Polk County
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Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 19, 2017 4a
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EDITORIALS
Let’s clean up the
streets of Dallas
The planter boxes of Court Street have been spruced up,
thanks to efforts from Dallas public works employees
pulling weeds and laying fresh bark.
At the same time, chicken bones lay in the parking lot at
the Itemizer-Observer, stacked like some kind of ancient
ritual.
We’ll get those swept up, but it is a reminder of the trash
throughout downtown. Often on walks around town, we
notice paper or plastic cups, napkins, and other rubbish
cluttering the streetscape of downtown. Weeds grow in the
planter boxes with spring flowers.
The Dallas Downtown Association has organized a com-
munitywide cleanup day on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
This is the first time in a long time that an effort has
been made to rally the community to take responsibility
for cleaning its downtown area, and we’re excited to see it
happen.
Dallas is a beautiful place. This summer, downtown will
be the site of Summerfest in July, and the Great American
Eclipse events in August. Thousands of guests will walk the
streets of downtown.
Saturday is Earth Day, and what better way to spend the
day than to clean up our city.
Whether you’re a business owner or resident of Dallas —
or if you just want to feel good about the way you spend
your Saturday morning — come down to Pressed Coffee &
Wine Bar at 9 a.m. and be ready to put in some elbow
grease.
Many hands make light work, and the more who show
up to help, the more projects will get done quickly.
If you can’t make it, do your part by picking up the
garbage you see on the streets. Trash cans are placed on
each block in downtown, so you won’t have to carry it very
far before putting it in a rubbish bin.
GOVERNOR
Gov. Kate Brown (Dem.)
160 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-378-4582
Email: via website,
http://governor.oregon.gov/
—
STATE LEGISLATORS
Sen. arnie Roblan
(District 5, Democrat)
S-417 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
sen.arnieroblan@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/roblan
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Deputies’ work
makes difference
I wanted to give a big
thank you the Polk County
Sheriff’s Department.
For the last week, the
Oregon Department of
Transportation has had traf-
fic diverted from Highway
99W through Perrydale due
to a construction project.
Our small community is
not set up for the volume of
traffic that flows on High-
way 99 on a daily basis. We
have a school zone, narrow
shoulders and farm equip-
ment. The Polk County
deputies did a fantastic job
of “reminding” people that
the detour route was not a
freeway.
Their presence in the area
was a big help.
Thank you for all that you
do every day to protect our
county, and especially for
caring about our small area
of the county during the de-
tour.
Anna Scharf
Perrydale
Sen. Jackie winters
(District 10, Republican)
S-301 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1710
sen.jackiewinters@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/winters
Sen. Brian Boquist
(District 12, Republican)
S-305 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1712
sen.brianboquist@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/boquist
Rep. David Gomberg
(District 10, Democrat)
H-471 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1410
rep.davidgomberg@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg
Rep. Paul Evans
(District 20, Democrat)
H-281 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1420
rep.paulevans@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/evans
PUBLIC AGENDA
Public agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings for gov-
ernmental and nongovernmental agencies in Polk County.
To submit a meeting, send it at least two weeks before the
actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via email
(ionews@polkio.com).
—
wEDnESDay, aPRiL 19
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
THuRSDay, aPRiL 20
• Monmouth arts and Culture Commission — 7 p.m., Vol-
unteer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• independence Parks and Recreation Board — 6 p.m., In-
dependence Civic Center, third floor, 555 S. Main St., Independ-
ence. 503-838-1212.
• Falls City Budget Committee — 7 p.m., Falls City Commu-
nity Center, 320 N. Main St. 503-787-3631.
MOnDay, aPRiL 24
• independence Library Board — 4 p.m., Independence
Public Library, 175 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• Dallas School Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District of-
fice, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594.
• Dallas Budget Committee — 5:30 p.m., City Hall, 187 SE
Court St. 503-431-3502.
• Dallas School District Budget Committee — 6 p.m., Dis-
trict Office, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594.
TuESDay, aPRiL 25
• independence City Council — 8:30 a.m., Central High
School auditorium, 1830 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-
838-1212.
• Monmouth Senior advisory Board — 1 p.m., Monmouth
Senior Center, 180 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commission work session — 9
a.m., Polk County Courthouse, BOC office, 850 Main St., Dallas.
