Fire destroys residence off Old Hufford
Fire destroyed a home on Old Hufford Drive early Saturday morning, Dec. 27. Fire crews and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office responded just before 4:30 a.m. to a…
LATEST NEWS
Next week will mark new era for newspaper
Next week’s edition of The New Era will include some changes. As of Jan. 1, we will begin extending our weekly coverage of Sweet Home to the entire east Linn County – most notably, Lebanon.…
SHFAD, former staffer settle suit
A legal dispute between the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District and a former staffer, Zach Lincoln, has ended in a settlement agreement. Fire Chief Nick Tyler announced to the district…
Storms impacts area with multiple closures, minor flooding
Last week’s storms left downed trees and some power outages, but otherwise, Sweet Home largely escaped the flooding and other issues experienced by communities to the north. According to city…
Students create fish art project for Main Street median
In the metals shop on a recent morning at Sweet Home High School, Bode Nichols and Cohen Gutierrez were bending rebar into L-shaped stakes, using a gas-powered torch. In the next room, Caiden…
Samaritan announces temporary pause for labor and delivery services in Lebanon
Shortage of regional OB-GYN workforce cited as cause for the closure Samaritan Health Services announced in a press release that labor and delivery services at Samaritan Lebanon…
Heavy rain results in sewage flowing into river
Heavy rainfall, combined with saturated ground conditions, resulted in the City of Sweet Home overflowing diluted raw sewage into Ames Creek, the city reported Wednesday, Dec. 10. The creek…
SPORTS
Husky Swimmers Reunite
Action photos by Scott Swanson
Girls win close defensive hoops battle with Estacada
By Keeghan Gittins For The New Era Sweet Home’s girls basketball team’s schedule was tweaked last week by the storms, but the Huskies still got one game in, a 28-26 win over Estacada at home.…
Sweet Home records triumphs at Thurston; Bailey Chafin returns
By Ryker Burr For The New Era After what would’ve been the first chance to wrestle in front of its home crowd was cancelled due to storms earlier in the week, Sweet Home’s wrestlers headed to…
Boys lose two in hoops, but stay close to No. 1 team
By Keeghan Gittins For The New Era Amid some schedule changes due to turbulent weather, Sweet Home’s boys lost both their basketball games last week, at home to Estacada and then, after two…
COMMUNITY
Effort to decorate tree for kids comes to bad end
K.C. Smith got an idea a few years ago as he drove past a little Douglas fir growing behind the guardrail in the parking lot on the southwest corner of North River Drive and Foster Dam Road.…
Janella Spears: Lifetime of service bridges two worlds
By Satina Tolman For The New Era For more than five decades, Janella Spears has quietly served as a bridge between the deaf and hearing worlds – using her hands, her medical training, and her…
Willamette Industries remembered: ‘Making the most of the best’
By Roberta McKern For The New Era As usual, the East Linn Museum is closed for the early part of the winter. A cold breeze swirls around it, but memories of the past remain safe within and we…
OPINION
Editorial: New focus is aim to make newspaper better
As reported on page 1 of today’s issue, we’re about to embark on a new era for The New Era as we expand our coverage of east Linn County as a whole. Don’t worry. The newspaper will…
Opinion: Resurgence of public participation a plus
One of the things that’s struck me in returning to The New Era is how the community has rebounded from COVID. Even in the summer of 2023, when we thought we were “retiring,” things…
FROM OUR FILES
From Our Files: Jan. 7, 2026
Jan. 11, 1951 Seven newly built school bus stop shelters are now in use, and more are expected. The shelters are financed by a benefit dance and built by the Active Club members. The first to be…
From Our Files: Dec. 31, 2025
Jan. 4, 1951 Too heavy, too high and too wide, reads the citation at the justice court regarding the huge Douglas fir which was parked along the highway last week. Dale C. Morgan was hauling the log…
OREGON JOURNALISM PROJECT (OJP)
Mother forced to dig up son’s burial vault
The emptying of the grave site ends long-running litigation involving the nation’s largest funeral company and a prominent Oregon family. By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon Journalism Project A…
Confronted by a grassroots backlash, Democrats consider repealing unpopular gas tax hike
Repealing the controversial bill could deprive Republicans of a powerful campaign issue in an election year. By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon Journalism Project At politically oriented holiday…
Oregon parents disproportionately exempt school-age children from vaccines
Oregon has the nation’s third-highest opt-out rate, leaving more than 50,000 children vulnerable to serious disease. By Khushboo Rathore Oregon Journalism Project Oregon’s already low…