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School 74 49 super individuals, businesses, nonprofits search enters The mental City establishing mini interview health impact homeless camp at 12th Street phase facing Oregon’s Sports
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CINDY WEELDREYER Wednesday October 9, 2024 | Number 39, 135 years Cottage Grove Sentinel
It was a Saturday evening of glittering fashion, entertainment, good food and spirits, fundraising and community awards at the 75th Annual Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet. Representatives of businesses, nonprofit organizations, elected officials andJEREMY community leaders were C. RUARK amongCottage the 175 Grove attendees that gathSentinel ered in the historic Cottage Grove Public works crews are in the Armory on March 1. process of establishing a new Casino Night was the theme of smaller homeless camp site at the the festive affair. Giant playing cards vacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage graced the stage that was framed by Grove. colorful oversized dice. Cottage Grove City Manager During the social hour, local Mike Sauerwein said the city is entertainer David Lomond’s behind its original Oct. 1 timeline “Hawaiian Elvis” crooned favorite is establishing the camp, following tunes popularized by the King of the Aug. 22 closure and cleanup Rock and Roll. The program began of the 12th Street and Douglas with Scout Troop 140’s Color Guard Street homeless camps. During the bringing in the American flag and transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog Cyra Conforth’s moving rendition of Park at 12th Street has been used the national anthem. Chamber Board as a homeless camp site with hours Secretary Natalie Clark offered the from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. invocation and South Lane Dance “None of us have ever managed Academy students, in glittering a homeless camp before, so we purple jackets, gave a high energy knew that date was a bit aspiradance performance. tional,” Sauerwein said. “We are Chamber Board Chairperson hoping that this week we will be Cameron Reiten and Vice able to make the transition. Our Chairperson Danny Solesbee pregoal was to provide folks with sided over the event as co-emcees. a safe and secure place to spend Two local eateries, Oba Ramen and the night and that’s what we are the Food Smiths, offered a choice doing.” of three entrees with Coast Fork Sauerwein said city staff was Brewery providing beverages. cleaning up the Lulu Dog Park to The banquet is the Chamber’s reestablish it as a dog park. Specific biggest annual fundraising event. costs of that cleanup and establishNumerous silent auction gift basing the smaller homeless camp at kets lined one wall and, across the 12th Street were not immediately Armory’s cavernous drill floor, available. was a wide variety of fancy desserts assembled along that wall. The “Dessert Dash” raised more than $2,000 for student scholarships. 2024 AWARD WINNERS Each year, the Chamber announces its four highly coveted awards honoring local individuals,
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Crews began developing the smaller homeless camp site this week on the vacant lot at 12th Street.
wildland firefighters
CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
This month the South Lane School District Board of Directors enters the home stretch in its C. search for a new JEREMY RUARK superintendent. Cottage Grove Sentinel AOregon’s national wildfire search, conducted season is by Human Capital Enterprises between expected to continue through this Jan 22 and 28, produced month, butFeb. the mental scares an and undisclosed number impact of the seasonofonapplicants. the firefighters blazes in Lane Now inwho the battle Selection Phase (Mar. County15), andcandidate across theinterviews state, andare 7-Apr. their families, lastand a lifetime, underway with may internal exteraccording to Jeff Dill, the founder nal stakeholders and an extensive of Firefighter Health is review process.Behavioral Once the finalist Alliance (FBHA). announced next month, the superinDill established the FBHA in tendent-elect willHurricane spend theKatrina. remain2010 following der of the school year participating He was than a Battalion Chief infororientation activitiesininnorthwest the district a fire department Courtesy photos from Greg Lee and community. Chicago. (Top) Leaders of South Valley On Friday, 28, the “I saw ourFeb. brothers andboard sistersmet Athletics receive the 2024 from the devastation that instruggle open session with search firm Nonprofit of the Year Award theyKathleen saw, so IRodden-Nord went back andand got staff at the March 1 Chamber PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL Robin my degree became aspending licensed an Bean and to authorize Banquet. counselor,” he said. “We started Sauerwein and other city officials currently doing, which is providing additional $2,300 to create one more The new mini homeless camp (Bottom) Peter Dumbletracking EMS firefighter a location for folks to spend the screening panel and to increase thesuiparwill include the same restrictions as have told the Sentinel, that there ton received the 2024 First cides across America.” are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” ticipation of administrators and the the former larger camps. Citizen Award for his leaderother long-term sheltering for the Read previous coverage about community in the selection process. “The same rules will apply,” Behavioral Impact ship with the Opal Center for homeless. the homelessness challenges in Bean told the board shefirefighters believes the Sauwrwein said. “The camp will According to Dill, Arts and Education and the “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage Grove and follow new composition of the engagement panel be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. often don’t recognize the behavioral Last Friday Art Walk and for state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com ofand theirbalanced work. representaisimpact a broad and the rules will be enforced his personal commitment become cultural brainSauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions tion“We of the district’s stakeholders. through our contracting company, to cleaning sidewalks in the washed,” Dill said.Community “Whether it’s are doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. The 12-member One Security of Eugene to help us Historic Downtown District. structural orPanel wildland fires. So, the legislature. The city of Cottage Engagement represents par-we during this transition period. They See more award photos on are meant to believe we are