CALL TO READERS

Tell us what you love about mid-valley life

What do you like about your job?

What projects have been done, or are planned, for your downtown that you find especially exciting?

What sorts of mid-valley activities - hiking, biking, attending concerts, visiting museums, you name it - do you enjoy in your spare time?

In short, what's the best thing about living in your particular community, whether it be Albany or Alsea, Corvallis or Cascadia, Scio or Summit, or any town in between?

The Albany Democrat-Herald and Corvallis Gazette-Times are asking these questions in preparation for the 2008 Focus edition, scheduled for publication over four weeks in March.

Basically, the section will be a celebration of life in the mid-valley - and you're invited to the party.

Your answers to the questions above will shape the content for each of the four Focus sections. Please provide your input via e-mail, news@dhonline.com, or by writing to Focus coordinator Steve Lundeberg at P.O. Box 130, Albany, OR 97321-0041.

For more information, call Lundeberg at 812-6110.

ALBANY

Gift table will benefit SafeHaven

SafeHaven Humane Society's holiday gift table will be at Heritage Mall one last time before Christmas.

Merchandise for pets and pet lovers will be available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The table is near the inside mall entrance to the Target store.

Besides a new supply of SafeHaven quarter-zip sweatshirts in four colors, there will be handmade fleece pet coats, fleece pet pillows and blankets, dog and cat toys, bandanas, pet water bottles, Beaver rain ponchos, magnets and a handmade quilt.

Proceeds benefit SafeHaven Humane Society. Albany's nonprofit animal shelter is at 33071 Highway 34 S.E. The shelter can be reached at 928-2789.

MID-VALLEY

LBCC announces registration, holiday closures

Registration is now open for winter term classes at Linn-Benton Community College, the college has announced.

Albany campus registration office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Special holiday hours for the Benton Center are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

The Lebanon Center and Sweet Home Center hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Lebanon Center Friday hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sweet Home Center Friday hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Continuing LBCC students can register online 24-hours a day at sis.linnbenton.edu (not available 9 p.m. Fridays through 9 a.m. Saturdays). Classes begin Jan. 7.

LBCC and all centers will be closed Dec. 24-28 for winter break, and Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 for New Year's. Normal operations will resume Jan. 2.

Democrat-Herald