Category: Newspaper Columns

Newspaper columns that I have written for the Fern Ridge Review in Veneta, Oregon and the Creswell Chronicle in Creswell, Oregon. I began writing them for the Fern Ridge Review on August 4, 2010; on December 6, 2012, the Creswell Chronicle began printing them, as well. I am still the Lorane columnist for both papers.

Sweet Lorane Community News – June 9, 2016

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Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
June 9, 2016
By Pat Edwards

Welcome to a classic beginning to an Oregon summer! Last week, a few brave hay farmers were able to get their fields cut, raked, baled and picked up before the change in weather. Some, however, held their breaths, hoping that the cooler temps and “chances of showers” were not going to ruin the hay that was cut but not yet dry enough to bale.

I am so glad that Jim has finally dismounted from his tractor, given up the fields he has tended for so long and is looking closer to home for his projects. For the first time in 52 years of marriage, I’m able to hand over the lawn mowing duties and share the yardwork with him. Wow! What a gift!

The new Lorane Directory, which has been set up on Facebook, is getting some use, it appears. Thank you to Chris Starfire for setting it up and to Marissa McNutt Cooper and Patrick Dearth for helping to administrate it. It gives members a chance to list for sale items in the area so that our regular Lorane, Oregon Facebook page can be kept for community discussions, concerns and announcements. The Lorane Directory is also meant to provide community members information on resources within the community. In looking through the actual directory list, however, I notice that several of our service organizations and activity and interest groups have not added their listings yet. If this is going to be a truly helpful resource, they need to be added, but the information must come from the organizations themselves… i.e services provided, meeting times and places, need for new memberships, contact information, etc.

I had a request the other day from an AmeriCorps volunteer who is working on a food systems assessment for Southern Lane County. She needed to find out how to get in touch with those who are running the Lorane Bread Basket food pantry. I was able to track down the information for her and she got in touch with one of the organizers, but this is one of the reasons why we need to have info on our service organizations posted (Bread Basket, Senior Lunches, Grange, Rebekahs, Theta Rho, Boy Scouts, Fire Department, Church, Community Association, Growers Market, etc.). The most important reason, however, is for those new to the community to learn what services are available to them and how they can participate as volunteers or make use of the services they provide. I was told that some of the food has to be thrown out because there are not enough requests for it during the year. I’m sure that families in the area who are struggling could use it if they knew it was available.

Let’s all encourage the community members who offer a skill or product and organizations that offer services to make sure that they are listed on the Lorane Directory so that it can truly be a useful tool for all of us. The directory file can be found at https://www.facebook.com/notes/999281663489459/Lorane%20Directory/999298380154454 or just type in “Lorane Directory” in the Facebook search box. Go to “Files” and select the Lorane Directory file.

Sweet Lorane Community News – June 2, 2016

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Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
June 2, 2016
By Pat Edwards

On Sunday morning, May 31, another of Lorane’s long-time residents, Donna Moulton, passed quietly away following a long illness. She was surrounded by family and according to her grandson, Chris Blanchard, “She went peacefully and was able to spend her last days in her own home in Lorane. She loved Lorane, and didn’t ever want to leave.” No service is being planned, but her husband Bernie would enjoy having friends stop by, according to family members.

The property and house that Donna Moulton and her husband Bernie lived in on South Territorial Road has a lot of history attached to them. The home is one that Gary Thompson built for his parents in 1967. They obtained the property in 1951, and at the time, the old historic Cartwright House/Mountain House Hotel sat near the site where the Moulton’s home sits now.

“The Thompsons offered the old home and 107 acres of land to several historical societies. For many years, efforts were made by various agencies and concerned citizens to raise the $35,000 needed for purchase. The Lane County Museum Commission urged the Lane County Parks and Recreation Commission to buy the property for a county park site. The commission appointed a committee which concluded that the Cartwright House should indeed be preserved as the oldest public structure in Lane County, but that the commission was not the agency to do it. They recommended that publicity should be used to stimulate interest in the private sector. Taking not only acquisition but maintenance as well into consideration, the commission felt that no one had come up with a feasible solution or a means of raising the funds needed.

“While standing unused, the old house began to deteriorate rapidly. Following her husband’s death on July 10, 1970, Grace Thompson (Gary’s mother) decided she could no longer keep it in good condition and as increasing taxes made it unfeasible to keep it for sentimental reasons, the decision was made to tear it down.” (Sawdust and Cider: A History of Lorane, Oregon and the Siuslaw Valley, 1987 & 2006)

According to Lisa Livelybrooks, the Rural Art Center’s Ukulele Club performed on May 14 at the Uke Jam at Cozmic Pizza to a full house. It was one of six student groups to perform. Their next performance will be on July 7 during the Crow-Applegate-Lorane’s Spring Elementary Music Performance at Applegate Elementary.

