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Cottage Grove, Oregon - News and Sports

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2012 COTTAGE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL
SPORT'S SCHEDULE

Village Green Resort Wins
2012 Main Street Chili Cook-Off!

Travis' Village Green Resort's "Three-Bean Prime Rib Chili" took the honors at this year's "Main Street Chili Cook-Off" in Cottage Grove, Oregon. The Village Green Resort has won awards in this competition the last three years in-a-row.

Verizon Wireless Mobile Cell Phone And Modem Data and Internet Connections Are Very Slow in Cottage Grove, Oregon

This was a letter we received from a local resident:

Well, you've got to admit, Verizon Wireless definately has the most reliable and widest coverage of cell phone and Internet connection devices in the Cottage Grove area. But with the new Verizon store in town, selling the heck out of the 4G / 3G Mi-Fi wirelss internet modem and other cell phone mobile devices, we have heard numerous complaints from local customers and users that the data connection is very slow to non-existant at certain times of the day.

Verizon is selling the 4G modems at the local store owned by The Cellular Connection and there is not even 4G coverage in the area yet! Our Verizon tower is rumored to have a microwave connection to the tower in Creswell (versus having its own fiber optic connection - or similar direct connection) to the tower. Yes, that means that all the residents of Cottage Grove are relying on one Verizon cell tower that is also shared with the residents of Creswell! We are receiving numerous complaints that Verizon needs to upgrade its tower or add another tower to our area.

WE COTTAGE GROVE RESIDENTS NEED YOU HELP!

If you have experienced problems with your new Verizon 3G or 4G device, including a new cell phone, wireless internet connection modem or other Verizon device - PLEASE CALL THEIR TECHNICAL
SUPPORT DEPARTMENT AND LET THEM KNOW!

Verizon support department is one of the best and they will treat you politely, but you need to make the call to file a Trouble Ticket and let them know how frustrating it is to pay a premium price for cell phone service that is not working as they advertise it should.

Verizon's direct number is:
800-922-0204

There is 4G coverage in Eugene and all the way down I-5 to Goshen. Please call and let them know we want better coverage and a 4G tower for all the loyal Verizon customers of Cottage Grove!

COAST FORK COUNCIL 2012 REQUESTS AND NEWS

Spring Chinook Released into the Coast Fork Willamette

On March 12, 2012, The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife redirected 212,127 McKenzie Hatchery smolts into the Coast Fork Willamette River and its tributaries. This effort delivered fish to six different locations--three on the Coast Fork Willamette, one on the Row River, and two in Mosby Creek. These fish (ranging about 4-8" in length) will likely migrate downstream very soon, but there is a decent probability that when these hatchery fish return to the Upper Willamette (either as Jacks in Years 1-2, or as spawning adults in Years 3-4), that they will attempt to return to the Coast Fork. Since the purpose of rearing them at the hatchery was to support a fishery, Coast Fork residents will likely see more fishermen out in the river trying to catch these fish. Like all Upper Willamette salmon, the fish also have to avoid being caught at the mouth of the Columbia or at Willamette Falls by sportfishermen. But if they are NOT caught, and if they find suitable habitat to hold in and then spawn in (like our newly restored spawning grounds in Mosby Creek), and if conditions support the proper development of the eggs into fry, and if these fry turn into smolts who do it all again, then we could have the beginnings of a self-supporting spring Chinook run in the Coast Fork.

Obviously, this is a lot of "IFs" to get to an actual run of spring Chinook, and if your interest is not fishing, then it is important to adjust your expectations about the purpose of these  fish. However, this is the first time that spring Chinook smolts have been introduced into the Coast Fork in over 30 years! With this 'fishery' comes the nutrients, protein, and genetics that have long been absent from this ecosystem and with it comes a glimmer of hope which inspires us to restore all the components of aquatic ecosystem! If this inspires you, I hope you will join us in working for the fish by coming to one of our events or by donating to support our work! And GO CHINOOK!

Join us for Lynx Hollow Work Parties!

Saturday March 17th 9am-noon
Lynx Hollow State Park Ivy Work Party
on Davisson Road (accessible from Hwy 99)

Spend your Saturday morning outside with us helping to protect habitats in the historic floodplain of the Coast Fork Willamette River with State Park Ranger Scott Youngblood. Help remove English ivy trying to strangle the trees in this park! We'll also look for stands of native plants like nettle to protect from reed canary grass and do a bit of wildcrafting. Bring boots, water, and your favorite ivy tools--we'll provide the snacks. For questions about the event, please call 541-517-8580 or 541-767-9717.

