Pride • Integrity • Respect • Loyalty • Thrive
Since 1974, John's has aimed to embody five core values; pride, integrity, respect, loyalty, and the ability to thrive. This month we would like to highlight local Mount Angel High School Student Austynn Garrison. Austynn is being recognized for exemplifying the value; loyalty
She embodies the value of loyalty both in and out of school. Whenever someone needs help in class, she is there to lend a hand. Austynn is an amazing friend, and is always there for the people around her. She is a genuinely nice human being.
TO OUR INCREDIBLE 2025 ADVERTISERS
Your support has kept Our Town going strong for more than 20 years. To our readers: Support your town’s economy by supporting our local businesses.
A&W Restaurant
Alisha Oliver
Apex Excavation
Barker Surveying
Bauman’s Farm & Garden
Bill McKean
Bridgeway
Calvary Lutheran Church
Capital Monument
Chemeketa Community College
Clippy’s
Comcast
D&W Automotive
Davison Auto Parts
Denise Busch - Paramount Realty
Di’s Doin Hair
Edward Jones - Bridgette Justis
Energy Trust
EZ Orchards
Leon’s Janitorial
Les Schwab Tires
Mary Maids
Moonlight Maintenance
North Santiam Funeral
NorthWest Senior & Disability Services
Obersinner Nursery
Ole Murph’s Handyman Services
Oregon Garden Tree Service
Oregon Health Authority
Oren Hampton CPA LLC
Pioneer Cigars
Power Fleet
Revitalize Downtown Stayton
RPM Records
Salem Health
Santiam Heating
Fessler Nursery
Figaro’s Pizza
Focus Heating
Foothills Barkdust
Freres Building Supply
Gary Sprauer
Roofing & Remodeling
Gateway Storage
GK Machine
Godfrey Nursery
H&M Overhead Doors
Homegrown Remedies
Immaculate Conception
Ixtapa
Jessie’s Lawn Service
JET Auto & Repair
John’s Waterproofing
Kathleen’s Pet Grooming
La Sabrosa Taqueria
Santiam Hospital
Santiam Mobile Medicine
SCTC
Silver Falls Terrariums
Silverton Art and Frame
Silverton Realty
Whitney & Mike Ulven
Sisters Cleaning Service
State Farm Insurance
Larry Biggerstaff
State Farm Insurance
Dave Valencia
Stayton Area Rotary
Stayton Pharmacy
Stayton Tire & Automotive
Terra Gardens
The Noble Men - Gregg Harris
The Santiam Handyman
Willamette Fireplaces
Steve Beckner Custom Design
Day Sports Editor & Reporter George Jeffries Advertising Executive Paula Mabry Editor & Publisher
Brown House seeking Ghost Tour volunteers
The Brown House is looking for additional actors and guides for its annual Ghost Tour and Chocolate Walk on Oct. 25, 5 - 9 p.m..
Guides lead attendees on a walking tour through downtown Stayton to visit various historical sites. Actors at each site reenact the town’s history including a brief monologue.
Tours last about an hour, and include stops at shops offering chocolate treats. Volunteers get to experience the tour for free (tickets normally $20) and take part in the chocolate goodies at each stop. Organizers are seeking both male and female volunteers between 16 and 70 years old. For more information contact cmbrownhouse@gmail.com.
Tombstone Talks St. Boniface event returns
By Stephen Floyd
St. Boniface Catholic Church will be hosting the fourth annual Tombstone Talks on Saturday, Oct. 25, bringing to life stories of prominent citizens from Sublimity’s past.
Scheduled for noon to 6 p.m., the event features live reenactments of five local historical figures who are interred in St. Boniface’s Cemetery of the Angels.
The talks themselves begin at noon and each last around 20 minutes, with the last talk beginning at 4 p.m. Admission is $10 per person.
Reenactments will include Sublimity’s first mayor John Kintz, former St. Boniface priest Fr. Anthony Lainck, logger Clarence Zuber, farmer Vince Etzel and civil servant Mary Baribeau.
Organizers thoroughly research each individual as well as the times in which they lived to offer a faithful representation that transports guests into the past.
Ron Etzel, a member of the event’s organizing committee, said Tombstone Talks is a unique opportunity to “keep history alive” and reconnect with the people and families who founded Sublimity.
“You get the opportunity to relive the lifestyle from 100 years ago,” said Etzel.
Tombstone Talks began in 2021 as the brainchild of Brooke McKirdy, who had implemented a similar event when she lived near Seaside. The goal was to connect with local history and honor people from all walks of life who had shaped the community.
Etzel said past Tombstone Talks have had a personal impact on his life, such as in 2023 when his son and daughter portrayed his great grandfather and great grandmother.
“It was very special for my wife and I to see our kids do this,” said Etzel. “...This is one way for me to be a part of something that keeps that family history alive.”
There is another personal connection this year as Vince Etzel is Ron Etzel’s uncle.
In addition working as an independent farmer, Vince Etzel was a devout Catholic. In his will he left instructions to create a shrine at the church inspired by a vision he’d had of Jesus and Mary. The shrine will be open to view during the event Oct. 25.
Also available will be horse-drawn carriage rides, a fall harvest country store, a $13 chicken noodle dinner, access to the church archives, a prayer garden, and a silent auction.
Proceeds from the event benefit church repairs.
Got questions? Send us an email at mhumphrey@santiamhospital.org
Grants Stayton opens new application round
By Stephen Floyd
The City of Stayton has opened a new round of Community Improvement Grants for the 2025-26 fiscal year, with applications due by Oct. 24. Grants are expected to be awarded in November.
Applications are open to business owners and nonprofits, and to groups of three or more residents such as those representing neighborhoods or community groups.
Eligible projects would improve peoples’ ability to live and do business in Stayton such as landscaping, signage, murals, cleanup parties, accessibility improvements and new community programs.
Grants are competitive and will be evaluated based on how closely a project adheres to program goals, how many people will benefit, the funding needs of a project and existing project support.
Grant requests should not exceed $5,000. The city has budgeted $20,000 for Community Improvement Grants for the fiscal year and may award part or all of these funds based on applications.
Applications are due to City Hall by 5 p.m. Oct. 24 and must be complete in order to be considered.
The Stayton City Council is scheduled to review grant
Di’s Doin’
applications during their regular meeting Nov. 17 and may choose to award grants at that time. Applicants will be allowed to provide a brief one- to two-minute presentation or video to the council for their consideration.
Prior grant winners include:
• $5,200 in 2024 to Nicholas Raba to establish a community Father Daughter Dance.
• $5,000 in 2024 to Jeannine Campos to add decorative lights on trees on N. Third St. and N. Second St. cross streets.
• $500 to in 2024 Patricia Wooldridge for a Neighbor Free Library station on W. Kathy St.
• $5,000 in April to Julia Bochsler for creation of a mural titled “Flowing Through Time” on the Odd Fellows building on North Third Avenue.
• $3,500 in April to Spotlight Community Theater to remodel the stage greenroom at their performance venue at 383 N. Third Ave.
• $2,000 in April to Stayton Kiwanis to repair and maintain lighted Christmas wreaths used to decorate the town during the winter.
Stayton Library levy on Nov. 4 election ballot
Ballots for the Nov. 4 election will be mailed out Oct. 15 by the Marion County Clerk’s Office, with local voters being asked to consider a $2.7 million levy to support the Stayton Public Library.
Titled Measure No. 24-511, the levy would cost landowners $0.56 per $1,000 of assessed value, roughly $141 per year for the average landowner. This is an increase over the existing levy of $0.40 per $1,000 and is expected to cost an additional $40 per year on average.
The levy would be used to maintain current service levels at the library amid rising costs for payroll and maintenance.
Potential voters who have not registered have until Oct. 14 to do so. Once filled out, a ballot may be returned to a valid drop box or be postmarked by Nov. 4.
For more information call the clerk’s office, 503588-5225.
– Stephen Floyd
Those with questions may contact Community & Economic Development Director Jennifer Siciliano at jsiciliano@staytonoregon.gov or call 503-768-2998.
