AUGUST 14, 2015, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
KeizerCommunity
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Two veterans leaving Full stomachs, warm hearts
Keizer Police posts
By CRAIG MURPHY
doing it a year ago, then de-
Of the Keizertimes
cided to hang on a little lon-
Just like that, the Keizer ger. I’ve been contemplating
Police Department has lost it since about February. I just
two employees with a com- wanted to take a break. Being
bined 52 years of experience. at a job for 26 years is a long
Rita Powers, the Police time. People don’t usually
Support supervisor, retired hang on to a job that long
from the KPD Aug. 7 after anymore. I enjoyed it. It was
exactly 26 years
something different
with the depart-
every day.”
ment. John Tron-
Powers, who has
coso, a longtime
four granddaugh-
detective and head
ters, has a big up-
of the Criminal
coming event to
Investigations Divi-
keep her busy.
sion, is leaving the
“I have a grand-
department today,
son on the way, due
Aug. 14. His of-
at Christmas,” she
fi cial
retirement
said. “I’ll help my
date is Sept. 1, but
daughter with him
J. Troncoso
he already had
and maybe do some
scheduled vacation
local traveling.”
for the rest of this
Powers enjoyed
month.
her time at the
Troncoso
was
KPD.
among nine em-
“I had a really
ployees joining the
good career,” she
KPD on Oct. 1,
said. “I started just
1989, meaning he
before John and
joined shortly after
Jeff started. It’s been
Powers.
fun watching some
Police chief John
of these guys grow
Teague, who joined
older, to watch
R. Powers
the KPD the same
how their lives have
day as Troncoso and deputy evolved, to see their kids be
chief Jeff Kuhns, noted the born and grow. That’s the
impact will be felt now and part I’ll miss the most. It’s re-
especially down the road.
ally been a family. Some of
“Anytime you lose a good these guys have started very
employee with 25 years of green. A lot of our offi cers
institutional
knowledge, started as reserves, so I’ve
that’s a hard thing to fi ll,” seen them grow to become
Teague said. “Once they are excellent offi cers.”
gone, then you realize how
Teague had high praise for
many gaps they fi lled in.”
Powers.
Powers fi gured her anni-
“Rita is solid as a rock,”
versary date would be a good he said. “She’s one of those
time to step aside.
invaluable employees. I call
“I just decided it was them basement people. They
time,” she said on Tuesday. are the people that are foun-
“I’m enjoying being home dational to the agency. They
for a while and having my don’t gain a lot of headlines
own schedule. It was 26 years in part because their work
to the day. I thought about doesn’t gather headlines.
Their personality is they
show up, they do great work,
they don’t cause problems.
That’s the type of people or-
ganizations love to have.”
For Troncoso, retirement
has been a long time in com-
ing.
“I’ve been thinking about
it for four years,” he said. “As
the time came, it was a little
diffi cult to do. I wasn’t set on
it. I want to make some life-
style changes.”
One of Troncoso’s main
assets over the years was his
ability to speak fl uent Span-
ish, which surprised people
who judged him by his looks.
“It was defi nitely a valu-
able skill to have,” Troncoso
said. “There weren’t many
detectives in the area fl uent
in Spanish. People would
volunteer things (in Spanish)
in front of me, not knowing I
understood. But I really used
it more to help Hispanics. I
worked a lot with the His-
panic community. It’s been
benefi cial for me and it’s
been benefi cial for the de-
partment since I can function
in that world.”
Because of his bilingual
ability, Troncoso has been
helping other law enforce-
ment agencies and the Dis-
trict Attorney’s offi ce for
much of his career. One of
the few times he couldn’t do
much came with the Harkey
murder in 2004.
“I fi nally got a taste of
what it’s like to not be bi-
lingual with that case,” Tron-
coso said. “I tried to talk to
people but they spoke Rus-
sian, not a word of English.
I just came up empty. I real-
ized what most of my non-
Spanish speaking peers had
experienced over the years. I
was at a dead end.”
Troncoso enjoyed his time
at the KPD.
“It has been fulfi lling,”
he said. “Everyone who gets
into this profession knows it’s
public service. Most people
do want to make a difference
and to help. It has been nice
to be able to do that.”
Teague noted Troncoso’s
retirement will be felt far
outside the KPD.
“Losing John is a regional
loss,” Teague said. “That guy’s
value extends from this de-
partment to the profession
locally. Compounded with
being an exceptionally mo-
tivated investigator, he’s also
a Spanish speaker. His value
to other agencies and the
DA’s offi ce, they will sing his
praises. There are not many
police offi cers as widely re-
spected as he is.”
KEIZERTIMES/Lyndon A. Zaitz
Delaney Madison Grill and owner Jim Marshall marked its one-year anniversary earlier this
week by offering complimentary dinners to clients and residents of Simonka Place (pic-
tured), Hope Station and the Union Gospel Mission. A total of 78 diners chose from a select
menu in the dining room overlooking Staats Lake. For some it was the fi rst nice meal at a
sit-down restaurant in years.
KCFB seeking school supplies
The Keizer Community
Food Bank will once again
be giving away school supply
packets this year.
