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Wednesday August 13, 2025 | Number 33, 136 years
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LTD New Main Street sidewalks ‘sparkle’ Lifestyle Sports 74 schedules 49 outreach sessions on Wednesday October 9, 2024 | www.cgsentinel.com $2.00 upcoming The mental rural transit City establishing mini health impact changes Life in Cottage Grove
CGHS Football Incredible Turnaround DANA MERRYDAY See page 8 Sentinel Guest Article
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If you take a stroll down the South side of the developing Main Number 39,in135 years Street renovation project Cottage Grove, you may notice that there are different surfaces to behold. Instead of plain concrete throughout, the Wildish crews are pouring and finishing differently colored strips of concrete as the project develops. Part of this strip-wise process was dictated by the goal of keeping access to local businesses open and by the complexity of the project. CINDY WEELDREYER The contractors needed to establish JEREMY C. RUARK CottageGrove Grove Sentinel Sentinel a reference point fordeveloping the new curbs Crews began the smaller homeless Cottage andcamp street levels andweek then tie the site this on the vacant lot at 12th Street. Lane (LTD) will PublicTransit worksDistrict crews are in the century old buildings, all at different host twoof public outreachasessions process establishing new this elevations, into a smooth, accessible month engage South County smallertohomeless campLane site at the whole. residents changes to vacant lotononupcoming 12th Street in Cottage JEREMY C. RUARK The darker, tarnish colored conCottage Grove Sentinel rural transit services. An in-person Grove. crete portion of the new sidewalks session is scheduled forManager Monday, Cottage Grove City Oregon’s wildfire season is contain a surprise that will delight August 18, from 1–2 in theis Mike Sauerwein saidp.m. the city expected to continue through this both townies and visitors alike in Shephard at the month, but the mental scares and behind itsRoom original Oct.Community 1 timeline the coming years, Sparkles! The impact of the season on the fireCenter, 700 E. Gibbs Ave. following A virtual is establishing the camp, reason behind this feature has a fasfighters who battle blazes in Lane session Wednesday, the Aug.will 22 follow closureonand cleanup cinating history which goes back to County and across the state, and August 20 atStreet 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. of the 12th and Douglas a local mover and shaker, businesstheir families, may last a lifetime, The meeting link camps. is available at LTD’s Street homeless During the man Herman Petersen. according to Jeff Dill, the founder events calendar. transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog History of Firefighter Behavioral Health These sessions come LTD tranPark at 12th Street has as been used Alliance (FBHA). Petersen came to Cottage Grove sitions from thecamp Metrosite Shuttle a as a homeless with to hours Dill established the FBHA in in 1933 and started his business new Shuttle Pilot,daily. following fromRural 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. career early. His first job at age 6 the“None expiration key grant funding of usofhave ever managed He was than a Battalion Chief was “dusting shoes”, which did not in June. Thecamp pilot isbefore, fundedsothrough a homeless we for a fire department in northwest appeal to him much, so he got into Statewide Chicago. knew thatTransportation date was a bitImprovement aspirathe pigeon raising business. Petersen “I saw our brothers and sisters Fund (STIF) discretionary grants tional,” Sauerwein said. “We areand had many fancy breeds which he struggle from the devastation that aims to expand to previously hoping that thisservice week we will be sold all over, as far away as Kansas. they saw, so I went back and got unserved communities while Our adjusting able to make the transition. In the early 1950’s he opened a PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL my degree and became a licensed operations South Lane goal was toinprovide folksCounty. with department store on Main Street, counselor,” he said. “We started Sauerwein and other city officials currently doing, which is providing The new mini homeless camp Shuttle Begins a Metro safe and secureEnds, place Pilot to spend where longstanding “Homestead tracking EMS and firefighter suia location for folks to spend the will include the same restrictions as have told the Sentinel, that there Metro operated theThe night and Shuttle, that’s what we are cides across America.” Furniture” now operates, and are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” the former larger camps. by Lane Council of Governments doing.” plunged wholeheartedly into comother long-term sheltering for the Read previous coverage about “The same rules will apply,” (LCOG) at thesaid request thewas City Sauerwein city of staff Behavioral Impact munity affairs. name is liberhomeless. the homelessness challenges in Sauwrwein said.His “The camp will of CottageupGrove, officially endedto According to Dill, firefighters cleaning the Lulu Dog Park ally sprinkled across the Sentinel “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage Grove and follow new often don’t recognize the behavioral service on June Thepark. program reestablish it as30. a dog Specific be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. pages, Chamber state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com impact of their work. and theChairman rules willofbethe enforced provided on-demand costs of that cleanuptransportaand establishof Commerce, Head of Red Cross Courtesy photo from Dana Merryday “We become cultural brainSauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions through our contracting company, tion fromsmaller rural South Lanecamp County ing the homeless at washed,” Dill said. “Whether it’s The Wildish “Sparkle Sidewalk” foreman takes aim and sprinkles the sparkle material onto are doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. One Security of Eugene to help us into metro area. STIF 12ththe Street were notBecause immediately structural or wildland fires. So, we the walkway along Cottage Grove’s Main Street. the legislature. The city of Cottage during this transition period. See SPARKLE Page 4They Discretionary available. grants are limited to are meant to believe we are supGrove has no plans to do any kind short-term projects, the original fund- are a very experienced homeless posed to act strong, brave, be help, of a shelter beyond what we are camp management company.” ing was not eligible for renewal to don’t ask for help, and we don’t support ongoing operations. want to look weak and not ask for LTD’s Director of Mobility help.” Services Cosette Rees explained that Dill added that while firefighters the agency