WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018 ܂ SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Silverton teen wins statewide contest High school student John Baldwin utilized aerial drone footage to impress judges in his short film Christena Brooks Special to Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Great filmmakers can typically remember a time when they were just a kid with a camera, trying to make a movie for the first time. For Silverton High School student John Baldwin, who won a statewide digital media contest this sum- mer, the first real filmmaking experience came at age 12. It involved a GoPro camera, a ramp and three friends with bikes. “Kids Jumping over Kids with Bikes” is one-and-a- half minutes of preteen fun, captured on camera in Sil- verton five years ago that John now laments is “poorly edited … it’s trash.” And yet, in the unpredictable world of social media, it remains his most popular film on John Baldwin began making short films when he was 12. Now, he has recently won a statewide digital media contest. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN BALDWIN YouTube, with more than 38,000 views. Now John’s YouTube channel is packed with other short films, among them a 3-minute piece that just ‘The water is safe,’ city manager says won first place the Oregon Mayors Association’s “If I Were Mayor” contest. He was honored at the organiza- tion’s summer conference in Florence on Saturday, July 28. “It’s an incredible point of pride for our community,” Silverton Mayor Kyle Palmer said. “The OMA members span the state, and there was no divisional separation for city sizes. It’s a reminder of something I’ve always known – we have some very incredible, talented, and insightful students in our community.” Baldwin’s beautiful cinematography of Silverton – especially his aerial work with a drone – impressed the judges. “I was vicariously flying over the top of Silverton with the drone footage, and I just thought, ‘One of the main things you want to do is get people’s attention,’” said one of the judges, Eagle Point Mayor Bob Russell, See TEEN, Page 2A Detroit Lake, Opal Creek area to see new leader Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK A new era is beginning in the Santiam Canyon and Detroit Lake area. Dave Halemeier is taking the reigns as district ranger on the Detroit Ranger District, a swath of 300,000 acres of forest, streams and wilderness in Willamette National Forest surrounding Detroit Lake, Opal Creek and Mount Jefferson. Halemeier took over Aug. 3 following the retire- ment of Grady McMahan, who held the position for nine years. A district ranger balances a wide array of respon- sibilities, making decisions on timber sales, fighting wildfires and recreation management. Halemeier most recently worked in Malheur Na- tional Forest, but he’s no stranger to the Detroit area. A former hydrologist, Halemeier worked on the De- troit district for 25 years beginning in 1988 during the peak of the so-called Oregon Forest Wars. “It was pretty hot here during the 1990s with the spotted owl protests,” Halemeier said. “We worked through that and my take home-message was how important communication and collaboration is. My Brandin Krempasky, a watershed program coordinator with the City of Salem, takes a water sample on Blowout Creek at Detroit Lake on June 7. Water samples are being taken and tested everyday as a toxic algae bloom is being detected. ANNA REED/STATESMAN JOURNAL See LEADER, Page 3A Tests: Oregon clear of cyanotoxins outside Santiam Connor Radnovich Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK The first results from new statewide testing re- quired in response to Salem's drinking water crisis showed surface water sources in the state are clear of cyanotoxins, excepting the Santiam River. Out of the 102 water systems required to test bi- weekly for algal toxins, only six — Salem, Gates, Jef- ferson, Stayton, Lyons and Albany — are testing more frequently because of the recent, or current, presence of those toxins. No algal toxins have been identified in samples gathered from treated water reaching consumers. "So far, we haven’t seen anything anywhere else, but we’ve also only done one sampling anywhere else," said Brian Boling, Department of Environmen- tal Quality lab administrator. Results from the City of Salem show cyanotoxins remain above health advisory levels as the water en- ters the treatment facility, as they have throughout the month of July. Albany hasn't recorded a detection at its intake since the end of May. Boling said Lyons has been clear for at least two weeks. The City of Salem is continuing its daily testing, but despite six weeks of results showing cyanotoxins absent from the city's drinking water, some in the community still worry about the safety of their water. During a meeting at the Salem Public Library last week, dozens of mostly gray-haired residents ques- tioned city and state officials about cyanotoxin health impacts, filtration techniques and the state's initial response. Officials spent much of the meeting trying to as- suage those concerns. "The water is safe, without any qualifications or conditions, for everyone," Salem City Manager Steve Powers said. See WATER, Page 2A Online at SilvertonAppeal.com Vol. 137, No. 33 News updates: ܂ Breaking news ܂ Get updates from the Silverton area Photos: ܂ Photo galleries Serving the Silverton Area Since 1880 A Unique Edition of the Statesman Journal Top Quality 50 cents ©2018 Printed on recycled paper Missing man’s body found in Santiam River Olivia Heersink Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK A 62-year-old man missing since July 13 was found dead in the Santiam River Sunday evening. Kerry Albert Letsch's 1999 Dodge Ram pickup was discovered abandoned at the Santiam Rest Area on I-5 July 20, prompting a search of the property and several other areas nearby. The Yamhill County resident's body was found by rafters around 5 p.m. about a mile downriver from the rest area. "A post examination of Letsch will Kerry be conducted in the near future, but Letsch foul play is not suspected at this time," Yamhill County Sheriff 's deputies said in a news re- lease. 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