Page 4 :IT, ,1, r- - July 18, 2012
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From
Our
Files
Looking back on more than 80 years of
coverage in east Linn County...
I
July 19, 1962
An airstrip for the Sweet Home
community is being considered by
the State Board of Aeronautics, and
Sweet Home-East Linn County
Chamber of Commerce.
"We are seeing to it that every
community in Oregon has an Air-
strip," said Bob Dunn, director for
the State Board of Aeronautics.
According to a State Board of
Aeronautics survey, 75 new air-
strips are needed in Oregon at this
time. Dunn described the proposed
Clark Mill road site as "very ade-
quate." The airstrip would need to
be 250 feet in length.
Firemen were called to Bau-
man sawmill at Foster at 6:07 p.m.
Saturday to quell a blaze at the
green chain end of the mill.
It is believed that wind blown
sparks from the burner started
the fire. Damage is estimated at
$2,000.
July 22, 1987
Twenty-eight young students
from Josai High School in Tokyo,
Japan, arrived in Sweet Home Sun-
day, tired after their long journey,
but with hearty appetites ready for
a two-week taste of rural American
life.
This is the third time Sweet
Home has hosted Josai students.
On an alternating basis, the two
sister schools host students.
From one exciting adventure to
another, this inspiring former Sweet
Home High School student - now
a successful author- is now look-
ing forward to going to Japan on a
world tour covered wagon journey,
1,300 miles in length. Already, the
author of "The Texas Sesquicen-
tennial Wagon Train Story In Po-
ems" and a sequel, "From Sulphur
Springs to Cowtown,"Donna Neal
Stepp is anxiously awaiting her
newest adventure.
LETTERS TO TIlE EDITOR
Happy to see
SH's success
Editor:
This is to the amazing people
of Sweet Home.
Recently, Rural Development
Initiatives brought our two-day
Board and Staff Retreat to Sweet
Home. During this two-day meet-
ing we learned about our combined
20-year effort in the region, the peo-
ple, businesses and organizations
behind Sweet Home's success, and
the amazing work the community
has been doing since our first en-
counter in the early 1990s, when
timber revenue declined.
From the first meeting in 1991,
when RDI assisted Sweet Home
in developing a strategic plan, to
the present day, Sweet Home has
achieved nearly every goal. Sweet
Home has spruced up Main Street,
made significant improvements to
its water and sewer systems, wel-
comed a Boys and Girls Club, Se-
nior Center and Community Cen-
ter, established a new marina, seen
growth in the Oregon Jamboree,
and retained an active and dedi-
cated group of volunteers.
We applaud the people of
Sweet Home for your vision, de-
termination and hard work! RDI is
proud to be a part of your success
by assisting local leaders in build-
ing capacity, providing skills and
training in Economic Vitality and
Community Building programs,
and assisting local business and
organizations through our Orga-
nizational Development and Col-
laboration efforts.
RDI extends a special thanks
to everyone who worked to make
our visit special including our
iSl00 r
A locally owned newspaper founded Sept. 27, 1929
Scott and Miriam Swanson, Co-Publishers
ntNlsweethomenews'¢om
Office: 1313 MainSt., Sweet Home, Oregon
Mailing address: The New Era, Box 39,
Sweet Home, OR, 97386
Phone: (541) 367-2135 • Fax: (541) 367-2137
WHO WE ARE
Scott Swanson, Editor/Co-Publisher scott@sweethomenews.com
Sean C. Morgan, Staff Writer sean@sweethomenews.com
Miriam Swanson, Advertising Manager, Co-Publisher miriam@sweethomenews.com
Christy Keeney, Classified Ads classifieds@sweethomenews.com
Firiel Sevems, Advertising Sales firiel@sweethomenews.com
The New Era (USPS 379-100)is published each Wednesday.
Periodical postage paid at the Sweet Home, Ore., 97386 Post Office.
