Sweet Lorane Community News, September 24, 2020

September 24, 2020Newspaper ColumnsBruce McDonald, Karen Pidgeon, Lorane Rural Fire Department, Lorane Wildfirepaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
September 24, 2020
By Pat Edwards

Lorane firefightere, Pete Kersgaard, viewing the aftermath of the wildfire that burned between Carpenter’s-By-Pass and Territorial Roads. Photo by Shane Kronberger

Our community dodged another wildfire bullet again this week. At about 4:00 p.m. last Wednesday, September 23, high winds developed in our area. Apparently, a tree, located on private property situated between south Territorial and Carpenter’s By-Pass roads fell on some power lines which ignited a fire that quickly began to spread. Many of us were glued to the Lorane Facebook page and the various fire alert websites to get updated information as it happened. Neighbors close to the fire began loading their horses and livestock into trailers in case they needed to quickly move out of the way of the blaze which the winds were blowing towards Territorial. The fear was palpable, but soon, fire vehicles and Bruce McDonald’s big CAT which has already seen a lot of use in local fires, were seen heading for the site. Shortly afterwards, reports and photos of helicopters with buckets of water were seen flying over the community and we all rejoiced. Prayers went out on-line for rain which was already showing up as sprinkles coming from the west. Within minutes, reports began showing up that the rain had hit the area as a steady downpour. Although the fear was still present, we all began to feel that this was one battle that we were not going to lose.

Helicopter with bucket of water heading for the Lorane wildfire on September 23, 2020. Photo by Jessica Betts

During the duration of the fire, the administrators of the Lorane, Oregon Facebook page were busily manning the page in order to give family members of area residents and neighboring communities permission to join the page so that they could follow the progression.

The next day, the Lorane Rural Fire Protection District fire department released the following statement:

“With the help of North Douglas, Lane Fire Authority, ODF, air support and good ole Oregon rain, we were able to get a good knock down. (The) last unofficial estimate is around 10-15 acres in size. ODF will stay on scene mopping up hot spots overnight and possibly into tomorrow. We also have a dozer on site to create a fire line around the perimeter. Thank you to all of our supporting agencies for the quick response.”

The community was especially vocal in posting thanks to all who worked so hard to protect us. These thanks included in the many posts the following morning can be summed up by Karen Pidgeon.

“Heartfelt thanks to all who helped get the fire out, and everyone for their communications. After the weeks of fires and smoke and worry, this was a huge fear for everyone out here… so thankful for such a great community!”

Thank you, LRFPD and all those who helped with the fire, for taking such good care of us! It was a pretty scary time and we are so thankful that so many were prepared and able to get this fire out before it got started. Mother Nature was definitely on our side last night, too, but you are all our heroes.

Sweet Lorane Community News, February 7, 2019

February 7, 2019Newspaper ColumnsArizona, Gillespie Corners, Karen Pidgeon, Lorane Eta Theta Rho #94, ODOT, Oregon Department of Transportation, Parents' Night Out, Sandra Larson, Stony Point, Territorial Highwaypaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News ,
February 7, 2019
By Pat Edwards

By the time you read this, Jim and I will have returned from our 4-day visit to Anthem, Arizona to visit our youngest daughter, Kelly, and her husband Justin Fontaine. Since my submission deadline takes place while we are away, I’m submitting this short column ahead of time…

The gears have begun to turn on the proposed realignment of Territorial Highway between Gillespie Corners and Lorane. The Oregon Department of Transportation is proposing to pay Lane County $30 million over several years to take on the ownership of Territorial Highway which has, until now, been a state highway. Much of the proposed money will be used on a safety project to straighten the curves and widen our section of Territorial where there are no shoulders or areas suitable for passing the increasing number of bicyclists who ride it in the good weather months.

The county has already taken steps to outline a plan to survey a new alignment of the section that will include and address the long-term problem of the Stony Point curves and the geological shifting and sinking of the pavement itself. It’s long been a safety concern for all of us who drive that stretch on a daily basis… especially since trees were cut last year to make way for new power lines and the edges of the pavement leading up the hill are not protected by guardrails.

The Lane County Board of Commissioners was to meet last Tuesday to vote on the arrangement, but because I am writing this early, I won’t be able to include that information in this column.

