The Cottage Grove
entinel entinel Will we see another severe Learning from LA Fires
Tito Joins The CoTTage grove Sheriff’s Dept.
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Wednesday January 22 | Number 4, 136 years
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ice storm this winter season? Lifestyle
Life in Cottage Grove
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JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
Wednesday While the weatherOctober in Cottage 9, 2024 | Number 39, 135 years
Grove this January is challenging, locals are hopeful we won’t see a repeat of the severe ice storm that caused power outages, downed trees, kept many in their homes and caused travel delays in the first days of January 2024.
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City leaders take office, Ready to move ahead
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CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
The mental City establishing mini health impact homeless camp at 12th Street facing Oregon’s
Newly re-elected Cottage Grove Mayor Candace Solesbee presided over the first meeting of the Cottage Grove City Council in 2025, held Monday, Jan. 13 at Cottage Grove City Hall. THE 2024 ICE STORM In addition to the Mayor, City The National Weather Service Recorder Mindy Roberts admin(NWS)JEREMY issued itsC.annual Climate RUARK istered the oath of office to new ReportCottage Jan. 1 Grove of thisSentinel year, detailCrews began developing the smaller homeless Councilors Christine Hyink, and ing the 2024 winter storm. camp site this week on the vacant lot at 12th Street. Darrell Wilson and returning Public works crews are in the “A strong cold offshore flow Councilors Greg Ervin and Randall process of establishing a new allowed cold air to push into the Lammerman. New Councilor Jim smaller homeless camp site at the area,” the report states. “A very Settelmeyer participated virtually vacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage JEREMY C. RUARK strong arctic front moved across Sentinel and willCottage take hisGrove oath of office at the Grove. the area Jan. 12 and 13, with Jan.Oregon’s 27 meeting. Cottage Grove City Manager wildfire season is temperatures plummeting 20-25 MAYORAL AWARDS Mike Sauerwein said the city is expected to continue through this degrees below normal. Strong Traditionally, the Mayor presents month, but the mental scares and behind its original Oct. 1 timeline easterly winds occurred with special to individuals and impactawards of the season on the fireis establishing the camp, following gusts 40 to 60 miles an hour.” fighters who battle blazes in Lane businesses of his or her choosing. the Aug. 22 closure and cleanup Courtesy photo from ODOT The ice, freezing rain, and County and across the state, and Solesbee selected 88-year-old Don of the 12th Street and Douglas (Top) ODOT and other strong winds triggered power their families, may last a lifetime, Williams, a retired Weyerhaeuser Street homeless camps. During the transportation crews were outages for approximately 25,000 according Jeff Dill,community the founder manager andto longtime transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog busy clearing the snow and of Firefighter Behavioral Healththe residents in the Cottage Grove leader and volunteer, to receive Park at 12th Street has been used ice during the January 2024 Alliance (FBHA). area. Businesses and schools Mayoral Citizen Award. as a homeless camp site with hours storm. Dill established the FBHA in were closed throughout the week. The following Mayor alsoHurricane presentedKatrina. awards from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. 2010 Cottage Grove City Hall was toHetwo businesses that she said broken branches and down trees. “None of us have ever managed was than a Battalion Chief went open 24 hours a day as a public above and department beyond to serve their Interstate 5 was clogged with a homeless camp before, so we for a fire in northwest shelter. community vehicles, causing long delays. Chicago. during emergencies in knew that date was a bit aspiraThen-interim Cottage Grove “I saw our brothers and sisters Local clinics throughout Lane tional,” Sauerwein said. “We are Courtesy photo 2024. City Manager Faye Stewart struggle from the devastation thatof Toni and Randy Dietz, owners County treated people suffering hoping that this week we will be (Bottom) Cottage Grove Public Works Director Faye Stewart filed a local State of Emergency theyRamen saw, soand I went back and got Oba Dietz Deli, were from falls on the ice and other able to make the transition. Our said it took four months to clean up after the ice storm. PubDeclaration to gain federal PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL recognized my degree for andserving becamefree a licensed meals to cold-weather related issues. goal was to provide folks with lic works crews collected 100,000 tons of wood debris from assistance. Area roads were counselor,” he said. “We started Sauerwein and other city officials currently doing, which is providing The new mini homeless camp those in need during the ice storm a safe and secure place to spend around the city and stacked it up in the south parking lot at tracking EMS and firefighter suiice-layered, many covered with have told thePark. Sentinel, that there a location for folks to spend the will include the same restrictions as Bohemia and for helping to clean up shattered the night and that’s what we are See STORM, Page 6 cides across America.” are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” the former larger camps. glass on Main Street immediately doing.” other long-term sheltering for the Read previous coverage about “The same rules will apply,” after numerous businesses were vanSauerwein said city staff was Behavioral Impact homeless. the homelessness challenges in Sauwrwein said. “The camp will dalized. Solesbee also firefighters praised them According to Dill, cleaning up the Lulu Dog Park to “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage Grove and follow new for supporting another the restaurant often don’t recognize behavioral reestablish it as a dog park. Specific be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com impact of their and the rules will be enforced by providing thework. temporary kitchen costs of that cleanup and establish“We cultural brainSauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions space through our contracting company, thebecome displaced entrepreneurs ing the smaller homeless camp at washed,” Dill said. it’s are doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. One Security of Eugene to help us needed to keep their “Whether business going. 