The Cottage Grove
entinel entinel ‘Armed and dangerous’ bank The CoTTage grove
Sparks Fly at City Council
Oregon By the Numbers
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Wednesday September 17, 2025 | Number 38, 136 years
Coin toss Lifestyle decides South Lane School Wednesday October 9, 2024 | Board appointment Life in Cottage Grove See page 4
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robbery suspect captured CGHS Football Incredible Turnaround See page 8
STAFF REPORT about the suspect’s whereabouts Cottage Grove 39, Sentinel Number 135 years was asked to call 911 www.cgsentinel.com and avoid
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approaching or contacting him. Following two bank robberies Earlier, at approximately 1:30 in one day in Cottage Grove and p.m. Sept. 9, Cottage Grove Police Creswell, law enforcement has tracked down and captured the lone Department (CGPD) officers were dispatched to a report of a robbery suspect. that had just occurred at Banner The search for the robbery susCINDY WEELDREYER Bank located at 25 Gateway pect began Tuesday afternoon, Cottage Grove Sentinel Sept. 9 in Creswell as Lane County Boulevard in Cottage Grove. The investigation revealed that a Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) depuIn a rare moment of procedural white male adult entered the bank, drama, the South Lane School Board ties responded to Banner Bank in wrote a note demanding money and Creswell for an armed robbery. appointed Karen Zeller to Position JEREMY C. RUARK presented it to a teller, according Deputies learneddeveloping the suspect had Crews began the smaller homeless Cottage Grove Sentinel 3 following a deadlocked vote and a to alot release from the CGPD. The used a note to demand money and camp site this week on the vacant at 12th Street. coin toss. Public works crews are in the suspect then left the bank with an threaten the bank teller. The susThe vacancy was created when process of establishing a new undisclosed amount of money and pect was later confirmed to be the former member smallerboard homeless campDuane site atTaddei the fled the area. same suspect from an earlier bank resigned, citing changes to his work vacant lot on 12th Street in Cottage JEREMY C. RUARK LCSO detectives determined the robbery that occurred in Cottage schedule that limited his availability. Cottage Grove Sentinel Grove. At Cottage a specialGrove meeting July 28, the Grove the same day, according to a suspect to be 37-yead-old Clarke CityonManager Oregon’s wildfire season is Chaos of Eugene. Detectives deterrelease from the LCSO. board declared the seat vacant Mike Sauerwein said the city isand expected to continue through this mined Zyz likely had a residence The suspect was described invited Three candimonth, but the mental scares and behind applications. its original Oct. 1 timeline in the Eugene area, and Eugene as a white male adult, about 6’ dates applied: Zeller, an educator; impact of the season on the fireis establishing the camp, following Police detectives and officers began Tony Lefler, an automotive customer tall, weighing about 175 pounds, fighters who battle blazes in Lane the Aug. 22 closure and cleanup searching. service manager; Reeves, medium build, with a full beard. County and across the state, and of the 12th Streetand andAngel Douglas At approximately about noon, He was last seen wearing a green their families, may last a lifetime, whose occupationcamps. was not disclosed. Street homeless During the Sept. 10, while surveilling a posaccording to Jeff Dill, the founder ball cap, aviator sunglasses, a Reeves did not attend Monday transition, the adjacent Lulu Dog of Firefighter Behavioral Health sible residence in the area of Green black jacket, black sweatpants, night’s meeting, leaving Zeller and Park at 12th Street has been used Alliance (FBHA). Acres Road, Eugene Police detecgrey gloves, and black shoes with Lefler to be interviewed. Zeller’s as a homeless camp site with hours Dill established the FBHA in tives located Zyz in the suspect white soles. Multiple video screen name was drawn from a hat to go assistance and the many community • Disorderly Conduct in the 2nd from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. 