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Dixon-isms: “If you are planning to climb Mt. Everest, it might be wiser to hire a Sherpa guide than a student who took “Geology 101”.
Call the guide who understands where the diamonds lie and where the avalanches are.
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In Memory Of
Thomas Jay Meyer Sept. 7, 1944 — Aug. 15, 2025
Gary Lee Palmer Mar. 24, 1948 — Aug. 18, 2025
Timothy Lynn Endsley Oct. 7, 1960 — Aug. 18, 2025
Charles “Chuck” Roy Hill July 8, 1949 — Aug. 20, 2025
Lawrence Clifford Hansberry July 20, 1950 — Aug. 20, 2025
George W. Hames Jr. Aug. 23, 1963 — Aug. 23, 2025
John Earl Goodson Apr. 22, 1949 — Aug. 25, 2025
James Monroe Jeffers Oct. 19, 1945 — Aug. 26, 2025
Crystal Lee Brookfield Oct. 7, 1960 — Aug. 26, 2025
Marjorie Rose McRoberts Apr. 11, 1925 — Aug. 30, 2025
Joyce Anita Sloan Nov. 26, 1936 — Sept. 2, 2025
Floyd Thomas Lauber Oct. 24, 1928 — Sept. 3, 2025
Water challenges
Silverton upgrades will require state grants
By James Day
The clock is ticking on efforts by Silverton to upgrade its water treatment plant. The challenge for the city is that one treatment unit stems from 1957 and the other from 1982. An earlier replacement effort stalled in 2022 when construction bids came in more than $3 million above the amount budgeted for the project.
When the council last discussed the project at its Dec. 16 meeting, an estimated total cost figure of $15-$17 million was noted, although one councilor joked at the Aug. 20 meeting that every 15 minutes or so the cost goes up $500,000.
The city has enough water via Abiqua and Silver creeks, but officials remain concerned about their ability to effectively treat all that water, particularly if demand for water increases given recent residential growth.
“It’s important to make sure we have a water treatment plan that meets our future needs,” Mayor Jason Freilinger said. “It’s not that we don’t have enough water, it’s that we can’t treat it fast enough.”
City Manager Cory Misley noted that the key funding piece likely will come from the 2027 session of the Legislature, with the city likely to engage in the next 12 to 18 months in updates of its water treatment master plan and its overall water master plan. Having such plans in place is usually required to meet state grant requirements.
The earlier plan in 2022 was to be financed mainly with a $9.5 million loan the city had available from Business Oregon. Now, although that loan money still is available, the overall cost of the
work makes it imperative that the city receive state assistance.
“This is our time to get our ducks lined up,” Misley said.
In other Aug. 20 council action:
• Amy Finnegan, Silverton’s new code compliance specialist, was introduced by Police Chief Todd Engstrom. Finnegan, a former teacher and athletics coach, replaces Todd Easton. The position also has been moved from the Community Development Department to Police overview.
• Macy Mulholland, the city’s communications manager, unveiled a new communications plan for the city. Key initiatives include improving emergency preparedness and crisis communications as well as a rebranding of the city website.
• Hilary Dumitrescu, the city’s assistant to the city manager/deputy city recorder, announced a plan to spend $30,000 in city funds for grants to nonprofit and for-profit entities that “provide vital community services.” No dates or timelines were announced and an application process still must be established. The tentative plan is for the councilors to review the applications and award the grants although there was some sentiment on the council to have an outside group do the selections.
• Councilors unanimously approved spending approximately $200,000 to increase the size of the sewer pipes that serve the Westside Gateway development near the Silver Spur RV Park as well as the planned affordable housing development that will use city property near the dog park and the new pickleball courts.
Silverton Rotary presents: Hops & Vine 2025
Saturday, October 4th • 6 to 9 p.m.
New youth center YMCA obtains downtown site for classes
By James Day
Silver Falls Family YMCA has taken over the CrossFit building downtown and plans to turn it into a space for classes and a youth center.
YMCA officials said they received a donation from the Larry and Jeanette Family Foundation that covers the purchase price of the building. Chuck White, board chair of the Silver Falls YMCA, told Our Town that the Y will sign off on the property acquisition sometime this month and hopes to open by the first of the year.
At SACA’s new location: 1030 N. 1st St. Get tickets at ticketstripe.com/HAV2025 or scan the code
White said the Y plans to use one side of the building for a middle school youth center and the other half for classes such as yoga or pilates. A key step was taken for the project on Sept. 9, when the Silverton Planning Commission approved the conditional use permit that the YMCA needed to move forward.
“We’re so excited about the ability of the Y to pick up middle school kids and add them to our continuum of providing services to all ages,” White said. “We haven’t had that middle school component.”
The Y is attempting to fill the gap created by the end of the ASAP after-school program in June.
White noted some distinct advantages to the use of the CrossFit building.
“It’s downtown and it’s walkable,” he said. “We need to talk to the school district
about bus drop-off, but the library already is a stop and it’s just a few blocks away. More on this will be fleshed out later.”
The CrossFit move is unrelated to efforts the YMCA is engaged in to build a new community center-type building that would contain most of the organization’s programming space.
White gave Our Town an update on the project and noted that the prohibitive cost of water and sewer infrastructure made sites near The Oregon Garden and Pettit Lake impractical. The Y toured the empty BrucePac building and concluded that retrofitting the structure for its use did not pencil out.
The YMCA also is looking at some industrial space along Eska Way but no firm decision has been reached. White noted that the area is not centrally located, but added that it is far more convenient to the Y’s customers in Mount Angel and Scotts Mills.
“Once you give enough time and opportunity for things to develop, all these amazing things can occur,” White said. “We’re so blessed to have Gary Epping and his family foundation to assist us.”
The Epping Foundation also donated property off of Ike Mooney Road to the city for park and provided the land for the massive new Salem Boys and Girls Club Homestead Branch.
The former CrossFit location in Silverton is being purchased by the YMCA. JAMES DAY
Hospital’s future
Legacy notes investment in Silverton
By James Day
Despite media reports and a statewide report noting challenges for rural hospitals, Legacy Silverton Medical Center is not in danger of shutting down, officials told Our Town
“While Legacy Health, like other hospitals in Oregon and around the country, is experiencing financial challenges, Legacy Silverton Medical Center is not at risk for closure,” said a statement forwarded by hospital administrators.
“Unlike rural stand-alone hospitals, Legacy Silverton Medical Center is part of the Legacy Health system, which recently invested $37 million to expand and remodel the hospital. We made this investment because we are committed to serving the community long term.”
Concerns were raised about Legacy Silverton Medical Center, the former Silverton Hospital, amid a statewide report on challenges facing Oregon hospitals.
The Hospital Association of Oregon reported that hospitals are financially unstable, threatening the future of patient care in Oregon communities.
Almost half of the state’s hospitals operated at a loss in 2024, and others barely broke even, the report said.
“Oregon’s hospitals are on the brink,” said Becky Hultberg, Hospital Association of Oregon president and CEO in a press release that accompanied the report. “They face a perfect storm of soaring expenses, complex and costly regulations, and
payments that don’t cover the cost of care. And federal Medicaid changes contemplated by Congress could tip some hospitals over the edge.”
