March 5: The owners of the Lebanon Skate Center announced it will close March 15 because the building has been sold.

March 5: The following awards were announced at the Distinguished Service and Chamber Awards banquet on Feb. 28: Thelma Johnson, Senior First Citizen; Amy Torgerson, Junior First Citizen; Cheryl Tyman, Woman of the Year; Rod Sell, Man of the Year; Build Lebanon Trails, Outstanding Community Group; Linn-Benton Community College, Large Business of the Year; Pacific Crest Home Loans, Small Business of the Year; John Hitt, city administrator, Business Leader of the Year; Lou Masog, Outstanding Community Educator; Lita Dyson of Dyson's Lock and Key, Ambassador of the Year; and Dave Robinson of City and Suburban Electric, a special award for Christmas lighting work.

March 5: The School Board voted not to extend Superintendent Jim Robinson's contract for an additional year. Without the extension, his contract has two years to go.

March 5: A Lebanon teen, critically injured in a single vehicle rollover on Feb. 29 is in stable condition in the critical care unit at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis. Alex Lewis lost control of of his 2001 Hyundai Elanatra on River Road near Waterloo. The vehicle rolled an estimated three times. He was pinned in the vehicle. He suffered back injuries. One passenger was not injured and another was treated for leg pain at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital and released.

March 12: Lebanon High School Principal Ken Ray is leaving the job March 31 after 30 years in the district. He has been a teacher, athletic director, vice principal, director of facilities and principal.

March 12: School board member Rick Alexander has dropped a lawsuit against the school district. He asked the court to decide whether the board can non-review the superintendent's contract without an adverse performance review.

March 12: Dr. John Shader moved his dental office into a new building at the corner of Oak and Park streets.

March 12: The Beyond LHS program allows local high school students to attend classes at Linn-Benton Community College with tuition paid by the school district. A total of 111 LHS students are enrolled in the program. Students may take a class or two or full time, depending on their needs.

March 19: The City Council voted to increase sewer rates by 13.5 percent as of July 1, with another increase expected in 2009. The increase reflects costs associated with several wastewater capital improvement projects and a pending decision to help residential property owners with the cost of lateral repairs.

March 19: A majority of the school board voted to not renew the contract of Seven Oak Principal Ed Sansom. Superintendent Jim Robinson and Assistant Superintendent Steve Kelley recommended the move. Board members Rick Alexander and Josh Wineteer objected.

March 19: Sand Ridge Charter School announced its appointment of acting principals at its S. Main Street and Sodaville campuses. They will take over duties of administrator Jay Jackson, who will become director of operations for People Involved in Education, the non-profit group that runs Sand Ridge and Sweet Home Charter Schools and a private preschool.

March 19: The family of Dorothy "Dottie" Geil will take over the restaurant on S. Second Street that she financed before dying last fall. The family-style restaurant is re-named "Dottie's Grillhouse."

March 19: The LHS dance team, Explosion!, took its routine to the Oregon School Activities Association state dance and drill championship last weekend and brought home a third-place trophy in the 5A small division.

March 26: A plan to build a housing and commercial/ professional complex north of Reeves Parkway at N. Fifth Street was approved by the Planning Commission on March 19. Construction is expected to begin this year.

March 26: Lebanon boxer Rafael Ortiz, 30, died unexpectedly on March 19 at Oregon Health Sciences University. He had influenza A. Doctors were uncertain whether other factors were involved.