Thursday, December 12, 2019 • Vol. 135, No. 24 • Oregon, WI • ConnectOregonWI.com • $1.25
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Oregon Observer The
Splash pad project still needs funding Co-leaders say construction may begin in summer 2020 with design changes EMILIE HEIDEMANN Unified Newspaper Group
Photo by Justin Loewen
As his brother Frazier, 6, right, talks with Santa, Bode Sanders-Andrews, 1, of Oregon stares into the jolly stranger’s snowwhite beard during the chili dinner at the Oregon Fire and EMS District building on Friday, Dec 6.
Christmas, chili and cheer Observer correspondent
Hundreds gathered in downtown Oregon on Friday, Nov. 6, for the village’s annual holiday tradition
— belting out Christmas carols and consuming generous helpings of chili — before Santa himself made an appearance. The festivities began at Waterman Triangle Park with a tree
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lighting, before shifting down the street to the Oregon Fire and EMS District To view more photos visit building for the chili dinner. ConnectOregonWI.com To view or buy the photos in the slideshow, visit smugmug.com.
‘Mark the barber’ a cut above Oregon resident volunteers hair cutting services for 35 years MACKENZIE KRUMME Unified Newspaper Group
For the past 35 years, Mark Peterson has cut male residents’ hair at Oregon Manor. The first Wednesday of every month, Peterson takes each resident one by one into a small barber’s room next to the nurse’s station. He uses shears, a buzzer and comb to meticulously cut, clean up or buzz. He knows most residents by name. “There ya go Bob, all set,” he tells one resident. “Thanks for coming today, Francis,” he says to
another. Peterson is known as “Mark the barber” at the assisted living facility. After three decades of service he has decided to retire. On his last day, Wednesday, Dec. 4, residents wore a black hair-dressing cape which has different styles of mustaches on it, “the private eye” and “The Oz,” for instance. Staff and residents’ family members stopped by to shake Peterson’s hand and thank him. Humbly, Peterson, told everyone his goodbyes and said he was not the one people should be thanking. “It is humbling to see other people’s dedication,” Peterson said, referring to the staff. “All I do is cut hair.” Peterson started cutting hair at Oregon Manor in December 1985. Residents
Fire/EMS brings out new truck Vehicle provides better maneuverability, specific tools for suburban setting CONNOR WOOD Observer correspondent
Photo by Mackenzie Krumme
Mark Peterson meticulously trims Francis Jones’ hair during his last day of volunteering at Oregon Manor on Dec. 4. wanted nice haircuts for the holidays and someone approached Peterson, who co-owns Mark’s Barber Shop with his wife, Cindy, at 87 N Main St. At that time he thought it would be a one time event.
“Who knew a one-time gig would turn into a lifetime of service,” Peterson said. Some of the residents like Allen and Casper, have
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The Oregon Area Fire/ EMS District’s new truck might not be new off the assembly line, but you probably couldn’t tell by looking at it. After the district bought the seven year old vehicle at auction from Fitchburg last spring, it had body work and equipment updates, costing the department a total of $210,000. The apparatus replaces a 22 year old vehicle the department was not using regularly. The
new-to-the district truck will likely become one of the main first responders for the department, chief Glen Linzmeier told the Observer. That way, if needed, firefighters can respond to a fire straight from an EMS emergency. The department responded to almost 2,000 calls last year, Linzmeier said. The department is in the process of getting staff trained and certified to operate the new truck. It went into active service Dec. 1 and has already been used on calls. “We are very busy and growing, with the buildout of the village and the other areas, again more calls, more staffing, more hiring, more people ... more firefighters and EMTs (being) able to do their jobs,” Linzmeier said.
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JUSTIN LOEWEN
After five years of slow progress, the Oregon splash pad project is still seeking donations from local businesses and individuals — and hopes to begin building by mid-2020 with potential design changes. Co-leader Deb Bossingham said project staff intends to start pad construction as early as
summer 2020, with it opening later that season. But if that doesn’t start within the next six months to a year, the project could lose its time donations and grant money Bossingham said. It won’t take on loans or use taxes, she said, since the splash pad will be open for public use. And though she can’t reveal anything just yet, Bossingham said there might be some changes to the design “to try to bring it to the community quicker.” With the village focusing on larger projects like the $10 million library project and the $3.7 million Jaycee Park West development, Bossingham said