The Cottage Grove
entinel entinel $30 million The CoTTage for wildlife grove
Difficult decision at capital
restoration
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Wednesday January 29 | Number 5, 136 years
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STATEWIDE FOOD CRISIS Sports
Lifestyle
Local Food Pantry helping 74 those in need 49
Life in Cottage Grove
CGHS Football Incredible Turnaround See page 8
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Cottage Grove
Wednesday, Oct 9 Mostly Cloudy
CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
Wednesday October 9, 2024 Number 39, 135 New |data from Oregon Foodyears
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Bank reveals that hunger in Oregon is at its worst since the Great Depression. The Oregon Hunger Task Force is urging state legislators to pass Courtesy from the LCSO Food for All Oregonians. part of the First responders prepare the Immigrant Justice Package, which victim for an ambulance ride it prioritizes immigrant justice and equitable access to resources. to the hospital. In Cottage Grove and across the south county, Community Sharing JEREMY C. RUARK the smaller homeless Cottage Grove Sentinel has Crews evolvedbegan to assistdeveloping people in need. campBACKGROUND site this week on the vacant lot at 12th Street. Public works crews are in the In 1982, the first large mill in process of establishing a new South Lane County closed. smaller homeless camp site at the The closure displaced workers vacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage JEREMY C. RUARK who had families to feed and most Cottage Grove Sentinel Grove. faced months of retraining for new Cottage Grove City Manager Oregon’s wildfire season is jobs, so budgets were tight. A local Mike Sauerwein said the city is expected to continue through this church and concerned citizens month, but the mental scares and behind its original Oct. 1 timeline responded to this critical commuimpact of the season on the fireis establishing the camp, following nity need and assisted the affected fighters who battle blazes in Lane the Aug. 22 closure and cleanup households find food, clothing, County and across the state, and of the 12th Street and Douglas their families, may last a lifetime, JEREMYcamps. C. RUARK transportation and information about Street homeless During the Cottage Grove Sentinel according to Jeff Dill, the founder available resources. It soon became transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog of Firefighter Behavioral Health clear that Cottage Grove needed a Park at person 12th Street has beenafter used One is rescued Alliance (FBHA). nonprofit organization to coordinate a homeless campdown site with hours aasvehicle plunges a steep Dill established the FBHA in these relief efforts. from 7 p.m. toin7 rural a.m. daily. 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. embankment Lane The Community Sharing “None of us have ever managed He was than a Battalion Chief County. Program’s mission is to assist South Cindy / Cottage Sentinel a homeless campSheriff’s before, soOffice we for Weeldreyer a fire department inGrove northwest Lane County Lane County’s low-income individu- Community Sharing Board Member and pantry volunteer Larry Woody sorts donations reChicago. knew that date was a bit aspira(LCSR) Search & Rescue als and families obtain basic needs, “I saw our brothers and sisters ceived for food boxes. tional,” Sauerwein said. “We are responded early Jan. 22, to assist life skill tools and resources toward struggle from the devastation that hoping that thiswith weekthe werescue will beof fire personnel In 2001, the agency acquired the the property was sold to a private clothing, laundry self-sufficiency. In the past four they saw,bus so Itokens, went back and vouchgot able to make the transition. Our a severely injured driver near the RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL former Cottage Grove PHOTO HospitalJEREMY on C.developer. ers, prescription help, IDa assistance, my degree and became licensed decades the agency has continued goal was to provide folks with top of Wolf Creek Road, south of to build on its original foundation counselor,” he said. “We started Birch Avenueand andother moved in Today, doing, Community proshowers, energy assistance, water Sauerwein citythere officials currently whichSharing is providing The new mini homeless camp a safe and secure place to spend Veneta. tracking EMS and firefighter sui2007. Only needing the west end vides South Lane residents with a assistance, housing assistance, of neighbors helping neighbors in a location for folks to spend the will include the same restrictions as have told the Sentinel, that there the“The nightvehicle and that’s we down are hadwhat rolled cides across America.” of the facility, the remainder of variety of emergency assistance proCottage Grove, Creswell, and the are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” the former larger camps. adoing.” steep embankment,” LCSO Sgt. surrounding rural areas. grams, include a food pantry, other long-term sheltering for the Read which previous coverage about “The same rules will apply,” Sauerwein said city staff was Behavioral Tim Wallace said. “Specialized See PANTRY,Impact Page 6 homeless. the homelessness challenges in Sauwrwein said. “The camp will According to Dill, firefighters cleaning up was the Lulu DogtoPark to equipment needed safely “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage Grove and follow new be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. often don’t recognize the behavioral reestablish it as a dog park. move the patient up to theSpecific road state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com impact of their work. and the rules will be enforced costs of that cleanup and establishand waiting ambulance.” “We become cultural brainSauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions through our contracting company, ingVolunteers the smallerfrom homeless camp at Eugene 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 were not immediately Mountain Rescue (EMR), a group structural or wildland fires. So, we the legislature. The city of Cottage during this transition period. They available. within the Lane County Sheriff’s are meant to believe we are supGrove has no plans to do any kind are a very experienced homeless Search & Rescue that tackles high posed to act strong, brave, be help, of a shelter beyond what we are camp management company.” angle problems, set up a rope resdon’t ask for help, and we don’t want to look weak and not ask for cue system. Using a wheeled lithelp.” ter, they safely hoisted the patient CINDY WEELDREYER