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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (April 27, 2016)
4A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL April 27, 2016 O PINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Of ‘death and taxes’ I have lived in Cottage Grove since 1997. In that time, I have seen my property taxes increase 102.2 percent, an average of 6.61 percent per year. With the proposed “Har- rison Elementary Bond,” I have computed they will rise approximately 9.1 percent this year and for the length of the obligation. As time goes on, there are certain to be further increases to fund public projects. It’s really nice to have a brand-spanking new school for the kids. However, one may wonder how the young, struggling families will be able to af- ford the continually upward-spiraling proper- ty tax burden. A linear increase is yielding to an asymptotic to the y-axis increase, which is devastating to those who just purchased their fi rst home. They have “added” the “old” CGHS bond into this new bond, making it diffi cult to com- pletely understand exactly how much addi- tional money will be required per thousand of assessed value. Perhaps it would be prudent to pay off existing obligations (bonds) instead of “kicking the can down the road,” increasing the duration of the obligation. If the measure fails, it will be due to the poorly structured and confusing language contained therein. An eth- ical and effi cient way to accomplish a large and expensive project of this nature is to fund it separately from all else with a clear cost- analysis and EXACT increase in dollars per thousand of assessed value. We taxpayers are confused enough as it is. Greg Vaughan Cottage Grove Chamber backs bond measure The Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce asks that you join us in voting YES on Ballot Measure 20-240. Replacing the current Har- rison School is a win for kids and Cottage Grove. The current facility was built in the 1940s and doesn’t have the electrical system neces- sary to support modern teaching tools. Com- puters and other electrical presentation de- vices are diffi cult to use when there are only one or two electrical outlets in a classroom. For our school children to receive the educa- tion they need to prosper as adults, we need to make sure they are exposed to and use modern technology. The Harrison facility was not built to house the number of kids attending Harrison current- ly. The school bond will also provide for nec- essary safety upgrades to all school facilities. These safety upgrades will make our schools more secure and ensure that when kids are in school, they can focus on learning. The bond will also help remodel the School District swim pool. Without a doubt, having the pool has prevented kids from drowning in our local lakes and rivers. Every student in our school district is provided swim lessons and learns basic self-rescue skills during their time as an elementary and middle-school stu- dent. The pool is also a community resource for users of all ages, offering many diverse programs. The time is right to pass the bond, as the State of Oregon may provide millions of dol- lars in matching funds. These matching funds will mean our tax dollars will go even further in making our schools safer. If we pass the bond, the new bond will include the current bond for the construction of the high school. This means no new taxes for South Lane tax- payers; we will just continue to pay the same rate as the current bond for additional years. A yes vote is a win for all South Lane resi- dents. Joe Raade 2016 President Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce Measure much needed On May 17, South Lane School District voters will be asked to approve Bond Mea- sure 20-240 to pay for replacing Harrison Ele- mentary School and updating school facilities throughout the district. In addition to replacing the school, the pri- mary goals of the bond measure are to improve safety and security at each district school, up- date the technology used for student learning and safety and extend the life of school facili- ties, including the swimming pool. Harrison, built in 1948, was designed for 125 students but currently has an enrollment near 450 students. The new Harrison will be built for 600-plus students and include ade- quate parking and outdoor play space that the current site cannot accommodate. The district wide safety and security needs are especially important. Law enforcement offi cials have determined a number of issues that need to be addressed to better protect our students and staff. All schools in South Lane would have their fi re and security systems up- dated with