A taste of ‘heaVin’
By Melissa Wagoner
When Kevin Bibler retired from engineering in 2020, he began looking for something he could do that would still utilize his ability to build things and work with his hands but would also get him out from behind a desk.
“And we were looking to be closer to family,” Kevin’s wife, Heather AndersonBibler, added.
So, when the couple learned there was a vineyard for sale in nearby Aumsville, they decided to give winemaking a shot.
“We bought the property in January 2023,” Kevin said.
They jumped in with both feet – Kevin taking viticulture classes from the OSU Extension Service and Heather enrolling in the Wine Studies and Wine Making program at Chemeketa Community College.
“I did tell [Kevin] when he was looking at the space I would not do any of the farming,” Heather recalled.
“However, I have helped out because I’m learning all these things in my classes…”
And one of the biggest influences Heather’s courses have had on their farming thus far is the switch they are
making to organic growing practices.
“This is the first year [the grapes] will be organic and then we’ll be switching to biodynamic,” Heather said. “I took all the organic and biodynamic [classes] at Chemeketa, and it sounded intriguing. At the very least we’ll have healthier soil, and that’s what we’re going for here, taking care of this place, because the better the land is the better the grapes do and the better the wine will taste.”
So far, the reception of the wines at heaVin Estate – a name coined by combining Heather and Kevin – has been incredibly positive.
“Opening weekend, we had a lot of friends and family and neighbors,” Heather said, recalling the launch of the tasting room on May 16. “It’s been really nice to meet folks in the area… We’d really like to immerse ourselves in the community.”
Tasting Room at heaVin Estate Vineyard and Wines
6854 Shaw Hwy. SE, Aumsville
Mid-May through Mid-September: open Friday through Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m.
October through December: open by reservation
January through April: closed Reservations: 503-560-2954
www.heavinestate.com
Also planned over the next five years is the expansion of the grape varietals grown in the vineyard and the addition of a winery facility where the couple plans to process their own grapes and make their own wine.
“Right now, we have a custom crush agreement with a facility down the street,” Kevin said. “But our dream is for the grapes to never leave the property.”
Currently bottling around 550 cases a year – a mixture of Cuvée Blanc, Tempranillo, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir and a red blend – Kevin and Heather are not necessarily looking to increase the amount of wine they make but rather to make each year’s vintage better than the last and ensure the community feels welcome visiting the winery for a taste.
“We’d like to have more people know about us,” Heather said. “Because it’s a relaxed setting for people to come and chill… and it’s such a nice drive.”
Kevin Bibler and Heather Anderson-Bibler, owners of heaVin Estate Vineyard and Wines in Aumsville. MELISSA WAGONER
Rx access Santiam Hospitcal plans new pharmacy for Mill City, Canyon
By James Day
The wait is almost over. By this time next year Mill City and the Santiam Canyon should have a pharmacy to serve the region.
No more traveling down Highway 22 to Salem or Stayton for prescriptions.
Santiam Hospital & Clinics announced Sept. 16, that it is planning to build a pharmacy that will be co-located with its current Santiam Medical Clinic on South First Avenue in Mill City.
The hospital already has raised $575,000 for the project and needs $175,000 more. Aron Beugli, pharmacy director for Santiam Hospital & Clinics, said they hope to break ground in the next couple of months and open by late spring in 2026.
“We’re so excited to have a pharmacy back in the Santiam Canyon,” Maggie Hudson, president and CEO of the hospital, said at an event in Mill City announcing the plan. “There is such strong need here.”
Mill City – and the entire Santiam Canyon – has been without a pharmacy since January of 2020, when Randy Mickey and his wife Kathy closed their shop on Southwest Broadway.
Mickey was on hand for the announcement and said “this is a winwin for the town of Mill City and the Santiam Canyon. We can’t get it in here any too soon.”
Beugli said that the facility will have one entrance for the clinic and a separate one for the pharmacy.
The site is not large enough to allow for a drive-through window, and Hudson and
Pet Grooming
Beugli also noted that there are parking challenges still to be resolved.
The pharmacy will be open Monday through Friday. Hours haven’t been established, Beugli said. Staffing the facility is still a work in progress.
With regard to the hours and the schedule, Hudson said that the goal is to “start somewhere and figure out the demand.”
The announcement took place on a warm Tuesday afternoon in a tent on the riverside property of Frances McGuire, whose family played a key role in Santiam Canyon health care throughout the 20th Century. McGuire told a series of stories about medicine in the Canyon, with no Highway 22, scads of serious logging
injuries and clinics that were so tied to emergency work that no appointments were accepted. Her father and grandfather
both practiced medicine in Mill City. Her job, McGuire said, was to file the needles and get them ready for the next shot.
And even here in the 21st Century those speaking at the announcement event noted health care challenges that still plague Canyon residents.
Jessica Grim, a nurse practitioner at Santiam Medical Clinic, talked of patients who were saddled with the problem of finding enough time or gas or money to get to the clinic for treatment and then to drive into Stayton, or perhaps Salem, for a prescription and then drive back up to Detroit or Idanha. The result was often that the patient was not able to get the prescription until a couple of days later, Grim said.
“Access here is incredibly important,” she said., “A pharmacy in Mill City will change that.”
The Santiam Medical Clinic in Mill City. Santiam Hospital & Clinics will be adding a pharmacy to the complex on South First Avenue in 2026. JAMES DAY
Suit settled Power Motorsports settles Sea-Doo death lawsuit
By Stephen Floyd
Sublimity-based Power Motorsports is among defendants who have settled a wrongful death lawsuit over a young boy killed in a Sea-Doo collision in Sweet Home in 2020.
On Sept. 3, a probate judge approved a settlement in Marion County Circuit Court involving claims brought by the Estate of Zachary Maynard, the terms of which were confidential.
The settlement resolves claims against all defendants, which included Power Motorsports and Sea-Doo manufacturer Bombardier Recreational Products Inc., of Canada.
Maynard’s family filed suit Sept. 12, 2022, seeking $9.5 million for the collision on July 20, 2020, that killed Maynard, 6, of Sweet Home. The collision also injured Maynard’s brother, according to court records, and the settlement will resolve this claim as well.
A third child, an eight-year-old girl, was also injured and her family filed a separate $1.2 million lawsuit. According to court records, these parties reached a settlement in June that has yet to be finalized in court.
According to the Maynard lawsuit, a Sea-Doo purchased from Power Motorsports sped out of control at Foster Reservoir, in Sweet Home, into a group of swimmers.
$75M awarded in latest PacifiCorp trial
By Stephen Floyd
Ten fire survivors have been awarded $75 million in the latest trial against PacifiCorp over the 2020 Labor Day fires, including a new record high for individual damages.
The trial concluded Sept. 16 in Multnomah County Circuit Court and was the ninth damages trial in James et al vs. PacifiCorp.
Awards included $5.48 million in economic damages, $50.15 million in noneconomic damages, $13.9 million in punitive damages and $5.48 million for a wildfire caused by recklessness.
Individual damages ranged from as low as $730,000 to a new record of $16.88 million for South Obenchain Fire survivor Michael Bateman.
Bateman lost his ranch near Eagle Point where five generations of his family had raised cattle. He testified about harrowing survival
and deep personal loss, and jurors awarded a record $12.65 million in noneconomic damages, in addition to $4.23 million in other damages.
This brings total damages to $541 million for 100 plaintiffs. Nearly 2,000 additional plaintiffs are scheduled to have their claims heard during similar trials through March of 2028, with the next trial scheduled for Oct. 6 for nine plaintiffs.
PacifiCorp was found liable in 2023 for negligently causing the Santiam, Echo Mountain Complex, South Obenchain and 242 fires on Sept. 7, 2020. The company denies wrongdoing and has appealed this verdict.
The latest trial began Sept. 8, and during closing arguments Sept. 15 parties were at odds over noneconomic damages for emotional
and psychological harm.
PacifiCorp attorney Alison Plessman told jurors damages had to be fair and reflect the evidence, and could not be used to punish PacifiCorp or exploit the company’s deep pockets. She suggested $4.75 million in total noneconomic damages, ranging from $250,000 to $750,000 individually.
