As the newspaper industry struggles to survive, two publications in east Linn County are merging in hopes of better serving their communities and surrounding areas.
The Sweet Home New Era and the Lebanon Local, published by Scott Swanson and his wife Miriam, have combined as one weekly newspaper as of Jan. 1.
The streamlined publication is keeping the New Era masthead, established in 1929, and will cover all east Linn County, Swanson said in an article announcing the change…