Upcoming City Meetings
These are regularly-scheduled meetings. Sometimes the dates or times are changed due to schedule conflicts among members, work session additions, holidays, etc. Last minute changes do occur at times. Please check the governing board’s website for updated information and agendas.
Sweet Home Planning Commission: Thur., Sept. 3, 6:30 p.m., at City Hall, 3225 Main St.
PIE Charter School Board: Mon., Sept. 7, 6 p.m., at Sand Ridge Charter, 100 Sand Ridge Ct., Lebanon.
Lebanon Fire District: Tues., Sept. 8, 5:30 p.m., at 1050 W. Oak St.
Sweet Home City Council: Tues., Sept. 8, 6:30 p.m., at City Hall, 3225 Main St.
Waterloo City Council: Tues., Sept. 8, 7 p.m., at City Hall, 31140 1st St.
Halsey City Council: Tues., Sept. 8, 7 p.m., at City Hall, 100 Halsey St.
Lebanon City Council: Wed., Sept. 9, 6 p.m., at library, 55 Academy St.
Lebanon School Board: Thur., Sept. 10, 6 p.m., at library, 55 Academy St.
Brownsville Parks: Thur., Sept. 10, TBD
Central Linn School Board: Mon., Sept. 14, 6 p.m., at school’s conference room, 239 W 2nd St., Halsey.
Sweet Home School Board: Mon., Sept. 14, 6:30 p.m., at 1920 Long St.
Sweet Home Park & Tree Committee: Tue., Sept. 15, 4 p.m. at City Hall, 3225 Main St.
Sweet Home Fire Board: Tue., Sept. 15, 6:30 p.m., at 1099 Long St.
Brownsville Fire Board: Tue., Sept. 15, 6:30 p.m., at 600 E Blakely.
Lebanon Parks, Trees & Trails: Wed., Sept. 16, 2 p.m. at library, 55 Academy St.
Lebanon Planning Commission: Wed., Sept. 16, 6 p.m. at library, 55 Academy
Sweet Home Planning Commission: Thur., Sept. 17, 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 3225 Main St.
Sodaville City Council: Thur., Sept. 17, 7 p.m. at City Hall, 30723 Sodaville Road.
Lebanon Aquatic District: Mon., Sept. 21, 6 p.m., at Lebanon Pool, 1800 S 5th St.
Sweet Home City Council: Tue., Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 3225 Main St.
Brownsville City Council: Tue., Sept. 22, 7 p.m., at City Hall, 255 N Main St.
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 will also be included as space permits. To submit an event, email information (description, location, date, time and any other necessary details, as well as contact information for questions) to [email protected] at least two weeks prior to the event. Questions? Call (541) 367-2135 or send a message to the above email.
Tomato Day
in Lebanon
The Lebanon Downtown Farmers’ Market and Santiam Food Alliance invite the public to admire, taste and stock up on tomatoes at the market from 2-6 p.m. on Tomato Day, Thursday, Sept. 3, next to Ralston Park.
There will be tastings of dozens of unusual and often beautiful tomato varieties from the market farmers and others’ gardens. An Oregon State University Extension Master Food Preserver will offer information on drying and canning tomatoes, a Master Gardener will provide advice on growing them, and volunteers will offer free samples of tomato-based foods.
For more information about the Santiam Food Alliance, see the website at santiamfood.org.
Painters needed at
East Linn Museum
East Linn Museum’s staff and volunteers will be painting the outside of the building Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 5 and 6, at 746 Long St. in Sweet Home.
Volunteers help is needed for scraping, sanding and trim painting. The project will change the color back to the original barn red, with cream-colored trim.
The project will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday. If you have scrapers, sanders or sandpaper, and paint brushes, bring them along, even if you have only a few hours to spare. Plenty of cold bottled water will be available for volunteers.
For more information, email [email protected] or leave a message at (541) 367-4580.
Cider Pressing at Thompson’s Mills
Thompson’s Mills will host a free cider pressing event on Saturday, Sept. 5, starting at 11 a.m. until all apples are gone, at 32655 Boston Mill Dr., two miles east of Shedd.
Tastings are free and half gallon jugs are available for a $5 donation to the Thompson’s Mills Preservation Society.
Thompson’s Mills, built in 1848, is the only surviving water powered mill in the state and is operated by the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation. The Park is open dawn to dusk almost every day of the year. Tours of the old grist mill are from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Picnic tables and vault toilets are available.