Plaintiff attorney Nicholas Rosinia said PacifiCorp’s numbers did not reflect the evidence but rather what the company was willing to pay. He asked jurors to envision talking to a plaintiff before the fires and asking what sum of money it would take for them to willingly flee for their lives and lose their homes and belongings.
The jury deliberated throughout Sept. 16 and returned a verdict late that afternoon.
Court proceedings were made available through cvn com
The operator of the vehicle, Antonio CassanovaGonzalez, of Salem, had placed his life jacket on the handlebars which depressed the throttle and caused the Sea-Doo to accelerate unmanned.
The suit claimed the throttle was improperly positioned when the vehicle was assembled by Power Motorsports, and that Bombardier improperly designed the vehicle. Both companies denied wrongdoing and said the other was at fault, and also blamed the individuals who purchased and operated the Sea-Doo. Additionally, Power Motorsports blamed the contractor they used to have the vehicle assembled.
Jail, probation for child porn
A Stayton man has been sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography, avoiding a lengthy prison sentence in favor of treatment. On Sept. 15, Frederick Neil Cusimano, 23, was sentenced in Marion County Circuit Court to 180 days in the Marion County Jail, followed by 60 months of supervised probation. He pleaded guilty July 14 to four counts of firstdegree encouraging child sex abuse and two counts of encouraging sexual assault of an animal. He was accused of downloading multiple media files depicting sexual acts involving children in April and May of 2024.
As a condition of probation, Cusimano must enter sex offender treatment and be evaluated for possible mental health and substance abuse treatment. He must also divulge information about all previous victims to police, and may not have contact with minors or access to the internet.
Prosecutors had requested nearly 11 years in prison, however Judge Lindsay Partridge found compelling reasons for a lesser sentence. If Cusimano violates his probation, he would return before Partridge for a potential sanction including possible revocation of probation and prison time.
$12 million judgment Judge sets price HP Civil must pay former CEO for shares
By Stephen Floyd
The owners of an Aumsville construction company must pay the former CEO $12 million for his stake in the business as the result of a lawsuit over his ouster in 2022.
On Sept. 2, Marion County Circuit Court Judge Lindsay Partridge filed an opinion in Silbernagel vs. HP Civil Inc., et al., placing a value of $8.53 million on shares owned by plaintiff Roger Silbernagel.
Partridge also awarded $678,730 for lost profit sharing and 9 percent in pre-judgment interest to be calculated from the date of Silbernagel’s firing May 31, 2022.
Silbernagel was already awarded $200,000 by a jury in April for defendants’ breach of fiduciary duty. With the terms set in Partridge’s opinion, damages now total $12.4 million.
Silbernagel sued HP Civil and fellow owners Larry Gescher and Josh Smith in 2022 after Gescher and Smith fired Silbernagel and removed him from the board of directors. Silbernagel sought $15 million for alleged retaliation, wrongful termination, and breach of fiduciary duty.
In his lawsuit, Silbernagel claimed he was fired for investigating racial harassment and discrimination against his son, who is black, allegedly committed by Gescher’s nephew.
Gescher and Smith denied wrongdoing and said Silbernagel was fired for poor performance. In Partridge’s opinion he said there was “no evidence that Roger Silbernagel’s performance as an employee or director was deficient in any regard.”
Defendants filed a counterclaim and said Silbernagel breached a buy-sell agreement by refusing to sell his shares. Silbernagel argued he was obligated to decline a lowball offer from defendants of $4.6 million.
On April 8 a jury found that Silbernagel was in breach of contract, and Partridge was tasked with determining the value of Silbernagel’s 44.4-percent stake in the company.
In his opinion, Partridge said this was no small undertaking because the buy-sell agreement was not clear as to how shares would be valued if an owner was forced out without cause. He also said he could not risk undervaluing the company because this could represent further shareholder oppression of Silbernagel.
Partridge said Gescher and Smith “clearly” committed shareholder oppression by cutting Silbernagel out of critical decisions including his own firing. He said, even if Gescher and Smith owned a majority stake between them and had resolved to fire Silbernagel, they still owed a fiduciary duty to Silbernagel.
Partridge determined a fair and accurate value would be based on company income, as this represented the value each shareholder derived from ownership and was based on real numbers.
The judge gave Gescher and Smith five years to pay off the amount owed to Silbernagel in yearly installments. Silbernagel is to turn over his shares within 30 days of an order of judgment codifying the judge’s decision, which as of press time had yet to be entered.
SUBMISSIONS TO THE FORUM WELCOMED Letters to the editor on local topics are welcomed. Please submit to ourtown.life@mtangelpub.com, mailed to Editor, P.O.Box 6, Stayton, 97383, or dropped off at our office at 2340 Martin Drive #104, Stayton OR 97383. We are open Monday - Friday, 9:30 - 12 p.m. Our Town reserves the right to edit for clarity and space. Anonymous letters will not be published.
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. 503-769-4088
Santiam Senior Center, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Seniors 50+. Daily, weekly, monthly events. 503-767-2009, santiamseniorcenter.com
Senior Meals, 11:30 a.m. Delivery only. Age 60 and older. Serves Stayton, Sublimity, Aumsville, Lyons, Marion, Mehama. Repeats Wednesday, Friday. $3 donation suggested. For delivery, call Ginger, 503-769-7995.
Bingo, 1 - 3:30 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. Cards $.05-.10 per game. Bring a can or box of non-perishable food for Stayton Food Bank, get a free card. Seniors 50+. Free. Repeats Thursday. 503-767-2009
Alcoholics Anonymous, 7 p.m., New Life Foursquare Church, 1090 N First Ave., Stayton. Repeats Thursday and Friday.
Santiam Canyon Community Chorus, 7 - 8:30 p.m., Stewart’s Hall, 158 SW Broadway St., Mill City. Anyone is welcome. JoAnn, 503-859-2502
Tuesday
Family Storytime, 10:30 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Explore early literacy through songs and rhythms, stories and rhyme. All ages welcome. Free. 503-769-3313
English, Citizenship, GED Classes, 6:30 - 8 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1450 Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. Classes free; $20 workbook. Repeats Thursday. Join class anytime. Mary, 503-779-7029 Alcoholics Anonymous, 7 p.m., Calvary Lutheran Church, 198 SE Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. Use side entrance to church.
Wednesday
Stayton/Sublimity Chamber Business Network, 8:15 a.m. Network-building event for local businesses, 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; family history. Free. 503-508-0312
Intermediate Tai Chi, 10:15 - 11 a.m., Santiam Senior Center. Seniors 50+. Free for members. Repeats Friday. 503-767-2009
Toddler Storytime: Stay & Play, 10:30 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Explore early learning and literacy together with your infant or toddle, then stay for different activities and stations for play. Older siblings welcome. Free. 503-769-3313
Beginner Tai Chi, 11:15 a.m. - noon, Santiam Senior Center. Seniors 50+. Free for members. Repeats Friday. 503-767-2009
Stayton Area Rotary, noon, Santiam Golf Club, 8724 Golf Club Road, Aumsville. Guests welcome. 503-508-9431, staytonarearotary.org
Cascade Country Quilters, 12:30 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. 50 and older. 503-767-2009
Beginner Line Dancing, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. Seniors 50+. Free for members. Repeats Friday. 503-767-2009
Pinochle, 1 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. Single deck. Seniors 50+. Free for members. 503-767-2009
Beginner Line Dancing, 1:45 - 2:45 p.m., Santiam Senior Center. Seniors 50+. Free for members. Repeats Friday. 503-767-2009
Alcoholics Anonymous, 6 - 7:15 p.m., Calvary Lutheran Church, 198 SE Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. 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 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. Seniors 50+. Free for members. 503-767-2009
Saturday
Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 a.m., All Good Things Cafe, 190 Main St., Aumsville.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 10 a.m., New Life Foursquare Church, 1090 N First Ave., Stayton.
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. 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. Free. Diannah, 503-881-6147
Alcoholics Anonymous, 6 - 7:15 p.m., Bethel Baptist Church, 645 Cleveland St., Aumsville..
Wednesday, Oct. 1
Aumsville Senior Social Circle
10 a.m. - noon, Riverview Bank, 112 Main St., Aumsville. Join Aumsville’s a morning of cards, dice, conversation. Feel free to bring your own games. Free. Sponsored by Aumsville Exchange Club. Repeats Oct. 15.