supGrove has no plans to do any kind ents, students, teachers, classified are a very experienced homeless page 4. posed to act strong, brave, be help, of a shelter beyond what we are staff, elementary and secondary camp management company.” don’t ask for help, and we don’t administrators, the director organizations and businesses that want to look weak and notofaskteachfor ing and learning and the director of have made a significant contribution help.” early learning. Mostwhile of the positions Dill added that firefighters to bettering the community. were determined by a lottery are on the front lines battlingamong the 30 people eager participate in the wildfires, one oftothe biggest chalSee CHAMBER, Page 3 lenges they face is the unknown. selection process. “It’sworked how rapidly theses fires can “We hard on the lottery to move,sure andevery the unknown where make building,isthe early is it going to end?the Where willoffice, this learning program, district fire go to and how long will it parents and students were repre-last? And that is a struggle,” he said. sented,” Bean said. “So, when you are fighting that CONFIDENTIAL PROCESS fire, you’re trying to do your best Last November, when discussing to stop it, and yet the wind kicks the of how up details at 60 miles an the hoursearch and itprodrags cess wouldand be conducted, the them. Board it further further behind decided to conduct confidential That aspect of the aunknown is very CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE SENTINEL draft MP and EA. GROVE Comments are not JEREMY C. RUARK difficult in wildland fires. The search which does not include afire“day Matchbooks fromSentinel the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story cgsentinel.com. Cottage Grove beingattaken in the virtual meeting. have that stress and anxiety, infighters the district” component with the Key topics addressed in the MP and that struggle search finalists. It to wasprotect noted isinaavery The U.S. Army Corps of include the management and develdifficult challenge for the wildland prior meeting that to attract successEngineers has scheduled a series of opment of recreational, natural, and firefighters.” ful and experienced superintendents, public meetings inviting community cultural resources, invasive species It is often very difficult for famcommon practice is now a confidenmembers to participate in shapily members of the firefighters to management and threatened and tial one, to protect their current ing theCINDY future of land management WEELDREYER understand what emotions therejobs are, the way” during thehabitat. construction helped us meet many of our future Nearly 50 people attended the endangered species ifand theythat aremany not selected. Engagement Cottage Grove Sentinel at For the The Cottage Grove and Dorena firefighters don’t project. bookstore customers,” Birdy said. Cottage Grove Historical Society’s “We hope to see a strong turnout Panel members will sign according a confidenReservoirs. express their emotions, Hethe saidlocal he was given antoimportShe shared a humorous mem“Farewell to the Village Green” at from community proIn 1975, when Birdy Hoelzle tiality agreement. to Dill. The current master plans ant job of on opening the boxesmanageory they made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, vide input the long-term and her sister Gail opened The The thenfamily recessed into “Weboard ask the members for Cottagethey Grove andfamiliar Dorenawith delivered to the guestCottage rooms and Maiden Dining Room that drew Sept. 21. ment of lands around Grove Bookmine were to try to understand cultural,” Friday night’s lengthythe non-public Reservoirs were last approved in recalled howreservoirs,” cool he feltUSACE driving laughter from the crowd. The internationally famous resort and Dorena The Village Green. he said. “Be direct. Challengeinterexecutive session to virtually 1989 andfather need traveled to be revised The current master Grove Dorena Res- Deputy the orange golf cartProject aroundManager the “My sister and I wereplans buddingfor Cottage was created byand Walter A. Woodard Operations Their a lot to and with six compassion when something view applicants recommended address changes in regional land ervoirs approved in 1989 andand need to be revised to property for assigned feministswere at the last time and were quite (W.A.) his son, Carlton. Some Dustin Bengtsonn said.errands. “All ofYears our often brought its matchboxes home doesn’t look right or doesn’t by the search firm based on thesound job use, population, address regional use, population, later, another special memory shocked bychanges the sexisminpracticed in landmembers of the family outdoor attended and resources are managed to maxi-was as keepsakes foroutdoor his girls.recreation The sisright, and do an internal size up, description specifics. Three executive trends, and USACE management recreation trends, and“The USACE management seeingpublic the famous player, the dining room,” she said. shared personalpolicy. memories. mize benefitfootball and preserve ters were in their 20’s when they which we ask the firefighters to sessions are scheduled to conduct policy. O.J. Simpson, running on one ofThe the do as well,” he said.” Internal size menu given to a woman had no resources for future generations. opened the Main Street bookstore the selection THROUGH THE LENS Three in-person public meetPlan release from the Portland District up confidential means asking why amprocess I acting resort’s paths. prices(MP) on itand andEnvironmental foot pillows were public’s input is necessary to help and, to enhance their income, in partnership with Kris Woodard’s introductory ings are being held in the cities of Assessment Cottage Grove USACE. this way, and why the am Community I feeling this To the delight of those gathered, provided so (EA) ladies’foruncomfortable worked as waitresses at the resort. Engagement Panel. remarks included personal memSpringfield, Creswell, and Cottage way? The best thing we can do is and Dorena submit One virtual meeting is scheduled Kris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoes could Reservoirs be removedand while din“It was a wonderful place to ories he made through the lens of Grove. Meeting participants can their a for participants to learn about the ing. Itcomments, was a veryaccording different to era.” work and, being new in town, it See MEETINGS, Page 46 a 12-year-old who was often “in See LEGACY, Page See HEALTH, Page learn about the draft 2025 Master See SEARCH, Page 86
Cottage Grove, Dorena Reservoirs future land use meetings scheduled
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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