If Not Corvallis- Albany OR Lebanon? (Millersburg: RV parks, crime, neighborhood)

[wvlifer]

I'm sorry if you didn't like what I had to say. I'm also sorry that you think I'm negative. I am merely playing the devil's advocate here since I didn't see anyone else doing it. Can'twait...don't tell me to move to Santa Fe. Been there, done that. And just because you visit somewhere doesn't meant you'll like living there. That's why I stayed in Santa Fe for only 2 months before moving to California. I lived in Livermore (East Bay) for 8 months. It's just like Albany, only higher class and much prettier (and no 'ghetto' in town like there is here). I know all about the wealth and wanting to further that....the lifestyle was a little much for me to swallow being a 'country girl'. jjpop---it's pretty trailer trash to swear on a public forum. I wasn't insulting you. Please get over yourself. The valley is a very nice place to live. WHY do you think I MOVED BACK? Argh, I've been completely misunderstood. You don't see the drug problem because you haven't lived here. There's trouble everywhere, but like I said before, it was all glowing reports ect. ect. and like I ask nearly *everyone* who moves here from out of state....why??? What's the appeal?
Can'twait....have you checked out Sisters and Bend, Monroe, Coburg even?
Sooo, in closing, if anyone has a constructive reply (no swearing) I would like to hear it. Really. I'm not being rude or snotty, and I wasn't before in my first post. Bear in mind that I did move away. AND I came back, willingly. I've accepted the shortcomings of this area. I live here, don't I?
I just wish someone from Santa Fe would have let me know what I was walking into before I moved.

[CantWait2Bthere]

I see some double mindedness in your posts. In one you speak of all ills and "slipping " of the area you choose to call home while giving advice to others to move elsewhere. And yet in your second post you proclaim it is such a very nice place to live and that's why you moved back.Forgive me for being a bit confused on your point.

I will give you the benefit of the doubt given your age. Lots of people in their 20s think they know everything. I am in a whole different stage in my life so it's my mistake to even compare my perspective to yours regardless of how long I have been in a certain area. One thing I try to do is not assume what kind of experiences someone has had or has not had. It makes for better relations with people.

I have had half my relatives living in Oregon for most of my life and all through my childhood I have had some awesome times there. Every summer, every Christmas...and in the past 6 years I have seen spring..the first being the day I buried my father in McMinville next to my grandmother.

I suppose it's your fear that we Californians are on some quest to ruin Oregon...it's not news honey...half these threads have at least someone bad mouthing us and rudely telling us all not to move there. ' We are driving up prices because we have equity, we drive like crap, we are too into materialism'. blah, blah blah. Maybe I am wrong, I hope I am. I hope you really are one of those nice people you assert to be. We may be neighbors some day.

But please don't lose any sleep over any us not being able to handle the drug problem. Like I said before...I have done my research (I started a whole thread that was eventually closed on the drug problem up there) and I found out that where I currently live was once considered the meth capital of California. Like someone else once said on another thread...'if some idiots doing killing themselves doing meth is the wrose problem in Oregon they have it easy'.

[Johnms]

Hi CantWait2Bthere,

Let me throw in my 2 cents. I happened upon this web site in search of a Self Directed IRA using real estate. One thing led to another and I came across this thread that I found interesting.

I live in Lebanon and I work in Corvallis at the university. Years ago I use to live in Albany when there really was a smell from the paper mill. I got use to it though. Prior to settling in Albany I grew up in CA in a community called The Fruit Basket of the Nation, Reedley, CA. To make a long story short I met my wife to be in PA who was from OR and that's how I ended up in Oregon.

First off let me talk about the school system. We have some new schools in the area which is a good thing, but one thing that would concern me as a parent is what is called academies. My take on the situation is as a Freshman, the student has to make a decision what path they want to take through high school and they are pretty much stuck for four years doing that. Now, I believe there are some exceptions to the rule, but you need to check that out first if you plan to settle in the Lebanon School District. Below is the URL to the school district web page explaining it.

Regarding the real estate issue, in my opinion Lebanon is considered a bedroom community to Albany and Corvallis. With the wood products industry in decline Lebanon doesn't have a strong industrial base to help pay taxes, but with Lowe's almost up and running and other new suppliers to Lowe's building facilities the tax base should change for the better.

Another thing that comes to mind about the High School in Lebanon is there is only one big high school as compared to Albany and Corvallis which have two each.

As a side note there are several Christian private schools and school district sponsored charter schools. This would apply to Corvallis and Albany also. People are taking their children out of the public schools and paying extra money to send them to private schools. That has to tell you something about public education. Part of what I'm trying to say is you need to do your home work, which you are doing in deciding where to settle.

One last comment, Benton County and Corvallis has the lowest unemployment in the area because of the university and HP. Linn County which includes Albany, Lebanon, and Sweet Home amoung others has traditionally had a higher unemployment rate because of the wood products industry.

I'll end with this tidbit. Benton county votes Democratic and Linn County votes Republican as a rule. Where ever you decide to settle, I wish you the best.

John

http://www.lebanon.k12.or.us/schools/lhs/lhs.htm

[Summertime]

wvlifer..

Don't be discouraged by those who disagree with your
There will always be those who just plain don't SEE
the problems lurking around them.

I DO see them and we want out of here because it is
not the paradise that it is trumped up to be.

20 years ago, Salem was a population of 95,000 and
you could live with that (in fact, one news article last year
put the city and outlying areas as now being 300,000 and it is
growing daily.. any DMV person could tell you that)~~

and to go into the streets of Salem to go to
Winco on a Sunday, *(which I did today), is like
Southern Calif. in duplicate. The parking lot was
filled by noon, the aisles were jammed with carts
and the lines were long at the checkstand.

