The Cottage Grove
Hi tec devices trigger poaching investigation See page 2
entinel entinel The CoTTage grove Year In Review
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Wednesday January 1 | Number 1, 136 years
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Lifestyle Sports Cottage Grove facing sobering challenges in 2025 74 Life in Cottage Grove
CGHS Football Incredible Turnaround See page 8
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CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
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Cottage Grove
accommodate staffing changes,
Wednesday, Oct and it would no 9 longer be open on Mostly Cloudy Saturdays.
In the City of Cottage Grove’s history book, the year 2024 will be especially memorable. October 9, 2024 | Number 39, 135 years www.cgsentinel.com $2.00 Unprecedented and unexpected events made it an unforgettable year for city officials, employees and citizens. A severe ice storm crippled the city for nearly a week in January, just as City Manager Mike Sauerwein assumed his new post. In July, a historic special election recalled three of the seven members of the city council that left two of the three seats vacant JEREMY C. RUARK Crews began developing the smaller homeless Cottage Grove Sentinel for the remainder of the year. The camp site this week on the vacant lot at 12th Street. closure of three homeless camps Public works crews are in the divided the community and atprocess of establishing a new tracted increased media attention. smaller homeless camp site at the In May, Budget Committee vacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage members learned that inflationary Grove. prices were taking a significant Cottage Grove City Manager toll on existing service levels. Mike Sauerwein said the city is They balanced the 2024-25 budbehind its original Oct. 1 timeline get with the understanding that if is establishing the camp, following projected revenues were not rethe Aug. 22 closure and cleanup ceived, reductions would have to of the 12th Street and Douglas be made as needed in the current Jeremy C. Ruark / Cottage Grove Sentinel Street homeless camps. During the budget. The City’s two largest On Aug. the 22,adjacent Cottage Grove transition, Lulu Dog Police assisted in closing the 12th Street and Douglas Street general fund expenses are police homeless camps. Park at 12th Street has Solutions been used to the city homelessness is one of the key challenges facing and library services. On Dec. 1, the Cottagecamp Grove Council in 2025. as a homeless siteCity with hours Library hours were adjusted to from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.
Wednesday
The failure of two money measures to address the deterioration of local streets was a major disappointment to the members of the Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Street Improvement and Funding. The committee members spent six months in 2023 studying the issue in detail, exploring all potential funding options, seeking community feedback on the options, and recommending the City Council place two revenue measures on the Nov. 5 ballot: an increase in the local gas tax and a property tax to improve the condition of local streets. Both were decisively rejected by voters. As major events unfolded in 2024, it JEREMY generatedC.robust comRUARK Grove Sentinel munityCottage discussion during public comments at city council meetOregon’s wildfire season is ings, on social mediathrough pages,this in expected to continue local eateries, on scares KNNDand month, but the and mental Radio’s Beeper Talkon Show. impact of the season the firefighters who speaking, battle blazes in year’s Lane Anecdotally last County and across the state, andin increased community interest theiraffairs families, may last lifetime, city creates higha expectaaccording to Jeff Dill, the founder tions for how the new council of Firefighter Behavioral Health will address the most difficult Alliance (FBHA). Dill established the FBHA in See 2025, Page 6 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. He was than a Battalion Chief for a fire department in northwest Chicago. “I saw our brothers and sisters struggle from the devastation that they saw, so I went back and got my degree and became a licensed counselor,” he said. “We started tracking EMS and firefighter suicides across America.”
The mental City establishing mini health impact homeless camp at 12th Street facing Oregon’s
“None of us have ever managed a homeless camp before, so we knew that date was a bit aspirational,” Sauerwein said. “We are hoping that this week we will be able to make the transition. Our goal was to provide folks with a safe and secure place to spend the night and that’s what we are doing.” Sauerwein said city staff was cleaning up the Lulu Dog Park to reestablish it as a dog park. Specific costs of that cleanup and establishing the smaller homeless camp at 12th Street were not immediately available.
wildland firefighters
Plaza entrance ’95% complete’ JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
The new mini homeless camp will include the same restrictions as the former larger camps. “The same rules will apply,” Sauwrwein said. “The camp will be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and the rules will be enforced through our contracting company, One Security of Eugene to help us during this transition period. They are a very experienced homeless camp management company.”