The report highlights that hospitals across the country were challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic but mant are now stabilizing. Oregon hospitals remain on unstable footing in the post-pandemic era.
“It’s becoming clear that Oregon hospitals operate in one of the most challenging environments in the country, shaped by a tough regulatory landscape and payments that don’t come close to covering the double-digit increases we’ve seen in expenses from salaries and benefits,” Hultberg said.
“Patients are struggling to find doctors, wait times to see a doctor are long, and emergency departments are overcrowded. This is a result of the policy choices the state has made and insufficient payment from insurers.”
The report added that Oregon hospitals have been pushed to make difficult decisions including cutting more than 800 jobs, seeking partnerships to shore up operations, reducing or divesting from services, and fundraising to replace outdated equipment.
This is a trend that is likely to continue, the report said, without shifts in policy and increasing payments to hospitals.
Legacy Silverton statement noted that the report “did not distinguish between standalone hospitals versus ones that are part of a health system, like Legacy Silverton Medical Center.”
Dan Wilgus Owner
Advocates for children
By Melissa Wagoner
In 1976, Seattle Juvenile Court Judge David W. Soukup was assigned a case that involved the possible abuse of a three-year-old girl. Deciding the issue of custody weighed heavily on Judge Soukup, who found himself wishing there was someone in the courtroom whose sole purpose was to advocate for the best interest of the child. It was a feeling he’d had before, and one he knew he would face again. And so, that afternoon, he decided to make a change.
Pulling one of his bailiffs aside, Judge Soukup asked him to invite a handful of people from the community to a brown bag lunch at juvenile court. There they would learn about a new organization he hoped would help judges make more informed decisions in cases of child abuse and neglect.
To his surprise 50 volunteers came to that first meeting and the network known as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) was born.
“What he was seeing is there’s someone there in everyone’s camp,” Dennis Prescott, the Community Outreach Coordinator for CASA of Marion County, explained. “Mom and dad have attorneys, and the children get attorneys.”
But those attorneys are inherently biased, paid to represent one side or the other. Plus – like the caseworker who oversees the child’s welfare – they often have large caseloads that make spending exorbitant amounts of time on one case impossible. That’s what makes CASA volunteers unique and indispensable.
“[Judge Soukup] wanted someone outside the legal system,” Prescott said. “Someone who has been trained to be an advocate.
Volunteers meet with the child, often interview with the parents and the resource parents… and we are court appointed, so we have access to all the information.
“A lot of our volunteers also go out and speak with teachers and academic advisors, therapists and counselors. We want to have a good idea who this child is and the family history.”
To do that, CASA volunteers form a close relationship with the child that lasts the entire time the child is in the care of the juvenile system – sometimes years.
“Often the CASA volunteer is the only stable presence in a child’s life,” Prescott said, describing the instability many children experience during their time in the juvenile system.
“They have a caseworker and then the caseworker transfers or they move to a different home,” Craig Bazzi said.
“CASA follows them.”
Bazzi and his wife, Gail, have been with CASA for the past eight years. “And we follow even after the case closes,” Gail added.
That’s because a CASA’s job isn’t just to provide information to the judge in the
courtroom, it is to be a constant presence for a child whose life is inconsistent at best.
“And we really take that responsibility seriously,” Prescott noted. “We don’t want to add to the revolving door.”
It’s a heavy commitment of both emotion and time that means each CASA is typically assigned only one child at a time.
“We understand they are volunteers and this is emotional labor,” Prescott explained.
But that high volunteer-to-child ratio means the CASA network is constantly in search of applicants.
“We have 80 [volunteers], or somewhere in there,” Prescott said. “But it’s not enough… we have about 65 to 70 percent of the kids in care covered.”
That’s why Prescott is currently reaching out to all of Marion County – especially rural areas like Silverton, Mount Angel, Stayton, Sublimity and the Santiam Canyon – in the hopes of finding more volunteers.
“If you know someone who is a good fit, send them our way. Or, if you have a kid in college, we have an internship program we offer year-around,” Prescott said. “That would go a long way toward helping us.”
And toward helping the children the CASA network advocates for, many of whom live in rural areas or may be from households where Spanish is the primary language.
“We want our volunteers to represent kids from all over Marion County,” Prescott explained. “We’re always looking for bilingual volunteers.”
Particularly those who have previous experience working with children, like Lin Crimshaw, a former teacher who found CASA when she retired three years ago.
“I grew up in a household where part of what you do is serve the community…” she said. “So, I was looking for something to do… And this felt right.”
Representing the same two families for the entirety of her time with CASA, Crimshaw has experienced first-hand the highs and lows that come with navigating the juvenile justice system.
The team at CASA of Marion County. MELISSA WAGONER
“It’s a roller coaster,” sh said. “Things will look good and then, bam, someone slams a door in their face. But you expect that. It’s not always going to be pretty.”
That’s because most of the parents involved grew up experiencing trauma themselves.
“You have to take a deep breath and remember, this person is responding to a lifetime of trauma and lived experience,” Crimshaw said. “So, she doesn’t know how to be a parent. She’s trying… but it’s very hard for her.”
The training Crimshaw was provided when she applied to CASA – 30 hours of hybrid learning with an additional 12 hours of continued education each year – has meant that she is able to put her own feelings aside when presenting information in hearings – typically three to four times a year.
“It’s pressure, but not in a bad way,” Crimshaw said. “It helps me to become thoughtful. It’s hard for me… to set emotions aside. But in court it has to be observable facts… everything has to be sourced.”
And Crimshaw tries to keep one goal in mind – to find each child a placement that works.
“The forever family,” she said. “So, that the kids can find support and community and get to be kids. Because many of these kids never get to be kids.”
Which is one more area where CASAs like the Bazzis can be of service. They spend quality time with the children they are assigned and really listen to what they
have to say.
“You can be an ally,” Gail Bazzi – who refers to herself as a “CASA grandparent” – said.
“Being a CASA can bring on an eightto-10-year relationship. We follow them even after the case closes. And they’re worth it, these kids are just so worth it.”
It’s a partnership that’s good for children. The graduation rate for teens living in resource homes is 49 percent for those without a CASA, increasing to 87 percent for those assigned one.
But it’s more than that. CASA is good for the community as well. It ultimately reduces both the number of unhoused persons and the number suffering from addiction issues as well.
“People read about problems… but this is a way to do something about it,” Craig said. He spent his career working inside the juvenile justice system before volunteering with CASA once he retired.
“These are people here in this town, in these neighborhoods. It’s like they say, it takes a village to raise a kid. It’s that concept.”
In Crimshaw’s opinion, there is no more worthwhile volunteer opportunity.
“Of all the volunteer work I’ve ever done, this is the best,” she confirmed. “As hard as it is, it satisfies the heart more.”
For information about volunteering or to attend one of the many fundraising events CASA holds each year, visit www.casamarionor.org/.
