Our Town South: Jan. 1, 2022

The Chief Johns sworn in for Stayton

By Stephen Floyd

Stayton has a new police chief after Gwen Johns, a police captain, was sworn in following the retirement of former Police Chief Dave Frisendahl.

Police Chief Johns assumed her position during a ceremony Nov. 28 at the Stayton Police Department attended by local leaders and police officials from throughout the area.

Johns told Our Town it has been her pleasure to work with local residents and city staff, and she looks forward to leading the department as it recruits and trains new officers.

“I am privileged to be entrusted with leading the Stayton Police Department,” said Johns. “We have a dedicated team that has a strong work ethic and connection to the Stayton community. I look forward to expanding on our professional growth as an agency.”

Johns joined the Stayton Police Department in May of 2020 after serving three decades in law enforcement, first with Marion County Parole and Probation, then with the Newberg-Dundee Police Department.

Her roles have included field training officer, D.A.R.E. officer, deputy medical examiner, and a driving instructor with the state police academy.

In addition to police work, Johns has been active in volunteerism, including with the Safety Town youth camp,

Camp Rosenbaum, and as an official law enforcement torch runner for the Oregon Special Olympics. She said she plans to continue her volunteer work, saying it has been “a huge part of my life and career.”

City Manager Julia Hajduk said, among several applicants interviewed for the job, Johns was best suited for the job given her long history in law enforcement and the “professionalism and commitment to the community” Johns displayed while in Stayton.

Frisendahl retired Nov. 15 after 32 years in law enforcement, and had been with Stayton since 2019.

Problem solving

Stayton homeless task force set

By Stephen Floyd

Stayton has formed a Homeless Task Force made of community and business leaders to explore local housing challenges after more than two-dozen applicants expressed interest in the committee.

The task force was formed Dec. 19 by a resolution of the council during its regular business meeting, with 14 members including six residents, four business representatives, two city councilors, and representatives of Santiam Service Integration Team (SSIT) and ARCHES.

The task force will remain active until January 2024, unless otherwise extended or dissolved by the council.

A total of 29 individuals applied to be on the task force, which City Manager Julia Hajduk described as “an amazing slate of candidates.”

The council decided, because of the importance of the task force’s work and the high quality of the many applicants, it would create a list of alternatives in January in the event any initial appointees were unable to fulfill the year-long commitment.

The council identified the need for a homeless task force in September after reviewing local challenges related to unhoused individuals and the current ability of city policy to address such challenges.

Applications were received through

Nov. 30, with individuals asked to describe their desire to serve on the task force and any experience they may have with individuals experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental health needs.

In reviewing applications, the council asked for a geographic breakdown of candidates to ensure a wide swath of the city would be represented. Some applicants from outside the city limits were also considered, as they may have been the owner of a local business or an employee and, though they did not live in Stayton, officials still considered them a part of the community.

Appointed to the task force were residents Kassie Brown, Tricia Frizzell, Steven Halverson, Mark McDonald, Jared Oeltjen, and Julie Whitehurst; business representatives Ken Carey, Cari Sessums, Sonja Persey and Adam McFarland; and SSIT representative Kim Dwyer. Representatives of ARCHES and the city council are expected to be chosen in January.

Hajduk said narrowing down task force members from so many applications was “an awesome problem to have” and she believes there will be strong interest to serve on an alternates list.

She said she also provided information to remaining applicants about open city committees and boards who are also looking for members.

“The more we can open it up and include would be great,” she said.

Chief Gwen Johns SUBMITTED PHOTO

Aumsville council seat still open

Aumsville will head into the new year one person short of a full city council.

Nico Casarez (940 votes) and Della Seney (870) easily were re-elected to new terms, but no one came forward to run for the third open seat.

Nearly 200 write-in votes were tabulated by the Marion County Elections Office, with incumbent Mayor Derek Clevenger leading the way with 13 votes. Clevenger chose not to seek re-election because he was planning to run for Oregon House District 17. However, he later dropped out of the House race.

Under the city charter the council seat goes to the individual with the highest write-in vote, should that person accept the seat, said Colleen

Rogers, city clerk for Aumsville. However, Clevenger said no to the council seat and the new council will appoint someone at the Jan. 9 meeting, Rogers said.

And although “Derek Clevenger” officially had 13 write-in votes it seems the intent was there for at least a few more. Two persons voted for “Clevenger”, and one voted for “Derick Clevenger”.

Council President Angelica Ceja will take over for Clevenger as mayor. She ran unopposed and received 979 votes. The new council also will have to arrange for her replacement.

Sitting Councilors Walter Wick and Scott Lee were not on the ballot because their terms do not expire until 2024.

– James Day

“Our family serving yours”

The area’s only locally-owned and owner-operated funeral home

Glenn Hilton Family, Owners

Glenn Hilton Family, Owners

Glenn has personally served the community for over 30 years.

Glenn has personally served the community for over 29 years.

– Locally-owned and owner-operated funeral home –

North Santiam Funeral Service

224 N. Third Avenue, Stayton (503) 769-9010

Legal Matters

$2.2 billion suit

By Stephen Floyd

Survivors of destructive wildfires throughout Oregon in 2020 have been granted leave to file an amended class action lawsuit against PacifiCorp, taking into account the ongoing aftermath of the fires more than two years later.

During a hearing Dec. 19 in Multnomah County Circuit Court, Judge Steffan Alexander granted a motion by plaintiffs to re-file their complaint, over objections by defendants that too little time was left to refute new claims before a trial scheduled for April 24, 2023.

physical harm, and ought to be weighed separately.

“Defendants’ violation constituted a uniquely serious violation of Plaintiffs’ separate legally protected right to be free from the fires and the fires’ effects that Defendants contributed to and caused, including forcing Plaintiffs to evacuate from their homes, experience displacement, and traverse public roadways obstructed by Defendants,” read the proposed complaint.

