WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2018 ❚ SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM
PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK
Travel Oregon unveils $5M campaign
Animated promotional video slated to appear on television, online
Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
Travel Oregon is trying something different with its
latest tourism campaign.
The state’s tourism bureau rolled out a quirky ani-
mated video March 12 designed to “evoke the magical
feeling of being in Oregon.”
The video, which showcases surrealist images such
as a caterpillar riding a bike, will play on television and
online in Portland, San Francisco, Seattle and Phoenix.
It’s all part of $5 million campaign designed to stick
out from the typical tourism shtick of grand vistas and
scenic photography.
Travel Oregon is funded by the state’s 1.8 percent
hotel tax, which generates the bulk of the agency’s $75
million budget for the 2017-19 biennium.
“We thought Oregon deserved better than just an-
other travel ad," said Wieden + Kennedy Art Director
Nick Stokes, who created the project. "So we turned to
animation to try and capture its magic.”
The campaign represents a stark departure from
the agency’s best-known marketing campaign, the “7
Wonders of Oregon,” which debuted in 2014.
That campaign, which highlighted video and pic-
tures of iconic places such as Crater Lake, was seen as
a huge success and credited for boosting a tourism in-
dustry that generates $11.3 billion in visitor spending.
But Travel Oregon director of global communica-
tions Linea Gagliano said that as the “7 wonders” mod-
el was replicated by other states, the agency decided to
try new ways to stand out.
In response, they created a string of offbeat promo-
tions, including the Travel Oregon Salmon, a talking
robotic fish that hosts 360-degree videos and online
content from throughout the state.
See TRAVEL, Page 2A
A new tourism campaign from Travel Oregon aims to
“evoke the magical feeling of being in Oregon.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF TRAVEL OREGON
Stealing the green
from green spaces
Silverton
High’s Mr.
SHS contest
on April 14
Christena Brooks Special to Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
Eight senior boys are competing in Silverton High
School’s annual pageant and fundraising campaign
to earn money for Medical Teams International.
Their efforts will culminate in a pageant-style
show at the high school at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April
14. Tickets are $10.
Until then, the candidates are raising money in the
community for their cause. Examples of their efforts
range from an in-person collection to a football camp
for elementary students, to a fundraiser by Thai Dish
restaurant.
This year’s Mr. SHS contestants are Joseph
Schmitz, Colton Meyer, Josh Craig, Jared Johnson,
Brennan Raynor, Jacob Rider, Mathew Stravens and
Sam Twede.
Medical Teams International provides medical
and dental care, humanitarian aid and holistic devel-
opment programs to people in need around the
world. Its core programs are refugee healthcare, di-
saster relief, services to children and mothers, pro-
viding health training and supplies, and mobile den-
tal clinics.
Fee boxes in the Little North Santiam Canyon were broken into multiple times this past summer.
ZACH URNESS/STATESMAN JOURNAL
Crime ring hit Oregon
campgrounds in Opal
Creek, Detroit Lake area
Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
They came to the forest equipped with lock cutters,
crowbars — even a blowtorch.
A team of at least three people allegedly stole from
numerous parks, campgrounds and trailheads in the
Little North Santiam, Detroit Lake and Willamette
National Forest areas last summer.
The team targeted remote areas to steal from fee
tubes, often known as “iron rangers,” where people
drop envelopes with cash to park or camp, according
to the Marion County Sheriff ’s Office.
In around 50 different incidents, more than
$30,000 in fees were lost and another $5,000 was
spent on material, repairs and staff time across Wil-
lamette National Forest. Marion County parks offi-
cials estimated they lost less than $500 in fees and
$2,700 for material and repair.
“It was very frustrating,” Marion County Parks Co-
ordinator Russ Dilley said. “It takes money away from
all the maintenance projects and improvements we’re
trying to provide to the public.”
Three suspects have been identified.
Lorraine Kanthack, 54, of Gates, pleaded guilty to
three counts, including second-degree theft and
methamphetamine possession. She was sentenced to
45 days in jail.
Michael Wheeler, 36, of Salem, was recently arrest-
ed on charges related to the case, police said.
Nora Rutherford, 47, of Ephrata, Wash., remains at
large and is presumed to be in Washington.
Vandalism and theft are common problems on
public lands across the West, especially in remote
areas. The difference in this case, said Marion County
Lt. Chris Baldridge, is the team planned its actions
with more detail.
“It doesn’t appear this was the type of random
thing where somebody was up in the woods, saw the
fee box and decided to try and steal the money inside,”
Baldridge said. “They were headed to specific areas to
steal from the boxes. It was much more calculated and
crafted.”
It’s unclear whether more people were involved, or
if all the cases are connected, but the number of thefts
was up in 2017, compared to past years, officials said.
Baldridge said the investigation is ongoing.
The money stolen had been deposited by campers,
hikers and people stopping for a swim at recreation
sites. In most cases, people would put from $5 to $20
in the fee tubes to get a day-pass or reserve a camp-
site.
The U.S. Forest Service collected $10.8 million in
recreation fee revenues during 2017 in Washington
and Oregon.
Christena Brooks Special to Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
Silverton Arts Association is offering daily classes
for children during spring break, March 26-30.
Costs range from $20 to $45, depending on the
class and whether or not a student’s family is an as-
sociation member.
❚ Monday, March 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.,
is Ukrainian egg dying for kids aged 6-18.
❚ Tuesday, March 27, 10 a.m. to noon, is LEGO
camp for kids aged 5-10.
❚ Wednesday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to noon is
printmaking for kids 6-12.
❚ Thursday, March 29, 10 a.m. to noon is Japanese
ink painting for kids 9-13.
❚ Friday, March 30, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., is cus-
tom plaster mask-making for kids 9-13.
For more information, log on to http://www.sil-
vertonarts.org.
See CRIME, Page 2A
“It doesn’t appear this was the type of random thing where somebody was up
in the woods, saw the fee box and decided to try and steal the money inside.
They were headed to specific areas to steal from the boxes. It was much more
calculated and crafted.”
Marion County Lt. Chris Baldridge,
Silverton Arts
Association
offers kids spring
break classes
regarding the thefts
Online at SilvertonAppeal.com
Vol. 137, No. 13
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