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Early responders
By Melissa Wagoner
The partnership between Silverton High School and the Silverton Fire District is a long-standing one, initially beginning with the school’s decision to add a Protective Services option to the roster of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.
“When we started the program years ago, we needed a sponsor and the Fire District was our sponsor,” Kirsten Barnes – the Protective Services teacher and chairperson of the CTE department – recalled.
It’s a collaboration that has worked well, both for the school and the Fire District, which accepts students into the training academy on a regular basis including, during the past year, SHS senior Lillie Peterson, who graduated with a Firefighter I certification on April 26.
“You start with Intro to Protective Services…” Peterson said, recalling the beginning of her educational journey. Heavily influenced by her grandfather, an assistant chief for the Hubbard Fire District, she took a series of CTE classes that, though they were not mandatory for her acceptance into the Fire District’s training academy, were helpful to her success.
“That program has been fantastic in producing great people,” Lt. Dan Brown said. “I would have killed to have had the program that’s in place at the high school. It would have launched my career much faster.”
Even if SHS students choose not to enroll in the Protective Services branch of CTE, they can still take part in the Academy during their senior year.
“I came into the Academy blind,” Trevor Redman-Brown said. “I was in the welding program [at SHS]. I just put my focus in other places. I’m interested in other things.”
Hoping to pursue an engineering career, Redman-Brown plans to become a volunteer firefighter, carrying on his family’s legacy of service within the Fire District. But that doesn’t mean obtaining the certification was easy.
“You can’t be lax…” Redman-Brown pointed out. “I’ve had people ask what it was like, is it hard or easy? I wouldn’t say it was either... It’ll be worth your time, especially if you want to do it as a career. And then they
have the resident-intern program.”
Yet another path for graduates looking to start a firefighting career, is the resident-intern program.
“Four of our six current resident volunteers are SHS graduates,” Lt. Brown said last spring. “They live here fullor part-time – we encourage full-time – and they’re on duty every third day for 24 hours to run calls… and they participate in the training if they come from outside.”
Most are also enrolled in Chemeketa Community College’s Fire Suppression Degree Program because, as interns, the Fire District reimburses up to 12 credit hours of tuition each term. Once they have completed driver training it also provides a station-owned vehicle for their commute to school.
It’s a program that benefits the Fire District by providing steady access to a team of volunteers and a reputation for turning out excellent new recruits.
“They have no problem getting hired,” Lt. Brown said, naming these programs as just some of the ways the Silverton Fire District has benefited the students of SHS.
Now there is a new partnership in the works, this time with the school’s CTE Welding Fabrication program.
“The Silverton Fire District called the school and asked
if there was any chance we could put a forcible entry door together,” Barnes recalled, adding, “We’re always looking to fabricate things that are meaningful.”
The door fits that criteria.
“Basically, if we’re going to a house fire and the door is locked, we can force the door to get in,” Lt. Brown said. A prop like the door plays a crucial part in training.
“Having two of them will allow us to hopefully get everyone through those skills.”
Because the new door is student-made the cost –normally $9,000 to $10,000 – is significantly reduced.
“It’s a little less than half the cost of us buying the original,” Lt. Brown confirmed.
The project also provided real-world experience for both Carter Titus – creator of the door’s blueprints – and Billy Eichler – the lead welder.
“It gave me the opportunity to think and learn,” Titus said. Adding, “I got to use all these tangible skills.”
Titus does not plan on using welding fabrication in his career – despite graduating from SHS with both welding and wildland firefighting certifications – he does think the lessons the CTE program taught him will serve him in his endeavors.
“Anybody can learn to weld, but it was the environment I learned in,” Titus said. “Mr. Towery is great. He’ll let you know when you’re wrong and you learn from that.”
“We’re incredibly proud of Carter and all of our students who are learning how to design, build, and deliver products with real-world value,” Barnes wrote.
“This kind of project-based learning not only equips students with technical skills – it fosters problem-solving, responsibility, and pride in their work.
“Stay tuned – we hope this is just the first of many partnerships between Silverton’s welding program and our local emergency service providers!”
Trevor Redman-Brown and Lillie Peterson, recent graduates of the Silverton Fire District’s Firefighter I certification program.
MELISSA WAGONER
‘Good reading’ Replacing guessing with phonics a key solution
By Melissa Wagoner
Will La Ferriere was working as a language teacher at Bethany Village in Portland in 2015 when he discovered the child he was working with wasn’t just struggling to learn a second language, he was struggling to read.
“He was guessing at the words by looking at the picture,” La Ferriere said. He added his background as both a linguist and an interrogator in the U.S. military helped him notice the key signs that the student was not decoding the words, but rather accessing a visual memory of them.
“I thought, you just need to teach him phonics,” La Ferriere remembered. “So, I learned all about phonics.”
That experience kicked off what would become a deep dive into the science behind how people learn to read.
“If a kid’s not learning, the number one thing you need to look at is what you’re doing. I hold that it’s my responsibility
Eulexia Tutoring
as a teacher,” he said. Research eventually led him to believe that those diagnosed with dyslexia – a term with a Greek origin meaning difficulty with words – were indeed suffering from phonological issues (difficulty with speech and sounds).
“No matter where you land on the science of reading, phonological awareness is absolutely important,” La Ferriere pointed out. “And the consensus is, these reading problems are all preventable.”
Especially when they’re caught early.
“It breaks my heart so much that these kids slip through,” La Ferriere said. “I wish every family could do something like getting a phonological awareness [screening] on their child.”
It was with this goal in mind that La Ferriere started Eulexia Tutoring, a web-based company offering web-based literacy solutions to people of all ages who are struggling with reading.
“The Greek prefix [eu] means ‘good,’” he said when asked about the name. “So, ‘good reading.’”
Offering a free sound skills screening session to potential clients, La Ferriere hopes to help parents catch potential reading issues early.
“It’s the cost of prevention versus remediation – [minimal] dollars versus
thousands,” La Ferriere said. “So, if you suspect at all – or even if you don’t suspect – [issues], you should get them checked.”
Correcting habits early – especially when it comes to children who are memorizing words rather than decoding them – is imperative, he said.
“Kids just want to be normal, so they figure out a way. They memorize,” La Ferriere said. By doing so, he added, “They wire themselves to not be able to read.”
It’s a predicament he saw regularly during his time as a remedial reading specialist. Children with phonemic issues created the illusion of reading by memorizing words. Then, when faced with more challenging texts – usually around the second grade – they begin to struggle.
“Students develop these habits, and they’re entrenched,” La Ferriere said. “Those students are looking at hundreds of hours [of tutoring]… and even if teachers know the right answers… they have 30 students.”
That’s where Eulexia Tutoring, offering a variety of literacy solutions for both students and parents, can help, he said.
“If you’re looking for somebody to do this, I’m pretty good at it,” La Ferriere pointed out. “My program is systematic, it’s structured, staggered and scaffolded.
“If they struggle, I can bring in multisensory applications… and kids like me because I really care.”