responded to the expiring are on the front lines battling the wildfires, one of the biggest chalgrant by successfully applying for lenges they face is the unknown. new STIF funding to launch a two“It’s how rapidly theses fires can year pilot. move, and the unknown is where “Something important to keep is it going to end? Where will this in mind—two rural communities, MIA MALDONADO shortage. Led by First Lady Aimee fire go to and how long will it last? Mohawk Valley and the Highway Oregon Capital Chronicle Kotek Wilson, the council And that is a struggle,” he has said.until 36 corridor between Mapleton and January to develop a plan. “So, when you are fighting that Deadwood, have no public transit,” Kate Gekeler, a La Grande resiAdditionally, Kotek fire, you’re trying to dosigned your House best Rees said. “These communities dent and mother of two, graduated Bill 2059, which invests another to stop it, and yet the wind kicks were identified in LCOG’s Transit this spring from the inaugural class $65 to increase the capacity up atmillion 60 miles an hour and it drags Development Plan, Link Lane, as a it further and further behind them. of Eastern Oregon University’s for residential treatment across the That aspect of the unknown is very priority for service. Looking at South Clinical Mental Health Counseling state. In addition to her administraCINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL difficult in wildland The465 fireLane County’s multiple LTD Green program.Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story at cgsentinel.com. tion’s existing goal offires. adding Matchbooks from services, the Village fighters have that andend anxiety, made the difficult choice to reduce After five years of coursework new treatment bedsstress by the of and that protect is a very days of service in South Lane in order and internships, she graduated with 2026, thestruggle law willtofund another 200 difficult challenge for the wildland to provide the two other communities her bachelor’s and master’s degrees beds over the next two years. firefighters.” access to public transportation for the debt free. That’s largely because The conjunction It is law oftenworks very in difficult for famfirst time.” with House Bill 2005, also signed most of her costs were covered ily members of the firefighters to ReesCINDY emphasized that the pilot into law on what Wednesday, which by the state, which is ramping up WEELDREYER understand emotions there are, the way” during the construction helped us meet many of our future Nearly 50 people attended the For The Sentinel would allowCottage LTD toGrove explore different scholarships broadens the circumstances when for people Birdy interested and that many firefighters don’t project. bookstore customers,” said.in Cottage Grove Historical Society’s service models tailored to each coma person with a mental illness careers in mental health. express their emotions, according Capital He said he/ Oregon was given an Chronicle importShe shared a humorous mem“Farewell to the Village Green” at Mia Maldonado In 1975, when Birdy Hoelzle munity’s needsGail and opened to identify to Dill. can be detained and committed to Wednesday, Aug. 6, Gekeler Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland, behind Gov.theTina Kotek ant job of opening boxes oryOnthey made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, stands and her sister Thesus“We ask Health the family members tainable funding options beyond the the Oregon Authority for shared her story in front of a crowd as she wastothe sponsor delivered the chief guest rooms and Maiden Dining Room that drew Sept. 21.signs House Bill 2059. Nosse Bookmine they were familiar with to try to understand the cultural,” two-year period. treatment. of mental health professionals, behind the bill, which invests million tocool increase the recalled how he felt driving laughter from the crowd. The internationally famous resort $65 The Village Green. heLastly, said. “Be direct. Challenge According LTD data, theand Metro Kotek signed House Bill elected people receivcapacity treatment the cart state. theacross orange golf around the “My officials sister andand I were budding was createdfor by residential Walter A. Woodard Their fatherto traveled a lot with compassion when$1something Shuttle provided approximately 300 3321, which allocates million ing behavioral health treatment property for assigned errands. Years doesn’t look right or doesn’t feminists at the time and were quite (W.A.) and his son, Carlton. Some often brought its matchboxes home sound scholarships, tuition assistance, loan for legislation being signed today,” trips per month, with about 30 percent as Gov. Tina Kotek signed a slate the Alcohol and Drug Policy shocked by the sexism practiced in members of the family attended and later, another special memory was as keepsakes for his girls. The sisright, and do an internal size up, repayments and stipends. Gekeler said at the event. taken by riders eligible for LTD’s of at Fora Health Portland Commission tothe develop and impleseeing the famous football player, thebills dining room,” she in said. “The shared personal memories. ters were in their 20’s when they which we ask firefighters to In response to workforce shortBy signing House Bill 2024, RideSource programs. is workmeant to improve behavioral awell,” substance abuseInternal prevention O.J. Simpson, running on one of the ment menu given to a woman had health no do as he said.” size opened the Main StreetLTD bookstore ages, Kotek in May also launched KotekTHROUGH will invest $6THE million to proLENS ing plan for Oregon care in on Oregon. up means askingyouth. why am I acting resort’s paths. prices it and foot pillows were and,tototransition enhance those their individuals income, to more incentives for Oregonians the Behavioral Health Talent Woodard’s introductory RideSource services. at the resort. “I wouldn’t be a behavioral health videKris this way, and why am I feeling this To the delight of those gathered, provided so ladies’ uncomfortable worked as waitresses Council, tasked with identifylike Gekeler to pursue careers in remarks included personal memprovider today without state tuition way? The best thing we can do is Kris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoes could be removed while din“It was a wonderful place to ing new strategies to address the behavioral health care, such as of ories he made through the lens assistance, one piece of ing. It was which a veryisdifferent era.” work and, being new in town, it state’s behavioral healthPage workforce See LTD Page 4 a 12-year-old who was often “in SeeHEALTH, LAWS, Page 8 6 See LEGACY, 6 See Page
homeless camp at 12th Street facing Oregon’s wildland firefighters
Oregon governor signs series of laws to strengthen behavioral health system
Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
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