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4A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL May 11, 2016 O PINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Bond is not the way Bond helps peace of mind Bond 20-240 is an infl ated catch-all constructed with a me- too approach. It will do little or nothing to help with a high school graduation rate that is one of the lowest in the county. Cottage Grove has big prob- lems. We need living-wage jobs; the streets are in disrepair and the town has a dilapidated look from almost any direction. We border on irrelevance as an I-5 rest area and a Eugene bedroom community with a Walmart. Taxes in this town are already insane. Planning for the future needs good schools, among many other things like good infrastructure. It is hard to stay competitive for the future with a tax burden among the highest in the state. A bond disclaimer is “your costs may vary”. We’re left with a huge horn-of-plenty with un- known costs that will do little to improve education. I want to trust the system — that people of good conscience have researched the options and this is the best one. It is not. I want a solution more in-tune with the realities of life in Cot- tage Grove. The existing high school bond should be re-structured and (gulp) the oppressive tax bur- den reduced. Smaller, targeted bonds would allow the commu- nity to express their views on what is important. With everything that has happened in the last couple of years, and as a teacher in Cot- tage Grove for nearly 12 years, I have always had school secu- rity and safety at the back of my mind for all of my students. Now, with my sons entering their fi rst years of school in South Lane, I worry about their safety and security as well. Voting yes on Measure 20- 240 will help install systems, like cameras, better door locks and redesigned entryways at some schools will help to ease my mind a little. Knowing that the School District is taking extra precautions to help keep kids safe makes it easier to go to work, to teach and to send my own children to school. As someone who has moved into Cottage Grove and plans to remain here, I see the school bond as an investment in our community. Better facilities and technology allow teachers to be more effective. When students aren’t crammed into rooms with computers that barely work, they learn work-ready skills. When everyone feels safe at school, learning happens more effectively. It isn’t about hav- ing the latest and greatest; it’s about having functional schools that are the safest and produce a generation that is educated, skilled and ready to better our town. We ask more and more of our students, yet schools get less and less. This is our chance to show that education in Cottage Grove is a priority, and that our kids are a priority. As a parent, community member and teach- er, I ask you to join me in voting RJ Bondeson Cottage Grove yes for our kids by voting Yes on Measure 20-240. Chris Wells Cottage Grove Bond process has been a community effort I am honored to call Cottage Grove my home. I grew up in this community, and now, my wife and I are raising our family here. This is a great town and the community should be proud of the efforts by so many and their work on planning, design- ing and getting the word out on the bond. I have been involved in the process from the start, and it has been wonderful to work with so many committed com- munity members. The numbers: 50 commu- nity members participated in the bond advisory process last spring, and 22 community mem- bers participated in the design planning process for the new Harrison Elementary School. Fifteen community members have been a part of the Build It For Kids advocacy group work- ing to pass this measure. Over the weekend, Build It For Kids served over 500 free hamburg- ers and hot dogs to the commu- nity in an effort to communicate about the bond measure. The proposed South Lane School District Bond Measure is a measure our community should be proud of. Ballot mea- sure #20-240 will build a new elementary school to replace the nearly 70-year old Harri- son Elementary School, address safety, security, technology and deferred maintenance projects at all of our schools in South Lane School District. This is not a bond for the South Lane School District. This truly is a bond for our kids, our community and our future. To the reader that has already voted, I say thank you! To the reader that is still deciding on how to vote, I ask you to consid- er the efforts of this community to come together to work toward a brighter future for our kids and community. We have many challenges as a community but this bond effort has shown how we can come together to work toward a common good. Garrett Bridgens SLSD Communications Coordinator School building impedes education I am fortunate to have been the principal of Harrison Elemen- tary since 2001. Our students have consistently performed at the top of the state on Oregon statewide assessments. This can be attributed to our talented staff, family support and the re- sources