The Cottage Grove
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Goat Round Up
Back to the Future
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Cottage Grove
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Wednesday July 9, 2025 | Number 28, 136 years
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Rodeo Returns to Cottage Grove: Lifestyle Sports 74 Bucking Tradition, Building Community 49 Life in Cottage Grove
CGHS Football Incredible Turnaround See page 8
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CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
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Transit faces contract shift The mental
Cottage Grove
Wednesday, Oct 9 Mostly Cloudy
For a small rural town to maintain October 9, 2024 | Number 39, 135 years www.cgsentinel.com $2.00 the longevity of its three historic summer traditions, as Cottage Grove has in a changing culture, speaks volumes about the importance of traditional values and communitybuilding opportunities among Grovers. The Western Oregon Exposition was born in 1932 and Bohemia Mining Days in 1959—so the Cottage Grove Rodeo is bookended JEREMY C. RUARKthat folby the summer celebrations Crews began developing the smaller homeless Grove Sentinel lowed Cottage it. camp site this week on the vacant lot at 12th Street. The rodeo grounds Public works crewsare arelocated in the south of of town at 77958 aHwy process establishing new99S. This Friday and Saturday night, smaller homeless camp site at the July 11 lot andon12, spectators see vacant 12th Street inwill Cottage plenty Grove.of action with a total of eight professional competitions. Standard Cottage Grove City Manager events at most sanctioned profesMike Sauerwein said the city is sional fall into categobehindrodeos its original Oct.two 1 timeline ries: Roughstock which is establishing theEvents, camp, following judge both22rider and and animal perforthe Aug. closure cleanup mance, and Street Timedand Events, where of the 12th Douglas the fastest time wins. Street homeless camps. During the KID EVENTS transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog Anatentertaining to used the 7 Park 12th Streetprelude has been p.m. main events is watching as a homeless camp site with youth hours compete—some fun, othfrom 7 p.m. to 7just a.m.for daily. Courtesy photo from Cottage Grove Riding Club ers“None chasingofpro-rodeo dreams. Kid us have ever managed Cottage Grove Riding Club member and rodeo veteran ropes a bull to remove it from the events at thecamp Cottage Grove Rodeo a homeless before, so we arena. Club members praise Ron ias a valuable coach for kids and adults learning the techinclude Mutton Bustin’, Riding, knew that date was a bitCalf aspiraniques of rodeo events. and SteerSauerwein Riding, which kick are off tional,” said. “We at 5 p.m., hoping thatwith thisJunior week Barrel we willRacer be TIMED EVENTS Barrel Racing – A timed race partnership with the Northwest qualifiers starting at 4 p.m. Our able to make the transition. Tie-Down Roping – Cowboy around three barrels inPHOTO a cloverleaf Professional RodeoGROVE Association JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE SENTINEL ROUGHSTOCK EVENTS goal was to provide folks with ropes a calf, dismounts, and ties pattern (primarily a women’s event). (NPRA), a major regional body Sauerwein and other city officials currently doing, which is providing The new mini homeless camp Bareback Ridingplace – Rider holds a safe and secure to spend threeinclude legs together. Breakaway Roping –that A newer 40torodeos told the Sentinel, there asanctioning location forover folks spendannuthe will the same restrictions as have onto a rigging with one while the night and that’s whathand we are Steer Wrestling – Also called event where the rope “breaks away” ally in Oregon, Washington, are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” Idaho, the former larger camps. riding doing.”a bucking horse. “bulldogging”; cowboy jumps from from the saddle sheltering horn whenfor thethe calf Nevada, and California. other long-term Read previous coverage about “The same rules will apply,” Saddle Bronc – Known Sauerwein saidRiding city staff was as horse to steer and wrestles it to the is roped (also primarily for women). CGRC President AJ Cave in has homeless. the homelessness challenges Sauwrwein said. “The camp will the “classic” rodeo cleaning up the Luluevent; Dog rider Park uses to ground. RIDING CLUB HISTORY been involved with the club for “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage Grove and follow new areestablish specializedit saddle rein.Specific be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. as a dogand park. Roping Two riders Forlaw more thanunderstand seven decades, about 15 yearsatand has served state as we it,” developments cgsemtinel.com andTeam the rules will– be enforced BullofRiding – Arguably the most costs that cleanup and establish(header and heeler) work together to members of the Cottage Grove as president for the past five. He Sauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions through our contracting company, intense; rider must stay oncamp a bucking the smaller homeless at rope a steer’s horns and hind legs. Riding Club (CGRC) have proare doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. One Security of Eugene to help us ing for were 8 seconds using one 12thbull Street not immediately duced this longstanding event in the legislature. The city of Cottage during this transition period. They hand. See RODEO Page 4 available. Grove has no plans to do any kind are a very experienced homeless of a shelter beyond what we are camp management company.”