Thursday, Oct. 2
SIMS PTC Fundraiser
5 - 7 p.m., La Esperanza, 1174 N First Ave., Stayton. A portion of the proceeds from any purchase will be donated to Stayton Intermediate/Middle School’s Parent Teacher Club to help fund items for students and staff.
Used Book Sale
5 - 8 p.m., Stayton Community Center, 400 W Virginia St. Shop books, CDs and DVDs while supporting Stayton Friends of the Library. Repeats 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Oct. 3 and 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Oct. 4. Free admission. 503-769-3313
Saturday, Oct. 4
Pancake Breakfast
8 - 10 a.m., Santiam Valley Grange, 1140 Fifth St., Lyons. Pancakes, eggs, ham, biscuits & gravy, coffee, juice. $6/person. 503-859-2161
Library Fall Fest
10:30 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Outdoor storytime followed by seasonal activities and giveaways. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
Open Farm Day
11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Parnel Family Farm, 8561 SE Little Road, Aumsville. Free hot dogs, lawn games and meet all the new Cria (alpaca babies). U-cut dahlias available for purchase. Visit “Parnel Family Farm” on Facebook for more information.
KofC Dinner
5 - 8 p.m., Anthony Hall, 11758 SE Sublimity Road, Sublimity. Beef steak or marinated chicken dinner. $20/adults. $10/kids 10 and under. Benefits Knights of Columbus St. Anthony Council 2439.
Monday, Oct. 6
Daughters of American Revolution
10 a.m., Stayton United Methodist Church, 1450 Fern Ridge Road. Topic is Daughters online community. Open to all. 503-508-8246
Stayton City Council
7 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-769-3425, staytonoregon.gov
Tuesday, Oct. 7
Stayton Lions Club
Noon, Covered Bridge Cafe, 510 N Third Ave., Stayton. Club and new members are welcome. Repeats Oct. 21. staytonlionsclub.org
Stayton Parks and Rec Board
6 p.m., Stayton Planning Building, 311 N Third Ave. Agenda available. Open to public. 503-769-3425
Wednesday, Oct. 8
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. Light lunch provided. Free. Register: CHW@santiamhospital.org, 503-769-9319
Thursday, Oct. 9
Aumsville Food Pantry
Noon - 4 p.m., Bethel Baptist Church, 645 Cleveland St., Aumsville. Open to people in need of food items. Repeats Oct. 23. 503-749-2128
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. Agenda available. Open to public. 503-749-2894, aumsvillefire.org
Lyons Library Board
7 p.m., Lyons Public Library, 279 Eighth St. 503-859-2366
Friday, Oct. 10
Santiam Integration Conference
9 a.m. - 1:15 p.m., Foothills Church, 975 Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. A coordinated learning opportunity for service integration team members and the community. Learn about resources available in the area. Free. Open to public. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for a light breakfast. santiamhospital.org
Fiber Arts Connection
11 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Join other fiber arts enthusiasts of all ages and abilities for crafting and conversation. Free. 503-769-3313
Sunday, Oct. 12
Brown House Tour
Noon - 2 p.m., Brown House Event Center, 425 N First Ave., Stayton. Tour the historic Charles and Martha Brown House. $5/person. Children under 18 are free. For a special reserved guided tour, call 503-769-8860.
Monday, Oct. 13
Columbus Day
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
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. Agenda available. Open to public. 503-769-2601, staytonfire.org
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
Lyons Fire District Board
7 p.m., Lyons Fire Station, 1114 Main St. Agenda available. Open to public. 503-859-2410, lyonsrfd.org
Cascade School Board
7 p.m., Cascade District Office, 10226 SE Marion Road, Turner. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-749-8010, cascade.k12.or.us
Wednesday, Oct. 15
Stayton Library Board
6 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Open to public. 503-769-3313
Thursday, Oct. 16
Red Cross Blood Drive
10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Santiam Hospital, 1401 N 10th Ave., Stayton. For appointments visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-3767.
Auxiliary Fashion Show
5:45 p.m., Immaculate Conception
Catholic Church, 1077 N Sixth Ave., Stayton. Santiam Hospital & Clinics
Auxiliary hosts a fun-filled evening of food, wine and fashions through the decades during its annual Fashion Show. $30/person. Must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets are available from Auxiliary members or at the Santiam Hospital front desk.
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, JSiciliano@ staytonoregon.gov.
Grange Haunted House
6 - 8 p.m., Santiam Valley Grange, 1140 Fifth St., Lyons. Appropriate for all ages. Fog machine in use. Handicapped accessible. Repeats 6 - 9 p.m. Oct. 17-18, Oct. 23-25, Oct. 29-31; 6 - 8 p.m. Oct. 19, Oct. 26-28, Nov. 1. 503-859-2161
NSSD Board
6 p.m., District Office, 1155 N First Ave., Stayton. Board meeting for North Santiam School District. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-769-6924, nsantiam.k12.or.us
Friday, Oct. 17
Creative Crafternoon
4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Create seasonal rustic, beaded fall decor to take home. Free. 503-769-3313
Regis Alumni Day
5 - 7 p.m., Regis High, 550 W Regis St., Stayton. Reconnect with fellow alumni over barbecue and cornhole. All alumni receive free admission to that night’s football game. 503-769-2159
Saturday, Oct. 18
Calling All Ghouls
9 a.m., The Spotlight, 383 N Third Ave., Stayton. The Spotlight is seeking to fill its Haunted Theater with everything from zombies to mad scientists. The radio show promises to be the most spooktacular project of the year. 503-302-0836, spotlightct.com
Bethel Clothing Closet
STEAM Days
3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Test your hand at making dough creations that incorporate electrical circuits. Runs daily through Oct. 24. Free. 503-769-3313
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
North Santiam Watershed Council
6 p.m. Zoom. Open to public. For Zoom link information, call 503-930-8202 or email council@northsantiam.org.
Wednesday, Oct. 22
Medicare Rodeo
9 a.m. - noon, Bethel Baptist Church, 645 Cleveland St., Aumsville. Clothing from newborn to 2x. Free. 503-749-2128
Aumsville Pumpkin Patch
10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Porter-Boone Park, 1105 Main St., Aumsville. Pick up a free pumpkin and check out Aumsville Saturday Market’s first Holiday Bazaar. Photo booths, refreshments and fun. Open to all. 503-749-2030
Joseph´s Storehouse of Hope
11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Mari-Linn School, 641 Fifth St., Lyons. Food boxes. 503-881-9846
Alcoholics Anonymous
6 - 8:30 p.m., Bethel Baptist Church, 645 Cleveland St., Aumsville. Open meeting.
Monday, Oct. 20
Stayton Friends of the Library
11 a.m., Stayton Public Library. New members welcome. 503-932-2733. Red Cross Blood Drive
Noon - 5 p.m., Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 1077 N Sixth Ave., Stayton. For appointments visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-3767.
Stayton City Council
7 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Work session. Open to public. 503-769-3425, staytonoregon.gov
Santiam Masonic Meeting
7 p.m., Santiam Lodge #25, 122 N Third Ave., Stayton. All Masons are welcome. New members encouraged to drop by. “Santiam Lodge #25” on Facebook.