12th Street were not immediately structural or wildland fires. So, the legislature. The city of Cottage during this transition period. They Walmart Manager Denton Bellwe available. are meant believe are supGrove has no plans to do any kind are a very experienced homeless received an toaward for we quickly delivposed to act strong, brave, be help, of a shelter beyond what we are camp management company.” ering critical supplies city officials don’t ask for help, and we don’t needed create an emergency want totolook weak and not askshelfor ter at city hall during last January’s help.” ice Dill storm. added that while firefighters Solesbee also praised Bill the are on the front lines battling CINDY WEELDREYER Whiteman, a former mayor who wildfires, one of the biggest chalCottage Grove Sentinel lenges is the died on they Dec. face 13, for his unknown. many civic “It’s how rapidly theses fires can The COVID 19 pandemic created contributions in the decades he was and the unknown is where widespread sadness and heaviness amove, local businessman and community is it going to end? Where will this throughout our community for leader. fire go to howCITY long will it last? nearly two years. STATE OFand THE ADDRESS And that is a struggle,” he said. Being under quarantine, Judy Addressing the Citizens of Cottage “So, when you are fighting that Smith had lots of unexpected time Grove the Mayor fire, you’re tryingasked to doeveryone your best to fill and started baking cookies. toto“make a fresh start, difstop it, and yet the put windany kicks She made so many she had to figure ferences aside and pledge to work up at 60 miles an hour and it drags out what to do with all of them. together a community.” it furtherasand further behind them. “We all needed light and human She encouraged new That aspect of thereturning unknownand is very CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL difficult in wildland fires. The fireinteraction,” Smith said. “I started councilors “to support each other and Matchbooks from the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story at cgsentinel.com. fighters stress and anxiety, to leave them anonymously on peolearn fromhave our that experiences.” and that struggle protect a very ples’ doorsteps in hopes of spreadLooking back onto2024, theisMayor difficult challenge for the wildland ing a little joy and make people acknowledged a long list of civic firefighters.” smile. People started donating butter accomplishments by departments. It is often very difficult for famand flour to contribute, so I could Below are the highlights of indiily members of the firefighters to keep spreading the love. Some said vidual department achievements CINDY WEELDREYER understand what emotions there last are, the way” during the construction helped us meet many of our future Nearly 50 people attended the I should it intoGrove a business. I year. For Theturn Cottage Sentinel and that many firefighters don’t project. bookstore customers,” Birdy said. Cottage Grove Historical Society’s refused because I didn’t want to Public their Works: Ice Storm clean-up express emotions, according He said he was given an importShe shared a humorous mem“Farewell to the Village Green” at In 1975, when Birdy Hoelzle lose my joy. Finally, I gave in with efforts took four months and generto Dill. ant job of opening the boxes ory they made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, and her sister Gail opened The the promise to myself that I would ated 100,000 tons of wood debris. “We ask the family members delivered to the guest rooms and Maiden Dining Room that drew Sept. 21. Bookmine they were familiar with to trycoordinated to understand cultural,” never push myself to the point that I laughter from the crowd. Staff withtheFEMA to howRandom cool heActs feltofdriving The internationally famous resort Courtesyrecalled photo from Cookies The Village Green. he said. “Betodirect. Challenge lost my joy of making cookie art.” secure $3M reimburse the city for thegourmet orange golfcookies cart around “My sister andof I were budding was created Walter A. Woodard Random Acts Cookies Artist Judy Smithby creates unique custom forthe Their father traveled a lot and with compassion when something Her random acts of cookie kindthe costs it incurred during and after property for assigned errands. Years doesn’t look right or doesn’t sound feminists events at the time andoffers were quite (W.A.) and hispleasing son, Carlton. Some special and 14 kinds of crowd drop cookies. See more photos at cgsoften brought its matchboxes home ness during the pandemic gave birth sentinel.com. the storm. The Community Center’s shocked by the sexism practiced in members of the family attended and later, another special memory was as keepsakes for his girls. The sisright, and do internal size up, to Random Acts of Cookies, the recognition as an a Resiliency Hub, seeing the famous football player, the dining room,” she said. “The shared personal memories. ters were in their 20’s when they which we ask the firefighters to At first it was just Judy doing the day. He managed a bakery Judy does allrunning the recipe experiSmith Family’s successful family provided funding to purchase O.J. Simpson, on one of the which menu given to a woman had no do as well,” he said.” Internal size opened the Main Street bookstore everything in their licensed home department in a grocery many menting, art design, hand work, and aup business. new heating and why ventilation system THROUGH THEstore LENS means asking am I acting resort’s paths. prices on it and foot pillows were and, to enhance their income, kitchen. When she couldn’t physiyears ago and now introductory does most of the managing the business end of their Kris Woodard’s this way, and why am I feeling this To the delight of those gathered, provided so ladies’ uncomfortable worked as waitresses at the resort. cally roll dough anymore, her huscookie TEAM EFFORT remarksbaking. 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 band Dan jumped in and saved ories he made through the lens of See COOKIES, Page 6 ing. It was a very different era.” work and, being new in town, it CITY, Page 5 6 a 12-year-old who was often “in See LEGACY, Page 6 SeeSee HEALTH, Page
wildland firefighters
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Judy Smith, Random Acts of Cookies ‘The secret ingredient is love!’
Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
INSIDE Fire ready — 3 Lifestyles Obituaries — 4 Death Notice — 4
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