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City establishing mini homeless camp at 12th Street JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
Crews began developing the smaller homeless camp site this week on the vacant lot at 12th Street.
The mental health impact facing Oregon’s wildland firefighters
Public works crews are in the process of establishing a new smaller homeless camp site at the vacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel Grove. Cottage Grove City Manager Oregon’s wildfire season is to this Mike Sauerwein said the city is expected continue through month, but the mental scares and behind its original Oct. 1 timeline impact of the season on the fireis establishing the camp, following fighters who battle blazes in Lane theCINDY Aug. 22WEELDREYER closure and cleanup welcome recommendations “I was seven days old County and across the state, and of the 12th Street and Douglas from our readers for others Cottage Grove Sentinel when I attended my first race of his early childhood in “Because I was severely their families, That early connection may last a lifetime, Street homeless camps. During the who deserve to be included in at Cottage Grove Speedway,” treatment. Because he was immunocompromised during madetothe track feel home according Jeff Dill, the like founder Editor’s Note: This is the transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog this new series. he said. “Racing has quite severely immunocomprotreatment, many public places — a feeling that never left of Firefighter Behavioral Health first in an occasional Parkstory at 12th Street has been used For Ben Deatherage, racing literally been part of my life mised, many public places weren’t safe for me,” he said. him. Alliance (FBHA). series that features wasn’t something he discovfrom the very beginning.” as a homeless camplocal site with hours weren’t safe. The speed“The racetrack was an open Dill established FINDINGthe HIS PATH FBHA in high who ered — it was something he As an infant, Deatherage way, however, offered rare air environment where my 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. from school 7 p.m. graduates to 7 a.m. daily. are living their dream and was born into. was diagnosed with pediatric freedom. family could sit away “None of us have ever managed He was than a Battalion Chief finding professional sucleukemia and spent much from crowds.” acess homeless camp before, so we for a fire department in northwest in exceptional ways. We Chicago. knew that date was a bit aspira“I saw our brothers and sisters tional,” Sauerwein said. “We are struggle from the devastation that hoping that this week we will be they saw, so I went back and got able to make the transition. Our PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL my degree and became a licensed goal was to provide folks with counselor,” he said. “We started Sauerwein and other city officials currently doing, which is providing The new mini homeless camp a safe and secure place to spend tracking EMS and firefighter suiSentinel, that there a location for folks to spend the include the same as in have WEELDREYER theCINDY night and that’s what we are One will of those residents is restrictions to Portland 2015told left the a lastcides across America.” are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” Cottage Grove Sentinel the Marler, former who largermoved camps. ing impression. Savannah doing.” Read previous coverage about same rules2024 will apply,” “My familyother didn’tlong-term fit the sheltering for the Grove in June Sauerwein said city staff was to Cottage“The Behavioral Impact For most of last year, a homeless. the homelessness challenges in typical mold,” she said. “I after several years in Eugene. Sauwrwein said. “The camp will According to Dill, firefighters cleaning up the Lulu Dog Park to familiar figure occupied a it feelsGrove like will follow Marler be describes herself “Cottage Cottage Grove and follow new available fromas7 p.m. tolearned 7 a.m.early what often don’t recognize the behavioral reestablish it as a dog park. Specific Main Street bus stop bench — a motivated, to be judged. That experience compassionate state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com impact of their work. and the rules will be enforced that some cleanup andrefer establishacosts quietofman locals taught me the Sauerwein value of kindperson through who “wears her heart company, “We become cultural brainsaid. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions our contracting ingasthe smaller homeless to “the bus stop guy.” camp aton her sleeve” and values the ness and connection.” washed,” Dill said. “Whether it’s are doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. One Security of Eugene to help us 12th Street not immediately From earlywere morning until Marler first the noticed Mike The city of Cottage sense of connection that comes structural or wildland fires. So, we legislature. during this transition period. They available. dusk, in rain, cold, and summer with small town life. during her morning routine. are meant to believe we are supGrove has no plans to do any kind are a up very homeless heat, Mike kept his place on Growing in experienced Derby, Every day after dropping off posed to act strong, brave, be help, of a she’d shelterdrive beyond what we are management the bench, drawing curiosity Kansas,camp she rarely encoun-company.” her kids at school, don’t ask for help, and we don’t and concern from residents and tered homelessness, and the down Main Street and see him want to look weak and not ask for business owners passing by. contrast she saw after moving sitting there, rain or shine. She help.” occasionally spotted him near Dill added that while firefighters Rally Coffee Roasters and are on the front lines battling the eventually stopped in to ask wildfires, one of the biggest chalowner Delaine Reed about him. lenges they face is the unknown. “I offered to leave money “It’s how rapidly theses fires can for his future drinks, but the move, and the unknown is where owner encouraged me to talk is it going to end? Where