Tuesday, Oct. 21
Alzheimer’s Education
1 - 2:15 p.m., Santiam Hospital, 1401 N 10th Ave., Stayton. Healthy living for your brain and body, presented by Alzheimer’s Association. Free. Register: 800-272-3900
Saturday, Oct. 25
Tombstone Talks
Noon - 4 p.m., St. Boniface Catholic Church, 375 SE Church St., Sublimity. Local history event honoring five people: Fr. Anthony Lainck, Mary Baribeau, Vincent Etzel, John Kintz, Clarence Zuber. $10/person; tickets online at saintboniface.net. Walk-ins welcome. Ages 10 and older. Event features Mill Creek Carriages wagon rides, country store, silent auction. Archive museum, church and prayer garden open to visit. Chicken & noodle or gluten-free chili meal served in Parish Hall from noon - 6 p.m.; $13/person. Proceeds benefit church repairs. 503-769-5664, saintboniface.net
Ghost Tour & Chocolate Walk
5 - 8 p.m., downtown Stayton. Featuring new characters, new routes and new stops. Guided tour begins at Brown House Event Center. Tickets, $20, only available at brownhouse.org. 503-769-8860
Monday, Oct. 27
Sublimity Planning Commission
10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Aldersgate Camps, 7790 SE Marion Road, Turner. Rustle up answer to Medicare questions, mosey through aging adult resources and kick up some fun with bingo, photobooth and barbecue. Flu vaccine clinic. Free. Sponsored by Santiam Hospital & Clinics. santiamhospital.org
Brews & Business
6:30 - 8 p.m., Snow Peak Brewing, 280 E Water St., Stayton. Connect with fellow business professionals and local leaders. Stayton city leaders will provide information on the upcoming pools and parks levy. No-host bar. Light refreshments available. Sponsored by Snow Peak, Stayton Sublimity Chamber and the city of Stayton. 503-769-3464
Thursday, Oct. 23
Red Cross Blood Drive
10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Aumsville Fire Station, 490 Church St. For appointments visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-3767. Sippin’ Into a Social Hour
11 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Sip, explore and connect through new experiences and conversation. Kick off this month with a deep dive into the wonderful world of coffee. Free. 503-769-3313
Friday, Oct. 24
Stayton Book Club
4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Join for tea, treats and book talk. Pick up this month’s selection at the front desk. 503-769-3313
Haunted Theater
6 - 9 p.m., The Spotlight, 383 N Third Ave., Stayton. Repeats 2 p.m. Oct. 25, 3 - 7 p.m. Oct. 31. 503-302-0936, spotlightct.com
4:30 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to the public. 503-769-3425
Stayton Planning Commission
7 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to the public. staytonoregon.gov
Aumsville City Council
7 p.m., Chester Bridges Memorial Community Center, 555 Main St., Aumsville. Open to public. 503-749-2030, aumsville.us
Friday, Oct. 31
Halloween
Haunted Theater
3 - 7 p.m., The Spotlight, 383 N Third Ave., Stayton. 503-302-0936, spotlightct.com
Library’s Labyrinth
3:30 - 5:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Stop by the library for themed tricks and treats. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313
Downtown Trick or Treat
3:30 - 6:30 p.m., downtown Stayton. Children can trick or treat at local businesses. Sponsored by Revitalize Downtown Stayton.
Truck or Treat
4 - 6 p.m., Lyons Fire Station, 1114 Main St. Sponsored by Lyons Fire Department and Mari-Linn PTO. To sign up to decorate your car or more details, email MariLinnPTO@ gmail.com.
Harvest Festival
5:30 - 7:30 p.m., Foothills Church, 975 Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. Play games, win candy and prizes. Enjoy free hot chocolate and cookies. Costumes are encouraged but nothing scary is requested. Food trucks on site. Geared toward kids in Pre-K-5th grade, but families with all ages are welcome. foothillsstayton.org
Are You A Mouse In The Cookie Jar?
Young Corrie ten Boom was confused when she saw Nazi soldiers sitting around her in the church services one Sunday morning. She knew they were evil people. They were killing Jews just for being Jewish. Later, her father, Papa ten Boom, explained to her that “Just because a mouse is in the cookie jar, doesn’t make it a cookie.” Papa ten Boom died just a few years later for the crime of hiding Jews in his own home and helping them escape. You can read the story in The Hiding Place ten Boom. But what he explained to his daughter that day is what Christians call “nominal Christianity” — being a Christian “in name only.” These are the folks who are lost in their sin, but who don’t realize they are lost.
How Great is That Darkness!
There is a category of lost sinner that is especially hard to reach. Jesus speaks to them in Matt. 6:23 where He warns them, “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” In other words, if you think you are already full of light when in fact you are filled with darkness, then you are filled with the darkest kind of darkness. You won’t consider the possibility that you have yet to be saved because you are convinced that you are already saved. In the Christian community this kind of confusion can begin in Vacation Bible School as a child, or in an evangelistic meeting of any sort. You may have been asked to come forward, to kneel and pray “The Sinner’s Prayer.” Then you may have been warned by someone to “never doubt” that you have been born again, that you are “saved.” To be sure, many have come to a saving faith in Christ by this means, and I don’t mean to cast stones at it entirely. But many have been given false assurance of salvation by this careless approach. When a supposed “believer” has borne no spiritual fruit in their life since the day they were supposedly saved, it raises the question, “Is this person really a Christian?”
any
more than being in a cookie jar makes you a cookie. This lack of evidence of salvation is what it means to be a “nominal Christian.” This is not an insult. It’s not even your fault. It’s just something that happens when churches send out the wrong message.
So, Let’s “Test Ourselves”
In order to help us address this issue I have developed a simple test. Its purpose is to help you identify credible evidence that you are in fact a believer in Jesus Christ. You will be looking for some proof that the Good News concerning His life, death, burial and resurrection has converted your soul by giving you that new heart full of new godly desires and the Holy Spirit to empower you to live boldly for Jesus Christ. If you think you are a Christian, and not just a “nominal Christian,” just be honest with yourself, and with God, as you answer each question: A. Never. B. Once in a while. C. Often. And remember, be honest.
Putting your faith in what Jesus accomplished for you when He died in your place on the cross and then rose from the dead makes a noticeable difference. When you have been born again you receive a new, believing heart that wants to please God. You receive a new spirit that loves others. This new birth is noticeable, to say the least. It’s when the mouse becomes a cookie. It is foolish to tell someone “Never doubt your salvation,” when the Bible explicitly tells them to “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” (2 Cor. 13:5). Just because you go to church and consider yourself to be a Christian does not make you a Christian
Question #1: How often do you pray to God when you are all alone?
I don’t mean praying over meals with others around, or praying in other groups. I mean talking to God while you are all alone and out of earshot, just because you believe He is there, listening to you, and answering your prayers.
Question #2: How often do you read the entire Bible just because you believe it’s God’s Word? Again, not because somebody is going to ask you if you have read your Bible today. Not in order to win some Bible memory contest, or to impress someone with your Bible knowledge. Not even to prepare a sermon. How often do you
By Gregg Harris
read your Bible just because you believe it is the actual Word of the true and living God?
How often do you obey God just because you believe it pleases Him?
This will involve turning away from things the Bible says are wrong and obeying the things that the Bible says are right. It will require forgiving those who have hurt you, and getting out of any immoral relationships. It might be giving away money to help someone else in need. How often do you obey God just because you believe He is there, and you want to do what you believe pleases Him?
How often do you share your faith in Jesus and the gospel with others?
It may be directly in conversation or indirectly by supporting evangelistic efforts (like this article). How often do you share the gospel?
Based on your answers to these first four questions, Question #5: “Do you see enough evidence in your life to be convinced that you have trusted in Christ and been born again?”
If you cannot answer “C. Often” to these questions, something is not right. These observable actions do not, in and of themselves, save anyone, but “if Christ is in you,” and you are in fact “in the faith,” these actions do provide evidence that you believe. Even though you will never do these things perfectly (no one ever does), you will at least be practicing all these things with the intention of doing better.
So, based on your answers to these first five questions, do you see enough evidence of faith in your life to convince you of being born again?
Don’t be afraid to be honest at this point, because if your answer is “No,” there is still hope for you. You don’t have to remain a “mouse in the cookie jar.” You can become a born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ right now.
If your answer to this question is “No,” then I have one final question for you. Question #6: Do you want to be born again?
Now, you may notice how I have phrased this last question. “Do you want to be born again?”
The key word here is “want.” If you are saying “Yes. I want to be born again,” then where did that new want come from? Your heart is your “wanter,” and so, if it has changed, who changed it? God alone is able to turn a rebellious human heart into a loving, obedient heart. So, that means your miracle is already happening!
Now, Hold On For Just A Minute!
