The Cottage Grove
entinel entinel The CoTTage grove
Labor Day Tradition
Youth Sports Betting Concerns
See page 3
See page 8
Wednesday September 10, 2025 | Number 37, 136 years
72 53
Cottage Grove Wednesday, September 10, 2025 Partly Cloudy
www.cgsentinel.com
$2.00
New clinic expands rural 74 access, workforce training Sports
Lifestyle
Life in Cottage Grove
CGHS Football Incredible Turnaround See page 8
See page 4
49
Cottage Grove Wednesday, Oct 9 Mostly Cloudy
Metro Creative graphic
Timber sales bring The mental City establishing mini in $14.3M, health impact homeless camp at 12th Street secures facing Oregon’s local wildlandmill jobs firefighters
CINDY WEELDREYER Wednesday October 9, 2024 | Number 39, 135 years Cottage Grove Sentinel
A local center has taken what organizers said is a major step forward in health care equity. Supporters and dignitaries gathered Aug. 28 to formally dedicate the South Lane Community Health Center—a long-awaited clinic designed to serve rural residents with accessible, integrated care. Speakers at theC. event showcased JEREMY RUARK Cottage Grove and Sentinel both civic leadership communityPublic care, works reflecting on are 17 years crews in the of collaboration, advocacy,a and process of establishing newshared vision. smaller homeless camp site at the Lanelot County Commissioner vacant on 12th Street in Cottage Heather Grove. Buch honored Lane County andCottage CottageGrove Grove’s of Citytradition Manager community-driven solutions. Mike Sauerwein said the city is Eve Gray, Director behind its original Oct.of1Lane timeline County Health the andcamp, Humanfollowing Services, is establishing described theclosure clinic as place” the Aug. 22 anda “first cleanup for care12th andStreet noted and it has already of the Douglas served more thancamps. 3,000 patients Street homeless During the since opening October. also transition, the last adjacent LuluItDog maintains theStreet lowesthas no-show Park at 12th been used rate Lane County’s health as a among homeless camp site with hours centers. from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. The South is one of “None of usLane haveClinic ever managed nine federally qualified a homeless camp before,health so wecenters knewoperated that dateunder was the a bitCommunity aspiraHealth of Lane tional,”Centers Sauerwein said.County “We are
LCC President Stephanie $2.00 Bulger www.cgsentinel.com
Crews began developing the smaller homeless camp site this week on the vacant lot at 12th Street.
and Cottage Grove Center Dean Russ Pierson praised the strategic partnership and framed the clinic as a transformative training site for future health professionals. Caitlyn McCabe, healthcare aide for U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, acknowledged essential federal support and emphasized the clinic’s alignment with broader health equity goals. Jim Gilroy, co-founder of the Be Your Best Coalition, spoke about the group’s decade-long journey and the clinic as a milestone in collective impact. Rich Swanson, vice president of the Lane Community Health Council, honored colleagues lost during the clinic’s development with a memorial bench and reflected on the legacy of care it represents. LOCATION AND HISTORY LCC’s Cottage Grove Center, located at 1275 South River Road, opened in 2002 to serve South Lane and North Douglas County residents with credit classes, GED prep, and community education. It also strengthened ties with Cottage Grove High School (CGHS)
JEREMY C. RUARK STAFF REPORT Cottage Grove Grove Sentinel Sentinel Cottage
Oregon’s wildfire season is The Bureau of Land expected to continue through this Management (BLM) sold 55.1 month, but the mental scares and million feet of impact ofboard the season on timber the fireacross 2,281 public acres for fighters who battle blazes in Lane $14,343,372 between nine timCounty and across the state, and ber in western theirsales families, may lastOregon a lifetime, during August. according to Jeff Dill, the founder ofThe Firefighter Behavioral Health sales will feed local Courtesy photo Alliance mills and(FBHA). support about 770 Russ Pierson, Dean of the Cottage Grove Center, presents the FBHA in jobsDill in established western Oregon comTara DaVee with college swag at the conclusion of her tour of 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. munities, according to a release the LCC side of the remodeled building. He was a Battalion Chief from thethan BLM. for a fire department in northwest umbrella. Located inside Lane County’s first rural clinic—designed “The production of timChicago. Community College’s (LCC) to better serve South Lane County ber,“Ilumber other saw our and brothers andwood sisters Cottage Grove Center, it is the residents. See CLINIC, Page 6 products from public landsthat struggle from the devastation hoping that this week we will be isthey critical toIour saw, so wentNation’s back and got able to make the transition. Our including PHOTO JEREMY C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL well-being, my degree and became alocal licensed goal was