There are lots of fireworks options for the Fourth of July week, including the Oregon Garden display on July 3. See Datebook on page 8 for more famil-friendly options.
The deadline for placing an ad in the Aug. 1 issue is July 21. Calendar listings are free for community events. Submissions must include date, time, location and cost. Submissions for the Aug. 1 issue are due July 21 Email calendar items to: datebook@mtangelpub.com
Our Town is mailed free to residents and businesses in the 97383, 97385, 97358 and 97325 zip codes. Subscriptions outside the area are $48 annually
Paula Mabry, Editor & Publisher
Jim Kinghorn, Advertising Director
DeeDe Williams, Office Manager
Tavis Bettoli-Lotten, Designer & Copy Editor
James Day, Sports Editor & Reporter
Stephen Floyd, Digital Editor & Reporter
Melissa Wagoner, Reporter
Sara Morgan, Datebook
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
• 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-ourtownsantiam-news (or scan QR code). Because OPIP is a 501(c)(3) organization, your donation is tax deductible.
If you would prefer to make a contribution by check, please make it payable to OPIP and put ‘Our Town –Stayton’ in the memo line. Mail it to Our Town, P.O. Box 927, Mt. Angel, OR 97362. We will deliver it to OPIP. You will receive a donation receipt.
Over the coming months we’ll share our plans and report on our progress. We’re going to hold fast to this: together, we build community
– Paula Mabry
Right
JIM KINGHORN
SCAN TO DONATE
Lower the lake?
By James Day
About 20 Detroit-area residents as well as a healthy cadre of about 10 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees gathered Saturday, May 31 at Detroit City Hall to discuss Detroit Lake and possible changes in how the North Santiam River system operates.
Corps members introduced the topic in a briefing that took about 40 minutes and then Corps members spread to the various corners of City Hall to discuss in more depth topics such as endangered fish, water quality and the possible end of hydropower on the Willamette River system.
Some audience members grumbled a bit at the format, hoping for an open Q&A session. But none publically complained. While sometimes open Q&A turns into a free-for-all, it’s also true that if there are six stations at which Corps officials are taking questions, a single audience member by definition is not getting the opportunity to hear the answers at five of them.
Corps officials held a second public meeting Tuesday, June 3 in Salem, took part in a pair of earlier Zoom sessions in May and also accepted feedback in writing and email through June 21.
The goal, Corps officials said in a frequently asked questions handout, was to seek “public input on how to implement the drawdown and what impacts we should analyze relating to the drawdown.”
In the language “how to implement the drawdown” Corps officials made clear at the May 31 session that there will be a drawdown. It’s just a question of when and how.
The drawdown would lower Detroit Lake level to perhaps its lowest point in history to help endangered fish stocks more efficiently move around Detroit Dam. The drawdown is the key element of a Dec. 26, 2024 order by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Originally the drawdown was scheduled to occur in the fall of 2025, but the Corps opted to take their show on the road and gather more feedback for a supplemental environmental impact statement. Corps officials said
that December 2026 is the most likely target date for the drawdown, which could lower the lake to 1,395 feet above sea level (1,558 feet is considered full pool). Although the schedule remains up in the air, it seems likely that multiple years of drawdowns will be required.
Canyon officials are concerned that a drawdown, even one in winter, would harm Detroit Lake-area economic interests. A second concern is water quality. A similar drawdown on the South Santiam River at Green Peter Reservoir in 2023 and 2024 was a disaster, with photos of the thousands of dead kokanee all over the news and social media and water quality challenges felt as far downstream as Albany and Millersburg.
Corps officials told the Detroit audience that the Green Peter drawdown was much more extensive than the one planned in Detroit and that the Green Peter drawdown exposed more than four times as much sediment as Detroit’s will.
The biggest downstream Canyon customer is Stayton, which has grave concerns about keeping its slow sand filtration ponds operating amid high turbidity (sediment in the water). When the sediment load in the water gets too high the filters either do not operate as efficiently or will have to be shut down.
Stayton City Manager Julia Hadjuk participated in both of the Corps’ virtual sessions and interim Public Works Director Barry Buchanan attended the June 3 Salem meeting. At its Monday, June 2 City Council meeting Buchanan also noted that the city has engaged legal counsel in the matter and is planning to forward a letter itemizing its concerns to the Corps.
Elsewhere in the Canyon Aumsville, Mill City and Sublimity use well water, which is unlikely to be affected by drawdown turbidity.
Gates, Jefferson, the Lyons-Mehama Water District, the Santiam Water Control District and Turner also face the possibility of poor water quality in the North Santiam River overwhelming their water treatment systems.
The Detroit meeting, as well as the entire supplemental EIS process, also is looking at ending the hydropower component of Willamette dams.
The Corps is reviewing whether removing the electricity producing equipment at the dams – but not the dams themselves – might improve fish passage. On Jan. 4, 2025, then-President Joe Biden signed legislation that ordered the USACE to look at removing the dams’ ability to produce hydropower.
The theory, as outlined in reporting done by Oregon Public Broadcasting and ProPublica, is that the amount of electricity produced by the Willamette dams is just not worth the negative impacts. The Willamette dams were mainly built to prevent flooding in the valley, with the hydropower a byproduct. However, the dams’ tall, concrete structures are not compatible with fish passage. Also, the power produced in the Willamette is microscopic compared to that stemming from the massive dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers.
There currently is no secured funding for any solutions the Corps selects to implement at Detroit or elsewhere in the system. Given the chaotic nature of current federal budget matters, the prognosis for funding is murky.
“There is no silver bullet out there,” said Greg Taylor, a fish biologist with the Corps.
Greg Taylor, a fish biologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, discusses the planned drawdown of Detroit Lake at a public outreach session on May 31 at Detroit City Hall.
Deal dies No hospital merger
By James Day
Efforts by Santiam Hospital & Clinics and Samaritan Health Services to join forces have reached a dead end.
The two health care entities have announced that they no longer are seeking an affiliation. Both released an identical statement on the end of the process:
“Samaritan Health Services and Santiam Hospital & Clinics carefully explored all aspects of affiliation and decided not to move forward. Both health care organizations are dedicated to providing the best possible care and we will continue to look for ways to innovate and collaborate to serve the health care needs of our communities.”
Neither entity elaborated on the joint statement, although a press release from Santiam Hospital & Clinics said that the decision came “after a year of due diligence and operational exploration,” and added that “patient care at either organization should not be impacted by this decision.”
The Stayton-based hospital announced May 22, 2024 that the two health care organizations had signed a non-binding letter-of-intent that would allow them “to further evaluate the affiliation with the anticipated outcome of Santiam Hospital & Clinics becoming part of Samaritan Health Services.”
Santiam Hospital & Clinics held three town halls, in Stayton, Turner and Mill City, to gather community feedback on the possible merger. No terms of a potential deal were ever made public.
Samaritan, meanwhile, has had a change in the corporate leadership, with longtime
Samaritan employee Marty Cahill replacing president and CEO Doug Boysen in April. Boysen had announced plans to resign in December 2024. Boysen was Samaritan’s chief executive for eight years and was scheduled to continue in a consulting role through the end of June.
