Page 2
April, 2024
Volume 2, Issue #4
The North Douglas Herald Newspaper is
published once a month in Drain Oregon. The
North Douglas Herald is owned and operated
by Oregonians, published and printed in the
State of Oregon. It is our mission to bring the
news and information that our Readers will find
pertinent, useful and with some insight to our
common values and sensibilities.
The Herald is currently available by subscrip-
tion and at pickup locations across North Doug-
las and South Lane counties in Oregon. Sub-
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county residents. Out of County Subscriptions
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OUR DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS
is the 25th of the month prior to publication
Free Papers can be found, upon availability, in all of
the following town’s and these fine establishments
Drain
Rays Food Place, 308 N 1st St.
Country Cabin Coffee & Laundry, 438 W “B” Ave Hwy38
The Rose Bar, 413 Umpqua Hwy 38
Mildred Whipple Library, 205 W. “A” Ave.
Beaver Creek Unique, 416 W “B” Ave.
Yoncalla
Eagle Valley Supply, 2570 Eagle Valley Rd
Food Center & Deli, 2580 Eagle Valley Rd
Why Not Bar and Grill, 164 Main St
Elkton
Arlene’s Cafe & General Store 14858 State HWY 38
Elkton Station 14940 State HWY 38
Tomaselli’s Pastry Mill & Cafe, 14836 OR Hwy 38
Scottsburg
Riverbanks Speedy Mart 32841 State HWY 38
Reedsport
Jacks Barber Shoppe, 1199 Highway Ave,
TRMF Smokes, 1898 Winchester Ave. US-101
Don’s Main Street Family Restaurant, 2115 US-101
Recreation Station, 1575 Winchester Ave US-101 S
Creative Mercantile, 392 Fir Ave.
High Water Cafe, 427 Fir Ave.
Lower Umpqua Library, 395 Winchester Ave.
7-11 Store, 2011 Winchester Ave. US-101
Cottage Grove
Old Mill Farm Store, 327 South River Rd.
Kwik Pik Market #2, 925 E Gibbs Ave.
Daves Corner Market, 633 N 9th St.
Crafty Mercantile, 517 E Main St.
The Book Mine, 702 E Main St.
Dari Mart, 1200 E Main St.
Cottage Market, 603 OR HWY-99
Medication Station, 1041 N Pacific HWY-99
Winchester Bay
Beck’s Winchester Bay Market, 245 8th St.
Pelican Market, 75298 Pacific Coast HWY US-101
Oakland
Bart’s Oakland Market, 204 SE 1st St
Tyee Landing, 11424 Oregon HWY 138
Sutherlin
Kwik Pik Market & Deli, 551 W Central Ave.
Smitty’s Food Mart & Deli, 1367W Central Ave.
Center Market, 1230 W Central Ave.
Center Market #32, 206 E Central Ave.
S-Mart, 333 E Central Ave.
Central Food Mart, 1021 E Central Ave.
Chevron/S-Mart, 1484 W Central Ave.
DC Precision Lube & Tune, 489 E Central Ave.
Roseburg
Roseburg Tobacco & Food Mart, 2050 NE Stephens St
1 Am Market, 1931 NE Stephens St
North Douglas Herald
PO Box 581, Drain OR 97435
Rusty Savage, Editor
541 221-3283 www.ndherald.com
North Douglas Herald
April 2024
Government
Editorial
Know your local Representatives!
Drain
Mayor: Erin Sparhawk
Council Position #1: Grant Vaughan
Council Position #2: Kevin VanPelt
Council Position #3: Katie Decker
Council Position #4: Aaron Lymath
City Administrator: Jeni Stevens
City Council Meeting:05/13/24 - 6pm
Yoncalla
Mayor: Kathleen Wertz
Councilors: Dan Wagoner
Gene Vroman
Harold Gilpin
Bryce Wertz
City Administrator: Jennifer Bragg
Council Meeting: 04/11/24 - 6pm
You see a picture of an empty lot above. It is the
lot where the Drain City Hall sat since 1954. Before
that it was the home of the old City Hall, built in the
30’s. As I have been looking at it, a strong sense of
deja vu strikes me.
