Accident at salon

The story: On Friday, Oct. 30, a car burst through the window of Perfect Look Salon in the Fred Meyer shopping center and crashed into the back wall, cutting a swath through the salon. The accident, which took the life of customer Charlene O'Connell, also caused considerable damage to the shop. Manager Michelle Ellis was hoping to reopen the salon earlier this week.

The latest: According to District Manager Joanie Chambers, Perfect Look will open its doors to customers today. Chambers said there are still materials on order, including flooring and the window that the car crashed through, but the salon can provide full service to its customers. She said it will likely take a week before the new window arrives, and the shop may shut down briefly while it is installed. Store hours will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Steve Lathrop

Homeless no more

The story: Steve Sacre, 62, of Albany left home at age 17 to join the Army. He spent almost six years in the military, including a tour in Vietnam. After leaving the service, he spent 32 years in prisons for various crimes. When not in prison he was homeless, living under bushes, on friends' couches and in homeless shelters. Through the efforts of two medical and disabilities workers in Albany, he got his own apartment on Oct. 30. This week he told those attending the Albany Community Summit on Homelessness what it was like to be homeless and how thankful he is to have a home of his own.

The latest: People who read about Sacre's life in a Nov. 3 story in the Democrat-Herald or heard him speak at the summit have offered him help. Sacre said the Signs of Victory gave him a sofa, brass lamp, microwave and end table. Another person gave him a kitchen table. A retired Albany police officer, who also served in Vietnam, is getting some of his buddies together to assist Sacre in any way they can.

Cathy Ingalls

Haunted house

The story: West Albany High School's "event tech" class, created to teach students how to do light, sound and stage work, spent October planning a haunted house at the school as a fundraiser for the class.

The latest: Teacher Stuart Welsh called the haunted house "a smashing success," with close to 1,000 people touring during the 61/2-hour show. Crowds forced some visitors to wait an hour and a half, but Welsh said everyone was very good-natured about it and felt the wait was worth the show. "No one fainted," he said. "However, there were many screams, a fair number of tears and three people got too scared to complete the tour." The class netted just over $4,000.

Jennifer Moody

Search dogs

The story: Dog trainer Lynn Martin of Lebanon received an invitation to travel to Nepal this fall to give a workshop on the "clicker" training method for the Himalayan Search and Rescue Squad. She volunteered to bring two pups to join the squad: Maggie and Hunter, both German shorthaired pointers.

The latest: According to her blog, http://clickersfornepal.blogspot.

com, Martin landed in Kathmandu on Oct. 26, her 55th birthday. She was scheduled to arrive at the training center on the 28th. "We did have to explain to Maggie that cows are sacred here," Martin wrote. "But a couple of minutes clicking and treating for not barking at sacred cows, she was good."

Jennifer Moody