Bond Measure 20-240. Replacing leaky roofs, upgrading plumbing and electrical systems and replacing outdated heating and ventilation systems, along with much needed renovations to the pool, will ex- tend our investment in our schools and in our children. The bond combines the remaining debt for CGHS and the new bond into one amount. The new combined levy rate is estimated to be $1.90 per thousand of assessed property val- ue. Also, with the passage of the bond, South Lane School District will be eligible for $4 million additional funding from the state. Many members of our community have in- vested time and personal fi nancial contribu- tions in this effort to educate district voters on the merits of our much-needed bond measure. Please join me and vote “yes’ on Bond Mea- sure 20-240 on May 17. Judy Cunningham Cottage Grove Bond ratings? If it is not too much to ask, then why does not the school board of district 45J provide the voters of the bond ratings from Moodys, Fitch and Standard and Poors the ratings on this proposed $39.5 million bond issue? It is a real hassle to create accounts for each one. Just go ahead and try. I want ratings. No ratings = NO on 20-240! It is that simple. Are these good bonds or are they junk bonds? Charles Ames Cottage Grove Encourage kids to explore imagination in the garden BY KYM POKORNY OSU Extension Service W hen grubby little hands grip your pant leg as you head for the garden, put them in the soil and they may dig up a life- time of learning and pleasure. “One of the keys to getting kids interested in gardening is to get them engaged,” said Joy Jones, Oregon State University Exten- sion Service master gardener co- ordinator in Tillamook County. “Let them explore what catches their attention, especially small children.” Stimulating a child’s imagina- tion can be as simple as fi lling a dishpan with dirt, passing them a hand lens and letting them delve into the world that lives under- ground, she said. If it’s gross, so much the better. “They love that,” she said with a laugh. When teaching kids about gar- dening, Jones watches them blos- som. “We started a summer day camp about 20 years ago when there were kids interested in gardening, but no one was interested in be- ing a 4-H club leader,” said Jones, who is also the county 4-H youth program leader. “Some of those kids went on to careers in horticul- ture.” Projects vary, but a favorite is starting a miniature salad garden in a cedar box they build themselves. The kids plant fast-growing greens and perhaps onions and short car- rot varieties, which are ready to harvest just in time to enter in the August county fair. Dish gardens are popular, too. Jones said to think of a theme and go for it. One year she used blue bowls with seashells, whitewashed sand and succulents to make an ocean-themed mini-landscape. This year they’ll make a forest with dinosaurs. “The kids have things they’ve made that they’re proud of and can take care of and share with other people,” she said. “And it’s not overwhelming.” The benefi ts of teaching children to garden are well documented. If they learn to grow their own fruits and vegetables, they’re far more likely to eat them. And it gets them outside away from their phones. “I read recently that working in the soil releases a feel-good hor- mone,” Jones said. “Getting kids out working in the soil, unplugged for a while, feeling and looking and being curious is really impor- tant.” Jones’ tips for gardening with kids: Start small. Don’t give children too many choices or they’ll get overwhelmed. Do a vegetable con- tainer or small garden plot. Allo- cate it just for them. Opt for fast-growing plants. Kids tend to have a short attention span, so have them plant carrots, onions, radishes and lettuce, which germi- nate and grow quickly. Slow-grow- ers like corn, peppers or tomatoes will frustrate them. Don’t be free labor. Teach kids how to garden and they’ll be em- powered to do it themselves. Get scientifi c. Soak a couple of different kinds of seeds overnight. Place between napkins and let them start to germinate. Have kids draw pictures of what they see. Plan for success. Plant veg- etables or other plants in the right conditions and water correctly so they stay healthy and kids aren’t disappointed. For containers, use a drip pan to catch water so soil doesn’t dry out as quickly. Don’t plant too many seeds in a pot or there won’t be enough room for plants to grow. Don’t be in a rush. If kids want to look at worms, let them look at worms. Berries and their fl avonoids protect the heart BY JOEL FUHRMAN, MD For the Sentinel B erries are one of my fa- vorite super foods – the second B in G-BOMBS (my list of super foods: greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries seeds) – rich in fi ber and phy- tochemicals and low in calories. Blueberries, raspberries, straw- berries and blackberries are vibrantly colored with antioxi- dant phytochemicals, and they $ PUUBHF ( SPWF 4 FOUJOFM 116 N. Sixth Street · P.O. Box 35 · Cottage Grove, OR 97424 ADMINISTRATION: JOHN BARTLETT, Regional Publisher.............................. GARY MANLY, General Manager................942-3325 Ext. 207 • publisher@cgsentinel.com ROBIN REISER, Sales Repersentative...............942-3325 Ext. 203 • robin@cgsentinel.com TAMMY SAYRE, Sales Repersentative......... 