Freeway fires

The story: Multiple fires broke out Aug. 13 along the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 between Eugene and Jefferson. A truck hauling hay also caught fire and was destroyed. One of the fires grew into a 20-acres brush fire on the Santiam Bluffs near Jefferson, where firefighters had to work for several days.

The latest: The cause of the fires remains under unknown. Arson investigators with the Oregon State Police, the Oregon Department of Forestry and a truck inspector from the Oregon Department of Transportation were all assigned to the case. The fire on Santiam Bluffs is out. Firefighters were working there until Sunday and returned Monday for a flare-up. The cooler weather and rain this week helped, said Elaine Parrott, Jefferson fire district spokeswoman. The Bluffs fire is being investigated as one of the freeway blazes.

Carrie Petersen

Veterans memorial

The story: Volunteers are building a new veterans memorial at Timber-Linn Memorial Park in Albany. The new memorial on an acre-and-a-half adjoins the older one. When finished, there will be a plaza, planters, poles to fly the American and service flags, and monuments containing names of veterans.

The latest: The memorials to veterans who fought in World War II and Korea are completed, said Army veteran Bob Gore, who is spearheading the project. The concrete for the Vietnam and World War I and prior wars' monuments has been poured, and volunteers are setting up forms for Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. About 170 feet of sidewalk has been poured, with about 200 feet left to go. The next step is to install granite plaques with the names of the killed and missing in action on the memorials. Helping with this last portion of the project all of Albany were Ace Concrete Construction, Mid-Valley Construction Services, Sure Flow Concrete Pumping, Pendle Excavating, Jim Roark Excavating, Brothers Concrete Cutting, and Green and White Rock Products of Corvallis provided the concrete at cost.

Cathy Ingalls

Mistaken identity

The story: A 41-year-old Sweet Home man is suing his neighbors, accusing them of spreading false information that he is a convicted sex offender. Richard Bryan Smith of Sweet Home shares the name and birth date of a man currently living in Nevada who has been convicted of sex offenses against a child. The Sweet Home man filed suit June 4 against neighbors Ray and Tracy Kelly, alleging defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress and seeking $150,000. The Kellys' lawyer, Timothy Felling, filed a response July 8 saying his clients did believe Smith was a sex offender, but that they have not harassed or defamed him in the way he claims.

The latest: Nothing has happened following the July 8 response, said John Kennedy, Smith's attorney. Discovery and depositions come next, but no schedule has been set.

Jennifer Moody

Lebanon tort claim

The story: Superintendent Jim Robinson of the Lebanon Community School District filed a tort claim in July against board members Rick Alexander and Josh Wineteer for alleged contract interference. The claim states Alexander and Wineteer "wrongfully interfered with Mr. Robinson's contract" on or about Jan. 22, a day before board members gathered in closed session to discuss Robinson's annual evaluation. In March, the board voted 3-2 to accept the results of that evaluation, and to let Robinson's contract expire when it finishes in 2010.

The latest: Robinson said this week he has taken no action since filing the claim. He has a two-year window to do so from the date he alleges the contract interference took place.

Jennifer Moody