Vigil held for 16-year-old
Teachers from Lebanon High School held a vigil on Sunday, July 28, for Carlos Adriano Pereira-Valenzuela after it was learned of his passing.
The 16-year-old was found in the Santiam River near Tennessee Road on July 3. He was reportedly last seen June 12 and reported missing the next day. A social media post indicated his phone was last pinged in Sweet Home near Wiley Creek on June 14. His mother, Ana Cartwright, said there had since been no new evidence to suggest his whereabouts.
Pereira-Valenzuela’s family was notified July 26 after Pereira-Valenzuela was identified by dental records, Lebanon Police Chief Frank Stevenson said. At press time, investigators believed there was no foul play involved in his death, but they are continuing an investigation.
New dock placed at Gill’s Landing
A new boat dock was installed on the Santiam River on July 28 in time for mid-summer water fun. The previous dock at Gill’s Landing was washed away during a heavy storm in April 2019, according to City Staff.
“It made it all the way past the rest area on I-5, basically coming to rest in the very outskirts of Jefferson,” Public Works Director Jason Williams said.
The storm was ultimately declared a federal disaster, which qualified the city for funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency to replace the dock.