According to a March report by Mid-Valley Media, Samaritan was experiencing cash flow problems, but no word was available on whether such issues affected the merger discussions.
Cahill issued an open letter to the community on May 23. He referenced the financial woes, noting “we’ve been open about the financial pressure we’re under” but he did not elaborate. The letter, which emphasized the challenges the health care system is facing in Oregon, made no mention of the Santiam Hospital talks.
Santiam Hospital & Clinics is a nonprofit health care organization, governed by a volunteer board of directors. Santiam Hospital & Clinics is an independent, acute-care hospital in Stayton and operates 12 clinics serving the Santiam Canyon in Marion and Linn counties. It serves more than 40,000 residents and employs more than 600 staff, including 70 medical staff.
Samaritan Health Services is a nonprofit regional health system that brings together five community hospitals, more than 100 physician clinics and multiple health insurance plans to serve more than 290,000 residents in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties. Samaritan employs more than 5,000 workers, including 620 clinicians, and is governed by a volunteer board, which includes community members, physicians and hospital leaders.
New 2020 wildfire trial to feature claims of the recently deceased
By Stephen Floyd
An eighth damages trial is soon to begin in an ongoing wildfire lawsuit against PacifiCorp, including claims from a plaintiff originally set for trial in March but who died in January.
On July 7 a week-long trial is scheduled to begin in James et al vs. PacifiCorp in Multnomah County Circuit Court for 11 victims of the 2020 Labor Day fires.
PacifiCorp was found liable by a jury in 2023 for negligently causing the Santiam, South Obenchain, Echo Mountain Complex and 242 fires. Damages proceedings are under way, with 1,650 individual claims pending.
So far $416 million has been awarded to 79 plaintiffs. PacifiCorp denies wrongdoing and has appealed the verdicts to the Oregon Court of Appeals.
Claimants in the July 7 trial include the Estate of Bruce McGowan, an Otis man and Echo Mountain Complex Fire survivor who had been selected as a plaintiff for a March 24 damages trial. McGowan made it as far as being deposed by PacifiCorp attorneys last December and being evaluated by the company’s psychological experts before he died Jan. 23 at age 72.
Plaintiff attorneys asked the court to substitute McGowan with a representative of his estate, Leslie Krohn, for the March 24 trial. Judge Steffan Alexander denied the motion, claiming Krohn herself could not be deposed in time for the trial, and McGowan’s claims were added to the July 7 trial.
McGowan’s wife Connie McGowan, also a fire survivor, herself died before trial on Dec. 6, 2023, at age 71. Her estate is also a plaintiff in the July 7 trial.
In pre-trial motions filed June 9, PacifiCorp asked the court to limit evidence regarding the McGowans’ claims, including any testimony seeking to link the fire to their deaths. As of press time these motions were pending.
Additionally the Estate of Melissa Marr, a Gates woman who died Nov. 14, 2022, at age 49, is also a plaintiff for the trial.
When asked about the ongoing trend of class members passing prior to trial, plaintiff attorney Cody Berne said the legal team is eager to bring more claims to conclusion faster.
“We look forward to the court setting more trials, so that each person can have their day in court,” said Berne. “Trials are an important part of holding PacifiCorp accountable for its grossly negligent, reckless, and willful misconduct.”
Alexander has been asked by plaintiffs to set a more aggressive timeline of trials for 2026 to include up to five parallel trials each month featuring claims from roughly 10 plaintiffs each. As of press time Alexander had yet to rule on this request.
The other plaintiffs for the July 7 trial include Santiam Fire survivors Lillie Harvison, Glen Kent, Jerome Kosel, Richard Little, Amaya Ramsey and Gerald Wescott; and Echo Mountain Complex fire survivors Beverly Unruh and Rick Allen.
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By Melissa Wagoner
Panic ensued in January when early federal budget drafts called for the end of Head Start – a national early childhood education program for low-income children and families launched by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 as a part of his War on Poverty. During the weeks following the announcement, federal funds were frozen for programs across the nation including those in Oregon.
“When we heard Head Start was going to be eliminated, we got behind the National Head Start administration,” Nancy Perin, the Executive Director for Head Start in Oregon, recalled. “There was a letter to the President, and I don’t know how many hundreds of letters went in with that, and there were letters to Legislators.”
Three hundred thousand letters, according to an article published by Youth Today. And while that show of support apparently had the desired effect, with the latest draft of the budget showing Head Start flat funded at $12.27 billion – the same number as the previous year – those working for the organization continue to be concerned.
going to have to shut down in a week or so if the money didn’t come through,” Perin remembered.
And while in that instance, after receiving assistance from State Representatives, the Head Start did finally receive its funds, the situation did nothing but add to the feelings of dread employees were already experiencing.
“It’s nerve wracking,” Perin said. “They always seem to, at the 11th hour, get their money. It’s nerve wracking for the board, the staff, the parents and the children. We never know from one day to the next, one week to the next.”
Because even the PMS system itself has changed.
“There’s a new narrative requirement to get the funds,” Alyssa Chatterjee, director of the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care explained at a roundtable with Congresswoman Andrea Salinas on May 27.
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“We’re all about stability. We want to keep things stable for our kids,” Patrice Altenhofen, executive director of Family Building Blocks said. The organization serves Marion and Polk counties whose Early Head Start and Oregon Prenatal-Kindergarten program is similarly funded by a mixture of state and federal funds and thus similarly impacted. She was addressing the dysfunction that ensued once the funds were reinstated.
Because, while Head Start’s budget has not been altered, there will be no extra funding to match the rising costs of just about everything and the program directors’ access to the funding they do have has been difficult at best.
“Individual programs receive notice of award annually, so they know how many children they can serve and how much money they will get,” Perin said of the process.
“Then they go through the Program Management System (PMS) to draw down funds for all their operating expenses. What has happened in Oregon with a few programs is that they’ve only been given six months of their funding.”
Adding to the chaos, on April 1 the Department of Health and Human Services unexpectedly closed five regional offices, including one in Seattle, which oversaw operations in Washington, Idaho, Alaska and Oregon.
“The regional office is now in Denver… the office of the West,” Perin said, listing 13 states along with the territories of Palau, Guam and Marieta as the new western region. “It’s new and they’re understaffed because now they’ve got the whole West Coast, and California is a huge state.”
It’s a situation that has only contributed to the worsening confusion over finances.
“We had a situation in April with the Southern Oregon Head Start. [The director] wasn’t able to get her money so she had to let her staff and parents know she was
“When DOGE [the Department of Government Efficiency] got involved, every time [they requested a draw-down] they would get an automated message asking for more justification for funds,” Perin described. “Within a day or two days they would get the draw-down request.”
It’s a process that is both stressful and inefficient, according to Altenhofen who said, “We have to be stewards of our funding and to see additional funds go to administration makes you uncomfortable.”
Both Family Building Blocks and Head Start are organizations whose primary goal is to get the most impact for the dollars they are provided. It’s in their mission statements to “provide high-quality, critical, and voluntary services at no cost.” And they have been doing it for 60 years.
