Hometown Newspaper of Lyle Dirksen
Serving the Sweet Home community since 1929
Wednesday, October 31, 2012 Vol. 83, No. 44
75 Cents.
Fleeing suspect, who
rammed a variety of
vehicles during
pursuit, arraigned
on numerous charges
By Sean C. Morgan and
Scott Swanson
Of The New Era
The suspect who led police in
a 45-minute pursuit that ended in
a residential area in Sweet Home
Wednesday evening, Oct. 24, has
been arraigned on a laundry list
of charges after allegedly ram-
ming his truck into three police
cars and a privately owned car.
Joseph Arthur Williams, a
34-year-old Sweet Home-area
transient, was
arrested at the
scene on three
counts of assault-
ing a police of-
ricer, attempting
to elude police, .....
reckless driving, Williams
criminal mischief
and failure to perform the duties
of a driver involved in a crash.
At an arraignment Friday, he
was further charged with three
counts of second-degree assault,
A deputy checks a damaged Linn County Crown Victoria patrol car, driven by
where Joe Williams 'pickup crashed into it on Fourth Avenue.
an additional charge of first- on Oct. 24, a caller reported to
degree criminal mischief, five the Linn County Sheriff's of-
counts of recklessly endangering fice that he saw a male subject
another person and attempting to near a 1978 Chevrolet pickup
elude police on foot. spotlighting deer in the area of
Securitywas set at 25700 Old Holley Road, Sweet
$250,000. Home. The caller reported that
At approximately 8:54 p.m. he warned the male subject not
Photo by Sean C. Morgan
county Sgt. Shawn Fielders,
to shoot the deer. The suspect
then allegedly asked the caller
if he should shoot him instead.
Sheriff's Deputy Corey Putney
arrived in the area a short time
later and recognized Williams,
• See Pursuit, page 5
Le; gue's
plan would
boost city
revenue
By Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The League of Oregon Cities
is proposing two measures that will
improve funding for city govern-
ments by allowing local voters to
pass local option levies that exceed
property tax limitations and reset-
ting assessed property values at the
time of sale.
The Sweet Home City Council,
during its regular meeting on Oct.
23, viewed a video created by the
LOC to explain the two concepts
and the problems that it is intended
to resolve.
"Oregon cities are struggling,"
said Chris Fick of the LOC. "Over
the last five years cities have seen
revenues decline and rainy day
funds plummet. Cities are also
understandably pessimistic about
being able to meet their financial
needs.
"In this last fiscal year, one in
six cities actually saw property tax
revenues, the largest source of rev-
enue for most cities and supposed
to be the most stable, actually de-
cline."
According to the LOC, reve-
nues have declined nearly 4 percent
• See League, page 7
Stock remembered as warm, loving'angel'
Josai program gets
green light from reds
The U,S. Immigration and Customs En-.
forcement's Student and Exchange Visitor
Program, better known as SEVIS, has ap-
proved Sweet Home High School's certifica-
tion to host foreign exchange students.
The school's 30-year student exchange
with Josai University High School in Tokyo,
Japan, was interrupted this year after paper-
work necessary to renew SHHS's certifica-
• See Josai, page 6
By Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
James "Skip" Stock and his brother Ted
performed many funerals together, but Skip al-
ways made sure they were not morose affairs.
"He allowed crying, but he demanded
laughter, so this is a celebration of life," Ted
told hundreds of friends and family members
who joined the Stock family at Northwest
Christian University in the Morse Event Cen-
ter in Eugene Sunday afternoon, Oct. 28, to re-
member Skip, who died Oct. 20 at age 67.
"Skip loved people," Ted said. "If he was
sitting next to you, by now he would know
your life story. You'd tell him things you'd
never tell your wife, but he would come home
and tell me."
Across the street from the Morse Center
is what used to be the university's administra-
tion building, Ted said. A fire escape ran up the
side. As a student at Northwest Christian, Skip
would climb that fire escape around midnight
At the top, he would find his favorite profes-
sor, Song Rhee, and they would "change the
word," chatting for hours. Rhee later became
academic dean emeritus.
"About 10 years ago, Skip and I held
hands, and we gave each other a big hug," Rhee
said Sunday. "After coming home that night, I
wrote him a letter. It is my personal tribute to
Skip."
James, Joel and Matthew Stock perform
service for their father, Skip Stock.
Photo by
"I Can Only Imagine" during the
Sean C. Morgan
celebration of life
"I used to think angels were beautiful
maidens flying around in white pajamas until
I met you," the letter said. "They rescue those
in trouble, comfort those in sorrow, encourage
those in despair, visit the sick and dying, de-
fend the weak and the forgotten and love those
who feel alone and rejected.
"You have been an angel here on earth,"
Rhee said. "With an angelic touch, you have
blessed so many. You have learned well in the
halls of learning on this campus."
Skip learned the Gospel and lived it in his
• See Stock, page 3
8
