4A | APRIL 29, 2021 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
Cottage Grove Sentinel
116 N. Sixth St.
Cottage Grove, Ore. 97424
ned hickson, managing editor | 541-902-3520 | nhickson@cgsentinel.com
Opinion
The First Amendment
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ongress shall make no law respect-
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to assemble, and to petition the Govern-
ment for a redress of grievances.
“I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” —Thomas Jefferson (1800)
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Letters to the Editor Policy
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community discussion of issues on the local, state and national
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editor.
Political/Election Letters:
LETTERS
Fill in the ballot bubble
for Mark Boren
To everyone in South Lane
County, please join me in sup-
porting Mark Boren for Lane
Community College, Zone 1,
Board of Education.
I have known and worked
closely with Mark for the past
15 years in my role as basketball
coach at Elmira High School.
Mark has spent his life ded-
icated to the well-being of his
community and its schools. He
worked for 15 years in Special
Education as an Instructional As-
sistant for Lane ESD.
He then began his career as a
Training Officer, among other
positions, for Lane Fire Author-
ity (previously Lane County Fire
District #1) and has been with
them over 24 years.
He and his wife raised five chil-
dren in Veneta where he has lived
the past 30 years. Currently, Mark
serves as the Board Chair of the
Fern Ridge School District, is
on the Leadership and Advisory
Board of Bushnell University, and
on the Sports Medicine Advisory
Committee of the Oregon School
Activities Association among his
many service activities.
His experience in school fi-
nances began with a role on the
Fern Ridge School District’s Bud-
get Committee and continues in
his role as Board Chair.
Mark has dedicated his life to
the youth in our county and be-
lieves in the potential of all stu-
dents to find success in life. He is
a creative, organized and caring
leader.
I will be filling in the bubble
for Mark Boren for LCC Board of
Education.
—Nick Garman
Cottage Grove
Re-elect Sherry
Duerst-Higgins to school
board
Dedication, leadership, service
above self — these are some of
the characteristics I think about
as I draft this letter in support
of Sherry Duerst-Higgins in her
bid to be re-elected to our local
school board.
We have been so blessed to
have Sherry serving our commu-
nity for so many years!
Help Sherry continue to do
great work in our community
by re-electing her to the school
board.
—Mike Fleck
Cottage Grove
In support of Wilde
for Lane ESD
I enthusiastically endorse Rose
Wilde for re-election to the at-
large position on the Lane Edu-
cational Service District board.
Many know of her stellar work at
Lane ESD.
That seriousness of purpose is
reflected also in my experience
working with her during the last
few years where I experienced the
same work ethic and passion for
the well-being of our communi-
ties.
Rose understands the impor-
tance of shaping policy to effect
systems-level change. At the same
time, she dives into the work
on the ground. She has volun-
teered with students with special
needs, worked to address child
abuse prevention in communities
from Oakridge to Mapleton, and
taught courses in empathy and
healthy relationships.
As a result, she has a broad and
deep understanding of issues in
our community.
Rose understands that career
and technical education can ben-
efit every student, preparing our
children for the jobs available
now and in the future while also
giving a solid foundation in ac-
ademics. Her time spent getting
to know people from all different
walks of life helps her understand
that one size does not fit all in ed-
ucation.
Rose takes initiative to make
change and has vast stores of
knowledge and skills to bring to
the work. She is quick to admit
when there are gaps in her knowl-
edge and works to close them.
She is humble and quick to admit
mistakes, understands the value
of relationships, and is generous
with support to her colleagues.
At this time when we have
many challenges facing our
schools, we need people on the
board with proven records for
addressing them.
I will cast my vote for Rose
Wilde.
—Nadia Telsey
Eugene
Election-related letters must address pertinent or timely
issues of interest to our readers at-large.
Letters must: 1) Not be a part of letter-writing campaigns
on behalf of (or by) candidates; 2) Ensure any information
about a candidate is accurate, fair and not from second-hand
knowledge or hearsay; and 3) explain the reasons to support
candidates based on personal experience and perspective
rather than partisanship and campaign-style rhetoric.
Candidates themselves may not use the letters to the editor
column to outline their views and platforms or to ask for votes;
this constitutes paid political advertising.
As with all letters and advertising content, the newspaper,
at the sole discretion of the publisher, general manager and
editor, reserves the right to reject any letter that doesn’t follow
the above criteria.
Send letters to:
nhickson@cgsentinel.com
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR REPS
Oregon state
representatives
• Sen. Floyd Prozanski
District 4 State Senator
PO Box 11511
Eugene, Ore. 97440
Phone: 541-342-2447
Email : sen.fl oydprozanski@
state.or.us
• Rep. Cedric Hayden
Republican District 7 State
Representative
900 Court St. NE
Salem, Ore. 97301
Phone: 503-986-1407
Email: rep.cedrichayden@
state.or.us
• Rep. Peter DeFazio
(House of Representatives)
405 East 8th Ave.
#2030
Eugene, Ore. 97401
Oregon federal
representatives
Email: defazio.house.gov/
contact/email-peter
Phone: 541-465-6732
• Sen. Ron Wyden
405 East 8th Ave., Suite 2020
Eugene, Ore. 97401
Email: wyden.senate.gov
Phone: (541) 431-0229
• Sen. Jeff Merkley
Email: merkley.senate.gov
Phone: 541-465-6750
• Heather Buch
Lane County Commissioner
- District 5
Email: Heather.Buch@lane
countyorg.gov
125 E. Eighth Ave.
Eugene, OR 97401
Or call 541-682-4203
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