Following are some of the big stories of 2017, collected by our staff.
Amidst the highs and lows that are typical of any year, we enjoyed a building boom, the arrival of a new Dollar General store, a number of significant achievements in local sports and much more. Here’s our list:
January
– Lupe Wilson retired after 40 years of employment with the Sweet Home Ranger District.
– Sweet Home’s first baby, Jeremiah L. Miles-Russell, was born Jan. 9.
– Wrestling Coach Steve Thorpe broke the school record for coaching wins set by his own mentor, Norm Davis, with 505 victories.
– The City Council voted to prohibit marijuana facilities within 100 feet of residential zones.
– Greg Mahler was re-elected mayor by the City Council.
– Bill Matthews was named chair of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and new members Ian Rollins, John Escalera, Brian Adams and Karla Hogan were seated on the board.
February
– Sweet Home High School’s graduation rate improved by more than 4 percent over the previous year, according to figures announced by the state.
– Representatives of the
Oregon Community Foundation held a meeting to make local nonprofits aware of available grant funding opportunities.
– Local residents complained to the City Council about increasing problems with dogs and the amount of time and effort required to police the situation.
– The City Council started the process of creating an ordinance that would allow police to exclude people, who have violated the law, from city property.
– Sweet Home High School thespians staged “Pride and Prejudice.”
– Rohan Cordy, a second-grade teacher at Holley School, was arrested on multiple sex abuse charges for an alleged assault at a summer camp he had worked at.
– Sweet Home’s competition cheer team placed second at the state championships by a razor-thin margin.
– Sweet Home wrestlers won the regional title and qualified 14 for state.
– The School Board approved a resolution to ask Sweet Home School District voters to approve a $4 million bond levy in the May election.
– Longtime local music store owner and Sweet Home resident Gary Stainthorp retired after shortly after a Christmas-time burglary of his store in Lebanon.
– Local logger Colt Campbell was killed in a tree-falling accident.
– Michael E. Adams was appointed to fill the School Board vacancy created by the resignation of Nick Augsburger.
– Sweet Home’s wrestling team won a state championship behind Kobe Olsen’s individual title and four runner-up finishes.
– Sweet Home’s swimmers won a historic double – both the boys and girls state championships, behind multiple individual event titles on both sides.
March
– A 56-year-old Sweet Home man was found dead in the pond at Best Western Premier Boulder Falls Inn in Lebanon. He was identified as Alfred Nichelson, and his death was ruled a drowning.
– The Sweet Home Planning Commission approved a conditional use application for Going Green, a Sweet Home medical marijuana dispensary, to sell recreational marijuana.
– Sweet Home’s Fire and Ambulance District and Sweet Home Police Department held a combined awards banquet for the first time in about 30 years. Geoff Hamlin was named police Employee of the Year and Mike Severns was named SHFAD Firefighter of the Year.
– One of Sweet Home’s top athletes ever, Dakotah Keys, became the Huskies’ new track coach.
– Barbara Baumgartner was named Sweet Home’s Distinguished Citizen at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards banquet. Other honorees were First Citizen Laurie Carlson, Junior First Citizens Josh and Brandi Darwood, and Patti Woods Woman of the Year Wendi Melcher.
– Josh Rice was named Mr. Husky.
– The Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors eliminated the executive director’s position, citing financial and other difficulties.
– A 36-year-old Sweet Home man, Ryan Chamberlain, was shot to death in a car near the intersection of 13th Avenue and Poplar Street.
– After nearly two decades of service in Sweet Home, Public Works Director Mike Adams announced he was taking a job in Toledo.
April
– Josai High School faculty paid a spur-of-the-moment visit to Sweet Home in an effort to boost the 35-year-old relationship between the schools, which had faltered in recent years.
– Gov. Kate Brown spoke to a capacity crowd in Lebanon as she visited to discuss the problems facing Oregon.
– A “rare” spring storm knocked out power and toppled multiple trees onto houses in Sweet Home.
– The Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors sent a letter to members and other interested individuals outlining some of the problems that prompted it to eliminate the executive director’s position, and stating that it was considering selling its building.
– Jake Porter signed to wrestle for Umpqua Community College.
– Sweet Home wrestlers came away with six individual titles from the state freestyle/Greco championships. Travis Thorpe was a double winner.
– Entek, one of the area’s largest employers, faced off in court with various state agencies after they tried to force the company to produce a “communication plan” to inform local residents about air quality near the Lebanon plant.
May
– Sweet Home Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary.
– Sweet Home was named a Tree City for the 30th year in a row.
– The City Council approved a $170,000 contract to replace water lines on Grape Street and Grape Court, off 18th Avenue.
– Colton Emmert returned as pastor to River of Life Fellowship, the church he grew up in.
