Lebanon school board reviews state test scores, staffing and facility needs
The Lebanon Community School District school board reviewed declining test scores, staffing needs and aging school facilities during its Oct. 8 meeting, and discussed…
LATEST NEWS
Sweet Home candidate forum answers community-submitted questions
The November 2026 election cycle invites Sweet Home residents to elect their mayor for the first time in probably more than 80 years.* Given this historic event, some in the community…
Unattended burn pile spreads to grove of trees
An unattended agricultural burn pile spread beyond its intended area, causing fire to move into a grove of trees in the 31000 block of Sandridge Road near Glaser Drive just before 5 p.m. on…
Secretary of State cautions about unofficial election mail
The 2026 General Election is under way, and Oregonians are beginning to receive mail and other communication related to their vote. To prevent confusion and combat misinformation, Secretary of…
Dog lost to house fire in Lebanon
A fire at a home on Maple Street in Lebanon Sunday morning resulted in the death of the residents’ dog. Lebanon Fire District reported that the Linn County dispatch center was notified of the…
Commissioners told that county Veterans Services outreach is working
By Alex Paul Linn County Communications Linn County Veterans Services was busy in September and continues to help new veterans successfully apply for the government benefits to which they are…
Sweet Home man killed by bullet believed fired by hunter
A Sweet Home man died Saturday evening, Oct. 10, after being struck by a bullet fired, authorities say, by a nearby hunter. Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reported in a statement released…
COMMUNITY
Remembering Number 8 — Mason Flores
Tributes to Sweet Home sophomore Mason Flores, who died Monday, Oct. 5, after suffering a head injury during a football game the week before, have poured in from around the state and the…
LHS Hall of Fame: Brian Vorderstrasse
It’s that time of year again when alumni from Lebanon High School are recognized for the significant contributions they have made in this world. Among those to be honored this year is Brian…
Operation Christmas Child set for Nov. 16-23
Volunteers are preparing to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, Nov. 16-23. Nearly 5,000 drop-off locations will open across the country in…
Nature photographs in focus at City Hall
Large paintings have been swapped out this week for fresh photographs as SHOCASE presents the newest exhibit of local artistic talent at City Hall. The newest artist to be featured,…
Police Logs: Oct. 14, 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
FFA teams get dirty
Local FFA students, above, converged on the Sayer Farm south of Crawfordsville Thursday, Oct. 1 for the annual soils competition put on by Linn Soil and Water Conservation District. A state…
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…
OPINION
Mayor was elected, according to charter
Editor: Two recent letters to the editor have described our current mayor as “appointed.” However, the City Charter in effect, when she became mayor in 2023 and again in 2025, stated “the…
Looking forward to voting for Sanchez
Editor: I am 73 years old. I want to elect a person for mayor who actually welcomes and encourages me to be part of the conversation about who will lead Sweet Home city government. The current…
Coleman best choice for mayor
Editor: Ballots should be arriving any day to make your choice for Sweet Home’s next mayor. To no one’s surprise, two of the three candidates currently serve as city councilors. My choice is…
Sanchez a true leader in city
Editor: The City Council meeting videos are posted on the Council website. If you watch a meeting when an important decision is made, you’ll likely see Angelita Sanchez asking the hard…
Adair deserves support for Congress
Editor: I am writing to express my support for Patti Adair for Congress in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District. As a fourth-generation Oregonian and two-term Deschutes County Commissioner,…