Will La Ferriere, owner of Eulexia Tutoring. MELISSA WAGONER
Whiskey, wine & more Intentional fun, events venue opens in Silverton
By Melissa Wagoner
When Stephanie and Steve Bobb – owners of Northwest Event Producers – agreed to help the owners of Stage 207 in Silverton plan upcoming events they never dreamed they would one day own the bar and theater themselves. But that’s exactly what happened and the Bobbs – who have since changed the bar’s name to Ollie’s Wine and Whiskey Bar in honor of their late dog – couldn’t be happier with the way things turned out.
“We have all these ideas of the potential we see here,” Stephanie said.
Starting with the drink menu.
“He’s the whiskey guy and I’m the wine girl…” Stephanie said, describing their commitment to housemade cocktail mixers and Oregon wines. “I want to be very thought forward.”
And that goes for the events hosted in the theater as well.
“We’re trying to do things that are consistent,” Steve said, referencing the myriad of regularly scheduled events already in the works. Those include comedy nights, live music and the showcasing of previously
released movies like Hocus Pocus in October, Mean Girls in November and White Christmas in December, all paired with themed drinks and specialty popcorn.
Ollie’s Wine and Whiskey Bar
Thursdays: Sept. 18, Oct. 23, and Dec. 18 at 7 p.m.: Sip and Cinema screenings
Friday, Oct. 31: 8 to 10 p.m. live music and a costume contest
Saturday, Dec. 20: live holiday music by Strawberry Roan (Ugly sweaters encouraged.)
Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/
“And there’ll be Ducks watch parties,” Stephanie added. “We are opening at nine for mimosas and snacks.”
Opened under its new name on July 25, Ollie’s got off to a great start, but Stephanie knows there is a long way to go before everyone knows Ollie’s is here to stay.
“I just want people to know we’re not flying by the seat of our pants,” she said. “I actually have experience in events and everything is intentional… I want to embrace the traditions of Silverton. If people are walking around, and it’s freezing I want people to think, ‘Let’s go to Ollie’s.’ A year from now I hope we’re the first thought.”
Robin Ekloff Owner
Stephanie and Steve Bobb, owners of Ollie’s Wine and Whiskey Bar in Silverton. MELISSA WAGONER
‘Joys and Sorrows’ Silverton composer to stage opera at Trinity Lutheran
By James Day
Silverton-based composer Christoper Wicks is debuting a new work Sunday, Oct. 12, 3 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 500 N. Second St., Silverton.
Wicks, composer in residence for the Welsh Society of Oregon, will play piano during the public premiere production of Rhiannon’s Joys and Sorrows. Admission is by freewill offering, with a reception featuring Welsh cakes afterward in the Fellowship Hall.
The opera, which is 45 minutes in length, follows the events of the first tale from the Mabinogion, the Welsh national epic, as translated by Lady Charlotte Guest. Wicks composed it in April 2024 as a companion piece for his opera The Curse on Dyved, which Jamie Webster directed in Australia earlier in 2024 at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. The new opera is a prequel to Dyved
The opera is a “concert performance,” meaning that there will be no costumes, sets, or stage action, Wicks said, “with the focus simply on the music.” Several operas of the standard repertory have been premiered in this way while “finding their feet” in the world, Wicks added in an email exchange with Our Town
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When asked to compare the new piece to Dyved, Wicks said, “musically, their style is similar, although there is probably more dissonance in Dyved, because its villain is an evil sorcerer who lurks just out of sight. He is truly hard to defeat and a dark theme. In Rhiannon’s Joys and Sorrows, the villain is more just a buffoon for most of the piece, so the musical tone is maybe a little lighter.”
Wicks is a strong backer of Welsh culture and folk and musical traditions.
“Welsh folklore definitely deserves to be better known,” he said. “It has a marvelous sense of wit and unpredictability, and a kind of tall-tale whimsy which is not at all shallow, but instead insightful and moving. The 11 tales of the Mabinogion won me over the first time that I opened the pages. Moreover, this is a worthy way of involving the Welsh Society of Oregon, with which I have an affiliation, and while Welsh hymn tradition has a fairly high profile in North America, the secular tales also deserve attention and respect.”
The cast includes Allison Seeber as Rhiannon, Jesse Cromer as her suitor, Pwyll, Bennett Bailey as the “rich cad” Gwawl, Deborah Butler and Emily Flanagan as the two ladies in waiting and Ryan Amend as the “gallant herdsman” Teirnyon.
THE WICKS FILE
Who: Christopher Wicks
What: Composer
Born: 1975
Education: Silverton High School, bachelor’s in composition from the Eastman School of Music, a master’s in composition from the University of Montreal and a master’s in organ from the University of Oregon.
Compositions: More than 950, including church pieces, solo pieces for sorgan and piano, chamber music (string quartets and such), a few operas, orchestral pieces, and some choral music, both sacred and secular.
Quote: “I just can’t imagine devoting myself to anything else.”
Cast members Emily Flanagan, left, and Deborah Butler perform scenes from Christopher Wicks’ new opera “Rhiannon’s Joys and Sorrows” at a performance at the Welsh Society of Oregon in Portland. JEFF LEWIS
A novel approach New bookstore pops up above Silverton café
By Melissa Wagoner
Michelle Collazo has always wondered what it would be like to own her own bookstore.
“I love books and reading and the vibe I get when I’m in a bookstore,” Collazo explained. “I would seek them out when traveling and I always wondered – how would I do that?”
Then, in 2020, she and her husband moved from Portland to Silverton where a chance meeting with Mersadee Lulay – owner of the Little Leaf Café – meant she would finally get to realize her dream.
Opened on Independent Bookstore Day (April 26) Atlas Bookshop – named for Collazo’s beloved labradoodle, who passed away in December – is a pop-up bookstore open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the mezzanine of the Little Leaf Café, 1111 N. Water St., Silverton.
“I wanted to be a pop-up so I could assess,” Collazo said. Explaining, “Part of nursing school is doing microsystems
assessments, so that’s what I’m doing…learning what people like to read and who my regulars are.”
Although Atlas is only open for limited hours, Collazo has already secured a number of regular customers thanks to the stock of carefully curated books she continually refreshes.
“There are people who make it a part of their Saturday,” she said. “And I have people who now reach out and say, ‘I’m looking forward to this particular title, can you order it?’”
She also has customers ask when she will be opening a stand-alone store – a question Collazo has begun asking herself.
“With Mersadee offering this space it’s like a gift,” Collazo said. “When I come up here, I take the deepest breath. It feels nice… But there’s one downside and that’s the lack of accessibility….”
And so, Collazo is on the lookout for a retail space that would both accommodate more titles and enable customers of all abilities to browse the shelves without having to navigate stairs.
“But the financial side matters… I want it to be sustainable…” Collazo said. “So, those are some areas I’m growing in.”
But owning a bookstore… that part has come naturally.
“I am the bookshop right now…” Collazo said. “It feels like a way to pull from my strengths really naturally.”
Along with stocking the shelves with titles she thinks the community will love, Collazo also enjoys interacting with her customers, something she hopes to do more of through a series of regular events, starting with a quarterly book swap – the first of which was held at Coolidge-
McClaine Park on Aug. 21.