The RAC Uke Club, formed in October 2015, is free. It is underwritten by grant funding from Spirit Mountain and Cow Creek Foundation and meets weekly on Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in the band room at Crow Middle/ High School. The group encompasses all skill levels and ages, ranging from 4th graders through adults. It currently has 10 members. The club will take a break during the summer, but will resume in the fall. Lisa hopes that you will consider joining!

Just a reminder that Crow High School graduation will be held on Friday, June 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the gym. There will be 23 graduates.

The Valedictorian is Teancum Jentzsch. He is the son of Troy and Coleen Jentzsch of Lorane. He will be attending Lane Community College, and from there, transfer to Oregon State University to earn a civil engineering degree. He was Student Body President his senior year, a National Honor Society member, played football, baseball, and participated very successfully in wrestling. Teancum also volunteered to help youth interested in wrestling and teaching middle school student-athletes how to block.

The Salutatorian is Rylan Larsen. He is the son of Hans and Kristi Larsen of Crow (Hans is a Lorane Elementary alum). Rylan has been accepted to George Fox University with a career goal of becoming a physical therapist. During his high school years, he was a member of the National Honor Society and was its president his senior year. Rylan was Class President his sophomore year, participated in football 3 years, and basketball and track & field all 4 years. He also volunteered on two missions/humanitarian trips to Mexico and volunteered during Vacation Bible School all fours years.

The rest of the graduating class includes Cameron Behlke, Dalton Bowman, Lawson Brooks, Grayson Clark, Trent Clark, Harrison Counts, Trevor Knoop, Gunnar Lassen, Aaron Lawson, Thomas Martin, Audrey Millard, Evangeline Nickle, Vanessa Oldale, Cameron Schwartz, Wyatt Stewart, Fernanda Torres, Alex Willis, Nicholas Willits, Yeshua Wogoman, Bryce Wood, Alyana Woods.

Congratulations to the Crow High School Class of 2016!

Sweet Lorane Community News – May 19, 2016

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Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
May 19, 2016
By Pat Edwards

I’m writing this column almost a week before you read it because I have gotten myself into commitments for the whole weekend and I need every minute of prep time in the days leading up to it. Our family’s big event… and the one that I’m most looking forward to, is our son Rob’s 50th Birthday BBQ which, by the time you read this was last Saturday. I have been working on a commemorative birthday album for Rob for the past few months. I scanned almost every picture we’ve ever taken of him and helped myself to some that others have taken from his Facebook page and have designed a 13″ x 10″ hardbound photo album/book to present to him. I’ve also included messages and memories that other friends and family members submitted to me for inclusion. These are the publishing projects I most love. I did it for his sister Gloria a year ago, too… it seems I’ve begun a tradition. The one black cloud hanging over the Saturday festivities (literally) is the weather forecast for thunderstorms.

I inadvertently committed myself to counting ballots for the Lane Electric Coop election  on Friday, too. I’ve done it before and I’ve had a lot of fun. The staff at the LEC office makes sure we feel welcome and appreciated… they even provide lunch. Usually, my good friend, Judie Brantley, also of Lorane, and I partner while doing the counting and she and I have proven to be a pretty good team. Since I don’t get a chance to see her as often as I once did, it’s a fun way to reconnect.

Then on Sunday morning (last Sunday morning to you), Jo-Brew and I head to McMinnville to give one of our Highway 99 talks at the library there. By the time we get back, I have no doubt that I will be totally exhausted.

Speaking of Lane Electric Coop, I think this week would be a good time to include…

A Bit of Lorane History:

“In the 1920s, Lorane obtained its first electrical generating plant. The Blaine Addison family put in a Delco plant and wired their home and store for electric lights. There was a ‘pumphouse’ where the motor was housed which had shelves of glass batteries to keep the motor running. The house and store were destroyed by fire in 1932, but Harold Shortridge managed to save the old Delco plant and set it up again by the Lorane I.O.O.F. Lodge building.

“On April 3, 1933, permission was given to W.T. Anderson by the Lorane High School board to use the high school auditorium for a talk to be given on ‘Electricity and Power for the Community.’ The first electric power lines were put up by Pacific Power Co. in the late 1930s. They came into Lorane from Cottage Grove and provided power to those along the route into Lorane central, Territorial Road south and as far north as the ‘Y’ where Old Lorane Road meets Territorial Road. The REA had plans to run lines into Lorane from Eugene before World War II. Meter boxes were installed at homes along the way, but no electricity was supplied to the people along Territorial Road north, Old Lorane Road and Siuslaw River Road until after 1945, when the War had ended.

“Josie Doughty remembers buying her first electric refrigerator/freezer and washing machine from the 1947 Oregon State Fair.

“Before the time that electricity came to Lorane, and for some time afterwards, carbide lights, kerosene lamps and gasoline lanterns were commonly used.” (From Sawdust and Cider; 1987; 2006)