Fire in Sweet Home
Sweet Home firefighters, along with other agencies, are battling a fire in the area of 18th Avenue and Grape Street, directly west of Sweet Home Junior High. The fire…
LATEST NEWS
SH fire officials get ‘unique’ chance to share wildfire strategy
Two Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District staffers participated in late September in a national program designed as a meeting of the minds on how to solve wildfire challenges. Fire Chief Nick…
Lebanon pool closure extends past two months
Lebanon pool enthusiasts are getting anxious as the Lebanon Community Pool rolls into its ninth week of being closed for maintenance. The pool was closed on Aug. 8 to begin major renovations…
October is Fire Prevention Month in Oregon
Look around your home, and you’ll likely see dozens of devices powered by lithium-ion batteries. Cellphones, tablets, laptops, power tools, toys, e-bikes, and more rely on these compact,…
Female inmate dies at Linn County Jail
An Albany female was found unresponsive in her cell at Linn County Jail when deputies conducted their hourly cell checks on Oct. 3. The deputies found Bobbie Jo Allen, 61, at approximately…
LPD officers describe operations, successes, needs at Forum Lunch
Lebanon Police lieutenants Taylor Jackson and Ryan Padua found themselves in front of the crowd Friday, Sept. 25, at the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce’s Forum Lunch in the absence of Chief Frank…
SH councilors get updates on variety of capital projects
A work session and regular session for Sweet Home’s City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 22, revealed plan updates for the former City Hall building, the current City Hall’s east wing lease, the…
COMMUNITY
Scene Around Town: Celebrating Autumn
Above, Colleen Healy points out entries to her kids, Annabelle Mobley, left, and Lincoln Healy, in the pie baking competition at Sweet Home’s 20th annual Harvest Festival Saturday, Oct. 3, at…
Events: Oct. 7, 2026
Upcoming City Meetings These are regularly-scheduled meetings. Sometimes the dates or times are changed due to schedule conflicts among members, work session additions, holidays, etc. Last…
Circuit Court: Oct. 7, 2026
Information herein is sourced from law enforcement and fire agencies. Details, which may not always be available in time for our weekly publication, are updated on our website as information…
Municipal Court: Oct. 7, 2026
Information herein is sourced from law enforcement and fire agencies. Details, which may not always be available in time for our weekly publication, are updated on our website as information…
Police Logs: Oct. 7, 2026
Information herein is sourced from law enforcement and fire agencies. Details, which may not always be available in time for our weekly publication, are updated on our website as information…
SCHOOL NEWS
Prize-winning teacher helps Lebanon students find path in health care
Leah Rainey says her teaching journey began with a 30-minute phone call to her old high school health teacher. When she was in college and needed to interview someone in the health field for a…
WesternU CHS research examines falls among older adults in rural Oregon
A researcher at Western University College of Health Sciences Northwest (CHS-Northwest) is studying falls among older adults in rural Oregon and how to prevent them. Dr. Kendra Cherry-Allen,…
Sweet Home school board addresses gym repairs, immigration policy and millions in grant spending
At its Sept. 14 meeting, the Sweet Home School Board approved an emergency contract to repair the high school activity gym, adopted an immigration enforcement policy for district property, and…
Lebanon school board weighs facility priorities
Facility needs dominated the Lebanon Community School District Board’s Sept. 10 meeting, with board members discussing aging school buildings, the Waterloo property, and a possible Lebanon…
WesternU HCOM researchers explore new treatment for muscle injuries
A researcher from Western University of Health Sciences in Lebanon is leading a study that may help doctors discover new ways to treat muscle injuries. Dr. Belinda McCully, a researcher and…
OPINION
Bechtel wise choice for council
Editor: I am pleased to support Matthew Bechtel for Sweet Home City Council. Matthew has taken the time to learn how our city works. His service on the Sweet Home Budget Committee matters most…
Council choices both involved
Editor: With our elections only a few weeks away I felt the need to send a message to the citizens of Sweet Home. There are two candidates I wish to support. The first is Susan Coleman,…
Happy to have mayoral vote
Editor: I am beyond thrilled that I will be able to cast my vote for the mayor of Sweet Home. I for one never liked that position being passed from one City Council member to another. I am…
Is ‘re-elect’ the right word?
Editor: Curious things are going on in Sweet Home. I have noticed “Re-elect Mayor” signs. If I’m not mistaken, we, the people of Sweet Home, just passed a charter change that said we would…
Rest in peace, Joan – and please ignore that typo
My introduction to Joan Scofield came in 2006, when she marched into The New Era newspaper office and told us we needed a proofreader. That was Joan’s style: straightforward but not at all…