She will also be kicking off several book clubs during the coming year.
“We’re starting two book clubs in November,” Collazo said. “One of the book clubs will be literary fiction and one romance… and then the book clubs will build from there because I think there will be other interests as well.”
Scheduled to meet at the Farmer’s Corner Deli and Market on First Street in Silverton, the details of the clubs will be available through the store’s monthly newsletter and on social media. See www. atlasbookshopsilverton.com for more info.
“There’s so much camaraderie in reading, and that’s something I want to foster…” Collazo said. “We want a way to connect with each other.”
It’s what Collazo wants as well, which is why the opening of the Atlas Bookshop has already brought her so much joy.
“I love it,” she said simply. “I pinch myself.”
Michelle Collazo, owner of Atlas Books. MELISSA WAGONER
Girl power Setting preteens up for success
By Melissa Wagoner
As a licensed K-12 educator and mentor, Shea Bodine knows that the preteen and teen years can sometimes be isolating, scary, confusing and numbing. As one of the creators of the Wild Rivers Collective – an organization offering mentorship to young girls (and those identifying as such) – she also knows that, with a little guidance, that doesn’t always have to be the case.
It was with this goal in mind that she and fellow founder, Magnolia Medlin, recently developed the Chimera Club, a 10-week after-school program that helps girls ages nine to 12 practice emotional resilience and social skillbuilding through a connection with nature, community sharing, arts and crafts, and role playing.
“What is magical about the nine to 12 age range, is that they are somewhere in the middle of leaving childhood, and entering into a deeper, more mature inquiry into, ‘Who am I?’ and, ‘What are my gifts and contributions to the world?’ and, ‘How do I fit in?’” Bodine said. The overarching theme of the program utilizes three main pillars: mindfulness training, “freeing the river of aliveness” and creative expression.
“The three pillars are vital to the healthy development of the social, emotional and physical wellbeing of any person, but we find them to be particularly fruitful to
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seed in these preteen years, especially in these disorienting times,” Bodine said. “These three pillars also serve as a guide to navigating modernity from a grounded and curious place, versus overwhelm and confusion that is so common for preteens. These pillars… are ways of life foundational to ancestral ways of living, across cultures and millennia... and it is only until very recently that our Western society has not centered them.”
Scheduled for Oct. 1 through Dec. 17, the Chimera Club will meet every Wednesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Wild Roots Medicine on Water Street in Silverton.
It is free for those who are covered under the Oregon Health Plan, and invoiced on a sliding scale of $250 to $550 for all other registrants, thanks to a $10,000 Community Impact Donation by the Willamette Health Council. Bodine and Medlin aim to keep the Chimera Club accessible to anyone interested in joining.
“Imagine as a preteen you encounter a safe place with snacks, tea, art supplies, two mentors, a creek flowing outside the window, comfy pillows and a two-hour container to just be yourself with other girls your age,” Bodine said. “Chimera club is for any girl… to explore their own complex and creative being. It is for the bold and confident girl, it is for the shy and inward girl, it is a space where
Chimera Club
A mentorship program presented by the Wild Rivers Collective Wild Roots Medicine 401 N. Water St., Silverton
For girls (and those identifying as girls) ages nine to 12.
Wednesdays, Oct. 1 through Dec. 17 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Enrollment cost for the 10-week program is on a sliding scale of $250 to $550; free if covered by OHP. Register by emailing: wildriverscollective@gmail.com
authenticity is encouraged and held as sacred, and all are welcomed.”
Women and girls celebrating at a Wild Rivers Collective. SHEA BODINE
Passages
Anna Mae Keele
Anna Mae Clarice Hartvickson Zahler Keele, beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away at the age of 97. Born at home in Rugby, North Dakota, on Sept.18, 1927, Anna Mae was the daughter of Henry and Dagny (Ryding) Hartvickson.
Sept. 18, 1927 – Aug. 6, 2025
Anna Mae spent most of her life in Salem, Oregon, and made her home in Beaverton, Oregon, for the past six years. She graduated from high school in June 1945 and immediately answered the call to serve her country by joining the Army Nurse Corps (ANC). Anna Mae attended MSTC (now Minot State University) for pre-nursing requirements and proudly graduated as an Registered Nurse in 1948.
She married Arthur Leroy Zahler on Feb. 23, 1952, and together they built a family until Arthur’s passing in 1967. Anna Mae later found love again and married Lawrence Eldon Keele on June 5, 1976.
A dedicated and compassionate caregiver, Anna Mae practiced nursing for many years, including at Salem Hospital and Silverton Hospital. Her devotion to health
Timothy Endsley
Timothy Lynn Endsley, 64, of Sublimity, Oregon, passed away peacefully on Aug. 18, 2025. Tim was born on Oct. 7, 1960, in Champaign, Illinois, to Truman and Patricia Severns Endsley. After graduating from the University of Illinois, Tim married the love of his life, Bonnie Belinda Freeman, in 1989. Together, they built a life filled with laughter, adventure, and deep devotion to one another.
and safety extended beyond her profession – she was always ready to help others in need.
She was an active member of the Sons of Norway since 1969, treasuring the friendships she found there. Anna Mae was an avid fisherwoman, making memorable trips to Alaska and Diamond Lake.
Anna Mae was one of 11 siblings and is survived by her younger sister, Lois Roisen. She leaves behind two children, John (Vicki) Zahler, and Byron (Joan) Zahler; four grandchildren, Amy (Chuck) Boyle, Matthew (Dana) Zahler, Stephen (Angie) Zahler, and Michael (Steph) Zahler; and four great-grandchildren, Gracie Zahler, Elizabeth Zahler, Lauren Zahler, and Evan Doty.
Anna Mae’s legacy of kindness, dedication, and love will live on through all those she touched. She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by her family, friends, and all who knew her.
Funeral Service was held at Unger Funeral Chapel in Silverton on Aug. 21.
Oct. 7, 1960 – Aug. 18, 2025
Donnelly Salesperson of the Year Award in 1990. Then in Atlanta, he became owner and president of Pro-Graphics Communication, Inc., which he grew into one of Georgia’s fastest-growing private businesses.
Thomas Meyer Sept. 4, 1944 – Aug. 15, 2025
Arlene Mae (Weber) Meyer welcomed Thomas Jay Meyer on Sept. 4, 1944, in Newport, Washington. Tommy’s father, Elmer H. Meyer, coming home from the Pacific Theater after WWII, first met his son in April 1946. Soon younger sister Jean arrived.
In 1948, the family moved to a tiny house in the Mill Town area of Silverton. Siblings Larry, Susan, David, and Karen were soon born, leaving the tiny house bursting at the seams. By 1955 Elmer started the Meyer Construction Co. and moved the family into a two-story craftsman, where the children grew up.
Tom attended Eugene Field and St. Paul’s Catholic Grade School. He graduated from Serra Catholic High School in Salem. In 1964, he joined the Navy Sea Bees, and deployed to Vietnam to build air strips and buildings but also spent a year cruising on his motorcycle seeing the sights in Morocco. After the Navy, he attended Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, where he achieved an engineering degree. After which he joined his father’s agricultural construction company. When
Elmer retired, Meyer Construction Co. became TJ Meyer & Associates, the company from which Tom eventually retired.
