2A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 14, 2015
Polk County News
Safety levy is more
than a patrol issue
By Jolene Guzman
Learn More
The Itemizer-Observer
EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer
Norman Scott and Harry Stalnaker (front) wait their turns during an elimination round on Sunday.
Longtime Independence gun
club survives financial issues
By Emily Menzter
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — Norman
Scott remembers the days when
he worked as a trap boy at the In-
dependence Elks Gun Club.
Now, he is a regular participant
of the club, which was formed in
the mid-1940s. The range is shot-
gun-only, and open to the public.
For people on the north side of
Monmouth and Independence,
shotguns going off on Sunday
mornings is old hat, but the club
was briefly in jeopardy of silencing
those sounds, said Scott, 83.
“There was a funding issue,”
said Rusty Poage, president of the
gun club. “We got it all straight-
ened out.”
The club was sold to the Inde-
pendence Elks Lodge for $1 during
the Korean War with the under-
standing that the Elks would be
the governing body, but the club
would be open to all shooters, not
Pull the Trigger
What: Independence Elks
Gun Club.
Where: On the north side of
Hoffman Road, just west of
Gun Club Road.
When: Second and fourth
Sundays of the month, 10 a.m.
Cost: $1 range fee; $3 for 25
clay targets. Shells and ear pro-
tection are available for pur-
chase, or bring your own.
Of note: Often, people will
have extra shotguns that they
will let people borrow, making
this something even the non-
gun owner can participate in.
For more information:
Rusty Poage, 541-231-9662;
email to rustypoage@gmail.com.
just those who were members of
the Elks.
Through the years, the Elks has
not made much investment in the
gun club’s facilities, from the old
building to the trap throws, Scott
said. Recently, the gun club’s
money was in jeopardy of being
absorbed into the Elks’ general
fund.
With the gun club’s future again
feeling stable, about a dozen men
came out to shoot Sunday morn-
ing, a small crowd for the gun
range sitting on Hoffman Road at
the end of Gun Club Road — a co-
incidence, Scott said — the road
was not named after the club.
Before the action started, John
Miller of Salem dug through empty,
used shotgun shells. He is looking
for a particular shape in the hull,
straight rather than tapered.
“This would be a very expensive
hobby if you didn’t reload,” Poage
said.
“It’s a very fun sport,” Miller
added. “It’s expensive, and it’s
habit-forming. If you want to
learn, come out here and we’ll
show you.”
FALLS CITY — Polk County’s
public safety levy proposal isn’t just
about patrols.
That was the message both
county officials and city residents
tried to send at a public hearing in
Falls City regarding a possible five-
year, 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed
value tax levy to pay for public safe-
ty services. That comes down to
about $90 per year on properties
with an assessed value of $200,000.
“I think that sometimes we don’t
think about that piece when we are
thinking about this levy,” said Falls
City resident Amy Houghtaling,
who is the Falls City School Dis-
trict’s after-school program direc-
tor and the former mayor. “We are
only thinking about patrol.”
For patrol officers to do their job,
the county needs fully staffed dis-
trict attorney’s and community
corrections offices to prosecute
criminals and supervise them once
released from jail, she said.
At the Jan. 6 hearing held at the
Falls City Community Center, draw-
ing about 20 people, the system as a
whole was characterized as an “um-
brella” requiring all parts to work
together. The Polk County Jail, dis-
trict attorney’s office, community
corrections and juvenile depart-
ment serve the entire county, not
just rural residents covered by Polk
County Sheriff’s Office patrols, said
Polk County Sheriff Bob Wolfe.
District Attorney Aaron Felton
said compared to other similarly
sized counties — Polk’s population
is approximately 77,000 — his office
is the smallest with only four crimi-
nal prosecutors.
“If this levy were to pass, just on
numbers alone, that would be sig-
nificant — I call it transformation-
al,” Felton said of the levy’s potential
to add more prosecutors. “The three
additional deputies, criminal prose-
cutors, in this office would make a
remarkable difference in what we
are not able to do right now.”
Limited patrol does remain the
most visible example of the decline
The Polk County Board of
Commissioners is continuing
its tour of the region with sev-
eral more public hearings on
the proposed public safety
local option tax. Upcoming
meetings are scheduled:
• Wednesday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m.,
Dallas Civic Center, 945 SE Jeffer-
son St., Dallas.
• Wednesday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m.,
Monmouth Public Library, 168
Ecols St. S., Monmouth.
• Thursday, Jan. 22, 6 p.m.,
Chemeketa Viticulture Center,
215 Doaks Ferry Road, West
Salem.
in public safety funding. Wolfe said
his department is down 14
deputies, resulting in just 10 patrol
hours per day.
