Côté Chiropractic • G & J Cabinetry • Edward Jones –
Brynie Robinson Hi-School Pharmacy • Jeffrey G Jackson, CPA
Our Town Community News • Pacific Northwest Recovery & Counseling Pacific Stair Corporation • Roth's Fresh Markets
Silverton Art s Association • Silverton Chamber of Commerc e State Farm • Roberts, Ring & Fischer • The Luck y Leaf
The Palace Theatre • Water Stree t In n • Wild Dandelion
FRIENDS
Abiqua Rentals • Bazaar Americana • Citizens Bank • Gosch ie Farms
NAPA Auto Parts • Patrick Doyle, Attorney • Pratum Co-op
Ripple Toys & Games • Silver Creek Lanes
Silver Falls Terrariums • Tiny Mountain Houses • The Den
The Neighborhood • Umpq ua Bank • Wavr a Design C o.
COMMUNITY
Country F inancial- Brent Satern • Fin and Fowl • Golden Valley Farms
Huddart Family LLC • Kelle y & Kelle y • Les Schw ab • Mini Storall
Mt A ngel Dental • Pill Box • Potters Automotive
Silver Creek Animal Clinic • Silver Cree k Auto Body • Silverto n Ballet
Silverton Christmas Market • Silverton Family Dentistry
Silverton Realty • Somewhere In Time • The Home Place Restaurant
The Red Benc h • Tim Kelley Insuranc e • Village Print Shop
Whole Circle Farm s • Wither s Lumber Co
Robin Ekloff Owner
Our Town needs your help
On a spring Saturday 21 years ago a group of us sat around the kitchen table and talked about what was important to putting out a good newspaper – and what was important to us, personally.
We talked about integrity, reliability and a deep connection to our communities.
Another week went by and we carried the conversation out to a picnic table and, beverage in hand, piece-by-piece pulled together a vision for Our Town.
One particularly important thing was access. We wanted everyone to feel part of the community. That was a crucial element in our mission. So, in our town(s), we decided no one would have to buy a paper to get the local news. It’s in your mailbox, free.
to keep Our Town relevant and present information in the manner people want to receive it. And while education, growth and change are important, they are also investments. That translates to costs we don’t have the resources to shoulder or absorb.
We need your help to sustain the Our Town news team and grow the skills and resources we provide the community.
Asking is hard. But not asking and having a resource like Our Town slip away – victim to changing information channels and changing pace – is harder. What the staff at Our Town does matters.
Sean Needles, MJ Kennedy, Karyssa Dow and Ronnie Hurlbut, organizers of the Silverton Pride events set for Saturday, June 28.
COURTESY OF MJ KENNEDY
On the Cover Silverton Middle School student Tygh Wacker and his Passion Project, the Super Side Volley, which took third at the State Science Fair. COURTESY OF TYGH WACKE
Town P.O. Box 927 Mount Angel, OR 97362
401 Oak St. Silverton, OR 97381 503-845-9499
That was a hybrid model for a fledgling publication with aspirations to provide only local, professional journalism. A little like public radio -- we give news and information away for free; a little like traditional newspapers – we put our advertisers’ messages into the hands of existing and potential clients and customers.
Our Town was – and still is – an invitation to join in community by spending a little time reading about it. You might find something you want to do; learn something important you didn’t know; discover a business to match your needs or connect a familiar face to a name and a story. In the big picture, these are small things. But these small things – tiny stitches – pull together a living, growing, changing community.
Our Town is a gift. It’s a gift of purpose for those who create it, and a gift of connection for those who receive it. But in truth, the gift isn’t free.
Rusty Rae, executive director of the Oregon Public Information Partnership, (of which Our Town is a member) has been noodling the issue far longer than I. He’s passionate about the reasons communities need local news:
• It provides a shared understanding of what’s happening in our city halls, schools, and businesses.
• It connects us to our community and to our neighbors, uplifting voices that would otherwise go unheard.
• It demands accountability. It forces decision-making structures to operate within the public’s view.
• It lends us agency, empowering us with the knowledge we need to make informed decisions about issues critical to our daily lives.
Thank you for spending time with Our Town. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Jim
Our Town mailed free to residents and businesses in the 97362, 97375, 97381 zip codes. Subscriptions for outside this area are $60 annually.
The deadline for placing an ad in the July 1 issue is June 20.
There have been a lot of changes in the newspaper business during the last two decades. Many have folded or seriously diminished their coverage. I recently read 30% of the papers in the US have folded since 2005. Others were snatched up by investors who may not understand the community or a particular paper’s mission.
Our Town has been blessed. Thank you, Our Town advertisers. Thank you so much. And a huge thank you to the Our Town crew, too. They’ve committed time and talents to keep the paper vital. This paper is an undertaking of the heart – a community of coworkers.
But as I look to the future, I am concerned. Some of the Our Town founders have passed. The rest are 20 years older, many chasing grandchildren. Our Town can’t live in the past. We need to grow skill sets
• When local news declines, data indicates communities become more polarized; voter and civic engagement decline, and government waste increases due to the lack of public oversight.
If you agree reliable local news is important, please support the Our Town news team by making a donation to: https://tinyurl.com/ support-ourtown-news/ (or scan QR code). Because OPIP is a 501(c)(3) organization, your donation is tax deductible.
Over the coming weeks we’ll share our plans and report on our progress.
We’re going to hold fast to this: together, we build community
– Paula Mabry
Kinghorn Advertising Director Paula Mabry Editor & Publisher
Beckner Custom Design
Designer & Copy Editor
James Day Sports Editor & Reporter
Janet Patterson Distribution
Melissa Wagoner Reporter
Stephen Floyd Digital Editor & Reporter
Sara Morgan Datebook Editor
Something to Do
Pride Family friendly picnic, music, puppets in the park planned for Silverton
By Melissa Wagoner
When MJ Kennedy moved to Silverton with her wife three years ago, she didn’t immediately find people she connected with.
“I’m a queer woman, which was part of the reason it took me a while to plug in,” she explained.
But then she found the Silverton branch of PFLAG and the Silverton Progressives group and things began to change.
“I believed I would find my people and I did,” Kennedy said.
It was through those groups she found Ronnie Hurlbut and Karyssa Dow, both in the midst of planning an expansion of Silverton’s annual Queer Family Picnic.
“This would have been its fourth year…” Hurlbut, said of the event, which was founded by Brianna Wolterman-Baker and Fields Delmar. “But we wanted it to be bigger.”
The vision for the expansion was an allinclusive Pride event that, along with the continuation of the picnic, would include music, vendors and an after-hours drag show for those 21 and over.
“My reason for planning it is that Silverton elected the first transgender mayor and never had [a Pride event],” Dow said.
And so, in January the group – which swiftly grew to include both picnic lead, Wolterman-Baker and graphic designer,
Sean Needles – began seeking community support. The first to step forward was the Senior 50+ Center, which offered to function as an umbrella organization.
“With the Senior 50+ Center as a sponsor, all donations are tax deductible,” Dow explained. “And Simone [Stewart] is letting us use their indoor/outdoor stage.
It’s a level of commitment the team has been grateful for.
“To know we live around 50+ community members who want to support us is phenomenal,” Hurlbut said, adding, “This community has been insanely open.”
It’s a response he and the other organizers are planning to perpetuate with the Pride event itself, which will have an educational component.
“I think it’s going to be super informative,” Hurlbut said. “So, for someone who hasn’t been a part of our community, they can learn a lot.”
Scheduled for June 28 in Coolidge McClaine Park, the Pride event will kick-off at 10 a.m. with family-friendly activities including face and nail painting by the Gender and Sexualities Alliance (GSA), a puppet and craft booth and a host of vendors – largely nonprofits. Then at noon participants are invited to join the Rainbow Family Lunch in the Park by either bringing a sack lunch or purchasing to-go food at a local restaurant.
“I hope it’s a day of joy,” Kennedy said. “I want to see kids running around with
Silverton Pride
Saturday, June 28
Coolidge McClaine Park
300 Coolidge St., Silverton 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Vendors, live music, face and nail painting, crafts and puppet making Free to all ages
Rainbow Family Lunch 12 to 3 p.m.