Growing up, Tommy was known as the best snow fort builder in Silverton. Summers were spent helping local farmers, picking berries and beans with other local children. He also won several soap box derbies. As an adult, Tom loved spending time with family, especially his many nieces and nephews. He enjoyed building model airplanes and battle ships, playing board games, and was an avid bridge player like all of the Meyer children. He skied and hiked and loved to fish, owning several small boats for fishing in the reservoir.
Tom passed away at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon, on Aug. 15, 2025, surrounded by family. He is survived by siblings, Jean Welch (Gregg), Larry Meyer (Christine), Susan Morgan, and David Meyer (Denise), as well as 22 nieces and nephews, 26 great nieces and nephews, and one great-great nephew. He was preceded in death by his loving parents, sister Karen, and nephew Ethan.
Rodney Earl Orr April 7, 1950 – Aug. 21, 2025
Dr. Rodney Earl Orr, surrounded his immediate family, passed away peacefully at home in Silverton, Oregon, on Aug. 21, 2025, after a nearly two-year long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 75 years old.
Survived by his wife, Bonnie; children, Truman Tyler (Kirstin) Endsley, Harrison Severns (Quaylynn) Endsley, and Rachel Lynn Endsley; a grandson whom he loved dearly, Apollo Severns Endsley; two siblings, Amylee Jane (Phil) Vella of Champaign, Illinois, and Truman Randall (Kathryn) Endsley of Elverson, Pennsylvania; and a host of nieces and nephews. Tim was preceded in death by his parents Truman Willard Endsley and Patricia Severns Endsley and a brother, Richard Allen Endsley. Tim’s compassion extended to his four cherished grand dogs, which brought him so much joy.
Tim began his career in Chicago with RR Donnelly and was awarded the TE
Tim had a passion for woodworking, which led him to opening his own shop, Endsley Woodworks, in Mahomet, Illinois, where he spent time hand-crafting fine furniture and custom pieces. Tim’s legacy is his unconditional love for his wife and children, his excellent sense of humor, his humble spirit and his gentle soul. As a final act of kindness and generosity, Tim gave the gift of life through organ and tissue donation.
A private family service was held at on Aug. 22. A Celebration of Life Open House will be held on Saturday, Oct. 11, 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Leaf and Vine Wine Lounge, 107 N. Water St., Silverton, Oregon. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Big Brothers/Big Sisters (www.bbbs.org/donate/), or to One More Day on the Appalachian Trail (www. onemoredayontheat.com) in Tim’s memory. Arrangements by Unger Funeral Chapel.
A public celebration of his life took place Sept. 5 at Vanderbeck Valley Farms.
Throughout his adult life, Rod was known to frequently say there are many difficult things that happen that you cannot control, but what you can control is how you respond. Even as he faced a devastating diagnosis, he maintained his trademark attitude – practical, philosophical, and full of gratitude for what was, rather than what would not be.
Rod was born April 7, 1950, in Portland, Oregon, to Frances Elizabeth (Westrom) and Robert Leon Orr. He was raised in Gresham, Oregon, along with his sister and two brothers. He graduated from Gresham High School in 1968.
After being hospitalized as a young child, Rod decided he wanted to grow up to be a doctor like the man in white who
visited him daily. Rod received a Bachelor of Science from Western Washington University in 1972. In that same year, he married Beth Finnson of Bellingham, Washington, and the couple relocated to Portland. He attended the University of Oregon Medical School (later known as Oregon Health & Science University), graduating in 1976. The couple welcomed daughters Rebekah and Ashley.
In 1979, Rod and the family moved to Silverton, Oregon. He worked in the emergency room of Albany General Hospital while building his own office on Fairview Street in Silverton. In 1980, he opened what would become known as Silverton Family Medical Group, a practice he operated for more than 40 years. He served as Chief of Surgery at Silverton Hospital, Medical Director at Capital Health Care, and President of Medical Staff at Silverton Hospital.
In 1994, he married Shandra Greig of Creswell, Oregon. Their marriage produced daughter, Lindsey, and son, Jason.
His full obituary is available at ourtownlive. com.
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Briefs Silverton 50+ Center celebrates 30 years
By Melissa Wagoner
The Silverton 50+ Center celebrated its 30th anniversary on Aug. 27 with live music and refreshments, but with the message that the Center – while financially stable for the first time since its inception, according to executive director Simone Stewart – still requires the continued support of the community.
The Center receives zero government funding, so the organization relies on sponsorships and donations to cover the requirements of maintaining a 5,400 square foot building for public use.
“As business increases, janitorial services increase,” Stewart said. “And membership doesn’t pay for anything.”
Which is why Stewart is looking at this year to both kick off and streamline the Center’s annual fundraising efforts.
“Next year we’ll have one big fundraiser,” she said, “the Silverton Fun Run, similar to when the hospital used to do it.”
Scheduled for May 9, 2026, the Fun Run will include three routes with the option of either running or walking.
“As soon as this [30th Anniversary] Campaign wraps up is when you’ll start seeing information,” she said.
Stewart welcomes those who are interested in supporting the Silverton 50+ Center to either submit a one-time donation online at www.silvertonseniors.org or to consider becoming a sustaining sponsor.
“We have naming rights to all the rooms,” she said, describing one of the premier sponsorship opportunities, which allows an individual or entity to receive advertisement each time the Center schedules classes or events. “Every time we print our schedule it would say, ‘This takes place in the [sponsor’s name] room.”
It’s a strategy that could potentially provide a fair amount of publicity, considering the 50+ Center’s increase in events following the closure of the Silverton Community Center.
“The schedule is going to double in September,” Stewart said. “We’re adding three fitness classes… and cancer support, grief support and Parkinson’s support are coming very soon.”
It’s a vibrancy Stewart thinks also came about because of the name change instituted by the Center’s board of directors at the beginning of 2025.
“Since we changed the name… (there’s a) drastic difference in our perception,” Stewart said. “I’ve leaned heavy on multigenerational programming, simply saying, ‘All are welcome here. It’s not just for very old people.’”
It’s a campaign that’s worked well, with membership holding steady at over 700 and classes overflowing with participants of all ages, from Silverton and beyond.
“We’re trying to be more of a community space…” Stewart said. “This is what being in a small community is…”
SACA opening doors to public Sept. 18
The staff of Silverton Area Community Aid (SACA) are excited about showing off the organization’s new location at 1030 N. First St. by offering an open house on Thursday, Sept. 18, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
“Self-guided tours are available… and we’ll have board members and staff available for questions…” development and communications manager Roger Fuhrman said. The event also will include light refreshments.
Attendees are asked to RSVP at saca. commsandevents@gmail.com and to bring a donation of a shelf-stable food item or a personal care product.
“Food pantry visits are up over last year and we’re now helping feed about 350 families [or] 1,100 people every month,” Fuhrman said.
“The most needed items are tuna, canned fruit, canned soup/chili, mac and cheese, cereal and oatmeal, personal care items, baby food and diapers.”
