June 28, 1951
Sweet Home’s Mayor Eugene Ellis issued a letter to residents urging cooperation with water restrictions, and the City Council declared an emergency regarding the current drastic threat to the city’s water supply. The water plant has been pumping at full capacity for several days, yet the reservoir has run completely dry three times in the last week. Some residents’ faucets failed to yield water due to low pressure. The city had issued an irrigation schedule via the newspaper and postcard. Now water users will be informed by loudspeaker and personal contact. Present construction of the city’s $100,000 expanded water treatment plant and reservoir is expected to be done in the fall.
Mosquito spraying was delayed after a pilot spraying for spruce budworm was killed in the line of work. The pilot for mosquito spraying was, thus, employed for a larger spray area for the budworm and would have to reschedule Sweet Home’s mission to rid itself of the blood sucking pest.
Roy Cook was named custodian of Sweet Home’s city park and moved his family into the rent-free house, which is offered in lieu of salary. Several hundred visitors, including many from out of state, have already visited the park on a weekly basis.
June 24, 1976
Foster log trucker Howard Daniels emerged as winner in the semifinals of the Linn-Benton annual log truck driving championship sponsored by the Oregon Log Truckers Association. Rod Wolfer, of Sweet Home, placed second. Daniels will compete in the world competition in Bend.
A&W owner Del Moen asked the state for a cut in the median strip on Hwy. 20 so cars could make a left turn into his business. The state passed the decision to the Sweet Home City Council, in addition to other cut recommendations to benefit other downtown businesses. After debate, the council only allowed shortening the median to allow left turns into Bradley’s Phillips 66 service station, 923 Main St. Councilor John Mahler wanted the entire median strip removed. Last year, a majority of businessmen petitioned to remove the medians but the community, including children, petitioned to keep them.
June 27, 2001
Lori Smith is seeking donations to buy a 21-acre farm to develop a pot-bellied pig sanctuary. She currently has 19 rescued pigs under her care, which violate Sweet Home’s city ordinance. She said Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs were extremely popular in the 1980s, but people got bored of them and let them loose. So far she has rehomed 76 pigs.
Dan and Julie Burks are preparing a move to Ukraine with their children, Kyle and McKenzie, thus fulfilling Dan’s desire to be a missionary. They want to spread the gospel to Muslims who have been repressed by the Soviet government.
More than 200 firefighters from several government agencies participated in the second annual fire school, held at Foster Elementary school, the ODF compound and a site east of town managed by Cascade Timber Consulting.
An 80-year-old woman was seriously injured after being struck by a car in the crosswalk near the post office. The 17-year-old driver said he was distracted for a moment when the accident occurred. The woman was treated for chipped bones, a fractured arm and shoulder damage.