503-623-8173.
wEDnESDay, aPRiL 26
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
Rep. Mike nearman
(District 23, Republican)
H-378 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1423
rep.mikenearman@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/nearman
—
U.S. CONGRESS
Sen. Ron wyden (Dem.)
221 Dirksen SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-5244
Fax: 202-228-2717
Salem office: 707 13th St. SE,
Suite 285, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-589-4555
Email: via website,
www.wyden.senate.gov
Sen. Jeff Merkley (Dem.)
313 Hart SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3753
Fax: 202-228-3997
Salem office: 161 High St. SE,
Suite 250, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-362-8102
Email: via website,
www.merkley.senate.gov
WANT TO WRITE A LETTER?
The Polk County Itemizer-Observer
Your community news source.
Letters to the editor are lim-
ited to 300 words. Longer letters
will be edited.
Election-related letters of all
types are limited to 100 words.
Writers are limited to one elec-
tion-related letter per election
season. Election letters from
writers outside of Polk County
are not accepted.
Each writer is restricted to
one letter per 30-day period.
Letters that are libelous, ob-
scene or in bad taste will not be
printed. Attacks by name on
businesses or individuals will
not be printed.
Letters to the editor that are
obvious promotions for a busi-
ness, products or services will
not be printed.
The Itemizer-Observer does
not guarantee the accuracy of
facts presented by letter writers;
dissenters are welcome to re-
spond. Letter writers who dis-
agree with other published
letter writers should maintain a
civil discourse and address the
subject, not the author.
Letters, like all editorial mate-
rial submitted to the newspa-
per, are edited for length,
grammar and content.
Letters must include the au-
thor’s name, address and tele-
phone number. This includes
letters submitted via the I-O’s
website. Names and cities of res-
idence are published; street ad-
dresses and telephone numbers
are used for verification pur-
poses only.
Letters must be submitted
from individuals, not organiza-
tions, and must be original sub-
missions to the I-O, not copies of
letters sent to other media.
Letters of thanks to busi-
nesses, individuals and organi-
zations are limited to 10 names.
The deadline for letters to the
editor is 10 a.m. Monday. Let-
ters submitted may not be re-
tractable after this deadline.
—
Reach us at:
Mail: Editor, Polk County
Itemizer-Observer, P.O. Box 108,
Dallas, OR 97338.
Fax: 503-623-2395.
Email: ionews@polkio.com.
Office: 147 SE Court St., Dallas.
Rep. Kurt Schrader (Dem.)
108 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-5711
Fax: 202-225-5699
Salem office: 544 Ferry St. SE,
Suite 2, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-588-9100
Fax: 503-588-5517
Email: via website,
www.schrader.house.gov
—
POLK COUNTY
Board of Commissioners
850 Main St.
Dallas, OR 97338
Phone: 503-623-8173
www.co.polk.or.us
—
CITIES
Dallas
187 SE Court St.
Dallas, OR 97338
503-623-2338
www.ci.dallas.or.us
Falls City
299 Mill St.
Falls City, OR 97344
503-787-3631
www.fallscityoregon.gov
independence
555 S. Main St.
Independence, OR 97351
503-838-1212
www.ci.independence.or.us
Monmouth
151 W. Main St.
Monmouth, OR 97361
503-838-0722
www.ci.monmouth.or.us
HOW TO REACH US
nEwSROOM
Emily Mentzer ..............Editor/Monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com
Vol. 142, No. 16
(USPS) - 437-380)
The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875
Winner of 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 General Excellence Awards
from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
Periodicals postage paid at
Dallas, OR, Independence, OR and Monmouth, OR.
Published weekly at 147 SE Court Street
Dallas, Oregon 97338
Phone: 503-623-2373
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Polk County — One Year $35
Other Oregon Counties — One Year $40
Outside of Oregon — One Year $45
POSTMaSTER:
Send address changes to: Polk County itemizer-Observer, P.O. Box 108, Dallas, Oregon 97338
Lukas Eggen..................Sports Editor......................................................................leggen@polkio.com
Jolene Guzman............Dallas/Falls City/Polk County Reporter ................jguzman@polkio.com
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