Aerospace to rainforests: Local engineer brings the jungle home
When Bill Rodman first started keeping orchids and poison dart frogs, he was looking for a hobby that balanced his demanding schedule as an aerospace engineer. …
LATEST NEWS
First signature count for animal initiative falls short
By Mia Maldonado Oregon Capital Chronicle A controversial initiative petition to ban killing or harming animals in Oregon with almost no exceptions may not qualify for the November ballot. The…
Lebanon approves 284-lot, 10-year subdivision plan
A preliminary subdivision plat for more 284 residential lots and other developments that would be located just south of Willamette Speedway was approved by the Lebanon Planning Commission…
Official park name may be first step to ‘world-class’ disc golf
Sweet Home’s Quarry Park should soon have that name, officially, City Council members agreed unanimously at their regular meeting Tuesday, July 14. There’s a reason for that. The 233-acre…
SH council takes steps to secure new city attorney
Sweet Home City Council members spent a short work session Tuesday, July 14, discussing how to replace City Attorney Blair Larsen. Larsen is leaving for a new job as assistant city attorney…
Lebanon Fire’s fiscal year budget closes out ‘OK’
Curbed spending and increased ambulance revenue made the Lebanon Fire District’s June financial report look a little more positive during the regular meeting of the Board of Directors on…
Commissioners applaud redefinition of ‘harm’ in Endangered Species Act
By Alex Paul Linn County Communications At their July 14 meeting, Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker welcomed news that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife…
SPORTS
Alumni Roundup Addition: Lebanon’s Sadie Dannen
Editor’s note: We’re still trying to “round up” all of the local high school alumni who are competing at the college level. As you can see, we’ve discovered one more, below. If you know of any…
SH’s Landtroop takes All-American honors at wrestling nationals
Jesse Landtroop, who has won three state OSAA titles in wrestling, added All-American status to his resume last week with an eighth-place finish in the junior nationals at Fargo, N.D. …
Speedway action heats up Saturday
Willamette Speedway: Debban sweeps Limited Late Models, Emry earns first career feature victory during Modified Mayhem A night that began with qualifying and heat races ended with a career…
Girls wrestling camp returns to SHHS
Sweet Home hosted its sixth annual Santiam Girls Wrestling Camp last week, drawing 99 girls for what Head Coach Steve Thorpe described as “quite honestly, my most favorite women’s camp that…
COMMUNITY
Christian Jensen Jr.
July 30, 1943 – July 20, 2026 Christian Jensen Jr., 82, of Crawfordsville, passed away July 20, 2026. He was born July 30, 1943, to Agnes (Hansen) and Christian Jensen, Sr. in Crawfordsville.…
Grant Street in Lebanon closed through mid-August for reconstruction
Beginning Monday, July 27, MVG Construction, Lebanon’s contractor, will begin the first phase of the Grant and Sherman Street Reconstruction Project. Grant Street will be closed to through…
Events: July 22 Issue
The New Era publishes announcements of upcoming events at no charge, as space permits. Free and nonprofit events are prioritized, but free services or events offered by for-profit businesses…
OPINION
Opinion: Housing Act just political theater
By Randal O’Toole A recent bill passed by Congress aimed at making housing more affordable will lead to almost no improvements in affordability. In fact, some provisions of the law…
Opinion: 250th one-of-a-kind celebration
As a journalist in a small community where “everybody knows your name,” covering events often means being a participant. Last Saturday, that was a pretty affirming experience. I…
FROM OUR FILES
From Our Files: July 29, 2026
Aug. 2, 1951 Frontier Days’ annual Buckaroo Breakfast will be sited this year at the city park for the first time. It is expected to be a better experience than standing or eating off curbs. The FD…
From Our Files: July 22, 2026
July 26, 1951 Support in an x-ray drive was urged in an attempt to procure chest x-ray machines for the area. The machines are offered free of charge from the U.S. Department of Public Health, but local…
OREGON JOURNALISM PROJECT (OJP)
Medicaid shortfall follows decade-long growth in state spending
Federal matching dollars allowed a massive expansion of health insurance for low-income Oregonians. Now the feds are pulling back and the state is left holding the bag. By Nigel Jaquiss…
The Truancy Mutiny
The Oregon Legislature banned truancy citations. But Oregon’s poorest county brought them back and now posts the state’s best attendance numbers, offering lessons for the coming school year. …
DEQ makes long-awaited announcement on controversial climate program
The agency has selected a California nonprofit to distribute what industry sources expect will be billions of dollars in carbon taxes. By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon Journalism Project Last month,…