It is perhaps one of the signaSauerwein and other city officials tures of Cottage Grove and a place have told the Sentinel, that there where anyone can find beauty and are no additional plans to offer any solitude. other long-term sheltering for the Cottage Grove’s Bohemia Park homeless. is a 14.8-acre park owned by “Cottage Grove will follow the Bohemia Foundation and is state law as we understand it,” maintained through a cooperative Sauerwein said. “That is what we agreement with the City of Cottage are doing. To change that is up to Grove. the legislature. The city of Cottage On June 16, shovel wielding ofGrove has no plans to do any kind ficials ceremonially broke ground of a shelter beyond what we are for the park’s newest improvement – an entry plaza at 10th and Main Street estimated to cost of $1.65 million.
currently doing, which is providing a location for folks to spend the night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” Read previous coverage about the homelessness challenges in Cottage Grove and follow new developments at cgsemtinel.com and in the Wednesday print editions of The Sentinel.
Behavioral Impact
According to Dill, firefighters often don’t recognize the behavioral impact of their work. “We become cultural brainwashed,” Dill said. “Whether it’s structural or wildland fires. So, we are meant to believe we are supposed to act strong, brave, be help, don’t ask for help, and we don’t want to look weak and not ask for Jeremy C. Ruark / Cottage Grove Sentinel help.” “We strongly advise against engaging in activities such as Dill added that while firefighters those outlined in this letter, including collecting or sharing are on the front lines battling the wildfires, one of the biggest chalinformation about individuals based on their demographic ORIGINAL DESIGN lenges they face is the unknown. or perceived immigration status,” a release from the Lincoln The original design was created “It’s how rapidly theses fires can County Sheriff’s Office states. by Carol Mayer Reed at Mayer move, and the unknown is where Reed in Portland. The design was is it going to end? Where will this built upon by David Dougherty at fire go to and how long will it last? DLA Design creating the current And that is a struggle,” he said. Jeremy C. Ruark / Cottage Grove Sentinel “So, when you are fighting that Entry Plaza Design, according The new Bohemia Park Plaza entrance showcases the park’s fire, you’re trying to do your best to City of Cottage Grove Public five heritage themes of Mining, Timber, to stop it,Railroad, and yet theAgriculture wind kicks STEVE CARD such information with Immigration Works and Development Director and Recreation. up at 60 miles an hour and it drags Faye Stewart. Country Media, Inc. and Customs Enforcement (ICE). it further and further behind them. “We added a splash pad, swing This policy applies to all our operaThat aspect of the unknown is very CINDY set, and Historic Water Tower toWEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL An anonymous letter received by tions, including the Lane County difficult in wildland fires. The firefrom the Village Green See moredesign,” photos withsaid. this story at cgsentinel.com. original Stewart aMatchbooks number of government leaders Jail.” Resort in Cottage Grove.the fighters have that stress and anxiety, “THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT IS THAT IT IS and law enforcement personnel The mission of the Lane County “The stone pillars will represent the and that struggle to protect is a very CREATING NEW RECREATIONALdifficult OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR historical themes that built Cottage Sheriff’s Office is to conserve the along the Oregon Coast has raised challenge for the wildland Grove. Rail Road, Farming, MinYOUTH, CAPTURING THE EARLYfirefighters.” HISTORY OF OUR CITY AND peace, according to Wallace. concerns regarding its discriminaing, Timber/Lumber, Recreation, It isENCOURAGE often very difficult for fam“We remain committed to servtory language. SURROUNDING AREA, AND IT WILL TOURISTS ily members of the firefighters to and Native American History. ing the public with justice and Cottage Grove Police Chief TO VISIT BOHEMIA PARK.” CINDY WEELDREYER understand what emotions there are, the way” during the construction helped us meet many of our future Nearly 50 people attended the Stewart explained that fundCory Chase said his agency had not integrity, protecting those who ~ FAYE STEWART, COTTAGE GROVE PUBLIC WORKS For The