provided by South Lane School District and our commu- nity. What we haven't been able to provide our students is an adequate, safe learning environ- ment with access to reasonable technology. We have no parking lot, caus- ing a daily imposition on our patient neighbors and twice- daily congestion that puts our students at great risk. We have an inadequate heating system causing varying temperatures throughout the building, from 55 to over 80 degrees in some rooms. Our P.E. is limited to two two-hour blocks daily for our 18 classes of students, so the room can be used to serve lunches. We regularly experience leaks throughout the building due to the poor infrastructure, roofi ng concerns and our heating sys- tem. All of that in a building that is overcrowded and out of space. Did you know our library is also used for music instruc- tion, group meetings and indoor recess activities? It is these concerns and more that have led the South Lane School Board to bring bond measure #20-240 to the voters. This measure has been endorsed by school parent clubs, the Senti- nel, the Eugene Register Guard, the League of Women Voters, South Lane Fire and Rescue and countless others. It is being en- dorsed because the need is justi- fi ed and the cost is reasonable. While none of us is excited to pay taxes, this is a small cost with a huge benefi t. The esti- mated cost is under $6 a month more than our current costs on an average Cottage Grove home valued at $170,000. For that we receive a new school, updated technology, safety and security systems throughout the district, pool facility improvements, and much-needed deferred mainte- nance throughout the district. I encourage you to vote yes on ballot measure #20-240. Let's build it for kids. They are our hope and future. Yes on bal- lot measure #20-240 is the right thing to do and it's the right time to do it! LWV supports Extension bond The League of Women Voters of South Lane County urges vot- ers to approve Measure 20-239 to help support Oregon State University extension services here in Lane County. For a very small cost to property owners ($3 a year for a house assessed at $200,000) the measure will provide funding for programs that teach valuable skills to youth and adults. More kids will be able to par- ticipate in 4-H programs in their schools, and the $100 participa- tion fee for 4-H project/com- munity clubs will be reduced. Technical assistance can be in- creased to local farmers, nurs- ery growers and woodlot own- ers. There will be more access to educational resources in gar- dening, food safety and preser- vation, nutrition and wellness. This fi ve-year levy will re- store many of the programs that were lost to budget cuts in 2010. It will enhance and expand the extension programs that the OSU Extension Service now provides locally using federal and state funds. A Yes vote for Measure 20- 239 will promote self-suffi cien- cy, healthy eating and the local economy. Pat Hocken Kappy Eaton Action Co-chairs Ali Nice Principal, Harrison Elementary School Mental health affects us all — So let’s talk about it! BY LAUREN FULLER AND CATHY BELLAVITA For the Sentinel W e often hear the clini- cal terms used by doc- tors and other professionals to identify the symptoms of mental illnesses, but if someone hasn’t gone through it, would they know how to recognize it? So often, clinical terms don’t do justice to what life with a mental illness feels like. We know that two people with the same diagnosis can experience the same symptom and describe it in very different ways. Under- standing the signs of a mental health problem and identifying how it can feel can be confus- ing, and can contribute to ongo- ing silence or hesitation to get help. It’s important for people to talk about how it feels to live with a mental health issue. We know that mental illnesses are common and treatable, and help is available. But not everyone knows what to look for, and many simply experience symp- toms differently. We all need to speak up early and in real, relat- able terms so that people do not feel isolated and alone. May is Mental Health Aware- ness Month. Established in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month is a time when advocates and activists across the coun- try draw attention to the men- tal health issues that affect as many as one in four Americans each year. Unfortunately, many people feel that they should be able to overcome out-of-con- trol emotions and feelings and as a result are ashamed or em- barrassed to seek the help they need for themselves or their loved ones. National Mental Health Awareness Month is a time when we work together to break through the stigma surrounding mental health issues by express- ing compassion for those who struggle, and by drawing atten- tion to proven methods that can help. This month, South Lane Men- tal Health is joining a variety of community partners — includ- ing Mental Health America, a nationwide community-based nonprofi t dedicated to address- ing the needs of those living with mental illness and promot- ing the overall