Scholarship dollars flow in Christmas Tree sale
It was a big night for the Sweet Home Alumni Foundation as it hosted nearly 250 people Saturday night, Dec. 6, at its 2025 Christmas Trees for Scholarships Auction.…
LATEST NEWS
Teen killed, 11-year-old, second teen severely injured in crash
A Lebanon teen was killed and a Sweet Home-area girl was severely injured Friday evening, Dec. 5, in a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of McDowell Creek Drive and Berlin Road north…
Flood watch warning in effect through Thursday evening
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Linn County through Thursday night, Dec. 11. According to the NWS, heavy rain that arrived Monday signalled the beginning of several…
Warning: Plan ahead for holiday celebrations
December is Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to be cautious. . With the holidays come family gatherings, office parties,…
ODOT review blasts Umpqua Transit district’s management and hiring practices
The agency says the board and its former CEO violated numerous rules related to grant funds. By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon Journalism Project The Oregon Department of Transportation has…
Sweet Home man dies in motorcycle crash in Lebanon
A Sweet Home man died Nov. 29 in a motorcycle crash on Bellinger Scale Road, Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reported. In a statement issued Dec. 1, Duncan said the Linn County Sheriff’s…
Pearl Harbor Day dinner to honor Albany man, 105, one of remaining survivors
By Jennifer Moody For The New Era Quick action saved David Russell from going down with the USS Oklahoma when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor 84 years ago. Exactly three years later –…
SPORTS
Wrestling teams expect big things with strong returnees
By Ryker Burr For The New Era After a state runner-up finish on the boys side last year, Head Coach Steve Thorpe is hungry for more than just his 11th straight state trophy. “The expectation…
Girls look to continue forward strides in basketball
By Keeghan Gittins For The New Era The Sweet Home girls basketball made big strides last season, and after not graduating any seniors, the Huskies believe they’re ready for another step…
Still young but now veteran, Huskies aim to move up on court
By Keeghan Gittins For The New Era Sweet Home boys basketball is heading into the new season with a roster of players who have seen the varsity floor before. They’re a young team – the only…
SH’s swim numbers down, but experience returns
By Satina Tolman For The New Era The Sweet Home High School swim team has grown used to racing at the front of the pack. Last winter, the program delivered one of its strongest showings in…
COMMUNITY
Kids, cops enjoy some Christmas shopping at BiMart
Wade Savolt and Oregon State Trooper Loren Linhart, discuss Christmas gift options Saturday morning, Dec. 6, during the annual Shop With a Cop activity. The annual event pairs local law…
Local holiday fun on the docket this weekend
It’s Christmas time in Sweet Home and things kicked off Saturday, Nov. 29, with the city Tree Lighting at City Hall. There’s a lot more to come and here are some events to look forward to and…
Singing Christmas Tree
Members of the Children’s Choir, above, sing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” during the Friday night performance of the Sweet Home Singing Christmas Tree. It was the 43rd…
OPINION
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…
Opinion: Welcome news ends epic trip
By John Marble I woke up slowly this morning, several hours too early, gradually coming to grips with the knowledge that it was Thanksgiving day. A hard rain was pounding on the old…
FROM OUR FILES
From Our Files: Dec. 10, 2025
Dec. 14, 1950 The Linn County telephone exchange will install 40 new suburban lines for Sweet Home and Lebanon. Each line carries a maximum of 10 customers, serving 400 telephone users in rural Linn…
From Our Files: Dec. 3, 2025
Dec. 7, 1950 The Junior Chamber of Commerce dressed the city up for a holiday appearance with tree greenery and colored lights along Main Street. Clusters of brightly colored bells, smiling Santa…
OREGON JOURNALISM PROJECT (OJP)
Spotlight: Dan Rayfield
Oregon’s rookie attorney general is making his living suing Donald Trump. By OJP Staff From the moment Attorney General Dan Rayfield took office in January, the Oregon Department of…
Three takeaways from the 2025 Oregon fire season
More fires, less damage, and people still cause more fires than lightning. By Khushboo Rathore Oregon Journalism Project Despite early forecasts of a punishing 2025 wildfire season,…
OLCC rejects grocers’ bid to sell booze-based canned cocktails
The dispute is part of a larger disagreement over who should be allowed to sell hard liquor in Oregon. By Nigel Jaquiss Oregon Journalism Project At its Nov. 20 meeting, the Oregon…