Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 10, 2015 4A
EDITORIALS
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Class of 2015
blazes ahead
Congratulations, high school graduates.
As you go into the “real world” and into “life after high
school,” remember that tests are more high stakes than the
Smarter Balanced Assessments, but if you fail, keep trying.
Life gets better from here, honest, but the choice is
yours — what will you do with it? Here’s some advice — the
more you put into life, the more you get out of it.
The first 13 years of your education was paid for with tax
dollars — you’re more than welcome! — totalling about
$120,000. We think it’s worth it, do you? To paraphrase a
2015 Falls City graduate, the only way we can make the
world better is to have an educated populace.
If you attended public school, taxpayers gave you a
foundation, now the rest of your education is on you,
whether you choose to get it on the job, by traveling, hav-
ing a family, getting married or going to a university or
community college.
Whatever your choice, keep learning. It’s a big world out
there, and it’s yours for the taking if you work hard and
keep at it. And know this: mistakes are just lessons. Learn
from them.
In this day of selfies, Instagram and Twitter, unplug now
and then. See the world with your own eyes, not someone
else’s. Anyway, it’s hard to remember to smell the roses or
watch the birds and be inspired to fly when you’re looking
at your cellphone.
And be safe. As you go make mistakes — which you un-
doubtedly will (we all have) — try your hardest not to make
a mistake that will cost a life, yours or someone else’s. That
means don’t drink and drive or drive distracted (yes, that
means texting while driving).
As the song “Everybody’s Free” goes, “wear sunscreen.
Be kind to yourself, and don’t tolerate those who aren’t.
Travel. Respect your elders. Stretch. Floss. Don’t expect
anyone else to support you.”
Learn to dance in the rain. When you fall down, get back
up and do it better.
We’re counting on you to do it better. That’s part of how
this thing called life works. It’s going to be your world soon,
and we are cheering for you to go out there and make waves.
PUBLIC AGENDA
Public Agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings for gov-
ernmental and nongovernmental agencies in Polk County.
To submit a meeting, send it at least two weeks before the
actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via fax (503-
623-2395) or email (ionews@polkio.com).
—
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
• Monmouth Library Advisory Board — 7 a.m., Monmouth
Public Library meeting room, 168 S. Ecols St., Monmouth. 503-
838-0722.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Monmouth Park and Recreation Board — 7 p.m., Volun-
teer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722.
—
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
• Polk County Fire District No. 1 Board — 6 p.m., Central
Station 90, 1800 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1510.
• Luckiamute Watershed Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall,
144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-837-0237.
• Falls City City Council — 7:30 p.m., Falls City Community
Center, 320 N. Main St., Falls City. 503-787-3631.
—
MONDAY, JUNE 15
• Dallas City Council — 7 p.m., City Hall, 187 SE Court St., Dal-
las. 503-831-3502.
—
TUESDAY, JUNE 16
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Independence Historic Preservation Commission — 4
p.m., Independence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence.
503-838-1212.
• Falls City School Board — 5:30 p.m., Falls City High School
resource room, 111 N. Main St., Falls City. 503-787-3521.
• Monmouth City Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 S.
Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722.
—
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722.
GOVERNOR
Gov. Kate Brown (Dem.)
160 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-378-4582
Email: via website,
http://governor.oregon.gov/
—
STATE LEGISLATORS
Sen. Arnie Roblan
(District 5, Democrat)
S-417 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
sen.arnieroblan@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/roblan
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Graffiti at park not
appreciated
I’d like to give a big shout
out to the person who
tagged our back fence. Our
family is so excited to have
your “art” to share with the
rest of the neighborhood.
Why you picked our home
when you had a lot of fence
to choose from will forever
be a mystery, but rest as-
sured we have removed it.
Our taste in art and yours
just isn’t the same.
To my neighbors and
friends in the Madrona Park
area, our home borders the
park.
The tag was on our back
fence facing the park. Please
keep your eyes open for tag-
gers. Hopefully this is just
kids having “fun” and not
something more.
Diane McBurnett
Monmouth
Remember vets
with poppies
The small red paper pop-
pies that you see being dis-
tributed at Walmart here in
Dallas several times a year
have more of a history than
you might think.
The red poppies date
back to 1921, to commemo-
rate soldiers who had died
in war. As returning soldiers
from the First World War
came home they brought
back with them the memory
of the battlefield poppies
that lined the devastated
battlefields of Flanders and
France.
They brought back with
them the memory of the
fallen soldiers. As time went
on, the poppies were used
to remember the fallen of
other wars.
In 1921, the American Le-
gion Auxiliary adopted the
poppy as a symbol of re-
membrance and distributes
them for donations around
Memorial and Veterans Day.
The proceeds go to Veteran
based programs such as the
Wounded Warrior Project
and the Portland Transplant
Center.
Each of the poppies that
is distributed by members
of the American Legion
Auxiliary is handmade.
We have three Veterans in
the State of Oregon who
make all the poppies for our
state, as well as for several
other states.
American Legion Auxil-
iary Unit 20 will be at the
Dallas Walmart on Friday
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and
we would very much appre-
ciate your support.
Peggy Ortman
Dallas
Businesses help
students ‘Achieve’
I’d like to thank the fol-
lowing businesses for pro-
viding work experience op-
portunities to my students
in Project ACHIEVE, Dallas
High School’s post-high pro-
gram, during the 2014-15
school year.
