going to SUHS from 1968 to 1970.

I am Catherine Wyatt from Silverton. I was a grade behind John. We dated

LAWN SERVICE & HANDYMAN Pruning, edging, trimming, blackberry cleaning, gutter cleaning, arborvitae, moss treatment, yard clean-up, stump grinding, powerwashing, haul-away. 503-871-7869