Bring a sack lunch or purchase take-out from a local restaurant
Drag Show After-Party
Main Street Bistro, 201 E. Main St, Silverton
Tickets: $50, include a taco bar and must be purchased in advance at www.silvertonpride.com/
Doors open at 8 p.m. Show starts at 9 p.m. Guests must be 21 or older
their faces painted… people getting information…” and delighting in the music, which will take place on the stage from noon until 7 p.m.
“We have seven music [performances],” Dow said, listing Water Street Project, Tristin Thomas, Hannah Wood, Garreson, Jojo Gold, PB and J and The Rainbow Connection as the scheduled bands.
“Everyone is local,” Hurlbut said. “Garreson is working on coming out with an album in June… and Rainbow Connection is a bunch of regional musicians who all have queer children.”
Also associated with the event – but only available to audience members aged 21 and over with a valid, pre-purchased ticket – is a Drag Show After Party held at Main Street Bistro featuring performances by Riri Caliente, Misha Caliente, Fabulanzaa Leville and Billie McBride – the current Miss Trans Oregon.
“She’s going to perform Cher,” Kennedy said.
Sold online at www.silvertonpride.com, tickets are $50 and include both a taco bar, beginning when the doors open at 8 p.m., and the show, which starts at 9 p.m.
“It’s evolved into something so much bigger than anyone thought,” promoter Sean Needles, said. “But it feels like everything has aligned.”
The response by the community has been beyond what any of the organizers –particularly Kennedy – had expected.
“I never imagined it would go the way it’s gone. It’s just wild to me,” she said.
“People in this community are saying, ‘It’s about time.’”
Classical guitar returns Abbey hosts teaching, performance festival
By James Day
Classical Guitar Immersion has been entertaining music fans for more than two decades at Mount Angel Abbey, with the 2025 version offering some intriguing twists.
First, the teaching and performing festival, opens June 16 and runs through June 21. For June 20, Brother Anselm, the Abbey resident who plays a key role in arts and culture activities at the monastery, suggested a time change for one that would allow attendees at the Michael Hermes program to also participate in a Bach and Beer harpsichord and violin concert at the Benedectine Brewery later that evening.
The new schedule calls for the Hermes performance at 6:30 at the Abbey with Bach and Beer running at 7:30 p.m. at the taproom down the hill. The Bach and Beer event promotes the Abbey’s 54th Bach Festival, July 23-26. See https:// www.mountangelabbey.org/join-us/bach for information.
The second bit of intrigue is the introduction of cello into the mix. The June 16 program features organizer Scott Kritzer on guitar and Oregon native and Juilliard graduate Maria Shim on cello.
This isn’t done often, partly because no one really writes for cello and guitar. Kritzer said in an interview with Shim, Hermes and Brother Anselm, musicians rearranged and adapted material written for guitar and violin.
“There is just a different texture when guitar pieces are arranged for cello,” said Shim, a Corvallis native who runs a renowned teaching studio in Portland. “It’s just a lot of fun,” Kritzer added.
The Shim-Kritzer program includes music by Sylvia Leopold Weiss, Niccolo Paganini, Rachmaninoff, Dennis Gaultier, Manuel de Falla and Joaquin Nin. At the interview, Shim and Kritzer extolled the praises of another composer on the program, Haitian-born American Frantz Casseus. The duo will be performing three Casseus works, which Kritzer described as “very exciting and very exotic.”
Hermes grew up in the Portland area and was a student of Kritzer’s. Now, Hermes is prospering in two worlds, the
Free events at Mount Angel Abbey
Aalto Library Auditorium, 1 Abbey Dr.
June 16: Marina Shim and Scott Kritzer, 7:30 p.m.
June 19: Student Recital I, 7:30 p.m.
June 20: Michael Hermes concert, 6:30 p.m.
June 21: Student Recital II, 7:30 p.m.
Benedictine Brewery taproom, 400 Humpert Lane
June 20: Bach and Beer, 7:30 p.m.
classical guitar environment that will see his first album next year, and the electric guitar world.
In his Friday program, Hermes will perform works by Augustin Barrios, Heitor Villa-Lobos, J.S. Bach, Sir William Walton and Joaquin Rodrigo. Bach’s Prelude and Allegro and Walton’s Bagatelle No. 3 are considered classic pieces for guitar. Kritzer and Hermes also talked glowingly of the Fandango by Rodrigo that will close the show. Rodrigo is most known for his Concierto de Aranjuez, which has been recorded/performed widely, including by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis.
“It can be a tricky one to balance,” Hermes said. “There are lots of contrasting things going on.”
“It’s very fun and flashy,” Kritzer said. “It’s both a technical piece and a really good piece.”
Maria Shim and Scott Kritzer will perform in a rare combination of cello and guitar at the Abbey event. SUBMITTED PHOTO
MASD hires Lisa Harlan as superintendent
The Mt. Angel School District has hired former Greater Albany Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Lisa Harlan as superintendent ahead of the retirement of Rachel Stucky on June 30.
During the May 12 meeting of the MASD Board, officials voted unanimously to extend the position to Harlan effective July 1.
In a press release, the MASD Board said they looked forward to working with her “to continue building an equitable and student-focused school system.”
The district began searching for a new executive administrator after the board accepted Superintendent Stucky’s resignation Jan. 29.
Stucky became superintendent in 2021 and led the district through the COVID-19 pandemic. She also oversaw significant facility improvements after voters passed a $7 million bond in 2023, which was paired with a $4 million state grant.
In a final performance evaluation dated March 10, Board Chair Andrea Pfau said Stucky shaped MASD “in countless ways, and we are extremely grateful for the dedication, passion, and vision you have brought to our schools.”
Harlan joins the district from Happy Valley-based Educational Excellence, where she has worked since 2023 as a consultant specializing in executive leadership, professional development and strategic planning.
She served as assistant superintendent for Albany schools from 2018 to 2023, and as director of elementary education for Salem-Keizer Public Schools from 2015 to 2018. Prior to that she worked as a school improvement director for the Oregon Department of Education from 2013 to 2015.
Harlan got her start in education in 2000 as a teacher for the Corvallis School District. From 2006 to 2013 she worked as a principal for that district.
– Stephen Floyd
Board endorses Kellison as permanent SFSD superintendent
By Stephen Floyd
Kim Kellison has been named the permanent superintendent of the Silver Falls School District half-way through her interim contract after an “exceptional” performance review by the District Board.
During a June 9 regular meeting, the board unanimously approved a three-year superintendent contract with Kellison effective July 1.
This finalized a decision made by the board March 10 to offer the permanent position to Kellison after a positive evaluation of her work.
The board found Kellison was “exceptional” in her professional standards and ethics, approach to policy, government advocacy, fiscal management, organizational management and communication. In the areas of leadership and creating an inclusive and positive work culture, Kellison’s performance was evaluated as highly competent.
Board Vice Chair Derrick Foxworth said Kellison joined SFSD at the start of “an extremely challenging [school] year” and that the board has been “very pleased” with her performance.
Kellison joined SFSD July 1, 2024, on a two-year interim contract as the district was enduring a financial crisis due to years of deficit spending and overstaffing.
Reserves had been depleted and a $3.8 million bridge loan and a week of furlough days was used to cover deficits in the 202324 budget. To help repay the loan and to
better-align expenses with revenue, roughly 90 staff positions were cut district-wide including 15% of teachers.
As the crisis unfolded former Superintendent Scott Drue resigned abruptly March 13, 2024. Two days prior the Silver Falls Education Association (SFEA) had filed a grievance against him for alleged “fiscal negligence.”
Since that time Kellison has overseen reforms in budget practices such as tighter limits on discretionary spending and the re-evaluation of programs operating in a deficit such as food services. She also worked to repair relations with staff, with SFEA remarking May 12 that recent union contract negotiations were far more productive and amicable than under prior leadership.
In addition to typical duties of a superintendent, Kellison has developed a reputation for leading from the trenches, whether that’s helping decorate a hallway or personally instructing students.
Board Chair Phil Wiesner said March 10 Kellison does not shy away from challenging problems but is quick to roll up her sleeves.
“[Kellison] never has a, ‘We can’t solve this,’ [attitude],” said Wiesner. “It’s always ‘We’re going to figure this out.’”