to provide folks with job creation,” BLM OR/WA counselor,” he said. “We started Sauerwein and other city officials currently doing, which is providing The new mini homeless camp a safe and secure place to spend tracking EMS and firefighter suiState Director Barry Bushue. a location for folks to spend the will include the same restrictions as have told the Sentinel, that there the night and that’s what we are cides across America.” “Timber production also supare no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” the former larger camps. doing.” ports forest management and other long-term sheltering for the Read previous coverage about “The same rules will apply,” Sauerwein said city staff was Behavioral Impact wildfire risk reduction projects homeless. the homelessness challenges in Sauwrwein said. “The camp will According to Dill, firefighters cleaning up the Lulu Dog Park to can and “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage Grove and follow new oftensave don’tAmerican recognize lives the behavioral reestablish it as a dog park. Specific be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. communities.” state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com impact of their work. and the rules will be enforced costs of that cleanup and establishThe Bay District sold “WeCoos become cultural brainSauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions through contracting company, “We’reour a bit spread out, but we ing theCINDY smallerWEELDREYER homeless camp at 3.2 million board feet of timber washed,” Dill said. “Whether it’s are doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. One Securityheofsaid. Eugene Cottage Sentinel stay close,” “Alltoofhelp our us 12th Street wereGrove not immediately across 118 public acres in the structural or wildland fires. So, we the legislature. The city of Cottage during thissupported transitionus period. kids have in thisThey faith available. During one of the recent blazare meant to believe we are supSoup Bones CT timber sale Grove has no plans to do any kind are a very experienced homeless journey.” ing hot days with temperatures in to actLogging, strong, brave, be of help, toposed Morrell LLC, of a shelter beyond what we are camp management company.” Following his military service, the upper 90s. Members of the new don’t ask Hill for help, and we don’t Pleasant for $229,195. King attended an Assembly of God want look weak District and not ask for Coast Fork Church decided to offer ThetoLakeview sold Bible College in Springfield, Mo. help.” a cooling center for families in the 1.9 million board feet across He turned down an offer to serve Dill added that while firefighters community to enjoy. 490 acres in the Bryant timber are on the front lines battling the The members rented a large water as an associate pastor in Missouri, sale to Upland Services, wildfires, one of Forest the biggest chalchoosing instead to return to Oregon slide, served hamburgers and hot LLC, of Klamath Falls for lenges they face is the unknown. to be closer to his family. When dogs and offered a cool welcoming $13,162. “It’s how rapidly theses fires can place to escape the heat on Saturday work in his home state proved The Northwest Oregon move, and the unknown is where scarce, he moved to Tacoma, Wash., Aug. 23. District in toSalem sold 7.7 is it going end? Where willmilthis to work in the shipyards using the Pastor Bill King grew up in fire go to and how long will lion board feet across 183it last? welding skills he learned in the Air Lebanon, Ore. and attended the And that is a For struggle,” he said. acres in the Granite timber Assembly of God Church there with Force. “So,to when you Lumber are fighting that sale Freres Co., The Kings eventually moved back fire, you’re trying to do your best his family. After graduating from Inc., of Lyons for $2,074,718; Cindy Weeldreyer /. Cottage Grove to Oregon and opened a welding to stop it, and yet the wind kicks high school in 1970, he joined the 7.3 million board feet across Sentinel shop in Creswell in 2001. During up at 60 miles an hour and it drags U.S. Air Force and was stationed 167 public acres in the Riley (Top)Pastor Bill King and his the years he owned his shop, he it further and further behind them. at Mountain Home Air Force Base Coyote timber sale to Hampton wife, Vickie. (Bottom) Ryan That aspect of the unknown is very occasionally filled in on Sunday CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL in Southwestern Idaho. At the Tree Farms, LLC, of Salem for Stroud, 12, splashes down on difficult in wildland fires. The firemornings when needed at the Matchbooks the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story at cgsentinel.com. Assembly of Godfrom Church there $2,321,169; and 6.7 million the water slide the new Coast fighters have that stress and anxiety, request of local pastors. Four years he met his future wife, Vickie, the board feet acrossto 160 public Fork Church provided as and that struggle protect is a very ago, he retired, sold his shop, and daughter of a master sergeant. acres