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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2015)
4A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL May 6, 2015 O PINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Registration fee is selective taxation The superior method to raise revenue is through user fees. For road use, in- crease user fees such as gas taxes or tolls. Measure 20-231 is poorly writ- ten and advocates selective taxation. Also, this type of tax must be admin- istered statewide if user-generated fees are insuffi cient. Notice how the pro- posed levy intentionally punishes the LANE COUNTY 99 percent, exempt- ing road-busting 7.5-ton RVs, eight-ton motor homes and six-ton trailers. It will nearly double the basic two-year registration fee from $86 to $161 just in our county! That is NOT the defi nition of a “modest” increase. The law is written “upside-down.” Motorcycles and light- weight fuel-effi cient vehicles are taxed for damage they have not caused while exempting the real culprits. Vote “NO” and send a message to our “leaders” that we will no longer ac- cept selective, “upside-down” taxation so that the One Percent can destroy our road infrastructure with impunity while being exempt from taxes. User taxes are fair because those choosing to haul around houses pay an additional few cents per gallon for their four-mile-per- gallon behemoths. Gary Vaughn Cottage Grove process for the Main Street Refi nement Plan, and all those who participated should be genuinely thanked for their hard work on this endeavor. Even if the referendum succeeds and the Refi ne- ment Plan is put to a vote, this doesn’t mean that the process was a waste of time. Many ideas for what is needed have been clarifi ed and weaknesses in the plan have been reconsidered. Most importantly, learning that improve- ments need to be made in communi- cating with public and encouraging participation will, hopefully, enhance the public comment process in the fu- ture. Even if the plan is voted down in an election, these lessons would help to inform the next plan developed and lead to a vision that refl ects the best of what Cottage Grove can be. I was also sorry to read that Mr. Palmer is so opposed to the idea of al- lowing an issue this vital to stand before the people it will affect the most. For good or ill, the Main Street Refi nement Plan, if carried out, will have a dra- matic effect on the face of our historic downtown. The proposed streetscape with its narrowed traffi c lanes on Main Street will impact residents and busi- nesses on a daily basis. The citizens of Cottage Grove should have the right to vote on an issue of this magnitude. Cristina Hubbard Cottage Grove School Board recommendations The right to vote is priceless It is a pity that in the face of spend- ing millions of dollars to permanently transform Cottage Grove’s historic downtown, Mr. Palmer feels spend- ing $10,000 for the citizens of Cottage Grove to have the right to vote is too expensive. Yes, there has been a lengthy public The Blackberry Pie Society held a public forum for candidates for the South Lane School Board at Bohemia School last week. Each candidate was asked the same questions submitted by the Blackberry Pie Society and by members of the audience. Based on responses given by the candidates at that forum, the Blackberry Pie Society endorses the following candidates for the South Lane School Board in the up- coming May 19 special election: Position 1 - Tammy Hodgkinson Tammy’s open and forthright com- munication style make her an excellent candidate. Tammy is running unop- posed. Position 3 – Merlene Martin Merlene’s long standing, wide-rang- ing experience with the South Lane School District helps her bring thought- ful and sound reasoning to her decision making process. Position 6 – Nevin Beckes Each of the Position 6 candidates has something to offer, but Nevin’s experi- ence as a student in South Lane schools and as a parent of young children helps give him a solid, community-based perspective that will be a valuable ad- dition to the board. Position 7 – Gary Mort Gary’s research oriented approach to problem solving will help ensure the board will consider policies and deci- sions from an objective point of view. The Blackberry Pie Society thinks this slate of candidates will result in a well-rounded school board that refl ects the community and will effectively represent the community’s voice in the South Lane School District. The Blackberry Pie Society is a Cot- tage Grove based political action com- mittee dedicated to promoting good politics and great people in South Lane County and beyond, and having fun while doing it. Cathy Bellavita Alice Doyle Brian Forge Gail Hoelzle Steve Kilston Julie Parker Leslie Rubinstein on behalf of the Cottage Grove Blackberry Pie Society Stripes are nice, let’s make a walk High-fi ves to Cottage Grove for painting curbs