Under the new contract Kellison’s salary will be $185,000 yearly plus benefits, with an annual raise of $3,500 plus cost of living. Board members said this reflects the compensation offered at similar districts, as well as the value they see in Kellison’s work.
Volunteers needed for Adapt-a-Toy event
When Hollie Hix-Small, a professor in the Early Childhood Intervention Program at Portland State University, was introduced by a colleague to Dr. Bethany Sloan, a physical therapist and the director of Go Baby Go Oregon – an outreach program that utilizes community volunteers to provide pediatric adaptive equipment to children with disabilities – she knew she wanted to get involved.
“Dr. Sloan and I organized workshops for my early intervention and special education students…” Hix-Small recalled.
But that firsthand experience and the training she received in adapting “off the shelf” toys, books, and even ride-on cars to switch-operation
left her wanting to do more. And so, she decided to bring the opportunity home with her, to Silverton where she connected with Silver Falls School District special education teacher, Michiel Nankman, who took the idea and ran with it, securing the Silverton Arts Association’s classroom at 303 Coolidge St. for June 22 from 1 to 4 p.m.
“All you need is a can-do attitude,”
Hix-Small wrote in the press release advertising the event. “Toys, instructions, and tools provided.”
Preregister for this free event at www.silvertonarts.org/store/ p/2025juneadaptatoy/.
– Melissa Wagoner
$590,000 Massive 3 bay insulated shop, 220v wiring, lots of parking, nice 3 bed, 2 bath home. Rare Opportunity. MLS#829599
OPEN HOUSE Saturday, June 28 • 1-3pm 4782 Lowell Ave. NE, Keizer OR 97303
$795,000 One-of-a-kind custom home in Mt. Angel, great location near schools. 2,968 sqft built in 2001 with ammenities galore. Donna Paradis 503-851-0998 MLS#826550
$509,900 Enjoy the water feature and private backyard, well maintained 1-story home in a quiet cul-d-sac in Keizer. Attractive neighborhood. Valerie Kofstad 503-871-1667 MLS#828553
Big Price Reduction! $1,299,000 27.7 Acres, located between Silverton and Salem, forest and river views.2658 sqft, 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom, possiblity for dual living. Listed by Jackson Sherwood 971-343-2475 MLS#825174
$655,000 Elegant Victorian style house sits on a huge .61 acre lot. This historic home is full of character from its 10-foot ceilings to its stained glass windows. Silverton. Donna Paradis 503-851-0998MLS#828366
$479,000 1922 era home with modern updates & timeless charm. 4 bed, 2 bath, with builtins and formal dining room. Classic Beauty, a few blocks form Downtown Silverton. Rosie Wilgus 503-409-8779 MLS#828613
NEW! $499,000 Maple Grove area, Molalla. Affordable country setting, 5.270 Acres, great location for privacy and to enjoy the wildlife. 2 Large Shops! Michael Kemry 503-851-2914 MLS#828692
$409,900 Potential awaits with 2 outbuildings, one is a bonus room or office. 4 bed, 2 bath, 1512 sqft with charming features. Silverton. Valerie Kofstad 503-871-1667 MLS#824615
$639,000 Custom built New Construction, thoughtful design, open concept floor plan perfect for entertaining, 2426 sqft, 3 bed, 3 bath. Silverton. Michael Kemry 503-851-2914
MLS#827934
$449,000 Craftsman Beauty with a classic front porch, Stately and charming, great basement too! Mt. Angel. Scott Stokley 503- 586-8126 MLS#828882
$345,000 Private Playground within this Silverton Neighborhood. Just 2 blocks away from your doorstep. Create some fun memories that your family will treasure. Valerie Kofstad 503-871-1667 MLS#826719
Price Reduced $195,000 2.17 Acres across from Silverton Reservoir, Buildable lot in the Trees! Price for quick sale. Valerie Kofstad 503-871-1667 MLS#829093
$175,000 Commercial Zoned Lot in Aumsville. 0.25 Acre, corner of Main and 9th Street. Michael Kemry 503-851-2914 MLS#825946
All info current at time of publication Prices and availability subject to change
Sweet Pea Daycare opens fourth location in three years
By Brenna Wiegand
When the daycare center her children attended abruptly closed with just 24 hours’ notice, Alicia Roney didn’t simply search for another option, she created one.
“Operating childcare centers was never my passion,” said Roney, a registered psychiatric nurse at Oregon State Hospital. But necessity, combined with a deep sense of purpose, led her to take an unexpected leap.
That was three years ago. Trinity Lutheran Church in Mount Angel offered the Roneys the use of their facility should they ever consider opening a daycare. With no other providers in Mount Angel and surrounding centers in Silverton already at capacity, the opportunity was clear and urgent.
“I had studied early childhood education and was fortunate to be surrounded by early childhood educators who were like mothers to me,” Roney shared. “I was lacking a motherly figure and I became a teen mom. The women at the daycare I once relied on taught me not only how to care for my child, but myself too. They had a profound impact on my life.”
In September 2022, Sweet Pea Learning Center opened its doors. Within 30 days, it had reached full enrollment, an early indicator of the overwhelming demand.
Not long after, then-Mt. Angel School District Superintendent Rachel Stucky approached Roney with a unique proposal: to establish an early childhood education program on the campus of JFK High School. In 2023, Sweet Pea opened its second location, offering both early education and support to student-parents.
“It’s been a full-circle moment for me,” Roney reflected. “Now, we have teen moms coming to us. Our hope is to make the same kind of impact on their lives that others once made on mine.”
Six months later, Roney received a call from Deschutes County. With no infanttoddler childcare slots available within a 30-mile radius of Bend, county officials had taken note of Sweet Pea’s success.
Roney had a longtime friend in LaPine with a background in early childhood education, and together they opened a thriving new location serving that underserved region.
“I didn’t go looking for any of the centers we’ve opened,” Roney said. “Each one found me. It all happened naturally.”
Despite this rapid expansion, Roney continues to work part-time at Oregon State Hospital.
“My passion is serving people with mental illness,” Roney said. “That work is an essential part of who I am, and I’m not willing to let it go.”
Amid these developments, Silverton real estate broker Heather Yates alerted Roney to a potential property: a former daycare center that had served the community for more than 35 years but was in significant disrepair.
“My husband and I are dreamers, I suppose.” Roney said. “We walked through the building and quickly realized it would require a full gut renovation – but we didn’t have $1.5 million lying around.”
Four months later, the State of Oregon announced the Childcare Infrastructure Grant, a new grant aimed at supporting those purchasing and renovating properties to serve as childcare facilities. After a rigorous five-month application process, the Roneys learned in December 2025 that they had been awarded $1 million toward the project.
“Since purchasing the building in March, we’ve been renovating nonstop,” Roney said. “We stripped it down to the studs. Everything is brand new and it’s beautiful.”
Beyond aesthetics, Sweet Pea’s mission is deeply grounded in safety, care, and trauma-informed practices.
“We’ve gone above and beyond in our safety protocols,” Roney said. “As a psychiatric nurse, my training is in traumainformed care. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that our children are safe, well cared for and loved.”
Alicia Roney of Sweet Pea Learning Centers at her newest location on South Abiqua Road. BRENNA WIEGAND
Changing needs Educators adapt to new pressures throughout the system
Editor’s nore: This is the last installment in a three-part look at education today.
By Melissa Wagoner
Growing up in California, Jessica Brenden attended a high school with more than 1,000 students.
“I felt lost,” she recalled. “And there wasn’t a lot of support.”
It’s an experience that has stayed with her, influencing her career, first as an elementary school teacher, then as an instructional teacher and finally as principal at John F Kennedy High School in Mount Angel.
“Because of my elementary experience I am programmed for deep relationships,” she said. “That prepared me for this job because there are 220 kids here.”
And while the size of the school means there are less resources, due to funding, it also means there is an opportunity for a more tailored educational experience and more support when it comes to helping
individual students navigate post-high school decision making.
Career Education
“We want to help kids have an idea of what they want to do for next steps,” Brenden said, referencing the hiring of a Career and College Coach and the implementation of a High School Success Program, as just two ways JFK supports graduating seniors.
“[The program] supports students to know what it is they want to do after,” she explained. “Because when we did a survey [of parents] whose kids graduated four years ago, they fell off a cliff. And so, if they have more kids going through, they’re nervous.”
