After week with Hotshots, SH wildland crew converges on local fire
Sweet Home’s Wildland Fire Crew 21 was working the Grasshopper Fire east of Mt. Hood earlier this month when it got a chance to work side-by-side with some of the best…
LATEST NEWS
Grant reopens Linn County Young Women’s Fire Academy
All uniformed up in pink t-shirts and mustard-yellow turnout gear, 31 girls from Marion and Linn counties gained a little experiential insight into the inner workings of firefighting during…
OHA approves Samaritan, MultiCare affiliation
Samaritan Health Services announced Monday that it had received approval from the Oregon Health Authority for its proposed affiliation with MultiCare Health System, marking the most…
Fire destroys home, spreads over two acres on Fern Ridge
A manufactured home was destroyed by fire Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 18 on Fern Ridge, and spread into nearby grassland, prompting an aggressive response from local agencies. Sweet Home Fire…
Residents stop Lacomb grass fire
Lebanon Fire District firefighters were dispatched to a large natural cover fire in the 41000 block of Baptist Church Drive in Lacomb at 11:46 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 20. The battalion chief…
DUII program expanding
The Linn County Alcohol & Drug Program has expanded its DUII (Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants) Education Program to provide more convenient class options for community members…
Sodaville leak repaired, possible clog in Well 6 funding
The City of Sodaville believes it has found and fixed the major leak causing a consecutive 24% and 36% loss of water the past two months. During the City Council’s regular meeting on Thursday,…
SPORTS
Volleyball veterans Bondeson and Tyler take Huskies’ helm
By Ryker Burr For The New Era Two longtime local athletes and coaches are taking over Sweet Home High School’s volleyball program this fall, following the resignation of Katie Dargis. Amy…
New SHHS athletic director brings wealth of coaching, Leadership
Tomas Rosa has said many times, publicly, that he’s grateful that he grew up in Sweet Home. A standout athlete at Sweet Home High School, he grew up with an absent father and says he’s the…
Football camp readies Huskies for season
Sweet Home’s football players got down to business last week with their annual summer camp, which this year only included the high-schoolers. The Huskies are coming off their best year since…
Warriors kick off football season with end-of-summer camp
Lebanon High School’s football team got things rolling last week with their Football Camp. Coming off a league championship in the 2025 season, in which they finished 8-2, 6-0 in…
COMMUNITY
American Man organizers donate $850 to Linn County SAR
Organizers of Honoring the American Man presented a check for $850 to the Linn County Sheriff for Search and Rescue in memory of late Sheriff’s Deputy Jim Search, on July 23. The funds were…
Young Entrepreneurs offers new path for SH teens
Riley Casey started out with a piece of wood, an idea from his dad, and a strong desire to try something new. A little over four months ago, Riley was trying out small projects. His dad,…
Sarah Council shines on national roller rink stage
When Sarah Council came back to artistic roller skating in the fall of 2022 after several years away, she was returning to something that had always been important to her. But returning to the…
OPINION
Editorial: AI’s biggest threat to students is failure to think
By Jennifer Puccio I recently spoke with a high-schooler who told me that she uses artificial intelligence (AI) to do her homework and “everyone does it.” I think this is the biggest…
Editor: OJP article missed the point
Editor: I am writing in response to the article “Medicaid Shortfall Follows Decade-Long Growth in State Spending,” posted in the Oregon Journalism Project (OJP) section on your…
FROM OUR FILES
From Our Files: Aug. 26, 2026
Aug. 30, 1951 Results of the latest bloodmobile visit targeting Sweet Home’s lumber company employees were disappointing as only 64 of the 104 men who signed up showed up for their appointment. Only 77…
From Our Files: Aug. 19, 2026
Aug. 23, 1951 The Sweet Home swimming team now has a name. Henceforth, the local splashers will be known as the Sweet Home Dolphins. Members of the team selected Lavonne Shaw as president, Beverly Hall as…
OREGON JOURNALISM PROJECT (OJP)
Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association votes to expel Curry County Sheriff John Ward
The embattled Southern Oregon lawman faces a criminal investigation and a complaint seeking to revoke his certification. By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon Journalism Project In an extraordinary…
Kotek’s focus on increased housing permits ignores larger shortfall
Facing a tough re-election battle, the governor highlights gains in Oregon as national permitting numbers trend downward. By Nigel Jaquiss and Khushboo Rathore Oregon Journalism Project…
New filings in Oregon Youth Authority sex abuse lawsuits allege long-term cover-up
Thirteen former OYA staff say top management ignored years of complaints about ‘Dr. Cold Fingers.’ By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon Journalism Project Thirteen former Oregon Youth Authority staff have…