Our own Karen Pidgeon, a professional artist who, with Alix Mosieur, gave us our beautiful mural, is one of 25 artists whose work is featured in the Eugene Love Show, a non-juried art exhibition that examines “the concept of love.” Karen’s piece, titled “Wolves at Play” is one of those being used to promote the event. You can visit the exhibit that will take place in downtown Eugene just off Kesey Square (located on Broadway and Willamette) in the lobby of the Broadway Commerce Building.

Here’s a reminder about some of the upcoming events I’ve mentioned in past columns:
Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at the Fern Ridge Middle School: The Celebration of Life for former Veneta mayor, Sandy Larson; Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at the Fern Ridge Middle School.

Friday, February 15, from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m.: The Eta Theta Rho Girls Club’s free Parents’ Night Out for Lorane and Crow parents… free childcare!

More details on both of these events can be found in my January 24, 2019 column that’s posted on my website at https://allthingslorane.com/category/newspaper-columns.

I hope you enjoyed your snow while Jim and I were enjoying our Arizona sunshine.

Sweet Lorane Community News, August 16, 2018

August 16, 2018Newspaper Columns2018 Groundwaters anthology, Alix Mosieur, Bruce McDonald, Gary Thompson, Jim Bailor, Jim Burnett Sr., Jim Edwards, Jimminy Cricket, Karen Pidgeon, Lorane Community Potluck, Lorane Ice Cream Social, Lorane Mural Projectpaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
August 16, 2018
By Pat Edwards

Awww… this has been a week of much-needed rest… well, maybe that’s not the right word. It’s a week where I have been able to stay at home—no meetings!—sitting in front of my computer while trying to catch up on a large backlog of emails.

Last Wednesday was also the deadline for submissions for the 2018 Groundwaters anthology which Jen Chambers and I have been producing for the past 4 years. Before that it was in the form of a quarterly magazine that was published and distributed through this area for over 11 years.

We have enough amazing material to produce this fourth anthology. My brother Jim Burnett, Sr. (aka Jimminy Cricket), who was a major part of our Groundwaters family for many years before his health forced him to retire has been helping us to read and review the submissions. He’s baaack!… Jim’s recently been diagnosed with cancer and spends 3-4 hours daily for a week at a time, having his chemo “cocktails.” Reading the entertaining stories and poems gives him a much appreciated escape. There are many talented writers in the area who are willing to share their stories and poems with us and they are the reason for Groundwaters’ success. For the past 3 anthologies, there have been over 60 contributors published in each one.

The unveiling of the Lorane mural went very well on Sunday, August 12. Karen Pidgeon and Alix Mosieur received the respect and appreciation they so richly deserve. We estimated there must have been at least 100+ people in attendance. The day was windy and the drapes covering the mural were clothes-pinned together to keep everyone from getting an early “peek.” After I finished my reading, long-time Lorane residents, Bruce McDonald, Gary Thompson, Jim Edwards and Jim Bailor removed the drapes to reveal the gorgeous legacy that Karen, Alix and the Lorane Community Association have provided our current and future residents. You really need to stop by the Lorane Family Store and see it in person. Photographs just don’t do it justice.

Mural Sunday morning, I attended a baby shower for our granddaughter, Linsey Kau Haxby, so I wasn’t able to attend the Lorane Community Potluck or the Ice Cream Social, but Jim and his brother, John Edwards, went up to the potluck and enjoyed the great food and visited with others from the area. It was a rather small turnout, but it’s hoped that more community members will take part next year.

Lil Thompson reported that a large number attended the annual Lorane Fire Department’s Ice Cream Social in the afternoon. “Many enjoyed the dunk tank, the bounce house, fire truck rides, rides in the EPUD bucket lift, the water hose challenge, the music provided by Kyle and Jim and, of course, the delicious pies and ice cream.”
The cooler weather this past week has been so very welcome. I have a sensitivity to sustained, direct exposure to sun and heat which I probably developed during the many years I helped Jim in the hayfields, driving the tractor—sans umbrella or air conditioning. I recently pushed my luck during the Art in the Country Festival and again when I was shoveling bark chips around the mural in preparation for the unveiling.

Fortunately, the mural was outside our store, so when I began to feel overheated, I was able to go in and sit in the walk-in cooler for awhile. Such a perk!