Dill added that while firefighters to the road, according to Wallace. Cottage Grove Sentinel are on the front lines battling the The identity of the person reswildfires, one of the biggest chalEditor’s Note: Cottage Grove city cued, details of the injuries suflenges they face is the unknown. leaders face significant budget chalfered, and what led to the crash, “It’s how rapidly theses fires can lenges in 2025 requiring thoughtful were not immediately available. move, and the unknown is where discussion of how current city assets According to Wallace, nearly is it going to end? Where will this will be funded in the future. every week, Lane County fire go to and how long will it last? This is part five of a six-part Sheriff’s Search & Rescue volunAnd that is a struggle,” he said. series describing the history and teers assist residents in all types “So, when you are fighting that management of City-owned assets: fire, you’re trying to do your best of environments. to stop it, and yet the wind kicks the Historic Downtown District, up at 60 miles an hour and it drags the Library/Community Center, Learn more about our Search it further and further behind them. & Rescue program at http://www. the Armory, Bohemia Park, the That aspect of the unknown is very CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Skatepark and Middlefield Golf lanecounty.org/.../volunteers/ difficult in wildland fires. The fireMatchbooks from the Village Green Course.Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story at cgsentinel.com. search_and_rescue fighters have that stress and anxiety, and that struggle to protect is a very Former Mayor Gary Williams difficult challenge for the wildland was once quoted describing the site Courtesy photo from the Bohemia Foundation firefighters.” as “14 acres of ugly” and now, a Watercolor drawing of the original Bohemia Park multi-phase master Thedifficult Plaza Entry It is plan. often very for famquarter of a century later, Bohemia project (Phase 3) is nearing completion. Future phases include an buildily interpretive members of thecenter firefighters to CINDY WEELDREYER Park is the realization the late understand what emotions there are, the way” during the construction helped us meet many of our future peoplefeature. attended the ingNearly and a50water For The Cottage Grove Sentinel and that many firefighters don’t Loren “Stub” Stewart’s Birdy visionsaid. of a project. bookstore customers,” Cottage Grove Historical Society’s Parks. For most those Green” years heat a presentation on the history and of the Oregon Pacific and Eastern express their emotions, according beautiful heritage park at the gateHe said he was given an importShe shared a humorous mem“Farewell to theofVillage In 1975, when Birdy Hoelzle to Dill. served on the State Parks Advisory future plans for the park. Railroad. way to Cottage Grove’s National ant job of opening the boxes ory they made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, and her sister Gail opened The “We ask thetofamily Committee From 1991 2000, members the 14-acre Historic delivered to the guest rooms and Maiden District. Dining Room that drew Sept. 21. and understood the Bookmine they were familiar with to try to understand the cultural,” intrinsic value of parks to the health BUILD IT AND site became a large weed-filled In a watercolor recalled how cool he felt driving laughter from the rendition crowd. of the The internationally famous resort The Village Green. he said.lot“Be direct. Challenge and well-being of people of all ages. THEY WILL COME vacant along South 10th Street park’s plan there the orange golf cart around the “Mymulti-phase sister and Imaster were budding was created by Walter A. Woodard Their father traveled a lot and with only compassion when something In the last season of his life, he laid Faye said his uncle hired one of with a few old buildings and are five heritage themes property for assigned errands. Years doesn’t look right or doesn’t sound feminists at the time andshowcased: were quite (W.A.) and his son, Carlton. Some often brought its matchboxes home the foundation to create a beautiful Oregon’s premiere landscape archithe railroad’s roundhouse to remind mining, agriculture shockedtimber, by the railroad, sexism practiced in members of the family attended and later, another special memory was as keepsakes for his girls. The sisright, and do an internal size up, park in personal his own town as a gift to its tects, Mayer-Reed, to player, design a awhich passerby of its Being anto and recreation. seeingCarol the famous football the dining room,” she said. “The shared memories. ters were Courtesy in their 20’s when they we ask thepast. firefighters photo from the LCSO future generations. multi-phase master plan for the new industrial site for more than a cenStubgiven was an of the O.J. Simpson, running on one of the do as well,” he said.” Internal menu to owner a woman hadfamno size opened the responders Main Street bookstore The first used THROUGH THE LENS At the Cottage Grove Historical park. Historically, between 1879 tury, the Oregon Department of ily business, the Bohemia Lumber up means asking why am I acting resort’s paths. prices on it and foot pillows were and, to enhance their income, a rope rescue system and a Kris Woodard’s introductory Society’s Jan. 18 meeting, Stub’s andTo 1991, some ofofthe most memoEnvironmental Quality the this way, and why am Irequired feeling this Company, and spentuncomfortable 50 years volthe delight those gathered, provided so ladies’ worked as waitresses at the resort. wheeled litter to safely hoist remarks included personal memnephew, Faye Stewart, who is rable uses of the site were Southern way? The best thing we can do is unteering hisbe time, services, anddinKris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoes could removed while “Itpatient was a wonderful place above to the to the road oriesthe hePublic made through the lens for of also Works Director Pacific Railroad warehouses, a money developing Oregon State ing. It was a very different era.” work and, being new in town, it the crash scene. a 12-year-old who was often “in Seea LEGACY, 6 See Page the City of Cottage Grove, gave flour mill, sawmill andPage the home SeeHEALTH, PARK, Page 3 6
The mental City establishing mini health impact homeless camp at 12th Street facing Oregon’s
Injured driver rescued after crash
wildland firefighters
SPECIAL REPORT
Bohemia Park: A family’s gift to its community
Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
INSIDE News —3 —3 Lifestyles Obituaries — 4 Death Notice — 4
Opinion — 5 Classifieds — 7 News Sports——8 8
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