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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 2019)
WEDNESDAY EDITION | APRIL 17, 2019 | $1.00 CGSENTINEL.COM 3 S entinel C ottage G rove Est. 1889 VOL. 131, NO. 16 S ERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF C OTTAGE G ROVE , D ORENA , D RAIN , E LKTON AND Y ONCALLA Your Local News Delivered Your Way: In Print. Online. On the Go! Back to its roots: Bank Building gets rejuvenation PERSONAL | COMMERCIAL BENEFITS | SURETY (541) 942-0555 PayneWest.com/Cottage-Grove WEATHER Paryly cloudy with a high of 69 and a low tonight of 48. Full forecast on A5 COURTESY PHOTO COMMUNITY COURTESY PHOTO COURTESY ILLUSTRATION From left to right: the Bank Building’s pre-1911 appearance, its modern condition and the planned future transition resembling its original state. By Damien Sherwood dsherwood@cgsentinel.com Calvary Church celebrates 20 years A3 SPORTS — B Len Blackstone has a vision for downtown. But perhaps more impor- tantly, he has the zeal to realize it. Blackstone — owner, general con- tractor and landlord of the Bank Building on the corner of Main and Sixth streets — has made the 115-year-old structure his most re- cent pet project. By Damien Sherwood • RECORDS Obituaries Police Logs Births A2 • LORANE NEWS A5 • CLASSIFIEDS Built in 1904, the two-story build- ing was originally the site of the Cot- tage Grove Bank, hence the promi- nent type “Bank Building” displayed on its façade. When the institution failed and moved out in 1929, busi- nesses began claiming space and a hodgepodge of changes contributed to the building falling out of recog- nition. Decades of patchwork modifica- tions have stripped the building of much of its original aesthetic, caus- ing a lack of architectural continuity between its ground floor businesses while leaving the second floor’s face to weather and crack due to inatten- tion. “It looks like three different build- ings,” Blackstone said. Citing advice he’d received on ur- ban revitalization, he said, “You pick See BANK 7A Community, Aprovecho meet over potluck to share ideas for future dsherwood@cgsentinel.com Cottage Grove High School’s Gary Roberts heads to Marshfield B1 “I find myself going to bed and waking up thinking about my com- munity and this building,” Blackstone said. As a living philosophy, Black- stone takes to heart the importance of a tightly-knit community and what factors are at play in its growth and progress. “My favorite idea, which isn’t orig- inal to me, is that Main Street really is the living room of the community,” he said. Sustainability is the name of the game for local non- profit Aprovecho. In an iron- ic twist, its own sustainability as an organization became the topic of discussion Satur- day as community members gathered to brainstorm and break bread over consider- ation of the group’s trajectory. Established in 1981 by a group of people seeking to create a sustainable human settlement, Aprovecho has a stated mission of “inspiring equitable solutions to create a sustainable future” through research, education and workshops focused on sus- tainable living practices. On the nonprofit’s 40 acres of forest about five miles northwest of Cottage Grove, sustainable concepts em- ployed include renewable en- ergy, natural building, green designs and permaculture, the latter a wholistic philoso- phy of working with land and labor. In the past, the organi- zation has offered various workshops, agricultural proj- ects and living quarters for those who could contribute work to the site. Much of that has slowed or shut down, however, as the nonprofit weaves through a strategic planning process regarding its future goals and viability. Currently there are report- edly only about five residents housed there, though event rentals are still available at the facility. Following Saturday’s brainstorming session, hopes are that educational opportu- nities and tours will open up later this year as Aprovecho’s DAMIEN SHERWOOD/COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL An attendee at Saturday’s meeting and potluck offers input during a brainstorm session over the future direc- tion of Aprovecho. trajectory becomes more re- fined. “We want to continue to do educational events and be a resource for the commu- nity in terms of sustainable and regenerative living,” said board treasurer Tao Orion. “We’re really just looking for- ward to gearing our offerings to the community here.” Nearly 40 years of oper- ating in the Cottage Grove area has generated a legacy for the forested community. Among its claims to success, Aprovecho boasts the de- velopment and worldwide distribution of fuel-efficient cookstove technology, grad- uation of thousands of stu- dents from its programs and the first straw bale building erected in Western Oregon, built with the help of the Uni- versity of Oregon. Locally, the group has also helped develop landscape designs for Habitat for Hu- manity and been involved in teaching a sustainabil- ity-themed class for an all-women’s engineering and technology class at the Cot- tage Grove High School. See IDEAS 9A Listings and public notices B6-B7 Suicide among Oregon vets is twice national average FOLLOW US FOR THE Latest study shows that older veterans are at highest risk among state’s veteran population. LATEST NEWS : /CGS ENTINEL @CGS ENTINEL CGS ENTINEL . COM 541- 942-3325 ph • 541-942-3328 fax P.O. Box 35, Cottage Grove, OR 97424 Editor’s note: This is the third in a four-part special collaboration be- tween the Cottage Grove Sentinel, The Creswell Chronicle, Siuslaw News and Newport News-Times fo- cusing on the rising suicide rate in Or- egon. Each Wednesday through April, the four newspapers in this collabora- tion will each be contributing a part to the series and will be publishing them together. The hope is that, by sharing our resources and readerships, we can begin establishing a dialogue within each of our communities about this important subject. Performing All Phases of Automotive Repair Specializing in Gas & Diesel Engines Most Makes and Models FORD • GM • DODGE 80408 Delight Valley School Road Cottage Grove, OR 97424 www.huddleaut omotive.com By Mark Brennan Siuslaw News “I think about killing myself ev- ery day, I just haven’t decided that today is the day.” — Anonymous Florence veteran S uicide committed by veter- ans is a major problem across America and in Oregon, and it is a problem that, according to recent statistics, is getting worse rather than better. Because of this, See VETS 7A The Flower Basket and Gift Boutique “A Flower Shop and so much more” Creative Floral Arrangements • Jewelry • Balloons Home Décor • Fine Gifts • Boutique Clothing & Accessories 119 South 6th Street • 541-942-0505
