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
V OL . 137, N O . 2
W EDNESDAY , J ANUARY 3, 2018
SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM
GROWING PAINS
Aumsville
firefighters
helped battle
Calif. wildfire
JUSTIN MUCH
SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
USA TODAY NETWORK
New homes under construction in Silverton at a recent subdivision on Jaysie Drive located off of Steelhammer Road.
Aumsville firefighter Stormie Morlan found herself
in California, fighting a wildfire that soon would be-
come the largest wildfire in the state's history.
How big and dangerous a fire quickly became appar-
ent.
“The first few days we were there, the crews were
given a weather update and told when the winds would
be picking up," Morlan said. "We didn’t experience the
major winds 'til the last few days that we were there,
and it was definitely an eye-opener.
"There was a point when we were told to come down
from the ridge because the force was so strong it was
pushing us over.”
Morlan joined cohort Brad Buchholz and Silverton
Firefighter Ray Dandeneau in boarding up an Aums-
ville Rural Fire Protection District rig and heading
south to bolster overwhelmed crews that battled the
Thomas Fire for nearly the entire month.
"Dandeneau is a volunteer lieutenant with us and
went with Aumsville because they needed someone
with a specific certification — engine boss — in order to
go on the conflagration," Silverton Deputy Chief Ed
Grambusch said.
The local firefighters were among hundreds of other
JUSTIN MUCH | SILVERTON APPEAL TRIBUNE
See WILDFIRE, Page 3A
Silverton population passes the 10,000 mark
JUSTIN MUCH
7 essentials to Silverton’s
unique appeal
SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
USA TODAY NETWORK
Silverton is growing.
This year’s census bureau estimate
tipped the town’s population over the
10,000 milestone; a chart shared by
Charles Rynerson of Portland State Uni-
versity’s Population Research Center
lists it at 10,070 for 2017, up from the
9,725 number of 2016.
Silverton’s growth is relatively mod-
est, inching up in consistent, mild incre-
ments. But it is also controversial, elic-
iting significant chatter about town and
in forums such as the recent Town Hall
and during a lengthy Silverton City
Council meeting in December focused
on a proposed development at the north
edge of town.
“Silverton seems to have a split per-
sonality,” Silverton Mayor Kyle Palmer
said. “Some want no corporate interests.
Some want no more commercial devel-
opment at all. Some love the new choices.
Some wish they offered living wage jobs
only. Some are thankful for any new em-
ployment. It really depends who you
ask.”
Growth inevitably means change, and
Palmer and other civic leaders are real-
istic about that. But they also believe
that with forethought and guidance the
growth can be cultivated into the charac-
ter of Silverton, rather than having that
Quaint, historic downtown with creekside
dinning establishments & the Palace
Theater
The city’s nearly two dozen murals
Silver Falls State Park in its backyard
Gallon House Covered Bridge
Homer Davenport Days
Aumsville firefighters Stormie Morlan, center, and Brad
Buchholz, far left, have returned to Oregon after helping quell
fires in California. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRAD MCKENZIE
The legend of Silverton’s Bobbie the
Wonder Dog
Silverton Pet Parade
character compromised or dictated by
the byproducts of growth.
During the Town Hall, City Councilor
Laurie Carter juxtaposed Silverton’s
growth with that of Forest Grove where
she lived prior to moving to Silverton
four decades ago. Both, she said, were
comparable in size at that time, but For-
est Grove’s 8,275 population in 1970 ex-
panded to nearly 11,500 a decade later.
By 2010 it topped 20,000 and its 2016 esti-
mate stretched up just north of 24,000 .
That expansion was not necessarily
See GROWTH, Page 3A
Audit: Alternative
schools need
better oversight
NATALIE PATE
SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
USA TODAY NETWORK
The Oregon Department of Education has not fo-
cused enough on improving education for at-risk stu-
dents in alternative and online schools, according to an
audit released Dec. 20.
Nearly half the state’s high school dropouts come
from these programs.
“Our graduation rate is one of the lowest in the coun-
try,” said Secretary of State Dennis Richardson. “We
have a moral and economic duty to ensure better re-
sults for our most academically at-risk students, re-
gardless of the type of school they attend.”
Department data suggests many at-risk students en-
roll in alternative or online education after the start of
the school year and when they may be relatively close
to dropping out. Sharpening Oregon’s focus on at-risk
students in alternative and online education settings
would improve accountability, district oversight and
school and program performance, auditors said.
What is an alternative school?
Traditional high schools, operated by districts, serve
Infrastructure projects pave way for new homes in Silverton's Pioneer Village Phase IV
subdivision down off Ike Mooney Road. JUSTIN MUCH | SILVERTON APPEAL TRIBUNE
See AUDIT, Page 2A
Oregon on deadly list for driving in rain
WHITNEY WOODWORTH
SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
USA TODAY NETWORK
With 55 crashes directly caused by rain, Oregon
ranked fifth among the most dangerous states for driv-
ing in the rain in 2016.
Last year, Oregonians had a 1.37 per 100,000 chance
of being in a crash specifically tied to rainy conditions,
according to a recently released Best and Worst States
for Driving in Bad Weather report by security provider
Online at SilvertonAppeal.com
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SafeWise.
But it's not because it rains more here.
In fact, living in a rainy state doesn't necessarily
make driving more dangerous, according to the report.
The rainiest state, Hawaii, only ranked 39th on the most
dangerous list.
"People assume more rainfall equals more acci-
dents," said Rebecca Edwards, the report's author. "This
is false. Any rain on the road can create pooling —
Cars splash through water on Liberty in South Salem after a
heavy rainstorm. DANIELLE PETERSON/STATESMAN JOURNAL FILE
See RAIN, Page 2A
INSIDE
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