and center stripes bright yellow. Down yonder in Hollywood, brass and terrazzo stars inscribed with the name of a local celebrity are embedded in the legendary Walk of Fame. Let’s place into our downtown sidewalks brass, bronze or stainless steel squares describing a local historic event, per- son, place or building. Sponsors could help defray costs. Call it the walk of history. Bob Hardy Cottage Grove Refi nement referendum aims to ensure broader representation I ’m Mary McNamara, and neither Michelle Rose nor I, whose names are listed as the chief petitioners on the petition paperwork for the referendum of The Main Street Refi nement Plan, Ordinance 3053 are part of the group, “The Friends of Main Street. We do believe the process of planning the Main Street Refi nement Plan was not adequate as refl ected by the 21 downtown businesses that are opposed to the plan. We are col- lecting signatures on a referen- dum petition so the Main Street Refi nement Plan can be put to the voters of our community to have the last word. Why is that so worrisome to Mr. Palmer? In his words, “The process doesn’t include a public vote for a reason,” suggesting the general public is not capable of voicing their opinion and making an informed decision on a plan that will completely gut Main Street as we know it and spend $9 million doing it. We disagree. A referendum is the right of submission of an issue of pub- lic importance to the direct vote of the electorate, YOU. This Refi nement Plan is an issue of such public importance that, if passed, will have the most pro- found effect on downtown Cot- tage Grove of anything that has taken place in the 40 years that I have lived here, including the four years that I served on the City Council. Michele and I have under- taken this petition process be- cause we believe in the process of democracy. The exchange of views is integral to the demo- cratic process. When turning in our petition request I was told by the Secretary of State’s offi ce that we had to select the fi rst upcoming election for our referendum, and that was in September. I don’t feel our tax dollars are being wasted in this process. It is a democratic pro- cess, a decision by the people, for the people. I have lived in Cottage Grove for 40 years. What I love about Cottage Grove is the downtown, the trees, friendly business on Main Street, a quick walk from 99 to the river. That’s what at- tracted me to Cottage Grove. It’s the part I talk about when I ‘sell’ Cottage Grove. The city has been awarded Tree City, USA several times, yet much of the new plan eliminates many of the current trees, which may or may not be replaced. I owned and operated the Main Street Deli here in Cottage Grove for over 12 years, so I un- derstand when a business owner tells me that, “I don’t think I can make it if construction blocks my customer base for very long.” That is just one of the le- gitimate concerns for several of the downtown businesses who oppose this plan, yet it was ap- proved by the City Council. One of my main concerns is the safety of our citizens related to the changes to the roadway plan, the much-widened side- walks and effect on parking. Come downtown, park out a few extra feet from the current curb. You now are about seven feet from the sidewalk. Open your car door, slowly, and see if you feel safe. I did that and I was afraid to open the door of the car onto Main Street. You decide. I am concerned about the condi- tion of the sidewalks. They are a safety hazard and need to be repaired but not widened to the degree planned. Mr. Palmer’s comments seem intended to squelch participation in the larger democratic process. This referendum is not a slap in the face to those involved in the planning of the Main Street Refi nement Plan. It is simply in- tended to ensure a broader rep- resentation of views on a pro- posed project that would have huge implications for the future of downtown Cottage Grove. What can you do? Get in- volved simply by signing the petition (at The Bookmine) to put this incomplete plan to a general vote of the electorate. Ask questions of the process team and better yet, ask city of- fi cials or the Chamber why this Main Street Refi nement Plan wasn’t brought to the voters in the fi rst place. It is a $9 million plan, not a small commitment. MARY MCNAMARA, CHIEF PETITIONER, REFERENDUM OF ORDINANCE 3053 Diet-related endocrine disruptors linked to earlier menopause BY JOEL FUHRMAN, MD For the Sentinel E ndocrine disrupting chem- icals (EDCs) are hormon- ally active synthetic substances that can mimic, alter or oppose the actions of our body’s natu- ral hormones. EDCs are con- sidered by scientists to be a signifi - cant pub- lic health concern. Exposure to EDCs is associated $ PUUBHF ( SPWF 4 FOUJOFM 116 N. Sixth Street · P.O. Box 35 · Cottage Grove, OR 97424 ADMINISTRATION: JOHN BARTLETT, Regional Publisher.............................. 