Reply to our event on Facebook!

For questions about the event, please call 541-517-8580 or 541-767-9717

For an interesting and detailed view of the watershed maps and possible restoration projects, please stop by the Council office.

Pamela Reber

Coordinator & Project Manager
Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council
28 S. Sixth St., A
Cottage Grove, OR 97424

E-mail Us
www.coastfork.org
____________________________________________________

The second annual Friends of Mosby Creek Picnic took place on Sunday, September 14th, 2011 at Blue Mountain Park, with support of the Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council. Mosby Creek is the focus of a broad collaboration between these local groups, ODFW, BLM, and Weyerhaeuser to improve habitat for spring Chinook, cutthroat trout, and Western pond turtles.
Volunteers created a display and interpretive signage of the native flora just for this event. The rustic site had floodplain and riparian characteristics that the council seeks to enhance in future projects with local landowners.

Site visits are beginning this winter! Please call the office at 767-9717 to schedule one today.

Restoration Resources

U.S. Corps of Engineers Willamette Watershed Restoration Maps are available for viewing in the Coast Fork office.
-- 
Pamela Reber

Coordinator & Project Manager
Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council
28 S. Sixth St., A
Cottage Grove, OR 97424

coastfork@willamette.net
www.coastfork.org
http://coastfork.wordpress.com/

(541) 767-9717

COTTAGE GROVE CELEBRATES
THE OLYMPIC TRIALS WITH THE GOLD RUSH 5k RUN!
By Romney Taylor

Teagan Settlemeyer leads the pack on the start of the 5k.

North Carolina's Chris Squires & CG's Patricia Guiterrez round the corner.

1st place Michael Bennit congratulates grandfather David Elliot 13th.

Cottage Grove High School track star, Patricia Guiterrez, finishes strong with a 12th overall.

CG Walkers "cruised" their way through the 5k!

CG's Dan Bousted with a smiling finish.

The Tolberts from Maryland, enjoyed the race.

Wal-Mart LOOKING TO EXPAND A
SUPERSTORE TO COTTAGE GROVE, OREGON
-Neighbors oppose-

A letter from a local resident

Wal-Mart's Public Hearing at the Cottage Grove City Hall in front of hundreds of onlookers was rowdy and controversial to say the least. The meeting which was supposed to last from 7:30-10:30PM was nearly filibustered by an overwhelming testimony of Wal-Mart attorneys who turned the "public hearing" into an overwhelming display of slide shows, projected land use changes and traffic -studies that gave the public little-to-no-right to speak in opposition. Wa[lMart's pitch for the Superstore is mainly to sell groceries (while expanding its operation to over 150,000 square feet - not to mention the outdoor "uncovered" grounds which are not included in the square foot expansion estimates). They said, "it will bring competition to Cottage Grove." A Wal-Mart Superstore does not just sell groceries, but many, many other items that compete with a majority of local businesses trying to stay alive in our unique community.

Some interesting links to read:

Wal-Mart Is Not a Business, It's an Econimic Disease

Wal-Mart & China: Cozy, multi-billion dollar bedfellows

Study Finds Wal-Mart Contributes to Poverty

Wal-Mart's China inventory to hit $18 billion dollars this year

In Circleville, Ohio, population 13,000, the local RCA television-manufacturing plant was once a source of good jobs with good pay and benefits. But in late 2003, RCA's owner, Thomson Consumer Electronics, lost a sizeable portion of its production orders and six months later shut the plant down, throwing 1,000 people out of work.

A letter from the Santacruz independent media center

The Wal-Mart You Don't Know

Paying The Price At Walmart

A town like Cottage Grove is filled with locally-owned businesses that cannot compete with the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, who imports the majority of its items from China and other overseas companies with great buying power that any local business cannot compete with. We urge you to support your local Cottage Grove businesses by attending the next Public Hearing to be held in approximately two weeks.