Lance Large, MD Kelly Hanh Ramirez, PA-C Maria Fife, FNP-BC Carl W Leder, PA-C

The amended complaint, a preliminary copy of which was attached to plaintiffs’ motion, placed greater emphasis on the emotional and psychological suffering of those who were forced to evacuate due to the fires, as well as the struggles of those who have yet to return to communities that are still rebuilding. The complaint said these types of losses were “different and distinct” from typical fire damage, such as loss of property and

General Medicine

Treatment of Chronic Illness such as Diabetes/Hypertension

The amount sought by plaintiffs was unchanged, including $1 billion in noneconomic damages and $600 million in economic damages, with double the economic damages sought under an Oregon law allowing for twice the amount from a wildfire caused through recklessness or gross negligence, for total damages of at least $2.2 billion.

Preventative Care • Sports Medicine Pediatrics • Geriatrics • Womens’ Health Care FirstLine Therapy™ (Physician Assisted Weight Loss)

As of press time, a finalized amended complaint had yet to be filed. Attorneys for PacifiCorp told Alexander Dec. 19 they would need to confer before

Lance Large, MD Gene Lissy, FNP-C Jennifer Muller, FNP-C Jill Cohen, FNP-C

Serving

Plaintiffs add separate emotional harm claims to PacifiCorp suit

determining whether or not to file an amended response, or if their response to the previous version of plaintiffs’ complaint would stand.

PacifiCorp has denied liability and asked for dismissal of plaintiffs’ claims.

The suit was filed Sept. 30, 2020, by survivors of the Santiam fires, which devastated local cities that Labor Day. The case has since been certified as a class action and includes survivors of fires elsewhere in Oregon including the Echo Mountain Complex, Obenchain, and 242 fires, and has been consolidated with several other lawsuits against PacifiCorp by affected fire survivors and property owners.

Potential sanction pending

With the motion for an amended complaint resolved, a separate motion asking to sanction PacifiCorp for allegedly disregarding a discovery order was pending. Alexander was expected to issue a decision during a hearing Dec. 23.

Plaintiffs argued PacifiCorp has repeatedly

violated a court order to turn over information related to the potential cause and origin of the fire, including an Oct. 6 deposition when defense attorneys allegedly coached a PacifiCorp claims agent to limit her answers under the protections of attorney-client privilege.

Plaintiffs asked Alexander to compel the claims agent to testify about the facts known to her and opinions she has formed, and to sanction PacifiCorp for their alleged obstruction during the deposition including costs incurred through filing the motion and to continue with the agent’s deposition.

On Dec. 19, the defense denied coaching the agent and said they gave standard reminders to not share privileged information, and said much of the information sought by plaintiffs was indeed protected because the agent was acting at the direction of PacifiCorp counsel to help them prepare their case.

Plaintiffs argued these reminders had a chilling effect on the agent and often compelled her to limit her answers or not

answer at all, and said just because the agent communicated her findings and conclusions to attorneys does not make this information privileged.

The same Oct. 6 deposition led to a request by plaintiffs for the court to limit ex parte communications between PacifiCorp and fire survivors, as it turned out the claims agent had interviewed class members who were unaware of the suit without disclosing the suit’s existence nor PacifiCorp’s adverse interests in the matter.

PacifiCorp later agreed to cease unauthorized contact and to inform any survivors who filed claims in the future that the suit was ongoing and, unless they opted out of the litigation, they could not discuss facts relevant to the case without approval from plaintiff attorneys.

The deadline to opt out was Dec. 6. On Dec. 19, attorneys reported around 500 individuals opted out in favor of potentially seeking their own remedies, leaving thousands of individuals across Oregon as members of the class.

Stayton man arrested for hit-and-run

A Stayton man is facing felony charges after allegedly driving his vehicle into a car occupied by two Lyons residents, then fleeing the scene.

Casey Eugene Trussell, 37, was charged Dec. 5 in Marion County Circuit Court with failure to perform duties of a driver, reckless driving and two counts each of attempted second-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and recklessly endangering another person.

The alleged incident occurred Nov. 13 in Marion County and no serious injuries were reported. Whether or not the collision was deliberate, and whether or not Trussell knew the alleged victims, was not made clear in court records.

If convicted, Trussell faces up to ten years in prison. He has been released on $10,000 bail and is due back in court Jan. 3, 2022.

– Stephen Floyd

Phone and Internet Discounts

Available to CenturyLink Customers

The Oregon Public Utility Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $25.80 27.00 per month and business services are $42.00 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request.

CenturyLink participates in the Lifeline program, which makes residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers may qualify for Lifeline discounts of $5.25/month for voice or bundled voice service or $9.25/month for qualifying broadband or broadband bundles. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload to qualify.

CenturyLink also participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible households with a discount on broadband service. The ACP provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.

For both programs, a household is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Services are not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in these programs. Consumers who willfully make false statements to obtain these discounts can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from these programs.

If you live in a CenturyLink service area, visit https://www.centurylink.com/aboutus/ community/community-development/lifeline. html for additional information about applying for these programs or call 1-800-201-4099 with questions.

Helping Hands Change of use

By Mary Owen

The Ford Family Foundation has granted $50,000 toward the Santiam Heritage Foundation’s Change of Use process from a residential property to commercial use, portions of which are still pending with the City of Stayton.

“This brings us that much closer to the amount we have to raise to comply with the city’s decision,” said Wendy Stone, SHF president. “However, the majority of bids we obtained earlier this year were good for only 30 or 60 days, and, in today’s market, it’s very likely those companies will have to raise their bids due to the cost of their supplies and/or labor costs increasing.”

