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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (June 17, 2015)
Polk County Voices Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 17, 2015 4A EDITORIALS How to Contact Officials Focus should be on students The state legislators are again attacking the future of ed- ucation, attempting to put a stop to fifth-year programs such as Dallas High School’s Extended Campus. The program gives high school students the chance to earn a certificate, transfer or associate degree through an agreement with Chemeketa Community College — while staying enrolled in high school. Dallas High foots the bill for tuition fees, books and transportation, as well as pro- vides counselors for kids transitioning into the college sys- tem. Legislators and the Oregon School Boards Association are against programs like this — which also are found in Central and Falls City school districts — because “it’s not fair to larger school districts.” The idea is if Portland and Eugene school districts began offering the program, it would use too much money from the K-12 state education fund. Efforts to end the program without discussing alterna- tive ways to pay for it are shortsighted. If successful, it will begin chipping away at local control, for starters. This program is an agreement between local school boards and local community colleges. One reason it works is because local school boards can set graduation re- quirements higher than the state mandates. It would work against the state goal of 40-40-20. This ambitious goal aims to have 40 percent of Oregonians with a bachelor’s degree or higher; 40 percent with an associate or two-year degree; and 20 percent with a high school diploma — in the next 10 years. Fifth- and sixth-year programs send students off into the world already meeting one of those 40 percent goals: with a high school diploma and a two-year degree or certificate. The program has many other strengths and benefits, in- cluding the nearly 80 percent retention rate for college freshmen in the program and the boon to first-generation students — the very students who may make or break the 40-40-20 goal. What the legislature and OSBA seem to be forgetting is a more educated populace is more likely to make more money, thereby boosting the very economy that keeps the K-12 education — and all other — state funding up. They are shooting themselves in the foot by trying to end the program out of jealousy or spite, disguised as con- cern for education funding, rather than finding a way to pay for a program that works. 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 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. THURSDAY, JUNE 18 • Polk County Fair Board — 8 a.m., Polk County Fairgrounds and Event Center, Main Building, Meeting Room No. 2, 520 S. Pa- cific Highway (99W), Rickreall. 503-623-3048. • Dallas Economic Development Committee — Noon, City Hall, 187 SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3502. • Independence Parks and Recreation Board — 6 p.m., In- dependence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503- 838-1212. • Monmouth Arts and Culture Commission — 7 p.m., Vol- unteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722. • Rickreall Watershed Council — 2 p.m., Delbert Hunter Ar- boretum House, Dallas City Park. MONDAY, JUNE 22 • Independence Library Board — 4 p.m., Independence Public Library, 175 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1811. • Dallas School Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District of- fice board room, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-9664, ext. 2334. TUESDAY, JUNE 23 • Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173. • Independence City Council — 7:30 a.m., Independence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24 • Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173. 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 Some advice for drivers and ODOT Dear Oregon Department of Transportation: • We need signal lights where traveled (high usage) roads intersect with high- ways, e.g. Highway 22; espe- cially where left-hand turns are made. • Pedestrian crossings near schools — we need flashing yellow light sig- nals — push button. Top 10 Accidents — ODOT places signs along the highways and interstates. Perhaps drivers may glance at the signs and heed their warn- ings, where drivers/passen- gers died. Include first name, month/year and type of accident at that location. • New law — no left turns except at directional light or onto one-way street. Install round-abouts so cars can change direction and make right-hand turns. • For drivers: • As soon as we pass the ODL tests we forget the laws. Our self-discipline is lacking. Most drivers are blind to speed limits, like west of West Salem — 50 mph. Add cautionary state- ments — example: “cau- tion — children and cross traffic.” We have reasons for lower speed limits. • Blind spots — consider adding 1½-inch mirror at- tached to the drivers/pas- senger mirrors. Be aware if a vehicle is in your blind spot. • Before turning into lane, turn head in direction of turn. This is critical. • Car length gap — if a car shoots in front of your car, be prepared to slow down. • Be alert to cars changing lanes at fast speeds. Know where vehicles are in all di- rections from your car. • Most dangerous turn is a left-hand