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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 2015)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL September 30, 2015 3A Planning Commission to review Arby's, dog park plans A photo by Sam Wright Capone, a two-year old Dachshund, easily won the fi nals of Saturday's Wiener Dog Races and Pet Fest. Wiener dog races make impressive return BY SAM WRIGHT The Cottage Grove Sentinel A wet morning turned into a sunny day on Saturday, Sept. 26 for all dog lovers attending the Wiener Dog Races at Coiner Park. The races, which had tak- en a year off due to a lack of sponsorship, proved to be a great and adorable success, with a large amount of partici- pants and spectators ready to watch the dashing dachshunds of Cottage Grove race for a trophy and a whole lot of love and attention. “We’re really happy with the turnout this year; it’s great that we got to bring this back because it seems like every- one is having a great time,” said Celia Gowing, organizer of the event. Please see WIENERS, Page 10A t a special public hearing scheduled Wednesday, Oct. 14 at the Council chambers at City Hall, the Cottage Grove Planning Commission will review plans for two new additions to the community. Many local dog owners are ex- cited about a public dog park that Steve Nisewander hopes to build in a vacant lot behind his car wash on Main Street. The plan calls for a park in the 120x250 square foot tract between Lulu’s Car Wash and the Row River Trail, and the Planning Commission’s review of the plan has been held over from the Commission’s September meeting at Nisewander’s request. He has stated that an article in the Sentinel alerted him to the need for a dog park in Cottage Grove. The City of Cottage Grove has offered to cover the dog park un- der its liability insurance and will also furnish signage. The Planning Commission will also review the site design for an Arby’s restaurant in a vacant lot across from Walmart on Row River Road. Eugene-based busi- nessman Doug Mortimore of The Howling Coyote, Inc., recently told the Sentinel that the current Arby’s restaurant on Gateway Blvd. will be moved to the new vacant lot. Mortimore built the structure in the Bi-Mart shopping center that currently houses Arby’s in 1989, the year he founded Howl- ing Coyote, though the building originally hosted a Taco Time franchise. Arby’s opened there in 2000; currently Howling Coyote operates fi ve Taco Time restau- rants and three Arby’s restaurants in the Eugene/Springfi eld area. City Planner Amanda Ferguson said the City expects to see per- mits for another restaurant at the current Arby’s location, though Mortimore told the Sentinel it would be “premature to com- ment” on the plans for that site. The Planning Commission will also deliberate on a com- prehensive plan amendment for half of a .89-acre parcel of land on Gateway Blvd. The applicant is seeking to change the zoning and comprehensive plan designa- tion on the land from Community Commercial to Single-family Residential on part of a vacant parcel of land and an adjacent residence. The Wednesday, Oct. 14 meet- ing begins at 7 p.m., and the pub- lic is welcome to attend. As Pope's American visit ends, his message fi nds a local audience Cottage Grove priest calls visit "a great big shot of hope' BY JON STINNETT The Cottage Grove Sentinel P ope Francis wrapped up a historic six-day, three- city visit to the United States with a fl ight back to Rome Sun- day evening, and his trip made an impact here as well, where the visit fi gured prominently into the Sunday sermon at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Cottage Grove. Francis, the Catholic church’s 266th pope, was born Jorge Ma- rio Bergoglio, and his election in March of 2013 marked many fi rsts — he is the fi rst pope from the Jesuit order, which is dedicated to apostolic ministry and evangelization throughout the world. He is also the fi rst pope from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere, and his papacy already appears to have invigorated a Catholic church wracked by scandals of sexual abuse in recent decades. On Sunday, parishioners in Cottage Grove gathered to hear Father Roy Antunez — himself a Jesuit whom parishioners say also lives quite simply as does Pope Francis — speak about the historic visit. “He put things in a really good perspective,” one attendee of Sunday’s mass said, though the stance Francis has taken on political matters appears to make many leery of comment- ing openly on his teachings. “Everybody has an opinion, and people can put any type of spin they want on what he says,” said Betty Krumlauf, who works at the OLPH Parish Center. “But he preaches helping the poor and the need to care for our en- vironment.” On Sunday, Antunez took care to point out that all decisions are political and add that the Pope is simply “putting Jesuit spiritual- ity into practice.” “They try to say he’s liberal or that he’s conservative,” Antunez said. “They try to politicize everything he says, especially with regard to the economy. But popes have been writing about Catholicism since the 1900s, and they have pointed out its dangers. Jesus himself said to beware of wealth.” The bigger question empha- sized by the Pope’s visit, An- tunez said, is ‘what are we do- ing about the poor?’ “Are we marginalizing or giv- ing them our help?” he said. “The Pope’s message is the Gos- pel message. Who did Christ go to visit? He went to see the poor. This is what Jesus Christ taught, and as Catholics, we should try to mirror him, to be like him.” Antunez said the Pope’ visit has been good for Catholicism, particularly as it moves on from the sex abuse scandals that have found many of its priests and laypeople implicated in wrong- doing. “It’s given a great big shot of hope to people to reinforce their belief in who the Pope is,” he said. “There are signs he sends by the way he lives.” Antunez said that in Cot- tage Grove, the church, which shares his services with St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church in Creswell, is doing quite well but has a lot of older parishio- ners, which he surmises is due to the lack of opportunities for young people here. He has been in Cottage Grove for four years and said he fi nds Our Lady of Perpetual Help “a very gener- ous parish.” “If someone wants help, they usually call the Catholic church,” he said, pointing out its sup- port for initiatives like Beds for Freezing Nights and Christmas food drives as examples of local generosity. The church hosts a Spanish-language mass on the third Sunday of each month and a bilingual mass on the fourth Sunday, which parishioners say has brought a new energy and vitality to the church. New in 2015: Now on Thursdays, too! Cottage Theatre presents 2015 The soul-stirring rock musical about the Passion of Christ HOMESTEAD FURNITURE and Neighboring businesses Will be holding a “DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE” Friday & Saturday October 2nd & 3rd (times vary for each business) Lyrics by Tim Rice Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Directed by Tony Rust Music Direction by Jim Reinking Choreography by Lanny Mitchell Sponsored by: 0DUPCFStt t *matinee Tickets available online, by phone, or at the door one hour before performance Thursday−Saturday 8:00 pm; Sunday 2:30 pm. $24 Adult, $20 Youth (age 6−18) www.cottagetheatre.org • 541-942-8001 • 700 Village Drive • Cottage Grove Any business wanting to participate, put a “Garage Sale Sign” on your window or door. Homestead will have items in the store and in the back alley. 615 Main St. Cottage Grove 541-942-8711 homesteadcg.com