It’s a feeling Brenden herself remembers having when she was a graduating senior.
“I had Ms. Audrey in the high school counseling center,” Brenden said, recalling a meeting in which she asked, “What do I do here?”
The answer provided was far from helpful – and perhaps years too late. Which is why Brenden is an advocate of another, district-wide policy that ensures students’ progress is monitored throughout their schooling, enabling teachers to provide the necessary interventions that prepare students for the future before graduation is on their doorstep.
Testing
“We’re working very hard in the Mt. Angel School District on our response to intervention,” Rachel Stuckey – the outgoing Mt. Angel School District superintendent in charge of overseeing the program – explained. “It [asks the question], ‘What are we doing for our kids if they are not progressing or if they are exceeding?’ And it’s really important…”
But figuring out the individual needs of students can be tricky because assessments are only helpful when paired with a timely response.
“We want well-child checks,” Stuckey pointed out. “Because the more we can give students immediate feedback… the better.”
Which is why standardized tests, those mandatory tests given to public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade, are not the primary tool used by the MASD’s staff.
“Standardized testing is an autopsy,” Stuckey explained. “Because it’s not going to help the student.”
Instead, the scores determine the ranking of the individual school and the district at large both at a state and national level.
“I don’t find a lot of relevance there,” Stuckey – whose district is listed among
the top 50 percent in the country –admitted. “But stakeholders need to know how they are doing. Every assessment has its purpose and its audience.”
But not every subject crucial to academic success has an assessment. Mental health, for example – though fundamental, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, is not featured in the evaluations given by the Department of Education. The hierarchy of needs lists self-actualization, self-esteem, love and belonging and safety and security as paramount, not just success but survival.
Mental Health
In a post-COVID environment, where students are bombarded with social media comparisons and a reduction in real-world connection, mental health is, according to Mt. Angel Middle School Principal Jeff Taylor, worth assessing.
“Anxiety, depression…” he listed when to name the issues he is observing. “I think that’s true study-wise and true in this building as well.”
It’s one of the reasons, during the past year, MASD chose to adopt a no cell phone use policy district-wide.
“Our parents are so amazing, they were like, ‘Yes!’,” Brenden said of the feedback she received at JFK. Adding, “Partnership is so important.”
And not just when it comes to supporting policies.
Family Involvement
“When school and family can partner it makes a world of difference for kids,” Brenden said. “But society’s pressures have really impacted families.”
There is a decrease in parental involvement across all grades including pre-K.
“Not everyone has the ability or the time,” Shelby Lulay – a preschool teacher and owner of The Little Country School in Sublimity – said, describing the trend she has observed over the span of her career. “And that’s even more so now that families require multiple working parents.”
It’s a situation that has simultaneously reduced the number of hours families are available to support student education while increasing the reliance on school –especially preschool and kindergarten –as childcare.
Increased Need for Preschool and Kindergarten
“I think it’s a reflection of our society,” Lulay speculated. “Parents need to work…”
It’s a demand that influenced the state’s
move from funding half-day kindergarten to full day in 2015. The increase in hours, while helpful to parents, has put a strain on children.
“I do think some kids struggle with the more strict environment,” Lulay said. “And so, it’s important to teach them with compassion.”
Because both the kindergarten and preschool years set the stage for educational success later.
“The purpose of preschool is to learn to be in a classroom,” Lulay explained. “It teaches all of the cursory skills you will need later, and it is a great opportunity to socialize and become acclimated to routine.”
All competences that will serve students from elementary school all the way through college.
“You can really tell the difference [in who had preschool],” Lulay admitted. “Especially now, it’s really a requirement to success.”
‘Passion Project’ Science aligns
By Melissa Wagoner
In Daniel Jamsa’s eighth grade science class the annual science project looks a little different than it does in other schools – starting with the name.
“I don’t remember when the title got a co-name –sometime around 2013,” Jamsa said. He has been teaching at Silverton Middle School since 2011. The addition of a “Passion Project” option that he hoped would inspire those students who “don’t do science” to participate developed somewhere along the line.
“I define science as a systematic way of discovering truth about the universe,” Jamsa said. “The process can be used in a wide variety of settings and not just ‘science-y’ things.”
Offered as an optional assignment each fall, the Passion Project begins with students choosing a topic – but not just any topic – one they are enthusiastic about, and which can be explored in an experimental way.
“It needs to have a variable that can be controlled or a definable engineering goal… they need to demonstrate their passion for the project by learning about the topic and writing a clear procedure…” Jamsa said. “If they do not show effort and/or love for the project then, they are dropped from the process.”
Which means they join those students who chose not to participate in a separate group project. It’s a classroom division that works for both Jamsa and his students.
“If [all students] are given a customized project that they are not vested in, then the vast majority will not put in the necessary effort when the rubber hits the road,” Jamsa explained. “As teacher, I then try to go the extra mile to support them.”
But in his experience, that means spending a lot of time and effort trying to convince 75 percent of the class to engage with the project while the other 25 percent of the students (those who were initially interested in the experiment) become bored.
By allowing students to choose their path – Passion Project or group project – Jamsa has found both groups of students learn more, and his own energy is better distributed.
“When I give them an engaging group project, the remaining kids are stimulated and given a good educational opportunity while I am partially freed up to support the science fair kids,” he explained. “I have made everyone do a project in the past and the extra work has not translated into anything except a lot of mediocre projects with minimal learning and lots of extra work.”
Now that students can choose their path and their topic of interest, the projects they choose are anything but ordinary.
“My project was on a soccer distribution called the side volley…” participant Tygh Wacker said. “To do the side volley you drop the ball with your left hand if your right footed or vice versa… angle your body at a 45-degree angle and strike a little bit below the middle of the ball.”
An avid soccer fan with an interest in mastering the technique himself, Wacker used the Passion Project to determine if a practice regime that included a mix of weight training and field training would improve his skills. “The hardest part of my project was to find time to do all my field training and weight training… I had to make a schedule to manage my time,” Wacker said. Adding, “The best part of my project was being able to improve and see that improvement in my data.”
Once the information was compiled and the project finished, Wacker and the other Passion Project participants began sharing their discoveries. First at the Northwest Science Expo held at the University of Oregon on Feb. 15.
“I did pretty well at the science fair,” Wacker said. “I made it to State and got third there. I… am glad that the judges could see how much time I put into my project.”
In total, 12 students qualified for and went on to compete at the State Science Fair. That could have meant the end of the assignment for the rest of the Passion Project participants, but Jamsa had other ideas.
This year the project included a presentation to members of the Silverton Toastmasters Club, students in the sixth and seventh grade classes at SMS, students at Robert Frost and Mark Twain Elementary Schools and a community exhibition at Little Leaf Cafe.
“When kids present in public, the public gets to see the magic which can come from allowing kid power to shine,” Jamsa said. “The students feel validated. The students see that their work is honored. Furthermore, a bedrock of science is the sharing of the work for public commentary and suggestion. This can happen in spades during these events. Usually, the audiences are quite appreciative of the kids, whether they are the public, the parents, or other students.”
It’s a part of the Passion Project experience that Wacker believes will make him more successful in high school.
“Science fair taught me to be better at public speaking” he said, and the value of putting effort into a project.
Which is what the Passion Projects assignment is all about.
“I want them to be jazzed about school,” Jamsa added. “I want them to see how cool science is when you systematically learn something and improve it over time and share it in public. I want them to have more authentic learning experiences like this where they spiral skills in multiple disciplines around a topic of interest so that they can see value in their learning in multiple classes… I want them to set their sights higher on what personal greatness can look like… ”
Silverton Middle School student Tygh Wacker and his Passion Project, the Super Side Volley, which took third at the State Science Fair. COURTESY TYGH WACKER
Procurement & equity Supporting small businesses statewide
By Melissa Wagoner
Christopher Wilson’s job as a program manager in the office of Procurement and Equity for Oregon’s Department of Administrative Services means he keeps a close eye on the health of small businesses in cities and towns across the state – and that includes Silverton, where he has lived since 2022.
“I am a lifelong Oregonian, born and raised in Salem,” Wilson said, recounting the time he spent in the military and pursuing various vocations in cities across the country before he finally returned to his home state. “What’s so cool about being back in the area is my family is entrenched in Stayton.”
