SHEM: Sweet Home Emerancy Ministries

Buddy The Head Hunter

At a glance:
Who: Buddy's Barber Shop
Where: Sweet Home, OR

Buddy is known in Sweet home, OR, on Long Street where he states, "I'm very happy being Buddy, right here for thirty-nine years come this May 7, 2010. Buddy's Barber Shop, the owner, Buddy, has had his Barber Shop known for the town of Sweet Home, "The Head Hunter." Buddy's customers give Buddy quite a time coming to Buddy's Barber Shop. Buddy asks his customers how they are doing and quite a few say different things to the Barber. One particular customer answered Buddy by saying, "I'm doing fine, but I will get over it."

Buddy came to Sweet Home, OR, with his parents, from Wright City, OK, at nine years old. From Sweet Home, OR, back to Wright City, OK, at twelve years old, Buddy returned back to Sweet Home at nineteen, graduated from Eugene Barber Shop, married in Sweet Home, and bought Buddy's Shop in 1971.

One of the locals, Ron Watts of Sweet Home, OR, during a trim at Buddy's Barber Shop, Watts and Buddy discuss other interests in common. Both join the "Snow-Birds" in Quartsite, AR, around mid-January in a camp-site, set-aside just for campers from all over come to spend for vacations. Buddy's family and Watts' family have vacationed nine to ten years together at Quartsite. Buddy explains the "Snow-Birds" camping site is given this name because tourists vacation this area like migrating birds north to south for warmer weather. This campsite is located out in the desert of Arizona in a little town where camp trailers of all kinds vacation. During this seasonal vacation, Buddy exclaims some camp trailers on price range to the top of one million dollars.

Back when Buddy opened "The Head Hunter" Barber Shop, customers offered Buddy tokens for hairs-cuts. Tokens such as car license plates were collected and his special at the door is a hat rack.

Levy's Operater Sweet Home's Library

At a glance:
What: Voter's vote no to pass Sweet Home Library's funding
Why: Voters confused concerning city's budget to support library funding
How: Voters pass no vote, closes library

Voters don't realize the library's funding does not come from the Sweet Home City budget with their tax paying dollars. Sweet Home Librarian, Sandi Leonard, states, "The library's funding has its own four year levy for its own funding." In Sweet Home, OR, the Sweet Home Library has its "own library level", as Leonard explains relies on four year levy to fund the library. The Sweet Home city voting ballot concerning library funding has city voters confused in how this is worded on the ballot.

In 2003, voters voted no against funding for the city library. This is caused by confusion on the city voting ballot how the ballot is read about the library's funding. This resulted in the library being closed for four months in 2003. After four months closure, Sweet Home held special election to re-elect library pass for levy approval funding. The library was re-opened. The levy will be needed to pass soon, again, at the next election.

Leonard has worked part-time at the city library for thirteen years. Leonard listened from one teenager stating, "I love coming to the library. I've come here since I was a little boy". Leonard notes the Sweet Home Library is over thirty years old . The Library had moved originally from City Hall across the street, then built over an old walnut grove.

Heather Horn, an instructor who works at LBCC, visited the library commented, " It's a valuable treasure for the community of Sweet Home. The staff are really friendly." The Library owe Horn five dollars back and she exclaimed, " This never happens to me!", as Horn states the five dollars "must be a blessing!"

Final Story: Shop-lifting and Theft

At a glance
Why: Shop-lifters either don't have money to buy items, or shop-lifting is a habit for them.
Who: Customers entering stores on intent to shop-lift items.
What: Three thousand dollar theft, largest theft in Sweet Home
Where: Surrounding areas in Sweet Home, OR.


Shop-lifting and theft at small convenient market stores in Sweet Home, OR are taking careful steps to control shop-lifting since larger three thousand dollar theft occurred at Santiam Discount Variety store in Sweet Home, OR in 2007. The theft at Santiam Discount Variety store, located in the parking lot on Main Street in Sweet Home was broken into during the night when the store had been closed. The security camera's were able to identify the theft and lead to arrest of person in question. theft

Connie Moyer, the manager at the discount store stated On Saturday, November , 2009, "I have worked here for thirty two years. I have had trusted customers that I'd known for twenty years come in and then shop-lift from me. You just never know. All walks of life have been arrested." Some shop-lifters may not be caught at first. Store employees watch carefully from camera's and mirrors sat high towards ceilings of the store.

Alicia Moyer, an employee at Santiam Descount Variety store had seen a shop-lifter leave outside the store with stolen items. Outside the Store is when suspects can be approached. They are brought inside to have police called to search suspects. The store can be sued by suspects if approached outside from wrongful worded by management to suspects. Other employees, Erica Fulbright and Becca Fulbright (daughter) watch cameras closely. They have had to follow suspendous persons around store.

