Photo courtesy of Lebanon Strawberry Court
OSU Extension seeks mason bees
Local residents who have extra blue orchard mason bee cocoons can donate them to the Oregon State University Extension Service, which will happily take them and find new homes for them.
Most home yards need about 50 cocoons. This amount would easily pollinate flower gardens with plants blooming from February through June. Those who have a few fruit trees and blueberries you might want 100 cocoons. A small orchard would likely require more than one house, with 50 cocoons at each site.
Donations will be used for “super-sites,” used by the Extension Service to add more native bees to habitat with an abundance of early-blooming native plants and trees.
For more information about donating, email Ranee at [email protected] or Rich Little at [email protected].
New ornament hunt on local trails
The Willamette National Forest is hosting its second annual ornament hunt through Jan. 1.
Organized by the Willamette Valley Visitors Association, the ornament hunt encourages local residents and travelers to connect to public lands and increase outdoor recreation activities.
Two hundred glass ornaments have been hidden along non-wilderness trails on the Willamette National Forest for adventurers to find.
In addition to winning a locally crafted hand-blown ornament, those who discover an ornament can register to win one of three grand prizes that include an adventure and overnight stay in the Willamette Valley.
In 2018 the Willamette National Forest provided the Capitol Christmas Tree in Washington D.C. and ornaments were hidden on forest trails to encourage people to connect with public lands.
This year’s ornament hunt highlights 1,700 miles of trails on the Willamette National Forest. The Willamette National Forest provides recreational opportunities, fishing, hunting, foraging, firewood, minerals, wood products and, of course, Christmas trees (see below).
The Willamette Valley Visitors Association website www.oregonwinecountry.org/ornament will serve as the hub for contest winners to claim their prizes throughout the contest. See the ornament and find trail information and hints throughout December there as well.
Adventurers can also use the hashtags: #FindYourOrnament #FindYourTrail, and #IwonderWV.
Joseph Rodondi is congratulated by his wife Debra after being sworn in Dec. 1 as Lebanon’s new fire chief, as his daughter Veronica, right, and Fire Board members watch.
Photo courtesy of LFD
Christmas tree permits for forest
The Willamette National Forest is offering Christmas tree permits online through the Open Forest System.
Sales are in progress through Jan. 6. Permits need to be printed to be valid. The pilot program allows you to purchase your 2019 Christmas tree permit from the comfort of your own home, or by using a mobile device, instead of traveling to a Forest Service office. Christmas tree permits are available online at www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/passes-permits/ forestproducts/?cid=fseprd564462.
Traditional Christmas tree permits will still be available at local Forest Service offices or through participating vendors. Visitors can purchase permits and receive maps of cutting areas at USFS offices from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Permits are $5 each and allow the holder to cut one tree in designated areas. The Christmas tree maximum height on the Willamette National Forest is now 15 feet instead of 12 feet. Each household can purchase up to a maximum of five permits.
Learn more about purchasing your Christmas tree permit online at openforest.fs.usda.gov or contact the Sweet Home Ranger Station at (541) 367-5168.
Cascade Lights through Dec. 31
Enjoy the spectacular Cascade Christmas Lights display from 6 to 10 p.m. nightly through Dec. 31 at Mayor Paul Aziz’s home at 312 E. Sherman St.
An animated synchronized light display featuring more than 50,000 LED Lights, 3000 channels of computer animation, two song lists (which alternate every other night) and an 8-foot-tall talking and singing snowman (Will E Melt) provide fun for everyone.
Tune your radio to 100.9 FM for audio as you watch.
Visitors are asked to bring donations of food and toiletry items for the Lebanon Schools Welcome Center to help with families in need. You may also drop off cash donations to help veterans with the new Crossroads Community Project.
‘Christmas Carol’ on stage in Albany
Albany Civic Theater is staging “A Christmas Carol” on assorted dates through Dec. 21 at 111 First Ave.
The production presents Charles Dickens’ classic tale, adapted for stage, at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 13, 14 and 19-21, and a matinee performance at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8 and 15.
