Last Saturday was “Gay 90's Day” in  Coquille. Crowds enjoyed a multitude of  events during the festive, sunny day. Not  all events were just “fun.” Many groups  took advantage of having so many folks  visiting the core area to introduce them to  many of the “cultural” activities now available  here. The museum had the authors of  recent Coquille Valley history books on  hand to sign their works for buyers. The  new center for arts education enhancement  and the martial arts training center were  open to show off their programs and new  facilities in the former Barrows Drug building.

The Coquille Dog Park was dedicated  on Saturday, June 6. The project committee  deserves special credit for this accomplishment  completing the project in half the time  and at less than 40% of the cost of a similar  project recently completed in larger community  over in the I-5 corridor.  On June 17 Loran Wiese and Dennis  Graham will be in Sun River to present  Coquille’s River Walk trail project proposal  to the state committee which will decide  which of 68 projects applying for funds  actually get funded this year. The project  committee hopes to pave as much of the  multi use pathway as the grant and locally  raised funds will allow. The project continues  selling honor bricks to raise funds for  the project. Purchase forms are available at  the community center, city hall and the  Sentinel office.

These bricks will ultimately  become a part of the trail surface between  the parking area near Fat Tuesdays and the  trestle. Two sizes are available (4"x8" and  8"x8") at $50.00 and $75.00 respectively.  Sample bricks can be seen at the Sentinel  office and in the community center near the  entry to the large auditorium.  Hanging flower baskets are up and  beginning to fill out. Seiya Nishi says the  cool weather this spring slowed the growth  of the flowers in the baskets prior to their  being hung on the power poles. He expects  that the warmer weather and fertilizers in the  water truck water will accelerate their growth  over the next few weeks. The hanging flower  basket project committee says that they can  still use a few more volunteers for manning  the watering truck this summer.

Watering is  done on Tuesday and Thursday each week  and takes about 1 ½ hours to make the  rounds. The committee says that the more 3-  person crews that are signed up, the less frequently  each crew has to be on duty.  Interested persons can sign up at the Coquille  Garden Shop on Central between Curves and  the Motel.  The Coquille Valley Historical Society  reports that interest remains high for area history  books. It expects to have sold all copies  currently available before the end of summer.  Since sales are on a “first come, first serve”  basis, the Society suggests local residents  come in early before the normal out of town  tourists buy up the remaining copies of the  several local history books they have available  for sale.

Operation Welcome provides newcomers  special bags containing information about  services and merchants in Coquille. Earlier  this year bags were going out at the rate of  about one per week. During May the rate has  dropped to none, but it is expected that activity  will pick up in the summer. Newcomers,  or those knowing of newcomers, are invited  to call the Sentinel phone number (396-3191)  and ask for Dian with their requests for these  welcoming bags.  Operation Coquille Inc. needs more volunteer  members willing to help carry out community  benefit projects for improving our  quality of life. Individuals can become members  by coming into the Sentinel office on  First St., completing a membership form, and  leaving the form with a dues payment on our  desk. (Dues are only $20 per year.)