“Welcome, sweet November, the season of sense and my favorite month of all.” —Gregory F. Lenz
MOUNTAIN VENUES with MENUS Local Drinks and Dining Guide Page 24
Postal Customer Prst Std U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 39 Welches, OR.
“The Most Read Paper on the Mountain”
Vol. XXXI, No. 11 n A Free, Independent Newspaper n www.mountaintimesoregon.com
November 2023
n SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF MOUNT HOOD n
Welches, Brightwood, Wemme, Wildwood, Zigzag, Rhododendron, Government Camp, Sandy and Boring
Mandy Vance Honored as 2023-24 Oregon Teacher of the Year
30 Year Old Mountain Mystery Solved
By Oregon Trail School District For The Mountain Times
In an exciting surprise announcement shortly after lunch time today, Mandy Vance, an Oregon Trail School District middle school teacher, was named and celebrated as Oregon’s 2023-24 Teacher of the Year! Vance has taught 6-8th grade at Boring Middle School for 15 years and is on special assignment this fall at Cedar Ridge Middle School. “Teachers like Mandy are so important to making sure that every child has a safe place to receive a high-quality public education. Her commitment to volunteerism and empowering students is incredible, and I’m thrilled to see her efforts that go above and beyond for her students being honored,” said Governor Tina Kotek. Mandy Vance grew up in Portland, Oregon and discovered her love for working with youth while serving as a student mentor at Franklin High School, and as a camp counselor during the summer. She graduated from Corban University, earning a Bachelors of Science in Social Studsee VANCE page 10
INDEX Mountain Profile�������������������������������������������������������2 Fire Focus ��������������������������������������������������������������������6 Opinion.................................................................... 8–9 Wildcat Tracks ��������������������������������������������������������13 Museum Chatter ���������������������������������������������������14 The Woodsman ������������������������������������������������������15 Health.........................................................................29 The Viewfinder ������������������������������������������������������31 Crossword/Sudoku�����������������������������������������������34 Classified Ads ����������������������������������������������������������36 Transitions ����������������������������������������������������������������37
The Mystery Scrapbook
By Ty Walker The Mountain Times
The centerpiece of this local mystery is a century-old scrapbook, a document of family history through newspaper clippings and photos. The 1-by-2-foot behemoth dark gray book, whose cover is emblazoned with the words “Scrap Book” in gold lettering, is of little value
to a burglar, but to the family who carefully put it together, it’s a treasure trove of priceless memories. This is part one of a two-part story about a family whose cabin was burglarized three decades ago and their scrapbook stolen. News that their missing memoir is safe and sound at the Mountain Times might even merit the entry of a new clipping when the scrapbook is returned to the family descendants. Our story begins in Rhododendron in the mid-1990s when a number of cabins, including Wilbur and Evelyn Reid’s, were burglarized. Among the usual things stolen, like TVs, VCRs and other electronics was this scrapbook, an antique document passed down from one generation to another over the years. Some time later, the burglar was caught and arrested in Oregon City. The precious collection of family photos, wedding and birth announcements, and newspaper items didn’t belong in a sheriff’s evidence room. Maybe a newspaper would be more appropriate.
Around 2006, the Clackamas County sheriff’s office gave the scrapbook to then-Mountain Times publisher Steve Wilent and for a while, it ended up in the local library, where his wife Lara worked. Wilent put an article in the paper asking readers if anyone knew to whom the scrapbook belonged. One person responded but turned out not to be the right party. The unclaimed family heirloom bounced around from one publisher to the next as ownership of the newspaper changed four times over the years, finally ending up in the hands of current publisher Matthew Nelson. The curious looking antique caught Nelson’s attention in the pile of things he acquired when he bought the paper earlier this year. He assigned his Social Media Manager Kaity VanHoose the task of finding its rightful owner. Exhaustive internet sleuthing, using names found in the clippings of old wedding announcements and obituaries, led her to a Seattle real estate agent, Chelsey (Reid) Ryskalczyk, a direct descendant of the scrapbook’s original owner. In fact, she is the great-greatgreat-great-granddaughter of Wilbur and Evelyn Reid. Chelsey (Reid) Ryskalczk, who was mentioned as a child in the scrapbook, was tracked down through an inter-
see MYSTERY page 6
Ex-Couple Identified in Double Fatal Shooting By Ty Walker
The Mountain Times
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office has identified the couple involved in the double fatal shooting Oct. 5 at the Mount Hood Village RV Resort in Welches. The victims are Matthew Reid Mullin, 46, and Kimberly Taylor Mullin, 50, both of Welches. Family members have been notified. Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at
approximately 7:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Mount Hood Village RV Resort at 65000 E Hwy 26, Welches, in unincorporated Clackamas County. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Matthew Mullin deceased in front of a trailer and located Kimberly Mullin injured inside the trailer. Both had suffered gunshot wounds. Deputies attempted lifesaving efforts on Kimberly Mullin and she was transported by Life Flight Network to a Portland hospital where she died.
Another man who was present at the scene was identified and is cooperating with investigators. No further details were available for release at the time The Mountain Times went to press. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line — by phone at 503-7234949 or by using the online email form at www.clackamas.us/sheriff/tip. Please reference case #23-020750.