Brenda Autry Journalism Blog

LBCC's Culinary Arts Department Purchases Food Truck. Stacy Lebar, Audrey Anderson, President Lisa Avery, and Josh Green pose in the new food truck. After years of saving funds from events such as the Santiam Dinners, the Culinary Co-Curricular finally had enough to make their mobile food dreams come true. Their new food truck was delivered on Wednesday, October 5, with a crowd befitting the occasion. “We’re hoping to have it open in Spring or Fall,” said Josh Green, department chair and culinary instructor. “We’re going to start out with small events, like doing concessions at baseball games, to get students used to working in the truck.” Culinary Arts students are excited to see the food truck arrive.  The 2000 Ford E450 was completely gutted and fitted with a professional kitchen. But the culinary department still has work to do. They’ll need to add refrigeration and cooking equipment before the truck can be used to prepare and serve food. Culinary Arts students check out the fo...

Culinary Arts and Welding Club Join Together for a “Weld and Dine.” Brian and Jill Lulay showing their sunflowers On Thursday the Welding and Culinary Arts co-curricular clubs came together to host their first ever “Weld and Dine” event. The Weld and Dine event was a play on Paint and Wine events that have become so popular in recent years. Participants enjoyed a dinner prepared and served by the Culinary Arts Club, and were then instructed by the Welding Club’s students on how to weld a sunflower yard ornament.  The idea for the event came from both clubs’ advisors, Josh Green from the culinary department, and Marc Rose and Cameren Moran from the welding department.  “We were brainstorming ways we could get our club more involved with the community,” Rose said. “Since COVID has affected our programs so much, we really wanted to get the word out about our programs and give people a way to get out.” Culinary Arts Students Nolan Ramirez, Kimberly Cebbell and George Krohm servi...

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Sept. 8, Idahna residents David Stevens and JoAnn Serdy were awoken by a pounding at their front door.  “The fire department was telling us we had to evacuate now,” Serdy said. “We had no time, so we just grabbed our medication and jumped in our car. By the time we reached the Detroit dam [just 15 minutes away] the fire was everywhere.” “It was like we were in the movie ‘Volcano,’” Stevens added. This scene was the terrifying reality for many Santiam Canyon residents who fled their homes, narrowly escaping the flames of the Beachie Creek Fire, which spread rapidly overnight. The evacuees, many of whom have lost their homes entirely, have sought shelter with friends, family or, like Serdy and Stevens, at the Linn County Evacuation Shelter set up at the Linn County Fairgrounds in Albany.  According to County Commissioner Will Tucker, the Linn County Evacuation Shelter is currently housing around 450 people and more than 1000 animals...