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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 2020)
S ERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF C OTTAGE G ROVE , C RESWELL , D ORENA , D RAIN , E LKTON , L ORANE AND Y ONCALLA C ottage G rove THURSDAY EDITION | DECEMBER 3, 2020 | $1.00 S entinel VOL. 131, NO. 48 • Your Local News Delivered Your Way: In Print. Online. On the Go! Get an insurance plan —not just a policy. Governor’s 2021-23 state budget proposes major cuts Events from 2020 lead to changes in every aspect of the state’s forecast By Chantelle Meyer for The Sentinel (541) 942-0555 WEATHER Cloudy skies with a high of 52 and a low tonight of 32. Full forecast on A5 HUMOR Est. 1889 “What a year it has been. 2020 has tested Oregon in unimag- inable ways,” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said as she opened a press conference on Dec. 1. Her address was primarily about the proposed budget for the 2021-23 biennium, including shortfalls as well as places of em- phasis. According to the budget doc- ument, “The Governor’s Recom- mended Budget for 2021-23 pro- poses $100.2 billion in total funds spending, including $25.6 billion in General Fund and Lottery Funds. … The budget includes over $293.8 million in increased revenues and leaves $243.3 million Brown said she found “inspira- and deepened political divisions in the General Fund. In addition, tion” for the budget in 2020 and and the untimely deaths of Black by the end of the 2019-21 bienni- the challenges it presented, includ- and brown neighbors from across the country that inspired Orego- nians to march in our streets with a clarion call for racial justice.” Oregon’s proposed budget will specifically go toward “ensuring all Oregonians’ basic needs are met,” equity in education and the environment, supporting small businesses and workers, reform- —Gov. Kate Brown ing the criminal justice systems and improving systems to better um, the Rainy-Day Fund is pro- ing: “A global pandemic, which has outcomes. jected to have a balance of $942.3 taken our dearest loved ones from This includes investing into million.” us and forever changed the rituals housing and homelessness, The full text of the 522-page of our daily lives; heartbreaking COVID-19 pandemic response, budget document, as well as a con- loss from historic wildfires that senior long-term care, health care, densed, 54-page version, is includ- ravaged our state and wiped entire See BUDGET 6A ed at budget.oregon.gov. Oregon communities off the map; “I think it’s so critically important during a global pan- demic that every Oregonian have access to health care. [But] we have a shortfall in meeting the funding needs of the Oregon Health Plan.” ‘Freeze’ ends, restrictions continue Lane County among 21 counties classifi ed as ‘extreme risk’ James Kazad Remembrances of life before Covid B1 By Ned Hickson nhickson@cgsentinel.com COLUMNIST Marry Ellen Pet Tips ‘n’ Tales B1 JON STINNETT/FOR COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL • RECORDS Bi-Mart Assistant Manager Shaillie Estrada and Aimee Sunkler join Joyce Settelmeyer at Bi-Mart’s Tree of Joy. And, Walmart’s Kayla Lancaster with Joyce at the store’s tree. Both trees can be found near their stores’ customer service desks. Obituaries Official releases A2 Community ‘network’ puts joy under tree • LORANE NEWS This Saturday’s Jingle Rush 5K will benefit the Tree of Joy program, which helps fulfill Christmas wishes for area youngsters B1 • CLASSIFIEDS By Jon Stinnett Listings and public notices B5-B6 for The Sentinel FOLLOW US FOR THE O n Christmas morning, children in homes all over Cottage Grove will awaken to the most pleasant of surprises — the realization that their holiday wish has come true. And despite their gratitude and the joy that these gifts will bring, they may not realize that their community came together to help make their dream a reality. It’s been that way for about three decades, as Cottage Grove’s Tree of Joy program has helped fill the gaps between local young people’s Christmas wishes and the need that often keeps area families from fulfilling them on their own. And this year, with restrictions meant to curb the coronavirus pandem- ic placing an additional financial crunch on many families, the need See TREE 8A LATEST NEWS : /CGSentinel @CGSentinel ‘Desperately seeking Santas’ for Bohemia students 541- 942-3325 ph • 541-942-3328 fax P.O. Box 35, Cottage Grove, OR 97424 By Damien Sherwood community for dona- dsherwood@cgsentinel. tions of unwrapped toys, com clothes or gift cards to put Bohemia Elementary smiles on the faces of stu- School staff are working dents in need. The program was ini- to ensure that all its stu- dents have presents under tially kickstarted by some their Christmas trees this the school’s special edu- year. Now in its seventh cation teachers, said Bo- year running, the school’s hemia Elementary School program is calling on the Principal Heather Brid- gens. “They felt very pas- sionate about making sure that all of their stu- dents had something during this time of year,” she said. The effort has since grown in scope of both volunteer partnerships and children served. In- EVERYONE DESERVES A GREAT SMILE! EUGENE CRESWELL 622 E. 22nd Ave Suite C 195 Melton Rd. 541.686.1732 541.686.1732 See RISK 7A Hello, neighbor! Matt Bjornn ChFC RICP, Agent Bus: 541-942-2623 www.bjornninsurance.com or visit us at www.thornton-ortho.com GIVE US A CALL TO SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION TODAY! cluding this year, the last few annual efforts have seen about 100 kids make list. Community involve- ment, too, has grown and includes staff, retired teachers, families and lo- cal businesses. “It’s something that we See SANTAS 5A The governor’s offi ce released a new chart on Nov. 25 identifying 21 counties currently iden- tifi ed as “extreme risk,” with Lane County joining Portland metro counties Marion and Deschutes due to a continued spike in coronavirus spread. Other counties deter- mined as “extreme risk” are Douglas, Baker, Ben- ton, Clackamas, Colum- bia, Grant, Jackson, Jef- ferson, Klamath, Linn, Malheur, Multnomah, Polk, Umatilla, Union, Wasco, Washington and Yamhill. In addition, six coun- ties — Clatsop, Coos, Crook, Hood River, Jose- phine and Lake — have been classifi ed as “high risk,” with four others (Curry, Harney, Lincoln and Morrow) determined to be “moderate risk.” Only fi ve Oregon counties — Gilliam, Sherman, Tillamook, Wallowa and Wheeler — are categorized as “lower risk.” The Oregon Health Authority will re-ex- amine county case data next week to make a fi nal determination of where each county will sit when the freeze ends today, Dec. 3, with counties being re-classifi ed every two weeks after that. “We’re likely to be in this place for sever- al months until we can complete vaccinations for all who want them,” 1801132 Please stop by and say, “Hi!” I’m looking forward to serving your needs for insurance and financial services. Here to help life go right. CALL ME TODAY. ® State Farm, Bloomington, IL