Councilors take Jamboree to task for late request before granting it
Scott Swanson The Sweet Home City Council voted 5-2 to approve a list of requests for closures and…
Colleagues’ encouragement good for us all
Scott Swanson I’ve just returned from the annual Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association convention, held last week on the…
Gubernatorial candidates lay out cases for newspaper crowd
Scott Swanson With Gov. Kate Brown bowing out, a proposed debate between the top gubernatorial candidates became, instead,…
Sweet Home provides pit stop for Gambler 500 participants, all in good fun
Scott Swanson Decked out in a straw hat and red striped shirt, Kelly “Kell-Dog” Whitlock fronted a group…
Being part of the news isn’t always fun
Scott Swanson It’s kind of an unwritten rule for print journalists to stay out of the news. We…
Commissioners approve bed tax, discuss rural recycling costs
Scott Swanson Linn County Commissioners last week approved what amounts to a 5 percent transient occupancy tax that…
Local residents get serious about pledging allegiance to flag
Scott Swanson They stood in a tight semicircle, 30-some local residents on the morning of the Fourth of…
Fire danger on rise, with new restrictions
Scott Swanson Things are drying out fast. The public fire danger went to “high” on Monday and the…
LBCC Small Business Development Center upping efforts in E. Linn County
Scott Swanson Linn-Benton Community College’s Small Business Development Center has reignited its efforts to boost business in east…
Council approves budget for 2018-19 among other actions on busy evening
Scott Swanson The City Council approved a $17,878,561 budget for the fiscal year 2018-19, which began July 1,…
Council pushes to hold down trash rate hike
Scott Swanson City Council members made it clear Tuesday night, June 26, that they believe a 16 percent…
Local firefighter honored with statewide award
Scott Swanson Craig Wilson, a Sweet Home teacher who spends his summers as a member of the local…
Fire season begins in Linn County
Scott Swanson Fire season began Thursday, June 21, in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s South Cascade Fire protection…
Longtime inventor has plans to help destitute in Sweet Home
Scott Swanson Alvin Kimble has faith – that if God wants him to fulfill Kimble’s goals to help…
Council renews contract with water/sewer plant operator
Scott Swanson The City Council last week agreed to renew the city’s contract with Jacobs Engineering to operate…
Concert band to play first concert in Sweet Home
Scott Swanson Sweet Home will be treated to a smorgasbord of all-American musical favorites as the Willamette Valley…
Trash haulers: Recycling ‘crisis’ forcing rates up
Scott Swanson Sweet Home Sanitation executives warned the City Council last week that a rate increase will be…
Recycling right may involve learning curve
Scott Swanson I clearly remember the first time I visited a landfill. I don’t remember why, exactly, but…
‘Ordinary’ kid from Fern Ridge, retired optometrist honored with High-Q Award
Scott Swanson Gerald Wodtli, a 1965 Sweet Home High School graduate and longtime optometrist, was honored with a…
Alum’s advice right on the money for Class of ’18
Scott Swanson It’s been a bit of a tradition for us to offer up some advice to our…
Graduation hats go up as rain comes down
Scott Swanson An overflow crowd packed Sweet Home High School’s Main Gym Friday night for the Class of…
Haley May opts to play golf at Corban
Scott Swanson Haley May signed a letter of intent Friday, June 1, to play golf for Corban University.…
Justin Kurtz to wrestle for Umpqua
Scott Swanson Justin Kurtz signed a letter of intent Tuesday, May 22, to wrestle for Umpqua Community College.…
Noah Project at Fir Lawn seeking ‘boat elves’ to help teens build crafts
Scott Swanson Fir Lawn Lutheran Church’s sailboat-building project is gearing up for its second year and Pastor Joe…
Find ornament on trail, win trip for two to D.C.
Scott Swanson You’re hiking one of the mountain trails in the Sweet Home Ranger District when you suddenly…