The Cottage Grove Planning Commission will accept more
public comment on Wal-Mart's proposal.
Where: City Hall Council Chamber, 400 Main St.
When: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31

Community feedback is very important at this meeting

In the meantime, you can post your opinions to our Bulletin Board at: http://www.cottagegrove.net/cgi-bin/cgubb/ultimatebb.cgi

You can also contact the following City Council members:

Chair:
Matt Parsons 
P.O. Box 232 
767-2367(hm)   942-7300(wk)
Term expires:  12/31/2009

David McClean  (Vice-Chair)
304 Adams Avenue 
767-0931(hm)   485-3970(wk)
Term expires:  12/31/2008

Savannah Crawford 
810 Withycome Avenue
521-8092(hm)   541-957-3639(wk)
Term expires:  12/31/2009

George Devine
 33631 Cedar Park Place
 942-2769(hm) 942-1301(wk)
Term expires:  12/31/2007

Mike Fleck
1125 East Harrison
942-7301(hm)   683-4205(wk)
Term expires:  12/31/2009

Rudy Severns
32857 Fox Lane
942-0536 (hm) 
Term Expires:  12/31/2008

Lloyd Williams
1490 Jason Lee Avenue
942-1310 (hm)  682-2679 (wk)
Term expires:  12/31/2007

LTD DOCUMENTARY

One of Cottage Grove's residents has recently made a short documentary on the problems local LTD riders are facing with limited scheduling and bus capacity. It is an interesting story with some great viewpoints of what the current LTD scheduling issues are and what sorts of different inconveniences it is causing the users. You can watch the movie by clicking here.

We have also added a new Bulletin Board category called the "LTD RIDERS' FORUM" specifically for the LTD riders and community to post their comments and concerns on. Any participation is certainly appreciated!

NEW OREGON STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM

The new (OSRM) Oregon State Railroad Museum scheduled to open in 2005 (the new owners of the Perrydale Depot), is currently considering at 2 former Lane County area logging railroad right of ways, on one they hope to open the excursion part of the new museum. Both right of ways are owned by Weyerhaeuser, with one going from Springfield to Marcola; and the other Going West, out of Cottage Grove. Weyerhaeuser has not disclosed the location of that right of way; but at a meeting this week (July 12-19), Weyerhaeuser reps will fill in the details for us. We believe though, that the line they are suggesting, is the old Chambers Mill Logging Rail Line; and if it is, the old covered railroad bridge, will once again handle trains across/through it.

Once open, the Museum and it's tourist excursions (steam trains, diesel and electric trolleys) will attract literally 10's of thousands of tourists per year; and whichever city's line the museum selects, that city will witness an economic boom. This means that a lot of jobs will become available in CG; at both the museum / railroad; and in throughout the city.

OSRM has a web site at http://osrm.org While it is not complete yet, it will give you a lot of information and a good of what we have planned for the museum. If you like what you read about us, there are email icons, you can click on, to volunteer, ask questions, and a Paypal contribute icon with which you can use to contribute (donate).

If we find that it is the line with the bridge, that will become a major decision factor; when working out the final details with Weyerhaeuser. We will also need volunteers to help us move the depot to the museum's new site.

NOTE: If the old OP&E Depot next to Walmart is available, we'd like to move it and add it to our museum as well. If anyone knows about it, please contact us. info@osrm.org

Don Kirk
Oregon State Railroad Museum

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

The big deal is that we are growing! Not taller, but in numbers. Cottage Grove's new census report says we went from 8,912 to 9,010 residents...that's a whopping 98 residents! Well, a little more traffic will never hurt anyone!

ALL AMERICAN CITY!

Cottage Grove was again named "All American City" Saturday by the National Civic League in Atlanta, GA. This is second time that Cottage Grove has been recognized, and is now one of only two Oregon cities to be awarded this recognition twice (Salem received the award in 1960 and 1982).This will undoubtedly make Cottage Grove an even more desirable place to live and help to develop additional recognition, economic development and tourism.

NEW HOSPITAL IS OPEN

Peace Health / Cottage Grove's new hospital is open and in business! Cottage Grove's new hospital will handle all physician and Level 1 trauma patients for the surrounding areas.

CottageGrove.net is looking for a news editor to cover local events and gather news-worthy items. We encourage local folks and business management to send press releases and other pertinent info to: CottageGrove.net
PO 590
Cottage Grove, OR 97424

Have some local news? You can e-mail us too!

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