Additional pressing dates are Oct. 10 and Oct. 24. For more information, contact Don Lyon at 541-654-2052.
Foster Dam Road
closures announced
The road over Foster Dam will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 9 and 10, as dam inspections are conducted.
Since North River Drive is closed on the east end between Sunnyside Drive and Quartzville Road due to road construction, vehicles will need to use the Pleasant Valley Road bridge west of Sweet Home to access North River Drive during these time periods.
For more information or to voice concerns, call (541) 942-5631.
Barbecue fundraiser
for Linn County CASA
CASA of Linn County will hold a Backyard BBQ Battle & Brews fundraising event from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Deluxe Brewing Company in Albany.
Attendees can enjoy BBQ and brews tastings, live music, raffles, and they get the chance to vote for their favorite competitor in the People’s Choice competition. Amateur barbecue enthusiasts will compete for prizes and bragging rights.
Tickets are $25 per person and are available at linncasa.org/bbq_battle.
Square dance, cha cha
classes start Sept. 13
Lebanon Square Circlers will launch a new square dance class, beginning Sept. 13, at the Lebanon Senior Center, 80 Tangent St.
Square dance classes will run Sunday evenings, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Square Circlers will also offer a new cha cha class, also on Sundays, starting Sept. 13, from 4 to 5:15 p.m.
Partners are not necessary and the first lesson is free. Thereafter, lessons are $6 each per person or $15 per family (kids are welcome). For more information, call (541) 401-9780 or visit www.lebanonsquarecirclers.com.
Mental health
first aid classes
Linn County Health Services offers free Mental Health First Aid classes in Albany.
Registration is open for the following classes. Certification is provided. You must be 18 years or older to participate.
Adult Mental Health First Aid – Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Mennonite Village, Lakeside Center, 2180 54th Ave., Albany.
Youth Mental Health First Aid – Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Linn County Armory Building, 104 SW 4th Ave., Albany.
For more information, or to register, visit LinnTogether.org/community-training/.
Activities at the
Healing Gardens
Lebanon Community Hospital Foundation invites people to enjoy the hospital’s Japanese healing gardens through several upcoming opportunities. To register, or for more information, contact Brandy O’Bannon at [email protected]. Or register online at samhealth.org/LebanonHealingGardens.
Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. – Garden Tour: One-hour guided garden tour, starting at the koi pond gazebo, Boulder Falls Event Center. Learn about the garden’s history, design and care while exploring both gardens. No registration required.
Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. – Stroll for Well-Being: An independent walking and journaling program designed to support mindful reflection. Journals provided during orientation session.
Free help with Medicare,
Medicaid in Lebanon
A series of free “Monthly Conversations on Senior Living” is offered by The Oaks at Lebanon on the fourth Thursday of every month.
This month’s topic will be “Medicare/Medicaid: Understanding Your Options.” The event is from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at 176 W. C St., Lebanon. It is open to seniors, adults planning for retirement, family caregivers, adult children of aging parents, or anyone interested in planning for the future.
Speakers on Sept. 24 will be financial advisor Sacha Savri and Alecia Warren of Oregon Cascade West Council of Governments.
They will talk about healthcare and retirement, Medicare basics, long-term care planning and overview Medicaid.
For more information, contact Tori at (541) 451-4849.
Volunteers, donations
needed for TomatoFest
The annual TomatoFest will be held Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Lebanon Senior Center, 80 Tangent St.
Volunteers and vendors sought. Volunteers needed for set up and tear down, washing and cutting tomatoes, greeting visitors at the welcome table, calling prize winners, and assisting with activities throughout the day.
Small businesses related to gardening who’d like to have a table at the event may contact Anna via email at [email protected].
Donations of ripe tomatoes for our tasting tables are appreciated. If you donate tomatoes, let us know the variety name so we can identify them for visitors. Have an abundance of garden vegetables? Bring those, too. We’ll place them on our free produce table, where anyone in the community is welcome to take them home.
More information to come, when available.
Mobile produce
and health clinic
Volunteers are needed to help with free a Produce Market and Mobile Health Clinic held every last Wednesday of the month through October from 4-6 p.m. at Sweet Home Church of the Nazarene, 415 Holley Road, Sweet Home.
The next event is Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Participants can receive fresh produce and access to services through a mobile health clinic at no cost. Help is needed to make it happen.
For more information, contact Tina Dodge at [email protected] or call (541) 730-3541.