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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2019)
DECEMBER 20, 2019 KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5 Opinion Laws that aff ect you go into eff ect Jan. 1 As the year comes to an end, I lature will meet again for a short wanted to take some time to re- session in 2020 with a start date of mind you of some of the new leg- February 3 and a constitutional end islation going into effect on January date of March 8. In the House of Representatives, each member is 1, 2020. able to submit two bills. Don’t forget to bring The Senate allows their your reusable bags to members to submit only the grocery or depart- one bill. Since the pur- ment store, unless you pose of the short session want to pay a fi ve-cent is to focus on adjusting fee for every paper any budget issues, as bag that is used. (Pro- passed by the voters in duce, bulk items, meat, 2010 via Measure 71, and unwrapped baked I usually never submit goods are excluded.) any policy legislation. With the passage of this session I SB 608, state-wide rent from the However, am proposing some very control, your rent could simple and bi-partisan increase at the start of capitol legislation that is much the year up to seven By BILL POST needed: percent plus infl ation Kratom—this bill will costs. This year, the rent regulate and restrict this was capped at a 10 per- substance. Currently, any cent increase. If you want a plastic straw with person under 21 can purchase this your beverage at a restaurant or opioid-like substance. Land Use—this bill ensures that convenience store, you’ll have to ask for one. Otherwise, violators updated land use laws do not hin- will receive a $25 fi ne per day der a property owner from selling with a $300 yearly cap. (Fast food after a court judgment. Prior to the 2020 session, the drive-thru orders, hospitals, and legislature will be meeting in Jan- nursing homes are excluded.) Expect to see a cost of living uary for Legislative Days and other increase (an average of $1,300 per training opportunities. I look for- year) due to the Gross Receipts ward to having a discussion about Tax/Student Success Act (HB kratom in the House Committee 3427), increased minimum wage by on Agriculture and Land Use, of 50 or 75 cents depending on where which I am vice chair. Most importantly, I hope you all you live, and gas increases due to have a wonderful holiday. Merry legislation like HB 2007. Affecting north Marion County Christmas and Happy New Year! (Bill Post represents House Dis- in House District 25, HB 3213, is approved for a safety corridor study. trict 25. He can be reached at 503- Hopefully this legislation will help 986- 1425 or via email at rep.bill- post@ oregonlegislature.gov.) decrease fatalities on “death road.” If you didn’t know, the legis- People and businesses make Keizer great About this time of year, mainly appearing during the national and religious holidays in which most Americans participate to one de- gree or another, are the recognized blessings and statements of thanks we express to voice our apprecia- tions for where we are and what’s happening with us in our lives. In the spirit of that tradition, a few state- ments are due about the city of Keizer and the people who make this small city their home. The fi rst has to do with the look of this place for residences and business- es. During the 21 years my wife and I have lived here, there has been a steady increase in the sprucing up of most everything and the making of the community that much more livable. One of the most prominent displays of civic pride is the new city hall and police station to which my wife and I hand-carry our lat- est water bill payment just to enjoy the ambiance of the building and its pleasing-to-the-eye interior. We patronize the stores, busi- nesses and professional offi ces in Keizer close to 100 percent of the time, thereby satisfying our needs while we go elsewhere only when it’s imperative to do so. This prac- tice of ours in buying local includes those locations along River Road as well as those at Keizer Station. We view Keizer Station as an Oregon landmark that encourages persons living-anywhere-near-close to pa- tronize all that’s there. A couple of added pluses about the Station in- clude the fact that we must never need search for a parking spot and that the grounds throughout are kept clean and free of trash. A person in complimentary mode would not want to over- look the people who live here and those who are employees of the re- spective businesses. We have never been treated by any employee with a job here other than with respect and consideration. In fact, to those shops and sundry others we go on a regular basis, citing Bed, Bath and Beyond, Lowe’s, Michael’s and Sta- ple’s as merely four examples, it’s not uncommon for the workers to address us by name and even re- call why we were there on past occasions. This level of caring and friendliness regularly cause us to purr “We’re sure glad we live here.” Kudos also to Lyndon Zaitz and his team who we view as providing the com- munity with a Keizertimes newspaper that employs the work of professional journalists, report- ing events and happenings in our Mid-Willamette Valley area of Or- egon. They do outstandingly well at keeping the local folks informed and up-to-date on matters import- ant for all to know and be aware of. It is our hope that persons who recognize excellence in small city newspapers