“We just celebrated our 60th anniversary,” Perin said, referencing a State Proclamation she received from the Governor of Oregon on May 18 offering congratulations for the achievement of “helping to build a healthier, freer and fairer America” by aiding nearly 40 million children and families in “breaking the generational cycles of poverty.”
It’s an accomplishment Perin – who has worked as a director for Head Start for almost 20 years – is proud of and one she wishes more people understood.
“For what we’re funded for, it’s pretty phenomenal what we do,” she said. “We serve a lot of kids. And it’s more than just early childhood education, it’s a two-generation program. We don’t just get them ready for kindergarten, we make sure their dental care gets done, we make sure they get food. We help families establish goals and connect them with resources like SNAP. There’s a variety of things Head Start does beyond teaching them their numbers and colors. And we connect with them in prenatal – moms that are pregnant can apply. So, we serve that family for five or six years.”
And the outcome of that work has gotten a lot of positive press, most notably from James Heckman – an economist and Nobel Laureate – who, in 2013, after studying the efficacy of early childhood education programs, stated
Head Start, Family Building Blocks experience funding crisis amid federal confusion
not just because of the effect program cuts will have on the children they serve, but because of the lasting effects those cuts will have on entire families and communities.
“So, how do you stay optimistic?” Congresswoman Salinas asked after hearing from each of the representatives at the meeting.
“We look for the bright spots when things get hard,” Whetzel replied.
Those positives included the state’s continued support of early childhood programs, including the provision of 60 percent of those Head Start and FBB’s funding.
“Oregon is a leader in state investments in Head Start,” Chatterjee confirmed – to the tune of $380 million a biennium.
that programs like Head Start offer a 7 to 10 percent return on investment by decreasing the amount of spending needed later in a child’s life.
It’s a phenomenon nearly every member of the May roundtable spoke to having witnessed repeatedly.
“How many parents in my 20 years I’ve seen envision their dreams for education and then go on to success,”
Traci Wimmer, a Family Building Blocks employee, said. “It’s the goals we set and the foundations we give them.”
It’s also the resources Family Building Blocks helps them access. Because for the majority of FBB families, food insecurity, access to healthcare and even stable housing are pressing issues.
“We know in Oregon a person is most likely to experience homelessness in their first year of life,” Chatterjee said, providing data that estimates 70 percent of the organization’s clientele is housing unstable.
With cuts to SNAP, Medicaid and Federal Housing on the horizon Perin fears those numbers will only get worse.
“A lot of our families work or go to school. Yes, they live in poverty, but they’re not families just sitting at home choosing to draw on these federally assisted programs. They are the working poor,” Perin said. “They make less than $30,000 [a year] to qualify [for Head Start]. That’s not a lot of money.”
So, to make ends meet they often rely on government aid and childcare from free or reduced-cost early childhood programs.
“And supporting the entire family is what really makes us different,” Stephanie Whetzel, a coordinator working with Head Start within the Salem Keizer School District, said.
It’s why the instability within the Head Start organization is so disquieting to those experiencing it –
But even that funding is somewhat precarious owing to the proposed cuts to state funds.
“Has Head Start been cut? No,” Perin verified. “But we’ve got our eye on everything.”
And she is calling for others to join her.
“Go to www.nhsa.org there’s a call to action… and in that is a template if you want to send a letter to the president… There’s a link to contact your congressperson. There are templated letters.”
Because although the early childhood programs have thus far been spared, the fight for funding that equals the growing demand remains. That battle is a worthy one according to Congresswoman Salinas.
“You don’t just open doors to children but to the entire family… That’s what the United States is all about… It’s the land of opportunity… We don’t close doors to opportunity, we open them… That’s the American dream right there,” she said.
Patrice Altenhofen, Executive Director of Family Building Blocks attending a round table discussion with Oregon Congresswoman Andrea Salinas. MELISSA WAGONER
Frequent Address
Santiam Senior Center 41818 Kingston-Jordan Road, Stayton Stayton Community Center, 400 W Virginia St.
Stayton Public Library, 515 N First Ave.
Weekly Events
Monday
Stayton Community Food Bank, 9 a.m. - noon, 1210 Wilco Road. Repeats Monday - Friday. 503-767-4088
English, Citizenship, GED Classes, 6:30 - 8 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1450 Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. Classes are free; $20 for workbook. Repeats Thursdays. Join class anytime. Mary, 503-779-7029
Alcoholics Anonymous, 7 p.m., Calvary Lutheran Church, 198 SE Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. Open meeting. Follow the path on right of building; use side entrance to church.
Wednesday
Stayton/Sublimity Chamber Business Network, 8:15 a.m. Network building event for local business, non-profit professionals. Location varies each week. For location, call 503-769-3464. St. Boniface Archives and Museum, 9 a.m. - noon, 370 Main St., Sublimity. Learn about Sublimity and possibly your family history. Free. 503-508-0312
Intermediate Tai Chi, 10:15 - 11 a.m., Santiam Senior Center. Seniors 50+. Free for members. Repeats Fridays. 503-767-2009
Storytime in the Park, 10:30 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Meet behind the library for storytime and stay afterward to play at Stayton Community Center Park. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
Beginner Tai Chi, 11:15 a.m. - noon, Santiam Senior Center. Seniors 50+. Free for members. Repeats Fridays. 503-767-2009
Stayton Area Rotary, noon, Santiam Golf Club, 8724 Golf Club Road, Aumsville. Guests welcome. 503-508-9431, staytonarearotary.org
Cascade Country Quilters, 12:30 p.m., Santiam Senior Center, 41818 KingstonJordan Road, Stayton. 50 and older. 503-767-2009
Beginner Line Dancing, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. Seniors 50+. Free for members. Repeats Fridays. 503-767-2009
Pinochle, 1 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. Single deck.
Advanced Line Dancing, 1:45 - 2:45 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. Seniors 50+. Free for members. Repeats Fridays. 503-767-2009
Stayton Farmers Market, 3 - 7 p.m., downtown Stayton. Shop for homemade and homegrown items. downtownstayton.org, rdsmarkets@ gmail.com
Alcoholics Anonymous, 6 - 7:15 p.m., Calvary Lutheran Church, 198 SE Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. Open meeting. Follow path on right on building and use side entrance to church.
Thursday
Sublimity Quilters, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., St. Boniface Catholic Church, 375 SE Church St., Sublimity. Make quilts for local community donations and charities. Everything is provided. New members welcome.
Point Man Ministries, 6 p.m., Canyon Bible Fellowship, 446 Cedar St., Lyons. Veterans support organization. 503-859-2627.
Friday
Pinochle, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. double deck. North Fork Farmers Market, 4 - 7 p.m., North Fork Station, Highway 22, Lyons. Browse homemade and handcrafted items. Free admission. Vendors wanted; $30 per market. Email lulabirdsweets@gmail.com for an application.