in challenge the Deerfor Slide timber part of a community cooling difficult the wildland began leading a Thursday Bible “It’s a funny story how I met my firefighters.” sale to Stella-Jones Corporation center on Aug. 23 when afterstudy in the Riverstone Mobile wife,” King recalled. “Her family It is oftenfor very$3,078,509. difficult for famof Eugene noon temperatures soared to Home Park’s community room. owned a pool table and often had ilyThe members of the Oregon firefighters to Northwest 97 degrees. About ago,ofheour andfuture Vickie WEELDREYER understand what emotions there8.7 are, the way” during the construction helped18 us months meet many Nearly 50 people attended the people CINDY over. One night a friend District in Springfield sold began a study in their home For The Grove Sentinel and that many firefighters don’t project. bookstore customers,” Birdyon said. Cottage Grove Historical Society’s invited me Cottage to go check it out. I met million board feet across 368 Originally a Free Methodist Church, Monday nights.a humorous memexpress their emotions, according He said he was given an import- acres She shared “Farewell to the Village Green” at herInthere andwhen the rest they say is 1975, Birdy Hoelzle in the Dueling Elk timand most recently Victory Country members of the Iron two to Dill. ant job of opening the boxes oryKing theysaid made in the formal the Community Center, Saturday, history. gotGail married in 1972 and her We sister opened The and ber“We saleask to the Freres Lumber Co., Church, the building sat empty family members Bible study groups expressed interdelivered to the guest rooms and Maiden Dining Room that drew Sept. the 21. death of Pastor Barbara remained in thefamiliar Assembly Bookmineactive they were withof Inc., of Lyons for $1,312,313; since to try to understand the cultural,” est in merging together recalled howtwo coolSunday he feltservices driving at and 5.5 million board feet laughter from the crowd.and the The internationally famous resort God church until I was transferred The Village Green. Dockery. King had occasionally There are he said. “Be direct. Challenge search was on to find a home for the orange golf6cart the “My sister and I were budding was created by Walterand A. was Woodard to Goose Bay Labrador, Their father traveled aCanada, lot and across 193 public acres in the filled in for Dockery famil- 10:30 a.m. and p.m.around The worship with compassion when something the new congregation. They liked propertyblends for assigned errands. Years Shotgun feminists at the time and were quite iar (W.A.) and his son,After Carlton. Some where our oldest was born.home It often brought its son matchboxes Formation timbersound sale with the space. months service traditional hymns doesn’t look right or doesn’t the visibility of the former Knecht’s later,contemporary another special memory was shocked by the sexism practiced in members of the family attended and with was pretty cold as keepsakes foruphisthere.” girls. The sisright, and do an internal up, for $1,510,245 and 6.3size million of prayer and negotiation with the worship and a Auto Parts room,” buildingshe onsaid. Highway seeing famous the dining “The 99 shared personal memories. expanded with tersTheir werefamily in their 20’s when they which feet we ask the firefighters to board across 219 public California attorney managing the time forthe sharing andfootball prayer.player, King’s but it was financially out of O.J. Simpson, running on one of the acres menu given to a woman hadreach. no another son,Main who Street now lives in do as in well,” said.” Internal size opened the bookstore the he Creat-Panther lease, Coast Fork Church members preaching centers on forgiveness, So the on group keptfoot praying. THROUGH THE LENS up means asking why am I acting resort’s prices it and pillows were Texas, a daughter who lives in and, toand enhance their income, sale for $1,710,739 to held their first service there on June love, andpaths. the family of God. He said timber An unexpected phone call led Kris Woodard’s introductory this way, and why am I feeling this To the delight of those gathered, provided so ladies’ uncomfortable Cottage Grove. worked as waitresses at the resort. 1. them 913 be South Sixth while Street—a remarks included personal memway? The best thing we can do is Kris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoestocould removed din“It was a wonderful place to building with deep spiritual roots. ories he made through the lens of See CHURCH Page 6 ing. It was a very different era.” work and, being new in town, it See HEALTH, TIMBER Page a 12-year-old who was often “in See LEGACY, Page 6 See Page4 6
FROM WELDING TO WORSHIP
Cottage Grove pastor leads new church
Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
INSIDE News — 1-3— 3 Lifestyles Obituaries — 4 Death Notice — 4
Opinion — 5 Classifieds — 7 News Sports——8 8
FollowDEVELOPING Developing New: FOLLOW NEWS @ CGSentinel CGSentinel @ www.cgsentinel.com www.cgsentinel.com
Your new home is waiting for you... just listed. This beautiful spacious