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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (May 18, 2016)
6A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL May 18, 2016 CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE TREE LIMB PICK-UP MAY 23, 2016 c.g. Daytripper The City of Cottage Grove Public Works Department will be conducting the annual Tree Limb Pickup May 23, 2016. Property owners will be responsible for removing any branches or limbs placed in the street after May 23, 2016. Residents can not place branches in the street where curbside parking does not exist. Bark in the Park This is strictly a tree limb pickup, nothing other than loose tree limbs or branches will be picked up. If you have questions regarding the Tree Limb Pickup Program, please call the Public Works Department at (541) 767-4100 or stop in at the Public Works offi ce located in City Hall at 400 East Main Street for a brochure. BY JON STINNETT The Cottage Grove Sentinel E ver since I began running with my (mostly) chocolate Labrador retriev- er, Jack, a little over two years ago, we’ve longed for an event that allows dog owners to jog with their pooches. On Sunday, our wish came true, though prior to start time, we both had to wonder what we’d gotten ourselves into. That morning, Jack and I joined what ap- peared to be thousands of other pet/owner combinations at Alton Baker Park in Eugene for the 23rd annual Bark in the Park, which raises funds for the Greenhill Humane So- ciety. At the close of the race, we heard the announcer proclaim the event, which raised nearly $90,000 for Greenhill, the biggest Bark yet, and judging by the sheer numbers of canines and runners/walkers we encoun- tered and, in Jack’s case, sniffed, we had to believe the proclamation was accurate. Actually, much of the morning reminded me of the classic children’s book “Go, Dog. Go,” with pooches of every shape and size congregating for a dog party. There were great big dogs (a man wearing a shirt that read ‘Akita Rescue’ and a pink tutu with three mammoth Akitas sporting the same costume), teeny tiny dogs (Chihuahuas and other small breeds that often rode in stroll- ers and other conveyances as opposed to running the route), purebreds and bona-fi de mutts (some of the best dogs, as everybody knows) and just about everything between. Before the day was over, there would be contests for the best dog/owner costume, best dog/owner look-alike and most ap- propriate dog name (won by a dark-colored photo by Jon Stinnett The 2016 Bark in the Park raised nearly $90,000 for Greenhill Humane Society. hound named Molasses who’s slow and sweet). Participants chose from two-kilo- meter, fi ve and 10-kilometer jaunts around Eugene’s famed bike path. Perusing the vendor booths, we noticed a service for run- ning dogs when their owners are too busy, all manner of healthy pet foods and snacks and even a church that welcomes dogs (and seems to feature them prominently in its services somehow). From the start, the mania created by so many canines in one place proved daunting; a gregarious, ever-friendly type, Jack abso- lutely refused to stand still. Even at the start line, he jumped around like a marlin on the end of the leash, trying to meet everybody as I worked to get us into position to shove off. Once the starting bell sounded, though, Jack and I were all business, and I had to ad- mire the way he focused on the task at hand as we watched other owners struggle with pooches intent on taking in the smorgasbord of sights and smells around them. I should point out that it wasn’t always this way. One day just after Christmas two years ago, I opened the tailgate of our SUV to fi nd Jack staring at me, wide-eyed and anxious. At about two years old, my wife and mother had rescued him from a life chained to a tree, and for the fi rst few weeks I endeavored to run out the energy he’d stored all that time. He came with a harness around his chest, and until we purchased a gentle leader (which I wholeheartedly rec- ommend), I lagged along behind like I was being pulled by a draft horse. In the time since, though, Jack has be- come my trusted running partner and a great friend. This winter, we trained every one of hundreds of local miles together in prepara- tion for the Cottage Grove Half Marathon, though on race day, I had to exit out the back door and crawl past the front window to get out of the house without him noticing. (It didn’t work, and he was mad at me for days afterward.) Hence our excitement for a race that Jack could run, too. From the announcements of results at the end of the race, it appears that there are lots of fast Labs and owners out there, and a yellow Lab named Turbo took the honor of Fastest Furball. Jack and I turned in a pretty fast time, though he would undoubtedly have left me behind and fi nished fi rst if I’d let him. So don’t be surprised to see us on the streets of Cottage Grove