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CGSENTINEL.COM
Charges brought against CGHS music teacher
By Caitlyn May and Zach Silva
cmay@cgsentinel.com•zsilva@cgsentinel.com
Investigation includes
multiple charges related
to sexual misconduct
with a minor
Cottage Grove High School music
teacher Gabe Dickinson, 37, is the
subject of a police investigation into
allegations of inappropriate conduct
with a minor.
According to Cottage Grove Police,
Dickinson was being investigated for
sexual misconduct, sexual abuse-3,
sexual abuse-2 and sodomy-3. During
an arraignment held on Friday in Lane
County Circuit Court, Dickinson was
charged with three counts of third de-
The search
for Anna
gree sodomy.
district alerted the
“Offi cers and detec-
Cottage Grove Police
tives learned that this
Department, working
relationship began ap-
cooperatively with po-
proximately two years
lice as they conduct an
ago when the student
investigation.
was 15 years of age
“Mr. Dickinson is on
and in the 10th grade.
leave, and is currently
Th e sexual relation-
not at school,” Ingman
ship continued into
stated in the email,
November 2018,” a
adding that, “While I
COURTESY PHOTO
statement released by
cannot comment on
CGPD stated.
the specifi cs of the al-
Gabe Dickinson
On Th ursday, Nov.
legations or the investi-
29, an email was sent
gation, I can assure you
to Cottage Grove High School parents that nothing is more important to this
from principal Mike Ingman that stat- school and district than the safety and
ed, in part, “Upon learning of the al- well-being of each of our students.
legations, Cottage Grove High School
“I hope you will not let the alleged
and South Lane School District moved misconduct of one person cast a shad-
quickly to respond.”
ow over all of our staff members, who
Th e letter explained how the school demonstrate their commitment to ed-
ucation and to our students every day.”
Ingman also noted that counselors
would be available to students aff ected
by the situation.
Dickinson was detained and is be-
ing held at the Lane County Correc-
tions Facility.
He was placed on leave from CGHS.
According to SLSD Human Resources
Director Brian McCasline, Dickinson
was still on leave as of Monday, Dec. 3.
According to his personal Linke-
dIn account, Dickinson has worked
at CGHS since 2015. He previously
worked in the Bethel School District
from 2010 to 2015.
Th e district offi ce later released
a statement on its website saying it
could not comment further on the sit-
uation but was cooperating fully with
law enforcement offi cials.
“Our staff work diligently and suc-
cessfully teaching our students and
ensuring that they are safe and se-
cure in their school environment,”
the statement read, repeating in part,
“We hope that the alleged misconduct
of one person does not cast a shadow
over all of our staff members, who
demonstrate their commitment to ed-
ucation and to our students every day.
We have a care plan in place at Cottage
Grove High School to meet the needs
of staff and students at this time.”
Both CGPD and CGHS ask that
anyone with relevant information call
Det. Tami Miles at 541-942-9145 ext.
224, or school resource offi cer Chris
Joyce at 541-942-9145 ext. 214.
Parents with questions or concerns
can contact McCasline at the district
offi ce at 541-942-3381 ext. 133.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
SLSD talks
Latham future
By Zach Silva
By Caitlyn May
zsilva@cgsentinel.com
cmay@cgsentinel.com
Cassie Asleson is devas-
tated.
She answers her cell
phone on the fi rst ring hop-
ing for good news but as
the days trudge closer to a
week, the voice that meets
callers grows heavier —
sadder.
Asleson, who lives in
Washington, has plastered
Cottage Grove with fl iers,
assembled a small band of
volunteers on Facebook
and has driven the city’s
streets for 15 hours a day,
desperate to fi nd her dog,
Anna.
Th e white pit bull pup-
py has been missing since
Friday, Nov. 23 aft er she es-
caped from the family’s car
at the Village Green Inn.
“I had a pit bull I got in
North Carolina,” Asleson
said. “I was in an abusive
marriage and I left him
with just the dog, Roxy. She
got cancer this summer.”
Once it was clear Roxy’s
chemotherapy treatments
had stopped working, a
heartbroken Asleson start-
ed talking to breeders and
looking online for another
white pit bull, to ease the
pain of losing eight-year-
old Roxy.
