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Free ride
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Number 13 • 135 years
Friends of Cottage Grove Carousel seek a permanent home for the restored ride
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Cindy Wheeldreyer / Sentinel June Royall, her caregiver Ashley Alavezos and her 21-year-old dog, Patsy Cline, enjoyed the carousel.
CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
t began as one woman’s dream to give her community a carousel. It took a community of volunteers, businesses, organizations and donors five years and more than $100,000 to make Judy Cash’s dream a reality. On Saturday, March 16, the Friends of the Cottage Grove Carousel hosted its last monthly open house in its current location in a corner of the King Estates Winery Distribution Center in the Cottage Grove Industrial Park. The winery needs the warehouse space beginning May 1. A steady stream of 268 visitors arrived between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. eager to take a turn on the colorful and completely restored ride. Traditional carousel music was the soundtrack for the hundreds of happy memories made in those six hours of unlimited rides. To add to the festivities, four Star Wars intergalactic characters were on hand with their light sabers for photo ops and to ride alongside their fans. The ADA accommodations allowed wheelchair-bound June Royall, accompanied by her caregiver Ashley Alavezos and her 21-year-old Cindy Wheeldreyer / Sentinel Chihuahua, Patsy Cline, to feel like a kid again as she enjoyed many turns on the Riders await their turn. Above and ride. Nearby riders, Dennis and Kim to the left of them is the plaque Duerst, held hands and smiled as their honoring restoration sponsors.
horses went up and down. Michael Newson and his four children were also along for that ride. “This is fantastic! It’s a great opportunity for my kids to have a fun experience and appreciate the uniqueness of the ride,” Newson said. “We’ve been here several times and it never gets old.” THE CAROUSEL’S JOURNEY The journey to today’s fully-restored amusement ride began in 1994, when the carousel-loving Cash bought it from an East Coast traveling carnival and shipped it here. After failed attempts at restoring and finding a location for the ride, it was stored in her barn from 1995-2016, which flooded twice. Efforts began in earnest in 2014 to resurrect the civic project under the leadership of Don Williams, Russ McGuire and Cash who re-organized Friends of the Cottage Grove Carousel as a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Sadly, the retired nurse died of cancer in 2017 before she could see her dream fully-realized. The restoration project was blessed by many businesses that donated — or significantly discounted — needed material. Volunteers donated more than 10,000 hours transforming the rusting mechanism, 36-foot wide wooden platform and the 34 animals (all coated with lead-base paint) into the beautiful treasure it is today. As president of the nonprofit organization, Williams tapped McGuire, a native Grover and See CAROUSEL on Page 6
School board reviewing superintendent’s contract CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel The South Lane School District Board has conducted its evaluation of Superintendent Dr. Yvonne Curtis. Curtis was not present at the meeting held in executive session Monday night March 18. Oregon's public meetings law prohibits media from reporting on what is said
Duane Taddei
Dr. Yvonne Curtis
in an executive session. The board did conduct an open session following its confidential session March 18 to discuss the terms of the superintendent’s
contract. Curtis’ contract is a three-year rolling contract that automatically renews following a positive evaluation. This is common practice among Oregon school superintendents for retention purposes. During the March 18 open session public meeting, South Lane County School Board member Duane Taddei read the terms of the current
contract, stating that the contract shall automatically be extended on July 1 of each contract year for an additional year from July 1. “So, one year is added to the contract so the total contract term is again three years,” he stated. “Unless, on or before June 30 of the contract ending in 2024, or any contract year thereafter, the district, by resolution of its board of directors and notice or the superintendent
by written notice by the Board of Directors elects not to extend this contract beyond one additional year … in that event the contract would determine without regard the possible extension.” Taddei said he wanted to know how to end the current three-year contract without cause and not have to pay out the remainder of the full three-year contract. The superintendent’s
assistant, Tonya Kerns, responded that the board would have to reopen the existing contract and change the three-year term. NO CONFIDENCE PETITION The Sentinel has reported on the communitydriven petition signed by 900 individuals to See CONTRACT on Page 6
State, congressional leaders seek federal disaster declaration LYNNE TERRY Oregon Capital Chronicle Sentinel Guest Article
TODAY’S EDITION
In a rare show of unity, all eight members of Oregon’s congressional delegation have urged the White House to declare a major disaster in Oregon following the devastating January ice storm that killed 17 people and pummeled much of the state. All of the 17 fatalities were in the 11 counties that were affected: Benton, Clackamas, Coos, Hood River, Lane, Lincoln, Linn,
Weather — 2 Calendar — 2 Obituaries — 4
Multnomah, Tillamook, Sherman and Wasco counties. The appeal to President Joe Biden by both Democrats and Republicans follows a formal request earlier this month by Gov. Tina Kotek on behalf of the state and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians. If approved, the declaration would unleash recovery and relief funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the state, tribe, local governments and certain nonprofits in
Opinion — 5 Comics — 7 Classifieds 8-9
Cottage Grove Sentinel An oak tree shattered down the middle at Coiner Park in Cottage Grove as a result of the weight from the 2024 ice storm that left Cottage Grove and most of Lane County without power for days. the 11 counties affected by the storm. Oregon’s
Department of Emergency Management estimates the
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storm caused $48 million in infrastructure damage and cost more than 1,350 businesses $165 million in lost revenue and wages. “The recent storm’s effects stretched from northwest Oregon, across the Portland metro area, into the Columbia River Gorge and down through the Willamette Valley. Effects of this storm have lasted from Jan. 10, 2024 to Jan. 22, 2024 – with temperatures remaining below freezing in several areas – and resulted in widespread damage,” wrote
U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden along with U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Cliff Bentz. STORM IMPACT The storm downed trees that damaged or destroyed utility poles and lines, cutting power and internet service and damaging roadways and wastewater treatment plants. The storm See STORM on Page 6