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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (April 25, 2018)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL APRIL 25, 2018 5A Cottage Grove Retrospective A look back at Sentinel stories from 30 and 60 years ago Investigation leads to drug raids, 16 arrests Sentinel Staff of 1988 A two-month undercover investigation into drug activities in Cottage Grove culminated Friday morning in a series of raids in the area and led to the arrest of 16 people on drug-related charges. The raids on four residences, three in Cottage Grove and one in Creswell, were conducted by a Springfi eld Police SWAT team and offi cers from the Cottage Grove and Springfi eld police departments. Ten Oregon State Troopers also were involved. No injuries resulted from the raids and no shots were fi red. Cottage Grove medics stood by in case of trouble and two staff members of Lane County District Attorney’s offi ce witnessed the operation. A drug-sniffi ng dog helped fi nd four ounces of methamphetamine at the residence. Smaller amounts of the drug were found in the other raids along with a small amount of marijuana. While local police were pleased with its results, the investigation revealed some alarming facts about Cottage Grove. Don Bond, a Springfi eld police offi cer, POLICE BLOTTER began undercover work on the case last February. He was involved in 25 hand-to hand buys in two months of undercover investigation. “Buying drugs in this town is as easy as going to the 7-11,” Bond said, adding that it might be easier because you don’t have to wait in line to buy drugs. Bond, who has been with the Springfi eld police for 14 years and is a veteran of three undercover operations, said there is a drug epidemic in Cottage Grove. He said drugs are more openly available in Cottage Grove than other communities where drug offi cers more frequently work. Bond said once he became acquainted in the town, people approached him openly to sell him drugs. Methamphetamine and marijuana were the drugs Bond found most prevalent in the area. He called methamphetamine “the most drug I’ve ever seen.” He said it is the most addictive drug he’d ever seen. Bond said drug offi cers are needed in the area to combat the problem. Offi cials at Cottage Grove’s Police Department agreed. “The average person has no concept of what’s going on,” said Commander Larry Worsham. A total of 45 offi cers were used for Friday’s raids. Cottage Grove Chief Dick Hoffer said that potential for trouble in such raids is great. “The SWAT team may look like overkill, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything Hoffer said. The last drug raid of this magnitude wa sin 1985, Hoffer said. A drug enforcement offi cer can keep in touch with the drug community in town, Hoffer pointed out. The chief said if the manpower were available for any raid in the near future, he couldn’t use them because there isn’t a local offi cer to perform the necessary groundwork to execute successful raids. He said the superiority in manpower, weaponry and surprise keeps people from getting hurt during raids. Bond said narcotics are closely linked to burglary and other crimes. Hoffer agreed. He estimated that 85 percent, maybe more, of the thefts in Cottage Grove are drug motivated. National Beat News from the state and around the nation From around the state • The Oregon Health Authority has issued a reminder to residents that as summer starts, so do algae blooms in the state’s lakes and rivers. The agency said most blooms are not harmful but some can lead to illnesses for both people and animals. If a body of water appear “foamy, thick, pea-green, blue-green, brown or red in color” the agency says residents should avoid it. • Oregon has grown 1.1 million pounds of marijuana causing an imbalance in the traditional supply and demand equation. Prices of recreational marijuana continue to drop causing uncertainty for the industry. However, the state continues to see tax revenue from the legalization of the drug. • Former Oregon mayor Kenneth Barrett, 72, was sen- tenced last week to one year and four months, in ad- dition to three years of supervision, for soliciting sex from who he thought was a 14-year-old girl on Face- book. It was a police offi cer. • Car owners in Oregon will soon be able to choose a license plate featuring a gray whale after Oregon State University produced enough potential buyers to move forward with the design. The plates will be an addi- tional $40. Cottage Grove Police Department 24-Hour Anonymous Tip Line: 767-0504 From around the nation April 19 Four people were killed on Sunday after a 29-year-old