know how well our re- porters do at their trade and honor the Keizertimes accordingly. Although this list is not all in- clusive by any stretch of the subject, one fi nal accolade here about Keizer derives naturally from its location by lay-of-the-land. Except for the oc- casional Friday afternoon bumper- to-bumper traffi c slowdowns and instances when it seems everyone left for work at the same hour, it is totally easy to get around Keizer for business or pleasure. Even when adverse weather makes driving a challenge, the mostly fl at geography in our neck-of-the-woods provides travelers a huge advantage over an- other small Oregon city where I grew up —and the many others like it in our state—hilly Astoria. Best wishes to one and all with a prediction for more of the same in 2020. gene h. mcintyre (Gene H. McIntyre lives in Keizer and shares his opinion frequently in the Keizertimes.) Keizertimes Wheatland Publishing Corp. • 142 Chemawa Road N. • Keizer, Oregon 97303 phone: 503.390.1051 • web: www.keizertimes.com • email: kt@keizertimes.com EDITOR & PUBLISHER Lyndon Zaitz publisher@keizertimes.com 2019-2020 President Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Keizertimes Circulation 142 Chemawa Road N. Keizer, OR 97303 Periodical postage paid at Salem, Oregon SUBSCRIPTIONS One year: $35 in Marion County, $43 outside Marion County, $55 outside Oregon PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY Publication No: USPS 679-430 A wish list for Keizer By ANDREW JACKSON This week, some friends and I put our heads together to create a Christmas wish list for Keizer. Many of these are food-centric but hey — we like to eat. Here is the list, in not-so- catchy holiday song format: On the fi rst day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: A pizza-by-the-slice eatery I am sure the lunch buffet at JC’s or Round Table is great, but I’m not looking to take a nap after lunch. On one hand, both 7-Elevens have said offerings. When I think quality or variety of pies, that’s not where I go—no offense, 7-Eleven. So, as a productive person and refi ned pizza enthusiast, I’d love to see a pizza-by-the-slice establishment. I know I’m not alone. On the second day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: Two taco trucks The city council approved food trucks in the summer of 2016. More than three years later, food trucks in Keizer are still few and far between — and most of the time non-existent. On Friday and Saturday evenings you may be able to fi nd a taco grill outside the Plaza Morelia next to Tequilla Nights. But I’m an American — I want more! What I’m picturing is a reproduction of The Yard Food Park in Salem, or a mini version of that. While one food truck every once in awhile is nice, they’re more likely to succeed in the pod format. Strength in numbers, you know. On the third day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: Three paddle boats Okay Keizer, so we fi lled an old gravel pit with water, paved a walkway around the edge, and built some homes and businesses around it — solid. Now let’s turn Staats Lake into a destination for more than just diseased birds and catfi sh. My ultimate vision here would be to have paddle boats or a swimming hole during the summer. See Albany’s Waverly Park with the giant duck. At minimum, there should be a large fountain in the middle. Of course, some of these ideas would require the water to be actually habitable by something other than the Loch Ness monster. This seems doable. On the fourth day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: Small Business Saturday I would like to see Keizer and its residents really embrace Small Business Saturday, the day following Black Friday every year in November. Starting next year, I’m asking for people to join me in pledging 100 percent of their consumption that day to small businesses. This is not anti- big-business, just asking people to patronize only small business on one day of the year. We’ll discover new things and new people, perhaps even fi nd a new favorite spot for shopping or eating. Mark it in your calendar: Nov. 28, 2020. On the fi fth day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: Five non-chain restaurants It is almost universally acknowledged that Keizer is missing some truly unique eating experiences. My criteria for distinct dining is pretty simple: 1.) only one location in existence; 2.) no video lottery machines; 3.) no televisions; 4.) open for dinner. According to those benchmarks, Keizer has precisely fi ve of those restaurants: Bai Bua Thai Kitchen, Gyro Stop (has a TV but never seen it on), Nagani, Pho Keizer and Thai Lotus. Those coming close were Mommy & Maddi’s (not open for dinner), Red Ginger (one TV only on in the evenings). It’s worth pointing out that Keizer Station has exactly zero of these foodie-friendly establishments. Forget the hippopotamus for Christmas, I want fi ve more original restaurants. On the sixth day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: Six city districts In the name of diversity, proper representation and fairness, the existing six city council seats should correspond to six geographical districts, with the mayoral seat being an at-large vote. These zones could easily be aligned along public elementary school boundary lines. There are seven elementary schools in Keizer, so two schools would need to be combined into one city district. Since Forest Ridge and Clear Lake are the closest together, we can merge