BMX
faithful look
back on the
track,
page 1B
Weeldreyer steps up
Longtime BMD volunteer takes
festival helm, page 3A
$ PUUBHF ( SPWF 4 FOUJOFM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2016
SOUTH LANE AND NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY'S MOST AWARD-WINNING NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1889
VOLUME 129 • NUMBER 2
Preschool coming
to Bohemia, Dorena
elementary schools
Legendary track coach Bell dies at 88
BY SAM WRIGHT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
S
am Bell was one of the biggest
names to come out of Cottage
Grove High School, and his death has
drawn national attention in the track
and fi eld community. Bell passed
away on Monday, June 27 at the age
of 88.
After graduating from Doane Col-
lege in Nebraska in 1950, Bell pur-
sued a master’s degree in physical
education from the University of Or-
egon in 1956. That’s when his career
took him to Cottage Grove.
Before becoming a Lion, Bell
coached track and fi eld at Central
High School in Monmouth. When he
arrived in Cottage Grove, he replaced
the famed Wally Ciochetti, who stayed
on as an assistant. It was here that
Bell got the chance to coach another
big name from Cottage Grove, Dyrol
Burleson, once considered America’s
top mile runner and the only UO track
athlete to never lose a race.
After a few years at Cottage Grove,
Bell coached at Oregon State Uni-
versity. The Beavers won an NCAA
title in cross country in 1961. He then
moved on to coach at the University
of California for four years before
moving to Indiana, where his career
really took off.
In 28 years, Bell led the Indiana
Hoosiers to 22 Big Ten champion-
ships and 23 top-10 fi nishes in the
NCAA championships. His legacy is
the revolution of the track and fi eld
program in Indiana and putting India-
napolis on the map for Olympic com-
petition.
Bell helped organize events like the
1988 Olympic Trials, the Pan Ameri-
can Games in 1987 and the USA
Championships in 1983 and 1985.
Bell also was an assistant track
coach for the 1976 U.S. Olympic
team, mentoring athletes such as Jim
Spivey and Bob Kennedy.
Grant funding will also establish
preschools at two Creswell locations
BY JON STINNETT
the Cottage Grove Sentinel
T
here are “lots and lots of details” that have yet to
be worked out, but beginning this fall, two area
schools are expected to host new preschool programs
brought about by grant funding.
Jackie Lester, who serves as South Lane School Dis-
trict’s P-20 Coordinator, a new position that works to
integrate K-12 schooling with efforts to educate young
people both before and after they graduate, said that
South Lane has needed “universal preschool” options
for some time. The new programs set to start this fall at
Dorena and Bohemia schools aren’t exactly “universal”
in the sense that not all students are accepted, but Les-
ter said she’s still excited about what she calls “a very
interesting program.”
A Preschool Promise grant distributed through the
Lane Early Learning Alliance will bring the new cen-
ters to South Lane in September, and Lester said the
new centers are designed to have the highest rating in
the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS).
She said a lack of preschools in the area with such a
rating made South Lane a prime candidate to host such
schools.
Bohemia and Dorena schools will join Creswell’s
Creslane Elementary and Ellie’s Preschool and Day-
care in offering the new program.
Lester said the rating system evaluates an exhaustive
set of criteria for each school, including the number of
adults per child, the qualifi cations of each adult, cur-
riculum and number of hours of instruction offered
(schools cannot dip below 900 hours of instruction
per year). Anyone can apply to have their children at-
tend preschool at Bohemia or Dorena, she said, though
income guidelines require that families earn no more
than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or about
$50,000 per year, a higher threshold than Head Start.
“The programs are designed to serve families that get
turned down by Head Start,” she said.
The new preschool regulations have already been
a learning experience for South Lane educators ac-
customed to an entirely different K-12 system, Lester
said, and she said providing the program for the 34 kids
that will be accepted between the two schools will be
expensive at a cost of about $11,500 per student per
year.
“There is lots of training involved, more than is nec-
essary for an elementary teacher,” said Lester, who
pointed out that the preschool curriculum will adhere
to early learning standards with an emphasis on social
and emotional learning and a heavy emphasis on play.
The program also includes a mandate that students
have opportunities to partake in programs such as art
and music.
“Preschool has been a different language for us K-12
educators,” she said. “There are rules related to trans-
portation, food service, record keeping, staff hiring,
etc.”