At three small convenient stores, including Circle K, Speedy Market, and Lake Side Market in Sweet Home on Saturday, November 22, 2009, store clerks stated shop-lifting has little effect in their stores. The working clerk at Circle K, Sam Wilson, stated, "I had never had to call police for shop-lifting or theft when I have worked." Wilson stated he has worked since last December, 2008, at Circle K. He has discovered missing items later during inventory. The last theft reported immediately to police was person as beer-runner fleeing from the store. The beer-runner was not caught resulting the beer was not recovered. Circle K is located between Speedy Market west of town and Lake Side Market east of town.

Speedy Market is located west of Sweet Home with Sweet Home High School on Long Street directly behind the store. When clerk, Lacey Peterson is working she immediately calls police to report kids shop-lifting. She states most items stolen are candy and alcohol. She states, "Certain customers I know who are short on money I will loan them a dollar or so. I loan them money instead of them stealing from the store. She has worked at Speedy Market for almost a year and loves her job.

Lake Side Market leaving east of Sweet Home has changed hands in the last three years. Jesse Grewal states has had only a few shop-lifters in this time. The check-out counter is right by the only door in the front as people come in or out of the store. He watches the front door closely. Jesse does not call the police, he will tell such persons not to come back into the store. Grewal had lived in California and helped his family business liquor store for eighteen years. He states "Theft was real bad in California."

Many convenient stores may have very dangerous incidences when being robbed at gun point, or such. Clerks and customers lives could be in serious dangers.

Take the Albany Democrat-herald "demo" tour

At a glance:
Who: LBCC students
What: Students took tour at AlOn a tour at the Albany Democrat-herald observing the press room rolling out the tons of paper to print the newspaper, don't touch anything in the press room. If you do, do expect to have some printing ink, or a lot of printing ink on your hands, or brushed on your clothes. The printed newspaper has a basic four-color inks to make the colored print for the newspapers. The already known black and white print is the basic print in the paper, but special effects of colored print also adds to a great local paper, the Albany Democrat-Herald newspaper.

There seems to be too much negativity printed in newspaper, but when Steve Lundeberg was asked, he stated, "We try to meet the public of Albany for the citizen's needs and interests. Although there seems to be a lot of negative stories covered, we also try to direct the needs for the city of Albany.

The staff work together in a relaxed newsroom without much tension at all. Everyone seems very professional knowing what their field of reporting entails. When a last minute story happens which is highly important to run, the paper shuts down the operations, to get that up-most story reported. Their dead-lines have to be met by the time specified, or they could lose subscribers to the paper. The long-distance route of papers delivered go out first, maybe with some errors, but the closest paper, may be revised to be a corrected paper, with greater quality.

Amazing Live Performance At LBCC Tripp Theater

At a glance
What: William Faulkner, playwright, featured play,"Two Soldiers"
Where: Russell Tripp Performance Theater, LBCC
Who: Shakespearian actors, John Pribye, and Eddie Lopez

An incredible version, "Two Soldiers", a short story written by, William Faulkner, was fantastically performed by Ashland's two actors on stage at Linn-Benton Community College just inside of Takena Hall at Russell Tripp Performance Theater at 1:00pm on November 13, 2009. Every one was welcomed at LBCC to enjoy the fantastic performance including the Ashland's Shakespeare Festival professional actors, John Pribye and Eddie Lopez. Their unique presentation displayed intense acting skills on stage at LBCC with an appreciated audience. Pribye and Lopez in their performance of "Two Soldiers" created scenes concerning a young boy in his voyage to find his older brother. The main character was the boy, played by Lopez, and Pribye illustrated seven other characters.

The 2009 School Visit Program was an invitation from Peter Jensen, who is an English Instructor/Writing faculty member holding classes at LBCC. Jensen's invitation to out-reach interests to those who also share the same intriguing work from Ashland Festival performances on stage, were greatly amazed by the skilled performers. Jensen commented, " Really well only with two characters to do." Jensen also added this presentation was very powerful.

Pribye stated after the scenes in corresponding with the LBCC audience, "It is also the audiences that makes the live plays a great experience." Lopez portrayed the young boy, who did not have a name, just considered, boy, in the play. Pribye performed seven characters throughout the entire performance with great skills, bringing each character to life without any confusion.

Pribye could turn each transition from scene to scene of each character with excellence performance as he took on the different roles. The play was centered around the boy setting out to find his older brother who had left their farm to join the Army. Pearl Harbor had been attacked by the Japanese and the brother felt he should follow the steps of his father and grandfather who had been in the Army before him. The is when the boy had determined he would find his older brother. The boy could not understand why his brother was leaving their farm. The night after the brother left, boy planned he would find his bother. The play followed as boy sneaked out from their family farm to travel far away to Memphis, Tennessee to find his brother. This young, wild country boy encounters the other characters which lead him to find his brother in Memphis. The brother sends boy back to their country farm to watch over mother and father. Also brother tell boy to look after his half of the family farm.