those two into one. On the seventh day of Christmas our city gave to thee: Seven screens a showing Remember the movie theater? No, not the old Keizer Cinemas in the current Skyline Keizer Ford location, although I have very fond memories of it from my childhood. I’m referring to the multiplex that never was in Keizer Station. The developer cited rising construction costs and bailed. It was supposed to be a 9-screen venue, but hey I’d settle for a modest seven if that meant it actually happened. These days, literally everyone has a fi lmmaking tool in their pocket, which has led to a boom in young fi lmmakers. A Keizer theater could host a fi lm festival where local artists are showcased. What does it say to the fi lm students at McNary, that their city doesn’t even have a movie theater? Sure, streaming habits have played a factor in theater attendance, but you can’t tell that to the people behind such 2019 critically acclaimed and profi table independent fi lms like Peanut Butter Falcon and Countdown or major studio blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame or Joker. On the eighth day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: Sidewalks on every street The fi rst lines of a song made famous by Whitney Houston goes, “I believe the children are our are future, Teach them well and let them lead the way.” Giving them sidewalks on every street in town would certainly better there chances at having any type of future. Texting and driving is a rampant issue. Even at lower speeds, it only takes a driver one short look down at their phone to claim a child’s life from a bike lane or non-existent sidewalk. Even though there are now widespread laws against texting and driving, it’s still a big problem. The city of Keizer owes it to their children, no matter the cost. Make it happen. On the ninth day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: Nine jokers joking Why should we have to travel outside Keizer for a live comedy show? We should have a Keizer Komedy Club (KKC). Only two K’s though — there’s nothing funny about racist bigots. On a lighter note, there’s plenty to laugh about in Keizer. Like that time everybody got excited when worker’s mistakenly installed a Trader Joe’s sign at Keizer Station. Or, when our city manager was named Keith Olbermann’s ‘Worst Person In The World.’ How about all the dumb criminals we have had? Like the burglar the more i know who was caught because he insisted on showering before he fl ed. Or the burglar who got stuck in a window, or the wanted man stuck in the ceiling, or the evading bicyclist whose handlebars fell off. Law enforcement has their occasional laughs as well. The KPD once had a three hour standoff with an empty building. The suspect was believed to escape via Cherriots bus. The Keizertimes is not even immune to a few chuckling moments. In my early days at the newspaper, I forgot to include an advertiser’s logo in their ad. If that’s not a solid material for the ‘Komedy Club’, I don’t know what is. Laugh at yourselves Keizer, it’s healthy. On the tenth day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: LifeSource a lunching We’ve already gone over pizza and food trucks here. In the name of equal representation, join me in my public outcry for having no health food store in Keizer. South Salem has two for Pete’s sake. On a regular basis, I will drive out south to Commercial Street to have a ready-made healthy lunch from the LifeSource deli. After all, how many burger joints can we go in and out of? Which brings us to our next verse. On the eleventh day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: Fuddruckers feasting When all this In-N-Out madness began, I would like to point out that I was a contrarian from the very beginning. Who needs ‘animal style’ when you can get pico de gallo on your burger? Better yet, can you get scrumptious potato wedges dipped in hot cheese sauce at In-N-Out? While I don’t travel north on Interstate 5 very often, my car doesn’t like to pass Fuddruckers without stopping. As I approach exit 290, the car defi nitely pulls hard to the right. I should get that checked out. On the twelfth day of Christmas, our city gave to thee: KeizerFEST’s new home We should make it a priority to rescue the festival from Cherry Avenue. That was a nice experiment, but it’s time to move on from that location. I’m not claiming that I have the solution, but I know the current location has no potential for growth. Every year, there are signifi ant periods where the festival grounds look more like a ghost town than a celebration of Keizer. The festival once thrived in front of St. Edward Catholic Church. Let’s come up with something to breathe some new life into KeizerFEST. I have high hopes for this 2019 holiday jingle. Maybe next year at this time, some of these holiday wishes will have been granted. Please fi nd below the fi nal verse. The recording is not available at this time, so hum along if you like. On the twelfth day of Christmas our city gave to thee: KeizerFEST’s new home Fuddruckers feasting, LifeSource a lunching, Nine jokers joking, Sidewalks on every street, Seven screens a showing Six city districts Five non-chain restaurants, Small Business Saturday, Three paddle boats, Two taco trucks, and a pizza-by-the-slice eatery Do you have any holiday wishes for Keizer? Email yours to publisher@ keizertimes.com. (Andrew Jackson is the Keizertimes production manager, graphic designer and resident smart aleck.)
