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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (March 23, 2016)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL March 23, 2016 Ana Maria Dudley (left) and Leslie Cana- les of Peggy's Primary Con- nection show off a self-portrait made by South Lane P-20 Coor- dinator Jackie Lester in honor of Peggy Lintula, founder of the family resource center, who passed away early last week. They said many visitors came to pay their re- spects to Lintula at the center she loved. photo by Jon Stinnett Friends gather at family resource center to bid founder farewell BY JON STINNETT The Cottage Grove Sentinel F amilies with young children are a familiar and welcome site in a room on one wing of Lane Community College’s Cottage Grove campus. Last week, however, their visits were tinged with a bit of sadness and more than a little refl ec- tion. Last Monday evening, South Lane Last month, the School Board Superintendent Krista Parent told voted to rename the center the Cottage Grove City Council that "Peggy's Primary Connection." Peggy Lintula, who founded the family resource center known as A a loss, were in plentiful supply as Primary Connection over 25 years families who visited the center over ago, had succumbed to cancer. The the years for parenting advice, to next day, families whom Lintula had take a break or socialize their little counseled over generations began ones made their visits. Generations visiting the center’s new headquar- of families like the Urendas, one of ters on the local LCC campus to pay the fi rst Hispanic families to come to their respects. Cottage Grove in the mid-1990s, told “To feel the warmth of people com- of acts of kindness Lintula bestowed ing in and sharing their stories was upon them. wonderful,” said Ana Maria Dudley, “Back when I was at Bohemia a longtime colleague of Lintula’s. (Elementary), she always helped me “People were making portraits and with my work,” Mario, now a teen- sharing sweet memories, and to hear ager, said. “She was very nice to ev- from the children about the impact eryone, and especially me.” Peggy had was so special.” “Peggy has been really special to Flowers and comfort food, the the kids,” said longtime employee staples of a celebration following Leslie Canales. “It’s been hard for everybody to express it. To this min- ute, I can’t think of her gone.” Last October, Lintula was among the guests at a celebration to mark 25 years of A Primary Connection in Cottage Grove, in addition to the center’s move from Bohemia El- ementary to the LCC campus. She explained that she had been named the District’s kindergarten coordina- tor in 1989 and started formulating plans for the center shortly after. The center had been located at the district offi ce and Lincoln Middle School before its move to Bohemia. Last month, after hearing that Lintula was losing her battle with cancer, the South Lane School Board voted unanimously to rename the center “Peggy’s Primary Connec- tion” in her honor. It’s a title that is expected to travel with the center as it moves to what many hope will be its next new home, on the campus of a newly built Harrison Elementary School. “It’s so special that so many re- member her,” Canales said. “We miss her terribly but we need to keep going, because it’s what she would want.” A NEW 5k RACE UP & DOWN HISTORIC MT. DAVID in COTTAGE GROVE, OREGON 3A Porter tapped to lead South Umpqua S.D. South Lane director of technology departs this summer A South Lane School District ad- ministrator will depart at the end of this school year to become the super- intendent at another district. Timothy L. Porter, who currently serves as the director of technology and student achievement at South Lane in addition to the director of its children’s dental clinic, has been named the new superintendent of the South Umpqua School District, the District announced last week. The hiring is effective July 1, 2016. “We had an excellent fi eld of 21 can- didates for the open superintendent posi- tion,” Board Chair Jerry O’Sullivan said, adding that Porter “has demonstrated a record of success in the South Lane and Sweet Home districts.” Porter’s prior administrative positions have included the curriculum director at Sweet Home and principal in the Con- don School District. Porter has a doctor- ate degree in educational leadership from George Fox University and a master of arts in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. “I believe that every student has the ability to learn, and it’s our job as edu- Sentinel fi le photo Timothy Porter, who will become the new superintendent at South Umpqua School District, also served as an assistant boys' bas- ketball coach at Cottage Grove High School. cators to make sure they reach their potential in an ever-changing world,” Porter said. “All students are capable of performing at a high level given the time and support they need. It’s up to our educational systems to change so that we can give this additional time and support while not leaving any behind.” Search for missing CG man continues Police say they have lots of leads but have yet to positively identify William Thomas Stuart T he Cottage Grove Police Depart- ment said late last week that it has uncovered a “bunch of leads” regarding the whereabouts of a local man who re- portedly had not been in contact with his family since Christmas. Detective Doug Skaggs said CGPD has received lots of phone calls re- garding William William Thomas Thomas Stuart, 44, Stuart who is reportedly a member of the local transient communi- ty. Skaggs said police have been able to fi nd Stuart’s camp on a piece of property south of town that’s known as a camp for several transients. “We did an extensive search where his camp was, and the homeless community has been awesome in helping us with the search,” Skaggs said. He added that po- lice worried that Stuart may have been victimized. “The information we’re getting is leading us in the direction that he may in fact be safe,” Skaggs said, though he declined to elaborate pending the ability to positively identify Stuart. Skaggs said that no one has seen Stuart locally since at least early January, and that a habit of moving around frequently can lead others not to question a person’s whereabouts. “People move on, and others assume that everything is okay,” he said. “It’s scary for us, because people may not take someone being gone as seriously, and these people may be more likely to be victimized.” Cottage Theatre presents Irving Berlin's Music & Lyrics by Irving Berlin, Original Book by Herbert & Dorothy Fields, As revised by Peter Stone W/ T-SHIRT Registration after 3/28 is $25/$37 FOR INFO & REGISTRATION / INCLUDES DRINK TICKET FOR BREWSTATION AND GLOW STICK FUN! A sharp-shooting musical comedy classic Start & Finish 7th & East Whiteaker AVE. April 8, 9, 10* • 14, 15, 16, 17* 21, 22, 23, 24* • 28, 29, 30, May 1* Sponsored by: *matinee Directed by Tony Rust, Music Direction by Keri Davis, Choreography by Janet Rust Tickets available online, by phone, or at the door one hour before performance Thursday−Saturday 8:00 pm; Sunday 2:30 pm. $25 Adult, $20 Youth (age 6−18) www.cottagetheatre.org • 541-942-8001 • 700 Village Drive • Cottage Grove