will this to Mike directly,” Marler said. fire go to and how long will it last? “If it weren’t for Rally Coffee And that is a struggle,” he said. Roasters, this story wouldn’t “So, when you are fighting that exist. That simple conversafire, you’re trying to do your best tion changed everything.” to stop it, and yet the wind kicks Mike, who is 50, is soft up at 60 miles an hour and it drags spoken and shy. Marler it further and further behind them. at a Wednesday meeting of who are leading the referenALEX BAUMHARDT describes him as kind, gentle, That aspect of the unknown is very CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL the Oregon Transportation dum effort did not immediOregon Capital Chronicle and someone who prefers difficult in wildland fires. The fireMatchbooks from the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story at cgsentinel.com. Forum, a nonprofit trade ately respond to the Capital to keep his distance from fighters have that stress and anxiety, organization representing Chronicle’s requests for comcrowds and other unhoused Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and that struggle to protect is a very public and private transportament on Wednesday. individuals. spent months cajoling the difficult challenge for the wildland tion stakeholders. She also Kotek is asking lawmakers “He never asks for much,” state Legislature to provide firefighters.” explained her change in tune. to repeal House Bill 3991, she said. “There’s a quiet billions for transportation It is often very difficult for fam“After a long summer and which passed during a special dignity about him that stays infrastructure, safety and ily members of the firefighters to many twists and turns, the session in September. with you.” Now,the she’s asking CINDY WEELDREYER understand what emotions there are, the them way” during the construction helped us meet many of our future Nearly 50 peoplejobs. attended Legislature passed House Bill She wants them to use For The Cottage Grove Sentinel to repeal that plan and start and that many firefighters don’t project. bookstore customers,” BirdyWhile said. she doesn’t Cottageknow Grove Historical Society’s 3991, increasing funding for the upcoming short session, his full history, she’s heard fresh.Green” at express their emotions, according He said heODOT, was given importShe shared a humorous mem“Farewell to the Village In 1975, when Birdy Hoelzle localangovernments, which begins Feb. 2 and must that his life changed draKotek’s direction to Dill. ant job of opening the boxes ory they made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, and her sister Gail opened The and transit districts through conclude by March 8, to redimatically after the death of Wednesday, Jan. 7, comes “We ask the family members delivered to the guest rooms and Maiden Dining Room that drew Sept. 21. Bookmine they were familiar with changes to the gas tax, rect existing transportation his wife — a loss that may after a volunteer effort led by to try to understand the cultural,” recalled how cool he felt driving laughter from the crowd. have contributed The internationally famous resort payroll tax, and registration funding “core to operations The Village Green. to his current Republican lawmakers and he said. “Be direct. Challenge fees,” explained and maintenance” while they the orange golf cartshe around the to the with compassion “My sister and I were budding created by Walter A. Woodard Their father traveled a lot and circumstances.was After speaking an anti-tax group gathered when something forum. “But you all know the come up with a different property for assigned errands. Years feminists at the time and were quite (W.A.) and his son, Carlton. Some often brought its matchboxes home with him for a couple of days, enough signatures to refer doesn’t look right or doesn’t sound today. Thosewas funding package in 2027. later, anotherscore special memory shocked by the sexism practiced of the family and billion Marler in shared members his story on as keepsakes for his girls. The sispartsattended of the $4.3 plan right, and do an internal size up, solutions are frozen followThe $4.3 billion package, a Facebook. The response was seeing the famous football player, the dining room,” she said. “The shared personal memories. to the November ballot. ters were in their 20’s when they which we ask the firefighters to ingrunning a signature-gathering reduction from grander plans immediate. That effort paused scheduled O.J. Simpson, on one of the menu given to a woman had no do as well,” he said.” Internal size opened the Main Street bookstore that fell short during the THROUGH THE LENS She and her husband paid increases to the state resort’s gas tax,paths.campaign led by legislativeup means asking why am I acting prices on it and foot and, to enhance their income, pillows were Republicans and Oregon 2025 legislative session, was Kris Woodard’s introductory for two nights at the Relax title and registration fees and this way, and why am I feeling this To the delight of those gathered, provided so ladies’ uncomfortable worked as the resort. waitresses at Taxpayers United.” meant to keep the transportaInn —dindespite remarks Mike notincluded personal mema payroll tax to fund transit. way? The best thing we can do is Kris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoes could be removed while a wonderful place “It was to Senate Minority Leader tion department operational having ID — and unveiled her stratoriesthe hecommade throughKotek the lens of ing. It was a very different era.” work and, being new in town, it Bruce Starr, R-Dundee, and munity quicklya stepped in towho was egy, often characterized as “redi- See LEGACY, 12-year-old “in 6 See HEALTH, Page 6 state Rep. Page Ed Diehl, R-Scio, rect, repeal, and rebuild”
“Bus Stop Mike” finds shelter thanks to community effort
Kotek calls for repeal
of transportation funding package
Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
INSIDE Lifestyles — 3 Obituaries 4 — Death Notice 4 —
Opinion — 5 Classifieds — 7 Sports — 8
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