Starla Pointer

"Stopping By:" A reporter who knows that everyone has an interesting story to tell welcomes suggestions.

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##Shana Levin shows some of the tiny needles she uses at the Peaceful Owl Acupuncture clinic in McMinnville. The needles usually don’t cause pain, she said. On their own or with other techniques, they relieve pain, help people sleep and address other health problems

Stopping By: Healing with needles, Chinese techniques

Acupuncturist Shana Levin knows what many of her patients are feeling: they just want the pain to stop. She felt that way herself after being injured in a car wreck; she also suffered ongoing pain from ...

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##Yu-Shan Chen, in traditional dress, shares a Lunar New Year meal with friends and fellow members of the Asian Heritage Association Wednesday at Yan’s Chinese Restaurant. Chen, who works at Linfield University, is originally from Taiwan. She will join the AHA in hosting a community celebration of the Lunar New Year on Sunday at the McMinnville Community Center.

Stopping by: From the heart

Asian Heritage Association is one way Yu-Shan Chen extends the hospitality of her native Taiwan and helps educate the community about her culture

Rusty Rae/News-Register##During one of their Thursday gatherings at Bob Lunt’s house, carvers work on their wood projects. From left are Tim Wahlberg, Forrest Peterson, Lunt and Ralph Juda. As they whittle, they talk about their lives and come up with solutions to local and world problems.

Stopping By: Carving Quartet

Four men with knives gather every Thursday to whittle away at both wood and the world’s problems. Wearing leather aprons and one or two protective gloves each, Bob Lunt, Ralph Juda, Tim Wahlberg ...

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##“It’s like a big giant family here,” Abi Von Derahe, right, says of working at Willamette Valley Medical Center, along with her mother Jennifer. Abi was born at WVMC, with her mother’s colleagues assisting in the delivery.

Stopping By: Mother, daughter continue tradition of caring for others

Jen Von Derahe first saw her daughter’s face when she was born in the Willamette Valley Medical Center delivery room. Now she sees Abi almost every day, since they both work at the hospital. Von ...

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##Judie Folgate, whose volunteer job with the Friends of the Library is overseeing the memorial and celebration book program, checks on new volumes purchased with donations in honor of local residents. Folgate also oversaw the program when she worked at the library before retiring in 2006.

Stopping By: Information for all

Books themselves, and the libraries that contain them, mean a great deal to Judie Folgate, a McMinnville woman who has been associated with libraries since she was in second grade. “Our ...

Rusty Rae/News-Register##Evergreen museum CEO Scot Laney stands with his favorite plane, a Skyraider used in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Laney, named CEO in August, wants everyone in Yamhill County to come to the museum to see the rare and historic aircraft and space vehicles.

Stopping By: Stories of flight

Evergreen’s new CEO is an advocate for education, and the people behind the planes

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##Jules Fohom and his son, Curtis, wear traditional outfits from Cameroon, where Jules grew up. Now a postal carrier, he came to the U.S. in 2012 to join his wife, Marie Noussi, who teaches French and Francophone studies at Linfield University. Curtis is a fifth-grader at Newby Elementary.

Stopping By: Jules’ Joyeux Noel

On New Year’s Eve, Jules Fohom will celebrate a special day — the 25th anniversary of God answering his prayers for a wife.

 

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##Kamalini Kumar of McMinnville, dressed in traditional clothing from India, where she grew up, checks the decorations on her Christmas tree. In her home city of Bangalore, her family would put up a real tree or a tree branch. As Christians, during the holidays they focused on the birth of Christ.

Holiday traditions: A Kulkul Yule

Food and faith stand out among memories of a Christian Christmas in India

Rusty Rae/News-Register##Alex Kachkovskyi, who grew up in Ukraine, stands in the chapel at Rock of Ages Retirement Village. As chaplain at the McMinnville facility, he said he enjoys meeting and working with residents, and helping them with their spiritual needs.

Holiday Traditions: Ukrainian Christmas

During Rock of Ages chaplain’s childhood, the holiday season started after New Year’s

Rusty Rae/News-Register##Chef Gilbert Henry talks with diners at Cuvée, which marked 20 years in Carlton in 2024. He prepares French dishes his way, with influences from other cultures, such as Tahiti, where he served in the French military, or islands where he worked for Club Med. Henry’s passions for food and music — he plays saxophone — date back to his childhood in the Alsace region of France.

Holiday Traditions: Notes from France

When Gilbert Henry was growing up in the Alsace region of France, he loved two things: music and cooking.

Rusty Rae/News-Register##Dan Gibson enjoys being in McMinnville and visiting sites such as Art Alley — which is between Third and Fourth streets, just behind his office at Visit McMinnville. Behind Gibson, new head of the tourism organization, is the large mural painted this summer by Colt Bowden and friends.

Stopping By: Telling McMinnville's story

Dan Gibson finds challenges as well as ample resources in his new role leading tourism organization

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##Boy Scout Henry Anderson shows off benches he redesigned and is refurbishing for his Eagle Scout project, with help from fellow members of Troop 266 and adults. The changes will make it easier for people to sit down at the picnic tables at the Cooperative Ministries park on Burnett Road. Anderson, a McMinnville High School senior, has been involved with scouting since he was about 5.

Stopping by: Putting Scouting skills to use

Henry Anderson has developed a wide range of knowledge through participation in scouting and 4-H. Because of his many years in Cub and Boy Scouts, the McMinnville High School senior can show you how to ...

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##McMinnville artist James Dowlen begins creating a piece of work in his home studio. His paintings and prints are often inspired by nature, as well as memories of his travels to Tibet and other parts of the world.

Stopping By: An artist's journey

Many of James Dowlen’s paintings include monks as subjects or other touches that may make viewers think of Tibet. There’s a good reason: A decade before he moved to McMinnville in 2006, he ...

Rusty Rae/News-Register##Dana Libonati plays and sings during a musical gathering at his home. The longtime teacher is cutting back on some of his activities to focus more on composing, but plans to continue performing and hosting sing-alongs.

Stopping By: Composing his life's score

Dana Libonati keeps following his lifelong passions: teaching, performing and writing music

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