March 30, 1950
Repair work progressed rapidly at Wells Department Store, site of a furnace room explosion that rocked other business houses in the vicinity and caused damage to the building at an estimated cost of $10,000. No one was hurt when fumes that had built up in the airtight furnace room exploded in a dynamic-like blast, buckling furnace room walls and splintering the heavy brick chimney.
Home mail delivery will start this weekend for the first time in Sweet Home history. Dick Durham is the foot deliveryman, twice daily for local businesses and once daily for homes, covering 536 stops in about 13 miles. Lawrence Hatton will assist in one of two rented cars to deliver packages and distribute mail to foot delivery relay boxes. James R. Briley is the mounted carrier who will use the other car to deliver to 970 families.
Councilor Bill Meeks may have won a homestead on the Black Canyon irrigation project near Caldwell, Ida. It was announced that his name was drawn from the list of interested parties, but extra names are drawn as backups in case the actual winners do not claim the land; Meeks doesn’t know where his name lands on that list. He has put his name in for several homestead drawings in the past and has not yet won. This recent drawing was for 47 parcels of land.
An oven grease fire in a Forest Park cabin was out when firemen arrived. The fire started from lard rendering in a kitchen stove oven. The cabin, No. 48, is rented by the Gregorys. Forest Park is located on Hwy. 20 between Sweet Home and Foster.
Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” requested a picture of Sweet Home’s Main Street, from which a cartoon will be drawn. The cartoon will appear in a future “Believe It or Not” cartoon feature in newspapers nationwide, along with the explanation that the city is sitting on one of the largest living forests, and on top of one of the oldest and largest petrified forests.
The Huskies open their baseball season playing against the Corvallis Spartans on the local diamond. The Sweet Home team will be sporting new Yankee-style uniforms, white with blue pinstripes, and solid blue sox and cap.
Push yourselves away from the table, girls. Easter fashions this year are a poor deal for you ladies who love to eat. That’s the word from Miss Murle Scales, O.S.C. extension specialist, who adds that it’s a noble idea to apply the tape measure and step on the bathroom scales before promenading your Easter outfit.
James Riggs was winner of a certificate of merit when 30 members of Boy Scout Troop 62 attended the Odd Fellows’ encampment at Brownsville.
March 27, 1975
A new law requiring public officials to disclose their financial sources has produced its first resignation by a Sweet Home official. Lawrence Barton, a recent appointee to the Planning Commission and a former city councilor, submitted his letter of resignation this week, calling the law an insult he will not submit to. The law was approved by local voters 625-391.
Air Force Major William R. Ford, of Sweet Home, received the Republic of Korea Order of Military Merit for exceptional service with the United Nations Command in Korea. A tunnel constructed by North Koreans in the UNC side of the Demilitarized Zone, which separates North and South Korea. Ford was gathering evidence at the tunnel when it exploded, and was honored for his service after he recovered from his injuries.
More than 40 people crowded the city council chambers to weigh the pros and cons of the median strips. After one hour of testimony, Councilor Blair Smith motioned to have the median removed, but the vote was tied 3-3, with the tie-breaker not available at this meeting. The tie killed the motion and ended further discussion for the night.
March 29. 2000
The police department will begin a policy of random drug testing for all officers, emergency dispatchers and administrative personnel. The policy was brought forth as a proactive way for emergency services personnel to demonstrate their commitment to a drug-free lifestyle.
The Army Corps of Engineers began cleaning up spilled diesel fuel at Shea Point. Officials are unsure when or how much fuel was spilled in the area and who spilled it there, but it became apparent when grass started dying.
Habitat for Humanity held an open house for its new (and first) location in the former More Logs Inc. building. The local Habitat chapter had been meeting in homes and churches. Habitat recently had help from Iowa college students starting its fifth home-build on Vine Street.