That has a direct impact for Falls
City because it doesn’t have its own
police department.
Falls City residents asked what
would change if the levy passed.
Houghtaling asked if the sheriff
would be more responsive to prob-
lems like those that arose over the
summer, with noise and gun-toting
in the city park next to the falls. Most
of those issues are addressed in the
city’s code, which the sheriff’s office
doesn’t have the authority to enforce.
Wolfe said if he had more offi-
cers available, they would spend
more time in Falls City checking in
on those situations and talking to
residents, but they still wouldn’t be
able to address code issues.
Mayor Terry Ungricht asked if an
intergovernmental agreement giv-
ing the sheriff authority to enforce
city code, including park curfews,
is possible.
“I think that would go a long
ways to getting support for the
levy,” Ungricht said.
Wolfe said an agreement is pos-
sible, but it all comes down to
whether deputies are available.
“It doesn’t do me any good to
have the agreement if I don’t have
the resources to enforce it,” Wolfe
said.
HEALTH DIRECTORY
AUDIOLOGY
Trust your hearing to those that specialize in hearing
and hearing related disorders. Evan L. Evans, Ph. D,
and Julie B. Evans, AuD are both doctoral level Audi-
ologists who have the knowledge, experience and
compassion to provide you with the best care for your
hearing health. We offer free hearing screenings; by
our hearing aid specialist. We offer full & complete di-
agnostic evaluations, counseling and recommenda-
tions by our clinical Audiologists. Other Audiological
services include testing, management and treatment
options for Tinnitus. We have the knowledge and ex-
perience to assist your physician with the diagnosis of
diseases and disorders pertaining to hearing and the
hearing mechanism. We offer wax removal or cerumen
management, Tinnitus testing and Tinnitus manage-
ment techniques. An Audiologist, having the Audiol-
ogy credentials of the American Academy of Audiology
(F-AAA) and the The American Speech Hearing and
Language Association’s Certificate of Clinical Compe-
tency (CCC-A) is the professional of choice for any-
thing related to hearing and or hearing related issues.
Serving our hearing impaired since 1980, with two lo-
cations to serve you.
Audiology Associates
1343-A Monmouth St., Independence • 503-838-3001
2296 NW Kings Blvd, Corvallis • 541-757-2500
CHIROPRACTIC
• JOYNT FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC - Dr. Brian Joynt,
DC - 629 Clay Street East, Monmouth, OR 97361
Family-oriented chiropractic clinic, dedicated to cre-
ating an unparalleled experience of service, quality
and care by teaching the true principles of chiroprac-
tic. We look forward to empowering each of you to
help your family participate more fully in life. New pa-
tients welcome. Accept most insurance. Auto/per-
sonal injury and work comp. Massage therapist on
site. Complimentary consultations. Call us today to
make your appointment (503) 837-0550.
• THORNTON CHIROPRACTIC - Drs. Sharon and
Marty Thornton - Palmer Graduates - We care, God
cures. 1650 Monmouth St., Independence, OR 97351
• 503-838-3346. Office hours: Mon-Fri 8-noon & 2-6
pm. Thurs 2-6pm. Proudly serving Polk County for
over 17 years. Offering Thompson Drop and other
hands-on techniques, as well as Advanced Activator
Methods and Functional Neurology. We provide gentle
and effective full-spine and extremity adjusting for all
ages in a loving and caring environment. We are ac-
cepting new patients for Family Wellness Care,
Medicare, Auto or personal injury & Workers Comp.
We now have Massage Therapy with Lisa R. Roe L.M.T.
#12832
COUNSELING
• CROSS AND CROWN COUNSELING ~ KATE KOENS,
NCCA Licensed Clinical Christian Counselor and Cer-
tified Temperament Therapist is accepting new clients
at her Dallas and Falls City offices. She works with in-
dividuals in a safe environment to help individuals
find healing and fulfillment by teaching good commu-
nication skills, appreciation for self and others, appro-
priate responses to individual and family needs, how
to build relationships of trust, appropriate crisis re-
sponses, and how to obtain overall family wellness
emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Some specific
areas of counsel offered are marriage and family, ado-
lescent issues, depression, past and present trauma,
grief, identity crisis, divorce, childhood losses, and
feelings of hopelessness. Our goal is to help individu-
als realize their full potential and to live decisively with
truth, relevance, perspective and purpose. For more
information or to schedule an appointment please call
503-917-1625 or visit our website: www.crossand-
crowncounseling.com
GENERAL DENTISTRY
• RANDALL C. JONES, DMD - 1004 Monmouth St., In-
dependence, OR 503-838-0434. Offering a broad
range of dental services in a relaxed and comfortable
atmosphere. New patients and emergencies welcome.