The daily structure at the new preschools hasn’t been
narrowed down yet, but Lester said a typical day will
likely mean instruction from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
South Lane doesn’t know how long it will take to get its
educators certifi ed to administer the program, but Les-
ter said the District is being told that it doesn’t have to
happen right away. Principals at each school will serve
as administrators of the preschool program, which the
District hopes will more fully integrate the preschools
into the schools that host them.
Lester said that the state of Oregon is “backtracking”
when it comes to providing preschool options at K-12
schools.
“We should’ve had this before we had full-day kinder-
garten,” she said. “Most kids in our District, if they’re
not spending the day in their own home, they’re being
cared for by a relative. Most have not had any struc-
tured daycare. And you’ve got to start somewhere.”
Those interested in preschool options at Dorena and
Bohemia are asked to call 541-741-6000.
Bell prior to taking the
helm at Oregon State
in 1958.
Armory
fundraising
campaign begins
Local consulting fi rm to write no
less than 80 grants in 30 months
BY JON STINNETT
the Cottage Grove Sentinel
T
he City of Cottage Grove estimates that it will
cost about $2.6 million to renovate the Cottage
Grove Armory, which it purchased for $395,000 in
2010 from the Oregon Military Department when the
National Guard moved to a new
facility in Springfi eld. Last Mon-
day, June 27, the City Council
approved a contract in an amount
not to exceed $463,000 to secure
the needed funds.
The Armory has seen sporadic
use since its purchase, and concep-
tual drawings have been planned
and executed for the building,
plans that detail possible uses Christina Lund
including a commercial kitchen, has hired a
emergency shelter, headquarters team of seven
of the Cottage Grove Kids Club to spearhead
and more.
the fundraising
A faulty boiler has meant that campaign.
the Armory has been without
heat for some time, however, which has worked to cur-
tail its use, and City Planner Amanda Ferguson said last
week that the building is at a “critical juncture” in its
existence.
“The building needs to be occupied so that it doesn’t
deteriorate into worse shape,” Ferguson said. She said
photo by Jon Stinnett
The City of Cottage Grove purchased the Armory in 2010, and city of-
fi cials say that now is the time to pursue funding to restore the building.
Please see ARMORY, Page 11A
Saturday crash near CG Lake claims life of motorcyclist
Police say speed is believed to be a factor
O
regon State Police have identifi ed
the man killed in a crash involving
a car and motorcycle near Cottage Grove
Lake Saturday afternoon.
At about 4 p.m. Saturday, according to a
release from OSP Public Information Of-
fi cer Bill Fugate, Troopers from the Spring-
fi eld Area Command responded to a report
of a motorcycle versus vehicle crash on
London Road near the Cottage Grove Res-
ervoir.
Fugate wrote that a preliminary inves-
tigation revealed that a 1999 Honda 900
motorcycle was traveling southbound on
London Road at a high rate of speed just as
a 2008 Chrysler Sebring was pulling out of
a private drive northbound. The motorcycle
R
impacted the driver’s side of the Sebring.
The rider, identifi ed as Cory Nathan Tocher,
age 33, of Cottage Grove, was thrown from
the motorcycle and pronounced deceased
at the scene. The driver of the Sebring, Jer-
emy Paul Owens, age 41, of Eugene was
not injured in the crash.
The roadway was closed for approximate-
ly 1-1/2 hours for a collision reconstruction
to be completed. Police said Tocher was
wearing a motorcycle helmet and added that
speed is believed to be a contributing factor
in the crash. State Police were assisted on
scene by the Lane County Sheriff’s Offi ce,
Lane County Medical Examiner and South
Lane Fire and Rescue.
C
July 9 & 10
R
courtesy photo
Cory Trocher, age 33, was pronounced deceased
after being thrown from his motorcycle.
Principal Brokers
Teresa Abbott ..................221-1735
Frank Brazell....................953-2407
Broker
CONTACT US
www.cgsentinel.com
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(541) 942-3325
By telephone
(541) 942-3328
By fax
cgnews@cgsentinel.com
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P.O. Box 35, Cottage Grove, OR 97424
By mail
Corner of Sixth and Whiteaker, Cottage Grove
In person
.
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Calendar......................................... 9B
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Opinion .......................................... 4A
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