Stone said SHF can’t predict the cost of the increases until it gets the city’s final “green light” and contact the companies to schedule the work.

“There is also a Marion County portion of requirements to be met, so we once again come to the community members who have steadfastly supported us throughout the past 20-plus years,” she said. “People who wish to donate to us can do so by mailing a check made out to SHF. ”

Write “Change of Use” on the check and mail to P.O. Box 161, Stayton, OR, 97383. A “donate” button is also available to use on the most recent newsletter or at www.brownhouse.org.

Thanks to two anonymous individuals who each offered up to $5,000 to match donations received between now and Jan. 31, donations sent will be tripled, Stone said.

SHF will also honor founding member Carol Zolkoske, who passed away on Sept. 15. Zolkoske was the last original member of the organization still serving on the

Brown House funding matched

SHS Board of Trustees.

“She spent countless hours fundraising and serving in any capacity needed,” Stone said. “She loved history and particularly how times influenced people and their lives. She was a humble woman who didn’t think what she did was anything special. It was!”

Zolkoske wrote the organization’s newsletter updating the community on renovation progress of the historic Brown House and often provided historic lectures to educate the community on local history.

“One of the first events held in the semi-restored, at the time, Brown House was the surprise 50th wedding anniversary party Carol’s granddaughter planned for Carol and her loving husband, Gary,” Stone said.

“Her SHF family will continue to miss her greatly, but we’ll be guided by her abiding belief in saving and restoring the house that looks like a ‘big beautiful wedding cake’ on Stayton’s prominent corner!” she added. “We are also grateful to the donors who honored Carol by making a donation to SHF in her memory. We have set aside those donations, and plan to identify a memorial project.”

Contributions can still be made to the project by sending a check designating the Carol Zolkoske Memorial Fund to the same post office box.

The Santiam Heritage Foundation is a qualifying organization for Oregon Cultural Trust’s Tax Credit Program. Donations made to the Brown House that are duplicated to the Cultural Trust are qualified for a state tax credit of up to $500 per person or $1,000 per couple.

For more information, call 503-769-8860 or email cmbrownhouse@gmail.com.

Teachers receive grants from Maps Credit Union

By Mary Owen

Two local teachers have received $1,000 grants from the Maps Community Foundation for use in classroom and schoolwide community projects.

Lisa Iverson of Turner Elementary School plans to purchase games and other learning tools to help her students catch up with their reading skills.

“I am so thankful and excited to receive the Maps Credit Union grant,” Iverson said. “During the pandemic shutdowns and online school, so many students missed out on essential learning time and it is impacting their development of reading skills. This money will be used to purchase games and books that will help students learn these essential skills in a fun engaging way.”

Hollie Carlile, a reading specialist at Mari-Linn School in Lyons, will purchase books, games, colored pencils and more to enhance the K-8 literacy intervention program and make learning to read more fun and engaging.

On Dec. 13, the Foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $25,000 to K-12 teachers from around the Mid-

Willamette Valley. The money will be used for student impact work with projects, ranging from emotional wellness curriculum to space telescopes, field trips, ukuleles and boom whackers.

“I look forward to our grant program every year,” said Kim Hanson, Maps Community Foundation executive director. “We get to recognize teachers – people who are doing meaningful work, making an incredible difference in our children’s lives every day. We are so inspired by the dedication of our local teachers.”

As noted in the Foundation’s 2021-2024 strategic plan, “We invest time and resources into projects and programs that build upon Maps legacy of supporting education and promoting life-long learning to shape a healthy, thriving future for our Mid-Willamette Valley region.”

The funds are part of the Foundation’s Education impact area, and this program is closely tied to the credit union’s roots as a teacher’s credit union.

For more information, see winner details at www.mapscu. com/community-involvement/teacher-grants.

Scout’s honor All-girl troop delivers spirit

By Mary Owen

Folks warming up at the Santiam Outreach Community Center on Dec. 19 were treated to cookies made by girls from Boy Scout Troop 9050.

“Community service comes in all shapes and sizes,” Assistant Scoutmaster Krista Stave told visitors to the Troop’s Facebook page. “Today, our Scouts baked and decorated holiday cookies given to the warming center to sweeten up these chilly days.”

Based in the Stayton-Sublimity area, the all-girl troop is chartered with the Stayton Kiwanis Club, serving youth throughout the Santiam Canyon from Aumsville to Gates.

“Currently, we have six Scouts but are actively looking for more girls,” Stave said.

“While we definitely are not the only unit serving girls, we are one of few and the only offering this great program to girls in our local area. We interact, with other units at these larger events where the girls complete and show off their skills they have been learning and practicing.”

Baking cookies for Mill City’s SOCC is just one of several community service projects the girls participated in this year, according to Stave.

“This upcoming year we have lots of fun activities planned, including the Klondike Derby in February where we will go and take part in competitions in the snow,” Stave said. “Last year we took first place in one of the categories.”

Following the snow competitions event is an opportunity for the Scouts to go to Sand Lake in Cloverdale, Oregon, with activities such as rock-wall climbing, rifle and shotgun shooting, and participating with other troops while learning important life skills, Stave said.

“And the best yet, this summer we plan on attending summer camp in Washington at the historic Camp Parsons nestled right on the Puget Sounds,” she added. “There are a lot of activities to do both on and off of the water.”

The Boy Scout program offers youth the ability to earn merit badges through many different avenues, including career exploration, life skills and civic service, Stave said.

“One of the core tenets of the Scouting program is community service,” she added. “Our girls have never shied away from helping their local community. Something special happens when youth are encouraged to take part in helping their community. They start to take a sense of ownership and pride in their service.”

As well as baking cookies for the warming center, troop members helped the City of Aumsville with its Halloween event, giving pumpkins away to families. Other good deeds include cleaning up local trails and participating in community engagement activities, Stave said.