And those ties, along with his work for the Office of Procurement, have given him a real interest in both the health and longevity of the businesses in his own hometown.
“When I walk around here and talk to business owners, they’re very disappointed,” Wilson said. “But they tend to lean toward pre-pandemic strategies.”
Namely, viewing businesses in Portland as their primary competition.
“I see economic saturation in Portland,” Wilson explained. “There are no pies to cut up.”
Instead, he suggests business owners take a close look at the opportunities present in their own region.
“I’m curious who is talking with each other and how they’re creating community… or not,” Wilson said. “I see a want for systems thinking, but a lot of silos.”
Wilson also recommends business owners take a close look at their customer base, concentrating on the effects inflation is having.
“Look at, what are the strengths, opportunities, threats and weaknesses?” Wilson said. “Businesses should be doing that once every year.”
It’s all a part of developing a business strategy, which Wilson views as the first step to recovering from the lingering effects of the pandemic.
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“I hope businesses can really recover… and set a new direction,” he said. “And that this pressure can create a new generation of entrepreneurs. I want to see a tertiary effect, not just with businesses thriving but maintaining the landscape.”
It’s a change he would like to see, not just in Silverton but across the state, which is why he recently initiated a change in government spending in Oregon that he hopes will help support small businesses everywhere.
“We found that only three percent of spend utilization goes to small businesses…” he said, referring to the money Oregon’s 105 executive branch agencies spend on goods and services, which he is committed to increasing by another eight percent. “That 11 percent is just a target.”
But it could very well be just what a small business needs to break out of a downward trend.
“If your bowl is empty, you cannot think strategy,” Wilson explained. “What I do is help them fill their bowl so they can move on to the next phase.”
And create a healthier economy overall. “What I see is an economic ecosystem,” he said. “It’s a web… but how it flows is up to you.”
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Christopher Wilson, program manager for the Office of Procurement and Equity.
MELISSA WAGONER
Former Silverton doctor arrested for Woodburn fatal hit-and-run
A former ER doctor at Legacy Silverton Medical Center has been arrested for a fatal hit-and-run that killed a Woodburn man in December.
Kenneth John Kolarsky, 58, of Portland, was arrested May 17 after being indicted May 6 in Marion County Circuit Court for a Dec. 26, 2024, collision that killed Nicolas Hernandez Mendoza, 44, of Woodburn.
According to the Woodburn Police Department, Mendoza was struck while using a crosswalk at Pacific Highway and Williams Avenue by an SUV that fled the area. Mendoza was transported to Salem Hospital with serious injuries, where he later died.
Kolarsky was later identified as the suspect and was arrested in Silverton the night of May 17 by Woodburn PD with assistance from the Silverton Police Department.
He has been charged with failure to perform duties of a driver to seriously injured persons, a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. He has been released on his own recognizance and is scheduled to enter a plea to the charge July 15.
On June 3, the Oregon Medical Board opened a disciplinary investigation into alleged “unprofessional or dishonorable conduct.” A final board decision could result in revocation of Kolarsky’s medical license.
According to OMB’s website, Kolarsky is no longer working at Legacy Silverton or any other medical institution. He is employed through Northwest Acute Care Specialists, who said in a public statement Kolarsky is on administrative leave while the case is ongoing.
– Stephen Floyd
Man injured after jump from Abiqua Falls
A Utah man was seriously injured May 18 after jumping off the top of Abiqua Falls, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
In a press release May 21, deputies said dispatch received reports around 7:39 p.m. of a 22-year-old man who had jumped from the top of the falls, falling approximately 90 feet.
The Silverton Fire District was the first to respond and found the man amid steep, heavily wooded terrain. They called for backup and multiple
agencies responded including Woodburn Ambulance, Mt. Angel Fire District, Salem Fire Department and MCSO Search and Rescue.
The injured man was transported by ATV to a LifeFlight helicopter, then flown to a trauma center for treatment, said the release.
“This incident serves as an important reminder to exercise caution in wilderness areas,” said the sheriff’s office. “Always have a plan, know your limits, and avoid taking unnecessary risks.”
County claims immunity in stabbing lawsuit
By Stephen Floyd
Marion County claims it is immune from liability in a lawsuit by a woman who was severely injured in a stabbing outside Silverton in 2021, and whose husband died in the attack.
On May 22, the county filed an answer in Marion County Circuit Court in a lawsuit by Jamilyn Juetten, claiming numerous defenses including “apparent authority immunity.”
This refers to a state statute which prevents public agencies from being sued for actions taken by their employees in the course of official duties.
For immunity to apply, an employee must believe their actions were reasonable and they must act in good faith. This applies even if their actions turned out to be harmful or unlawful, according to the statute.
The county asked for all claims in Juetten’s suit to be dismissed, and for recovery of its legal costs. As of press time, Juetten had not responded to the county’s filing.
On May 29, a parallel lawsuit by the estate of Jamilyn Juetten’s husband, Travis Juetten, was dismissed for exceeding the statute of limitations.
The Juettens were attacked Aug. 13, 2021, in their home at Howell Prairie Road NE and Hazelgreen Road NE. Travis Juetten, 26, died at the scene while Jamilyn Juetten survived with multiple stab wounds.
She filed suit Dec. 30, 2024, seeking $8 million for medical costs, lost wages, and mental and emotional harm.
The suit claims stabbing suspect Cody Michael Ray, 30, of Salem, repeatedly violated his zero-tolerance probation in the weeks before the attack. The suit claims, had the county detained Ray
according to his probation, the attack could not have happened.
Ray was never arrested for the attack because he was not suspected until after he killed himself in an unrelated incident Sept. 28, 2021.
In the May 22 filing, Marion County admitted Ray disclosed potential probation violations to his probation officer in July and August of 2021 including a new charge of suspended driving, and alcohol and marijuana abuse. The county admitted his probation officer “did not initiate probation violation proceedings…at the time of those disclosures.” The county denied this constituted negligence.
As to the suit’s claim that these incidents were violations of Ray’s zero-tolerance probation, the county said the plaintiff had drawn her own legal conclusions and “no response is necessary.”
The county also admitted Ray reported to his probation officer Aug. 2, 2021, that his mental health was deteriorating and he believed he was in need of psychiatric care. The county denied that Ray failed to report for a scheduled mental health evaluation Aug. 6, 2021, as alleged in the suit.
In addition to apparent authority immunity, the county said it was not liable because the harm to Jamilyn Juetten was caused by a third party whose actions were outside the county’s control. Defendant also argued the suit was filed beyond the statute of limitations and without compliance with the Oregon Tort Claims Act.
Parties are due back in court June 25 for a status check hearing. The case has been assigned to Polk County Circuit Court Judge Rafael Caso, as all Marion County judges have been recused due to potential conflicts of interest.
State baseball Kennedy finishes second in 2A-1A tournament
The Kennedy High baseball team came within one run of another OSAA Class 2A-1A championship.
Enmeshed in a classic duel with longtime rival Umpqua Valley Christian the Trojans surrendered a run in the bottom of the sixth and then came close but couldn’t answer in the top of the seventh. The result was a 2-1 instant classic at PK Park in Eugene.
The win gave UVC its fourth state title, all since 2009 under coach Dave York. Kennedy has three, all since 2012. The Monarchs took the top seed into the tourney, while the Trojans were second. Kennedy now has finished first or second at state five times since 2019.
“Yeah, it really was a great game, classic pitchers duel, and I think we actually hit better than they did, we just hit the ball right at them,” Trojans coach Kevin Moffatt told Our Town
“We knew their guy (Ty Hellenthal) was the two-time state player of the year and was not going to walk us, so we took a much more aggressive approach than normal. We only struck out four times, so tip your hat to them. They are really good defensively and played that way on Saturday.”
Hellenthal and Trojans junior Henry Beyer were locked in a 1-1 tie heading to the bottom of the sixth, when the Monarchs struck for the game-winning run. A double and a walk put two runners on with no one out. Beyer, however, struck out the next two batters. Pinch hitter Henry Powell then singled to right, scoring Caleb York for a 2-1 lead.
In the top of the seventh the Trojans also put two men on, via a Kody Graves
single and a Sawyer Kilbourne walk. But Hellenthal was there to close out the game with a strikeout.
