Animal neglect case

The story: Linn County deputies arrested two people after an investigation yielded sufficient evidence that horses and dogs were being neglected at a home on Jones Road near Foster Reservoir. Six children were also placed in protective custody. Richard Reed Stevens, 62, was charged with 20 counts of second-degree animal neglect of horses and dogs and three counts of unauthorized taking of a game mammal.

Melissa Leeann Corliss, 34, was charged with seven counts of second-degree animal neglect involving dogs. The pair were scheduled to appear in court Dec. 17.

The latest: Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Crow said this week his office has received a great deal of additional information and will need to review all of it before filing the case. Crow anticipates it will be filed after the first of the year.

AnneMarie Knepper

Children in custody

The story: Six children were removed from property on Jones Road in Foster Nov. 20 during an investigation concerning animal abuse and neglect.

The next day, Judge Carl Brumund in Linn County Circuit Court ruled that the children were not to return to the property, saying their safety and wellbeing were in jeopardy, partly because of the "deplorable" living conditions.

Three of the children were placed in state custody, one was released to his biological father, and the other two were teenagers so were not part of the court proceeding.

The latest: The judge in a court proceeding on Friday continued to allow the one child to remain with his biological father until a suit is settled with the mother determining custody.

Another child was returned to the mother, who no longer lives on the Jones property.

Two other children who have the same mother but not the same father remain in state custody.

A trial is set for Jan. 20 to decide where the children eventually should live.

Cathy Ingalls

Albany hydro project

The story: For many years, the city of Albany has been working to resume generating power from the water cascading into the Calapooia River from the north end of the Santiam-Albany Canal.

In October 2006, the council awarded a $1.6 million contract to CF Malm Engineers of Seattle to design a new 500-kilowatt generator and have it built and installed.

The latest: Installation of the Chinese-made generator has been completed and is being tested.

This week the city announced that a dedication ceremony has been tentatively scheduled for Feb. 13, 2009, as part of Oregon's 150th birthday.

Among those expected to attend are representatives of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, PacifiCorp and the Energy Trust of Oregon, among others.

Hasso Hering

Former officer case

The story: In December 2004, John Fowler was working as an Albany police officer when he was arrested at his home on sex-abuse charges involving an underage girl.

He was put on paid administrative leave, collecting about $128,000 in wages while awaiting trial. He was dismissed from the department in May 2007. He has still not been tried in court because of numerous delays, including an appeal to the Oregon Court of Appeals in 2006.

The latest: After more delays in Salem, the court heard oral arguments last June 5. The court still has the case under advisement, said Jim Nass, appellant commissioner for the court.

Historically, he said, the court makes its decision within six months. Nass said there is no way to say how long the court will take to announce its decision. The Lane County District Attorney's office, which is prosecuting the case, appealed Linn Circuit Court Judge Rick McCormick's decision to grant a defense motion to allow testimony concerning the victim's prior sexual history when the case goes to trial.

Cathy Ingalls