On that lot at one time, long ago, was something
other than the City government building. It was an
earlier time in the existence of this town. In the early
1930’s a change came and an improvement was
implemented. Progress came about from the old to
the new and from that building an energy came and
brought a new and improved beginning. Around it a
town grew and prospered.
But like still water in the pond, it became stagnant
and it was outdated. In the early 1950’s the people
saw a need to make a new change. It didn’t come
easy I’m sure. Evolution is like a deliberate instigator
and so a new and better building was built and it
was significant. The town around it thrived not just
because of a new building but because of the people
who imagined it and the worth it would bring. But
through the march of time, no one noticed a zenith
had been reached. As that building deteriorated, so
flagged the enthusiasm and drive of the people. Then
it sat empty and awaited it’s desolate and crumbling
fate.
Then it sat. My inner vision depicts its correlation
with the people who once thrived and built anew and
expanded the community with a building that would
serve so well. The progress and opportunities each
evolution of the building represented the expansion
of a better life and growth. But like the old building,
it seems that the people who forged the changes and
improvements have diminished.
In recent years, as the town has also diminished
and sluffed away, it is certainly the people who have
averted their efforts from those loftiest of goals.
When I say the people, it’s because looking
back at the heyday, this town had no shortage of folks
who offered their hand in the building of the future.
Looking back since the 1954 dedication of City Hall,
groups of people divvied up the chores of progress
and with the City government as their spearhead,
they make the future come to them. This culminated
with the planning, fund raising and construction of
the Civic Center in 1980’s. Accomplished by mutual
effort of a majority of the citizens and businesses in
the community.
Time has passed and the groups of people - you
would call them volunteers, waned. Committees that
were strong and productive are now deemed weak
and the City is shedding them.
City government is small, especially in a small
town. It seems that there is not much to work with
and so the goals and efforts have dwindled to fit
the receding coffers. It was leadership that brought
about capital improvements through the efforts and
cooperation of motivated people. Leadership inspires
them to dream and build and grow.
That, I guess, is my point. Just like this town
needs a new and modern City Hall to be erected
on the old site. The City Government needs to be
rebuilt with the vision and the leadership, to gather
and influence the populace. To form committees and
gather people to begin the work of the rebirth of this
City. Because the change and improvement is too
slow when it’s left on the heads of a few. Who will
arise to be a rallying cry to bring people together and
seriously tackle the obstacles that have over run our
enterprise? If not you, then who?
There is a city election coming in November.
Up for grabs are 2 city council seats and the Mayors
office. It seems to be a time to look for a new direction
and I believe we should look for the leadership that
brings people together. There are many out there
who dream. Let’s bring out the one’s who can also
dig deep and work for and lead our citizenry forward,
promoting mutual efforts and standing alongside
any and all that step up to homeplate of civic duty,
responsibility and service, because there are many.
Well I am glad to get this issue out to our
readers. We struggled a little last month and tried to
augment our subscriptions with online subscriptions.
Our downloaded version is has been running from
300-500 downloads, obviously it’s not going to take
the place of mailed subscriptions, as you can see, it’s
in your mailbox now. So I have decided to bite the
bullet and by April 15th ALL subscriptions will be free
- no matter from where you are. It’s not easy and we
have to work harder to make it happen - we are leaning
hard on our advertisors - Please Support Them.
So I’m asking our readers to consider a
donation to help us keep that mailing for free. If
you can, scan the QR, there are rewards for your
donation, a series of
Certificates and
such, but mostly
the reward is the
satisfaction
of
keeping this little
endeaver
alive.
Thank you for your
support.
Letters to the
Editor
remain cryptic in the community.
