DANA MERRYDAY/CHRONICLE PHOTO Al Kennedy High School students, led by teacher David Heritage, are installing solar panels as part of a CTE program. Editor’s note: This is the first of a month-long series on high school graduation. There are exciting…

Merryday It sure is nice to have some real Oregon weather, cool, gray, and rainy. I hope it lasts as we can use the moisture following a droughty new year. Fire danger is right around the corner, already the City…

Bioswale stormwater mediation before returning to the river. Editor’s note: Part II of a two-part series. Besides having a hand in securing Cottage Grove’s first “All America City” designation in 1968, the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) has been steadily evolving…

DANA MERRYDAY/PHOTO Cottage Grove’s wastewater plant was first built in 1953 to handle 6,000 residents. Part I of a two-part series. COTTAGE GROVE – Most folks don’t want to think about what happens when they flush the toilet. They are…

ALICE DOYLE/PHOTO Des Linden breaks the tape in record time for a women’s 50K ultra-marathon on Tuesday, April 13, in Cottage Grove. When you hear the word “marathon” it usually means something epic or vast in proportion, such as “Last…

For several months reports were circulating among running enthusiasts that professional marathoner Desiree “Des” Linden would be attempting her first ultra-marathon. She had her sights on the 50-kilometer race, just over 31 miles, with the aim of beating the women’s world…

DANA MERRYDAY/PHOTO Crew members put in long days and hard work. They can walk for up to five miles in a single day and carry 30-pound packs with gear and tools. Today we find ourselves in a remarkably similar situation…

DANA MERRYDAY/PHOTO Workers in the early stages of a building the outdoor seating area in front of Jack Sprats in Cottage Grove. When I grew up, everything was downtown. We did our clothes shopping at small stores or at JCPenney.…

DANA MERRYDAY/PHOTO The author and his girlfriend decided to marry on April Fools’ Day – a wise decision by all accounts. “April 1. This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are the other three-hundred and…

DANA MERRYDAY/PHOTO Cottage Grove’s state-of-the-art drinking water treatment plant. Around town …  Cottage Grovers are a tough crowd. They expect a lot from their elected officials and their tax dollars, and occasionally view city officials’ actions with suspicion. In a…