From Our Files (April 19, 2023)
Share
Tweet
File photo
April 18, 1973: This was not a sales promotion for Wally's Used Cars on Main Street. This car actually climbed the telephone pole guy cable backwards at about 3:20 a.m. the previous Wednesday. The vehicle, operated by Steven Craig Hearon, 19, of Rt. 1, 3298, was eastbound on Main Street when it spun out of control near 15th Avenue, hit the curb and slid backwards up the cable. The vehicle suffered only minor damage and was driven away. Hearon was cited for failure to maintain reasonable control. P.S. This photo actually won a journalism for The New Era staff that year.
April 19, 1973
The Sweet Home Sailorettes Baton Twirling Class took home three first place awards in the second annual Baton Contest at Albany Memorial Junior High.
The group of 11 young girls took first place in the Parade Corp. Carol DeBord and Lori DeBord both won first place awards in their age groups, and Kelly Stafford and Lisa Danielson got third place in a duet.
Felix Wilkerson, who has been on the coaching staff at Sweet Home High School for the past four years, was promoted to head basketball coach. He replaces Harold Miner, who resigned after the basketball season ended.
Peggy Cornell was transported to Douglas Community Hospital after she was shot in the hip.
She was wounded when her husband's gun accidentally discharged in the couple's vacation vehicle. She underwent surgery and is reported to be in satisfactory condition.
Five truck loads of trash in 220 sacks were collected by some 221 Boy and Girl Scouts during "Keep America Beautiful" day.
The kids cleaned litter from main roadways and parks throughout town to fill a 12.5 cubic foot dump truck on loan from Lester Weld. Coordinator Dick Harlan thanked A&W Drive-in, Busy Bee Drive-in and Dairy Queen for providing treats.
High school students raised $560 for the Sweet Home Community Scholarship Fund during a contest to see which class could come up with the most money per student. The trigonometry class won with a $13 per student tally, and the woodshop class was runnerup with a $10 per student bid. The contest, in which the students donate or earn (but do not solicit) the money, is the biggest fundraising project for the scholarship fund.
April 22, 1998
An estimated $4.9 million reconstruction and traffic safety improvement project for Highway 20 through Sweet Home is scheduled to go out for bid.
The Oregon Department of Transportion said the project started when they were told the highway was rutted and needed to be overlayed, but it evolved into a bigger plan to improve safety and traffic flow.
At the entrance to Foster, four lanes will be restriped into three, including a turn lane, with an added bikeway and sidewalks.
Also, a pedestrian crossing and sidewalks into town will be installed at 54th Avenue; intersections at 18th, 15th and 12th will be rebuilt with a pedestrian island; traffic signals will be updated; and some downtown parking will be removed.
A record $65,000 was raised at the 12th annual Boys & Girls Club auction.
Center Director Kevin McLaughlin said the auctions initially raised $15,000.
Hundreds of the items were sold in a silent auction while 65 were auctioned off in a live sale by auctioneer Terry Cowart.
Special entertainment was provided by Danny Ray Dimick, 9, with a song to showcase her one-hour performance donation.
Santiam Forest Products Inc. exceeded its opening year's projections and celebrated the feat, as well as its one-year anniversary, with a party for its employees. The company exceeded $2 million and had a payroll of $850,000 for its 27 employees.
Company president Ted Fulllmer said the market has been flat for about two months but is rebounding.