Actual Letter to the Editor January 3, 2024
Dear North Douglas Herald,
Entertaining though it may be to know
the opinions of City Council members, former
City Council members, Mayors, elders of the
community and other interested parties about
their incredibly detailed knowledge of arcane
sections of testimony of various sessions of local
current and past committee meetings in Drain,
and the injustices contained there, complete
with references to the Continental Congress at
Carpenters Hall in Pennsylvania in 1774, I would
rather talk about Raccoons.
Raccoons live in the cities but are rarely
noticed. Life goes on around them and shoppers go
to market, but rarely notice their small footprints in
the snow. Perhaps the young intentionally step in
their parents tracks, so the entire family might
So it is with the hispanic community in the
North Umpqua Valley... among us but Not noticed.
their most brilliant holidays are mostly ignored.
Their long history here reduced to a couple of
pleasant eating establishments. I speak no Spanish;
in order to show friendship all I can do is smile.
But This newspaper has an audience. How
about it editor? What about making a Spanish
speaking section in your delightfully brilliant
North Douglas Herald?
Sincerely,
Joanne Holland - Drain OR
I think I get your point, Joanne, and actually
we caught a raccoon in the garden last year. As
to our Hispanic neighbors, that is also a good
point. We are going to see what can be done
in the Paper to include our Spanish speaking
friends and neighbors.
- Editor
Elkton
Mayor: Daniel Burke
Council President: Joan Smith
Council Members:
Kim Moore
Dan Shepherd
Sandra Galli
Public Works Supervisor: Gary Trout
Council Meeting:05/13/24 - 8:30am
Oakland
Mayor:
Bette Keehley
Counselor: Jan Wier
Counselor: Kent Rochester
Counselor: Sky Ironplow
Counselor: Betty Tamm
Council Meeting: 05/13/24 - 7pm
Sutherlin
Mayor :
Michelle Sumner
Council President Debbie Hamilton
Councilor
Lisa Woods
Councilor
Joe Groussman
Councilor
Larry Whitaker
Councilor
Shawn Smalley
Councilor
Gary Dagel
City Manager
Jerry Gillham
Council Meeting: 05/13/24 - 7:15pm
Reedsport
Mayor :
Linda McCollum
Council Position #1: Rob Wright
Council Position #2: DeeDee Murphy
Council Position #3: Chuck Miller
Council Position #4: Allen Teitzel
Council Position #5: Rich Patten
Council Position #6: Debby Turner
Council Meeting: 05/04/24 - 7:15pm
Cottage Grove
Mayor: Candace Solesbee
Councilor Ward 1: Chalice Savage
Councilor Ward 2: Jon Stinnett
Councilor Ward 3: Dana Merryday
Councilor Ward 4: Greg Ervin
Councilor:
Mike Fleck
Councilor:
Alex Dreher
Council Meeting;: 04/17/24 - 6:55pm
05/01/24 - 6:55pm
County State & Federal
Douglas County Commisioners:
Tom Kress(Chair) Tim Freeman
Chris Boice
Jennifer Miller
Lane County Commissioners:
Dist 1: Ray Ceniga Dist 2: David Lovall
Dist 3: Laurie Trieger Dist 4: Pat Farr
Dist 5: Heather Buch
Oregon House Representative:
District 02:
Virgle Osborne
Oregon State Senator:
District 1:
David Brock Smith
U.S. Senate Oregon:
Jeff Merkley
Ron Wyden
U.S House of Representatives:
District 4: Val Hoyle
Secretary of State:
LaVonne Griffin-Valade
Attorney General: Ellen Rosenblum
Governor: Tina Kotek
Vice-President: Kamala Harris
President:
Joe Biden
It is important to know your representation
in your State, Districts and Municipalities. RE-
MEMBER it is vital to your freedoms to vote.If
you would like to have your own towns municipal
officers listed please send title & names only to
citydesk@ndherald.com