We must be careful not to jump to any conclusions at this point. We don’t want to add to
the confusion. If you have, in fact, just now, believed and been born again, we can expect evidence for that to pile up pretty quickly. Jesus made it clear that He is not pleased when those who claim to be His followers are ashamed to be seen with Him (Luke 9:26). He is pleased when we are happy to identify ourselves as a Christian, and especially when it costs us something to do so. So, do you find yourself wanting to let others know you believe in Jesus? If so, go tell someone what has happened to you as soon as you can.
It is also pleasing to your new Lord and Savior that you seek out other faithful believers and get involved in sharing and caring for one another as Jesus commanded. He tells us to “…love one another: just as I have loved you” (John 13:34).
Finding and joining a solid, Bible-believing local church, where the gospel is honestly believed and faithfully preached, is one of the best ways to start obeying all of Christ’s commandments. Doing these things does not save you, but they are credible evidence that you have been saved.
To learn more, or to offer feedback, please call or text me at 971-370-0967. I’d love to meet you.
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
Lincoln’s light Scio family reaches out for research funding for son
By Melissa Wagoner
It’s only been 16 months since Our Town shared the story of Lincoln Medeiros, the little boy from Scio who, when he was only six months old, was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder spastic paraplegia 50 (SPG50) – a progressive neurologic condition affecting speech, motor control and muscle tone – but a lot has happened since then.
The family welcomed another child, Lincoln turned four, he learned to run and climb, he started preschool. Then, more recently, his mobility – due to the degenerative nature of SPG50 – took a hit, he began wearing ankle-foot orthosis braces to help stabilize his legs and he started using a walker. But the event that stunned the family the most was the cancellation of the grant funding necessary for Melpida – a gene therapy treatment developed to halt the progression of SPG50 – to move into the next trial phase, the phase Lincoln had hoped to join.
“The CIRM [California Institute for Regenerative Medicine] grant falling through was awful,” Jordan Medeiros said. “All of the families wrote letters to CIRM… to appeal their decision. One mom from Alaska even flew there to make a statement, to no avail.”
It was an event that threw both the families with children suffering from SPG50 and Terry Pirovolakis –the founder of Elpida, the company focused on getting Melpida approved for medical use – into a tailspin, forcing them all to pivot from scheduling the next medical trial to once more scramble for funding.
“We started this journey fundraising alongside two other families in the US trying to get their children treatment,” Jordan recalled. “There was some nice momentum in Alaska and Colorado, but we weren’t reaching our goal fast enough. Then, a family from
To support Lincoln, SPG50 research
Donate directly to www.lincolnscorner.org/ donate, a 501c3. Or contact Jordan, 509-557-2235 or contact@lincolnscorner.org.
Brazil joined in the efforts once their son was diagnosed, and they were able to raise most of the $2.8 million needed to buy the eight doses of the drug.”
Then, with the majority of the funding again in hand, the next step was to find a hospital willing to administer the therapy – a one-time dose of Melpida – for free, a task that initially looked like an easy one, with several facilities showing “strong interest.” But then the current administration began rolling out additional cuts to medical research funding and those options disappeared.
a priority for said hospitals. The FDA has also issued new fees along the way.”
Thankfully, Elpida eventually located one hospital willing to conduct the phase three clinical trial for a reduced rate and a reduced number of children – UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas.
“The hospital in Dallas has set a price at $1.15 million to treat four children, and they can start as early as November if the funds can be raised by then,” Jordan said.
Which means that Jordan and the other families are once again scrambling, this time to raise money, not only for the cost of administering the gene therapy, but also transport for each child to Texas six times – once for the initial dose and five times for observation – an estimated total of $35,000 per family.
“[O]nce the political climate changed, grants and funding was cut drastically within the rare disease space,” Jordan confirmed. “Massive layoffs happened, and treating only eight children became even less of
p.m.
“Honestly, it has been an exhausting two years of fundraising,” Jordan said. “I find it consuming. It’s all I think about. There’s this medication, this hope, that exists and is out there – but Lincoln can’t have it due to funding. It eats at me every single day…” Which is why she is asking the community once more for assistance.
“We are desperately asking our community to help,” Jordan confirmed. “As a stay-at-home mom of three under the age of four… it is challenging to plan, implement and host fundraisers. We are asking our local businesses if they would consider hosting a fundraiser or making a donation. We do partner with Jack’s Corner Foundation Network, and they are a 501c3 non-profit. As the year is winding down… please consider making a donation.”
Daily Mass: Monday-Friday, 8:15 am, Saturday, 8:00 am
Weekend Mass Schedule: Saturday Vigil, 5:00 pm, Sunday, 8:00 am, 10:00 am English, 12:00 pm Spanish
Adoration: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 2:30-3:30 pm
Tuesday, 1:00-5:00 pm, Thursday, 7:00-10:00 pm
All Night Adoration: First and Third Fridays, 9:00 pm to 7:00 am Saturdays
Nocturnal Adoration: First Saturdays, 10:00 pm to Sundays at 6:00 am
Confession: Saturday, 11-11:30 am, 3:30-4:30 pm, Thursday, 7:00 pm - 7:45 pm, or by appointment
Jordan and Cody Medeiros with their children, including Lincoln (center). COURTESY OF JORDAN MEDEIROS
Helping Hands
Imagination Library
Early reading language choices expand
By Melissa Wagoner
In 2021 the Stayton Public Library Foundation (SPLF) – supported by private donations, grants and legislative funding from the State of Oregon – partnered with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program to provide monthly, no cost, developmentally appropriate books to children ages zero to five, as a way of both supporting early literacy and building the home libraries of children in Stayton, Sublimity, Gates, Mehama, Detroit and Idanha.
“Currently, we have 408 active participants signed up, and over 2,700 books have been sent out since January of this year,” Deana Freres, a SPLF board member and volunteer, said of the program which, thanks to the recent addition of Spanish language book options, will be accessible to more families than ever before.
“We’re excited about this new development, because anytime options are made available for folks, it honors a family’s opportunity
to choose what best fits their needs,” Freres said.
The addition aligns with the mission of the Stayton Public Library as well.
“Children’s programming at the Stayton Public Library offers families opportunities to connect and build friendships while exploring early literacy at the heart of their community,” Jennifer Gaetan, administrator of the SPLF’s Imagination Library program, said. “Once basic needs are met, providing support for creating safe and healthy spaces and experiences for anyone who walks through the door is important.”
Registration for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program can be done online at www.staytonlibraryfoundation.com/dollyparton-imagination-library or at the Stayton Public Library front desk. Donations for the program can be given online at www. staytonlibraryfoundation.com or mailed to Stayton Public Library Foundation, P.O. Box 810, Stayton, OR 97383.
$5K grant goes to Stayton Public Library Foundation
The Stayton Public Library Foundation has received a $5,000 grant from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund as part of the fund’s regular cycle of grant awards.
On Sept. 17, recipients were awarded during a ceremony at the Grand Ronde Governance Center, with 32 grants given out totaling $622,332.
The fund is the philanthropic arm of the Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde and supports nonprofits and government agencies in areas historically associated with the tribes. Since 1997, the fund has awarded more than 3,400 grants worth more than $100 million.
The library foundation was created in 1992 to help support operations and facilities for the Stayton Public Library.
– Stephen Floyd
Aumsville, Santiam Hospital, receive emergency preparedness gear from state
By James Day
The City of Aumsville and Santiam Hospital & Clinics are in line to receive new emergency preparedness gear from the state.
The grants are part of the $8.1 million State Preparedness and Incipient Response Equipment (SPIRE) program that is in its fourth year. The program will pass out 120 pieces of equipment to 83 jurisdictions statewide. The program provides life-saving emergency response equipment to state, local, tribal and other eligible agencies across Oregon to strengthen statewide disaster preparedness and response.
Aumsville will be receiving a large generator worth $150,000. The new equipment, said city administrator Ron Harding, will help Aumsville cope with a loss of power in an emergency.
“Some of the city’s water systems have emergency backup generation, but not all of our systems can operate during a loss of power event,” Harding told Our Town. “Some of the city’s wells do not have backup power. As of today, the city could sustain a loss of power for limited periods, but if the loss of power were during a peak demand event or there was some sort of large draw on the system, like a large fire, we would struggle to produce the amount of water needed.
“The generator is a redundancy measure that will ensure the city can respond to any circumstances related to loss of power.”