Saturday
Alcoholics Anonymous, 10 a.m., New Life Foursquare Church, 1090 N First Ave., Stayton. Open meeting. Aumsville Historical Society, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Aumsville Historical Museum, 599 Main St. Not open holiday weekends. Ted Shepard, 503-749-2744
Revival Youth Hangout, 5 - 6:30 p.m., New Hope Community Church, 657 N Second Ave., Stayton. Youth of the area are welcome. Follow “Revival_ Heartbeat” on Instagram and Tiktok. revivalheartbeat@gmail.com
Sunday
Community Lampstand, 5 -7 p.m., Brown House Event Center, 425 N First Ave., Stayton. Learn how the Bible inspired the works of the Founding Fathers in the creation of the United States and its founding documents. Free. Diannah, 503-881-6147
9 - 11 a.m., Stayton Community Center. 3K walk/run, 5K & 10K trail runs. $15 advance registration online. $20 day of race registration. Sponsored by Boy Scouts. staytonfunrun.com
North Fork Farmers Market, 4 - 7 p.m., North Fork Station, Highway 22, Lyons. Browse homemade and handcrafted items. Vendors wanted; $30 per market. Email lulabirdsweets@ gmail.com for an application.
Tuesday, July 1
Stayton Lions Club
Noon, Covered Bridge Cafe, 510 N Third Ave., Stayton. Club and new members are welcome. Repeats July 15. staytonlionsclub.org
Stayton Parks and Rec Board
6 p.m., Stayton Planning Building, 311 N Third Ave. Open to public.
Wednesday, July 2
Aumsville Senior Social Circle
10 a.m. - noon, Riverview Bank, 112 Main St. Join the senior community for cards, dice, conversation. Free. Sponsored by Aumsville Exchange Club. Repeats July 16.
Storytime in the Garden
10:30 a.m., The Oregon Garden, 879 W Main St., Silverton. Special storytime at Oregon Garden Choose a free book, explore the garden. Entrance is free for CCRLS card holders. 503-873-5173
Thursday, July 3
Stayton Summer Reading
4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Mo Phillips performs a party packed with dancing, singing and fun. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
July 3rd Celebration
4 p.m., The Oregon Garden, 879 W Main St., Silverton. Music, food, familyfriendly activities. Fireworks at 10 p.m. Adults $18. Teens 12-17 $10. Youth 5-11 $7. Children 4 and under free. Save $2 on all tickets purchased in advance at oregongarden.org/july-3rd.
Friday, July 4
Independence Day
Pancake Breakfast
8 - 11 a.m., Stayton Community Center. $10 adults. $8 for children 12 and under. Benefits Stayton High all-night drug- and alcohol-free all night party.
America the Beautiful Parade
Noon, Stayton. Parade route: South from Regis Street down First Avenue, west down W Washington Street, north down N Gardener Avenue. Entry fee $20. stayton4thofjuly.com
Stayton Fourth of July
6 p.m., Stayton High, 757 W Locust St. Food concessions, live entertainment, kids activities. Fireworks begin at 10 p.m. No alcohol, smoking, vaping, weapons, personal fireworks or pets are allowed.
Saturday, July 5
Fireworks Over the Lake
5 - 11 p.m., Detroit City Park, 105 S Patton Road. Beer garden, dancing, yard games and food trucks, live music, fireworks. Suggested donation $10. detroitlakefoundation.org
Aumsville Movie in the Park
Dusk, Porter Boone Park, 1105 Main St., Aumsville. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy a free movie every Saturday. Today: Sherlock Gnomes. 7/12: Finding Dory. 7/19: Lilo & Stitch. 7/26: Harold and the Purple Crayon. Free. 503-749-2030
Monday, July 7
Ice Cream in the Park
5:30 - 6:30 p.m., Quail Run Park, 1613 SE Eagle St., Stayton. Join for ice cream in the park, meet other community members and chat with Stayton city staff and councilors. Free. 503-769-3425
Foothills VBS
6 - 8 p.m., Foothills Church, 975 Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. Live It Out vacation bible school for children ages 4 - sixth grade. $15 for first child and $5 for each additional child. No more than $25 per family. Runs through July 11, with Family Fun Night barbecue, games and music on July 11. Register at foothillsstayton.org
Tuesday, July 8
Games & Goodies
11 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Play and experience well-paired treats with a selection of games and goodies. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
Circle of Security Parenting
6 - 7:30 p.m. Zoom. Free virtual course with Family Building Blocks. Learn to manage parents/child expectations, gain parenting confidence, practice new ways to connect with your child. Optimal for families with children 7 and under. Free activity bag. Registration required by contacting Melodie Week at 503-769-1120, mweeks@ familybuildingblocks.org.
Wednesday, July 9
RDS Board Meeting
5 p.m., Beauchamp Building, 278 E High St., Stayton. Revitalize Downtown Stayton meeting. Open to public. 503-767-2317, downtownstayton.org
Thursday, July 10
Sublimity City-wide Garage Sale
All day. Times and days may vary. No permit needed. Runs through July 12. 503-769-5475, cityofsublimity.org
Wheels of Change
Noon, Santiam Hospital, 1401 N 10th Ave., Stayton. Learn skills to live well, whether your goal is prevention or improving your ability to manage chronic conditions. Free. Register: CHW@ santiamhospital.org, 503-769-9319
Aumsville Food Pantry
Noon - 4 p.m., Bethel Baptist Church, 645 Cleveland St., Aumsville. Open to people in need of food items. Repeats July 24. 503-749-2128
Marion County Fair
Noon - 10 p.m., 2330 NE 17th St., Salem. See the animals. Ride the rides. Watch a show. Eat all the eats. Gate prices: $9 adults, $5 seniors & youth 6 - 11. Kids 5 and under are free. Sunday only: all kids 12 and under are free. Repeats 10 a.m.11 p.m. July 11-12, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. July 13. marioncountyfair.net
Lyons Summer Reading Program
3 p.m., Lyons Public Library, 279 Eighth St. Lyons Fire District visits. 503-859-2366, library@cityoflyons.org
Stayton Summer Reading
4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. The Amazing Bubble Man, Louis Pearl, explores the magic of bubbles while combining comedy, science and spellbinding bubble tricks. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
Santiam Heritage Foundation
6 p.m., Brown House Event Center, 425 N First Ave., Stayton. Board of trustees’ meeting. Open to public. 503-769-8860 Aumsville Fire District
6:30 p.m., Aumsville Fire Station, 490 Church St. Open to public. 503-749-2894
Friday, July 11
Community Play Group
10 - 11:30 a.m., Doris’s Place, 574 N 11th St., Aumsville. Free Community Play Group sponsored by Family Building Blocks. IRSVP: 503-769-1120, familybuildingblocks.org.
Red Cross Blood Drive
Noon - 5 p.m., Sublimity Fire Station, 115 NW Parker St. For appointments visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-3767.
DIY Craft Night
5 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Create your own game or summer-inspired coaster. Supplies provided. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
TGI Friday Fest
5 - 9 p.m., downtown Stayton. Live music, food trucks, farmers market, free Kid Zone, sidewalk sales and specials from local shops. Presented by Revitalize Downtown Stayton.
Saturday, July 12
Beers & Gears Ride
6 a.m. - 3 p.m., Mt. Angel Festhalle, 500 NE Wilco Hwy. Beers and Gears is a one-day fundraising event designed for every biking enthusiast, regardless of skill level. All riders pay $50 which covers the ride, lunch and two pints. Guests are $30 and people living with ALS are free. Benefits ALS Northwest. Register at alsnorthwest.org.