Cottage Grove Sentinel and that many firefighters don’t project. bookstore customers,” Birdy said. Cottage Grove Historical Society’s received any reports of such letters both live and visit our community, raising is currently underway to ANDan DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. express their emotions, according He said he was given importShe shared a humorous mem- and complete “Farewellthe to the Village at when Birdy Hoelzle water towerGreen” and add without exception. Our policies as In of 1975, Dec. 19. to Dill. ant job of opening the boxes ory they made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, andThe herLane sisterCounty Gail opened The procedures remain in line with that the historical interpretive panels to Sheriff’s Of“We ask the family members delivered to plaza the guest rooms and Maiden Dining Room Sept. 21. pillars. Next spring/sumBookmine were familiar withof mission,” the stone Wallace said.that drew The entry project is about November, Sentinel fice has notthey received any reports toIntryearly to understand theThe cultural,” recalled how cool he felt driving laughter from the crowd. resort 95% Village Green. merThe theinternationally Cottage Grovefamous Historical complete, according to reported that the project is the aThe similar letter in the area, accordhe said. “Be direct. Challenge third the orange golf cart around the “My sister and IREACTION were budding was created Walter A. Woodard fatherSgt. traveled a lot and Society will by begin painting the old Stewart. REGIONAL phase of the park’swhen development. ingTheir to LCSO Tim Wallace. with compassion something property for assigned errands. Years Itdoesn’t feminists at the time anda were quite Blue (W.A.) and his son,Engine Carlton.onSome often brought its matchboxes Goose Steam the This letter prompted conversabegan look in 2021, a $70,000 “Oregon Revised Statute home rightwith or doesn’t sound special memory was shocked by the sexismofpracticed in members of thefacing family10th attended and later, another as keepsakes for his girls. The sisbathroom wall Street. tion among members the Toledo PROJECT DETAILS challenge the size Woodard right, and grant do anfrom internal up, 181A.820 generally prohibits the seeing famous football player, the dining room,” sheitssaid. “The shared ters wereorincollection their 20’sof when they “The personal Bohemiamemories. Foundation which we ask the firefighters to City Council during meeting Workthe to plant shrubs, level soil Family Foundation, with concepinquiry an indiO.J.installation Simpson, running on onethe of the tual menu given to a itwoman had no in do as well,” heofsaid.” Internal size opened the Main Streetorbookstore shared the items we hoped to Dec. 18, and also resulted for of sod, install drawings the park’s north vidual’s immigration citizenship on THROUGH THE LENS up means asking why am I acting resort’s paths. prices on it and foot pillows were and, to enhance their income, incorporate into Bohemia Park and swing set and fall protection mate- end improvements. a press release being issued the status, or country of birth, with Kris Woodard’s introductory way, and why am I for feeling this delightinofbathrooms, those gathered, provided ladies’ uncomfortable worked as waitresses at theWallace resort. both Carol Mayer Reed and David rial,Tosetthe follow daysoby the Lincoln County fixtures com- this Community requests a splash few specific exceptions,” remarks included personal memway? The best thing we can do is Kris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoes could be removed while din“It was a wonderful place to Dougherty came up with how to plete plumbing, and complete the pad and swing set prompted their told The Sentinel. “Consistent with Sheriff’s Office. ories he made through the lens of ing. It was a very different era.” work and, being new in town, it design them into the project,” he electrical work, was expected to be this, the Sheriff’s Office does not a 12-year-old who was often “in See LEGACY, Page 6 See HEALTH, Page 6 said. completed by the end of December. inquire about, document, or share See LETTER, Page 6 See PLAZA, Page 6
Discrimination letter triggers statewide response
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Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
INSIDE Year in Review Lifestyles —3 —3 Obituaries — 4 Opinion —5 —4 Death Notice
Classifieds Opinion — 5— 7 Sports —8 —7 Classifieds Sports — 8
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