Kennedy finished 26-4 with a roster that featured just two seniors, shortstop Graves and catcher and leadoff hitter Rylee Walker. The Trojans started 18-0 before dropping two out of three against district rival St. Paul. The only other loss came in a nonleague affair against Class 3A Taft.
“I think what made this team special is that we were just really balanced, every guy on the team has an attribute that helps us out,” Moffat said. “We are not the fastest team and don’t have the hardest throwers and things like that, but we had great balance one through nine, with no glaring holes.”
Of the 11 players Moffatt used in the final, nine of them were underclassmen.
Silverton, meanwhile, turned in a 20-7 season under second-year coach and former Foxes athlete Colton Meyer Silverton tied for third in the MidWillamette Conference with a 13-5 record. Silverton received the No. 11 seed in the Class 5A tournament and lost its opener 4-3 at No. 6 La Salle Prep.
Softball: Silverton also finished third in the Mid-Willamette and took the No. 7 seed into the Class 5A tournament, However, the Foxes fell 9-6 to visiting Wilsonville to finish the season 16-10.
“I hate finishing the season. I always want to keep playing,” Foxes veteran coach Ralph Cortez said. “But the girls have had a great season, so I’m pretty happy. You can tell them anything right now and it won’t make them happy.”
Track & Field: Tia Allen of Kennedy won the discus at the Class 2A track and field championships in Eugene to help the Trojans finish 10th in the team competition. Allen threw 129-11 to win the discus by more than 15 feet and also took seventh in the shot put at 32-5.5.
Isabel Berning, meanwhile, was second for JFK in the javelin at 131-8 and Reaghan Williams was fifth in the high jump (4-9) and long jump (15-6). Also scoring for Kennedy was the 4x100 relay team of Jazmein Pericho, Williams, Charlee Traeger and Amber Handran (seventh, 52.36), while Austynn Garrison tied for eighth in the pole vault (7-9.25). Stephen Handran scored for the JFK boys by taking eighth in the long jump at (19-6.75).
The Silverton boys, meanwhile, finished 16th in the Class 5A meet with 18 points. The Foxes’ girls were 13th with 22. Caden Druliner set a personal best of 6-6.25 in leading a 2-6-9 Foxes finish in the high jump. Tristan Keopadapsy was sixth in 6-1.5 and Sam Haugen was ninth (5-10.5). Kepapdapsy also was seventh in the triple jump in (41–7.75). Logan Uitto took sixth in the 100 hurdles (15.68) and Eli Willis finished seventh in the javelin at 162-2. Foxes sprinter Wyatt Metzger, who won the 100 in the Mid-Willamette district meet, injured his hamstring in the prelims at state and did not advance.
For the Foxes girls, the 4x100 relay squad of Brooklyn Schurter, Lexi Enzenberger, Aspen Etzel and anchor Marley Wertz finished third in 49.51. Enzenbarger also was seventh in the 100 in 12.73. Greyson Glivinski took third in javelin (136-1), Grace Hayashida was fourth in the triple jump (35-1) and Ella Lulich threw 111-4 to finish sixth in the discus.
The Kennedy High baseball team with the second-place trophy after finishing runner-up to Umpqua Valley Christian in the OSAA Class 2A-1A tournament. The Trojans have finished first or second in the state five times since 2019. COURTESY AMANDA BEYER
Mulkeys celebrate 70th
Lloyd and Marie Mulkey are about to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary. They were married on June 29, 1955, in Portland, followed by a reception at the Scotts Mills Friends Church where they are members to this day.
Duane Arthur Chaves
Sept. 5, 1946 – April 24, 2025
Duane Arthur Chaves, of Silverton, Oregon passed away April 24, 2025 at the age of 78, after a 16-year battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Duane was born Sept. 5, 1946 in Baker City, Oregon. His parents were Arthur A. Chaves and Ivona Vandewiele Chaves.
He attended Mt. Angel College, in Mount Angel, Oregon for one year gathering many life-long friends. There he met Cheryl Bicek, who, three years later in June of 1968 became his “forever” wife for the next 56 years.
Duane graduated in 1968 from Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington, with a BA in Chemistry. He then began working for Shell Chemical.
Duane joined the Air Force in 1970. After basic training the family spent four years at Vandenberg AFB, California where he was trained in electronics. When the military service ended, Duane and his family were able to move back to Oregon, finding employment with the Oregon Department of Transportation, where he retired after 27 years as a radio tech in 2003. He serviced every radio site on every mountain top in the state of Oregon.
In retirment, Duane and Cheryl traveled extensively with family and friends. Also he found time to volunteer for Holy Family Academy in Gervais, teaching science for a number of years to 7th-8th graders. He volunteered for Oregon Department of Human Services, driving children to appointments and visitations with their parents. He delivered meals-on-wheels in Silverton. He helped with Father Taaffe Homes. His last “job” was holding and rocking babies at Family Building Blocks in Salem. He was also instrumental in helping to set up a program to help the children of La Manzanilla, Mexico, insuring that any child in the town who wished to continue their education into high school, were granted the funds to make that a possibility.
Duane was preceded in death by his two sons, Joseph Chaves and Jonathan Chaves; and his granddaughter, Carin Norris.
He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Chaves; daughter, Julie Chaves Norris; grandchildren, Maddie Chaves Noonon, Celeah Norris, Michael Chaves, Keandre Cohen, Aniyah Cohens, and Zakiyah Hardaway; and siblings, Marilyn Fullmer, Sr. Mary Jo Chaves, and Richard Chaves.
Duane wanted to be remembered as a committed and loving husband, a responsible, loving father and an incredible, story-telling grand-p-a-w.
The celebration of a life well lived, will be a simple family gathering at the top of the Steen’s Mountain in South Eastern Oregon, a site Duane frequented often while servicing cell towers and communication equipment for ODOT.
Thomas Michael DeSantis
Dec. 7, 1941 – March 17, 2025
Thomas Michael DeSantis, 83, of Silverton Oregon, passed away peacefully on March 17, 2025 at home with his family at his side.
Tom was born Dec. 7, 1941 during a West Coast blackout to Mary and Albert DeSantis. He shared his childhood with siblings Dick, Donna, Tony, Jack, Mary Lou, Jim, Julie, Larry and Dan. The family was hit early with tragedy when Albert passed away when Tom was 10, Julie passed away as a child from illness and Larry passed away in the late 1970s. These tragedies help to set a strong faith for Tom. His faith life started early and only grew through the years until he passed away.
Tom met Linda Barker in 1965. They married in February of 1966 and for the next 53 years shared their lives together. Soon to follow was the birth of their first son Ken. Jeff followed in 1968. A few years later Tom’s “little princess” and amazing daughter, Nicole was born in 1973.
Tom moved his family back to Silverton in 1976 to the home where he grew up and then raised his family in the same home. He went to work for his brother, Tony, in August of 1976. Tom worked with Tony and helped to grow DeSantis Landscapes during that time into the respected company that it is today.
Tom was involved with his kids’ lives which became busier as they grew with sports and other school activities. Tom rarely missed an event with one of his kids. Tom got involved with umpiring baseball and later softball when Ken and Jeff were involved with Little League. He became one of the premier umpires in the area and umped several State and Regional games and tournaments. Umpiring was a way for Tom to put two of the key parts of his life, his kids and his integrity, in the forefront of his life. Tom was a rock when it came to both.
Tom’s hobbies included woodworking, creating and taking care of his landscape, playing games with friends and family, golf, and cribbage. Tom was a perfectionist who applied this to everything he did, whether it was balancing the company checkbook or making a table for his family. It needed to be done right, no compromise.
Tom was an active member of St. Paul’s Parish in Silverton. He was a member of the folk group that shared their talents with the congregation for many years. Tom always enjoyed keeping rhythm with the music by tapping on something. He shared this love playing the conga drum with this group.
