ALBANY

Former resident earns contractor award

Former longtime Albany resident Lori Marsh, co-owner of WanaBees Painting in Kelso, Wash., and her business partner Charlie Wilson were recently honored by the Lower Columbia Contractors Association. They received the award of "Best Subcontractor Exterior Project."

Marsh, who moved to Kelso in 2004, credited the knowledge she gained while working with Linn County subcontractors Dan McFarland, Terry Lyon, and Richard and Mary Muhlhauser.

Celtic musicians to play at Alterra Villas

Celtic musicians Laura Zaerr and Melanie Place of Village Green will perform at 3 p.m. Friday at Alterra Villas of Albany. Seniors and friends are invited to enjoy original arrangements of traditional Irish songs on Celtic harp, flute and pennywhistle.

Zaerr grew up in Corvallis and attended the University of Oregon and the Eastman School of Music in New York. Place has toured Europe as the principal flutist with a collegiate wind ensemble, and has performed and recorded with several local groups.

There will be a dessert buffet featuring Irish cream puffs, handmade éclairs, shamrock biscuits and other treats. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the Villas, at 1560 Davidson St. S.E. The afternoon will conclude with a drawing for a door prize.

RSVP to Lise Grato or Faith Thieda at 926-6800.

High tea will benefit cancer coalition

The fourth annual Pink Ribbon Tea to benefit the Breast & Cervical Cancer Coalition will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave. N.W. The five-course high tea will include a hat competition and silent auction. Tickets, available only in advance, are $20.

For reservations, call 981-9082 or e-mail

reservations@PinkRibbonTea.org.

ID theft and fraud seminar planned

Jan Margosian of the state Attorney General's Office will give a presentation on how to avoid identity theft and fraud from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 10, at the Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave. N.W.

Margosian will offer tips on preventing identity theft and being the victim of fraud, followed by a question and answer period. Refreshments will be available.

The program is co-sponsored by the American Association of University Women, Albany Branch; Albany Police Department; S.A.L.T.; and Albany Parks & Recreation.

For more information, call 917-7777.

LINN

Republican Women to meet Thursday

The next meeting of the Linn County Republican Women's Club will be at noon Thursday at the home of Sharon Schmidt. The speaker will be Lois Anderson, the political analyst for the Oregon Right to Life Organization. Lunch will be served.

For more information, call Carolyn Oakley at 928-7745 or Paula Park at 928-1905.

LEBANON

Town hall planned on old mill building

City Councilor Ray Weldon and former Mayor Scott Simpson will hold a town hall meeting Thursday to discuss the future of the Scroggin Feed and Seed building.

The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. at the Lebanon Senior Center, 585 Park St.

Linn County owns the building, at 280 W. Sheridan St., but it sits on Union Pacific Railroad land. The county wants to make safety repairs to the 137-year-old building, but UP won't give the county access to the building unless the county signs a lease with the railroad.

Simpson and Weldon asked the county commissioners for time to come up with a recommendation for the building. They hope to get ideas at the meeting.

OREGON

Trail named for former congressman

The U.S. House has passed a bill naming a trail in the Willamette National Forest for Jim Weaver, the former congressman for Oregon's 4th District. Rep. Peter DeFazio, Weaver's successor, proposed the bill. Weaver represented the 4th District from 1975 to 1987.

The trail goes around Waldo Lake, ranked one of the most pure bodies of water on Earth and one of Oregon's largest natural lakes. The legislation, H.R. 247, would also designate this 22-mile trail as a national recreational trail under the National Trails System Act.

The bill is cosponsored by all five members of Oregon's congressional delegation, and is supported by the U.S. Forest Service and a number of local interest groups.

Democrat-Herald