DALLAS, CENTRAL CROWN
DISTRICT CHAMPS
Section C
Page 12A
Volume 140, Issue 7
www.Polkio.com
February 18, 2015
75¢
IN YOUR TOWN
DALLAS NEWS
Heroes. Teammates. Champions.
Those were the words that repeatedly came up
when the Dallas Community Awards’ planning com-
mittee tried to come up with a theme for this year’s
ceremony, scheduled Friday evening at the Oregon
National Guard's Nesmith Readiness Center.
“We just looked at the purpose of the awards,
who we are giving them to, and why,” said Chelsea
Metcalfe, Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce exec-
utive director. “We just kept coming back to these
are the champions of our community who often
pull a team together to make things happen.”
»Page 3A
FALLS CITY NEWS
AARON YOST/ for the Itemizer-Observer
Jason Littleton recalls living homeless in a park in Falls City for two years. He now has a roof over his head.
NO PLACE TO CALL HOME
Issue of homelessness a hidden problem in Polk County
By Emily Mentzer
HOMELESS
The Itemizer-Observer
BY THE NUMBERS
OLK COUNTY —
The worst part is the
loneliness.
After he lost his wife of 28
years in a divorce and his
kids had all grown up, Jason
Littleton of Falls City found
himself homeless, spending
nights in Fay Wilson Memo-
rial Park, aka Lower Park.
“Everybody was real nice,”
he said. “I’ve lived here (in
Falls City) my whole life. No-
body messed with me or any-
thing, which was good. They
kind of adapted around me.”
For two years, the Falls
City native crept into the
park after dark to hunker
down, leaving again at dawn.
“Once you get into that
realm, it’s hard to get out,”
Littleton said.
Homelessness could hap-
pen to anybody, but is more
likely to affect those living
from paycheck to paycheck.
A sudden family illness
could mean missing work,
which could result in losing a
job. No job means no way to
pay rent or a mortgage. Utili-
ties are cut off for nonpay-
ment, followed by eviction.
A series of illness and in-
jury led to San Hewitt and
his father, Turner, struggling
to keep a roof over their
heads.
Turner Hewitt suffered a
stroke that led to job loss. He
was an assistant professor at
the University of Alaska at
Fairbanks. After San took
him in to take care of him,
San lost a good deal of teeth
in a bike accident.
130
Number of homeless
students reported in
local schools in fall 2014.
0
Number of beds avail-
able in Polk County for a
homeless person not
coming out of incarcera-
tion, escaping domestic
violence, or without an
intellectual or develop-
mental disability.
15
Miles from downtown
Dallas to Union Gospel
Mission in downtown
Salem, the nearest
homeless shelter.
325
Number of people con-
sidered either homeless
or at-risk of becoming
homeless who attended
January’s Polk Commu-
nity Connect event.
204
Individuals arrested or
cited by Polk County
Sheriff’s Department
and Monmouth Police
in 2014 who were
homeless.
THE NEXT
7
DAYS
PLANNING
FOR YOUR
WEEK
P
Gerald Melin is the new face on the Falls City City
Council, filling the vacancy left when former coun-
cilor Terry Ungricht was sworn in as mayor in January.
Melin was appointed on a 4-to-1 vote Thursday
following an interview with members of the city
council. He was sworn in immediately and partici-
pated in several votes Thursday.
A Falls City resident for 10 years, Melin is the
part-time clerk at the town’s post office.
“I have plenty of time to get in here and help,”
Melin said. “I will be listening and trying to help
people understand what is going on.”
»Page 3A
INDEPENDENCE NEWS
Sgt. Tino Banuelos led a discussion about the
state of policing in the U.S., but more specifically, in
Independence. About 20 people sat in on an open
discussion format at Friday’s Latino Roundtable, a
monthly gathering to discuss topics of importance
to Independence’s mixed community.
Banuelos said with so many police incidents, par-
ticularly the race-fueled shootings in places like Fer-
guson, Mo., and most recently in Pasco, Wash., the
Independence Police Department wanted to open
communication with its community.
“We would like input from different perspec-
tives,” he said.
»Page 2A
MONMOUTH NEWS
EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer
San and Turner Hewitt look for a dry place to spend the
night on a rainy day Jan. 30 after a hotel is no longer an
option. San takes care of his dad, Turner, as best he can.
“It’s a condition of circum-
stances,” San said. “We had a
place, people were going to
let us stay with them, then
they took our money and
kicked us out.”
San lugged a giant suit-
case filled to the brim with
their belongings. They had
spent a couple nights in the
Riverside Inn in Dallas, but
couldn’t afford to stay there
anymore. Getting to the
Union Gospel Mission shel-
ter in Salem would not be
easy, nor practical.
“That place down there is
scary,” San said. “It’s horrible.
You have a lot of crazy peo-
ple down there, and they
kick you out at 5 in the
morning. He (Turner) can’t
walk that far, either.”
Because of Turner’s stroke,
his movement is limited, and
the son and father were un-
sure they’d find shelter from
the late January rain.
Now what?
Whether you’re new at gardening or a regular
green thumb, there’s one thing all planters need:
seeds.
Monmouth Public Library’s new Seed Lending
Program provides a plethora of seed packets for
the pleasure of gardeners young and old.
With no strings attached — no library card is
needed — people may take home up to five seed
packets per adult each day, said Vivian Byers, li-
brary aide.
“The object is to get people interested in grow-
ing their own food,” Byers said.
»Page 2A
Options are few
In Polk County, it probably
means a referral to Salem
shelters in adjacent Marion
County. If you have a family,
it means you’ll most likely be
separated if you can find
shelter.
“In Polk, besides Sable
House, there are no other
shelters or locations for fam-
ilies — or anybody,” said
Michelle Bornfleth, service
integration coordinator for
Polk County Health and
Human Services.
The closest shelters, found
largely in Salem, are often
full, she added.
See HOMELESS, Page 17A
POLK COUNTY NEWS
Polk County has joined more than a dozen Ore-
gon counties in approving a resolution supporting
the Second Amendment and opposing restrictions
on gun rights.
In a unanimous vote during its Feb. 11 meeting,
the Polk County Board of Commissioners passed
the resolution, which was brought to the board by
Dallas resident and American Outdoors owner
Micky Garus.
Garus said the resolution is in response to bills
expected to come up for votes in the Oregon Leg-
islature this session that would restrict gun rights.
»Page 5A
wed
thu
fri
sat
sun
mon
tue
How ’bout a game
of bingo? Rogue
Farms Hopyard
hosts its monthly
bingo night open to
all ages.
6:30 p.m. Free.
The nationally-
ranked Western Ore-
gon men’s basketball
team plays host to
Western Washington
in a GNAC matchup.
7 p.m. $4-$6.
The red-hot Dallas
girls basketball team
plays another key
Mid-Willamette
game when it hosts
Crescent Valley.
7 p.m. $5.
The Oregon Winter
Poultry Swap gath-
ering takes place at
the Polk County Fair-
grounds & Event
Center in Rickreall.
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free.
It’s the final day of
the annual Polk
Home and Garden
Show at the Polk
County Fairgrounds
in Rickreall.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.
Help save a life.
There’s an American
Red Cross blood
drive scheduled at
First Presbyterian
Church in Dallas.
12:30-6 p.m. Free.
James2 Community
Kitchen hosts meals
for everyone in the
area every Tuesday
at St. Philip Catholic
Church in Dallas.
4:30-6 p.m. Free.
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