“I couldn’t fi nd one. I
texted the vet on Oct. 8 to
schedule Roxy’s at-home
euthanasia and an hour
later, I got an email about
See ANA 10A
CHRISTMASTIME IN THE CITY-Cottage Grove ushered in the holiday
season with a visit from Santa Claus on Saturday, Dec. 1. South Lane
County Fire and Rescue escorted Santa into town along with carolers
who gathered in All-America Square to see the lighting of the Christmas
tree. Santa hung around for photos with local children and to make note
of what they wanted for Christmas.
PHOTOS C/O GREG LEE
Th e South Lane School
District took its next step
to deciding the future of
Latham Elementary School.
At Monday’s school
board meeting, interim-su-
perintendent Dr. Larry
Sullivan, assisted by oth-
ers who contributed to the
report, guided the board
page-by-page through the
40-page “Latham School
Report.” Th e report – that
was made public on the
school district’s website at
5 p.m. on Monday while
the board received the
document on Friday aft er-
noon – was an attempt at
an all-encompassing look
at the future of Latham. Th e
report was made with the
help of Communications
Coordinator Garrett Brid-
gens and an estimated eight
to 10 other individuals.
It covered the factors
involved in either closing
the 165-year old school or
allowing it to remain open
for another fi ve years and
how that decision may im-
pact everything from en-
rollment to transportation
to technology. It also in-
See BOARD 7A
Cottage Grove population tops 10k, could prompt mandated changes
By Caitlyn May
cmay@cgsentinel.com
Th e latest Portland State
University population estimate
placed Cottage Grove’s popula-
tion at 10,005, triggering man-
dated changes that all cities in
the state of Oregon must adhere
to aft er reaching more than
10,000 residents.
“Once the population esti-
mate is certifi ed the city of Cot-
tage Grove will be over 10,000
in population,” City Manager
Richard Meyers offi ce wrote in
a weekly statement. “With that
designation we have addition-
al requirements in solid waste
and recycling programs and
in storm water treatment pro-
gram. Staff has been preparing
to meet the new requirements.”
Th e estimate is expected to be
certifi ed aft er a review period
on Dec. 17. Once the estimate is
certifi ed, Cottage Grove will be
considered a city with a popula-
FEATURE
Cowboy 911
Lincoln Middle Schoolers
collect socks, donation to
help those in the cold
Cottage Grove man joins
others in helping rescue
animals after wildfi res.
PAGE A6
PAGE A3
INDEX
COMMUNITY
Helping the homeless
Michili Monroi, LCSW
Counseling Services
541-255-8822 • 1450 Birch Ave • Cottage Grove, OR 97424
• Individual and Family Counseling
• Insurance and Sliding Scale
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tion over 10,000 and the num-
ber can be used by state and
local governments for revenue
sharing, fund allocation and
planning purposes.
As a city with more than
10,000, Cottage Grove will have
to add an additional garbage
service. When the city failed to
hit 10,000 people in 2017 (com-
ing in at 9,920), Meyers sug-
gested the city may lean toward
opting for a weekly yard debris
service that would either be
Calendar ...................................... B12
Channel Guide ............................... B5
Classifieds ...................................... B7
Obituaries ...................................... A2
Opinion ......................................... A4
Sports ............................................ B1
billed separately or increase the
cost of the current garbage bill.
Th e city must also address its
waste water system by installing
catch basins to separate debris.
“We started doing this but we
have hundreds of storm water
outlets throughout the city and
we’ll probably have a new staff
member for this but it’s budget-
ed in our fi ve-year plan,” Mey-
ers previously told Th e Sentinel
in 2016 when the population
hovered dangerously close to
10,000 residents. Th e new em-
ployee would be responsible for
checking the stormwater outlets
and ensuring the collectors are
functioning properly. In addi-
tion to budgeting for an addi-
tional employee, the city also
attempted to stay ahead of the
10,000-resident curve by pur-
chasing a vactor truck earlier
this year. “We use it now but it
can also suck up the storm catch
basin debris,” Meyers previous-
ly said.
cgnews@cgsentinel.com
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P.O. Box 35, Cottage Grove, OR 97424
Corner of Sixth and Whiteaker, Cottage Grove
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