The official Memorial Day weekend driving period is upon us.  After you remember our honored dead, Linn County Sheriff Bruce Riley has a few other things to remember:  they are adding three part-time deputies this year to patrol the Quartzville corridor and Detroit areas, as camping along the road is illegal this year.  Also, remember that Foster Lake will be full and Green Peter is big…….so, with many other lakes having low water problems, there will be more boats out on those two lakes this year.  And remember, wear your life jacket and be ready to jump into water that is colder this time of year than you might be ready for.

In this area, primary voters turned out in underwhelming numbers.  Albany’s bond issue for a new police station and fire house passed narrowly, Benton County voters trounced a proposed ban on GMO’s, Scio gets a new city charter, Stayton voters passed a fire district equipment levy, Marcola voters passed a levy for a new elementary school, and Lane County voters beat back an attempt by county commissioners to slap an extra 35 dollar fee per year for all their vehicles.