“While initially people were hesitant to bring girls into a historically all-boys program, through community engagement and education we have helped the community at large understand the value that Scouting brings and the benefit youth gain, both girls and boys alike,” Stave said.

“As we come into this new year, we are excited to continue building on the foundations of the amazing programs we have and look forward to sharing the fun with any girls interested,” she added.

Troop 9050 is a year-round Scouting program for girls, 11 to 17, and is part of the Cascade Pacific Council, Boy Scouts of America. Meetings take place 6-7:30 p.m. at Sublimity School.

“We are excited for our next year of adventures and invite you to join us,” Stave posted. “Come visit our meeting and see what we are all about!”

For information about how to be involved, visit Stayton Troop 9050 on Facebook, text or call 971-772-1022, or email staytontroop9050@gmail.com.

To your health?

At this time of year, in many different cultures, we toast to our health. Yet, heavy drinking raises our risk for liver disease, breast cancer and depression. This holiday season, give some thought to how much you drink and consider drinking less. It could make a big difference…to your health.

Kayla Webb, front, and Abigail Mauk of Boy Scout Troop 9050 get ready to deliver homemade cookies to the Santiam Outreach Community Center warming shelter in Mill City. The all-girls Troop is seeking more members from throughout the Santiam Canyon, from Aumsville to Gates.

Frequent Address

Santiam Senior Center, 41848 Kingston-Jordan Road, Stayton 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. 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.

Free Covid-19 Testing, 2 - 6 p.m., Ditter’s Square, 134 W Main St., Sublimity. No physician’s order required. Pre-register at labdash.net, 503-769-3230. Appointments required: santiamhospital.org/coronavirus. Repeats 2 - 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Covid-19 Vaccinations, 2 – 5 p.m., Santiam Hospital, 1401 N 10th Ave., Stayton. First and second vaccines and booster shots for all ages. Mon - Fri. Appt: antiamhospital.org.

Bingo, 1 - 3:30 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. Regular games $.05 a card. Blackout $.10 a card. 50 and older. Repeats Thursdays. 503-767-2009 Santiam Canyon Community Chorus, 7 - 8:30 p.m., Stewart’s Hall, 158 SW Broadway, Mill City. New members welcome. Jo Ann, 503-859-2502

Tuesday

Family Storytime, 11:05 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Explore early literacy through songs, stories. For children and family members of all ages. Free. 503-769-3313

English/GED/Citizenship Classes, 6:30 - 8 p.m., Stayton United Methodist Church, 1450 Fern Ridge Road. No cost for class. Workbook is $20. Runs through June. Repeats Thursdays. Mary, 503-779-7029

Wednesday

Stayton/Sublimity Chamber Business Network, 8:15 a.m. Network building event for local business, non-profit professionals. Coffee, light refreshments served. 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

Tai Chi for Intermediates, 10:1511 a.m., Santiam Senior Center. 50 and older. Repeats Friday. 503-767-2009

Baby & Toddler Time, 11:05 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Explore the world of early literacy through movement, songs, rhymes, play. For infants and toddlers up to 24 months and their caregivers. Free. 503-769-3313

Tai Chi for Beginners, 11:15 a.m.noon, Santiam Senior Center. 50 and older. Repeats Friday. 503-767-2009

Stayton Area Rotary, noon, Santiam Golf Club, 8724 Golf Club Road, Aumsville. Guests welcome. 503-508-9431, staytonarearotary.org

Cascade Country Quilters, 12:30 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. 50 and older. 503-767-2009

Beginner Line Dancing Class, 12:301:30 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. 50 and older. 503-767-2009

Advanced Line Dancing Class, 2 - 3 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. 50 and older. 503-767-2009

GriefShare, 6 - 8 p.m., Foothills Church, 975 Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. National, nondenominational support group. Register at griefshare.org or contact Christy, 406-431-8256.

Thursday

Sublimity Quilters, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., St. Boniface Catholic Church, 375 SE Church St., Sublimity. Make quilts for community donations, charities. Everything is provided. New members welcome. Mama´s Community Market, 1 - 4 p.m., Aumsville Pentecostal Church, 10153 Mill Creek Road. Food Pantry. 971-710-5665

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

Friday

Cars & Coffee, 8 a.m., Covered Bridge Cafe, 510 N Third Ave., Stayton. Bring your classic vehicles for coffee, breakfast. Family Fit & Fun, 11:05 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Use different ways to move, grow, explore. Activities indoors and outdoors. For children and family members of all ages. Free. 503-769-3313

Saturday

After-Season Indoor Market, 10 a.m. - noon, Silverton Friends Church, 229 Eureka Ave. Local produce, eggs, meats, artisan crafts. Free admission.

Notices

Scrambled Reading Challenge

Stayton Public Library is hosting a Scrambled Reading Challenge through Feb. 14. Read to earn letters. Scramble letters, make a word, claim a prize. A set of starter tiles is available at the library. All ages. 503-769-3313

Call for Artists

Stayton Public Library is hostings its fourth annual Art Show in February. Any artists who live or work in Stayton or surrounding areas can submit a maximum of two works. All art and registrations are due Feb. 2, 2023. More information at staytonlibrary.org, info@staytonlibrary.org, 503-769-3313.