Donations can be brought
to the food barrel cart in the
Fellowship Hall at Fort Knox
Presbyterian Church or to
Faith Lutheran Church be-
fore 11 a.m. on Thursdays.
Items needed: backpacks,
16- and 24-count Cray-
ola crayons, glue sticks and
white glue, Fiskars scissors,
No. 2 pencils, pens, pink
pearl erasers, pencil cases,
three-ring notebooks, wide
lined notebook paper, tissues,
Museum
spotlights
agriculture
memories
Eating disorder
awareness event
scheduled Aug. 22
The Keizer Heritage Muse-
um is celebrating farming and
agriculture in the region with
a new display of farming im-
plements and some history of
agriculture in the Keizer area.
The exhibit will run to the
end of September.
The exhibit includes infor-
mation and many photographs.
The museum is still seeking
items for the display includ-
ing dried hops and green hop
vines.
The Keizer Heritage Mu-
seum is open 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays
and Thursdays and 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. on Saturdays. The mu-
seum is located on the bottom
fl oor of the Keizer Heritage
Center at 980 Chemawa Rd.
N.E.
Ask Mr. Trash
Q. Can I put plastic bags into the big
blue recycle cart?
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
The mid-Willamette Val-
ley’s fi rst counseling center
dedicated to assisting those
battling eating disorders is
now open in Keizer.
The Oasis Center for
Counseling and Wellness
opened its doors this week at
4575 River Road N., but is
planning an awareness event
Saturday, Aug. 22, in conjunc-
tion with Project Heal. Proj-
ect Heal provides scholarships
and fi nancial support pro-
grams for people with eating
disorders who are unable to
afford treatment.
“Project Heal will be doing
a raffl e, offering educational
materials and talking with
visitors. About seven members
of McNary (High School’s)
string orchestra will be there
to play music and several other
community partners are plan-
ning to attend,” said Robin
©1986
A. Sorry, plastic bags cannot go into the blue cart because they get
tangled in the sorting equipment and cause major delays.
TRY THESE HELPFUL IDEAS INSTEAD:
• Use them to tie-off odorous garbage before tossing into garbage cart
• Re-use them or, if possible, recycle them at the store that you got them from.
• Call the RECYCLE HOTLINE (503) 390-4000 for other possible recycling locations.
• Ask your store to bag your purchases in paper instead. Oregon law gives you the choice!
eight-count broad tip mark-
ers, 12-count colored pencils
and rulers with both standard
and metric measurements.
About 100 packets are
given away each year. Any
leftover items will be giv-
en to a Keizer elementary
school.
Travis, owner and clinical di-
rector of The Oasis Center.
Food, merchandise, inter-
active booths, educational
materials and a tour of the
counseling are planned dur-
ing the open house which
runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Keizer Florist is providing
fl owers for attendees.
Travis has been treating
eating disorders since 2001
and recently branched off
from her position as a coun-
selor with New Horizons to
start Oasis.
“Oasis was created because
the Willamette Valley does not
have any specialists that treat
eating disorders,” Travis said.
Travis offers one-on-one
and group therapy sessions
and currently has openings
for new clients. Oasis does ac-
cept Oregon Health Plan us-
ers. Travis can provide refer-
rals to other area practitioners
when her client list is full.
We’ll transform your kitchen
or bath into what you’ve
always dreamed of
Serving Keizer for Nearly 50 years!
LOREN'S
SANITATION & RECYCLING SERVICE, INC.
503.393.2262
503.393.2875
VA L L E Y
remodelkeizer.com
RECYCLING & DISPOSAL, INC.
503.585.4300
CCB#155626
WorshipDirectory
These Salem-Keizer houses of worship invite you to visit.
Call to list your church in our Worship Directory: (503) 390-1051
John Knox Presbyterian Church
JOIN US FOR
SUNDAY WORSHIP
8:30 am • 10 am • 11:30 am • 6 pm
PEOPLESCHURCH
4500 LANCASTER DR NE | SALEM
503.304.4000 • www.peopleschurch.com
Celebration
Services
Saturday Evening
6:00 pm
Children’s Programs, Student and Adult Ministries
1755 Lockhaven Dr. NE Keizer
503-390-3900
www.dayspringfellowship.com
Sunday Morning
9:00 am
and
10:45 am
452 Cummings Lane North • 393-0404
Father Gary L. Zerr, Pastor
Saturday Vigil Liturgy: 5:30 p.m.
Sundays: 8:15 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
La Misa en Español: 12:30 p.m.
Rev. Dr. John Neal, Pastor
Worship - 10:30 a.m.
Education Hour - 10:00 a.m.
Nursery Care Available
www.keizerjkpres.org
Jason Lee UMC
820 Jeff erson St. NE
Salem OR 97301
Dr. Jon F. Langenwalter, Pastor
The church with the purple doors
503-364-2844
Worship at 9:30 am • Child Care Available
Faith Lutheran Church
4505 River Rd N • 393-4507
Sunday Schedule:
9:00 a.m. Children’s Church
9:15 a.m. Adult Bible Study
9:30 a.m. Children’s Activities
Pastor
Virginia Eggert 10:30 a.m. Worship with Communion