June 21, 1951
A new flare-up in the 240-acre Wiley Creek fire southeast of Foster caused fresh consternation among Santiam Lumber company crews which have manned the huge blaze since it broke out several days ago. The fire is believed to be caused by a spark set by friction in a fouled block or other equipment near a yarder. Equipment and felled and bucked timber was lost to the fire.
The second annual “skeeter” spray will begin soon. The City of Sweet Home and Active Club are sponsoring the anti-mosquito battle involving about 350 gallons of a mixture containing 5% DDT and 2% pyronone sprayed by plane and trucks to completely blanket the city and log ponds.
Drastic steps were promised by the city water superintendent over concerns with a critical water shortage and the public’s refusal to comply with requests to go easy on the present supply. Residents were asked to comply with a rotating schedule for irrigation, but because many do not adhere to the schedule, the city council will be asked to pass an ordinance shutting off all water except for domestic and mill use, or cut off water supply to certain sections of the city at specified times. Shortage is due to a 30-day dry spell, extra demand for lawn and garden, and insufficient storage facilities.
June 17, 1976
The bodies of three Portland-area brothers were recovered after a mine blast took their lives. The men, who ranged in age from 69 to 77, had operated the mine above Sulphide Bridge on Quartzville Road for a number of years. Though it appears the miners were experienced enough to know what they were doing, investigators said it was hard to say what went wrong.
The Spring Restaurant, owned by sisters Joyce Fields and Peggy Rowe, held its grand opening at its new location adjacent to the old structure on Main Street. Forced to move when the old building was obtained as a right-of-way for the proposed Hwy. 20 improvement, the new restaurant is relocated in a remodeled section of the old City Center Motel. The rest of the motel was also removed for the highway project. The owners operated The Spring Drive-in for seven years.
June 20, 2001
Sweet Home City Council approved a concept of creating a state scenic byway through the city. The scenic byway would start at the junction of Hwy. 228 and I-5, and go through Brownsville and Sweet Home to the junction of Hwy. 20 and Hwy. 126. It would be called the Calapooia/South Santiam Corridor, and would join four other byways in the state, in addition to six state tour routes, five national scenic byways and three all-American roads.
Betty Smith celebrated the completion of her GED program at LBCC at the age of 71. She was recognized with 34 other GED graduates this week, 55 years after she left high school in Missouri to wed a GI from Oregon she’d known only a week. She got her first drivers license last year.