June 8, 1950
The city will receive the first of three anti-mosquito sprayings in June. A contract was made with Portland’s Airplane Spraying corporation to spray all major log ponds and the Oregon Electric railroad right of way. Volunteers will hand-spray areas that can’t be reached by air, and a fire truck may be used to spray smaller ponds.
A Sweet Home police officer shot and killed a 23-year-old Lebanon boy following an 80 mph chase between the cities and a street battle in Lebanon. The district attorney said he might charge the officer with manslaughter. A police report stated the subject’s car died in Lebanon. He fought apprehension and stole the police car while struggling with the Sweet Home officer when he was shot.
Dr. R.S. Langmack told the Chamber of Commerce that his hospital needs better community support. He said he understands $30,000 went out of Sweet Home to a new hospital in Lebanon although Langmack Hospital records last year showed a $14,000 deficit.
An article in a recent issue of Nation’s Business magazine cited Sweet Home’s population increases as an example of the growth in the Pacific Northwest. In the article, a local teacher stated, “Each week I enroll some new student speaking in Brooklynese, a mellow southern accent, a middle-western twang or the crisp idiom of the Rocky Mountain uplands.”
The local Ground Observation Post supervisor issued a call for volunteers to man a ground observation post for the Sweet Home area. He asked particularly for those who served in the war to volunteer again this year. The Wester Air Defense issued instructions that observation posts be set up immediately for the purpose of spotting low-flying aircraft which radar cannot detect.
The Sweet Home Pirates officially withdrew from the Oregon State Baseball League after officials agreed the association’s funds are insufficient to continue the season.
June 5, 1975
Merv Hanscam was the first to suggest the Sweet Home area and East Linn County withdraw from Linn County and form its own county. In the past few weeks, others have also grasped the idea and taken it seriously. Hanscam said he believes East Linn County is poorly represented by county commissioners, and the area is not getting responses to its needs.
East Linn Museum Society finally has a home for a proposed museum. ELMS used a $2,000 federal revenue sharing grant from the city, plus donations, to make a partial down payment on the Latter Day Saints church on Long Street, which they plan to transform into a “living museum.” The congregation will move to a new location next year.
Bruce Richard “Buzz” Eichenberger, 36, of Cascadia, was charged with the murder of his stepfather-in-law, James Robert Brown, 65. It’s the first murder case in East Linn County in a number of years. It is believed Eichenberger shot Brown at close range with a high-powered rifle following an argument at Maples Grocery, which Brown owned.
Glen Sawyer, owner of Speedee Mart, purchased Lakeside Market from E.C. “Bud” Banke. Sawyer started in the grocery business as a box boy for then Central Super Market that is now Mid City Super Market in 1956. He worked there 13 years, advancing to produce manager before buying Speedee Mart in 1970.
June 7, 2000
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers notified the South Santiam Four-Wheel Drive Association that the annual Foster Mud Flat Races will no longer be allowed on Corps property. The action is to further protect the environment and endangered salmon and steelhead. The races have been held on the lake bottom at the east end of Foster Reservoir for 27 years.
The Class of 2012 will get to look back on their time together when they unearth a time capsule in 12 years. Students, parents and staff spent the year gathering memorabilia about the class, the school district and community, and put it in a time capsule to be opened when the class graduates. The items were placed in a former military mortar container and placed inside a sealed vault.