mental health of all Americans — in emphasiz- ing the importance of speak- ing up about mental health. We invite the community to attend our mental health speaker series each Thursday in May, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the First Presbyterian Church in Cottage Grove. This year’s forums touch on Everyday Intuition (May 5); Creating Healthy Relationships From the Very Beginning (May 12); and Using Mobile Technol- ogy to Support Parents of Young Children (May 19). We will also be showing the Academy Award-nominated documentary Happy to close out the series on May 26. Talking about mental health is meant to help remove the shame and stigma of speaking out, so that more people can be comfort- able coming out of the shadows and seeking the help they need. Whether you are just learning about early symptoms, or are dealing with what it means to be diagnosed with a mental illness, sharing how it feels can be part of your recovery. We want everyone to know that mental illnesses are real, that recovery is always the goal, and that the best prospects for recovery come when we act as early as possible. Addressing mental illnesses early means not burying feelings and refusing to talk about them, or waiting for symptoms to clear up on their own. It means going beyond just wishing that mental health problems aren’t real, and hoping that they will never get worse. And it means recogniz- ing that someone on the edge of a crisis will need help to pull him or herself back. Talking about mental health means giving voice to feelings and fears, and to hopes and dreams. It means empowering people as agents of their own recovery. And it means chang- ing the trajectories of our own lives for the better, and help- ing those we love and live with change theirs. If ever there is a good time to discuss these is- sues, it’s during Mental Health Awareness Month. So let’s talk about it! solar-induced skin tumors and also repaired UVB skin damage and increased skin circulation, elasticity and hydration. direct correlation between skin color and health: skin with an orange tinge refl ects a healthy, nutrient rich diet. A diet rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants provides pro- tection against skin damage and cancer and is also an effective way to achieve healthy-looking skin. Lauren Fuller is chair and Cathy Bellavita is vice chair of the Board of Directors of South Lane Mental Health, a com- munity-based nonprofi t mental health organization in Cottage Grove. The art of eating for beautiful, healthy skin BY JOEL FUHRMAN, MD For the Sentinel S kin is the largest organ in the human body and serves as a protective shield against environmental chemicals, tox- ins, bacteria and UV radiation. We collectively spend billions of dollars each year to enhance $ 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) our skin’s physical appearance. Fortunate- ly, a health- promoting diet rich in benefi - cial phyto- chemicals is an inexpensive solution to im- prove the health and appearance of the skin. Phytochemicals protect against sun damage. Skin cancer is the most com- mon cancer in the U.S., affecting one out of every fi ve Americans. UV rays produce free radicals that can damage DNA in skin cells and lead to cancer. While certain types of sunscreen effec- tively block UVA and UVB rays from the sun, a nutrient-dense diet can enhance our natural de- fenses against UV rays by com- bating free radical damage. Lycopene is a carotenoid an- tioxidant found in red and pink fruits such as tomato, grapefruit and papaya. Studies show that lycopene has photo-protective qualities that prevent and repair DNA damage to the skin caused by the sun. Polyphenols are a family of antioxidants that pos- sess anti-infl ammatory and pho- toprotective activities that can benefi t the skin; polyphenols are found in most fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds. Rich sources include onions (fl ava- nols), cacao, grapes, peanuts (resveratrol), apples and green tea (catechins), citrus fruits (fl a- vanones), and berries (anthocy- anins). Studies have shown that the catechins and fl avanols offer signifi cant protection against Phytochemicals give the skin a healthy glow. As a society, we tend to recog- nize tanned skin as an indicator of health and vitality. However, darkening the skin with the sun’s rays promotes wrinkling and aging of the skin. On the other hand, food-derived carotenoids are pigment molecules that can “color” the skin with a slight yellow-orange tinge while pro- viding protective health benefi ts. One interesting study found that people preferred the skin color caused by carotenoids over the skin color from a suntan, sug- gesting that carotenoids contrib- ute to a healthier and younger looking complexion. There is a Dr. Fuhrman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat to Live and Super Im- munity, and a board certifi ed family physician specializing in lifestyle and nutritional medicine.Visit his informative website at DrFuhrman.com. 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