shooter entered a Waffl e House in Nashville, TN with an AR-15 and opened fi re. Travis Reinking arrived at the restaurant at approximately 3:30 a.m. wearing only a green jacket and shot two individuals outside the building. He killed two more people inside, injur- ing four more before an unarmed man identifi ed as 29-year-old James Shaw, Jr. wrestled the gun away. Reinking, who reportedly has a history of suffering delusions and was arrested at the White House in July, managed to fl ee before being captured on Monday. His father, Jeffrey Reinking may have reportedly broken federal law when he returned the guns to his son after his arrest. • Authorities in Canada have named Alek Minassian, 25, as a potential suspect in the killing of nine pedes- trians in Toronto on Monday, April 23. A white van reportedly drove onto the street into a crowd killing nine and injuring 16. • A complaint has been fi led against the 18 students identifi ed in a racist video associated with the frater- nity Theta Tau at Syracuse University. The complaint was fi led by the university’s department of public safety and student affairs. The video shows fraternity members pledging to have “hatred in their heart” for people of color and those of Jewish faith, using racial pejoratives. A second video emerged earlier this week showing the fraternity members mocking a disabled person. the high school. Two people, wearing black, were seen climbing out of an SUV and a sedan to start walking on Johnson Ave. An unknown vehicle struck the ‘no vehicles allowed’ sign on the bike path. A UPS package was stolen from a front porch on S. 6th St. An older Winnebago was reported as camping illegally. A dog at large was reported on S. 8th St. A man ran a car into a tree on N. River Rd. April 16 Dog at large reported at Getty Circle. Suspicious condition reported at Middlefi eld Golf. Complainant believed they interrupted the theft of gas. Syphoning hose left be- hind. April 15 April 18 Possible gun shot and argument reportedly heard on S. 7th St. Very loud music was reported as disturbing other tenants at a building on N. J St. A couple reported they were nearly struck by a drunk driver while they were walking on Main St. April 17 A person in a fast food drive thru reported that they were stabbed. Proceeded to pound on the window and then ran away. A loud crash and two males heard yelling on Gateway. April 14 A green Ford Ranger was reported as driving recklessly in a park- ing lot before proceeding to the roadway and nearly striking a van. Graffi ti was reported in an alley on Main St. A check was reportedly stolen from a complainant and copies were made. The checks were reportedly being cashed. Two cars were reported as doing “cookies” at the south end of 6 • -day weather forecast THURSDAY April 26 FRIDAY April 27 73° | 47° 58° | 46° Showers Showers SATURDAY April 28 SUNDAY April 29 54° | 43° 54° | 38° Showers Showers MONDAY April 30 TUESDAY May 1 58° | 39° 64° | 40° Showers Sun A man wearing a red baseball hat was reportedly standing in the street on S. 5th preventing buses from using the road. Criminal mischief was reported in the men’s room of the com- munity center. Keep up with local news all week by following us on Twitter @cgsentinel Transmissions Plus & AUTOMOTIVE SPECIALTIES State Representatives Oregon state representation Senator Floyd Prozanski District 4 State Senator PO Box 11511 Eugene, OR 97440 Phone: (541)342-2447 E-Mail : sen.fl oydprozanski@state.or.us PRACTICING THE ART OF TRANSMISSION REPAIR SERVICE SINCE 1991 Manual & Automatic Transmission Repair Tune ups 30-60-90K Services Brakes, belts, hoses and cooling system services Muffl ers & Custom Exhaust All makes and models. MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE AFFORDABLY 1 in 4 employees are ill prepared for emergency. PayneWest can develop your business’ emergency plan. Call today (541) 942-0555. PayneWest.com/Cottage-Grove WE LIVE IN THE SAME TOWN WE WORK IN “WE MAKE SHIFT HAPPEN!” www.automotivespecialties.biz DUSTIN TULLAR & RUSS OWENS 541-942-8022 • COTTAGE GROVE Rep. Cedric Hayden, Republican District 7 State Representative 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 Phone: (503) 986-1407 Website: http://www.leg.state.or.us/ hayden E-Mail : rep.cedrichayden@state.or.us Oregon federal representation Peter DeFazio (House of Representatives) 405 East 8th Ave. #2030 Eugene, OR 97401 Email: defazio.house.gov/contact/email-peter Phone: (541) 465-6732 Ron Wyden (Senator) 405 East 8th Ave., Suite 2020 Eugene, OR, 97401 Email: visit wyden.senate.gov Phone: (541) 431-0229 Jeff Merkley (Senator) Email: visit merkley.senate.gov Phone: (541) 465-6750