Aumsville Saturday Market
10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Porter-Boone Park, 1105 Main St., Aumsville. Fresh produce, specialty food, baked goods, flowers, gardening and more. Free admission. Repeats July 26. 503749-2030
Saint Benedict Festival
Noon - 4 p.m., Mount Angel Abbey, 1 Abbey Dr., Saint Benedict. Festival entry includes picnic lunch, two servings of local wine or Benedictine Brewery beer and all activities, including monastic organ recitals, live iconography demonstration, live music, lawn games and more. 21+ event. $65/ person. Tickets at mountangelabbey.org.
Sunday, July 13
Brown House Tour
Noon - 2 p.m., Brown House Event Center, 425 N First Ave., Stayton. Tour historic Charles and Martha Brown House. $5/ person. Children under 18 free. For a special reserved guided tour, call 503-769-8860.
Monday, July 14
Calvary Lutheran VBS
5:15 - 7:30 p.m., Calvary Lutheran Church, 198 Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. Vacation Bible School for children ages 3-12. Register at vbscalvarystayton.rsvpify.com or by emailing Alissa McCaffrey at mccaffrey@ gmail.com.
Sublimity City Council
6 p.m., Sublimity City Hall, 245 NW Johnson. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-769-5475, cityofsublimity.org
Stayton Fire District Board
6 p.m.,. Stayton Fire Station, 1988 W Ida St. Open to public. staytonfire.org
Aumsville City Council
7 p.m., Chester Bridges Memorial Community Center, 555 Main St., Aumsville. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-7492030, aumsville.us
Lyons Fire District Board
7 p.m., Lyons Fire Station, 1114 Main St. Open to public. 503-859-2410, lyonsrfd.org
Tuesday, July 15
LEGO Clue
11 a.m., Stayton Public Library. It’s a librarysized mystery with a pint-sized twist. Can you solve the brick-based whodunnit? Free. All ages. 503-769-3313
Alzheimer’s Education
1 - 2:15 p.m., Santiam Hospital, 1401 N 10th Ave., Stayton. Supporting independence, presented by Alzheimer’s Association. Free. Register: 800-272-3900
North Santiam Watershed Council
6 p.m. Zoom. Open to public. For Zoom link information, call 503-930-8202 or email council@northsantiam.org.
American Legion Post #58
6 - 7:30 p.m., Weddle Funeral Service, 1777 N Third Ave., Stayton. All veterans and all branches of service are welcome. Post #58 will pay first year’s dues for all who join. 503-508-2827
Wednesday, July 16
Ice Cream in the Park
5:30 - 6:30 p.m., Santiam Park, 250 N Third Ave., Stayton. Join for ice cream in the park, meet other community members and chat with Stayton city staff and councilors. Free. 503-769-3425
Thursday, July 17
Lyons Summer Reading Program
3 p.m., City Hall Park, 449 Fifth St., Lyons. West African storytelling. 503-859-2366, library@cityoflyons.org
Stayton Summer Reading
4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Eric Herman performs a concert bursting with comedy, creativity, and fun songs. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
Garden Concert Series
5:30 - 8 p.m., The Oregon Garden, 897 W Main St., Silverton. Features Reverend Shaky and the Part Time Believers. Outside food and drinks are allowed; no alcoholic beverages. Ticket price includes after-hours admission to the Garden. $10 ages 13+. $5 Garden members. Ages 12 and under free. oregongarden.org
Stayton Public Arts Commission
6 p.m., Stayton Public Works Building, 311 N Third Ave. Help plan and organize local art events. Open to public. Jennifer Siciliano, 503-769-2998
Friday, July 18
Santiam Canyon Stampede
7 p.m., Sublimity Harvest Festival Grounds, 11880 SE Sublimity Road. Two-day NPRA rodeo. Tickets, prices and event information at scsrodeo.com.
10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Stop by to swap cards with others, play a match and design a card of your own. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
Joseph´s Storehouse of Hope
11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Mari-Linn School, 641 Fifth St., Lyons. Food boxes. 503-881-9846 Garden and Quilt Tour
10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Stayton/Sublimity. PEO Garden and Quilt Tour includes entrance to four gardens and quilt display around Stayton and Sublimity. $10/person. Gardens are at 1550 and 1563 Eagle St., Stayton; 741 Fox St., Stayton; and 353 Pine St., Sublimity. Tickets available by calling 503-910-3279, from local PEO members or at each garden the day of the event.
Canterbury Renaissance Faire
10 a.m. - 6 p.m., 6569 Valley View Road, Silverton. Set in the Elizabethan Era, see history move right before your eyes. Jousting, dancing, shopping and more. Adults $29/day. Age 6 - 12 and seniors 60 and older $26/day. Age 5 and under are free. $1 off for active military. Repeats July 20, 26-27. For more information, visit canterburyfaire.com.
Idanha Mountain Festival
11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Idanha City Park, Church Street. Inaugural Idanha Mountain Festival celebrates 130th anniversary. Parade, BBQ, games, competitions and activity booths. Hosted by Idanha Development Foundation. To sign up for the parade ($5) or to be a vendor ($10), visit https:// bit.ly/3HUU5u5 or “First Annual Idanha Mountain Festival” on Facebook. Bales & Ales
5 p.m., Horses of Hope Oregon, SE 2895 Cloverdale Dr., Turner. 21+ evening complete with specialty brews, live music, food trucks, drawings, vendors, games and more. $35/person, includes five tasting tokens, four drawing tickets and a commemorative branded beer glass. All proceeds go to the construction of the organization’s new Mental and Behavioral Health Arena. Tickets at onecau.se/bag5r1.
Alcoholics Anonymous
6 - 8:30 p.m., Bethel Baptist Church, 645 Cleveland St., Aumsville. Open meeting. Sublimity Movies in the Park Dusk, Church Park, 375 E Main St., Sublimity. Watch Moana 2 in the park. Bring blanket and chairs.
Monday, July 21
Red Cross Blood Drive
1 - 6 p.m., Foothills Church, 975 Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. For appointments visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-3767.
Stayton City Council
7 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-769-3425, staytonoregon.gov
Santiam Masonic Meeting
7 p.m., Santiam Lodge #25, 122 N Third Ave., Stayton. All Masons welcome. New members encouraged to drop by. “Santiam Lodge #25” on Facebook.
Happy 4th of July!
On July 4th, 1776, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to formally adopt the Declaration of Independence — a document announcing that the thirteen original colonies were formally declaring their political separation from Great Britain.
A Longing for Liberty
The Continental Congress had been debating independence for weeks and the issues were huge. Centuries of violent religious persecution by the Church of England against the dissenting Christian denominations now threatened to follow them across the ocean. In the colonists’ minds, “freedom of religion” was nothing more than the liberty to worship Christ as they believed God required of them in the Bible. There was no thought of offering the same liberty to all religions. The demand for “no taxation without representation” was a plea for the consent of the governed. The liberty the colonists longed for was simply the freedom to do what they believed before God to be right and good, not a license to do evil. That is why Patrick Henry had declared; “Give me liberty, or give me death!”
