Nov. 18, 1971
Linn County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating the theft of a battery charger taken from a Federal Highway Administration maintenance shop near Quartzville.
The thieves are said to have climbed a 12 foot woven wire fence prior to prying a hasp off the shop door. Deputies are also investigating the theft of beer and money taken from Maples Grocery Store near Cascadia.
Water at Foster Lake is unusually low so that contractors can pour concrete for the new boat ramp being built at Sunnyside Park.
If no unseasonal rains come to force closing of the dam gates, the ramp should be finished within a few days, giving next year’s fishermen and boaters excellent access to the lake.
New Senate and Representative districts were recently adopted by the Oregon Supreme Court, which follows the plan of Secretary of State Clay Myers.
The senate district for Sweet Home is little different than the previous reapportionment, except that Linn County is now in District 19, not District 2. The major change is that Linn County is now divided into four representative districts rather than the one unified district.
The second public hearing in Sweet Home in two days by the State Highway Division will be held tonight (Thursday), this on the proposed widening of Highway 20 to four lanes the entire way from Sweet Home to Lebanon.
Sweet Home High School counselor and teacher George Wenze; received permission Monday night from the District 55 School Board to make plans for a 20-day history tour of Europe which might take place next May.
If the tour can be put together, it would be the second time within a year that Sweet Home High students have visited that continent.
Early date for paper: The New Era is again faced next week with early deadlines for news and advertising because of a holiday.
With Thanksgiving coming on Thursday, the paper will be published one day early, reaching its readers on Wednesday.
Nov. 13, 1996
The Sweet Home City Council appointed Jim Corl, of South Carolina, as the new city manager. He will receive a $51,000 salary, standard benefits and 15 days vacation to start. After six months and an evaluation, the salary will increase to $53,500. The council also agreed to pay up to $7,000 in moving costs.
Corl will be leaving his current position as city manager in Dillon, S.C. Council member Mona Waibel said Corl had just the right background and personality for the position, and Mayor Bob Whitfield said he’s well-versed in city operations and is someone who can see a problem and take care of it.
Marge Geil, co-founder of the Oregon Jamboree and former business owner, was diagnosed with chronic persistent hepatitis C in 1982. Her doctor told her this past summer that a liver transplant with hepatitis C was a risky move, but Geil took the chance anyway when a perfectly matched liver became available.
She received the transplant successfully last month and is recovering well.
All 3,500 tickets to the Foster Mud Flats Races sold out in just 35 minutes when they went on sale this weekend.
Last year’s event attracted 5,000 and another 1,500 were turned away due to overcrowding. About 300 of the ticket sales this year came from people in California and Washington.
Don Frick, of Santiam Four Wheelers – the event’s sponsors – said last year’s crowd was too busy, and they want to be sure the event is both safe and fun, so they made some limits this year.
Ticket buyers were limited to six tickets, and two wheel drive vehicles will be prohibited.
Two female pedestrians were hit by a vehicle while crossing Long Street at the high school. Vicky Orton and Selma Johnson were walking through a crosswalk during sunset between the teacher’s parking lot and the Savory Palate near 15th Street when a pickup truck struck them.
The driver said he didn’t see them until shortly before impact. Johnson was treated and released; Orton is in critical condition.
Another pedestrian was struck and killed the day before while crossing Highway 20 in front of Skyline Inn. It was evening and the victim was wearing dark clothing. Both the driver and a witness said they couldn’t see the man until it was too late.