Page 4 - August 8, 2012
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The Oregon Jamboree has fin-
ished celebrating its 20th year with
huge crowds, top country music per-
formers, a great emcee and some siz-
zling temperatures.
For the most part, it was a very
excellent weekend for Sweet Home.
Jamboree officials say the
crowds were record size and it cer-
tainly appeared that way as the
beach chairs stretched the length and
breadth of the Sweet Home High
School athletic fields.
The campers rolled in in a
steady line starting in mid-week. We
don't have hard figures yet, but anec-
dotally, at least, from our position in
The New Era office at 1313 Main St
it really seems the patrons are arriv-
ing earlier and staying later - which
is really good for Sweet Home busi-
nesses.
These people buy gas and gro-
ceries, they rent sites in local camp-
grounds, they book the local motels,
and generally just spend money. A
lot of i~hat money is spent in locally
owned businesses and it stays here
- and we are not talking about what-
ever profits the Jamboree might wind
up with.
A lot of that is due to innovative
twists instituted by Jamboree orga-
nizers. The Safeway pre-Jamboree
party and Neal McCoy's reception
on Thursday were good reasons to
get here early. Local performers got
a chance to show their stuff at the
Safeway bash, which drew a crowd
that packed the parking lot.
Each year, it seems, more fans
are walking the streets in the morn-
ings, which is exactly what Sweet
Home's downtown needs. We hope
local businesses were enterprising
and took advantage of that.
The increased traffic may be due
to the improving appearance of the
downtown - thanks in part to profits
A locally owned newspaper founded Sept. 27, 1929
Scott and Miriam Swanson, Co-Publishers
from previous Jamborees - and the
increased clustering of shops that at-
tract walk-in shoppers, are part of the
reason for that apparent rise in shop-
ping activity.
The festival is an emotional
event for many of the fans, who
clearly relish watching their musical
heroes perform live. Behind the hi-
larity is a lot of sweat and hard work
accomplished by the hundreds of vol-
unteers who make it all happen It's
a well-oiled machine after 20 years
and Sweet Home should appreciate
the fact that it runs as well as it does,
considering that there is very little
paid Staff involved.
Sure, there were problems this
year. When you haxie crowds num-
bering in the tens of thousands, there
are going to be some bad apples in
the bunch and we did hear of fights
and people who simply had had too
much to drink
For some, unfortunately, that's
what it's all about and, from an or-
ganizational standpoint, it's difficult
to control what people do and still let
them have fun. Hitting that balance
www.sweethomenews.com
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
Miriam
WHO WE ARE
Scott Swanson, Editor/Co-Publisher scott@sweethomenews.com
Sean C. Morgan, Staff Writer sean@sweethomenews.com
Swanson, Advertising Manager, Co-Publisher miriam@sweethomenews.com
is very tricky, particularly in today's
post-modern society in which people
increasingly think the world revolves
around them and are here to maxi-
mize their experience in every way
possible.
Mix in some spirits and it can be
a difficult situation, but the Jamboree
staff needs to continue to do every-
thing possible to make sure it doesn't
reach excessive levels.
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
The heat was definitely an issue
this year, particularly since, locally,
we had not gotten close to the cen-
tury mark on the~ thermometer. With
temperatures reported at 104 on Sat-
urday, the medics stayed busy and we
appreciate their efforts, responding
quickly as medical situations arose.
Now we have to wait to see what
kind of numbers Jamboree officials
produce and how they add up. Re-
cord-sized crowds are a big plus, but
the cost of talent, Jamboree officials
have said for a number of years, has
also shot up and talent is what brings
in ticket-buyers. The presence of a
similar festival a dozen miles down
the road and two weeks separated
from the Jamboree gives country
music acts more options - and makes
the market more competitive, we're
told by those in the business.
The Jamboree has survived for
20 years after local country music
lovers decided a camping festival
would be a good way to bring some
needed cash into the community.
The festival has been a success
because local people have participat-
ed in and supported it.
It has produced many good
things for the community: tens
of thousands of dollars for local
schools; grants for charitable orga-
nizations; income for organizations
such as the Rotary and Kiwanis
clubs, local Parent-Teacher organiza-
tions, Volunteer Fire fighters Associa-
tion, the Sweet Home Beautification
Committee, Sunshine Industries and
the Elks; money-making opportuni-
ties for residents who rent out their
extra space for parking or RV sites;
income for local businesses from
the extra 10,000 people in town; and
lots of great country music for local
fans.
Yes, there are drunks, there is
noise, there is traffic, there are lines
in the store Yes, it's inconvenient
But by all appearances it went
pretty well this year and for that we
should be grateful.
From
Our
Files
Looking back on more than 80 years of
coverage in east Linn County
August 9, 1962
Fifty-three fires have burned
16 1/2 acres in the Willamette Na-
tional forest this year, as opposed
to last year's 76 fires.
Use of equipment accounted
for 15 fires, lightning set 11, smok-
ing 10 and recreation use 9. Last
year almost half were lightning
caused with only 39 man-caused
fires compared to the 42 man-
caused fires this year. The larg-
est fire, five miles east of Detroit,
burned 13 of the total 16 acres
burned.
District 55 Superintendent
George Kontos was informed this
week that the new Sweet Home
Junior High School has been ap-
proved as a secondary school under
state standards by the State Depart-
ment of Education
AS a secondary school they are
strongly urged to include arts and
crafts, home economics, industrial
arts, and at least one foreign lan-
guage.
The junior high meets the fol-
lowing standards: 1. A junior high
in the State of Oregon with grades
seven and eight, eight and nine, or
seven, eight and nine. 2. Students
in grades seven and eight must be
assigned at least two consecutive
periods with one teacher per day.
3. The instructional and extra-cur-
ricular programs must be designed
to meet special standards of this
age group. 4. It must have a central
library.
August 12, 1987
Oregon sawmills produced
8.15 billion board feet of softwood
lumber in 1986, the highest volume
in 13 years. The estimated whole-
sale value of the lumber produced
was $2.01 billion
Dan Dee Sales has expanded
its men's, women's and children's
to help meet family needs in Sweet
Home, according to owners Jack
and June Legg.
The 12-year-old establishment
recently underwent a major reno-
vation which included remodel-
ing of the office areas into a larger
clothing area, the construction of a
new office area, and renovation of
a portion of the warehouse into a
large shoe sales area.
They now carry a selection
of athletic, leisure and work shoes
and boots.
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