Needless to Send Treats, Troops Should be Home

At a glance:
Who: Supporting overseas troops
What: U.S. need troops in America
Why: U.S attack on 9-11 was too close in U.S.

The thoughtfulness to send overseas troops packages is showing great respect to honor troop's requests from the States to add to their needs. In actually, troops are needed to stay in America to protect Americans. It was too close of 9-11, when the United States was under attack, that America needed our troops from overseas to be in the States to protect America's own people.

The United States should have American citizens protected first being in the States. Our troops should be stationed in the States, and oversea countries should take care of their own countries. Americans have long been getting lost for caring for their own people. What is more important than protecting Americans own citizens of the United States of American? This is all great to be concerned about our men and women overseas, but little is thought of the horrible deaths.

Does America really need to put highly dangerous weapons, costly war expenses, to go overseas to other countries to kill other people in the name for other countries independence. These persons, of the article in the Commuter, Treats for troops, and other Americans need to be aware Americans die in a most slaughters and murderous deaths in the most violent ways. The other countries' people experience the same. Not only that, but to see American soldiers overseas in countries who have been fighting each other for centuries and probable always will have wars against each other, means very little to American lives.

What about the United States of America being protected? Are Americans going to have to suffer violent all over again in the States, if 9-11 becomes another attack, worse to worse than 9-11?

The article; Treats for troops, in the LBCC Commuter, credited to Alethea Skinner, has good intentions for this article. People don't stop to ask why are Americans even over in Iraq. Doesn't it really matter to Americans they are mostly in the dark concerning what actually is taking place in warfare. To be stated, "Supporting the troops is more than slapping a sticker on the back of your car!", quoted from the LBCC Commuter, November 12, 2009, page seven, from Director Sharon Crary, is an understatement.

Four members, Crary, Nancy Sacks, Larry Schmale, and Marilyn Girdler may really think they are adding support to overseas troops. But, it is just a shame America can not take care of America's own people without sending our men and women in hopes they won't be killed fighting a war in vain.

Just at the bottom of the article, Treats for troops, is a little girl alone, looking down-hearten, and the words, Will you be our friend?, is an example of loneliness. People may not know this, but loneliness is a major disease in America. Supporting 0ur troops overseas doesn't help Americans who need troops in America.

Citizens Protecting Citizens

There are programs of up-most importance in communities to ensure personal and property safety to all citizens. An example would be if a man was holding his wife hostage at gun point, and 9-11 calls come into Sweet Home city police station, Gina Riley responds as the direct correspondent to neighborhood watch programs. Riley is a connection between the police station to call block team captains of such situations. In a phone tree, set up within an average of ten members of neighborhood watch teams, each team member is the go-between to other neighbors in instances of dangers. Team members inform families in the area to warn them of such incidences, especially if neighbors have their children outside.



Organizing connections for neighborhood watch teams, files for neighborhood watch programs are kept in a confidential maintained office. Gina Riley has a locked office located at the Sweet Home city police department. Riley's responsibilities training block team captains requires folders substantial for each neighborhood's team members. Block team captains hold meetings with team members and agendas are reported back to Riley to review. Individuals interested to join neighborhood watch are sought out by notifying Riley in Sweet Home police station.



Sweet Home was settled in 1851. The town was formed into four square blocks. Lumber became into demand by 1940's and Sweet Home became a booming town.

According to the Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce...

In back of Sweet Home police station is an honored sign from when lumber mills still had box cars loaded to ship out lumber cut from Sweet Home's forests. This sign "Sweet Home" introduced passer-byes into the entrance of Sweet Home. Across from the newly built police station is a back field containing an historical sign, well reserved from earlier days. Gina Riley stands proudly in the inheritance of Sweet Home during the passing of the logging industries. In the 1980's, closures of sawmills left Sweet Home still having railroad tracts, but rarely do you see an operating train travel just within city limits. A new railroad crossing gate was built to the west side of the Sweet Home police department, so once in a while a slow train will run a short distance. Sweet Home is now mostly a tourist attraction.

Great inspiration and insight from giving heart

At a glance:
Who: Amy Earls outstanding accomplishments from her many talents
Where: Linn-Benton Community College, Albany, OR
When: Fall, 2009
What: English Education

Amy Earls greets anyone with her caring, cheerful smile and is most helpful in LBCC Bookstore, as retail specialist and works tutoring at LBCC writing center. LBCC is privileged as Earls honors LBCC Poet Laureate, fall 2009. Students receive up most consideration feeling freely comfortable talking with Earls as she answers questions they may have. Students have great appreciation from Earls's specular talents as she gives students much insight with her accomplishments she has learned at LBCC.

Earls attends LBCC as full-time student at LBCC. Earls happily greets students with enthusiam and gives energetic inspiration. Earls found this very special quote: "Dream as if you'll live forever and live as if you'll die tomorrow," from reading little Dove chocolate candy wrappers. Earls received great thought when reading this quote.