Students received on-the-
job training while doing a
variety of tasks for these
businesses.
This training is invaluable
in preparing my students
for paid work once they fin-
ish school. Many thanks go
to: Dallas City Library, Dal-
las Retirement Village, Dal-
las School District Office
and Print Shop, Dragonfly
Preschool, Future Images,
Jefferson Manor, Lyle Ele-
mentary and Oakdale
Heights Elementary.
Betsy Seth
Dallas
Rally helps
hospitalized vets
On behalf of the Ameri-
can Legion and American
Legion Riders Post 20 of
Dallas, I would like to ex-
press special thanks to
Sweeney’s Pub and Todd
Keys for hosting a motorcy-
cle rally there on May 23 for
the benefit of Veterans in
Sen. Jackie Winters
(District 10, Republican)
S-301 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1710
sen.jackiewinters@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/winters
hospitals. They raised a very
nice donation for “Opera-
tion Comfort Warrior.” Also
thanks to the Dallas Police
Department for their coop-
eration.
Sen. Brian Boquist
(District 12, Republican)
S-305 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1712
sen.brianboquist@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/boquist
David Christian
Dallas
Rep. David Gomberg
(District 10, Democrat)
H-471 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1410
rep.davidgomberg@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg
Welcome home
warmed hearts
I wanted to say thank you
to the Chamber of Com-
merce, the students at Lyle
school and the residents of
Dallas for the Welcome
home parade on the 22nd of
May.
We were surprised at how
many people were there and
all the signs the students
made. It was heartwarming.
I am proud to be a resident
of Dallas and wanted to say
thank you to the communi-
ty for the parade.
SFC Richard Merrill
Dallas
Thanks to all who
support recital
I, as owner and instructor
of the Polk County France
School of Dance located at
the Polk County Fairgrounds
in Rickreall, would like to
thank Jacque Jacobs and
family, Kermit Martin, Dena
Lund, Scott Wagner, Erica
Rodriguez and family, and
the music teacher at Tal-
madge Middle School,
Diane Nelson for all their
help with the May 19 per-
formance/food drive.
More than 500 pounds of
food was collected for Joan
Schmitt’s Children’s Fund
and $274 for the Dallas
Emergency Food Bank.
Thank you to all the stu-
dents and families for your
ongoing support.
The studios have collected
over 52,000 pounds of food
and thousands of dollars for
Marion Polk counties.
Rep. Paul Evans
(District 20, Democrat)
H-281 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1420
rep.paulevans@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/evans
Rep. Mike Nearman
(District 23, Republican)
H-378 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1423
rep.mikenearman@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/nearman
—
U.S. CONGRESS
Sen. Ron Wyden (Dem.)
221 Dirksen SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-5244
Fax: 202-228-2717
Salem office: 707 13th St. SE,
Suite 285, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-589-4555
Email: via website,
www.wyden.senate.gov
Linda France Martin
Polk County France School
of Dance
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The deadline for letters to the
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Letters submitted may not be
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—
Reach us at:
Mail: Editor, Polk County
Itemizer-Observer, P.O. Box 108,
Dallas, OR 97338.
Fax: 503-623-2395.
Email: ionews@polkio.com.
Office: 147 SE Court St., Dallas.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (Dem.)
313 Hart SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3753
Fax: 202-228-3997
Salem office: 495 State St. SE,
Suite 330, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-362-8102
Email: via website,
www.merkley.senate.gov
Rep. Kurt Schrader (Dem.)
108 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-5711
Fax: 202-225-5699
Salem office: 544 Ferry St. SE,
Suite 2, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-588-9100
Fax: 503-588-5517
Email: via website,
www.schrader.house.gov
—
POLK COUNTY
Board of Commissioners
850 Main St.
Dallas, OR 97338
Phone: 503-623-8173
www.co.polk.or.us
—
CITIES
Dallas
187 SE Court St.
Dallas, OR 97338
503-623-2338
www.ci.dallas.or.us
Falls City
299 Mill St.
Falls City, OR 97344
503-787-3631
www.fallscityoregon.gov
Independence
555 S. Main St.
Independence, OR 97351
503-838-1212
www.ci.independence.or.us
Monmouth
151 W. Main St.
Monmouth, OR 97361
503-838-0722
www.ci.monmouth.or.us
HOW TO REACH US
Vol. 140, No. 23
(USPS) - 437-380)
The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875
Winner of 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 General Excellence Awards
from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
Periodicals postage paid at
Dallas, OR, Independence, OR and Monmouth, OR.
Published weekly at 147 SE Court Street
Dallas, Oregon 97338
Phone: 503-623-2373 Fax: 503-623-2395
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Polk County — One Year $27
Other Oregon Counties — One Year $33
Outside of Oregon — One Year $38
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to: Polk County Itemizer-Observer, P.O. Box 108, Dallas, Oregon 97338
The Polk County Itemizer-Observer assumes no financial responsibility for errors in adver-
tisements. It will, however, reprint without charge for the portion of an advertisement
which is in error if the Itemizer-Observer is at fault.
NEWSROOM
Nancy Adams ...............Publisher/Editor .............................................................nadams@polkio.com
Lukas Eggen..................Sports Editor......................................................................leggen@polkio.com
Jolene Guzman............Dallas/Falls City/Polk County Reporter ................jguzman@polkio.com
Emily Mentzer ..............Monmouth/Independence Reporter ..................ementzer@polkio.com
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