The hospital, meanwhile, will receive $20,400 worth of portable lighting, which can be used in the Stayton area as well as up and down the Santiam Canyon, hospital officials said.
Melissa Baurer, the hospital’s executive director of community development, told
Our Town that the new equipment will “help during emergencies such as natural disasters, power outages, or other critical situations. This lighting will be used at emergency sites, evacuation centers, or wherever it’s needed most through the Oregon emergency management program. It will also be available for everyday use at the hospital when not activated for emergency response.”
Baurer said that the lighting will be particularly useful in the winter when daylight ends early and during emergencies such as natural disasters or unforeseen events that require lighting, particularly in evening hours.
“The lighting equipment will fill a critical capability gap, supporting operations during power outages, natural disasters, and other emergency scenarios,” Baurer said.
The lighting will be stored and maintained at Santiam Hospital’s main campus in Stayton, Baurer said.
“It will serve the Santiam service region, including areas between Jefferson, Scio, Sublimity, Turner and Idanha, including rural areas of the Santiam Canyon. Having portable lighting ready to go means we can respond faster and more safely during emergencies.”
Other examples of the grant program include modular vehicle barriers for the Mt. Angel Police Department, a utility terrain vehicle for the Silverton Fire District and portable radios for the Mt. Angel Fire District.
More exotic examples statewide include sandbagging machines, unmanned aerial vehicles (or drones), solar charging stations and high-axle water evacuation rescue vehicles.
Records set State parks visitation up, Silver Falls among top draws
By James Day
Oregon State Parks set a record of nearly 54 million visitors in 2024, according to an annual report released by state officials.
Oregon’s total of 53,850,000 visits broke the 2021 record by about 200,000, the report says. The 3 percent increase was mainly felt at coastal parks such as Harris Beach, Sunset Bay, Samuel Boardman and Oswald West, but Silver Falls also contributed to the uptick.
Camping and overnight visits statewide were down slightly in 2024 to 2.83 million camper nights. State parks officials said the decline was due in part to construction closures at popular locations such as Beverly Beach, Bullards Beach and Nehalem Bay.
At Silver Falls State Park, day use was up about 130,000 from 1,450,560 to 1,579,700. Silver Falls is the third most visited park in the system, behind Harris Beach (1,997,927) and Sunset Bay (1,724,180). Silver Falls also added some new amenities in the North Canyon Trailhead area that helped boost the numbers.
Park officials have installed a new parking lot and pay station at the North Canyon Trailhead, which features a new ADA-accessible trail and links to North Falls and the Canyon Trail. In addition to the other upgrades the North Canyon’s nature play area also has reopened. A new visitor center and campground in the area should go online by late 2026. Silver Falls also is opening a new nature store and café in the Silver Falls day-use area and has upgraded campsites, streets and restrooms in the main campground.
The 2024 numbers for Detroit Lake State Recreation Area were down slightly for both day use and camping. Day-use visits reached 121,452 in 2024, about 2,500 below the 2023 figure. Camping numbers were at 97,919, about 1,500 behind the 2023 total.
Passages
A kiosk/restroom facility at Silver Falls State Park. The added amenities in the North Canyon District helped draw more than 1.5 million day-use visitors to the park in 2024. Silver Falls drew the third most day-use trips in the state parks system. JAMES DAY
In addition to the camping and day-use figures, state officials noted that the rising cost of operations and maintenance have outpaced revenue by more than 30 percent in recent years. Oregon State Parks increased parking and camping fees this year and will continue to look at fees during the next two years to help balance the budget. Most of the fees had not been increased in from seven to 15 years, according to state parks officials.
“Raising fees is not a long-term solution. We need to talk about what Oregonians want for the future of Oregon State Parks and how do we, as a state, make sure they’re sustainably funded for current and future generations,” said state parks director Lisa Sumption in a press release accompanying the report.
Oregon State Parks does not receive general fund tax dollars for operations. The system is paid for by recreational vehicle fees, the state lottery and revenue from camping and parking. In its annual report parks officials noted some of the challenges:
• One busy park needs nearly a semi-truck load of toilet paper per year for visitors.
Tasha Baker Feb. 3, 1986 – Aug. 22, 2025
Tasha Baker passed away after being struck by a vehicle on Aug. 22, 2025, in Richmond, Virginia. She was 39. She was born to Bonnie (Baker) and John Dowe in Salem, Oregon, on Feb. 3, 1986.
Tasha was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, best friend and a granddaughter. Due to her mother passing away, Tasha was raised by her grandparents, Valerie and Floyd Runion of Stayton, Oregon.
She had a lot of odds stacked against her but was strong and resilient. Tasha was known as being kind, stubborn, strong, brave and most of all had a great sense of humor.
Tasha was a long-time resident of Stayton and attended the
Stayton area schools. She earned her GED from Chemeketa after hard work and dedication and then became a caregiver that later lead to other employment opportunities.
Tasha is survived by a large family that includes her siblings: Tina Deetz, Tonya Cox and Joesph Baker; and her four children: Kaz, Tristan, Treyton and Tristiana. She will be missed but never forgotten.
A graveside service was held Sept. 27 at Lone Oak II Cemetery followed by a reception at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Parrish Center. Serving the family, North Santiam Funeral Service, Stayton.
About the numbers
The Oregon State Parks overnight camping figures are derived by taking the total number of occupied sites and applying a multiplier to estimate the number of camper nights. The day-use figure comes from taking car counts and applying a multiplier to estimate the number of visits. Car counters sometimes require maintenance and replacement, which can impact individual numbers. The overall results are OPRD’s best estimate for tracking trends over time.
– James Day
• More than one-third of park restroom facilities are 50 years old or older, which require more care and maintenance with higher use. The cost to replace a restroom/shower building is now more than $1 million. Parks serve as many as 17,000 campers per night in the busy season, which is the equivalent of moving a city roughly the size of Stayton and Silverton combined in and out of campgrounds almost daily.
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112 S 1st Street
Silverton, OR 97381-1610
Bus: 503-873-8331 www.larrybiggerstaff.com larry@larrybiggerstaff.com
State Farm, Bloomington, IL
High school wrap
Stayton High boys soccer is off to a 4-0 start and has given up just one goal while scoring 21. That math has lifted the perennial state power Eagles into the No. 1 spot in the OSAA’s Class 4A rankings.
Two seniors, Nick Pelayo and co-captain Isaiah Dixon, have scored three goals apiece for coach Chris Shields, while junior Noah Klampe also has three.
The Eagles opened league play on Sept. 25 after Our Town’s press time. Stayton was a perfect 10-0 in the Oregon West Conference a year ago and advanced to the state semifinals before falling to eventual state champion Henley.
State tournament success has come often for the Eagles, who won state titles in 2010 and 2020, with runner-up finishes in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Stayton
and 2-0 in Class 4A’s Oregon West Conference. Cascade, which claimed the 2021 state title and finished second in 2022, took sixth in last year’s tournament. Stayton, which took fifth at the state tournament a year ago, is 3-5 overall and 0-1 in league play. Last season Cascade and Philomath tied for the OWC title at 8-2 with Stayton a game back with a 7-3 mark. The Warriors are ranked second by the OSAA, with Cascade third and the Eagles 14th.
The Oregon West might be the best boys soccer league in Class 4A. North Marion, currently ranked 15th, finished second at state a year ago, while No. 4 Newport won the title in 2023. And don’t forget that Philomath, also 4-0, and ranked No. 4, won the state title in 2021. Cascade is lurking at 3-1 in the early going and carries the No. 10 ranking.
In girls soccer Stayton heads into OWC play with a 2-1-1 record and the No. 13 state ranking. Cascade is 1-3, with No. 6 Newport and No. 7 Philomath looking like the top contenders through the nonleague slate.
Volleyball: Cascade volleyball is off to its usual strong start. The Cougars, led by coach Cristina Williams, are 8-4 overall
Cascade and Stayton already have met three times this season, with the Cougars winning twice in tournament play as well as in the league opener on Sept. 23. The two sides play again on Oct. 9 at Stayton.
Regis, meanwhile, is 9-2 overall, 4-1 in the Tri-River Conference and ranked No. 8 in Class 2A. The Rams are in a threeway battle for league dominance with 4-0 Delphian and 3-1 Santiam.
