Page 4
- October 31,2012
__.. w~20~Z •
From
Our
Files
Looking back on more than 80 years of
coverage in east Linn County,.,
November 1, 1962
Damages to lands of the Wil-
lamette National Forest as a re-
sult of the Oct. 12 Columbus Day
storm, is estimated at $1,715,000.
An estimated 17 million board
feet of timber was blown down.
Dedication ceremonies will
take place at 8 p.m. next Thursday
night for the new Sweet Home Ju-
nior High School.
An Honor Band under the
direction of Paul McLain, music
supervisor for Elementary District
55, will be present.
This band will be comprised
of 45 students from Sweet Home
Union High School and the junior
high school.
Work on the new Crawfords-
ville bridge across the Calapooya
river is well under way.
The existing bridge, a covered
timber truss, will be left intact as
a historical monument. The new
bridge is scheduled for completion
before the summer of 1963.
October 28, 1987
Rodeo officials released the
annual report Wednesday. The
Sportsman's Holiday Calapooia
Roundup festivities generated
nearly $2,000 in "profit, redhced
debtg by another $2,000 attracted
nearly 300 contestants.
Record crowds added to the
excitement of record entries.
"It helped being a part of the
Budweiser• rodeo circuit," said
President Larry Dodge. "We have
some major sponsorship from Bad
and Jeep, and we think that this
year even more major sponsors
Will join us."
Jody Karr was named queen
and David Wooley king at the 1987
Homecoming Assembly at Sweet
Home High School.
a troubl id world, voting's than just an ption
Watching this year's politi- Not F Are they just crazy? Really stu- the worldandembarrassedoural- world view. Likely, that fitwon't
cal campaign, it's easy to become es rom pid? lies. Our health system is a mess. be perfect, but we're making a
frustrated and cynical by the inane r-l-~l ~r Well, I've interviewed plenty Distrust of government and of coy- statement about what we believe is
TV commercials featuring all man- l~e1'~ ewsroom of these people over the years and I porate America is rampant. Our right and that's important - that's
ner of red herrings, half-truths and don't think they're crazy - at least retirement systems --,.Medicare and what democracy is all about. And
the typical mud-slinging. As one not most of them. Many have no Social Security - are looking more unless we want despots telling us
person said in my hearing recently, chance and they know it. They and more like houses of cards, how to live our lives, it's our best
"it's like we're flooded with words aren't people-pleasers and they of- It's easy to be cynical and option.
that have no meaning." ten have one or two issues - prin- wonder how our little vote can Yeah, the mere mention of
Having reached the point Scott ciples - that they really care about, change anything, especially since "principles" and"duty" sound kind
Where, if we haven't voted yet, Swanson But that's why they run: Be- legislators who actually operate ofstiffandold-fashioned, butmuch
we need to start thinking seriously -- cause it's a chance to sensitize the according to principle (at least the as many post-moderns, millenni-
Publisher
about getting it done, the question public to those issues or principles, one you or I might hold dear) seem als, Generation Whatevers, might
may arise: Why bother? - to get more attention than they increasingly few. chafe at the thought, principles are
I heard someone ask that ques- heartened by the foolish decisions might normally for the cause that's Maybe your vote won't changestill what govern the processes of
tion recently - an intelligent in- made in Salem by the citified ma- dear to their heart. It's the right the world, but voting is good for us our world. The principle that if
dividual who has thought deeply jority in our legislature (and their thing to do. ' and it's our duty. you spend more than you make,
about the issues in this election and constituents, who vote on initia- We come into this election In this day of diminished prin- for instance, will eventually come
who has a very mature set of politi- tives that affect us rural residents), experiencing a world that is vastly ciples, we don't think much about home to rest for all of us, whatever
cal beli.efs, it's a legitimate question. Why different from the one we lived in duty. But as citizens of a demo- we want to think.
If you thinl~ the two leading bother at all? even 10 years ago. Our national cratic republic, we really do have If we don't dictate them,
presidential Candidates ate cha- Here's a related question that debt has skyrocketed out of sight, an obligation to participate in our they'll dictate to us.
meleons who have produced little might be worth considering. Why We are pulling troops out of one government. We're foolish not to. That's why we need to vote.
convincing evidence that they're do some politicians run for office war zone and hoping we don't If nothing else, by voting, We need to say our piece, mark the
the men for the job, if you're dis- when they know they can't win? have to commit to any more con- each of us is committing ourselves box on the ballot choices that best
flict. We have, in the minds of to support a person or measure reflect ourview-imperfectthough
many in AmeriCa, lost standing in that best represents our ideals, our they may be - and cast it.
A locally ownednewspaper founded Sept. 27, 1929
Scott and Miriam Swanson, Co-Publishers
Miriam
www.sweet homenews.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
WHO WE ARE
Scott Swanson, Editor/Co-Publisher scott@sweethomenews.com
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The New Era, Box 39, Sweet Home, Oregon 97386
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LETTERS TO Tllr_. EJ)ITOR
President's there
on campaign trail
Editor:
Watching TV, listening to the
radio and reading the local papers
about the flap over Libya, I can't
help but wonder if the 'president (and
hopefully he will) loses the election,
whom he will blame - his czars?
Can't blame it on Bush. Cer-
tainly can't blame himself. He
hasn't done anything but campaign
for nearly a year. He couldn't even
spare the time from campaigning
WRITE A LETTER
We encourage readers to express their opinions in letters to the editor
on matters of public interest, Letters shoutd 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 corn .............
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
lettSr will not be published.
There is no length restriction, but letters may be edited for length and
all letters will be edited forlibelous content. We discourage letters that attack
or complain about private citizens o~ bus!nesses on a personal level. Also,
letters containing comments on topi d emed by the editorial staff to have
been exhausted in previous letters will be edited accordingly:
on the day after the death of our
ambassador to Libya to attend his
regularly scheduled morning secu-
rity briefing.
But then why would he? He
hadn't attended one in months!
On another subject, I put $550
in an annuity with a major insur-
ance company about 1963. When
I reached 65, I started to receive
about $t03 a month for the rest of
my life.
If I die before I reach 85, my
heirs will receive it until then. I able
tO continue to contribute and am I
sorry I didn't? You bet your sweet
biffy I am!
I don't know how much I con-
tributed to Social Security but I put
7 percent of my base salary into an
annuity and my employer contrib-
uted a like amount for a period of
• See Letters, page 5