Family was very important to Tom. He was one of ten siblings; proud that he had over 50 first cousins; and was father to: Ken Desantis (Jodie), Jeff DeSantis, Nicole DeSantis, Sandy Bersin (Ray) and Christie Teets DeSantis. He was grandfather to Adrian (Beau) Desantis (Becky), Austin Bersin (Hollie), Bailey Barker (Justin), Lauren Kroening (Jacob), Emily DeSantis, Wyatt Crofts (Marissa), Ethan Crofts (Hannah), Sophie Lanier (Tristan); and great grandfather to: Audrey, Adilyn, Lincoln, Tuf, Luna, Kinsley, Tate, Rowdy, Riggin and Halle.
John Hollingsworth
John Edward Hollingsworth was born Dec. 26,1932 in Silverton, Oregon to James and Tomina (Olson) Hollingsworth. He passed away May 26, 2025 at his home on the family farm (“The Ranch”) near Sublimity at age 92.
John grew up in Silverton, graduating in 1951 from Silverton High School. Following school, he drove a dump truck, then purchased a log truck. He enlisted in the US Army and served three years as a light truck operator. Upon returning, he attended Oregon State. There he met Adair Ann Watson in Salem, Oregon. They were married Oct. 24, 1958 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Silverton.
Dec. 26, 1932 – May 26, 2025
member of the Masonic Lodge.
Following his retirement, John and Adair continued to travel throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico – including all 50 states, celebrating their 50th anniversary in their 50th state, Hawaii. John and Adair continued working on the family tree farm, logging up into his 70s. They settled up on the family farm, The Ranch, to enjoy the quiet life with visits from their kids, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents younger brother, Ronald James (Jimmie) Hollingsworth.
Hyrum Chase Gutierrez
April 11, 2006 – June 3, 2025
Hyrum Chase Gutierrez, age 19, passed away peacefully at home in Silverton, Oregon, on June 3, 2025, at 3:58 a.m., surrounded by his loving family.
Born on April 11, 2006, in Portland, Oregon, Chase was a true miracle from the very beginning.
toys, and he found delight in watching Megamind and the show Sister, Sister. His favorite colors red, black, and white reflected the bold and beautiful way he moved through the world.
John began working at the Department of Forestry before joining Oregon State Parks as a Registered Professional Land Surveyor. He retired after 30 years with the state in 1989.
John and Adair had three children, Ronald Dean in 1959, Karen Lee in 1961, and Janet Adair in 1962. Their life with family included camping, boating, hunting, fishing and traveling. John was also an active
John is survived by his wife of 66 years, Adair Hollingsworth; son, Ron Hollingsworth; daughters, Karen Grenz (Brian) and Janet Boyte; grandchildren, Blaise Jr., Ashley (Paul), Shayla (Dustin), Justin (Jasmine), Zac (Delilah), Tanner (Kaci), Annaleise (Luke) and Tristan; great grandchildren, Talon, Micah, Dean, Otti, Ryan, Finley, John, Kintey, Haze and Landon. Arrangements by Unger Funeral Chapel.
Michael Francis Gander
Michael Francis Gander passed away on May 23, 2025, after a courageous five-year battle with colon cancer. He passed peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones.
Born on Oct. 11,1939, Michael grew up in Silverton, Oregon. As a teenager, he took great pride in running the projector at the Palace Theatre; a role that sparked a lifelong appreciation for technology and adventure.
Oct. 11, 1939 – May 23, 2025
Columbus, reflecting his deep faith and service to others.
Michael married Virginia “Ginger” Riley, and together they shared 64 years of love and adventure. They were proud parents to three children, Douglas, Kevin, and Michelle. Their family grew to include four grandchildren, Joshua, Benjamin, Ryan, and Oliver, who brought them immense joy.
Doctors said he wouldn’t make it past the first trimester, but Chase defied all odds and lived a radiant life filled with joy, strength, and endless sunshine. Every day he lived was a victory testament to his unmatched spirit and the deep love that surrounded him.
Chase was the light and life of every room he entered. He had an infectious joy that uplifted everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Even as he faced lifelong health challenges, he gave his family and friends a kind of happiness that words cannot fully express.
He adored music, balloons, and his favorite
Chase is survived by his devoted mother, Hillary Gutierrez Cruz Carvajial; and his cherished siblings, Valerie Provstgaard, Crystal ProvstgaardKlein, Naomi Provstgaard, Joseph Cruz Gutierrez (his beloved twin brother), Alina Gutierrez, Bella Gutierrez, and Noah Gutierrez. His life touched each of them in ways that will never fade.
Though his health declined in the final months of his life, Chase never stopped shining. His light will live on in all of those who were blessed to love him, and his legacy of joy, courage, and pure heart will remain a guiding force forever.
Arrangements by Unger Funeral Chapel.
In Memory Of
Robert McClaughry Nov. 2, 1948 May 15, 2025
Ann Westing Jan. 23, 1934 May 15, 2025
Karyn Andersen March 8, 1948 — May 15, 2025
Bruno Chavez Perez Feb. 3, 1953 May 17, 2025
Dicy Graham July 20, 1944 May 18, 2025
Michael Gander Oct. 11, 1939 May 23, 2025
John Edward Hollingsworth Dec. 26, 1932 — May 26, 2025
Michael went on to serve more than 34 years with the Oregon Highway Division. A devout member of St. Edward Catholic Church for 57 years, Michael was also a Fourth Degree Knight in the Knights of
Michael was preceded in death by his sons, Doug and Kevin; and is survived by his beloved wife, Ginger; daughter, Michelle; and grandchildren.
Arrangments by Unger Funeral Chapel.
SUBMISSIONS WELCOME
Our Town appreciates the opportuity to share life’s Passages with our readers. If there is a birth, engagement, wedding, anniversary, college graduation or obituary of a local resident you’d like to share, please send it to ourtown.life@mtangelpub.com or mail it to Editor, Our Town, P.O. Box 927, Mount Angel, OR 97362, or drop it by our office at 401 Oak St., Silverton any weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Alvin Benjamin Oct. 28, 1936 — May 27, 2025
Your local funeral chapels serving Mt. Angel since 1919 & Silverton since 1924.
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Hyrum Chase Gutierrez April 11, 2006 — June 3, 2025 www.ungerfuneralchapel.com
Aqua skills
With the school year ending and the summer swim season swiftly approaching, Annika DeGuire – aquatic director at the Silver Falls YMCA Pool – agreed to share with Our Town readers a few of the dos and don’ts she has learned over her seven-year career.
Respect the authority of the lifeguards no matter their age. “Our lifeguards are really just doing their best,” DeGuire pointed out. “They are here to keep us safe, and they know how to do that… So, the lifeguards have 100 percent authority… The rules may seem silly but there is a reason.”
Have patience with the equipment. “It is an old pool, and things are going to go wrong,” DeGuire said. “But for how old it is, it works pretty well!”
Share your lane.
“You’re not guaranteed to have your own lane every day,” DeGuire said. “So, know how to share a lane. If you’re the same speed you would circle swim and if you are not, you split the lane.”
Consider talking to your child about swimming lesson expectations prior to the first day of class.
“It’s fun to have parents say, ‘We talked about this, and you did it!’” DeGuire said.
“It’s great when parents are involved even when they’re not in the water.”
But leave the extras at home.
“[Swimmers] can bring goggles but other than that they don’t need to bring anything else,” DeGuire said. “And we put them in their class in the first five minutes now, so there isn’t any confusion signing them up. It makes it so there is a perfect class for everyone, and no teacher has more than five [students].”
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What if my child is scared of the water and doesn’t want to participate?
“Even if they don’t do well the first week, they will adjust,” DeGuire said. “And the teachers who teach the very little kids are so good.”
What if my child isn’t listening to the instructor or is disrupting the class?
“We are running into more kids acting out,” DeGuire admitted. “You have permission to intervene.”
Change in the locker rooms.
But if this poses a problem for families with young children, there are also family changing and pool-side cabanas.
Rinse off before entering the pool.
“That will keep the water quality better,” DeGuire pointed out.
Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before entering the pool.
Allowing sunscreen time to absorb helps with both water quality and effectiveness because, as DeGuire said, “If you put the sunscreen on… then jump right in it just comes off.”
No food on deck.
“We are totally fine with snacks in the lobby… and the grass is a wiggle room area,” DeGuire said. Adding, “Drinks are fine but no glass containers.”
Pool toys are… complicated.
“There are different times when stuff is allowed,” DeGuire said. “Kickboards and other things like that are allowed during lap swim, and small pool toys are allowed during open swim. But we don’t allow inflatable things.”