By Gregg Harris
King George would show no mercy to such rebels.
The Decision Was Made
On July 2nd, 1776, Congress voted in favor of Richard Henry Lee's resolution that “these colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” It was on July 4th, that the Congress adopted the final wording of Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and then on August 2nd the document was actually signed.
A War & A Constitution
This Called For Courage
Later on, Benjamin Franklin famously quipped as he signed his own name to the Declaration, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.” That was no joke.
The Declaration of Independence was only the beginning. The War for Independence ran on for 8 long years, ending in 1783. The Articles of Confederation proved too weak to provide the government needed, and so, The Constitution of the United States of America was written four years later in 1787, laying the foundation for the “well ordered liberty” we enjoy today.
Is It Still “Adequate?”
Years later, while serving as our second President, John Adams wrote: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of
He was writing amid growing concern over our nation’s moral decline. Our liberty was in fact turning into a license to sin. The “religion” Adams had in mind was not some bland kind of civil religion. It was a strong robust faith in the God revealed in the Bible. Its “morality” came not only from the Ten Commandments, but also from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Without a sincere faith in Christ and in His Gospel, “liberty”
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
— John Adams, 1798
would collapse into moral chaos.
So, What is That Gospel?
The Gospel is the good news concerning Who Jesus Christ is, and what He has done for us. Jesus lived the perfect life that we have all failed to live. Then, He died in our place the death that we all deserve. He did this in order to pay for our sins. After 3 days in the grave, Jesus rose again from the dead as proof that His sacrifice was sufficient. Now, all who believe
this good news are spiritually born again with the power needed to live for God. It is this faith in God that enables us to govern ourselves so as not to misuse our liberty.
Washington said, “Of all the … habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are the indispensable supports.”
Benjamin Franklin said; “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” When we no longer fear God enough to restrain our sinful desires, our liberty will be lost and “masters” will appear. Think hard about that as you celebrate the 4th of July. Questions? Call 971-370-0967.
FREE TICKET! Family-Friendly
Movie
The Palace Theater Tues., July 8th, 6:30 PM Lord of the Rings #2 Rated PG-13 First Come, First Served.
Bring Your Family & Friends!
Sponsored by NobleMenOfOregon.org
Attention Christian Men! Join us every week for our Noble Men’s Prayer Breakfast at Noble Inn 409 S. Water St., Silverton, OR 97381
Thurs. mornings from 7 to 8:30 AM For info go to NobleMenOfOregon.org Join us as we seek to have an impact on our community for Christ.
The views expressed by this advertiser do not necessarily represent the views of Our Town or its staff.
Gregg Harris, Teaching Pastor at GraciousCross.org
Tuesday, July 22
Library Comedy Show
4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Join Matt Baker as he combines comedy with unusual stunts like escaping handcuffs and catching a bowling ball on his face. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
Lyons City Council
6:30 p.m., Lyons City Hall, 449 Fifth St. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-859-2167, cityoflyons.org
PFLAG Silverton
7 p.m., Oak Street Church, 502 Oak St., Silverton. Everyone welcome. Under 18 must have parent/guardian. Christy, 541-786-1613, silvertonpflag@gmail.com
Thursday, July 24
Rummage Sale
9 - 4 p.m., St. Mary Church, 9168 Silver Falls Hwy., Aumsville. Annual rummage sale fundraiser. Repeats July 25-26. Free admission.
Lyons Summer Reading Program
3 p.m., City Hall Park, 449 Fifth St., Lyons. Reptile man. Sign up for the summer reading program at the library to earn prizes. 503-859-2366, library@ cityoflyons.org
Stayton Summer Reading
4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. The ultimate bingo showdown. Be prepared for tricks and treats. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
Ice Cream in the Park
5:30 - 6:30 p.m., Stayton Community Center Park, 400 W Virginia St. Join for ice cream in the park, meet other community members and chat with Stayton city staff and councilors. Free. Open to all. 503-769-3425
Friday, July 25
Santiam Music Festival
7 - 10 p.m., Detroit City Park, 105 S Patton Road. Enjoy two nights filled with music, beer garden, food trucks, lawn games and more. Live performances by Lexi Tucker and the Western Flyers July 25 and Scotty Alexander, Rob Smith and Louisiana Surf Department. Suggested donation $10/ night. All proceeds support the Detroit Lake Foundation’s community-based projects. detroitlakefoundation.org
SummerFest Fun Run
9 a.m., Vault Fitness, 370 N Second Ave., Stayton. 5K/3K fun run & walk. $20 ages 13+. $10/ child with adult registration. $40/ immediate family. Sponsored by Santiam Hospital. Registration at staytonsublimitychamber.org.
Santiam SummerFest
10 a.m. - 5 p.m., downtown Stayton. Street vendors, food trucks, Ducky Derby, live entertainment Food, brew & live music run 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Free admission. For complete list of activities, visit staytonsublimitychamber.org.
Monday, July 28
Vigil for Peace
Saturday, July 26
Brent Strohmeyer Car Show
9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sunrise Park, 542 NE Berry, Sublimity. Awards, music, vendors. Breakfast and lunch items available. $15 pre-registration by July 19. $20 day of show. Spectators free. Russ, 503-930-8976, stroscarevents.com
2:30 - 3:30 p.m., Towne Square Park, Silverton. Silverton People for Peace gather to advocate for peace, social justice issues on all levels of society including a focus on issues of current concern. Open to all. 503-873-5307
Aumsville City Council
7 p.m., Chester Bridges Memorial Community Center, 555 Main St., Aumsville. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-749-2030, aumsville.us
Stayton Planning Commission
7 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to the public. Agenda available. 503-769-3425, staytonoregon.gov
Tuesday, July 29
Mario’s Game of Life
11 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Where will this themed, life-sized Game of Life take you? Free. All ages. 503-769-3313
Wednesday, July 30
Stayton Book Club
4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Discuss Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann. Tea, talk and treats. Free. 503-769-3313
Thursday, July 31
Lyons Summer Reading Program
3 p.m., City Hall Park, 449 Fifth St., Lyons. Brenda’s game day. Sign up for the summer reading program at the library to earn prizes. 503-859-2366, library@ cityoflyons.org
Datebook Submissions
To get your events and fundraisers published in Our Town, send your releases – including date, time, location, activity, cost, contact information – to datebook@ mtangelpub.com. Or drop them off at the Our Town office, 2340 Martin Dr., Stayton.
Passages
Hannah Maxine Baldwin
November 20, 1946–Nov 7, 2024
Nov. 20, 1946 - Nov. 7, 2024
Hannah Maxine Baldwin passed away on Nov 7, 2024, in Takoma Park Maryland, at the age of 78. The cause of death was congestive heart failure, which was a complication of her bone cancer from over 30 years ago.
