As we prepare to embark on another year, the team behind The Mountain Times is prepping for a truly exciting event: the launch of a new publication, The Sandy Standard . This new monthly newspaper will deliver a fresh batch of community-oriented stories focused on the residents of Sandy. In these divisive times, it’s critical to remember that we are all of us more alike than different. Every print edition of The Mountain Times  is a reflection of that comforting truth. The pa

It was pouring outside Welches Elementary School on December 13, but, for the students of Sandy High School, the weather was just a backdrop to an annual tradition. A district van and two school buses pulled up, loaded with students and gear, and the "schlep" began. With rain hitting the pavement in sheets, students and helpers dodged raindrops as they hauled in a heavy marimba, various drums, and carts loaded with chairs and music stands. Despite the damp start, the atmosphe

“I technically got first place,” junior Rory Mason said, regarding her first swim meet of the 25-26 school year. “It was a really small meet, so I was the only person in the 100 I.M. category.” Despite being the only competitor in her category, Mason didn’t feel too unaccomplished. This is because Mason doesn’t find her motivation in what she places; instead, she focuses on improving her time between meets and bonding with her teammates.   “I like that in swim, you can measur

As winter settles into our area, AntFarm’s housing team is working with heightened awareness. The colder months bring additional stress for people already living close to the edge. Bills increase. Missed hours on a paycheck carry more weight. Transportation becomes more complicated. Firewood runs out sooner than expected. When maintaining basic necessities is already unstable, winter has a way of magnifying every vulnerability. Housing instability in smaller communities like

Hello Mountain Times Readers,   My name is Amanda and I’m the fundraising chair volunteer of Sandy High Music Foundation and a Sandy High parent. SHMF is a nonprofit parent volunteer group supporting the music program of Sandy High School. We are not affiliated with the Oregon Trail School District.   This year, our fundraising goal is a new piano! 12/10 is the High School Winter Band concert 12/17 is the High School Choirs concert! Each night we will have a silent auction an

“No matter what you’re doing, give it 110%,” Sandy High School football coach Josh Dill tells his team. “Even if you make a mistake, make sure to give it your full effort.” Dill has coached right guard and defensive end Tanner Sedgwick for the last four years; that coaching recently came to a close after the Columbia Cup finals game took place Nov. 22. As Sedgwick prepared for his final football game, he reflected on his time spent playing for Sandy High School.  Sedgwick beg

AntFarm continues to serve youth and families across Sandy, Estacada, Molalla, and rural Clackamas County, through programs that offer safety, connection, skill building, outdoor learning, and community support. YouthHubs, gardens, workforce development, outdoor stewardship, the AntFarm Café and Bakery, and bilingual family programs all depend on the same essential ingredient: a community that chooses to invest in its own people. This week brings a major moment for that inves

As temperatures drop and fall settles in, come enjoy an evening of fairytales with more than a dash of dark humor from the Sandy High School Drama Department.  “Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon,” written by Don Zolidis, opens Friday, Nov. 14, and runs Nov. 15, Nov. 20-Nov. 22. All performances are at 7 p.m. and will be on the Sandy High main stage, 37400 Bell St., Sandy.  “This production is like if you took the original ‘Brothers Grimm’ stories before Disney got their hands on

The Sandy and Hoodland Libraries have been raising funds to defer costs to outfit a new mobile library vehicle for several months.  With the vehicle, the staff plan to facilitate programs like their storytime and 1,000 Books before Kindergarten at daycare centers, preschools, and kindergarten classes; provide STEM activities at schools; and offer technology classes at senior centers and retirement communities. "Access to technology and proper instruction empowers seniors to s

Tiffany Vanek and Hans Wipper opened Wippersnappers in Sandy 10 years ago, when their daughter Anika (pictured) was only seven. (Credit: Brit Allen) When Hans Wipper and Tiffany Vanek opened Wippersnappers Kids Play Place in 2015, their own little whippersnapper was only seven years old, and loved helping her parents design the play structures that she — and hundreds of other kids — would get to traverse.  Now their daughter Anika is 17 and helping out with the family busines