942-3325 Ext. 213 • tsayre@cgsentinel.com SPORTS DEPARTMENT: SAM WRIGHT, Sports Editor...................942-3325 Ext. 204 • sports@cgsentinel.com CUSTOMER SERVICE CARLA WILLIAMS, Office Manager.................942-3325 Ext. 201 • billing@cgsentinel.com LEGALS.............................................................942-3325 Ext. 200 • legals@cgsentinel.com NEWS DEPARTMENT: JON STINNETT, Editor......................................942-3325 Ext. 212 • cgnews@cgsentinel.com GRAPHICS: RON ANNIS, Graphics Manager (USP 133880) Subscription Mail Rates in Lane and Portions of Douglas Counties: Ten Weeks ............................................. $9.10 One year ..............................................$36.15 e-Edition year .......................................$36.00 Rates in all other areas of United States: Ten Weeks $11.70; one year, $46.35, e-Edition $43.00. 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. are some of the highest antioxidant foods in existence. The deep red, blue and purple pigments of berries are produced by fl avonoid anti- oxidant molecules called antho- cyanins, which are concentrated in the skins of the fruits. Flavo- noids, including anthocyanins, are not merely antioxidants; they are thought to have a number of additional benefi cial effects in the body that are unrelated to their antioxidant capacity. As such, several studies have shown that high fl avonoid intake is as- sociated with considerable risk reductions (up to 45 percent) for coronary heart disease. Recent research highlights the cardioprotective proper- ties of berries. A 2011 study investigated berry consumption in relation to risk for elevated blood pressure. Compared to eating no blueberries, just one serving per week decreased the risk of hypertension by 10 per- cent. New fi ndings published in January 2013 from the Nurses’ Health Study support these results with data in younger women (age 25-42 at the start) who were followed for 18 years. In these women, three or more weekly servings of blueberries or strawberries was linked to a 34 percent reduced risk of heart attack compared to lower intake of berries. How do berries and their colorful anthocyanins protect the heart and blood vessels? Studies using berries or berry phytochemicals in human par- ticipants or on human cells have uncovered some of the possible protective actions of berries on the cardiovascular system. Berry fl avonoids seem to act in several different ways to maintain heart health. In hu- man subjects, researchers found that berries mitigated oxidative stress, decreased oxidation of LDL (which helps to prevent the production of atherosclerot- ic plaque), increased blood an- tioxidant capacity, and in some cases improved lipid levels, blood pressure or blood glucose. Higher anthocyanin and berry intake is associated with re- duced C-reactive protein (CRP), suggesting that berries may curb infl ammation; additional studies have confi rmed that berries have anti-infl ammatory properties. Berry phytochemicals also may enhance nitric oxide produc- tion in the blood vessels, which helps to properly regulate blood pressure. Why not amplify these bene- fi ts by eating berries every day? If observational studies showed a 10 percent decrease in hyper- tension risk for one serving of blueberries per week and a 34 percent reduced risk of heart attack from three servings of berries per week, imagine the protection that is possible when you eat berries every day! Even during winter, we can get our daily dose of anthocyanins from frozen berries. Also remember that in addition to promoting heart health, berries also have anti-cancer effects and provide protection against diabetes and dementia. Dr. Fuhrman is a #1 New York Times best-selling author and a board certifi ed family physician specializing in life- style and nutritional medicine. Visit his informative website at DrFuhrman.com. Submit your questions and comments about this column directly to news- questions@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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