Hannah was born in Stayton, near Salem, in Oregon. Her parents, Clarence Richard Baldwin, father, and June Helen (Sophy) Baldwin, mother, are both deceased. She is survived by her husband Felipe Tejeda; her daughter Malado Francine BaldwinTejeda; her son Francisco Richard Baldwin-Tejeda; two brothers, Daniel and Samuel; and several nieces and nephews. She leaves behind several adopted African sons, daughters, brothers and sisters in Senegal, Guinea, Mali, and Namibia, as well as African grandchildren some bearing her name. Ms. Baldwin, with a Ph.D. (abd) from Indiana University’s Folklore Department, spent many years living and working world-wide as a development professional, focusing her time in Senegal, Mali, and Guinea as a USAID program director. She served as a director of training for diplomats in francophone studies at the US Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute, and in Namibia as Peace Corps Director. Hannah met her husband Felipe in Senegal as Peace Corps Volunteers in 1969, and lived and worked there for 7 years, gaining a passionate love for her newfound friends. She spoke French and Wolof well, loved mafe and yassa, and listened and danced to mbalax music. Hannah came from a family of creatives and continued throughout her life to add to her repertoire of artistic talents. She was primarily a print maker, ceramicist, and painter. In lieu of flowers or gifts, we ask you to consider donating to a Senegal-based NGO, Tostan (Tostan. org), which works in West Africa and was dear to Hannah’s heart.
Sandra Jo Porter
April
25, 1944 – June 5, 2025
On June 5, 2025, Sandra Jo Porter, known as Sandi to family and friends, died peacefully in her home at age 81 after a long battle with cancer. Sandi was a resident of Stayton, Oregon for the past 53 years.
Born April 25, 1944 in Billings, Montana, Sandi’s family moved to Detroit, Michigan, Cincinnati, Ohio and later relocated to Bad Godesburg, Germany, a suburb of Bonn. Sandi was employed at the US embassy as a clerk for the Military Assistance Advisory Group. While in Germany, Sandi had the opportunity to travel all over Europe and had many memorable adventures with friends. Sandi met her future husband, Henry, on a blind date. The two reunited in the United States and were married in Monmouth, Oregon on Aug. 25, 1967. Sandi worked for seven years at Shangri-la and the Garten Foundation teaching children with special needs. Later, Sandi landed at the Stayton Resource Center and was the manager there for 25 years. Sandi found many ways to give to the community in Stayton outside of her job duties. She at one point founded a day care, was a board member of the Stayton Food Bank for 34 years, was on the Stewardship and Endowment committees at Stayton Calvary Lutheran Church, led a Cub Scout troop, and helped coordinate a bluegrass festival at Pioneer Park. She was well known for her generous and caring nature, and was declared “Woman of the Year” in 1986 by the Stayton Chamber of Commerce, an honor she was very proud of.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry; parents, Arthur and Mary Jo Lofgren; and sister, Kathy Fayard. She is survived by her three children, Vaughn Porter and wife Cynthia of Beaverton, Oregon; daughter, Penelope Doss and husband Randal of Concord, Virginia; and son, Arthur Porter and wife Xann Culver of Salem, Oregon; as well as grandchildren, Mazie Doss and Jillian Porter; and sister, Annette Muir of Cincinnati, Ohio. She will be missed by Gus, her dog who has been by her side throughout the last nine years.
Sandi’s funeral service was held at Stayton Calvary Lutheran Church on June 13. Weddle Funeral Service assisted the family. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Stayton Food Bank or the Wildlife Conservation Network https://wildnet.org/
John Edward Hollingsworth
Feb. 11, 1948 – May 29, 2025
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 high 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 return he attended Oregon State. While attending school he met Adair Ann Watson in Salem, Oregon. They were married Oct. 24,1958 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Silverton.
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 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 their family tree farm logging up into his 70s driving the cat and falling trees. 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 dad, mom and younger brother, Ronald James (Jimmie) Hollingsworth. He 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.
Glenn Joseph Bradley April 7, 1961 – June 10, 2025
Surrounded by family and friends, Glenn passed away at home on June 10, 2025.
Glenn lived a full life defined by family, friends, hard work and a love for drag racing.
In 1989, he married Tari, his wife of nearly 36 years, and together they raised their two daughters and built a family business together, specializing in professional real estate sales and property management.
He is survived by his wife, Tari; daughter, Autumn (James) Moore and grandchildren, Phoenix and Auggie Moore; daughter, Ashley Jantz; mom, Shirley Bradley, sisters, Julie (Bob) Weigum, Tracy (Jim) Wolf , and Darcy Bradley; and brother, Rich (Cheryl) Bradley. Glenn was preceded in death by his father, Dwight Bradley and brother, Steve Bradley.
A celebration of life will be held at St. Anthony Hall, Sublimity on July 26, 2025, at 1 p.m.
Last roundup Stayton AD Darren Shryock
A lot has happened in Stayton High athletics in the past 11 years. State championships in dance/drill, boys soccer and girls basketball. Massive amounts of facilities upgrades, including the opening of the stunning Ty Hart Memorial Fitness Center last fall.
Athletic Director Darren Shryock was in the middle of it all. Shryock, 60, who retired at the end of the school year, will tell you that others played just as big a role as he did, but an athletic department at a modern U.S. high school depends upon so many things going right –student involvement, district support, the right coaches, community and booster participation and the right person in the AD seat.
“I see the fruits of his labor all over SHS,” North Santiam School District Superintendent Lee Loving said of Shryock. “It has been exciting to see so many of our athletic teams excelling these past few years under his watch and stewardship. Teams are seeing success that they have not seen in a long time, and Darren has been a key part of this success through his support, expectations, hiring of quality coaches, and guidance.”
To see the community rally around and build something that extraordinary is really special.”
Shryock hired Erin Holm (track and field/cross country), Randy Nyquist (football), Tal Wold (girls basketball) and Steve Salisbury (baseball). Facilities changes have taken place all over the campus, including signs for each piece that give the overall appearance a distinctly classy feel.
“One of the reasons it feels like the right time to walk away is we don’t really lack anything major in regards to facilities,” Shryock said, noting turf additions for football, soccer, baseball and softball, hitting facilities for both baseball and softball, a redone interior of the gym, and the Ty Hart Center. “There are very few schools, no matter the size, that can match what we have currently.”
here, and I will be forever grateful to Randy for his dedication and hard work to make them happen. Andy Gardner (12 years as superintendent) was a tremendous supporter of athletics so the boosters and district worked hand in hand to make many of these things happen. I just needed to not get in the way and support where I could.”
Shryock also helped out with coaching, leading both the girls and boys basketball teams after a sterling career at Silverton, where he twice led the boys to third-place finishes at the state 5A tournament. He twice took the Eagles girls to the 4A tournament.
Shryock grew up “all over” because his father was in the Marines: Virginia; Ohio; the Philippines; Santa Barbara, California. He played college basketball at Santa Barbara City College and Corban University (formerly Western Baptist College). He received his bachelor’s and master’s from Western Oregon and went to George Fox for his admin license.
Track & Field: Cascade’s girls put on an impressive show in the Class 4A track and field championships, finishing third with 52 points. Philomath won the team title with 80 points, while La Grande was second at 69.5. Lillian Picket of the Cougars won the 400 (55.77), took second in the 200 (25.25) and ran the anchor leg on the 4x100 relay team that triumphed in 48.79. Also running on the relay were Julia Duncan, Makenna Fraser and Allison Course, who also took sixth in 200.
