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Caution 74 issued for 49 ends in first-round play at State potential Wednesday harmful The mental algae City establishing mini health impact blooms homeless camp at 12th Street facing Oregon’s Sports
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JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
October 9, 2024 | Number 39, 135 years
The Cottage Grove High School Softball Team and its coaches had high hopes as they entered the first round of the 2025 OSAA / OnPoint Community Credit Union 4A Softball State Championship. The Lady Lions faced La Grande at La Grande High School. “These girls gave it their all against a tough No. 2 seed, La Grande,” the team’s Facebook reads. JEREMYpost C. RUARK In the end it was LaSentinel Grande 11, Cottage Grove Cottage Grove 1. Public works crews are in the “We are so proud of the season process of establishing a new we’ve had, the milestones we’ve smaller homeless camp site at the reached and the foundation that was vacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage set. 2025- a season of making hisGrove. tory,” the post states. Cottage Grove City Manager In a Facebook post before the firstMike Sauerwein said the city is round play at State, CGHS announced behind its original Oct. 1 timeline the significance of the game. is establishing the camp, following “Cottage Grove High School the Aug. 22 closure and cleanup softball is heading to the OSAA 4A of the 12th Street and Douglas state tournament bracket for the first Street homeless camps. During the time in program history,” the post transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog stated. Park at 12th Street has been used BACKGROUND as a homeless camp site with hours In the final league season games, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. the Lady Lions scored impres“None of us have ever managed sively, taking the first game against a homeless camp before, so we Klamath Union 13-3, and the secknew that date was a bit aspiraond game 11-1. The Lions domitional,” Sauerwein said. “We are nated Rogue River 7-0 and 20-0, hoping that this week we will be then went on to beat Phoenix 6-2 able to make the transition. Our securing the State playoff first round goal was to provide folks with play. a safe and secure place to spend the night and that’s what we are doing.” Sauerwein said city staff was cleaning up the Lulu Dog Park to reestablish it as a dog park. Specific costs of that cleanup and establishing the smaller homeless camp at 12th Street were not immediately available.
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JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
wildland firefighters
Crews began developing the smaller homeless camp site this week on the vacant lot at 12th Street.
Jeremy C. Ruark/Cottage Grove Sentinel
The 2025 Cottage Grove Softball Team. In a published interview with The Sentinel in early March, CGHS Head Softball Coach Sarah Keefauver said the team was heading into the 2025 season with “full vengeance.” “I expect all of our varsity returners to come back with full vengeance after a tough season last year. We definitely have some scores to settle, and we are eager to work hard and take care of business in league,” she said. In describing the team goals, Kefauver give the following The new mini homeless camp prediction. will include the same restrictions as the former larger camps. “The same rules will apply,” Sauwrwein said. “The camp will be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and the rules will be enforced through our contracting company, One Security of Eugene to help us during this transition period. They are a very experienced homeless camp management company.”
“First, we will be fundamentally team is an invaluable life skill. We sound and consistent. Second, we will also champion women in sports, will work on setting each other up empowering each girl to understand for success, this is a huge focus of the importance of hard work, resilmine as a coach,” Kefauver said. ience, and never accepting ‘no’ as “We are also going to focus on an answer,” she said. “Above all, we preparing for games with intention, will emphasize the power of women each team in our league has different supporting women—celebrating and dynamics and strategies and we plan uplifting each other’s successes. Our to adjust accordingly. We are going focus will be on respect, accountto shake things up a lot this season, ability, and taking ownership of and I have full confidence we will our actions. I hope the girls walk find success in doing so.” away with an understanding of all Kefauver said the priority has been of the above and knowing that I will PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL a “team-first mentality.” always be in their corner to support Sauerwein and sound other city officials currently doing, which is providing “While it may cliché, the them along the way.” have told the Sentinel, that there a location for folks to spend the ability to work effectively within a are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” other long-term sheltering for the Read previous coverage about homeless. the homelessness challenges in “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage Grove and follow new state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com Sauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions are doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. the legislature. The city of Cottage Grove has no plans to do any kind of a shelter beyond what we are