this summer; Jack has promised to train me properly for our next race. And who knows? Maybe you and your pooch want to join us? ODFW: Leave young wildlife in the wild M lifestyle as much as possible, so the animal can eventually be re- turned to the wild. Before picking up any wild animal, call ODFW, Oregon State Police, or a wildlife reha- bilitator for advice. Removing or “capturing” an animal from the wild and keeping it in cap- tivity without a permit is against state law (OAR 635-044-0015), as is transporting many animals. Last year, seven people were cited for doing so. South Lane County Fire & Rescue services a 132 square mile area for Fire/Rescue/EMS services based on voter approved taxing rates, levies, and bonds equaling $1.80/$1000, beginning with fi scal year 2016-2017. The current voter approved permanent and levied rate is $1.50/$1000 of assessed property value, including a house and fi ve acres within the District’s boundaries. The District further provides advanced life support ambulance service to an area totaling 850 square miles. The area outside the District’s 132 square mile area does not provide tax revenue. The District operates from four fi re stations and staffs the Cottage Grove and Creswell stations 24/7, with a combination of career/resident and community volunteer personnel. The Saginaw station is staffed 24/7 with off duty residents and the Camas Swale station with community volunteers. The District is managed by the Fire Chief who reports directly to the fi ve member Board of Directors. All other District personnel report to the Fire Chief utilizing a chain of command. The district is seeking an individual who has the desire to contribute to ongoing efforts aimed at enhancing and improving Fire Services in the South Lane County community. Interested applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be an elector, or a property owner within the district. The Civil Service Commission’s primary responsibilities involve overseeing competitive examinations for Firefi ghters and Fire Offi cers on an as needed basis. The Civil Service Commission meets quarterly to comply with the provisions of the Oregon Revised Statues. Interested persons may secure an application from the Business Offi ce Located at 233 E. Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove, OR 97424 or by going to our website at www.southlanefi re.org or by calling the Offi ce at 541-942-4493. All Applications due by June 8, 2016 at 5:00pm. courtesy photo Elk calves like this one should be left alone unless someone witnesses their parent being killed. Local support. Lasting impact. to do so, like when people and dogs aren’t around.” If an animal is injured, or truly orphaned, it needs special care. Oregon’s licensed wildlife rehabilitators have the knowl- edge and facilities to provide this care. They use special meth- ods that limit human interaction and mimic the animal’s natural 14 12 BUSINESS PARTNERS IN COTTAGE GROVE to an early death by removing it from its natural environment and its parents,” said Julia Bur- co, ODFW district wildlife vet- erinarian. “Never assume a young ani- mal is orphaned unless you saw its parent killed,” continued Burco. “In almost all cases, the parent will return once it is safe RENEWABLE PROJECTS IN MID-WILLAMETTE VALLEY We are proud to partner with more than 106,000 Blue Sky SM customers, including the business leaders listed below. Thank you for supporting renewable energy development and creating a more sustainable future for our community. Join the movement and enroll at pacifi cpower.net/bluesky. A OK Maintenance Janitorial Family Relief Nursery Assist 2 Sell Herb’s Automotive ATA Blackbelt Academy Kalapuya Books Big Stuff Barbecue Koratschenko Mystical Closet City of Cottage Grove Rally Coffee Company Cottage Grove South Lane School District 45 Community Acupuncture Cottage Grove Sentinel © 2016 Pacific Power ay and June are the months when newborn animals are getting their start in the wild. Help them out by giving them space and leaving them alone. ODFW and Oregon State Police remind Oregonians that taking young animals out of the wild isn’t just against the law— it’s also bad for the animal. These animals miss the chance to learn important survival skills from their parents like where to feed, what to eat, how to behave as part of a group and how to es- cape from predators. Unfortunately, every year about this time, ODFW offi ces across Oregon get calls from people concerned about “or- phaned” deer fawns, elk calves, seal pups and other animals they fi nd alone. But the mother animal is usually just off feed- ing not far away. She will return soon, so don’t interfere. “People often pick up animals they fi nd alone out of good in- tentions, without realizing they may be sentencing the animal South Lane County Fire & Rescue has a position open on the Civil Service Commission. Sustainable Agricultural Technologies, Inc.