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www.cgsentinel.com $2.00 While he said there was no curessentially trying to blackmailing rent discussion of impeachment or the state of Oregon. We are very censorship of President Trump, the concerned about Oregon being tarSenate and the House members are geted by Team Trump.” carefully continuing the nomination Merkley added that he is process of Trump’s cabinet. concerned that the Trump “Our immediate attention is to Administration is wiping out the say we have a responsibility not to foundation of law. allow incompetent people to be in “And that’s what’s happening charge of our government,” he said. right now,” he said. Adding that According to Merkley, President Trump’s actions are creating a free Trump is essentially blackmailing range to break the law. He cited JEREMY C. RUARK members of his own party to get President’s Trumps executive order Crews began developing the smaller homeless Cottage Grove Sentinel them certain things. to block the birth rights citizenship camp site this week on the vacant lottoatdo12th Street. Public works crews are in the “At his point coming off the of Americans as an example. process of establishing a new election, people are incline to be “That is breaking the constitusmaller homeless camp site at the team players,” Merkley said. “And tional law,” he said. “This is an vacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage they are afraid of the power of the extremely scary time because law is Grove. billionaire team standing behind the framework that supports democCottage Grove City Manager Trump, So, this is a real problem racy from becoming autocracy and Mike Sauerwein said the city is for our democracy. We are seeing a that framework is being torn apart.” behind its original Oct. 1 timeline sweeping authoritarian power grab A standing-room only crown is establishing the camp, following not witnessed in our lifetime.” filled South Eugene High School’s the Aug. 22 closure and cleanup Merkley said he understood the auditorium for the Merkley Lane of the 12th Street and Douglas concern that local city and state County town hall Sunday, Feb. 2. Street homeless camps. During the officials have about losing federal The senator took several questions, Jeremy C. Ruark / Cottage Grove Sentinel transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog funds for Oregon under the Trump most about actions and impact of Sen. visited with Park atMerkley 12th Street has been usedthe local media in a South Eugene Administration. the Trump Administration. High Schoolcamp classroom as a homeless site with before hours the 1 p.m. Feb. 2 town hall at “Thirty percent of the state budMerkley also held town halls in the fromschool’s 7 p.m. to 7auditorium. a.m. daily. get is federal money,” Merkley Newport, Philomath, Albany, and “None of us have ever managed said. “Those funds support all kinds Salem Feb. 1 and Feb. 2. JEREMY C. RUARK said in a meeting with members of a homeless camp before, so we of things such as housing, health Follow developments at cgsentiCottage Grove Sentinel the press before addressing a town knew that date was a bit aspiracare, and infrastructure. So, this is a nel.com and in the Wednesday print tional,” said. scary “We are “This Sauerwein is an extremely time,” hall in Eugene. real concern. There is a lot of coneditions of The Sentinel. hoping that this week we will be Oregon U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley cern about the federal government able to make the transition. Our PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL goal was to provide folks with Sauerwein and other city officials currently doing, which is providing The new mini homeless camp a safe and secure place to spend a location for folks to spend the will include the same restrictions as have told the Sentinel, that there the night and that’s what we are are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” the former larger camps. doing.” other long-term sheltering for the Read previous coverage about “The same rules will apply,” Sauerwein said city staff was homeless. the homelessness challenges in Sauwrwein said. “The camp will cleaning up the Lulu Dog Park to “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage Grove and follow new 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 and the rules will be enforced costs of that cleanup and establishSauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions through our contracting company, ing the smaller homeless camp at are doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. One Security of Eugene to help us 12th Street were not immediately the legislature. The city of Cottage during this transition period. They available. Grove has no plans to do any kind are a very experienced homeless of a shelter beyond what we are camp management company.”
Courtesy photo
Lincoln Middle School administrators have partnered with Cottage Grove Police investigating threatening messages found on the school’s bathroom walls.
The mental City establishing mini health impact homeless camp at 12th Street School facing Oregon’s
SPECIAL REPORT
Middlefield Golf Course creates multiple community benefits
Kris Woodard spearheaded the development on the north side of Row River Road across from the Editor’s Note: City leadVillage Green. ers face significant budget He hired Gene “Bunny” challenges in 2025 requirMason, a noted Pacific ing thoughtful discussion of Northwest course designer and how current city assets will be PGA Pro, to design it. The funded in the future. This is the course’s fairways are made of final report of a six-part series Winter Rye and the greens are describing the history and manmade of Bent Grass. agement of City-owned assets: It opened in 1991 and quickly the Historic Downtown District became popular among local (12/4), the Library/Community and regional golfers. The course Cener (12/11), the Armory is surrounded by mature land(12/25), the Skatepark (1/15), CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVE scaping and borders theSENTINEL Row Bohemia Park (1/29), andVillage Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story Matchbooks from the at cgsentinel.com. River. The 5,200-yard course is today’s report on the Middlefield often described as a challenging Golf Course. 