ELECTION 2025
Two school board races too close to call Position 5: As of May 28, and Rayla Campbell, a relative You can find more detailed this race is a dead heat with newcomer to local politics, information and updates on the one vote separating Colleen squared off for the local seat. Lane County website: www. The results of the May 20 Valley and Tony Lefler. Valley, Hicks emerged victorious with lanecountyor.gov. Special Election for two seats a local business owner, seeks 59-percent of the vote. PRELIMINARY RESULTS on the South Lane School a second four-year term on Position 4 IN OTHER LOCAL RACES District Board remained too the board. Lefler, the service Local realtor Sherry Duerst Lane Community College close to call, as of press time manager at a local car dealerHiggins, a veteran of the board Zone 1: Jerry Rust won with May 29. ship, is making his first bid for with more than three decades 64.81-percent of the vote. On May 28, a Lane County public office. of service, was unseated Zone 3: Julie Weismann was elections spokesperson said Position 7: This is also by local businessman Chris reelected with 56.68-percent the elections staff was working a close race. Appointed to Holloman with 242 votes more Zone 4: Austin Fölnagy was with “cured” ballots. Letters fill a vacancy last year, Jeff than Duerst-Higgins. reelected with 65.44-percent have been sent to voters Gowing, a former mayor VOTER TURNOUT LOW Position 7 (at-large): Jesse who forgot to sign their baland retired millwright, seeks According to the Secretary Maldonado ran GROVE unopposed and CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE SENTINEL lot, or their signature didn’t to keep the position for the of State’s office, the statewide won with 97.96-percent Matchbooks from on thefile. Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story at cgsentinel.com. match the signature remaining two years of the average of voters casting a South Lane Fire & Rescue Once those cured ballots are term. Challenger Bill Parsons, ballot was just over 23-percent Three of the five seats were received, the results will be a local business owner and and Lane County’s turnout was up for election. With no chalupdated accordingly. retired firefighter, in his first nearly 21-percent. lengers, Debby Stumph, Ron Two updates on the results bid for public office, is chalCounty Elections data sumHood and Tom Munroe were are scheduled for May 29 and lenging Gowing’s incumbency. mary as of May 22: re-elected to positions. CINDY June 11 priorWEELDREYER to being certithe way” duringtheir the construction helped us meet many of our future Nearly 50 people attended the For The Cottage Grove Sentinel Only 10 votes separate the two • Active Registered Voters: Row River Fire District fied on June 16. According to project. bookstore customers,” Birdy said. Cottage Grove Historical Society’s candidates as of May 28. 279,566 This newly created district Oregon law, if no candidate He said he was given an importShe shared a humorous mem“Farewell to the Village Green” at In 1975, when Birdy Hoelzle Follow developments online • Ballots Counted: 58,313 provides fire protection receives .02-percent of The the ant job of opening the boxesto ory they made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, and her sister Gail opened at cgsentinel.com, the • Voter the Row to River Valley. Three vote an automatic recountwith is delivered the guest rooms and Maiden Dining Roomand that in drew Sept. 21. Turnout Percentage: Bookmine they were familiar Wednesday print editions of Approximately 20.86% candidates applied for two done. recalled how cool he felt driving laughter from the crowd. The internationally famous resort The Village Green. The Sentinel. Compared stateA.and open seats:golf Kirk SOUTH the orange cartReinecke, around the “My sister and I were budding was created by to Walter Woodard Their fatherLANE traveledSCHOOL a lot and Two school board races national elections, Oregon’s Ian Lounsbury and errands. Alan Neal BOARD RACES home property for assigned Years feminists at the time and were quite (W.A.) and his son, Carlton. Some often brought its matchboxes were decided in the May 20 annual spring district elecAdes. Among the 208 ballots engagement the was shocked by the sexism practiced in members of the family attended and later, another special memory as Public keepsakes for his girls.with The siselection: tions have a much received, Reinecke and player, Ades school increased seeing the famous football the dining room,” she said. “The sharedtraditionally personal memories. ters wereboard in theirhas 20’s when they Position 2 earned the most votes to lower turnout. The results significantly in Street the past three O.J. Simpson, running on onebeof the menu given to a woman had no opened the Main bookstore THROUGH THE LENS Taylor Wilhour, the current seated the board. below are unofficial results years, in income, a spirited resort’s on paths. prices on it and foot pillows were and, to resulting enhance their Kris Woodard’s introductory board chair, did not seek reAll the newly offiuntil Lane County releases its campaign with twoatcandidates To the delight ofelected those gathered, provided so ladies’ uncomfortable worked as waitresses the resort. remarks included personal memelection. Diane Hicks, a retired cials assume their duties certified results on June 16. filing foraeach of theplace fourtoopen shoes could be removed while dinKris’ brother, Casey Woodard,on “It was wonderful ories he made through the lens of Bohemia Elementary teacher, July 1. seats on the board. ing. It was a very different era.” work and, being new in town, it a 12-year-old who was often “in See LEGACY, Page 6 CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