Postmaster: Please send address changes to
The New Era, Box 39, Sweet Home, Oregon 97386
SUBSCRIPTIONS
In Linn County: $32 Elsewhere: $40 Snowbird: $38
NEWS QUESTIONS/TIPS
Call (541) 367.2135 or e-mail news@sweethomenews.com
hosts, Jo Ann and Tim McQueary,
who arranged our visit and brought
in a cast of Sweet Home stars. Hats
off to: Ken Bronson, Joyce Rowton
and the great bus drivers and staff
at the Senior Center; Milli Horton,
Denim and Pearls Catering; Mike
and Mira Hall, The Point Restau-
rant; Brian Carroll, Linn County
Parks and Recreation; John Mor-
rison, Visit Linn Coalition; Scott
Swanson, The New Era; Alex Paul,
community champion; Dave Furt-
wangler and Mitt Moran, Cascade
Timber Consulting; Brian Hoff-
man, Sweet Home Economic De-
velopment Group and Craig Mar-
tin, City of Sweet Home.
RDI is a nonprofit organization
helping to build vital rural commu-
nities. Sweet Home is an outstand-
-ing example of a community who
has come together, built a plan and
worked collaboratively to achieve
your goals. It's been an honor to
partner with you in this journey.
Craig Smith
Executive Director
Karl Rosenfeld
Development Director
Rural Development Initiatives
Give your fresh
fruit a washing
Editor:
I have noticed that both family
and public kitchen help all seem to
presume that if strawberries come
in a clear plastic clamshell that the
fruit is ready to eat. It is not! Read
the fine print: "Rinse before eat-
ing," or some such admonishment.
My uncle in central California
raised oranges, grapefruit, peaches,
grapes.., all wonderful stuff. When
he gave us some to take home after
a visit, he always reminded us to be
sure and wash it thoroughly; "You
don't want to eat what we spray on
it!" When it is packaged for sale in
stores, it may have been rinsed...
with a preservative.
Therefore, wash an orange or
grapefruit or melon before you slice
it; wash those berries and cherries
you bought at the store, or even
farmer's market. You don't want to
eat what was sprayed on it. Check
the package: if it says ready to eat,
such as baby carrots, that's fine. Be
safe; it takes only a moment to wet
and rub and rinse!
Joan Scofieid
Sweet Home
Romney not
only 'hypocrite'
Editor:
In answer to Diane Daiute[s
letter to the editor (July 11) in
which she complained about Mitt
Romney's lack of military service.
WRITE A LETTER
We encourage readers to express their opinions in letters to the editor
on matters of public interest. Letters should be typed and may be submitted
by mail, e-mail, fax or in person at The New Era office. E-mailed letters may
be sent to news@sweethomenews.com.
Please include a telephone number in case we need to contact you.
Also, we require that you include your name and city of residence or your
letter will not be published.
There is no length restriction, but letters may be edited for length and
all letters will be edited for libelous content. We discourage letters that attack
or complain about private citizens or businesses on a personal level. Also,
letters containing comments on topics deemed by the editorial staff to have
been exhausted in previous letters will be edited accordingly.
Jusi how much time has Presi-
dent Obama spent in the military
except for being the commander in
chief?. Zilch, nada, none.
He has disrespected every
branch of our military in one way or
another. Even r fifth-grader knows
that the "P" in Marine Corps is si-
lent, but not the commander in chief
and even a fifth-grader knows that
when you salute the flag the hand
goes over the heart, not the crotch;
but then that's our president and we
are supposed to respect him.
For the past 68 years, all presi-
dents, except Obama, have paid
tribute to the fallen soldiers killed
on D-Day. This year he made a
campaign trip on Air Force 1 to
California to raise funds for the
upcoming election. He did not
honor them in 2010, or 2011 either.
Obama did not even have the guts
to vote for or against the Iraq war
- he voted present; quite the leader,
huh?
Obama is the only president to
ever give his support to a foreign
nation in a lawsuit against one of
our own states. Talk about alle-
giance to our country. Talk about
your hypocrisy
So before bashing Romney, I
think you should take a very hard
look at the present Democratic
choice for the next four years. I
may not like Romney but I dislike
Obama even more. Four more years
of the "liberal's dream come true"
wilt destroy the two-party system;
but then, again, hasn't that been the
goal of the liberals all along?
Jeani West
Sweet Home
Credit for car.
show goes around
Editor:
This is to the sponsors and fel-
low volunteers of the Sweet Home
• See Letters, page 5