General admission tickets are $17. Discounts are available for Thursday performances, for patrons under 18 and 60 or over, U.S. military veterans and holders of Oregon Trail Cards.
Box office opens 45 minutes before performances. For online ticket sales and information, visit www.albanycivic.org/tickets.
Letters to Santa through Dec. 18
J&C BBQ, at 940 Main St., is hosting a Letters to Santa event during business hours through Dec. 18.
Bring the kids to J&C to write a letter to Santa Claus. Each child will receive a response back from Santa. The activity is free.
For more information, contact Christy Poteet at (541) 258-7510.
Driving classes offered by LBCC
Registration is open for driver education courses offered through Linn-Benton Community College Community Education starting in January.
Students learn skills in this course that can be life-saving. Course includes Oregon State mandated 30 hours of classroom instruction, a one-time parent/student orientation, and 12 hours behind-the wheel practice and driver observation.
Classes are offered in Lebanon, Albany and Corvallis. Cost is $265 for ages 17 and under, $445 for ages 18 and over.
Upon successful completion of the course, students under 18 qualify for a car skills testing waiver when obtaining their driver’s license.
To register or for more information go to www.linnbenton.edu/driver-education or pick up a packet at any LBCC location.
Submit a completed packet, fee, and bring original driver permit and one permit photocopy.
‘Nutcracker’ ballet at LBCC Dec. 14
Legacy Ballet and the Russell Tripp Performance Center present their annual holiday event, the classic ballet “The Nutcracker” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, in the Russell Tripp Performance Center, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany.
This is the eighth annual collaboration between Legacy Ballet and the Tripp Theater. The ballet, directed by Heather Hill of Legacy Ballet, features local dancers of different ages, from young dancing mice to professionals in the lead roles.
“The Nutcracker” ballet is a classic staple of the holiday season. Tickets are $15 for reserved.
Purchase online at www.linnbenton.edu/tickets or at the theater box office one hour prior to performance.
For more information, contact the LBCC theater box office at (541) 917-4531.
LAFTA Christmas show Dec. 13-14
Lebanon Association for Theatre Arts will hold its annual Christmas Performance from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14, and a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday, at Lebanon High School’s Little Theater, 1700 S. 5th St.
The show will include a wide variety of Christmas favorites performed by local artists, inexpensive Christmas treats at intermission, followed by a singalong of favorite carols.
Admission is $5 per person. LAFTA will also accept donations for a new speaker system for the high school auditorium.
For more information, contact Terri at (541) 990-1413.
Local choir to sing Sunday at LHS
Lebanon Community Chorus will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16, at Lebanon High School Auditorium, 1700 S 5th St.
Director Kevin Wong will lead the choir in a program that will blend classical compositions with international flavors and seasonal favorites.
John Rutter’s “Magnificat” will be the featured work, followed by the unique “International Carol Suites,” music that weaves together familiar and lesser-known carols in a thrilling and multicultural celebration of the season.
For further information contact Carol Sedlacek at (541) 401-4606, or Jim Rutledge at (806) 341-2328.
Admission is $10; seniors over 55 are $6 and there is no charge for attendees under 18. Tickets are available at the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, Lebanon Bi-Mart, from current singers and at the door.
Gardeners invited to Christmas event
Lebanon Garden Club invites all fellow gardeners to its Christmas Potluck at noon Monday, Dec. 16, at Santiam Place, 139 South Main St.
The program will be “Christmas Crafting.” Grab a friend and bring any potluck dish; if it’s popular you might be asked to share the recipe. The club is a group of women who grow flowers and shrubs, some of whom are very active food gardeners, from mushrooms to fruit trees and love learning new things.
For more information call Lynne Nueman at (541) 990-3894.
Youth Job Fair Dec. 17 at LBCC
Local teens and business people are invited to participate in the Youth Job Fair, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, at LBCC Activity Gym, on the southwest end of the campus at 6500 Pacific Blvd. In Albany.