Sandy Actors Theatre is pleased to announce the second show of their 49th season, Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple (Female Version),” directed by Joni Tabler. The show runs from November 21-December 14, 2025, with tickets available for purchase online at sandyactorstheatre.com or at the door. “The Odd Couple (Female Version)” is based on Simon’s original, The Odd Couple. This adaptation introduces the audience to Olive and Florence, two women whose desperation and loneliness res

In an era when police departments nationwide are grappling with staffing shortages and strained public relations, finding new ways to connect with the community has never been more essential. The Sandy Police Department is taking a particularly creative approach to that end through a new video project that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the men and women serving the city The project, spearheaded by Sergeant Thornton, whose responsibilities include recruitment, retention,

It isn’t often an entire community can say they have witnessed greatness born. It also isn’t often an entire community can say they witnessed greatness flourish. And it is almost never that an entire community can say they have witnessed greatness become legend. But now, the entire communities of Mt. Hood Villages and Sandy can say, without a doubt, they have been a part of that most unique phenomenon with the life and death of Jeff Flood. Born to Colene and Jeff Flood on J

Basketball player Michael Jordan was cut from his school’s basketball team his sophomore year, the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony was cut from his high school team, and Lena Smith was cut from her 4th grade basketball team. Smith, unlike Jordan and Anthony, did not go on to play basketball. Instead, as a freshman on Sandy High School’s Varsity Volleyball team, she placed second at nationals.  After being cut in fourth grade, Smith’s PE teacher offered her a spot on the voll

Summer 2025 marked a peak season for YouthCore crews, filled with steady work, community partnerships, and the kind of growth that happens when purpose meets opportunity. Across the region, youth and young adults ages 14 to 24 cleared brush, maintained trails, supported events, and helped property owners care for the places they love. For these young workers, it is more than a paycheck. It is a chance to gain confidence, learn professionalism, and serve their community with p

Sandy Actors Theatre is proud to announce the upcoming production of The Odd Couple (Female Version ), written by Neil Simon. The play will run from November 21 to December 14, with performances held Friday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m., at Sandy Actors Theatre, located at 39435 Pioneer Blvd, Sandy, OR 97055. Directed by Joni Tabler, this timeless comedy features an all-female cast as it reimagines the iconic Odd Couple dynamic. The Odd Coupl

As Jamela Turin prepares for her first high school varsity game, she remembers her parents’ advice: “Don’t act younger than everyone. You can’t play like everyone’s older than you… act like you belong there.” Her parents told her this when she was notified that she, as a freshman, made Sandy High School’s girls varsity soccer team. She wasn’t just excited because she was a freshman on varsity – she was excited for her whole team’s potential to succeed.  After several strenuou

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines. It’s time to rev it up and go to the 27th Annual Sandy Cruisin’ Car Show on Saturday, Sept. 13, on the grounds of the St. Michael Catholic Church. More than 200 vehicles are expected to roll into the sprawling church lot to compete in the show. Trophies will be awarded in 23 classes, with winners selected by people’s choice. The Dick Larrowe Memorial Trophy, named after one of the car show’s founders, will be awarded to the best in sh

Sandy Actors Theatre is thrilled to announce its upcoming production of FOOLS, a delightfully witty comedy by the legendary playwright Neil Simon. Directed by Patrick Roth, the play will open on Thursday, September 12, 2025, and run through Sunday, October 5, 2025, with performances on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at the Sandy Actors Theatre. Set in a remote Ukrainian village during the late 19th century, FOOLS tells the story of Leon Tolchinsky, an enthusiastic young scho

Every year, tourists flock to the area, spend their money and soak up the natural beauty. They’re drawn in no small part by the splendor of the Sandy River, a tributary that runs like a lifeline through the Hoodland area. What most locals have forgotten and what newcomers may not know is that our peaceful corner of the Pacific Northwest was nearly destroyed thirty years ago. It was preserved only after a years-long battle fought by a handful of passionate supporters. Deb Scri