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Wednesday November 6, 2024 | Number 45, 135 years
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Wednesday October 9, 2024 | Number 39, 135 years
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The mental City establishing mini health impact Park entry plaza homeless camp at 12th Street facing Oregon’s
completion delayed JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
Crews began developing the smaller homeless camp site this week on the vacant lot at 12th Street.
Public works crews are in the Jeremy C. Ruark / Cottage Grove Sentinel process of establishing a new Construction smaller homelesscrew camp members site at the work on the park entry plaza building at the S. 10th Street site. vacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage delays that now push the date to phase of the park’s development ed. Irrigation, landscaping, light Grove. CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel the end of December, according plan is about 50-percent complete. poles and the tower base are yet to Cottage Grove City Manager to Cottage Grove Public Works The work done so far includes be installed. Mike Sauerwein said the city is Construction continues on Director Faye Stewart. the installation of underground behind its original Oct. 1 timeline improvements at the north end of “I received a timeline from the infrastructure, masonry work for PARK HISTORY is establishing the camp, following Bohemia Park. contractor that the completion date the bathrooms and the roof is now The 14.8-acre park is owned the Aug. 22 closure and cleanup By the end of the year there for the Bohemia Park Entry Plaza being framed. The splash pad by the Bohemia Foundation and of the 12th Street and Douglas will be a building with restrooms, is now Dec. 27,” Stewart said. concrete has been poured. The is maintained by Stewart family Street homeless camps. During the a playground with swings, and a “We were shooting for an earlier installation of the above ground members and through a cooperatransition, the adjacent Lulu Dog splash pad to cool off on hot days. date but some of the items for splashpad features and its pump tive agreement with the City of Park at 12th Street has been used The original completion date completing the bathrooms are on system has yet to be installed. Cottage Grove. as a homeless camp site with hours was this month, however, there backorder.” Most of the pathways and hard from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. have been some unanticipated See PLAZA, Page 6 Stewart estimates this third surfacing still need to be concret“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 WEELDREYER a much-needed organization that able to CINDY make the transition. Our PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Cottage Grovefolks Sentinel helps animals in our commugoal was to provide with Sauerwein and other city officials nity,” currently doing, The new mini homeless camp Hill said.which is providing a safe and secure place to spend a location for spend the will include the same restrictions as have told the Sentinel, that there of a nation the“The nightgreatness and that’s what we are She added,folks “Wetoare very are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” the former larger camps. and its moral progress can be doing.” grateful for the wonderful show other long-term sheltering for the previoussupport coveragewe about “The same rules will apply,” judged by the way animals Sauerwein said cityits staff was of Read community have homeless. the homelessness challenges Sauwrwein said. “The camp will are treated. I hold cleaning up the Lulu that Dog the Parkmore to received since we started in PAWS. “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage have Groveattended and followour new helpless the more en- be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. reestablisha itcreature, as a dog park. Specific People sales, state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com and the rules will be enforced costs ofit that and establishtitled is tocleanup protection by man dropped off donations and have Sauerwein said. “That is what we and in theby Wednesday printofeditions through our contracting company, ing thethe smaller homeless camp at from cruelty of man.” stopped with words enare doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. One Security of Eugene to help us 12th Street were not immediately ~ Mahatma Ghandi couragement for us.” the legislature. The city of Cottage during this transition period. They available. Most recently, the group Grove has no plans to do any kind are a very experienced homeless For nearly 40 years, local funded 50 discount coupons, of a shelter beyond what we are camp management company.” resident Janetta Overholser has with most distributed this sumdevoted her life to caring for mer at the South Valley Farmers animals and is widely known Market and through its PAWS’ as a fierce warrior in the battle Facebook page. to stop animal overpopulation. The first donation toward the She was one of the founders of group’s $10,000 goal was $500 the Animal Care Lovers Unit in from an anonymous donor. 1986 that became the Humane Their fundraising thermometer Society of Cottage Grove in rose after the June 29 fundraiser 1999. and, thus far, approximately Last December, a change in $2,000 has been raised. A the organization’s leadership $2,900 anonymous donation was prompted Overholser to resign earmarked to help with organifrom the Humane Society board zational fees. after serving as its leader for 37 The nonprofit’s anniversary years. date is in July 2025 to bring in CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVEOverSENTINEL Two other board members the remaining $8,000. Matchbooks from Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story at said cgsentinel.com. and seven of the thriftthe store holser that the ratio will volunteers also resigned their increase once all the remaining positions. Wanting to continue Courtesy graphic organizational fees are paid. the mission of reducing animal “The more money we get the overpopulation, the 10 animal Carver, Karen Proctor, and to provide discount coupons that more spay and neuter coupons lovers banded together in Janu- Steve Thoemmes. are $100 off the price of a spay we can offer,” Overholser said. CINDY WEELDREYER ary and brainstormed how they thethe way” during the construction helped us meet COMMUNITY many of our future Nearly 50 people attended the STRONG or neuter procedure and will “If financial need is greater For The Sentinel project. Birdy said. Cottage Grove Historical at Society’s could do Cottage that, andGrove the Paws and bookstore customers,” SUPPORT eventually be honored all the than the $100 discount coupon, He talk said he given importShe shared a humorous mem“Farewell to the Village Green” Whiskers (PAWS) PAWS made its community local veterinarian clinics. Theat come to was us and weancan conIn 1975, Society when Birdy Hoelzlewas ant job of opening the boxes ory they made this in theyear