The event is intended to help high schoolers learn crucial job skills, including interview skills. Organizers are looking for some 300 volunteers, particularly for assistance with mock interviews. Approximately 1,335 Linn County students are expected to attend, including the Lebanon High School Senior Class.
For more information email [email protected].
To sign up, go to business.albanychamber.com and click on the “Register” button for the Youth Job Fair.
Storybook Lane open till Dec. 20
Lebanon Library will host a craft activity, in which participants will make wire angels and origami boxes, from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 55 Academy St.
Deana Roadifer will teach participants to fashion a wire angel using wire and beads. Participants will then create an origami box to hold their wire angel.
The activity is limited to participants 16 and up. Space and materials are limited, and registration is required to attend.
Contact the library at (541) 258-4926 to reserve a spot
The event is free and does not require a library card to attend. For more information, stop by the library’s circulation desk, go to www.LebanonOregon.gov/library, like the library’s FaceBook at www.facebook.com/CityofLebanon or call the library.
Seminar on living with addiction
Samaritan Health offers a seminar on “ABCs of Living with Addiction” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, 525 N. Santiam Hwy, Conference Room B and C.
Join a participatory discussion led by Kelley Story, director of Samaritan Treatment and Recovery Services, and gain practical information and advice for families dealing with addiction. The story will also discuss Narcan, a potentially life-saving medication that could help an individual survive an opioid overdose.
Attendees will leave the seminar with a free Narcan kit and the knowledge of how to use it during a time of need.
The seminar is free but registration is required at get.samhealth.org. Click on the “Find a Class or Event” button.
Holiday potluck at Senior Center
Lebanon Senior Center will host its December Potluck at noon Thursday, Dec. 19, at 80 Tangent St.
Area seniors aged 50 or older are welcome to attend. The theme will be “Holiday Favorites and Festive Sweater Contest.”
Bring a favorite holiday dish (homemade or store-bought) and come dressed in your best holiday outfit. A contest with several categories – Most Festive Sweater, Best DIY Sweater, Most Original and more – will be held, and prizes will be awarded.
The event is co-sponsored by The Oaks, Willamette Manor, Meadowlark and Brookdale (Albany).
For more information, call (541) 258-4919, visit www.LebanonOregon.gov/seniorservices, or like the Senior Center on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/CityofLebanon.
Longest Night at St. Martin’s church
St. Martin’s Episcopal Church will host its annual Longest Night Service at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at 257 E. Milton St. in Lebanon, at the corner of Milton and Williams streets.
For information, call (541) 451-1159 or email [email protected].
‘Christmas Carol’ dramatic recitation
Get into the spirit(s) of the season in “A Christmas Carol in Prose” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at the Sweet Home Public Library, 1101 13th Ave.
Reader Ricki Birran will perform a dramatic recitation of Charles Dicken’s classic Christmas tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the four ghosts who set him straight on his life course.
Birran has performed the story 124 times, bringing 25 distinct characters to life through vocal characterization, with assistance from bronze busts of the four ghosts created by world-renowned artist Dan Chen.
Admission is free and no library card is required to participate. For more information, call (541) 367-5007.
Caroling and more at Senior Center
In observance of National Go Caroling Day, Lebanon Senior Center will host a Carols and Cocoa event from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20, at 80 Tangent St.
Join the dulcimer group in the warmth of the center and sing along. No need to drive around. Hot cocoa and coffee will be available to help warm up the vocal cords. Area seniors, 50 years and older, are welcome to attend this event.
For more information, call (541) 258-4919, visit www.LebanonOregon.gov/seniorservices, or like the Senior Center on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/CityofLebanon.
Concert band to perform Dec. 21
Willamette Valley Concert Band Christmas Concert will perform its annual Christmas concert at 2 p.m. – Saturday, Dec. 21: at the Russell Tripp Performance Center at Linn-Benton Community College, 6500 Pacific Blvd., Albany.