Hoops tryouts: Coach Tal Wold, who led Stayton High’s girls basketball team to the 2025 Class 4A state title, has scheduled tryouts for the Future Eagles program. The program serves girls in fifth through eighth grades. Tryouts will take
place at the high school on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2 to 2:45 p.m. and 7 to 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22. The goal of the program, Wold said, is to find “girls interested in playing high school basketball and who want to get better.” For more information email wold at woldtal@yahoo.com
Alumni watch: Former Cascade track and field standout Emma Gates represented the United States at the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo.
Gates, who participated in college at the University of Arizona, took third in the high jump at the USATF national championships on Aug. 2 at Eugene’s Hayward Field. Her mark of 6-3.25 equaled her lifetime best and qualified her for the U.S. team for the world meet. In Tokyo, Gates recorded a mark of 6-2 but did not make the final.
Got a news tip? Email me at james.d@ mtangelpub.com. Follow me on X (Twitter) @jameshday and Our Town on Facebook.
Chris Shields JAMES DAY
Emma Gates UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Stayton High girls coach Tal Wold is hosting tryouts for the Future Eagles teams. JAMES DAY
Thursday, Oct. 2
Cross Country
3 p.m. Stayton/Regis Invitational @ Stayton Middle
Girls Soccer
5 p.m. Cascade vs North Marion/St. Paul
Boys Soccer
6 p.m. Stayton vs Newport/ Waldport
Friday, Oct. 3
Volleyball
6 p.m. Regis vs Western Christian
Football
7 p.m. Stayton vs Estacada
7 p.m. Cascade vs Molalla
Tuesday, Oct. 7
Boys Soccer
5 p.m. Cascade vs Newport/ Waldport
Girls Soccer
6 p.m. Stayton vs Sweet Home
Thursday, Oct. 9
Boys Soccer
5 p.m. Cascade vs Sweet Home
Volleyball
6 p.m. Stayton vs Cascade
Monday, Oct. 13
Volleyball
6 p.m. Cascade vs North Marion
Tuesday, Oct. 14
Girls Soccer
6 p.m. Stayton vs Cascade
Boys Soccer
6 p.m. Cascade vs Stayton
Wednesday, Oct. 13
Volleyball
6 p.m. Regis vs Gervais
Thursday, Oct. 16
Boys Soccer
4 p.m. Stayton vs Philomath
Volleyball
5 p.m. Stayton vs Newport
Football
7 p.m. Stayton vs Woodburn
Friday, Oct. 17 Football
7 p.m. Cascade vs LaGrande
7 p.m. Regis vs Sheridan
Tuesday, Oct. 21
Boys Soccer
4 p.m. Cascade vs Philomath
Volleyball
6 p.m. Stayton vs Sweet Home
6 p.m. Cascade vs Newport
6 p.m. Regis vs Colton
Girls Soccer
6 p.m. Stayton vs Newport
The area’s only locally-owned and owner-operated funeral home
Glenn has personally served the community for over 30 years.
Glenn has personally served the community for over 29 years.
Locally-owned and owner-operated funeral home –
224 N. Third Avenue, Stayton (503) 769-9010
Thursday, Oct. 23
Girls Soccer
5 p.m. Cascade vs Newport
Volleyball
6 p.m. Stayton vs North
Marion
6 p.m. Cascade vs Sweet Home
Boys Soccer
6 p.m. Stayton vs Sweet Home
Friday, Oct. 24
Football
7 p.m. Cascade vs Stayton
Tuesday, Oct. 28
Girls Soccer
5 p.m. Stayton vs North
Marion/St. Paul
5 p.m. Cascade vs Sweet Home
Boys Soccer
7 p.m. Stayton vs North Marion
Friday, Oct. 31
Football
7 p.m. Stayton vs Ontario
7 p.m. Regis vs St. Paul
A Grin at the End
The cost of raising kids
I recently read in The Wall Street Journal that it takes $300,000 to raise a child from birth to 17 years old.
My immediate reaction: someone has been cooking the books. There’s no way it took my wife and me $300,000 – or anything near it – to raise each of our four kids.
I know that for a fact because there has never been a 17-year stretch when I made $1.2 million or anywhere near it.
My suspicion is the story was written for New Yorkers and other urbanites. You know, the folks who spend $50,000 a year on preschool and even more on private high schools.
Then they hire tutors because their kids weren’t smart enough to get into the “right” college on their own. And they chauffeur junior to play year-round competitive sports. They even pay for airfare and hotels for tournaments.
Oh yeah, don’t forget the cost of
bribing a coach to get a scholarship at a fancy college, like some of the folks in “Hollyweird” have done.
Raising kids is not particularly costly. You, as parents, just need to think before taking out the checkbook.
First, kids want their parents to spend time with them, not money. Helping with homework, a game of Monopoly every now and then, or just hanging out and talking are solid ways to keep them and you entertained.
Our two oldest kids had a knack for doing impersonations. They would do Mick Jagger and Keith Richards – and anyone else who came to mind – and make me
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laugh until my sides ached. You can’t buy that kind of entertainment.
Movies were another diversion. We would rent films and, after we all watched them, the discussion would begin. “It sucked” was not an adequate assessment. The kids were expected to back up their opinions. What was good, what was not good, did the actors and director do a good job? And why.
When they were old enough to get a job, they became lifeguards at the local pool, worked at the cannery or better yet, they got jobs at the local theater. All four of our kids worked there and enjoyed it. The money was a plus.
They also played sports – soccer, track, cross-country and tennis. While they had a good time, they weren’t expected to get college scholarships. They were just supposed to get some exercise and learn about sportsmanship.
They also followed other interests. All four
were in plays at the local high schools. One son joined a robotics club and went to the national competition a couple of times.
Now he works for a computer chip manufacturer. His brother was in the high school choir and got a college scholarship. He toured Europe a couple of times with his college choir.
I suppose my wife and I could have done more checkbook parenting, but we just didn’t have the money, or the interest.
We didn’t take fancy vacations. In fact, the only vacation that comes to mind is the one that we won at a fundraising auction. It was a week at Lake Havasu, Arizona. In August. It was 116 degrees each day. We also spent a few days in Phoenix, where it was just as hot. Their uncle taught the kids how to hunt scorpions with machetes. Now there’s a family activity for everyone! And it was free.
Carl Sampson is a freelance writer and editor. He lives in Stayton.
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 rental info call Becky at 503-516-5722. Grange info at http://grange.org/ silvertonor748/.
HELP WANTED
HOUSE CLEANING 20/hr. Computer tech help wanted 20/hr 503-383-4398
SERVICES
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.
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
Place your ad in Marketplace 503-769-9525
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
JESSE’S LAWN SERVICE & HANDYMAN Pruning, edging, trimming, blackberry cleaning, gutter cleaning, arborvitae, moss treatment, yard clean-up, stump grinding, powerwashing, haul-away. 503-871-7869
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
HOUSE CLEANING JOBS WANTED: Experienced - Many references. Please call Tammy at 503-910-8331
To place an ad, call
503-769-9525
Home for the Holidays calendar items (events Nov.1 - Dec. 31) are due Tuesday, Oct. 21, by 5 p.m.
Please send to: datebook@mtangelpub.com
Listing are free!
To reach holiday shoppers and the broader community, advertise your business or services. Call George, 971-273-9991 or email george.j@mtangelpub.com.
Space reservation deadline is Monday, Oct. 20.
for the Holidays is distributed to every residence, business and post office box in Stayton, Sublimity, Aumsville, Lyons and Mehama.
addition, it is available at business locations throughout the area beginning Nov. 1.
Through the Decades
Thursday, October 16th, 2025
Doors open at 5:45pm • Program begins at 7:00pm
Immaculate Conception Parish Center • 1077 N 6th Ave., Stayton
$30 per person or table of 8 for $250
160 Tickets will be sold and are available from: Auxiliary Members, Santiam Hospital Front Desk, 1401 N 10th Ave., Stayton
Must be 21 to attend
For more information or to purchase tickets contact: Genny Baldwin 503-507-9450