Sunday, Jan. 1

New Year’s Day

Tuesday, Jan. 3

Lyons City Council

6:30 p.m., Lyons City Hall, 449 Fifth St. Swearing-in of newly elected officials, consider tabled business. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-859-2167

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

Wednesday, Jan. 4

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, Jan. 5

Dungeons & Dragons

5:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. First timers and experienced players welcome. Ages 12 and older. Free. 503-769-3313

Sunday, Jan. 8

Shaw Knights of Columbus Breakfast

7:30 - 10 a.m., St. Mary Parish Hall, 9168 Silver Falls Hwy., Shaw. Homemade biscuits and sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, hash browns, fruit cup, coffee, juice. Cost: $9 adults, $2 children 12 and under. 503-362-6159

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. Open to public. 503-769-8860

Monday, Jan. 9

Daughters of the American Revolution

10 a.m., Stayton United Methodist Church, 1450 SE Fern Ridge Road. Guest speaker

Lynn Daue presents “History of Hulihe’e Palace Museum.” The museum is operated and maintained by Daughters of Hawaii. Refreshments served. Open to all. Linda, 503-689-6991

Sublimity City Council

6 p.m., Sublimity City Hall, 245 NW Johnson. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-7695475, cityofsublimity.org

Aumsville Planning Commission

6:30 p.m., Chester Bridges Memorial Community Center, 555 Main St., Aumsville. Open to the public. Agenda available. 503-749-2030

Lyons Fire District Board

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

Lyons Library Board

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

Stayton Fire District

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

Tuesday, Jan. 10

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 Jan. 24.

RDS Board Meeting

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

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

Stayton Parks and Rec Board

7 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Agenda available. Open to public. 503-769-3425

Wednesday, Jan. 11

Chamber Business Network

8:15 a.m., Vault Fitness, 370 N Second Ave., Stayton. Ribbon cutting for Vault Fitness and Pallen’s Martial Arts of Oregon. Light refreshments served. Sponsored by Stayton Sublimity Chamber of Commerce. 503-769-3464

Red Cross Blood Drive

10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Aumsville Fire Station, 490 Church St. Appointments needed by visiting redcrossblood.org.

Retiring Joyfully Workshop

5:30 p.m., Union Hill Grange, 15775 SE Grange Road, Sublimity. Get more clarity and purpose to retirement. Free. Contact AnnetteJensen@RetireJoyfully.com.

Thursday, Jan. 12

Mini

Accordian Books

5:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Make books by creating a mini accordion book. Open to anyone 11 and older. Free. 503769-3313

Aumsville Fire District

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

Lyons Library Board

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

Saturday, Jan. 14

Vault Fitness Open House

1 - 6 p.m., Vault Fitness LLC, 370 N Second Ave., Stayton. Meet the new owners and trainers. Free yoga class at 1:30 p.m. Free Zumba class at 3:30 p.m. Free fresh-spun cotton candy by Sticky Fingers 2 - 4 p.m. Drawing for six-month membership for current and new members. 503-769-5541

Sunday, Jan. 15

Cascade Half Marathon

8 a.m., Cascade High, 10226 SE Marion Road, Turner. Half marathon, 10K and 2-mile races. Race entry fee includes a long-sleeve shirt for half marathon and 10K participants. Random prize giveaways. Benefits Cascade High’s track & field program and scholarships to graduating seniors. Cost is $60 for half marathon, $50 for 10K and $20 for 2-mile run. Sign up at runsignup.com and search for “Cascade Half Marathon.”

Monday, Jan. 16

Red Cross Blood Drive

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

Tuesday, Jan. 17

Kids Monthly Maker Lab

3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Drop in to try out a craft activity. A limited number of take-home kits are available Dec. 10. Free. 503-769-3313

North Santiam Watershed Council

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

Stayton City Council

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

Wednesday,

Stayton Library Board

NSSD Board meeting

6 p.m., Stayton Intermediate/Middle School, 1021 SE Shaff Road. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-769-6924, nsantiam.k12.or.us

Saturday, Jan. 21

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

Monday, Jan. 23

Red Cross Blood Drive

Noon - 6 p.m., St. Boniface Catholic Church, 375 SE Church St., Sublimity. Appointments needed by visiting redcrossblood.org

Tuesday, Jan. 24

Jan. 18

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

Thursday, Jan. 19

Miniature Herbarium Bottles

4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Use tiny jars to create Japanese-inspired bottles with dried flowers suspended in oil. Age 1118. Free. 503-769-3313

Lyons City Council

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

Monday, Jan. 30

Stayton Planning Commission

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

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

stars

Regis finished 9-2 and advanced to the Class 2A quarterfinals while Stayton (7-3) and Cascade (4-6) both advanced to the round of 16 in Class 4A. Here is a look at the statistical standouts from the OSAA charts:

Kollin Schumacher, Regis: The versatile junior QB-DB 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 six-TD game and a five-TD game.

Tim Crowell, Regis: Crowell, a 5-10,

150-pound senior wide receiver, caught passes for 1,071 yards, had two threeTD games, a four-TD game and a five-TD game. His top single game was 220 yards.

Also from Regis: Noah Koenig had a 164-yard receiving game and Luis Perez-Villegas kicked a 42-yard field goal.

Ty Borde, Stayton: The 5-11, 180-pound RB-LB rushed for 1,038 yards, with single games of 210 and 212 and twice rushed for three

TDs in a game. On defense he totaled 106 tackles and had a single-game high of 20.

Also from Stayton: Tanner Starbuck had three interceptions in a game and 14 tackles in a game.

Bishop Szmyd had 17 tackles in a game, with teammate Gabe Erickson turning in 16.

Jace Aguilar picked off two passes in a game.

Ty Borde.

Cascade placed Diana Burnell on the first team and Anahi Leon on the second team, with three players each from Stayton and Cascade earning honorable mention. On the list for the Eagles were Haili Nyquist, Adrianna Frank and Vanessa Zamudio. Cascade players receiving HM were Kate Witters, Tatiana Yakhnitsa and Kylee Gorremans

Cascade: QB Nolan Abrams passed for three TDs in a game and teammate Karsten Sande turned in 13 tackles in a game.