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The Oregon Health Authority (OHA).has issued a health advisory concerning harmful algae blooms. With summer, the water quality JEREMY C. RUARK monitoring season begins, and the Cottage Grove Sentinel (OHA) is encouraging people headwildfire is ing Oregon’s to the lakes, riversseason and reservoirs expected to continue through this in Lane County and across the state month, but the mental scares and toimpact watchofforthepotentially cyanoseason ontoxic the firebacteria harmful algae blooms. fighters who battle blazes in Lane Cyanobacteria arethe beneficial County and across state, and bacteria found in most water their families, may lastfresh a lifetime, worldwide. The canfounder multiply according to Jeffbacteria Dill, the of Firefighter Health into blooms in Behavioral any water body under Alliance (FBHA). the right conditions—warm weather, Dill established the FBHA in sunlight, water temperature, nutrients 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. and water chemistry, the OHA states than a Battalion Chief inHeitswas advisory. for a fire department in northwest “Some species of cyanobacteria Chicago. live“Iinsaw the our water or floatand on sisters the top brothers ofstruggle the water surface,” the advisory from the devastation that states. “Other they saw, so Icyanobacteria went back andmats got anchor themselves to theabottom of a my degree and became licensed water body, live in the“We sediment, counselor,” he said. started or tracking EMS or andaquatic firefighter sui-and grow on rocks plants, cides acrosstoxins America.” can release into clear water.” Some blooms can produce cyanoBehavioral Impact toxins that make people and animals According to Dill, firefighters sick. make thethewater look oftenThey don’tcan recognize behavioral green or other colors and form scumimpact of their work. like“We masses or mats in water or become cultural brain- on shore whereDill they can“Whether be wet orit’s dry, washed,” said. according OHA. fires. So, we structural toorthe wildland are meant to believe we aredraws sup- us “As the warmer weather to actlakes strong, help, toposed Oregon’s andbrave, river, be people— don’t ask small for help, and we don’t especially children—and pets want toavoid lookareas weakwhere and not askare for should there help.” signs of a cyanobacteria bloom, the Dill added that while firefighters water is foamy, scummy, thick like are on the front lines battling the paint, pea-green blue-green, or if wildfires, one oforthe biggest chalthick green or brownish-red mats lenges they face is the unknown. are visible, bright green clumps “It’s or how rapidly theses firesare can suspended theunknown water or isalong the move, andinthe where shore,” OHA’s Environmental is it going to end? Where willPublic this fire goSection to and how long willWater it last? Health Recreational And that Linda is a struggle,” said. Specialist Novitskihesaid. “So, when you are fighting Although cyanotoxins are that not fire, you’re to do your best known to be trying absorbed through the to stop it, and yetsensitive the windskin kicks skin, people with can up at 60 miles an hour and it drags develop a red, raised rash when it further and further behind them. wading, playing or swimming or That aspect of the unknown isinvery around a bloom. difficult in wildland fires. The fireChildren andthat petsstress are particularly fighters have and anxiety, sensitive illness tobecause and that to struggle protectofis their a very size and activity levels. Similarly, difficult challenge for the wildland firefighters.” livestock and wildlife can become It isdie often very difficult for water famill and after drinking from ily members firefighters bodies, troughsofortheother sources to of understand what emotions there are, drinking water affected by blooms andpotential that many firefighters don’t and toxins, the advisory express their emotions, according reads. to Dill. Dogs get family extremely ill, even “We can ask the members die, within minutes to hours of expoto try to understand the cultural,” sure to cyanotoxins by drinking he said. “Be direct. Challenge the water. Two recent when dog deaths have with compassion something been connected to aortype of harmful doesn’t look right doesn’t sound right,that’s and do antointernal size up, algae new the Columbia whichClark we ask the firefighters to River, County Public Health do as well,” said.”News Internal officials warn,heKOIN hassize up means asking why am I acting reported. this way, and why am I feeling this way? The best thing we can do is See ALGAE, Page 6 See HEALTH, Page 6