S ERVING THE S ILVERTON A REA S INCE 1880
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A U NIQUE E DITION OF THE S TATESMAN J OURNAL
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W EDNESDAY , N OVEMBER 29, 2017
SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM
Silver Falls busy
on Black Friday
Jury:
Officers
justified in
shooting
Teen was killed following
a high-speed chase in Nov.
WHITNEY WOODWORTH SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
USA TODAY NETWORK
From left, Rose Allen, Daniel Allenbee, Heather Moriarty and Nathanial Allenbee take a photo in front of South Falls in Silver
Falls State Park on "Green Friday," on Nov. 24. Oregon's state parks, including Silver Falls, were free on Black Friday as a way
to encourage people to get outdoors instead of spending the day shopping. PHOTOS BY MOLLY J. SMITH / STATESMAN JOURNAL
Shoppers head outdoors instead of into stores
A Polk County grand jury unanimously found that
two Polk County deputies were justified in using deadly
force when they shot and killed a Silverton teen follow-
ing a carjacking and high speed chase.
The decision came Nov. 21, almost a month after Bal-
tazar Escalona-Baez, 17, died on Highway 18 near
Grand Ronde.
According to the Polk County District
Attorney's Office, the shooting came af-
ter Escalona-Baez carjacked a man out-
side a Salem Safeway, sped about 100
mph down Highway 22 and brandished a
knife at deputies.
The following events were recounted
before the grand jury:
Baltazar
Early in the morning on Oct. 28, Salem
Escalona-
police officers spotted a white Ford Ex-
Baez
plorer speeding and driving erratically
on Silverton Road NE. Police traced the SUV's license
plate number to Escalona-Baez's mother in Silverton
and contacted her.
She told officers she thought her son had taken her
keys without her permission.
When officers attempted to pull over Escalona-Baez,
he led multiple police cars on a high speed pursuit
through Salem and over the Marion Street Bridge into
Polk County.
He later reversed course on Highway 22 and drove
See SHOOTING, Page 2A
MOLLY J. SMITH SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
USA TODAY NETWORK
S
Silverton man
arrested on
rape, child
porn charges
ilver Falls State Park was busy on
Friday as visitors took part in the
Oregon
Parks
and
Recreation
department’s Green Friday campaign. • In an
effort to turn Black Friday shoppers into
outdoor enthusiasts, parks across the state
waived their $5 parking fee. • Five of the state’s
larger parks — Silver Falls included — set up
WHITNEY WOODWORTH SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
USA TODAY NETWORK
volunteer stands with coffee, tea and snacks. •
By noon, the sun was shining, the parking lot by
South Falls was nearly full, and the last of the
coffee had been served. • Though no daily
visitor
totals
are
kept,
Oregon
Parks
Department spokesman Chris Havel said
earlier this week that staff have noticed
increasing numbers every Green Friday for
Above: Ned Booher holds Sammy Booher in Silver Falls
State Park . Bottom left: South Falls never rests at Silver
Falls State Park on "Green Friday.”
the last three years.
Silverton council slated to revisit
smoking bans at Dec. 4 meeting
JUSTIN MUCH SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
USA TODAY NETWORK
What's next
A smoking ban in Silverton's city parks and in its
downtown core will be on the agenda when Silverton
City Council meets Monday, Dec. 4.
The council has reviewed nuances of the prohibi-
tion in recent meetings. During a Nov. 20 session the
council also spent considerable time discussing vari-
ous city fees, including event alcohol permits, ban-
ners, barricades for street closures and park usage.
City Manager Christy Wurster said the smoking
ban emerged from an Environmental Management
Committee formed in 2015 “to consider environmen-
tal issues that may directly impact the City and its res-
idents.”
Last summer the council heard a recommendation
from that committee to ban smoking and vaping in
city parks, and another to ban it in the downtown core.
The council agreed to review the proposals. They
were subsequently discussed at meetings on Sept. 18
and Oct. 16.
When: 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4
Online at SilvertonAppeal.com
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What: Next scheduled Silverton City Council meeting
Where: Silverton City Council Chambers, 421 S. Water St.
Phone: 503-874-2216
Web: www.silverton.or.us
Anticipated agenda items include: prohibition of
smoking in city parks and downtown
Among the nuances discussed is whether to include
vaping in the ordinance and what boundaries define
the downtown core.
Police Chief Jeff Fossholm advised the council that
the inclusion of vaping would be important from the
standpoint of enforcing the law. Both activities ap-
See COUNCIL, Page 2A
INSIDE
Letters....................................3A
Life in the Valley.................4A
Public Notices.......................2B
Sports......................................1B
©2017
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A Silverton man is being held without bail after he
was arrested on rape and child pornography charges
Nov. 17.
Benjamin Franklin Silverman, 59, is facing three
counts of first-degree rape and three counts of using a
child in a display of sexually explicit conduct.
Silverman is accused of raping a girl
under the age of 16 from 2008 to 2010. Ac-
cording to court records, the girl was
known to him.
He is also accused of forcing the same
girl to engage in sexually explicit con-
duct for a visual recording.
Following his arrest by Silverton po-
Benjamin
lice, Silverman was taken to Marion
Silverman
County jail. He was ordered to have no
contact with his victim.
At his arraignment on Monday, Marion County
Judge Rafael Caso ordered that Silverman be held with-
out bail.
First-degree rape and using a child in a display of
sexually explicit conduct are both Measure 11 offenses
requiring mandatory minimum prison sentences.
A first-degree rape conviction carries a minimum
sentence of eight years and four months, and a display
of sexually explicit conduct requires a sentence of at
least five years and 10 months in prison.
Silverman's next court hearing is scheduled for Nov.
30 at 8:30 a.m.
For questions, comments and news tips, email re-
porter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodwort@states-
manjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter
@wmwoodworth