CGS211 by C.M.I.

THE COTTAGE GROVE

entinel

Wednesday

ICE OUT Walkout draws 100 CGHS students, community reactions mixed

According to several CGHS seniors, concerns about immigration enforcement and student safety prompted them to create an Instagram group chat that helped coordinate logistics and invite underclassmen to join. Students said they intentionally chose an early release Wednesday so they would not miss instructional time.

CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel

A ripple from the intense “ICE OUT” protests at the Federal Courthouse in Eugene reached Cottage Grove High School (CGHS) on Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 4, where students staged their own walkout to make their voices heard.

The district, however, made clear the event was not school sponsored. In a letter emailed to families Tuesday night, SLSD Superintendent Todd Miller wrote that the district had learned “late last night” about a planned walkout from 12:07 to 1:06 p.m. Miller reminded families that while students retain First Amendment rights

Share Fair USA brings weekly community giving to Cottage Grove CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel

On Saturday mornings behind Dirt Cheap Copies on East Main Street, a steady stream of neighbors gathers for Share Fair USA, a weekly community giveaway that has quickly become a reliable resource for local families. Tables, tailgates and wagons fill with household goods, clothing, furniture and other essentials — all offered at no cost. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming as people browse, talk with one another and share a bowl of hot soup. What began as a simple idea has grown into a weekly event meeting real needs in Cottage Grove. The concept is straightforward: bring what you can, take what you need, and leave with a sense of connection. There are no fees, no reservations, no swapping rules and no expectations. Everything is free, and everything is offered in the spirit of neighbors helping neighbors. The simplicity of the model removes barriers and invites participation from anyone who wants to give or receive.

to chat, share a bowl of homemade soup and watch their donations find new homes. Regular attendees describe the atmosphere as welcoming and upbeat, with neighbors cheering when someone finds a much needed item.

LEADERSHIP BEHIND THE SCENES

Behind the scenes, the weekly gathering benefits from the steady hand of Ananda Reeves, an enthusiastic community events planner whose work has shaped everything from neighborhood celebrations to large scale volunteer efforts. She prefers to keep the focus on the fair itself, but her experience shows in the smooth flow of the event, the welcoming atmosphere and how quickly newcomers feel at ease. Regular participants say her ability to organize without overshadowing the community is part of what makes the fair feel so natural and sustainable.

RESPONDING TO A GROWING LOCAL NEED

The first Share Fair launched Nov. 1, shortly after reductions in food assistance benefits left many local families struggling. The need in Cottage Grove remains high, especially for people newly housed after long periods of homelessness. The fair provides a place to find furniture, kitchenware, bedding, electronics and other basics that help turn an empty room into a home. Each week, the covered parking lot transforms into a cheerful, bustling space. Items are displayed from vehicles or wagons, boxes and tables. Participants often stay

POSITIVE COMMUNITY IMPACTS

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The impact is already showing up in personal ways. Terri Evans hadn’t even heard of Share Fair until a friend stopped by to browse and she noticed a large, sturdy, dark wood eight drawer dresser in the back of a pickup. When she asked about it, she was stunned to learn it was free. “I was blown away that it was for free,” she said. “It replaced two chests I’ve had for more than 20 years that both had broken drawers that fell out. I don’t have any extra money to buy furniture, especially as nice as my new dresser. I’m so thankful that this event can help people like me. My bedroom now looks so good.” Stories like hers are becoming common. Reeves recounted another moment involving a single mom who had lost everything in her storage unit. With company arriving from out of town, she came to Share Fair hoping to find a few basics. “The next car that rolled in had everything the mom needed for a beautiful table setting,” Reeves said. “Both the giver and the

to peaceful expression, any student who left class for a protest would be marked absent and unexcused under district policy. He encouraged parents to discuss expectations with their students and emphasized the district’s responsibility to maintain an orderly campus and minimize disruption to instruction.

Information about the walkout also circulated in the community. A Blackberry Pie Society “Rally Alert” was sent to its members and the Sentinel. It invited its members to participate in the student’s “ICE OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS” walkout, and march the high school to

Corporate profits, consumer spending reverse Oregon’s deficit but budget challenges remain ALEX BAUMHARDT Oregon Capital Chronicle

Oregon lawmakers meeting at the Capitol to balance the state’s budget are staring down a much rosier economic forecast than expected. Lawmakers will have about $106 million more revenue to work with in the state’s general fund than expected and $50 million more from other non-general fund revenues, a significant increase from the $63 million budget deficit they were expected to be grappling with following the last economic forecast in November, and a near-full turnaround from the $373 million deficit they were told to expect in August. Oregon’s chief economist, Carl Riccadonna, and senior economist, Michael Kennedy, presented the surprising news and the state’s latest quarterly economic forecast on Wednesday, Feb. 4, to House and Senate revenue committees and previewed some of their findings on a call with reporters Tuesday evening

Riccadonna said the gap between market forecasts and actual revenues has been a problem not just for state economists but national ones during the last year. Data showing strong economic output in the midst of market uncertainty from tariffs, an anemic labor market and rising unemployment has confounded economists nationwide. “This is the conundrum that forecasters are dealing with. Normally there’s a tight relationship between growth and employment. At the moment, that has broken down,” Riccadonna said. Whether that’s due to a rebalancing in hiring that boomed after the COVID pandemic, or due to the proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace meant to replace human labor, or both, is too difficult to know for certain right now, Riccadonna said. “It’s probably contributions from both factors, but understanding the weighting — is it a little AI or a lot

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