Mike Rogers will direct “A Christmas Festival,” by the late popular music composer Leroy Anderson. This piece includes “Joy to the World,” “Deck the Halls,” “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” “Good King Wenceslas,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “The First Noel,” “Silent Night,” “Jingle Bells,” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”
In addition to performances by the 50-member band, singer Paul Pritchard will perform numbers from “A Christmas Portrait,” arranged by Jerry Nowak. Songs will include “It’s Beginning To Look Like Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” and “We Need A Little Chlristmas.” Pritchard also will be featured in “I Wonder As I Wander,” a traditional Appalachian carol arranged for band by Larry Clark.
Director Emeritus Dr. Richard Sorenson, who retired recently after almost half a century as the band’s leader, will direct a sing-along version of “Adeste Fidelis” (“O Come, All Ye Faithful”) toward the end of the program.
The performance also will include “A Canadian Brass Christmas Suite,” which begins with an original rendition of “Jingle Bells,” featuring two trumpets, then segues into a snippet from George Frideric Handel’s “Water Music.”
The compilation also includes “Good King Wenceslas,” “Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming,” “Carol Of The Bells,” “Silent Night,” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”
As is traditional for the band, Leroy Anderson’s famous “Sleigh Ride” will be featured toward the end of the concert.
Band member Bob Clausen will be featured as a soloist on another Anderson favorite, “A Trumpeter’s Lullaby,” a short composition for solo trumpet and orchestra, written in 1949.
Although the concert is free, audience members are welcome to make a contribution at the end of the concert.
The money is used to defray expenses and to help local students who are studying music.
Game Time fun at Senior Center
Seniors are invited to take a break from the holiday hoopla for Game Time from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23, at the Lebanon Senior Center, 80 Tangent St.
The event will include snacks and table games. Participants are welcome to bring a snack and/or a favorite game to share. Those with guests are welcome to bring them as well.
Area seniors, 50 years and older, are welcome to attend this event.
For more information, call (541) 258-4919, visit www.LebanonOregon.gov/seniorservices, or like the Senior Center on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/CityofLebanon.
Taste of Australian fare New Year’s Eve
Get a taste of Australia at the Senior Center’s monthly International Bites event, from 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, at 80 Tangent St.
This will be the final stop on the center’s food tour.
To attend, sign up at the office or by calling (541) 258-4919. Area seniors, 50 years and older, are welcome to attend this event.
Free tai chi classes at Lebanon Library
Instructor Jeff Herda is leading a free weekly class in tai chi at Lebanon Public Library, at 55 Academy St. through January.
Classes will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Mondays, Dec. 30, Jan. 6, 13 and 26.
Herda, who has 30 years’ experience, will lead each session of the ancient Chinese discipline involving a continuous series of controlled slow movements designed to improve physical and mental well-being. Class will be traditional Yang style and consist of stretching, Qigong (energy work) and basic exercises to help relax and breathe. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing. Registration is not required.
The classes are free and do not require a library card to attend.
For more information, stop by the library’s circulation desk, go to www.LebanonOregon.gov/library, like the library’s FaceBook at www.facebook.com/CityofLebanon or call the library at (541) 258-4926.
Utility to sponsor teen trip to capitol
Consumers Power, Inc. has opened its annual search for a current high school junior to represent the not-for-profit electric cooperative during a weeklong adventure to the nation’s capital.
The national Youth Tour program, coordinated by statewide electric cooperative associations such as CPI, sends student leaders to the nation’s capital each summer where they get an up-close look at the political process while also touring national museums, monuments and memorials.
During the trip, June 18-25, 2020, the CPI delegate will join with over 1,500 other high school students from electric co-ops in more than 40 states. Students will meet with their elected legislators, talk to staff from NRECA and other international organizations as well gain a personal understanding of American history and their role as an American citizen.
Students attending are financially sponsored by their local co-op and are typically selected to attend based on their community involvement, interest in government and their desire to learn.
Deadline for applications is Dec. 31, 2019.
