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C ottage G rove
S entinel
SOUTH LANE AND NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY'S MOST AWARD-WINNING NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1889
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017
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CGSENTINEL.COM
POLITICS
CRIME
STUDENTS LEAD PROTEST Banner Bank
Robbed
By Caitlyn May
cmay@cgsentinel.com
Approximately 30 students from Cottage Grove High School walked out of class on Friday,
Feb. 17 to protest the appointment of Betsy Devos as U.S. Secretary of Education. See page 9A
for complete story.
Carousel restoration underway
Cottage
Grove Police
are still inves-
tigating after a
man wearing
what
police
describe as a
"shaggy black
wig"
robbed
Banner Bank in
Cottage Grove
late last week.
The call came
in just after 2
p.m. noting that
an unidentifi ed
male had got-
ten away with an undisclosed
amount of cash.
The suspect was described
as being a white male adult,
5’09” tall, 170lbs, with a beard
and black horned rim glasses.
He was reportedly wearing a
dark-colored hooded sweatshirt
and a yellow baseball cap. He
escaped
on
foot.
The same
suspect is said
to be a per-
son of interest
in a separate
bank robbery
in Grants Pass
that occurred
on Feb. 1.
The FBI is
assisting Cot-
tage
Grove
with the in-
vestigation but
the department
is asking anyone with informa-
tion as to the identity of the sus-
pect to contact detective Shawn
Branstetter or detective Tamara
Miles at 541-942-9145 at either
extension 134 or 137.
The decades-old effort to bring a carousel to the city's Main St. has a new group of vol-
unteers: students.
Cottage Grove High School art students have undertaken the task of restoring the carou-
sel animals as part of their advanced art class set to last through the spring.
"They started about two weeks ago," said Russ McGuire, a member of Friends of Cottage Grove Carousel, the vol-
unteer group attempting to raise enough interest
and funds to bring the attraction to Main St.
Students are currently working on four ani-
mals, including three horses and are expected to
begin painting next week.
"Right now, they're just sanding and then once
they get the base coat it will be another three to
four weeks. It's a slow process," McGuire said.
By Caitlyn May
Cottage Grove City Manager Richard
The animals have been in a storage shed for
cmay@cgsentinel.com Meyers recently made a decision. He
over
20 years after Cottage Grove resident Judy
will not be fi lling the position left va-
Cash
fulfi lled a lifelong dream by purchasing the
cant by retired community development
attraction.
manager, Howard Schesser.
"A gentleman passed away and left my hus-
"I will not be fi lling that position," Meyers said. "Instead,
band
and I some money," she noted previously.
I'll combine those two departments."
"We
didn't
know it was coming and so when it
The two departments include Schesser's community de-
did,
he
went
to England and bought a tank. I
velopment and the city's public works department. Current
went
to
Virginia
and bought a carousel."
head of public works, Jan Wellman informed Meyers that he
Initial
efforts
began
when Cash fi rst made the
will be retiring at the end of March.
purchase
but
tapered
off
until recently.
The search for Schesser's replacement has been ongoing
The
group
has
researched
possible locations
with several candidates applying and interviewing for the
for
the
attraction,
compiled
sample
architectual
position.
drawings
and
moved
forward
with
fundraising
Meyers noted that the move will save the city some money
efforts
and
grant
applications.
and some rearrangement will be necessary.
The efforts to bring the carousel to Main St. have hit a snag in regards to funding. According to McGuire, money isn't quite fl ooding in
"We'll have one head and then divisions, which is already
for
the cause.
happening in public works," Meyers said, adding that the
"It
just hasn't come in yet. Those grants are taking their time."
move would benefi t the community.
In the meantime, students will continue restoring the animals through the remainder of the school year. Once they fi nish the four animals
they have, McGuire will supply one or two more.
By Caitlyn May
cmay@cgsentinel.com
CG to combine public works,
community development
COUNTY
Lane County speaks to rural economic development
Cottage Grove Chamber of
Commerce members heard a pre-
sentation last Wednesday, Feb. 15,
concerning economic and com-
munity development in rural Oregon. The presentation, given by
Lane County Community and Economic Development Offi cer Kim
Thompson, centered on opportunities for the county to work more
closely with rural areas and communities.
The “Rural Prosperity Initiative,” according to Thompson is a
targeted approach by Lane County to utilize staff time and resourc-
es in rural areas.
Economic development varies from city to city and differs
greatly from metropolitan areas to rural communities. According
COMMUNITY
to Lane County, rural communities are faced with a unique set of
challenges that include communication and coordination, capaci-
ty and expertise, infrastructure, quality of life factors, vision and
lastly, a perception of invisibility. In a handout distributed at the
chamber meeting, Lane County describes rural areas as not being
well connected with the county and other rural areas, which leads
to missed opportunities. It also explains a lack of existing services
in some rural areas such as grocery stores, affordable housing and
basic human and health services. During Wednesday’s meeting,
Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Travis
Palmer asked how Cottage Grove could further the Rural Prosperity
Initiative.
“I think the best way is through county and city collaboration.
SPORTS
U.S. Senator Wyden
Girls take second
Senator Wyden visited
Eugene to host a town hall.
Lady Lions beat Junction
City. PAGE B1
INDEX
By Caitlyn May
cmay@cgsentinel.com
PAGE A3
Calendar ...................................... B11
Channel Guide ............................... B5
Classifieds ...................................... B7
Obituaries ...................................... A2
Opinion ......................................... A4
Sports ............................................ B1
Keep me involved in the projects that are happening in Cottage
Grove,” Thompson said. “Invite us to the table, so we can fi nd op-
portunities for you as we are out networking. We all need to have
Cottage Grove’s two-minute elevator (marketing) speech down.
Lane County Economic Development needs to know what’s most
important to this community in order to share that message as we
are out marketing Cottage Grove.”
While the Rural Prosperity Initiative is not a new program,
Thompson has been brought on board to aid in its implementation
and notes that several factors can contribute to a community’s slow
or troubled economic development. For some communities, she
said, broadband Internet is a deal breaker while others lack access
to natural gas.
Please see RURAL, PG. 10
cgnews@cgsentinel.com
(541) 942-3325 ph • (541) 942-3328 fax
P.O. Box 35, Cottage Grove, OR 97424
Corner of Sixth and Whiteaker, Cottage Grove
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VOLUME 129 • NUMBER 32
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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW
Suspect sought in two robberies