– A Sweet Home man, Daniel Oberg, 28, was reported missing, which his father said was out of character for him, and prompting searches of the Marcola area, where his abandoned car was found.
– The City Council ratified a three-year contract with Police Department employees, including a 6 percent wage increase over the course of the contract.
– The Sweet Home School Board gave new Supt. Tom Yahraes high marks in his first professional evaluation.
– The School District hired 12 new teachers, much earlier than usual, in an effort to improve its recruiting and retention of staff members.
– Jessica Coats signed to swim for Div. 1 Wagner College.
– Husky softball program supporters paid for and installed a new scoreboard at the high school field.
– A fire destroyed a home on Highway 228 after power cords used for a marijuana grow on the second floor failed.
– The Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors decided to sell the organization’s two Main Street properties to pay off some $100,000 in debts.
– Eric Blanchard placed fourth in the pole vault and freshman Megan Hager was seventh in the discus at the state track and field championships.
– Charlene Adams was appointed to the SHFAD Board of Directors, replacing Elmer Reimer.
– Sweet Home’s baseball team beat Newport 10-3, then lost to 4-0 at La Grande in the state playoffs.
– Sweet Home School District officials said they were working to establish a full-fledged forestry program at Sweet Home High School, after a state organization that oversees funding and forestry competitions initially said the high school’s Forestry Club could not compete at the statewide level because it is not a class.
– Chosen to lead the 2017 graduation ceremonies were valedictorians Kristen Adams, Eleanor Hewitt, Michelle Isabell, Gracie Olson, Daniel Virtue, Sean Wolthuis and McKenzie Yoder, and salutatorian Nathan Hager.
June
– Kobe Olson signed to wrestle for Umpqua Community College.
– Sydney Nichol of Sweet Home, who ran for East Linn Christian Academy, signed to run for Corban University.
– Daniel Virtue and Gracie Olson were named the Boy and Girl of the Year in sports.
– Swim Coach Doug Peargin and Wrestling Coach Steve Thorpe were named state Coach of the Year in their respective sports.
– Sweet Home Shopper bus service was extended from four to six days a week and stops at Lewis Creek Park were added for the summer.
– Former Sweet Home wrestler Tyler Cowger, who was a four-time NAIA All-American at Southern Oregon University and was hired as an assistant coach there immediately upon graduating, was honored with a High-Q Award.
– The Chamber of Commerce sold its Main Street properties to a buyer, who agreed to let the organization stay in its building as a renter.
– Greg Springman was hired as the city’s new public works director, replacing Mike Adams.
– A Portland architect estimated the cost of remodeling at the new City Hall at $1.1 million.
July
– The City Council approved a change in the way Sweet Home Sanitation establishes its rates, making rate adjustments automatic based on increases in the state’s Consumer Price Index.
– A Crawfordsville-area bookkeeper, Patreena Clow, was arrested on 23 counts, including racketeering, theft, forgery and identity theft after allegedly stealing from two local businesses.
– Megan Hager and Casey Tow were named Sweet Home High School Freshmen of the Year.
– A Sweet Home motorcyclist, David Michael Tunnell, 31, was killed in a head-on collision with a log truck southeast of Springfield.
– The School Board decided to move forward with plans to begin random drug tests of student athletes in the fall instead of testing all athletes.
– The City Council approved a new ordinance that gives local judges more options in dealing with nuisance dogs, from fining owners to ordering a dog’s removal from the city to ordering it killed, per state law.
– SHFAD began purchasing equipment funded by a $1.575 million bond approved by voters in November.
August
– A float plane was recovered after it overturned in Foster Lake while towing a tuber.
– Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital opened its new Emergency Department.
– Despite smoky skies and a withering heat wave, an estimated 14,000 fans turned out nightly for the headline shows at the 25th Ore-gon Jamboree.
– Sweet Home’s first total solar eclipse in nearly 40 years drew residents and visitors to viewing spots all over town for the big solar show.
– Longtime teacher Barbi Riggs was named principal of Hawthorne School.
– Kambria Schumacher, a former Sweet Home and Oregon State University runner and one of the top female triathletes in the state, was named head coach of the high school’s cross-country program.
September
– Sweet Home’s Wastewater Treatment Plant continues to demonstrate multiple deficiencies, the City Council was told in a staff report.
– The Hill Family Timber Trust celebrated its 100th year of ownership in east Linn County.
– Ti Squared announced it was planning a move to Millersburg due to a need for more space.
– The Best in the West triathlon series set new participation records despite hazy skies from forest fires burning around the state.
– Lightning sparked a fire in the Trout Creek area of Quartzville that burned about half an acre before it was quickly contained by a combination of effort by private landowners and public agencies.
– A Sweet Home woman, Kimberly Ellis, was sentenced to 58 months in prison for her role in a series of vehicle thefts and a shootout between her husband and Sheriff’s deputies.