18-hole executive course that rivals many professional length The Hemenway Family’s courses. dairy cows once roamed the In 2007, with utility ratepayers land that today is the City of in the City the CINDY WEELDREYER themind, way” during theacquired construction helped us meet many of our future Nearly 50 people attended the Cottage For TheGrove’s Cottage Middlefield Grove Sentinel course project. for its water rights and as bookstore customers,” Birdy said. Cottage Grove Historical Society’s Golf Course. a less expensive optionantoimportmeet He said he was given She shared a humorous mem“Farewell to the Village Green” at In 1975, when Birdy Hoelzle Back in the early 1960’s, new Dept. of Environmental ant job of opening the boxes ory they made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, and her sister Gail opened The the Woodard Family created Quality to cool deliveredrequirements to the guest rooms and Maiden Dining Room that drew Sept. 21. Bookmine they were familiar with the world-class Village Green treated water (affluent) recalled sewer how cool he felt driving laughter from the crowd. The internationally famous resort The Village Green. Motor Hotel that coincided with in summer months before thethe orange golf cart around the “My sister and I were budding was created by Walter A. Woodard Their father traveled a lot and the construction of Interstate 5. itproperty reachesforthe river to createYears a assigned errands. feminists at the time and were quite (W.A.) and his son, Carlton. Some often brought its matchboxes home Weeldreyer / Cottage Grove Sentinel healthier aquatic habitat. The Having the less-than-ideal smell shocked by the sexism practiced in Cindy members of the family attended and later, another special memory was as keepsakes for his girls. The sisThe iconic Middlefield golfer welcomes players to the muof a dairy farm next to a beaugolf is located a quarter seeingcourse the famous football player, the dining room,” she said. “The shared personal memories. ters were in their 20’s when they nicipal course at Cottage Grove. tiful vacation resort wouldn’t mile east of the wateronreclamaO.J. Simpson, running one of the menu given to a woman had no opened the Main Street bookstore do, so a land swap between the THROUGH THE LENS tion plant and the affluent is resort’s paths. prices on it and foot pillows were and, to enhance their income, HISTORY investment in town by creating Hemenways and the Woodards Kris Woodard’s introductory piped from the plant to gathered, the golf To the delight of those provided so ladies’ uncomfortable worked as waitresses at the resort. The Woodard Family sold the the Middlefield moved the cows to Saginaw. remarks included Estates personalresidenmemcourse’s irrigation pond. Kris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoes could be removed while din“It was a wonderful place to Village Green Resort property in tial community and golf course. ing. It and was made a very adifferent era.”new ories he made through the lens of work and, being new in town, it 1986 significant a 12-year-old who was often “in See LEGACY, Page 6 See COURSE, Page 6 CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
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authorities wildland act firefighters following threatening messages JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
Oregon’s wildfire season is expected to continue through this month, but the mental scares and impact of the season on the firefighters who battle blazes in Lane County and across the state, and their families, may last a lifetime, JEREMY RUARK according to Jeff C. Dill, the founder Cottage Grove Sentinel of Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA). Lincoln Middle School adminisDill established the FBHA in trators have partnered with Katrina. Cottage 2010 following Hurricane Grove Police following what has He was than a Battalion Chief been described as threatening mesfor a fire department in northwest sages found on the walls of the Chicago. school’s “I sawbathrooms. our brothers and sisters struggle from the devastation that theyINCIDENTS saw, so I wentTIMELINE back and got my degree Laura and became licensed Principal Clark asent the first counselor,” he said. “We started alert to parents Jan. 21. tracking and firefighter sui“Today EMS at Lincoln Middle School, cides across America.” a teacher saw and reported an anonymous threat written in a girls Behavioral Impact bathroom stall.toWe arefirefighters investigating According Dill, this situation and working with the often don’t recognize the behavioral impact Grove of theirPolice work.Department to Cottage “Weallbecome cultural brainensure students are safe,” Clark washed,” said.“While “Whether stated in theDill email. we it’s don’t structural wildland fires. So, we believe thatorthis is a credible threat, are meant to believe we are supout of an abundance of caution, you posed to act strong, brave, be help, may notice an increased police presdon’t ask for help, and we don’t ence school thenot remainder wantattothe look weakforand ask for ofhelp.” this week.” Clark added that that while the school recDill added firefighters ommends talk with theirthechilare on theparents front lines battling dren and encourage to report wildfires, one of thethem biggest challenges they face is the atunknown. any suspicious activity school to “It’sstaff. how rapidly theses fires can office move, andmessages the unknown is where “While like this are is it going to end? Where will this never pleasant to receive, please fire go to we andtake howthe long will of it last? know that safety And that is a struggle,” he said. our scholars very seriously,” Clark “So, when you are fighting that wrote. fire, you’re trying to do your best partoShe stopissued it, andanother yet theemail wind to kicks ents Jan. 22, that reads: up at 60 miles an hour and it drags you further for talking withthem. your it “Thank further and behind middle schoolofscholars last night That aspect the unknown is very difficult wildland fires.atThe about the in potential threat our firefightersDue haveinthat andefforts, anxiety, school. partstress to your andwere that able struggle to protect a very we to identify the is source difficult challenge for the wildland of the threat and can confidently firefighters.” assure you that there is no ongoing It is often very difficult for famrisk to our school community. We ily members of the firefighters to are also providing the necessary understand what emotions theresupare, port and taking appropriate action. and that many firefighters don’t Itexpress feels good partner with our theirtoemotions, according scholars, to Dill. families and community in support “We of askour theschool.” family members toOn tryJan. to understand cultural,” 30, LincolntheMiddle he said.officials “Be direct. Challenge School received a report of with compassion something another threateningwhen message. doesn’t looksaw rightand or reported doesn’t sound “An adult an right, and do an internal up, anonymous threat written size in the which we ask the firefighters to boys’ bathroom,” Clark wrote in an do as well,” he said.” Internal size additional parents. conup means email askingtowhy am I“We acting tinue to investigate these situations this way, and why am I feeling this asway? theyThe come up,thing and are working best we can do is See HEALTH, Page See MESSAGES, Page66