It was one of the first stories I stepped into as a reporter for The Chronicle. About eight years ago, the Creswell City Council had a tough decision to make. It was under ownership of a dilapidated one-room schoolhouse in the middle of a residential neighborhood. With no capacity to[Read More…]
Author: ERIN TIERNEY HEGGENSTALLER - [email protected]
Dangerous ice storm scars cities with damage, causing major disruptions
No community was spared from the intense grips of a relentless ice storm. Blasts of arctic gusts up to 20 miles per hour and an accumulation of up to 4-6 inches of ice brought cities in the Southern Willamette Valley to its knees, prompting power outages that affected thousands and[Read More…]
Fleck recall tossed out: Petitioner says he refuses to quit; eyes next steps
COTTAGE GROVE — At the center of a recall effort that’s been underway since July, Mike Fleck is the last among a trio of Cottage Grove City Councilors to cast a sigh of relief. “Lane County election officials conducted signature verification on Nov. 17 and found there to be an[Read More…]
Chronicle nets 21 editorial awards for ’22
We’re going to need more wall space. The Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association last week announced winners of the state contest, recognizing The Chronicle with 21 editorial awards for its work in 2022 – including four first-place awards, and a prestigious General Excellence honor for the fourth consecutive year. Awards stretch[Read More…]
Smoke & heat: High temps strike; fires rage nearby
Triple-digit temperatures and ominous creamsicle-colored skies are making for a tough go this week in the Southern Willamette Valley, prompting residents to lay low, avoid the smoke, and keep an eye on forecast and fire evacuation notices. Most cities in our area are suffering from “unhealthy” air conditions. By noon[Read More…]
Nuisance trees removed on 1st Street
SPRINGFIELD — Seven sweetgum trees were removed last week at 700 1st St. last week to make way for sidewalk replacement and new trees. The sweetgums have grown so large that they have damaged the sidewalk by raising panels and cracking parts of the walking surface, according to city officials.[Read More…]
Pan for a gold time at mining festival
COTTAGE GROVE — Mining. Movies. Murals: The mother lode of Grove’s “Golden Years” will be on full display at the 64th annual Bohemia Mining Days festival, set to kick off on Thursday, July 13. BMD, held July 13-15, takes hold of Cottage Grove’s historic past, contextualized through a three-day celebration[Read More…]
Creswell OKs ordinance for unhoused
CRESWELL – The Creswell City Council at Monday’s meeting unanimously approved an ordinance that permits unhoused camping, rather than prohibits it – a unique approach that satisfies a previously split council while also satisfying state law. Instead of listing the locations where the unhoused can rest, the ordinance lists all the[Read More…]
July’s Bohemia Mining Days may be the last
COTTAGE GROVE — The good news: Bohemia Mining Days is set for July 13-15, after fundraising efforts and a generous anonymous donor pulled through to help cover the festival’s substantial budget deficit. The bad news: If BMD coordinators can’t find a viable partner to split expenses with by next year,[Read More…]
Valley lends slow, steady salute on Memorial Day
Nine hundred sixty-eight in World War I. Three thousand, seven hundred fifty-seven in World War II. Two hundred and sixty-nine in the Korean War. Seven hundred and nine in Vietnam. Six in Desert Storm. Sixty-nine in Iraq. Seventy-four in Afghanistan. During Monday’s Memorial Day Celebration at the Springfield Veterans Plaza,[Read More…]