Posted inOregon history Salem

Just as I thought, the 1970s were wet in Oregon and recent years dry

Having reached the age when I'm inclined to talk about the "good old days" as if they were truly good (usually they weren't), I'm understandably cautious about claiming that Oregon was much wetter when I moved here in 1971. That's sort of like us old folks blabbing on about walking to school in the snow while those dang young'uns nowadays get driven in heated vehicles. OK, I grew up in a part of California where it never snowed, so that's a bad example for me. But I do have distinct memories of much more intense rain here in western Oregon…
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Posted inOregon history

City Club Kalapuya talk showed who the real native Oregonians are

Today David Harrelson started off his Salem City Club talk about the Kalapuya tribe by asking how many people in the audience considered themselves native Oregonians. A bunch of hands went up from those, I assume, who were born in this state. Harrelson then pointed out the difference between the First People, genuine native Americans, and native Oregonians.  The former, he said, could count at least 500 generations in their family history. So when people talk about being a 5th generation Oregonian, that doesn't impress him. Harrelson is the Cultural Resources Department Manager for The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.…
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