• DR. JOHN D. SHURTZ DDS - 196 Catron Street N.,
Monmouth,OR 503-838-1800. We are welcoming new
patients and we accept most insurance plans!
• WESTON K. MORRILL, DMD - 289 E. Ellendale Suite
#201, Dallas. 503-623-6616. Family, preventive, and
cosmetic dentistry. Complete dentistry for the entire
family. Se habla español.
• DR. MICHELLE HASBROOK, DMD - 120 N. Atwater,
Monmouth, OR 503-838-2998. Providing all phases of
dental care for children and adults. We welcome new
patients!
• KENNETH WINOKUR, DMD - 329 South Main Street
Independence, OR 97351. 503-838-1633. High quality
service with your comfort in mind. Nitrous oxide gas
sedation available. www.independencedental.org
GENERAL SURGERY SERVICES
• WEST VALLEY SURGICAL SPECIALTY CLINIC sur-
geon, Dr. Alison Smith, provides general surgery serv-
ices for a wide range of needs including breast cancer,
gallbladder, biopsies, abdominal surgery, hernia re-
pair, appendectomy, as well as colonoscopy. General
surgery appointments are scheduled at the clinic on
Mondays and Thursdays. Dr. Smith does her surgeries
at West Valley Hospital's spacious, state-of-the art new
surgical suite. West Valley Surgical Specialty Clinic is
located at 591 SE Clay St., Dallas. Call 503-831-0784 or
fax 503-623-2612. Visit salemhealth.org/specialty.
GYNECOLOGY SERVICES
Gynecological care is now available in Dallas at the
West Valley Surgical Specialty Clinic. Gynecologist
Keita Sakon, MD, specializes in gynecology exams and
procedures, including hysteroscopy and laparoscopy,
as well as family planning, abnormal Pap evaluation,
treatment of pelvic pain, symptom control for
menopause and abnormal periods. Dr. Sakon works in
Dallas on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seeing patients
at the clinic and performing gynecological procedures in
the West Valley Hospital surgical suites. New patients are
welcome! West Valley Surgical Specialty Clinic is located
at 591 SE Clay St., Dallas. Call 503-831-0784 for an ap-
pointment. Visit westvalleyhospital.org/specialtyclinic.
(UPDATE W/ONLINE APPT URL WHEN AVAILABLE.)
HEARING HEALTH
• JOYFUL SOUND HEARING SERVICES, INC. Mark
Sturtevant, 312 Main Street, Dallas OR, 503-623-0290.
Providing Polk County with hearing solutions for 30
years. Services include: Hearing evaluations, Diagnos-
ing hearing loss; Impedance; Fitting all types of hear-
ing devices, Servicing all makes and models of hearing
aids; Ear inspections; Wax removal; Hearing protec-
tion. Hours: Monday - Thursday 9-4pm. (Fridays by
appointment only)
HEART SERVICES
• WEST VALLEY HOSPITAL provides heart diagnostic
services including electrocardiograms (EKG), pul-
monary function tests, cardiac stress tests and
echocardiograms with a physician referral. Cardiolo-
gists Dr. Raghu Kamineni, Dr. William Stiles and Dr.
Kevin Thompson see patients for office visits at West
Valley Hospital at 525 SE Washington St., Dallas. For
more heart health information, call 503-623-7304.
IMAGING SERVICES
• WEST VALLEY HOSPITAL offers state-of-the-art all-
digital diagnostic imaging services. With your physi-
cian's referral, we provide your bone densitometry, CT
scan, fluoroscopy, mammography, ultrasound, X-ray
and MRI services. Check out our new comfortable and
spacious mammography suite. We are located at 525
SE Washington St., Dallas, 503-623-7302.
LABORATORY SERVICES
• DALLAS FAMILY MEDICINE has maintained a fully
accredited laboratory for decades, along with X-Ray
capabilities, including the specialized X-Ray to evalu-
ate bone density, known as DEXA. We also offer many
point-of-care tests including EKG, oximetry, protime,
and spirometry. Our lab and diagnostic services are
available to our patients Monday to Friday 7:30-4:00
at 641 SE Miller Ave, Dallas - 503.623.2345. Learn
More at dfmCARE.com
• WEST VALLEY HOSPITAL provides lab services at
two convenient locations in Dallas and Monmouth.
Both labs are fully accredited, providing collections
and testing with healthcare provider referral. Employ-
ment and self-referral drug testing is offered. The West
Valley Hospital lab in Dallas is open 24 hours, seven
days a week, at 525 SE Washington St., 503-623-7303.
The Monmouth lab is located in the Monmouth Med-
ical Center, 512 Main St., Suite 300, 503-838-1388. It is
open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., closed be-
tween noon and 1 p.m. Appointments are not re-
quired.