COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL September 21, 2016
Cleanup planned for
Black Butte Mine
Meet and Greet
deemed a success
by businesses
On Saturday an all day meet and
greet for local businesses and
non-profi t organizations was
held for networking and expan-
sion purposes. Tupperware
representative Glenna Miller
(center) found new customers
and had many people show
interest in her products.
WomenSpace, a Lane County
non-profi t organization focused
on domestic violence was rep-
resented by Kat Harrison, who
says events such as these are
essential for the success of the
organization and for them to
help as many people as pos-
sible.
Work is probably 'a
year or so out,'
EPA says
BY JON STINNETT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
The latest chapter in the ongoing
effort to clean up a hazardous for-
mer mercury mine outside Cottage
Grove continued last week with a
public meeting held to take com-
ments and detail the next steps of
photo by Sam Wright
School Board discusses District's pesticide use
BY SAM WRIGHT
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
T
he South Lane School District has
been trying to move away from
spraying pesticides on school grounds.
Due to health issues, there has been a call
to reduce the amount of spraying when
dealing with pest management. A few
concerned citizens approached the School
Board at its Sept. 12 meeting in order to
make people aware of the dangers of pes-
ticides.
“We don’t disagree with what these
people are saying,” Superintendent Krista
Parent said. The School Board also recent-
ly agreed to a moratorium on spraying.
The School District is required by the
state to have an Integrated Pest Manage-
ment plan. One plan was originally ad-
opted by SLSD in 2012 and was recently
re-adopted in 2015.
In a little under fi ve years, the School
District has reduced the amount of spray-
ing by 85 percent, however the diffi culty
of completely moving away from pesti-
cides lies in the amount of manpower.
Groundskeeper Matt Allen says that
he and one other worker manage a total
of 267 acres of school grounds. With the
lack of manpower, spraying pesticides
still remains necessary in order to adhere
to city fi re codes.
“If I had enough volunteer effort, I
wouldn’t spray a drop,” Allen said.
To reduce a lot of the spraying over the
years, Allen says that they have switched
Please see PESTICIDE, Page 11A
the proposed cleanup.
The Black Butte Mine, which
mined mercury from the late 1890s
to 1969, was one of fi ve signifi cant
mercury mines in Oregon, and it
is also identifi ed as the dominant
source of the mercury that can be
found poisoning Cottage Grove
Reservoir downstream from the
mine, according to the Environ-
mental Protection Agency, which
listed the mine on its Superfund list
of contaminated sites in 2010.
Please see MINE, Page 11A
Cooking fi re blamed
for Dorena Lake blaze
A
representative of the Oregon Department of Forestry said that
an errant cooking fi re is to blame for a blaze that consumed
just under four acres near Dorena Reservoir last week.
Justin Patten of the Eastern Lane division of ODF said the agency,
which is tasked with protecting forestlands from fi re, responded
to a report of a fi re at Milepost 7 of Row River Road near Harms
Park at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14.
Patten said that a transient admitted to starting a cooking fi re and
that “the wind blew and it got away from him.” Firefi ghters were
able to extinguish the fl ames, and a 10-person crew responded
the next day to mop up the fi re, Patten said. He added that he is
unaware if charges are being pursued related to the incident.
Corps plans controlled burns near Bake Stewart
T
he U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers announced
last week that the agency and
its partners are planning con-
trolled ecological burns near
Dorena Reservoir this fall. The
burns are scheduled to take
place on 28 acres of land north
of Bake Stewart Park, east of
the Row River and west of
Row River Road.
Partners for the project in-
clude the A1 Kennedy Alter-
3A
native High School and the
Bureau of Land Management.
Those organizations have
been protecting and restor-
ing important habitat at Bake
Stewart Park and the adjacent
East Wildlife Area for several
years. Part of that manage-
ment includes controlled burns
to manage and restore natural
areas. The Corps said that
controlled burns also benefi ts
plant and animal communities,
particularly endangered plants
and butterfl ies.
According to the announce-
ment, experienced and highly-
trained fi re crews will manage
these controlled ecological
burns using detailed burn plans,
which provide maximum pro-
tection for the community. The
Lane Regional Air Protection
Agency reviews and approves
the plans and specifi es the con-
ditions the burns can proceed.
The Corps said that, because
of evolving weather condi-
tions, the days that burning
will occur cannot be specifi ed,
more than 24 hours in advance
of burns. More information
and updates about the burns
are on the Willamette Valley
Prescribed Fire Facebook page
at https://www.facebook.com/
photo by Ryan Thompson
Celebrate Family Day – September 26, 2016
Family Fun in the Kitchen
Make Cheesy Bean Toast with your teen using this easy
recipe by Family Day partner, Amy Roskelley of
Super Healthy Kids
Start the Conversation
Here are some great questions to ask your teen!
• What is your favorite family memory from when you were younger?
• What inspires you to write, draw or create any kind of art?
Ingredients: 2 c. cooked pinto beans, ½ c. barbecue sauce, ½ c. grated
parmesan cheese, 1 bunch green onions, 3 plum tomatoes, sliced, Whole
wheat bread, sliced, Salt and pepper, to taste
Step 1) Slice and arrange tomatoes on a parchment lined sheet pan and
sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes start to
wilt or brown.
Step 2) While tomatoes are broiling, mix beans, barbecue sauce together in
a bowl. Remove tomatoes from pan and set aside.
Step 3) Arrange slices of bread on pan, then top with beans. Then add
tomato slices, then green onions, and then Parmesan.
Step 4) Broil on high for 3 minutes, or until cheese starts to bubble and
brown.
• What helps motivate you to accomplish the goals you have for yourself?
• What subject in school do you wish you could learn more about?
• What sport or activity that you’re involved in now could you see yourself
doing in college?
Be Creative
Use the inspirational words below to write a song or rap. Ask your teen to
do the same. When you’re done perform the finished product in front of the
rest of your family members. Let them be the judges and decide the winner!
Get Active
Try some of these fun activities with your teen this week!
• Re-do your teen’s bedroom. Look up
some fun, easy ways to decorate
together.
Shine
Achieve
Dream
Discover
Believe
Soar
Goal
Embrace
Motivate
Accomplish
Successful
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• Volunteer at a soup kitchen, animal
shelter, or any local charity that could
use you and your teen’s help.
• Go to a sporting event together and
cheer on your favorite team.
• Take a trip to the movies or watch a
movie you both love at home.
FAMILY DAY
THIS MESSAGE
BROUGHT TO
YOU BY THIS
PARTICIPATING
RESTAURANT
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th
Kids 10 & Under Eat FREE from Kids Menu
with the purchase of Adult Entrée
Good for Dinner
from Regular Menu Only
No Other Discounts or
coupons on this offer.
EL TAPATIO (541) 767-0457
Mexican Restaurant & Cantina