Wednesday
City establishing mini health impact homeless camp at 12th Street facing Oregon’s
Stacy’s Restaurant closed ‘for the time being’
A comment also posted on the business’s Facebook from supporter Deborrah Cochrum stated: Customers describe Stacy’s “You can hold your head high Covered Bridge Restaurant as a and be proud of the excellent food Cottage Grove icon. and service you gave to the area The business, along East Main for years. The restaurant busiStreet in Cottage Grove’s Historic ness is one of the most difficult District, has remained a local eatto engage in with razor thin profit ery for the past 26 years. But that margins. People who have never changed in late June. Customers been in the business much less found the restaurant closed. during /COVID afterSENTINEL for a few CINDY WEELDREYER COTTAGEand GROVE On June 25, the operators years even begin to know Matchbooks from the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story atdon’t cgsentinel.com. posted the following on the resthe challenges. The construction taurant’s Facebook page: downtown with its unhappy little “We want to thank Cottage surprises like the recent gas leak Grove and the surrounding takes another swipe at the bottom Jeremy C. Ruark / Cottage Grove Sentinel areas for their continued support line. Small businesses are strugStacy’s Covered Bridge Restaurant has been a popular eatthroughout the years! It’s been a gling, andduring it is heartbreaking to CINDY WEELDREYER the way” the construction helped us meet many of our future Nearly 50 people attended the ery in Cottage Grove’s Historic District for the past 26 years. pleasure serving and getting to For The Cottage Grove Sentinel see your business close. I hope project. bookstore customers,” Birdy said. Cottage Grove Historical Society’s know everyone. Sadly, we will be youHewill the ashes and BarShe thatshared we ever got. It was like A later post Stacy’s opera-at saidrise he from was given an importa humorous mem“Farewell to thebyVillage Green” In 1975, closing duewhen to theBirdy roadHoelzle conditions succeed inopening your next venture, family.” tors on June 28 Center, on the Saturday, business’s ant job of the boxes ory they made in the formal Iron the Community and her sister Gail opened The on Main Street,” the post states. know youtohave fans, rooms and weand are WhiteDining speculated Main Facebook delivered the guest Maiden Roomthat thatthe drew Sept. 21. page stated in part: Bookmine were Wayne familiar White with Creswellthey resident rooting for you. Your sondriving should Street Revitalization Project has “So, to all, we had famous to choose recalled how cool he felt laughter from the crowd. The internationally resort The Village Green. and his wife Evie were frequent be what accomnegatively impacted thebudding restauto our by business the time theproud orangeofgolf cartyou around the “My sister and I were wasclose created Walter for A. Woodard Their father traveled a lot and customers. plished and the talenterrands. you possess, rant’s business. being. We made thisCarlton. decision property for assigned Years feminists at the time and were quite (W.A.) and his son, Some often brought its matchboxes home “I am going to miss the set a great example for him to “I know when they practiced started toin solely on of being down on sales.and you later, another special memory was shocked by the sexism members the family attended as keepsakes for his girls. The sisTortellini soup and the little steak take risks and livefootball your dream,” put in that room,” street, she thatsaid. Stacy’s It’s been an extremely hard deciseeing the famous player, the dining “The shared personal memories. ters were in their 20’s when they I had, and I am going to miss the Cochrum’s post stated.on one of the business dropped off byhad at least sion. We have been in this comO.J. Simpson, running menu given to a woman no opened the Main employees. It hasStreet beenbookstore the favorTHROUGH THE LENS HELPpaths. FOR EMPLOYEES 50%,” he itsaid. “I don’t know how munity for 26 years, supporting resort’s prices on and foot pillows were and, to enhance their income, ite place for me and my wife to Kris Woodard’s introductory many of those other businesses anything and anyone we possibly To the delight of those gathered, provided so ladies’ uncomfortable worked as waitresses at the resort. go and have dinner because our remarks included personal mem-say will becould able be to removed stay in business. could. Please don’t let anyone Kris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoes while din“It was a wonderful place to friends were there,” he said. “The ories he made through the lens of They are alla very hunting.” differently.” ing. It was different era.” work and, being new in town, it See STACY’S, Page 4 bar itself was as close to a Cheers a 12-year-old who was often “in See LEGACY, Page 6 JEREMY C. RUARK Cottage Grove Sentinel
Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
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SLW’s contract with LTD ends—leaders protest decision, riders brace for reduced access
wildland firefighters
CINDY WEELDREYER Cottage Grove Sentinel
South Lane Wheels (SLW), the nonprofit transit provider serving rural Lane County C. since 1978, conJEREMY RUARK Grove Sentinel tracted Cottage with Lane Transit District (LTD) conclude on June 30. Oregon’s wildfire season is While SLW is no longer operating expected to continue through this month,transit but the mental scares public under LTD’s pilotand proimpacttheoforganization the season on the remains firegram, itself fighterswith whoitsbattle in Lane active, staff,blazes volunteer board, County and intact. across the state, and and mission their may last a lifetime, Thefamilies, Eugene-based company, according to Jeff Dill, the founder Direct Medical Transport (DMT), of Firefighter Behavioral Health was to begin operating the reduced Alliance (FBHA). ruralDill transit service on July 1. in established the FBHA LTD has moved the start date back 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. toHeAugust 4, pending the resoluwas than a Battalion Chief tion South Lane Wheels’ protest for of a fire department in northwest toChicago. LTD’s staff and board of direcsawpilot our brothers and sisters tors.“IThe grant specifies fixed strugglelevels, from meaning the devastation that service that even saw,protest so I went got ifthey SLW’s leadsback to aand reversal my the degree and became a licensed and contract is awarded to them, counselor,” he said. “We started they would only be authorized—and tracking EMS and firefighter suifunded—to at the level outcides acrossoperate America.” lined by LTD. PROCUREMENT SHIFT Behavioral Impact According Dill, firefighters LTD’s 2025 to restructuring moved oftencontracts don’t recognize the behavioral rural into a competitive impact of their bid process. SLWwork. submitted a pro“We culturalfiled brainposal andbecome subsequently protests washed,” Dill “Whether it’s challenging the said. scoring. LTD staff structural or wildland fires. So, we rejected the protest and recomare meant to believe we are supmended forward with posed tomoving act strong, brave, beDMT. help, BOARD DELIBERATION don’t ask for help, and we don’t On June 18,weak the LTD want to look and Board not askvoted for 4–3 to give CEO Jamison Auten help.” authority to sign contract with Dill added thatthewhile firefighters are onSLW the front lines battling DMT. Executive Directorthe Ruth wildfires, of the biggest Linoz said one she learned for thechalfirst lenges face theoption unknown. time thatthey SLW hadisthe to file “It’s how rapidly firesthe can a federal-level protest,theses because move, and the unknown is where pilot is state funded through a fedis it going to end? Where will this eral regulatory framework. fire go to and how long will it last? “In that the board meeting,he wesaid. learned And is a struggle,” for the first time that we had an “So, when you are fighting that additional opportunity to file a fire, you’re trying to do your best protest to stopatit,the andfederal yet thelevel windbecause kicks federal regulations govern up at 60 miles an hour andtheit pilot drags it further and further program,” Linoz said. behind them. That of theofunknown is very Theaspect possibility a months-long difficult in wildland fires. firedelay added urgency to the The board’s fighters have stressSLW’s and anxiety, decision. LTD that extended existandcontract that struggle is atovery ing for uptotoprotect 120 days difficult challenge for the wildland preserve current service levels while firefighters.” the Itprotest played aiming is often very out, difficult forfor famDMT to begin operating by August ily members of the firefighters to 4—assuming no further filings. understand what emotions there are, COMMUNITY IMPACT and that many firefighters don’t SLW provided over oneexpress their emotions,20,000 according to Dill. way rides in 2023, including hun“We the family memberstrips. dreds of ask wheelchair-accessible to try understand the is cultural,” The lossto of service days especially he said. “Be direct.riders. Challenge hard on vulnerable with when something Thecompassion Sentinel received an email doesn’t look right or doesn’t sound last week from Sally Savage, a right, and do an internal size up, 90-year-old South Wheelstorider. which we ask the Lane firefighters Sally said she relies on SLW reach do as well,” he said.” Internalto size Peacehealth’s Riverbend Medical up means asking why am I acting Center for and doctor’s and this way, why appointments am I feeling this way? The best thing we can do is See SWL Page 4
See HEALTH, Page 6