MARCH 18, 2016, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
Mayor gives State of City address EZ Freezy keeps
Because this is a good place to
do business. We have the low-
est tax rate in the state, which is
the gift that keeps giving. Busi-
nesses have learned that if they
do good by us, we’ll do good
by them.”
The mayor also refer-
enced Scott White, who’s clos-
ing Keizer Big Town Hero in
Schoolhouse Square and fo-
cusing on the family’s catering
business, K’s Catering.
“Scott had to make a choice,”
Clark said. “I look forward to
(K’s Catering) being more vi-
brant. Scott, you have done so
much for the community. Your
whole family has. Isn’t that how
Keizer is? Stay tuned, there will
be more changes. We hope to
fi ll more spaces.”
Clark pointed out differenc-
es in Keizer shopping centers.
“Some shopping centers are
full, some are not,” she said.
“They can be full if they are
done right. Keizer Village has
been full almost from the start.
That tells me it can be done, if
the property owner takes the
time to do it right. I encourage
the owners of Creekside (Shop-
ping Center) to get it done.”
Clark talked about projects
from the past year, including
two supported by Rotary: the
Big Toy play structure at Keizer
Rapids Park and the turf fi eld
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
Mayor Cathy Clark likes
what she sees happening with
businesses – for the most part.
For the third time in as many
months, Clark gave a State of
the City address. This one took
place during the March 3 Ro-
tary Club of Keizer luncheon.
One of Clark’s main empha-
ses was talking up businesses and
shopping centers doing well.
“At Dearborn (Avenue) and
River Road, four businesses
have fl ipped,” Clark said. “Dear-
born Square has really turned
things around. Keizer Tire Fac-
tory was too small. Keizer busi-
nesses are growing and we try
to accommodate them. Point S
is now open, by Keizer Village.”
Clark also pointed to Creek-
side Veterinary Clinic moving
from Creekside Shopping Cen-
ter to a larger space in McNary
Estates and Oregon State Credit
Union moving from inside
Safeway to a separate building
at 4952 River Road
“These all were private in-
vestment,” Clark said. “Why?
project at McNary High School.
“You probably have heard
about the Big Toy,” the mayor
said. “Yep, we got it done.”
Clark also extolled the turf.
“That meant a lot to all stu-
dent athletes,” she said. “It can
be used 365 days a year. It keeps
them involved with school.
That will make a big difference
for years to come.”
Clark mentioned another
project done last year at KRP,
the three sand volleyball courts
done by Hans Schneider.
“My fi rst reaction was, ‘Re-
ally?’ Yes, really,” Clark said.
Clark also referenced how
the city hired Ben Crosby as the
new code enforcement offi cer.
“He embodies what we do:
we educate and inform before
we take action,” Clark said. “We
want collaboration. We work
together to make Keizer the
way it is. He has already closed
hundreds of cases.”
In addition, Clark pointed to
the school district’s new Career
and Technical Education Center
(CTEC).
“We need a trained work-
force that has graduated from
high school with skills,” she
said. “There are better paying
jobs today in manufacturing
and construction. We want our
students to be ready for that.
That’s what we’re doing here,
The Perfect Setting
preparing our young people for
the future so we can build the
backbone of our economy in
the future. We are really rocking
it, folks.”
The mayor gave numbers as-
sociated with this year: 20 years
of the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes,
fi ve years for Keizer Home-
grown Theater, 40 years for the
Monster Cookie bike ride, Mc-
Nary High School is graduat-
ing its 50th class and the Keizer
Schoolhouse is 100 years old.
It’s already been a busy year,
with Clark referencing three
events from February: Brandon
Smith resigning from the Keiz-
er City Council and moving to
Salem, the health issues facing
council president Dennis Koho
and former councilor Al Miller
passing away.
“I’m happy to see February
in the rear view mirror,” Clark
said.
Clark ended on a high note,
referring to a recent survey list-
ing Keizer as one of the happi-
est cities in Oregon to live in.
“To me, it is the happiest,”
the mayor said. “For people
who move here, it feels like
home right away. I’m so proud
to be a part of this community
and to be around people who
make a difference. Pride, spirit
and volunteerism is not just on
a wall, it’s how we live.”
it in the family
Issam
Khoury
at his EZ
Freezy
location
in Keizer
Station.
KEIZERTIMES/
Craig Murphy
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
Timing, as they say, is ev-
erything.
Issam Khoury hoped to
have his EZ Freezy self service
frozen yogurt open last sum-
mer in the midst of the heat
wave.
“People were knocking on
the door during the summer,
wanting to know, ‘When are
you going to open?’ Khoury
said. “I kept telling them,
‘Soon, soon.’”
The location fi nally did
open at 6495 Keizer Station
Boulevard NE in Keizer Sta-
tion last September, between
the OSU Beaver Store and Fa-
mous Footwear.
Khoury, who owns the store
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as well as three other locations,
worked for others for 25 years
in the frozen yogurt business
before retiring in December
2012 from YoCream. Retire-
ment didn’t sit well with him.
“I got bored by February
(2013),” he said with a chuckle.
That May, he bought a fro-
zen yogurt store in Washing-
ton Square Mall in Tigard and
renamed it EZ Freezy. He then
took over another frozen yo-
gurt shop on Division Street
that August.
“I always liked this area,”
Khoury said of why he opened
a location further south. “I was
going to open in Lancaster
Mall, but there was a yogurt
store across the street so I came
here.”
After opening the Keiz-
er Station location, Khoury
opened a fourth EZ Freezy in
Happy Valley in December.
“For now, four stores is
enough,” he said.
Khoury is at the Keizer lo-
cation on Tuesdays and Friday,
while his son runs the store
two other days. The family-
owned and operated business
has a total of 20 employees.
There are 12 fl avors available,
plus a variety of toppings and
a fl avor burst machine. The
Keizer location opens at 11
a.m. each day of the week,
staying open until 9 p.m. dur-
ing the week and until 11 p.m.
Friday and Saturday. The store
is open an hour later during
the week in the summer.
In addition to the frozen
yogurt, there are also gelato,
smoothies and milkshakes
available. Italian ice is available
during the summer.