Guests should park on the Dollar General side of the building and prepare to be impressed.
“We’re excited to invite community members to tour our new home and see what our incredible community helped create,” Fuhrman said.
– Melissa Wagoner
Town hall
By James Day
Bynum’s district tour stops in Silverton
Oregon U.S. House Rep. Janelle Bynum took her “Give ‘Em Hell” tour to Silverton on Saturday, Sept. 6.
Bynum spoke privately with stakeholders working the issue of the challenges of the upcoming drawdown of Detroit Lake, had a brief media “availability” and then took part in a town hall at the Silverton Middle School gymnasium.
A crowd of about 75 residents was on hand for the town hall, which ran for about 55 minutes. Bynum did a short introduction and spent most of the meeting answering questions. Previous stops on the tour have included Portland, Sisters, Albany, Lake Oswego, Redmond and Molalla, with three sessions conducted on a call-in basis.
The goal of the tour, Bynum said, is to spread the message that she “rejects the Trump Administration’s harmful agenda and to engage with her constituents.”
“This is a fight for our nation, our values and quite frankly a fight for our country,” she told the Silverton audience. “And it’s a fight worth making. I need your support and that’s why we are here today.”
Bynum answered questions on the Santiam Canyon wildfires, democracy, the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza, changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, reproductive rights, vaccines, voting procedures, the environment and whether President Donald Trump will be impeached.
On reproductive rights Bynum noted that the issue might affect decisions young people make with regard to which state they move to for college.
“Who gets access to health care and who doesn’t?” Bynum asked. “I haven’t seen a good conversation on this in the 119th Congress. It is very important and we need to be having conversations about women’s health care, but we can’t have them until the [electoral] math changes.”
On vaccines, Bynum said that she’s “really trying to find a place to have a bipartisan effort. I’m scared to death about what is going to happen in Florida,” where vaccine mandates have been lifted.
The only fireworks came when a heckler continued to yell at Bynum while she tried to answer the question about Gaza. Bynum walked toward the person and said, twice, “I’m going to ask you to stop,” while also offering to meet privately with the individual.
Vice President Kamala Harris won the Fifth District against Trump by a 52 percent to 44 percent margin, but Trump won handily in the precincts in and around Silverton. No question that she faced appeared to come from a Trump supporter, and the crowd was supportive, applauding at numerous junctures.
Bynum, a former state legislator, is in her first term in the newly reconfigured District 5, which includes all of Linn County, the eastern section of Marion County and chunks of Deschutes, Clackamas and Multnomah counties. She defeated incumbent Republican Lori Chavez-Deremer by a 47.7 percent to 45.0 percent count in the 2024 election. Chavez-Deremer had won the first race in the reconfigured district in 2022 against Democrat Jamie McLeod-Skinner by a 50.9 percent to 48.8 percent margin. Democrat Kurt Schrader held the seat from 2008 to 2022 before losing to McLeod-Skinner in the 2022 Democratic primary.
Bynum clearly still is learning about her sprawling district, which extends from Portland to Bend. She asked the crowd how they would be affected by the drawdown at Detroit Lake, which will reduce North Santiam River flow to assist with fish passage around the dam. Her question received no response because Silverton-area residents will not be affected by the issue, although residents and agricultural interests might be affected in Salem, Stayton and the Santiam Canyon if the lower water flows affect water quality and availability.
Silverton has a democracy problem
This community has repeatedly witnessed a pattern in which political insiders hand-pick the office holders for key roles in our civic government. That way, they never have to face an election against an equal opponent. When the next election rolls around, the appointees get to run as the incumbent; and due to the incumbent advantage, they are virtually guaranteed to retain the seat...
This is how Rick Lewis first attained his seat as State Representative for our district. Lewis ... was appointed to his seat in February of 2017, after being handpicked by his predecessor, Victor Gilliam, who won the 2016 election as the incumbent... Gilliam, in turn, had first been appointed to fill the seat won by the previous incumbent, Mac Sumner, who resigned after winning the 2006 election... It begins to look like a pattern. For almost two decades, this important seat has been held by a succession of hand-picked insiders... who were initially selected, not elected.
Now the Silver Falls School District School Board intends to repeat this pattern. The board, famous for blowing a massive $8+ million hole in the budget, has announced its intention to appoint its next member, following the resignation of Tom Buchholz.
The board should not be allowed to hand-pick a successor for Buchholz. There should be a special election to fill this vacancy. Candidates for this position should be required to run for office against one another as equal outsiders.
If the board is allowed to choose the person who fills the seat ... then undoubtedly, (it) will choose someone who is friendly to the existing board and its policies... (and) overlook the board’s many failures. It might be legal, but it’s deeply unethical. SFSD should hold a special election to fill the Zone 7 vacancy.
Jesse S. Smith Parent, concerned citizen, former Zone 7 candidate
The starter spot
It’s just a sliver of retail space located on the Oak Street side of the Silverton Palace Theatre, but over the years it has become a successful start-up spot for retailers like The Silverton Tattoo Company, Raw Blendz juice bar and Curbside Italian Kitchen.
“I remember many people, when we arrived, coming to say thank you and welcome,” Pietro Sangiorgi – who opened Curbside Italian Kitchen with his wife, Giulia Burato, at 201 Oak St. in April 2023 – said, recalling the almost instantaneous popularity of the take-outbased restaurant.
In fact, business became so good that within six months the restaurant had outgrown the tiny location and moved across to Water Street.
“We needed more space,” Sangiorgi confirmed. “And in winter it was difficult. We needed to have seating.”
But 201 Oak St. didn’t sit empty for long. As Christmas rapidly approached, Heather Desmarteau-Fast, owner of the
Tiny space gives businesses room to flourish
plant store, Stamen and Pistil, leapt at the opportunity to move her burgeoning retail business from The Oregon Garden’s Visitor Center back downtown.
“I like quirky spaces,” Desmarteau-Fast said of the decision to move to a much smaller building. “It was super fun to be in there. I was inspired by trips I had taken to Europe… they give you an idea of how small spaces can be charming. And people are enamored with little spaces.”
And it was precisely the fresh start Desmarteau-Fast – whose business, founded on the sale of garden and other outdoor plants near the Coffee Station – was looking for.
“It’s been an evolution…” Desmarteau-Fast said, describing her pivot to an inventory made up primarily of indoor plants. “People have really gone toward houseplants.”
Stamen and Pistil’s popularity meant it, too, quickly outgrew the tiny space, compelling Desmarteau-Fast to seek a bigger location a few feet away.
“It’s nice,” she said of the swap. “We have more windows and light.”
Once again, 201 Oak St. didn’t stay empty for long. Within weeks it had another new occupant. Mimi’s Vintage Boutique, like Stamen and Pistil, needed a change.
“I first opened Mimi’s around the corner two years ago,” owner Sue Bittler said. “But when Heather moved, I took this space.”
Frustrated by both supply deliveries and the blazing sunlight she experienced on Water Street, Bittler saw the retail space on Oak Street as the solution to all her problems, including how to run two businesses.