Any high school junior whose full-time residence receives electric service from Consumers Power is eligible to enter. Applications and more information can be found via www.cpi.coop/news, email: [email protected] or phone: (541) 929-8520.
D&D game club at Lebanon Library
Lebanon Public Library will host its monthly Dungeons and Dragons Club from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, at 55 Academy St.
Everyone, from seasoned heroes to those who want to learn what Dungeons and Dragons is all about, are welcome to join in an afternoon of fun and teamwork.
The event is limited to those ages 13 and up and is hosted by the Lebanon High School Board Game Club and the Lebanon Public Library.
Everything needed to play is provided, including pre-generated characters for those new to the game. Registration is required and sessions tend to fill fast, so call the library at (541) 258-4926 to reserve a spot. The next event will be Feb. 1.
The event is free and does not require a library card to attend. For more information, stop by the library’s circulation desk, go to www.LebanonOregon.gov/library, like the library’s FaceBook at www.facebook.com/CityofLebanon or call the library.
Business classes offered in 2020
Registration is open for more than a dozen Small Business Development Center classes, many starting Jan. 6, through Linn-Benton Community College.
LBCC’s Small Business Development Center brings classes and resources to business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs throughout the mid-Willamette Valley. Offerings include Going into Business seminars, QuickBooks training, Social Media and Marketing classes, Branding and Business Strategy workshops, the Small Business Management Program, pre-licensing courses, and more.
Free one-on-one business advising services are available year-round with 11 SBDC staff advisors.
SBDC advisors come from varied backgrounds, including former CEOs of multimillion dollar companies, some ran small businesses for decades, and some who successfully grew and sold their start-ups.
For more information or to see a complete list of SBDC classes, visit linnbenton.edu/sbdc or call (541) 917-4929.
North Shore Trail walk on Jan. 11
Build Lebanon Trails will host a walk from Cheadle Lake Park to Riverview Park from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan.11.
Walkers will follow the trail along the North Shore Trail at Cheadle Lake Park from south to north and use recently installed connector pedestrian bridges to continue on to Riverview Park.
This one of the longest linear completed sections of trail. Walkers will learn about how the trail system plan will connect neighborhoods to each other and the outdoors.
Meet at the entrance to Cheadle Lake Park at Weirich Drive. Look for BLT event signs for directions. Registration is open from 8:15 – 8:55 a.m. All participants must sign a waiver of liability form to participate. The waiver includes permission to appear in photos taken of the event.
This trail segment is fully paved and accessible. Wheelchairs, scooters, strollers and tricycles are welcome.
Well-mannered dogs on leash are welcome on this walk. Owners are asked to clean up after their dogs.
Wear appropriate footwear to walk a few miles. Whisper System listening devices are available so everyone can hear.
Women’s dinner, program Jan. 14
After 5 Connection for women will hold a “New Year, New You” dinner and special program from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, at The Lobby, 661 S. Main St., in Lebanon.
All women are invited.
MB Bradshaw-Vogt of Monmouth will offer customized advice on skin care, and introduce participants to Powerhouse Skin Care, a 98 percent natural, stay-put makeup.
Guest speaker Janyce Ripley, of Milwaukie, is a hairstylist but her real passion is restoring homes. Through this love of restoration she found out the secret to restoring a life.
Note: The program may be subject to change, based on availability.
Cost is $10, which includes dinner; reservations are required. Credit cards cannot be accepted.
For reservations contact Sherri at (541) 258-6414 or Nancy at (541) 259-1396, or by email at [email protected].
If unable to attend, please cancel your reservation
Online safety for kids on Jan. 16
ABC House offers a class on Keeping Kids Safe Online from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at 228 SW 5th Ave. in Albany.
The free presentation will educate and empower adults/parents to keep children safe in the digital age. Content includes how to proactively participate in children’s internet experience, how to utilize parental controls and additional protection measures, cyber bullying, screen time, adult content, online predators, safety measures for kids who use social media/gaming, and internet “addiction.”
For more information, email [email protected] or call (541) 926-2203.