Consider bringing your own life jacket.
“We don’t have a lot of life jackets,” DeGuire explained. “But they need to be Coast Guard approved.”
Say yes to the swim test.
“Swim testing is anytime anyone under 16 wants to go in the deep end or anyone the lifeguard feels needs it,” DeGuire said, describing the test, which involves a 25-yard front stroke in the deep end with some kind of rhythmic breathing and a brief dive under the rope encircling the diving board zone.
“A lot of the time the lifeguards know who they tested [from one day to the next] it’s surprisingly easy to keep track of,” DeGuire said. But there are times when even a seasoned swimmer might be asked to retake the test. “Sometimes the kids are tired, and they don’t pass the test [a second time] and for their own safety they aren’t getting in the deep end that day.”
Adult supervision of children ten and under is required.
“They need to be with someone over 16,” DeGuire said. “And we don’t charge a spectator fee anymore.”
For a pool schedule you can visit www.theyonline.org/pool-schedule/. But to enroll in classes, become a member, or to purchase a punch card call 503-873-6456 or visit the front desk.
“And if there’s not a lifeguard at the desk, they are probably switching,” DeGuire said. “So, just wait at the desk and someone will come.”
GENERAL
COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE
Oak Knoll Estates promises to offer the best garage and estate sale treasures in the Silverton area this June! Open from 8 am-4 pm Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22. Look for our signs at Oak Knoll’s entrance off Oak/Hwy. 213 at Norway Street.
PASTOR CHUCK BALDWIN
Liberty Fellowship, Kalispell, Montana satellite group Sundays, 1:30 p.m. Call Kristen, 503-990-4584
HELP WANTED
TECH GUY needed. Please call 503-383-4398
SERVICES
GOT STUFF YOU WANT GONE?
From yard debris to scrap metal. From garage sale left overs to rental clear outs. We repurpose, recycle, reuse, or donate what we can. Call and find out what we can do for you. $20 Minimum. Call Keith 503-502-3462
SOUNDS GOOD STUDIO Bands, artists, personal karaoke CDs, books, restoring picture slides, and VHS to DVD. Old cassettes, records, reel-to-reel & 8-track cassettes restored to CD. Call Harold 503-391-7406.
MAGIC CARPET CLEANING
& MORE Since 1992. Carpet & upholstery cleaning at its best. Free estimates. Residential & commercial. Located in Silverton. Call Harold at 503-391-7406
HANDYMAN & HOME REPAIR
SERVICE Installation and repair of fencing, decks,doors, gutter cleaning, moss removal, power washing, yard debris removal. CCB# 206637 Call Ryan 503-881-3802
TODAY IS YOUR LUCKY DAY
This is your lucky number! All Set Plumbing is standing by at 503-964-4965. Jason is ready to fix your plumbing.
YOUR RIGHT TO SELF DEFENSE Saturdays Age 10-12 at 5:00, ages 13 and up. 6:15, Security and Correctional Officers. 7:30, private lessons available. International Certification Curriculum available upon request. Call Harold 503-391-7406
WANTED
LOOKING for a Commercial Building in Silverton or Dallas Downtown. Two or three story building. I would also be interested in a warehouse. I will be in Oregon to look at potential properties this summer. Plan to move in the Fall. ONLY SERIOUS SELLERS. I AM A SERIOUS BUYER. Duke, 505-429-1523. email kd@dukerg.com
LOOKING TO RELOCATE
Retired high school teacher from Wyoming looking for approx. 1 acre, 3 BR, 2 BA. (1 BA, if another can be added) I have my own BuyerBroker, ready to buy quickly. Please call 307-407-9338.
#T2891 ACREAGE PROPERTY
$975,000 NEW TO THE MARKET!
Acreage property just 2.5mi from Silverton. This single story home was built in 2006 and in excellent condition. Built with many quality features. This home also features; an open great room w/ gas fireplace, den/office, A/C, master suite w/ walk-in closet, covered patio, and much more. The manicured yard and fenced backyard is a Gardner’s dream. 3car garage with room for your toys. Call Michael at ext. 314 (WVMLS#829686)
#T2866 HOME, ACREAGE & OFFICE
SPACE 3 BR, 3 BA 2252 sqft 6.68
Acres Call Chuck at ext. 325. Silverton.
$799,000 (WVMLS#826058)
SOLD! – #T2870 GREAT HORSE
PROPERTY 3 BR, 2.5 BA 2644 sqft 6.65
Acres. Silverton. Call Chuck at ext. 325
$940,000 (WVMLS#826582)
#T2880 WEST SALEM LOCATION 4 BR,
2.5 BA 3055 sqft. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $668,700 (WVMLS#828689)
NEW! – #T2887 DREAM LOCATION
3 BR, 3 BA 3321 sqft 2.92 Acres. Salem. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $975,000 (WVMLS#829336)
$1,200,000 20+ yr old, 34.08 acre
BlueJay variety Blueberry Farm. Soils are high value farm soils, primarily Woodburn silt loam w/approximately 1/3 being Amity silt loam. There are 35.2 acres of water rights covered by (1) irrigation well, being utilized by overhead sprinklers. Per Marion County, property is buildable for single family dwelling under proper conditions; buyer to do due diligence regarding buildability. Farmland in this area rarely comes up for sale to the public...don’t miss this opportunity! Call Whitney at ext. 320 or Mike at ext. 312 (WVMLS#829133)
NEW! – #T2887 DREAM LOCATION
3 BR, 3 BA 3321 sqft 2.92 Acres,Salem. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $975,000 (WVMLS#829336)
NEW! – #T2891 – ACREAGE PROPERTY 4 BR, 2.5 BA 2558 sqft 3.16 Acres, Silverton. Call Michael at ext. 314 $975,000 (WVMLS#829686)
– #T2878 NATURE’S PARADISE
#T2878
$749,000 Looking for a home in nature’s paradise? Check out this beautiful updated contemporary home on a .29-acre park like setting in the Laurel Springs area. Versatile floor plan includes 4 bedrooms & 4 baths on three levels w/ integrated ADU in basement area (Total sq. ft. does not include ADU). Light & bright w/ skylight & many windows. Lots of hardwood tile, granite & marble. Huge trek deck & hot tub. Too many extras to mention. Sellers offering $10,000 carpet allowance. Call Chuck at ext. 325 (WVMLS#828227)
– #T2886 BLUEBERRY FARM 34.08 Acres Call Whitney at ext. 320 or Mike at ext. 312 $1,200,000 (WVMLS#829133)
#T2869 BUILDABLE LOT 1.35 Acres Call Michael at ext. 314 $450,000 (WVMLS#826488)
#T2857 WELL MAINTAINED 55+
HOME $113,000 Well maintained manufactured home with tons of yard space. Located in the desirable 55 and over community, Silverton Mobile Estates. Plenty of storage with built-ins and 3 sheds. 2 driveways with 2 separate car ports. Large main suite with bathroom and walk-in closet. 2 full bathrooms with walk in showers. Mini-splits and forced air HVAC systems. Leaf guard gutter system and other updates throughout. Don’t wait!! Call Becky at ext. 313 (WVMLS#823771)
#T2857 WELL MAINTAINED 55+ HOME
2 BR, 2 BA 1060 sqft. Call Becky at ext. 313 $113,000 (WVMLS#823771)
#T2862 SILVER CLIFF ESTATES 3 BR, 2 BA 1782 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $338,900 (WVMLS#825158)
#T2871 ENJOY SILVER CREEK 4 BR, 2.5 BA 2600 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $539,000 (WVMLS#826578)
SOLD! – #T2872 QUIET SUBDIVISION
3 BR, 2 BA 1368 sqft Call Michael at ext. 314 $449,900 (WVMLS#827392) #T2873 HISTORICAL SILVERTON HOME 4 BR, 2 BA 2800 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $825,000 (WVMLS#827318)
#T2874 PALO PARK MANUFACTURED HOME 3 BR, 2 BA 1428 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $99,800 (WVMLS#827461)
SOLD! – #T2881 IMMACULATE 55+
HOME 3 BR, 2 BA 1689 sqft Call Becky at ext. 313 $175,000 (WVMLS#828653)
