Page 4 ll T ra -August 15, 2012
-- COMMUNITV OPINION --
LETTERS TO Tile [.DITOR
From _
Our
Files
Looking back on more than 80/ears of
coverage in east Linn County...
August 16, 1962
Oregon's newest electric power
transmission "highway" is rapidly
nearing completion in the Willamette
valley and will be in operation short-
ly to supply customers with more
electricity in the future.
The manager reported a 14-mile
l l5,000-volt line connecting Leba-
non with the Fry installation nearly
finishe& It is one of three circuits ra-
diating into the valley from Fry.
Burglars broke into the local
Post Office building on 'L' street
sometime between 5:30 p.m. Tues-
day and 6 a.m. Wednesday and
"peeled" a safe, but according to
investigating authorities they ap-
parently left the building "empty-
handed."
Following a check, postal in-
spector E. H. Eskola disclosed that
apparently nothing was taken by the •
burglars.
August 19, 1992
Sweet Home's 80-year all-
school reunion was held Saturday.
Planned for the last 18 months
by a committee chaired by Jim
Riggs and Mona Waibel, the gala
event dew rave reviews from the
early morning breakfast.at the Elk's
Lodge until the last song was danced
to on the Weddle Bridge.
Expecting 1,200 to 1,500 per-
sons, the reunion committee said
Monday that more than 2,500
showed up for the festivities that had
a dual purpose: celebrate 80 years
of education in the community and
raise funds for a continuing scholar-
ship promoted by the Sweet Home
Alumni Group.
Returns to SH
bring beauty
Editor:
Our family lived in Sweet
Home for 34 years and enjoyed the
mall town.
I now live in Albany and have
driven back to church on Sunday
for nine years.
I just want to express my
thanks to all the people involved in
helping to make the town so beau-
tifuL with all the hanging baskets
and flowers through the median
strip.
They are a bright spot and I
really have enjoyed the beauty.
Again, thanks.
Melva Garber
Albany
Departing coach
made big impact
Editor:
Coaching is an area of life
where you get true enjoyment
through seeing someone else's suc-
cess. It's not a,job, it's a lifestyle
devoted to continuous investment
into the athletic community. Our
focus is in developing, not only
good athletes, but also great out-
standing citizens.
This summer, Sweet Home
loses two from its track and sports
community. Lela Danforth, who's
been coaching the Junior High
Track program since 2010 (prior to
that, assisting at the high school),
is leaving for a new job. And of
course, on a much more somber
note, we've lost our announcer and
friend Ken Roberts, who passed
away just recently.
Excellence in coaching isn't
always found on the podium: For us
in the track and running world, it's
those little improvements, break-
outs of toughness in competition
and the light bulb turning on as a
young athlete finally begins to put
the pieces together, that make our
coaching lives fulfilling. At Sweet
Home High School, we've greatly
benefited from Lela's hard work.
By the time a kid arrives in
The
A locally owned newspaper founded Sept. 27, 1929
Scott and Miriam Swanson, Co-Publishers
www,$weethomenew$.eom
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 sc°tt@sweeth°menewsc°m
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 Severns, 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
our program,.he or she has a solid
base to build upon. Lela has taken
the time to put the many different
pieces together, asking not for im-
mediate gratification, but enjoying
her work as she watches former
athletes grow and develop in high
school and further, as they enter
adulthood.
Coaches aren't babysitters;
they're mentors. Lela's focus has
been developing personal and ath-
letic talent of our youths. In her
own words, heard time and time
again by her athletes (and fellow
coaches), "Hard work trumps tal-
ent when talent doesn't work." In
order for a team to be successful,
you need coaches (and not just at
the top levels) who teach the funda-
mentals of working smart towards
achieving success. Lela knows how
to do just that and instills those ele-
ments into the kids they coach.
In closing, Sweet Home will
miss the great asset that Lela is, but
we do thank her for the time and
hard work she's invested and wish
her the best of luck in her future
endeavors.
Her return was never of self-
gratification, but was in seeing
others grow and develop. The
community she is leaving for will
greatly benefit from her knowledge
and drive. But just like any great
hardworking talent that comes
through a program, it's our mission
as a community to reload and move
forward.
If you ask her. she'll tell you
she'd love to see someone as good.
if not better, take her place.
Lela Danforth is a true coach.
always looking out for what's best
for those being mentored.
Andrew Allen
"Coach Keebler"
Sweet Home
Plants hazardous
along Hwy. 228
Editor:
The Albany Democrat-Herald
recently had a story about an ag-
gressive invader: Scotch broom.
And it reminded me to finish
this letter.
Is that what's blocking my
view at the corner of Oak Terrace
and Hwy. 228 - Scotch broom? I
vote we remove it, then on Oak
Terrace (east bound) put in a fight-
hand turn lane. Actually, that whole
intersection needs to be redesigned
(but not by the same fellows who
did Main Street).
At the corner of Hwy. 228 and
Evergreen Lane we have two prob-
lems:
(1) A holly tree that blocks
drivers' clear vision of oncom-
ing eastbound Hwy. 228 traffic. It
needs to be removed once and for
all.
I wish the owner or the city
would please do so.
(2) Looking in the opposite db
rection we have these scrubs plant-
ed next to the sidewalk that block
the view of westbound Hwy. 228
traffic that is charging to get up and
over the. hill.
I almost got hit by a logging
truck because of those plants.
T.hey should be removed as well
starting at Evergreen Lane and on
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 bythe editorial staff to have
been exhaustedin previous letters will be edited accordingly.
upto the Stone Brook Apartments
driveway.
They serve no purpose and are
ugly to boot.
Diane Daiute
Sweet Home
Josai supporters
must step up now
Editor:
Your article about the Josai
program (Aug. 1) was dead on.
It is time for Sweet Home to
step up and support a 30-year pro-
gram filled with love and learning.
I was the coordinator for the Josai
program'at the high school for l0
years, I have first-hand knowledge
of Sweet Home students experienc-
ing Japan. I have hosted several
short-stay students in my home.
I have taken Josai students
around Oregon. We have experienced
the fish hatchery, McCubbins' farm,
walked the community, and these
students have been hosted by fami-
lies in Sweet Home for 30 years.
If families in Sweet Home
have hosted these kids for 30 years,
and Josai has hosted our students
for all this time, don't you think
this program has support, love, and
a tremendous amount of people in
this community that have been im-
pacted by Josai?
This program is a chance for us
to experience culture from a distant
land. and we are experiencing with
people who love our community/
Should we really slap them in the
face and say "no?"
Steve Hummer
Sweet Home
Josai program too
vital to let die
Editor:
It has recently been brought to
my attention that our Josai program
of 30 years may be coming to an
end.
I strongly urge that the Josai
program not be terminated. We
live in a small and to some extent
secluded town, with many children
who rarely have the opportunity to
• See Letters, page 5