turn — broad- side of car is in opposing lane. Some drivers make left-hand turns with a few seconds clearance. Let’s focus on more signal lights at busy intersections, pedestrian flashing signal lights near schools, and cau- tionary statements below speed limit signs. Kenneth Johnson Dallas Graveside plants hold memories My letter is addressed to whomever took the plants from my husband’s grave between June 3 and June 5. I water his plants every two days, as I want his resting place to be pretty. I watered June 3 and went on June 6 to get his cross and plants, as I knew all flowers and plants would be removed on June 8, only to discover all four plants were gone. The caretaker assured me they do not remove plants until the deadline posted. I know plants have been taken before as my grand- son’s plants have been taken, along with many other people’s plants. Last year an elderly lady was crying because some- one had taken her hus- band’s plants. I always ig- nored the plants being gone as I thought it was young people taking them. This year, however, I don’t believe it was it was young people taking the plants as they carefully unwound the vines of the clematis and gardenia from the cross. They left the night lights skewers I used to keep the plants in place to make it appear they were removed on the deadline. The reason I purchased the gardenia for his grave was it was his favorite flower and he would surprise me with different kinds of gar- denia gifts. I had the perfect place to plant the gardenia so I could open the window, enjoy the fragrance and re- call special memories of our time together. You may not think it’s im- portant it’s just plants, but I wanted whoever is taking the plants to know the hurt you create. You are not only taking other people’s property (plants) you are taking other people’s memories. Elsie M. Ford Dallas Dr. Willey’s care will be missed I bid adieu to Robert Wil- ley, M.D. He is closing his Dallas area practice on June 30. I understand from his staff that his last day will be set aside for informal good- byes at his office from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. I wish him the very best in life beyond his practice, and I am saddened by the loss of his practical ap- proach to my care over many years. I can’t speak for others, but I will miss his availabili- ty, directness, diagnostic skills, conversation without the obstruction of a com- puter screen, and his gen- uine care for my well-being. He’s a fine doctor. He re- flects a standard against which I will measure the ef- ficacy of care under a new primary care physician, which may be a challenge since the expanding bureau- cracy in medicine seems to drive patient care as much as, or more than a physi- cian’s judgment. Dr. Willey, enjoy post- practice life, continue to do some good somewhere somehow, and know that for this former patient you are much appreciated — and will be missed. Thank you. 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 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 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 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 Roger Fletcher Dallas WANT TO WRITE A LETTER? Letters to the editor are lim- ited to 300 words. Longer letters will be edited. Each writer is restricted to one letter per 30-day period. Letters that are libelous, ob- scene or in bad taste will not be printed. Attacks by name on busi- nesses or individuals will not be printed. Letters to the editor that are obvious promotions for a busi- ness, products or services will not be printed. Letter writers who disagree with other published letter writ- ers should maintain a civil dis- course and address the subject, not the author. Letters must include the au- thor’s name, address and tele- phone number, even if submitted online. Street addresses and tele- phone numbers are used for verification purposes only. Letters must be submitted from individuals, not organiza- tions, and must be original sub- missions to the I-O, not copies of letters sent to other media. Letters of thanks to busi- nesses, individuals and organi- zations are limited to 10 names. The deadline for letters to the editor is 10 a.m. Monday. — 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. 24 (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 DISPLAY ADVERTISING Heidi Leppin .................Display Advertising Manager ....................................hleppin@polkio.com Rachel Best ....................Display Advertising.............................................................rbest@polkio.com Karen Sanks...................Client Services ...................................................................ksanks@polkio.com CLASSIFIED LINE ADVERTISING Dawn Ohren .....................................................................................................................ioads@polkio.com PRODUCTION Kathy Huggins ..............................................................................................................iosales@polkio.com Karyn Pressel .................................................................................................................iosales@polkio.com BOOKKEEPING Pat Letsch ......................................................................................................................pletsch@polkio.com Web: www.polkio.com Phone: 503-623-2373 Fax: 503-623-2395