“Even though that was close [to She’s the Cat’s Meow], this is closer,” Bittler pointed out. “I can keep an eye on both doors.”
And because the space is small, she can keep her inventory fresh.
“I have way more goods –clothes, shoes, boots, handbags, gloves, older vintage things that are fragile…” she said. “But I love that it’s cozy.”
So cozy in fact, that Bittler is planning to break the trend and stick around – maybe for good.
“I’m not moving,” she confirmed. “Because I’ve done it too much.”
Heather Desmarteau-Fast
Sue Bittler MELISSA WAGONER PHOTOS
GENERAL
SILVERTON ELKS FLEA
MARKET 300 High St. Silverton. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Second Saturday of each month, Sept. – Nov. New vendors, contact Lori at 503931-4517 thewhiteoakgallery@ gmail.com
PASTOR CHUCK BALDWIN
Liberty Fellowship, Kalispell, Montana satellite group Sundays, 1:30 p.m. Call Kristen, 503-990-4584
RENT EVENT SPACE at Silverton Grange Hall, 201 Division St., Silverton. Affordable hourly, half day, full day rates. For gatherings, classes, dances, meetings, weddings and more!
Fully equipped kitchen. Hall seats up to 70. Plenty of parking. For
NOTICES
GENE MULKEY is celebrating his 95th birthday on Oct. 7, 2025. Gene spent 80 years in Sukverti as a friend, a teacher, a principal, a church administrator and so much more. If you have stories, memories, and fun times – or just a greeting – to share with Gene, the Mulkey family invites you to send them to Gene Mulkey, c/o Nate Mulkey, P.O. Box 444, Scotts Mills, OR 97375.
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HANDYMAN & HOME REPAIR
SERVICE Installation and repair of fencing, decks, doors, gutter cleaning, moss removal, power washing, yard debris removal.
CCB# 206637 Call Ryan
Place your ad in Marketplace 503-845-9499
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& MORE Since 1992. Carpet & upholstery cleaning at its best. Free estimates. Residential & commercial. Located in Silverton. Call Harold at 503391-7406
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.
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
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Silverton Mural Society
Silverton People for Peace
Silverton Realty
Silverton Realty - Whitney & Mike Ulven
Silverton Rotary
Silverton Self Storage
Small Town Pediatrics
St. James Chicken BBQ
State Farm Insurance - Larry Biggerstaff
Sundance Real Estate - Holly Augustus
Superior Construction
The Sisters Cleaning Service
Tina’s Landscape
Unger Funeral
Von Flue Construction
Water Mountain Restaurant
Wilgus Heating
Wooden Nickel / High Water Grill / Oregon Crafters Market
Wurdinger Manufacturing
Xfinity
Your Home Property Management
Ziply
#T2857 WELL-MAINTAINED 55+ HOME $80,000 AMAZING VALUE!
Well-maintained manufactured home with tons of yard space. Located in the desirable 55+ community, Silverton Mobile Estates. Plenty of storage with built-ins and 3 sheds. 2 driveways with 2 separate car ports. Oversized yard! Large main suite with bathroom and walk-in closet. 2 full bathrooms with walk in showers. Newer roof. Mini-splits and forced air HVAC systems. Leaf guard gutter system and other updates throughout. Priced to sell! Call Becky at ext. 313 (WVMLS#823771)
#T2905 TWO-ACRE SITE $299,900
Check out this beautiful two-acre site, only 15 minutes from Silverton, to enjoy a country lifestyle! Trees and varied topography offer several options for homesites with views. Property has gone through administrative review with Marion County Planning Department and received approval for a standard septic system. Buyer to perform their own due diligence with respect to allowable uses and any land use restrictions. Call Chuck at ext 325 (WVMLS#832686)
#T2868 CREEKSIDE GETAWAY 2 BR, 2 BA 2029 sqft 1.48 acres. Silverton. Call Michael at ext. 314 $1,390,000 (WVMLS#830250)
#T2877 BUILD YOUR OWN 3 BR, 1 BA 1080 sqft 9.47 acres. Silverton. Call Michael at ext. 314 $400,000 (WVMLS#830242)
#T2894 SILVERTON ACREAGE ESTATE 4 BR, 3.5 BA 3804 sqft 3.02 acres. Silverton. Call Michael at ext. 314 $895,000 (WVMLS#830085)
#T2895 PRIVATE LOCATION 3 BR, 3.5 BA 2566 sqft 1.52 acres Silverton. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $926,700 (WVMLS#829660)
NEW — #T2903 LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION 4 BR, 2.5 BA 3838 sqft 2.07 acres. Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $1,595,000 (WVMLS#832647)
#T2878 NATURE’S PARADISE 4 BR, 4 BA 3463 sqft. Salem. Call Chuck at ext. 325 $719,000 (WVMLS#828227) #T2896 SCOTTS MILLS
#T2901 COUNTRY LIVING $795,000
Country living in the Silver Falls SD! 3 bed, 3 bath, 2792 sqft split-level on 1.09 acres at the end of a dead-end street. Open concept, living room off kitchen plus large family room on lower floor. Large backyard, paved area, garden, fruit and nut trees (cherry, pear, apple, plum, walnut). Deck off of dining area. Spacious shop with multiple bays, RV parking, and living space above—dual living potential. Pratum Elementary and Silverton HS. Room to spread out with convenience to town! Call Kirsten at ext. 326 (WVMLS# 831990)
#T2857 WELL-MAINTAINED 55+ HOME IMPROVED PRICE 2 BR, 2 BA 1060 sqft. Call Becky at ext. 313 $80,000 (WVMLS#823771)
#T2862 SILVER CLIFF ESTATES 3 BR, 2 BA 1782 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $338,400 (WVMLS#825158)
#T2890 GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD 3 BR, 2 BA 2264 sqft Call Michael at ext. 314 $599,000 (WVMLS#830000)
#T2892 CLASSIC 1910 HOME 5 BR, 2.5 BA 2232 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $723,000 (WVMLS#829584) SOLD — #T2898 SILVERTON CLASSIC 1940S HOME 3 BR, 1 BA 1170 sqft Call Meredith at ext. 324, Ryan at ext. 322 $397,800 (WVMLS#830765)
#T2899 SILVERTON 4 BR, 3.5 BA 2504 sqft Call Michael at ext. 314 $1,295,000 (WVMLS#831233)
#T2902 SILVERTON GREAT SINGLE LEVEL HOME 3 BR, 2 BA 736 sqft Call Becky at ext. 313 $599,000 (WVMLS#831993)
#T2892 CLASSIC 1910 HOME
$723,000 PRICE IMPROVED! Great location for this classic 1910 home that sits on one lot with an adjoining second lot. 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with views on a well-manicured property. Deck overlooking the second lot that you can keep for future investments or add a shop/ADU. Wonderful views overlooking the Valley and views of the Abbey in Mt. Angel. Well on the property used for irrigation. This home has been well maintained over the years and is ready for the new owner. Call today! Call Meredith at ext. 324 or Ryan at ext. 322 (WVMLS# 829584)