In the field, Kalina Saechao of Cascade finished second in the shot put (43-1.5) and the discus (120-0). Liam Brewer of the Cascade boys won the discus at 176-2 and took fourth in the shot (51-10).
For Shryock, the highlights are too many to count, or to narrow down to a short list.
“It is hard to single out one or two events.,” he told Our Town. “The coaching staff we have been able to assemble is amazing. Just about any school in the state regardless of size would readily swap us coaching staffs if given the chance, and that is quite a statement for a 4A school. The Ty Hart Fitness Center has to be near the top of the list.
The next big one, Shryock said, would involve new grandstands and seating at the football/soccer/track facility “but I am sure that will need to be a bond project.”
Shryock worked well with the Stayton Boosters Club and noted that his arrival as AD coincided with that of Randy Forrette as a leader of the boosters.
“The timing could not have been better for me,” Shryock said. “Randy and his team have spearheaded a ton of the projects that have been accomplished
Post-retirement plans include spending more time at the Foothills Church, where he is an elder, and enjoying his family –all three of his daughters still live in the Stayton area. His wife, Janet, is a retired kindergarten teacher.
His favorite teams remain the Cincinnati Reds, Ohio State and the Boston Celtics. He claims all of his hobbies are “sports related. It is hard to buy gifts for me because I lack hobbies. And I had no time for hobbies as an AD.”
On a personal note the thing I will miss most about Shryock is his accessibility. If I had a question he always got back to me. Good news or bad news. He always responded. He will be missed.
Stayton’s Haley Butenschoen finished second in the 4A 800 (2:18.19), while teammate Mila Morley was second in the javelin (132-7) to help the Eagles finish 10th. Evelyn Welch was third in the 300 hurdles (47.13) and Molli Emmert fifth in the shot put (35-5.25) for the Eagles. Regis’ Stuart McLaughlin was fifth in the 3,000 (9:24.78) and eighth in the 1,500 (4:17.98) for the Rams in the 2A meet. Abe Richter of Regis was sixth in the shot (41-7.75).
Softball: Regis, the last team in the Stayton area still standing as May ended, advanced to the Class 2A-1A quarterfinals before falling 6-5 to Salem Academy. The Rams, the No. 5 seed, finished 19-3 after running the table in a perfect 15-0 Special District 3 season.
Got a news tip? Email me at james.d@mtangelpub.com.
Darren Shryock. JAMES DAY
A Grin at the End
The Fourth Estate Building blocks of the American experience
As you celebrate our many freedoms during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, thank newspapers.
They were the weapons of choice used by the radicals of the American Revolution. The pen, it turns out, really is mightier than the sword.
I came to learn this during the nation’s Bicentennial, a year-long celebration in 1976 of the 200th year since the Declaration of Independence was issued by folks like Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. You’ve probably heard of them.
During the Bicentennial, the nation held many celebrations – fireworks and parades were the order of the day on July 4, of course. But there were also many projects that didn’t make as much noise.
Independence Square in Philadelphia was cleaned up. Even Queen Elizabeth II made a celebratory visit, presenting the U.S. with a replica of the Liberty Bell, thus proving that, a couple of centuries later, Great Britain was a good loser.
But one of the most bizarre Bicentennial projects involved me. As a recent graduate of the University of Alaska, I was made editor of The 1776 Gazette, a weekly newspaper published by the journalism department that printed the news of the week from 200 years ago. The idea was that students would write the historical stories and I would put them in newspaper form. Copies of the newspaper were mailed to hundreds of libraries around the country.
I had to write every story in the entire newspaper every week.
This was not easy. Also, history did not unfold in 52 tidy installments through the year. Nor did it strictly follow the narrative
that we had been taught in high school. History, it turned out, is a bit messier.
I had microfilm copies of a few newspapers that were published in 1776, which made my job a lot easier. I made photographic copies of the more interesting pages and rewrote some of the stories to make them appropriate. Most of the original stories weren’t written in a journalistic style at all. They were usually letters, observations and reports written by various hotheads and cranks who wanted to break away from England.
A few newspapers also opposed breaking away. I had no idea.
One neutral newspaper was The Pennsylvania Evening Post, which was first to publish the Declaration of Independence on July 6, 1776.
That’s right. It took two days to publish the most important document in the history of our country.
As interesting as the “news” were the advertisements that appeared in some
of the newspapers. One front-page ad I found involved selling slaves.
So while many newspapers were on the “right” side of history, supporting the rights of men, some were also offering men for sale.
The declaration states that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Unless you happened to be a slave. Or a woman. History is indeed a messy business, even in the context of the American Revolution.
But that history was not played out on the internet or TV. The good, the bad and the ugly appeared in the pages of America’s newspapers.
In every sense, the United States exists today not only because of the heroism of the founders, soldiers and other colonists, but the newspapers that knitted a new nation together.
GENERAL
PORCH SALE July 11 &12, 9-4, 322 Wildflower Dr, Stayton. Household, collectible, vintage items, Craftsman 10-inch table saw model 113.298470, router table. CASH ONLY.
67th ANNUAL ST. JAMES
CHICKEN BBQ Friday, July 4 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 301 Frances St., Molalla 97038. ½ Chicken
‘to-go’: $9. Chicken dinners: $15 dine-in and to-go, available 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. (includes ½ chicken, coleslaw, baked potato, roll, dessert). Cash/checks/credit. Call or text 503-260-6470 with any questions.
PASTOR CHUCK BALDWIN
Liberty Fellowship, Kalispell, Montana satellite group Sundays, 1:30 p.m. Call Kristen, 503-990-4584
SERVICES
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
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
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
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.
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
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 Buyer-Broker, ready to buy quickly. Please call 307-407-9338.
We may owe you money. If you were a member of Stayton Cooperative Telephone Company receiving our services during the years 2003 and/or 2004, SCTC may owe you money. The Board of Directors of SCTC has authorized the forfeiture of all patronage distributions that have remained unclaimed for more than four years after approval of distribution. The date of forfeiture is May 13, 2026. Members must respond prior to that date to receive monies owed. Notices were mailed to the last known addresses on September 6, 2022, to all members entitled to a distribution. SCTC is making every possible effort to find those members that did not respond to previous notifications. SCTC has posted a complete list of members, as they appear on our records, on our website at https://www.sctcweb.com/unclaimed-checks/ . You can also visit our office at 502 N 2nd Ave in Stayton. Our business hours are M-F from 9:00 am until 5:00pm. If your name, or someone you know, appears on the list and payment has not been received, contact us immediately. You can email patronage@sctcweb.com, leave a message on our patronage hotline at 503 769-2724, or send a letter to SCTC, Attention: Patronage, PO Box 477, Stayton OR 97383.
A $10 cash or check donation is encouraged and will be given to local food banks. Athletes under 18 need a parent signature.
Tuesday, August 5th • Cascade High School
10226 Marion Rd SE, Turner · 2:00pm to 6:00pm
Thursday, August 14th • Stayton High School
757 W Locust St, Stayton · 2:00pm to 6:00pm
Thursday, August 21st & September 4th • Santiam Medical Clinic