– Sweet Home School District reported enrollment for 2017-18 at 2,333 students, an increase of 29 from September 2016. The district also returned to a five-day school week.
– Former Hawthorne Principal Terry Augustadt began new duties as vice principal and athletic director at Sweet Home Junior High.
– New police officer Christopher Sobremonte joined the force after serving as a sniper in the military.
– A Sweet Home woman, Kendra Montoya, was arrested for forgery after allegedly passing fake $100 bills.
– The City Council approved $15,000 in funding to the Chamber of Commerce to operate the city’s Visitor Center.
– Jerry Sorte joined the city staff as community and economic development director.
– Sweet Home’s Library
celebrated its 75th anniversary.
October
– The Sweet Home School District dropped Title 1 funding for Holley School due to decreased funding and the fact that Holley has the lowest rate of eligible students in the district.
– The School Board hired ZCS Engineering to complete seismic upgrade work at local grade schools and gLAs Architects to begin design work on improvements to Sweet Home Junior High.
– According to state reports, Sweet Home High School’s test scores were up last year but the lower grades across the district trail state averages.
– Local firefighters were among those responding to wildfires, which ravaged Northern California.
– Bob Briana was appointed to the Sweet Home City Council to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Ryan Underwood.
– Murphy Plywood announced it was in the process of buying the Foster Mill from Weyerhaeuser Corp.
– The Boys and Girls Club netted a record of approximately $150,000 from its fall auction in Sweet Home.
– The School District bought a house on Mountain View Road to create better traffic flow into the school and reduce congestion and safety hazards.
– Real estate values increased by 12 percent in Sweet Home from the beginning through the end of 2018.
– Sweet Home’s volleyball team lost a close match at Crook County to end the Huskies’ state playoffs run, to finish 15-5 overall and 8-2 in league.
– The city received its first check from state marijuana tax funds: $27,302.
November
– The City Council approved an increase in wastewater rates that means a $17 increase for average users, which is 600 cubic feet.
– Sweet Home’s football team ended its season with a 48-26 playoff loss at Gladstone, finishing with an 8-2 record.
– Planning commissioners approved a conditional use permit for a third proposed marijuana retail store, La Mota, which would operate in the Fallon Building at 1027 Main St.
– Sweet Home High School put on its first musical in two decades, “Little Shop of Horrors.”
– Hoy’s Hardware opened a new “building center,” a 7,500-square-foot expansion that is aimed at serving contractors and includes a lumber yard.
– Tanner Sayers finished fifth in the state 4A cross-country championships.
– Sydney Nichol led Corban’s cross-country team to its first appearance in the NAIA nationals since 2006.
– Lauren Yon signed a letter of intent to swim at Oregon State University.
– Bethany Gingerich and Jake Hindmarsh were named Sweet Home’s Junior First Citizens.
– Facing difficulties in finding qualified applicants for Sweet Home’s finance director position, the City Council approved an increase in the advertised salary to try to attract more experienced candidates.
– The City Council approved new financial policies to give city staff more options in investing funding reserves.
– Seismic fixes to the Sweet Home High School auditorium have resulted in other improvements, including new lighting, paint, acoustic panels and backdrop curtains.
– Cascade Timber Consulting announced that Milt Moran will serve as the company’s next president.
– SHFAD added a new ambulance to its fleet and hired two new firefighter-medics.
December
– City Council members voted to reject a proposal to pay $101,000 for City Hall construction documents, objecting to the cost.
– Customers flooded Going Green during its grand opening as Sweet Home’s first retail store to sell recreational marijuana.
– The county and city agreed on terms for the transfer of the former Knife River quarry property to the city of Sweet Home.
– County Commission Chair Roger Nyquist told a Lebanon audience that things are good in Linn County, primarily because the economy has improved significantly.
– The Sweet Home Alumni Foundation’s Christmas tree auction set new records, grossing more than $37,000.
– Local attorney John Wittwer announced he was joining the Morley Thomas Law Firm after 42 years of operating his own law office.
– Architect Sid Scott struck a deal with the City Council to develop plan for a new City Hall for less than his firm, Scott Edwards Architecture of Portland, originally bid, saying he’d do the design work for 10 percent of the winning bid for actual construction.
– The City Council took no action regarding the eviction by the city of the Northside Park caretaker on the grounds that the recreational vehicle in which she lives wasn’t consistent with city code for structures in that area. The caretaker had been looking to the council to reverse the decision.
– Planning Commission members approved a conditional use permit to allow the city to begin upgrading its Wastewater Treatment Plant.
– The Sweet Home Police Department introduced a new canine officer who will be used for drug detection.
– Dollar General opened its Sweet Home store and a grand opening celebration drew a large crowd.
– Battalion Chief Guy Smith retired from Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance Service after 30 years with the agency.