2010 following Hurricane Katrina. vehicle. Detectives and police photographs of the suspect were first. members who provided tips during Degree “None of us have ever managed He was than a Battalion Chief captured at the bank. Deputies were officers contacted and detained In her opening Zeller course of this investigation that Zyz was also arrested and lodged the a homeless camp statement, before, so we for a fire department in northwest the suspect without incident. After also able to identify the suspect’s said lifelong commitment has led to his identification and arrest,” at the Lane County Jail on the folChicago. knewher that date was a bit aspiravehicle, a two-door 1998-2003 gold additional investigation, Zyz was been to promote thesaid. education and LCSO stated a release lowing charges related to the rob“I saw our in brothers andfollowing sisters tional,” Sauerwein “We are arrested and lodged at the Lane Ford Escort ZX2 with an unknown nurture of young people, especially struggle fromarrest. the devastation that the suspect’s “LCSO also bery in Cottage Grove: hoping that this week we will be County Jail for the following license plate. those special needs. A longtime they saw, so I went back and got • Robbery in the 2nd Degree acknowledged the Eugene Police able towith make the transition. Our charges related to the PHOTO robberyJEREMY in C. RUARK / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL In issuing its first release about my degree and became a licensed scout leader, she has folks taughtwith at the • Menacing Department, which assigned congoal was to provide Creswell: counselor,” he said. “We the bank robberies, the LCSO Academy of Character Education Sauerwein and other city officials currently doing,Conduct which is in providing • Disorderly the 2nd siderable resources to thestarted search The new mini homeless camp a safe and secure place to spend tracking EMS and firefighter • Robbery the 2ndthat Degree stated that the was believed (ACE)—one the district’s told the in Sentinel, there aDegree location for folks to spend the for the suspect within the citysuiof will include thesuspect same restrictions as have the night andofthat’s what we two are cides across America.” • Menacing to be “armed and dangerous,” addcharter schools—as well as at the are no additional plans to offer any night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.” “The LCSO thankd Cottage Eugene.” the former larger camps. doing.” that same anyone withwill information University of said Oregon. other long-term sheltering for the ReadPolice previous coverage for about Grove Department their rules apply,” Sauerwein city She staffhas wasthree ing“The Behavioral Impact adult children who attended Bohemia homeless. the homelessness challenges in Sauwrwein said. “The camp will According to Dill, firefighters cleaning up the Lulu Dog Park to Elementary, School, be available from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. “Cottage Grove will follow Cottage Grove and follow new often don’t recognize the behavioral reestablish itLincoln as a dogMiddle park. Specific and Child’s Way Charter School, and and the rules will be enforced state law as we understand it,” developments at cgsemtinel.com impact of their work. costs of that cleanup and establishshe homeschooled “We become cultural brainSauerwein said. “That is what we and in the Wednesday print editions through our contracting company, ing also the smaller homelessthem. campShe at washed,” Dill said. “Whether it’s described as aimmediately critical and are doing. To change that is up to of The Sentinel. One Security of Eugene to help us 12th Streetherself were not structural or wildland fires. So, we creative the legislature. The city of Cottage during this transition period. They available.thinker. are meant to believe we are supLefler, who ran earlier this year Grove has no plans to do any kind are a very experienced homeless Bohemia Park ceremony draws nearly 100 to honor mural years the making posedin to act strong, brave, be help, in an unsuccessful bid to unseat of a shelter beyond what we are camp management company.” don’t ask for help, and we don’t incumbent Colleen Valley, said he want to look weak and not ask for learned much from the campaign CINDY WEELDREYER help.” and was encouraged by supporters Cottage Grove Sentinel Dill added that while firefighters to apply for the vacancy. He noted are on the front lines battling the that his entire family—from his Members of the community celwildfires, one of the biggest chalparents to his grandchildren—have ebrated the dedication of a colorful lenges they face is the unknown. attended local schools. He described mural depicting Engine No. 19, a “It’s how rapidly theses fires can move, and the unknown is where himself as a “car guy” whose work beloved attraction whose iconic is it going to end? Where will this in customer service has taught him steam whistle echoed throughout fire go to and how long will it last? to understand the complaints of town from 1971 to 1988. And that is a struggle,” he said. frustrated clients and find solutions. The large mural, located on “So, when you are fighting that He said he’s a laid-back team player the north end of Bohemia Park, fire, you’re trying to do your best who welcomes feedback and can is painted on the east wall of the to stop it, and yet the wind kicks agree to disagree. bathroom building next to the new up at 60 miles an hour and it drags After the interviews, the board splash pad. it further and further behind them. voted twice and remained split Cottage Grove Mural Committee That aspect of the unknown is very CINDY WEELDREYER / COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL 3–3. Newcomer Diane Hicks, a Chairwoman Debra Monsive weldifficult in wildland fires. The fireMatchbooks from the Village Green Resort in Cottage Grove. See more photos with this story at cgsentinel.com. retired SLSD teacher, joined incum- comed nearly 100 attendees on Aug. fighters have that stress and anxiety, and that struggle to protect is a very bents Colleen Valley and Tammy 29 and served as master of ceremodifficult challenge for the wildland Hodgkinson in supporting Zeller. nies for the evening event. A series firefighters.” Newcomers Chris Holloman and of speakers shared their train memoIt is often very difficult for famBoard Chair Bill Parsons sided with ries and described their part in the ily members of the firefighters to incumbent Joe Tucker in backing two-and-a-half-year journey to make CINDY WEELDREYER understand what emotions there are, the way” during the construction helped us meet many of our future Nearly 50 people attended the Lefler. the mural a reality. She thanked For The Cottage Grove Sentinel and that many firefighters don’t project. bookstore customers,” Birdy said. Cottage Grove Historical Society’s During deliberations, Zeller’s volunteers and sponsors for helping express their emotions, according He said he was given an importShe shared a humorous mem“Farewell to the Village Green” at In 1975, when Birdy Hoelzle supporters cited her extensive back- bring the vision to life. to Dill. ant job of opening the boxes ory they made in the formal Iron the Community Center, Saturday, and her sister Gail opened The ground in education, her experience Faye Stewart, Bohemia “We ask the family members delivered to the guest rooms and Maiden Dining Room that drew Sept. 21. Bookmine they wereparent, familiar as a homeschooling andwith her Foundation president and City to try to understand the cultural,” recalled how cool he felt driving laughter from the crowd. The internationally famous resort The Village Green. to supporting lifelong commitment he said. “Be direct. Challenge of Cottage Grove Public Works the orange golf cart around the “My sister and I were budding was created by Walter A. Woodard Their father traveled a lot and with compassion when something special education students and their director, described the process that property for assigned errands. Years doesn’t look right or doesn’t sound feminists at the time and were quite (W.A.) and his son, Carlton. Some often brought its matchboxes home families and leading local scout Monsive, a local historian, inception, one of Bohemia Park’s Stewart is fundraising now for the placed the historic depiction of The shocked by the sexism practiced in members of the family attended and later, another special memory was as keepsakes for years. his girls. The sisright, and do an internal up, troops for many Lefler’s sup- Goose primary purposes has been to honor yet-to-be-completed watersize tower, as it chugged along the north approached Stewart about relocatseeing the famous football player, the dining room,” she said. “The shared personal memories. ters were in their 20’s which we ask the firefighters to porters emphasized hiswhen statusthey as a Cottage Grove’s history for future which will serve as a community side of Dorena Lake. The mural was ing it to the park. She noted the O.J. Simpson, running on one of the do as well,” he said.” Internal size menu given to a woman had no opened the Main his Street bookstore lifelong resident, strong motivamuralTHROUGH would sit on THE the siteLENS of the generations. information reader board. It sits on originally slated for the east wall of up means asking why am I acting resort’s paths. prices on it and foot pillows were and, to to be enhance income, tion a teamtheir player to improve Oregon Pacific andintroductory Eastern Railway Local muralist Heather Endicott’s the the why original thatthis the nearby American Market across Kris Woodard’s thissite way,ofand am tower I feeling To the delight of those gathered, provided so ladies’ uncomfortable worked as waitresses at the resort. the district, and the significance of train yard,included where the Goosememonce depiction of Engine No. 19 helped the railroad tracks and behind a remarks personal way? The best thing we can do is Kris’ brother, Casey Woodard, shoes could be removed while din“It was a wonderful place to departed to pickthrough up passengers inspire the railroad theme of the chain link fence. ories he made the lens atof ing. It was a very different era.” work and, being new in town, it the Village Green Since“inits park’s north side. SeeHEALTH, MURAL Page 6 6 a 12-year-old whoDepot. was often See LEGACY, Page 6 See Page See BOARD Page 6
The mental City establishing mini health impact homeless camp at 12th Street facing Oregon’s wildland firefighters
Community dedicates famed steam train mural
Grovers gather to remember Village Green Resort
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