OSU Extension reopens Rural Living Day workshops
On a warm, sunny day during Oregon’s mid-winter season, people from throughout the Willamette Valley spent their Saturday mostly inside for an opportunity to learn how…
LATEST NEWS
Commissioners back Western U application for grant funds
At their March 17 meeting, Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker signed a letter of support for a grant application by Western University of Health Sciences…
SLCH workers vote in union
Health care workers at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital voted to join the Service Employees International Union in early March, The New Era has learned. SEIU is a major labor union…
Waterloo to update security measures, hire new recorder
The Waterloo City Council hit on a variety of topics during its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 17. During the meeting: Earlene Little asked the council to consider providing some sort of…
Lebanon Fire District presents overview, challenges to board
Lebanon Fire District held a workshop for its Board of Directors on March 5, providing a five-hour deep dive overview of the district’s responsibilities and challenges. Financial snapshot…
Sodaville sets year-round water rate structure, eliminating water restriction rate
Following a work session on Monday, March 16, the Waterloo City Council approved a resolution during its regular council meeting on Thursday, March 19, implementing new water rates. Residents…
Sweet Home Fire District reports positive movements
The Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District continues to build its equipment and programs, thanks in part to grant funding and ambulance revenue. During the March 17 board meeting for SHFAD,…
SPORTS
Tennis returns to SHHS after a few decades
After 30-some years in hibernation, tennis is back as a sport at Sweet Home High School. Brian Brands, who heads the school district’s Student Services division, and his wife Cathy…
Lebanon’s dancers third at state championships
It may not have been quite the finish that Lebanon’s Explosion Dance Team has gotten used to in recent years, but the Warriors overcame some big hurdles this season to walk away with two…
Huskies, Eagles post PRs in low-key season track opener
Sweet Home and East Linn Christian kicked off their track and field seasons Tuesday, March 17, with a low-key matchup at Husky Field. “Usually, our first meet is just us versus us,” said Sweet…
Warriors named to All-Conference, All-State honors
These athletes are among those selected for All-Mid-Willamette Valley Conference basketball honors or who were state qualifiers or honorees in cheer, swimming and wrestling. In front is David…
COMMUNITY
Sr. centers offer activities, companionship, for east Linn County elderly
By Satina Tolman For The New Era As the years pass, life often settles into a quieter rhythm. Careers come to an end, families grow and change, and daily routines can become more still. While…
Local organizations receive grants for cultural projects
The Linn County Cultural Coalition handed out a total of $28,009 in grants to cultural projects and events in Linn County at an awards dessert Tuesday, March 17, at Santiam Place Event Hall in…
Calvin Edward Peterson
Calvin Edward Peterson, 34, of Albany, born Oct. 4, 1991, in Corvallis, passed away surrounded by the love of family and friends on March 2, 2026. Calvin was known for his big heart, easy…
OPINION
Opinion: Oregon voters reject most laws in referendums
By Mia Maldonado May’s vote on a controversial 2025 transportation law will mark the 67th time in state history that Oregonians opposed a law strongly enough to petition for its…
Don’t rush it on outdoor gym plans
Editor: The possibility of a new outdoor gym was a topic during a recent Sweet Home City Council meeting. After a short presentation the council voted to approve one. It will be…
FROM OUR FILES
From Our Files: March 25, 2026
March 29, 1951 City Council told a Eugene outdoor adventure advertising firm it must remove a billboard it had begun to erect at 15th and M streets because it was within the city’s fire zone and was…
From Our Files: March 18, 2026
March 22, 1951 Frank Cameron was injured when a gas tank he was welding exploded in his face. He suffered a bruise on the arm, broken nose and cuts inside his mouth as the blast shattered his false…
OREGON JOURNALISM PROJECT (OJP)
Battle erupts between SEIU and long-term care providers
Felisa Hagins ( An SEIU rally (Brian Brose) Two powerful groups disagree whether the names of job applicants should be a matter of public record. By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon…
Lawyers flee Donald Trump’s Department of Justice in Oregon and across the country
A widespread exodus from federal law enforcement is a mixed blessing for Oregon. By Jeff Manning Oregon Journalism Project After five fulfilling years working for the U.S. Department of…
I-5 bridge replacement project finally comes clean on skyrocketing price tag
The bistate agency now says the bridge and highway project will cost $14.4 billion, up from $6 billion in 2022. By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon Journalism Project The Interstate Bridge…