People are everywhere. I feel like the proverbial rat in
a maze...(no comments, please).

Then, you have the cost of housing having TRIPLED
in the last 5 years or so.. it is unbelievable. Houses
in Salem are now over 300,000 and they think that is
nothing.. others are a quarter of a million dollars
and more and more development is now being
undertaken all over the place.. north, south, east
and west Salem.

Read the Stateman Journal and you find every day that
there has been a crime, a lockdown of schools, kids
assaulting kids and old people, pedophiles on the loose,
prisoners escaping one of the numerous prisons here,
if it isn't one of the above, it is something else.. arson,
animal cruelty, animal abandonment, child abuse,
domestic violence, drunk drivers, drivers running red lights,
and on and on and on...

Then you have the homeless people
and transients, that think Salem is their forever home.
and they live under bridges,
in parks, along railroad tracks, in the woods, picking
up bottles for money, holding up signs saying they
are in need of money or a job.

It is a mess.. so when you are wise enough to caution
unsuspecting persons who dream of Oregon as a
Utopia, and they reprimand you, just put it down to
someone who doesn't want his/her dreams dashed by
the truth.

[Logan's Dad]

Besides the discussion on drugs,

Is there any type of gang problem in the Albany/ Lebanon/ Corvalis areas? Is there a lot of spray painting/ gang violence etc?

Where I live, it is getting very bad

(Central Valley of California)

[Fla2Ore]

Wow, have any of you people ever been to the east coast? I don't know if you know what a true craphole is...or what a town with a high crime rate or drug problem really is. Ever been to Florida or Georgia? I live in Florida currently. Now THIS is a craphole. You Oregonians have it lucky. I would like to know where you are comparing Oregon to. You do know that Oregon is one of the safest states in the US, right? Especially when it comes to violent crime. Here in the Orlando area, everyday there is a home invasion, robbery, murder. And I am aware that crime is EVERYWHERE. Are you? The US is not safe when it comes to crime. That's the cold, hard truth. We're not in Canada, Australia or Japan. I'm actually afraid to go out by myself. I definately don't go out at night. Oh, and I honestly believe Florida is the pedophile capital! Trust me, Oregon has no problems compared to a lot of states. So, to someone from the hot, buggy, stormy, dangerous, poverty craphole known as the Southeast (well, most of the Southeast with exception of course, only to be fair), Oregon is utopia.

[SingleNurseMom]

Wow, that's awful that this particular Oregonian (wvlifer) can be so rude and unwelcoming. And clearly, s/he is trying to scare others away with that post, since so many others consider Oregon to be a nice place to live. I do find it slightly amusing however, that a child of CA-->OR transplants can be so nasty in telling Californians to stay away.

Can anyone tell me what the NURSING job market is like in Oregon?
Thank you.

[pparents]

You asked about Ashbrook Independent School. It's a great school, and offers a lot of what the public schools can't, for many reasons. Both my kids have gone there, from K thru 8th, and it is a very positive, supportive environment with a very good culture. The teachers and kids are engaged, respectful, inquiring, and have fun learning. The curriculum is deep and wide, and very internationally focused. Most of the teachers are outstanding, a few are just good... Class sizes are limited to 16 in the lower grades and 20 in middle school, so all kids get lots of individual attention...and there's always time for discussion, activities, and meaningful inquiry. Ashbrook offers Art, Music, Drama and foreign language as well as daily PE, all amenities that have been dropped in the public elementary and middle schools due to funding. I can't say enough positive about our experience there. WE've got many families who commute from Albany to Ashbrook, and several from Monroe, Monmoth, and even Lebanon...so no matter where you live, you should keep it mind...

In general Corvallis is about as family friendly a town as you can imagine.

There are lots of positive opportunities for kids of all ages, and the entire community is very committed to making it a positive experience. I've heard often that Corvallis as a town has more and better extra-curricululars and after school activities than Albany. It's pretty apparent in the difference between the programs at the parks and rec and boys and girls clubs...and in addition Corvallis has more tech oriented clubs and teams, like robotics and Destination imagination, as well as the Saturday academy and programs sponsored by OSU . Corvallis also has more youth arts, including the youth symphony, drama programs and after school arts at the art center... thats why we chose to live here in Corvallis over Albany when we moved here.


You don't see a lot of gangs or drugs in your face in Corvallis. Having said that, with a daughter in high school, they are definitely there, but very low key...not in in your face. My daughter says that its kinda known where drugs are and who has them, but no one pushes, and the culture is predominantly anti-drug...so there's a lot of negative feedback for the minority of users.

High School surveys show that drug trial and use is significantly lower at Cresecent valley and Corvallis High compared to the the rest of the state, and national averages.

Graduation rates are very high from the high schools, and academic achievement is the norm.

We've lived in CA, Boston area and Overseas, and think this is a great place to raise kids...

[DavePautsch]

pparents...
Rising to the defense of Albany!
There are lots of kid programs here...The Robotics Club sponsored by my Rotary is doing exceptionally well in State and National competitions...the Boys and Girls Club has sports programs (both my daughters have played Volleyball and Basketball)...There is also a gymnastics program here. The West Albany HS put on a great performance of the Wizard of Oz last year and the King and I this year...as well as a community theater downtown.
Ok, I grant that Corvallis may have some additional programs, but many of them are OPEN to families in Albany as well...and the commute isn't bad (maybe 15 mintues)...but the price of housing is SIGNIFICANTLY lower in Albany.

Not trying to be argumentative, everything pparents said is based in truth, but there are always alternate perspectives!

Thanks for listening...I sometimes feel like I'm the only one to jump up and defend Albany...we've been here for 6 years and think it is a great little town!

Dave

[da nephew]

I have not seen Monmouth mentioned anywhere here - it is a great little town close to Salem, Albany and Corvallis.