Girls Soccer: Still catching up with the fall all-league teams, and one observant reader noted that I had not yet featured the Oregon West Conference list for girls soccer.

Wrestling: Regis, in just its second year on the mats, has expanded, adding a girls squad that is four wrestlers strong. The Rams took eighth in Class 2A-1A in their debut a year ago and  will be led this season by senior Luke Bischoff and junior Thomas Bischoff

Got a news tip? Email me at james.d@mtangelpub.com

Kollin Shumacher.

PHOTOS BY JAMES DAY

Tuesday, Jan. 3

Girls Basketball

5:30 p.m. Cascade vs Marist Catholic

Boys Basketball

7 p.m. Cascade vs Marist Catholic

Friday, Jan. 6 Girls Basketball

6 p.m. Regis vs Gervais Boys Basketball

7 p.m. Stayton vs Gladstone

7:30 p.m. Regis vs Gervais Tuesday, Jan. 10

Girls Basketball

5:30 p.m. Cascade vs Crook County

6 p.m. Regis vs Santiam

7 p.m. Stayton vs The Dalles

Boys Basketball

7 p.m. Cascade vs Crook County

7:30 p.m. Regis vs Santiam

Friday, Jan. 13

Boys Basketball

7 p.m. Stayton vs Molalla

Girls Basketball

7 p.m. Cascade vs Gladstone Wrestling

TBD Cascade vs Junction City, Molalla, Sisters Tuesday, Jan. 17 Girls Basketball

6 p.m. Regis vs Willamina

Boys Basketball

7:30 p.m. Regis vs Willamina

Friday, Jan. 20

Girls Basketball

5:30 p.m. Cascade vs Sweet Home 6 p.m. Regis vs Western Christian

Boys Basketball

7 p.m. Cascade vs Sweet Home 7:30 p.m. Regis vs Western Christian Tuesday, Jan. 24

Girls Basketball 5:30 p.m. Stayton vs Cascade

Boys Basketball

7 p.m. Stayton vs Cascade Thursday, Jan. 26

Boys Basketball 6 p.m. Regis vs Chemawa

Girls Basketball 7:30 p.m. Regis vs Chemawa

Friday, Jan. 27

Swimming

4:30 p.m. Stayton Invite w/Cascade, North Marion

Girls Basketball

5:30 p.m. Cascade vs North Marion

Boys Basketball

7 p.m. Cascade vs North Marion

Monday, Jan. 30 Boys Basketball 6 p.m. Regis vs Culver

Girls Basketball 7:30 p.m. Regis vs Culver

Tuesday, Jan. 31

Girls Basketball

5:30 p.m. Stayton vs Philomath Boys Basketball

7 p.m. Stayton vs Philomath

By James Day

Down Third Avenue almost to the river is a new oasis of Stayton-area culture.

Jared and Jeannine Campos have opened Tuff Shark Records, and it’s clearly a labor of love.

The longtime Beatles fans (they met in a Beatles chat room and their 14-year-old son is named Lennon) occupy what used to be an old hardware store. The hardwood floors squeak, and the couple even kept the Santiam Hardware and Implement Co. thermometer on one of the walls of the 1,500 square foot building. And these are busy walls with busy shelves and bins: posters, other art, books, toys and tons of vinyl.

“We wanted to be about more than just vinyl,” Jared said. “Some people come in and don’t even look at records.”

The store is spacious and inviting with a long, narrow bin running up the center. There almost is room for a band to play. The Campos go beyond “almost.” They have a dream of finding bands and booking shows in the store and even starting a record label.

Open since June, the store is open 4 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and noon to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Both owners work full-time, Jeannine as an administrative assistant and Jared as a locksmith.

In fact it was a COVID-induced crash in the locksmith market that led the family to move to the Stayton area a couple of years ago from the San Diego area. They have family in the area and they also like the trees up here.

“We’ve been very blessed,” Jeannine said. ”A lot of people in the community donated records.”

“We’ll take a look and say we’re going to buy them,” adds Jared of some inventory, “but instead they donate because they want us to succeed.”

The store model is to keep prices low and not really to get into the collectibles market.

“Even if something is in high demand,” Jared says, “we won’t be jacking up prices. We don’t do that. We want our records to go to a good home.”

The store includes five $1 bins, offering testimony to the low-price policy, Jared is known to have a little fun with the dollar bins.

“I like to find something that is definitely worth more than a dollar and put it in there,” he said.

While in the San Diego area Jared and Jeannine played in a four-person alternative rock band called the Desolate Angels, with Jeannine on vocals and Jared on guitar. Despite their love for classic rock acts such as the Beatles, the couple also try to support lower-visibility groups and independent bands. They like to feature the music of such bands on the in-store stereo.

“It’s fun,” Jared says, “to put something on in the store in hopes of attracting customers to bands who don’t get a lot of attention.”

The store also offers guitar lessons on Tuesdays (email sales@tuffsharkrecords.com to get more information).

Jared and Jeannine Campos of Tuff Shark Records in Stayton.

JAMES DAY

James ‘Jim’ Perry

James (Jim) Perry, 82, passed away on Nov. 18, 2022.  He was born in Los Angeles, California to Helen Louise Houle and Raymond Carl Perry.

He is preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Jeanne Perry Rofelty and Wanda Perry Sundborg.

He was a loving husband to Carol Porter Perry for almost 58 years, and she survives him. He is also survived by his children, Diana Schimschok (Brian), Bob Rofelty (Julie), Arlene Rofelty, and Jim Ghiglieri (Meg); grandchildren, Brian (Jenn), Angie, Elana, Daniel, Gwin, Ben, Heidi and Emily, and his bonus granddaughter Hannah; as well as his great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two long-time friends he considered his bonus sons, Mark Crouse and David Potter. He was preceded in death by many good friends.