formal Iron the Community Center, born. debut earlier with group also works withSaturday, property nect them with other resources and her sister Gail opened The the guest rooms Dining Room that drew Sept. 21.who are overwhelmed The 11 they members of the PAWS aMaiden June 29 fundraiser at Elks owners todelivered get the to procedure done.”and Bookmine were familiar with recalled how cool he felt driving laughter Last from month, the crowd. board of directors Lodge. it received by The feralinternationally cat colonies.famous resort The Village Green. worked for the orange golf cart around the “My sister from and I were budding was createdHill by Walter A. Woodard several months to laya the founrecognition the Internal Christie said the progPAWS UPCOMING EVENTS Their father traveled lot and property for assigned errands. Years feminists at the timetoand were quite ress (W.A.) and his the son,new Carlton. Some dation for theitsnew organization. Revenue Service solidify to create nonprofit often brought matchboxes home Benefit Sale: Trinity Lutheran later, another special memory was shocked by the members ofbeen the family Overholser as theThe board its standing assexism one ofpracticed Cottagein would’ve much attended slower and Church’s as keepsakes serves for his girls. sisannual Christmas baseeing famousfor football player, the diningnewest room,” all-volunteer she said. “The shared personal memories. president. members are Grove’s without the support of the Cotters were inOther their 20’s when they zaar is the a benefit PAWS. It is O.J. Simpson, running on one of the menu given to a woman had no Vice DeHart, openedPresident the Main Bobbi Street bookstore nonprofit organizations. tage Grove Elks Lodge. scheduled Friday and Saturday, THROUGH THE LENS resort’s paths. prices on it and foot pillows were Secretary/Treasurer Christie and, to enhance their income, Knowing spay and neuter pro“We are so thankful to the November 8-9, at the church on Kris Woodard’s introductory the delight those gathered, provided are so ladies’ uncomfortable worked as waitresses at theBuessy, resort. Hill, Bev Kelley, Mary cedures expensive and can members of the Elks Lodge and theTo corner of 6thofand Quincy remarks included personal memKris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoes could be removed while din“It was a wonderful place to Carman Dowell, Nancy Wilbe a financial barrier for many its trustees for allowing us to ories he made through the lens of ing.owners, It was a very different era.”is work and, being new town, it liams, Barbara Hill,inSusan pet PAWS’ mission spread our wings and grow into See NONPROFIT, Page66 a 12-year-old who was often “in See LEGACY, Page
New nonprofit combats animal overpopulation
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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wildland firefighters
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In January, the new city councilJEREMY will receive its next C. RUARK Cottage Groveupdate. Sentinel quarterly budget Long-term sustainable Oregon’s wildfire season isfunding for the police expected to continue department through this month, the mental and and thebut library will scares be a topic impact of the season on the in fireat the council’s retreat fighters who battle blazes in Lane early 2025. County and across the state, and their families, may last a lifetime, CINDY WEELDRYER according to Jeff Dill,Sentinel the founder Cottage Grove of Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA). The Cottage Grove City Dill established the FBHA in Council may soon have to make 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. tough decisions about new revHe was than a Battalion Chief enue sources or reducing current for a fire department in northwest services. Chicago. The forecast came during a “I saw our brothers and sisters city council session Oct. struggle fromwork the devastation that28 they saw, so I went back and got about the city budget. my degree Grove and became a licensed Cottage City Manager counselor,” he said. “We started Mike Sauerwein and Finance tracking EMS and firefighter suiDirector Roberta Likens provided cides across America.” an update on the status of the current 2024-25 budgetImpact expenditures Behavioral to date and informed the counAccording to Dill, firefighters cilors be often that don’tadjustments recognize themust behavioral made there will be an impacttoofensure their work. “We become cultural brainessential cash carryover in future washed,” Dill said. “Whether it’s years. structural or wildland fires.said So, awe Sauerwein and Likens are meant to believe we are supnew financial modeling softposed to act strong, brave, be ware will make a big differ- help, don’t ask for help, and we don’t ence in what information staff want to look weak and not ask for can provide to the council as it help.” makes in Dill hard addedfinancial that whiledecisions firefighters January, newbattling council are on theafter frontthe lines theis seated. wildfires, one of the biggest chal“The they implementation of the lenges face is the unknown. “It’s how rapidly theses fires can Waterworth software to track move, andand theexpenditures unknown is where revenues and is it going to end? Where will create a forecasting model is this a fire go to Likens and howtold longthe will it last? process,” council. Andthis thatpoint, is a struggle,” he said. “At the preliminary “So, when you are fighting that information reflects a need to fire, you’re trying to do your best address theand cash the to stop it, yetposition the wind(in kicks general fund) and seek either up at 60 miles an hour and it drags new or increased revenue it further and further behindsources them. and/or reductions in spending. It That aspect of the unknown is very isdifficult imperative that this occurs as in wildland fires. The firefighters have that stress and anxiety, soon as possible.” and that struggle protectforis a very Sauerwein saidtofunds difficult challenge for wildland maintaining the water,thesewer and firefighters.” stormwater facilities are in great It is often very difficult for famshape. ily members of the firefighters to “It is in excellent shape comunderstand what emotions there are, pared to other I’ve been and that many cities firefighters don’t associated with,” Sauerwein said. express their emotions, according “You really have been wellto Dill. served publicmembers works “Weby askyour the family staff’s long-term planning.” to try to understand the cultural,” heCouncilor said. “Be direct. Challenge Dana Merryday with compassion something noted the reason when for that is doesn’t look right or doesn’t sound because the council followed the right, and do an internal size up, consultants’ advice and raised whichinwe theframe firefighters to rates theask time they sugdo as well,” he said.” Internal size gested and avoided the problem up means asking why am I acting inthis ourway, utilities fundamthat we now and why I feeling this have with the general fund. way? The best thing we can do is See BUDGET, Page 66 See HEALTH, Page