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…
LATEST NEWS
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…
Missing Albany male found in Green Peter Reservoir
The body of an Albany man, who had been reported missing Sunday, Oct. 4, was found by divers after a search in Green Peter Reservoir on Monday, Oct. 5. At approximately 2:23 p.m. Sunday, the…
SPORTS
Huskies stay unbeaten with Homecoming win over Marshfield
By Ryker Burr For The New Era Sweet Home’s football program earned a 30-15 Homecoming win over Marshfield on an emotional evening for its home crowd. Sweet Home is now 6-0 for the first time…
Warriors Roll the Raiders
By Zane Cox For The New Era Lebanon’s football team bounced back with a very convincing 35-6 win at Crescent Valley Friday night, Oct. 9. The 180-degree turnaround came after a 0-35 loss the…
Local teens grow through racing at Willamette Speedway
For five teenagers at Willamette Speedway, the green flag is just the start of what it takes to win. Brookelynne Sim, Weston Voepel, Casey Stutz III, Brayden Aldrich, and Jacob Matlock balance…
Sweet Home spikers go 1-1 during ‘difficult’ week
Sweet Home’s volleyball players won a close 3-2 match with La Pine at home, but fell 3-0 on the road to Trinity Lutheran, a team they beat the last time they met. Coach Janine Bondeson said it…
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…
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…
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.…
FROM OUR FILES
From Our Files: Oct. 14, 2026
Oct. 18, 1951 A Sweet Home resident was preparing a borrowed rifle for a hunting trip with his son was killed accidentally when the gun discharged, striking him beneath the jaw. He was rubbing down…
From Our Files: Oct. 7, 2026
Oct. 11, 1951 Sweet Home High School will be giving the community a new magazine publication when it hits the streets next week. Editor Ernie Loe said The Huskian’s 24 pages will be entirely…
OREGON JOURNALISM PROJECT (OJP)
Your potluck might be a crime in Oregon
One North Oregon Coast couple learned the hard way. Here’s what they’re doing about it. By Penny Rosenberg Watt and Jennifer Childress are law-abiding residents of Nehalem, but both have had…
State housing agency regularly exceeds benchmark for construction costs
Oregon has the nation’s second-highest rate of homelessness, yet the state keeps funding affordable housing that costs far more than the national average. By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon Journalism…
Congressional Republicans target Oregon environmentalists
House Committee on Natural Resources criticizes Oregon Wild and Cascadia Wildlands for ‘lawfare.’ By Penny Rosenberg Oregon Journalism Project A U.S. House committee has called out two…