Jim spent his first 18 years living at Lake Tahoe (Stateline), and then enlisted in

the Air Force, serving for four years. In 1966, Jim moved his family to Silverton, Oregon.

Jim was an entrepreneur who started and owned many businesses over the years, including building canopies and campers back in the 1970s, paving and excavating work, and selling landscape materials, to name a few. He didn’t believe in sitting around when there was work to be done, and he always had a to-do list in his head. He enjoyed having his grandkids as apprentices. He loved fishing, hunting, leather work, rock hounding and traveling with his wife.  In his late 70s he fulfilled a long-time dream by purchasing a sawmill.

At his request, Jim will be laid to rest in a private service. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude’s Hospital or the Silverton Elks Lodge are suggested. Serving the family, North Santiam Funeral Service, Stayton.

Images from history 1939

By James Day

In the summer and fall of 1939, photographer Dorothea Lange toured the Pacific Northwest taking photos of the Great Depression for federal agencies.

Lange (1895-1965)  stopped in the Yakima Valley in Washington, and Portland, Independence, Klamath Falls and West Stayton, producing more than 500 pictures in Oregon alone.

Dozens of the photos were of migrant camps and bean fields in West Stayton during a time in which the Stayton area was “the bean capital of the valley” and an annual Santiam Bean Festival was held. The bean fields are long gone. Oregon farmers changed directions as agriculture changed, but we still have Lange’s pictures – preserved by the Library of Congress.

And they present a stirring, sometimes heartbreaking story. Families living in tents and improvised shanties and vehicles. Entire families at work in the fields. Lange only provided generic captions for the photos, so interpretation in most cases is left to the viewer.

However, a few of the photos include more specific information. One photo shows a young boy of perhaps 6 or 7 in overalls. His face is smudged, and he is carrying an automobile tire. Lange apparently had a brief interview with the boy.

Lange: Where did you come from?

Boy: Joplin, Missouri.

Lange: Why did you leave?

Boy: We couldn’t make it.

“We couldn’t make it.” Think about that for a moment. What a matter-offact statement. But those four words essentially encapsulate a major piece of American history, the drive west by families looking to escape the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. A great deal of that history as well as the myths and lore that surrounded it stemmed from the migration to California, written about by John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath, sung about by Woody Guthrie and photographed by Lange. Generations of families crammed inside old trucks with every stitch of their belongings strapped to the sides and top. Huge federal migrant labor camps formed and were called “Hoovervilles.”

An estimated 300,000 Americans came west to California during those years, but another 80,000 took a more northerly route, similar to the old Oregon Trail, and wound up in Oregon, whose economy in that period overwhelmingly was based on agriculture. And every year about 5,000 men, women and children came to pick the pole beans in the Stayton area. Not all of them were migrants, however. Lange’s photo captions note a “local” girl in one field. Another photo shows a family from 25 miles away in Albany.

Stayton native Jack Darley, 88, a retired insurance businessman, still owns

photos show farm life in Stayton area

property in West Stayton that used to contain bean fields and that Lange photographed in 1939. Just shy of five years old when Lange visited, Darley has no memory of her being in the fields, but he retains, often vividly, images of what life was like when beans were king in the area. And families such as the Darleys and the Beldens and dozens of others hired workers during the summer to bring in the crop. Crops that were canned cooperatively by entities in the region that eventually morphed into NorPac. Darley and Belden have streets in West Stayton with their names on them. Another street, Bean Alley, honors the industry.

On a visit to Darley in his home just east of the hospital he is shown a group of the Lange photos. His sharp eye for detail immediately notes which ones were from the Darley properties and which were not.  “That wasn’t our farm,” he said, looking at one. “The cables on our poles were different.”

Another picture, which featured sacks of harvested beans, was eliminated because the bags were white. The Darley operation used burlap. A moody picture taken of two children working a pump in a camp in a grove of trees with vehicles visible in the background Darley is pretty certain came

from his family’s camp. And another of a water wheel in a canal he recognizes as being next door to the spot where the Darley Plantation Store used to stand. The photo contains what looks like a brand-new concrete guard-rail for the bridge over the canal, infrastructure that is gray and moss-covered when you view it today.

Darley also took Our Town on a tour of West Stayton. We passed West Stayton School, which he attended. It remains open as an alternative school. We cross the bridge over the canal, stop on the other side, and get out of Darley’s truck.

In front of us is a classic Western Oregon grass seed field, stretching west toward the horizon with wispy white clouds painted on a blue sky. Darley’s family switched from beans to corn in the early 1950s and now leases the 90 or so acres for grass seed, mint and wheat.

The trees that shaded the migrant farmers are gone. Ditto for the Darley store next door. Both were victims of the 1962 Columbus Day wind storm.

But Darley retains clear memories of the camp and the store and the life he led there with his family. They had 93 tents, and the camp was surrounded by a white picket fence. Movies were shown to the campers, everyone had a wood stove, and laundry facilities were available. The Darleys grew beans from 1933 to 1952

A boy

captured in the lens of Depression-era photographer Dorothea Lange at a West Stayton migrant camp in the summer of 1939. The boy’s family was from Joplin, Missouri.

and there were some families that worked for them every summer.

There also is a famous story, immortalized in the 2005 volume by James R. Baggett and William Lucas on the history of the blue lake bean industry in Western Oregon, of the largest rock that was found in a Darley harvesting bag from a picker looking to find a way to boost his earnings. It weighed 14 pounds.

Darley has a photographic memory of West Stayton, calling out the names of the farm families as we passed their spreads… Fery, Keudell, Lafke, Walker, Bartosz, Gillett and Dozler. He notes where the tavern started out and where the building was eventually moved to, the McClellan’s Store and the four gas stations.

