Accused couple

The story: James Lindekugel of North Albany is charged with 23 counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor, one count of recklessly endangering a girl under 18, one count of attempted second-degree sexual abuse of a girl under 18 without her consent, and one count of third-degree attempted sexual contact. His wife, Andrea Lindekugel, faces furnishing charges in connection with the alleged offenses in May or June. The case came to light after the Democrat-Herald heard in September that Albany police were investigating a case of vandalism in which the word "rapist" was painted on a garage door and on a car parked at the Lindekugels' home. Signs about James Lindekugel's alleged behavior were spotted in North Albany the same day.

The latest: A motion hearing on whether to try the couple together in Benton County Circuit Court was scheduled for Oct. 30. The hearing was set over to last Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutor Mike Flinn said Judge David Connell took the request under advisement. He will issue a written response at an unspecified time. No further court appearances are currently scheduled. Albany Police Capt. Eric Carter said investigators have not been able to prove conclusively who vandalized the Lindekugels' property or put up the signs.

Cathy Ingalls

Linn County park appeal

The story: Nearly 75 people attended a public hearing on Oct. 21 at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center concerning a proposed Linn County park. The county parks department purchased 175 acres at the junction of Highway 34 and Seven Mile Lane in 2007 and had sought approval from the planning commission for development of a new park on the property that was zoned for farm use. The commission denied the application, and the duty of hearing the appeal fell on the county commissioners.

The latest: A final comment period for the general public and the appellant, the Linn County Parks Department, has ended. The commissioners will make their decision public at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 9 at the Fair & Expo Center.

Alex Paul

Adair Village ZIP code

The story: Adair Village wants its own ZIP code and in August applied for one with the U.S. Postal Service. City Administrator Drew Foster said the community of 930 residents north of Corvallis has shown steady growth and expects to see even more once the economy improves and the city completes an annexation process.

The latest: Foster said the community's request was turned down by the regional postmaster but has been forwarded for review to a regional committee in Portland. Foster said he believes the regional postmaster thought the community was seeking a post office at this time. "We won't do that until our population has topped 3,000," Foster said. "Right now, we're just seeking a ZIP code like other communities of our size." When Adair Village was a military training facility during World War II, it had its own post office.

Alex Paul

Car prowl awareness

The story: Last month, law enforcement agencies including the Albany Police Department, the Linn County Sheriff's Office and the Lebanon and Sweet Home police departments launched a campaign called Car Prowl Awareness Month to inform the public of the risks of leaving valuables in a car.

The latest: During the monthlong campaign, APD, LCSO and Sweet Home police disseminated approximately 10,000 car prowl prevention fliers to Linn County residents through various avenues such as local businesses, newsletters, Neighborhood Watch groups and local events, said Lynn Hinrichs, a community education specialist with APD. "Our intent is to continue reaching as many residents as possible with our car prowl prevention education as this crime is not limited to any particular time of year or day of the week," she said. "However, we are headed into a more vulnerable time of year: the holiday season. Citizens are encouraged to not leave any packages or valuables in your vehicles at any time."

AnneMarie Knepper