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In foreign countries, postage extra. No subscription for less than Ten Weeks. Subscription rates are subject to change upon 30 days’ notice. All subscritptions must be paid prior to beginning the subscription and are non-refundable. Periodicals postage paid at Cottage Grove, Oregon. Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 35, Cottage Grove, OR 97424. Local Mail Service: If you don’t receive your Cottage Grove Sentinel on the Wednesday of publication, please let us know. Call 942-3325 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Advertising ownership: All advertising copy and illustrations prepared by the Cottage Grove Sentinel become the property of the Cottage Grove Sentinel and may not be reproduced for any other use without explicit written prior approval. Copyright Notice: Entire contents ©2015 Cottage Grove Sentinel. with reproductive abnormalities and breast and prostate cancers. Although we are exposed to EDCs on a daily basis, there are steps we can take to reduce this exposure. New research suggests that exposure to certain EDCs is linked to an earlier age at meno- pause. Earlier menopause is sig- nifi cant because it can represent a premature decline in ovary function. At earlier points in time, this could cause reduced fertility. A premature decline in ovarian function may also in- crease the risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis after menopause.2,3 Awareness of bisphenol A (BPA) and other EDCs in plas- tics and food can liners is wide- spread. However, we are ex- posed to many EDCs in addition to BPA, such as PCBs, DDT and phthalates. The study used data collected from women across the U.S. on age at their last men- strual cycle and blood or urine concentrations of many differ- ent EDCs. High blood concen- trations of 15 EDCs—including nine PCBs, three pesticides and two phthalates—were associ- ated with earlier age at meno- pause (by 1.9-3.8 years). How are we exposed to these chemicals? PCBs have been banned since the 1970s. Although the quantity has de- clined, PCBs still persist in the environment and accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals. So we can be exposed to PCBs by eating fatty animal products. Some of the most contaminated foods are fi sh, butter and ground beef. Farmed salmon is one of the most dangerous foods when it comes to PCB content. Ac- cording to data from the Envi- ronmental Working Group on certain PCBs, farmed salmon has 16 times the PCB content of wild salmon and four times the PCB content of beef. The pesticides that were as- sociated with early menopause in the study were DDE (a breakdown product of DDT), beta-HCH and mirex. Similar to PCBs, all of these pesticides were banned in the 1970s but still persist in the environment, and primarily we are exposed to these chemicals by eating ani- mal foods. The strongest links to early menopause were for the two phthalates, which are indica- tors of exposure to a plasticizer called DEHP. Phthalates such as DEHP are used to make plastic materials (especially PVC plas- tics) more pliable. Phthalates are also used in cosmetics and fragrances, pharmaceuticals, cleaning products and insecti- cides. For DEHP, our exposure comes primarily from plastic food packaging, and limiting in- take of packaged foods has been shown to reduce urine DEHP concentration. In a dietary inter- vention study, participants were instructed to eat fresh foods that were not canned or packaged in plastic for three days. Urine levels of DEHP (and also BPA) decreased during the three-day intervention. Ways to minimize exposure to these EDCs: Avoid or minimize animal products, especially fi sh. Minimize foods packaged in plastic (especially plastics with recycling code #3). Check ingredient lists on per- sonal care products for phthal- ates. Avoid cleaning products and personal care products with “fragrance” in the ingredient list. Dr. Fuhrman is a #1 New York Times best-selling author and a family physician special- izing in lifestyle and nutritional medicine. Visit his website at DrFuhrman.com. Submit your questions and comments about this column directly to news- questions@drfuhrman.com. The full reference list for this article can be found at DrFuhrman. com. Letters to the Editor policy The Cottage Grove Sentinel receives many letters to the editor. In order to ensure that your letter will be printed, letters must be under 300 words and submitted by Friday at 5 p.m. Letters must be signed and must include an address, city and phone number or e-mail address for verifi cation purposes. No anonymous letters will be printed. Letters must be of interest to local readers. Personal attacks and name calling in response to letters are uncalled for and unnecessary. If you would like to submit an opinion piece, Another View must be no longer than 600 words. 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