Also present was a sincere respect for the skills with which his neighbors managed their farms.

“He was a good farmer,” Darley said while passing a number of the properties. Darley noted that the work was hard and labor-intensive. Some bean rows were a quarter-mile long and everything was done by hand until the bush bean, which could be harvested mechanically, was developed. Bringing in the beans required 500 laborers, Darley said. Harvesting corn, which replaced beans on the family fields, required seven people.

Darley also recalls that the bean picking camp always was full because “we treated everyone so well.”

Yes, that statement belies the general consensus of maltreatment of migrants from Steinbeck, Guthrie and others. But Lange biographer and historian Linda Gordon notes in the Winter 2009 edition of Oregon Historical Quarterly that small farmers worked side by side with hired

hands in Oregon and that “Oregon made [Lange] more hopeful about America. There is no question but that Lange found rural Oregon a happier place than rural California.

“She had a populist faith that this hardworking people could be active citizens in a democratic government, a vision she stubbornly retained despite how well she knew the power of the corporate forces against them.”

Acknowledgements

Our Town wishes to thank the following organizations and individuals for their kind assistance during the reporting of this story.

• Jack Darley of Stayton

• Oregon Historical Society, Renato Rodriguez

• Stayton Public Library, Stephanie Rubel

• Oregon State University Extension Service, James R. Baggett, William Lucas, Mark Chie

Those corporate forces led to federal regulations that prohibited strikes, with Guthrie’s autobiography Bound for Glory and Steinbeck’s novel In Dubious Battle graphically describing the costs paid by those who challenged the system.

Lange’s West Stayton photos are accompanied by what is called “General Caption 46.” In the document, dated Nov. 13, 1939, she describes the camps, the pickers, the farmers and the process, and notes that workers received $1 for every 100 pounds picked. She also quotes “a small farmer” on the challenges of the labor movement.

“We watch all the time for agitators. An agitator will turn the whole yard upsidedown in two hours.”

THE LANGE FILE

Dorothea Lange, 1895 – 1965

Operated a portrait studio in San Francisco, did photo work with the Resettlement Administration and the Farm Security Administration, taught at California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Arts Institute) and co-founded Aperture magazine.

Quote: “A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.”

Perhaps one of Lange’s most iconic photographs, a mother of seven children, Nipomo, California in 1936.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, PRINTS & PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION, FSA/OWI COLLECTION, LC-USF347-009058-C

Lange’s photograph of the water wheel that was used as part of the irrigation system in place in the West Stayton bean fields in 1939. The canal ran 7.5 miles from the South Santiam River through the fields. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, PRINTS & PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION, FSA/OWI COLLECTION, LC-USF34-020494-E

The canal still runs through the area, with the obvious evidence of the passage of time on the concrete. JAMES DAY

Stayton native Jack Darley’s family played a key role in the bean industry in the Stayton area, as photographed by Lange. JAMES DAY

Clipped wings ... But finding good

One thing that’s been on my bucket list since before I had a bucket is learning how to fly.

I think it’s in my DNA. Growing up, I spent most of my time on Air Force bases. My dad was in the Air Force 23 years.

When I graduated from the University of Alaska, I was broke. I mean penniless. I gave myself until the Friday after graduation to get a job as a newspaper reporter. If I didn’t have a job by then, I was going to enlist in the Air Force.

At noon on Friday, I got a call from the editor of The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner offering me a job. It ruined my life.

Instead of enlisting and going to flight school and streaking at the speed of sound across the sky, I became a reporter.

As it turned out, I was a lucky reporter. Things just seemed to happen when I was around. My second week on the job, I was heading for an assignment – I think it was to cover a chamber of commerce meeting – and saw a dead body floating down the Chena River.

I told the editor: “The bad news is I didn’t cover the chamber meeting. The good news is I got a story about a murder.”

I moved to Wrangell, a tiny fishing and timber town in Southeast Alaska. The employees at one of the sawmills had gone on strike, and the town’s economy went down the tubes. I decided to go to one of the union meetings. The door of the meeting hall was unlocked, so I went in.

Everyone stared at me.

“What the [censored] are you doing here?” one of the guys said.

“I just want to tell people what’s going on,” I said.

stories

“Well, why don’t you just get the hell out of here instead?” he said.

Then another member piped up.

“Wait a minute. Don’t we want people to know what we’re doing, and why?” he said. A few of the others nodded their heads.

I wrote a story about the union and what the sawmill, which was owned by a Japanese conglomerate, were haggling over. It was a one-of-a-kind.

One morning before dawn, I was going to work at an Anchorage newspaper and I saw a glow on the horizon coming from the direction of the airport. I decided to take a detour on the way into town to see what was going on.

When I got to the airport, everything was shut down. I found a couple of guys from the Federal Aviation Administration who told me that a DC-8 with a load of cattle – yes, cattle – bound for Japan had crashed on takeoff. They gave me a ride out to the crash site. I phoned in details of the story to another reporter, and we had it on the front page by 11 a.m.

I was working in Juneau in 1980 when a cruise ship caught fire in the Gulf of Alaska. It had 525 passengers on board. A reporter who was heading out for an early fishing trip had caught the chatter on the Coast Guard radio. He called me and went to the Coast Guard search-andrescue center, our photographer chartered a plane to get pictures of what was to become the largest air-sea rescue in Coast Guard history, and I headed to the office with other reporters, who wrote stories about the history of shipwrecks in Alaska and the history of the ship.

We printed an “Extra” before the end of the day.

Yep, journalism ruined my life. And I still don’t know how to fly.

Carl Sampson is a freelance writer and editor. In the past 45 years, he has worked for The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, The Wrangell Sentinel, The Anchorage Times, The Juneau Empire, among other newspapers in Alaska, Minnesota and Oregon.