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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2015)
A SUMMER OF MUSICAL CENTRAL HIGH GRAD ENTERTAINMENT GIVING BACK Page 7A Page 10A Volume 140, Issue 26 www.Polkio.com 75¢ July 1, 2015 IN YOUR TOWN DALLAS NEWS 10 The Dallas School Board may consider a propos- al in July to raise athletic fees. The board discussed possibly raising the fees — now at $125 for all sports except cheerleading, which is at $75 per season (fall and winter) — at its meeting on June 22. “My thought is, if we are not increasing year after year, we kind of lag behind, especially if we have some needs. We have a lot of needs in the athletic arena,” said then-board chairman Mike Blanchard at the June 22 meeting. Things To Know »Page 15A FALLS CITY NEWS Pot: What’s legal, what’s not By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer POLK COUNTY — OK Oregonians, Wednesday (today) our state has offi- cially joined the handful of others that allow adults to grow, consume — and soon buy — recreational marijuana. Oregon’s law is complicated and sub- ject to change as the State Legislature con- tinues to refine Meas- ure 91, which made recreational marijua- na legal. As the law takes effect, there are still plenty of ques- Wolfe tions to be answered for consumers, regulators and police agencies. “There are an enormous number of gray areas and I’ve heard every one of them,” said Tom Towslee, spokesman for the Oregon Liquor Control Com- mission, the organization tasked with regulating the state’s recreational mari- juana program. “We ask people to be responsible, be smart, know the law and do the right thing.” In June, Polk County law enforce- ment agencies met to establish how they would enforce the law. They collectively decided to stay as close to the letter of the law as possible, knowing that it will be a moving target for a while, said Polk County Sheriff Bob Wolfe. “It’s still going to have numerous challenges to face and sort out,” Wolfe said. “They are still working on it.” Local police agencies also would like to remind people to think before they light up, especially if trying marijuana for the first time. Wolfe said he suspects Oregon will follow the pattern of legal pot forerun- ners Washington and Colorado in see- ing an increase in DUII arrests relating to marijuana, at least in the first few months after the law takes effect. First-time users will not be accus- tomed to how marijuana affects them mentally and physically and may be- lieve they are not impaired or not too high to drive, Wolfe said. He suggests using caution until you know how marijuana will affect you. “If you are going to try it for the first time, just be careful,” he said. Here’s what you need to know as Oregon takes its first steps in the world of legal recreational marijuana: What is the age limit? As of Wednesday, (today) adults 21 and older can possess and grow marijuana. How much can I possess? One ounce of usable marijuana (ready to smoke) in public and eight ounces at home. As far as plants go, you can grow four plants per household, but be sure to not grow more than legal amounts. Can I buy or sell marijuana or plants? For the time being, no, not until OLCC licensed retail outlets open sometime late next year. However, the Oregon Legislature is working on a bill to allow medical mar- ijuana outlets to sell to recreational users this year until retail outlets are set up. The current bill, Senate Bill 460, would allow medical dispensaries to begin selling Oct. 1. Until one or the other happens, you can grow your own or have marijuana given to you. It’s the same deal with seeds and starter plants. You will have to find someone to give them to you. See WEED, Page 13A 1 2 Fireworks, parades, barbecue, Oh my Polk County prepares to celebrate America’s 239th birthday By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer POLK COUNTY — There really is no better place to celebrate the Fourth of July than in Polk County. With two nights of fireworks displays in three different cities, a small hometown parade or a grand one, a professional barbecue competition and a watermelon-eating contest — we really know how to throw a party. Festivities start on Thursday at Riverview Park and Amphitheater, where a carnival opens at 7 p.m. and the movie, “Into the Woods” will play at 10. Friday is when the patriotic spirit re- ally comes out. Falls City’s Third of July tradition started out as a way for first responders to celebrate the holiday on the eve of the big day. This year, events will be spread out at Upper Park and North THE NEXT 7 DAYS PLANNING FOR YOUR WEEK Inside: See Section C for Polk County’s Fourth of July Celebration spe- cial section. Main Street. What started out as just a fireworks display has turned into an all-day event unique to Falls City packed with small- town charm. Vendors open on North Main Street at 11 a.m. Maps to the an- nual city-wide garage sale are available at Frink’s General Store. A spontaneous and whimsical pa- rade begins at about 4 p.m. “I kind of like the parade,” said Falls City Mayor Terry Ungricht. In Independence, Western Days brings in about 6,000 people on Home- town Day, this year on July 3, said Jan- ice Thompson, chair of the Western Days Commission. The Mini-Marathon and grand pa- rade both begin in Monmouth and end at Riverview Park on Saturday. Vendors and the carnival will open at noon, and the newly improved youth ac- tivities area will host all sorts of fun things for families, including ice-cream making. “We’re trying to get more family ori- ented activities,” Thompson said. One thing families can do together is competitive watermelon eating. Live music by Appetite for Deception and a fireworks display wrap up Friday night in Independence. See FOURTH, Page 14A King Arthur has problems. In his kingdom, he has a giant with insomnia, a dragon with a toothache and his castle is haunted by a forgetful ghost. His subjects are looking to him for answers. Will he save the day? Students in Falls City’s FACES program worked all last week to give the story a happy ending, taking part in a Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) drama camp. The camp, led by two MCT drama coaches, staged the show, King Arthur’s Quest in just five days — from auditions to performances. »Page 16A INDEPENDENCE NEWS The Monmouth Independence Networks (MINET) board of directors will schedule a board retreat to consider bylaws, board policies and a code of conduct. “No bylaws have ever been created by this board,” said Marilyn Morton, MINET administrator, at Thursday’s MINET board meeting. “There were a couple mentions (by board members in recent meetings) of board policies, and there are not board policies anywhere.” MINET officials recommend the board schedule a retreat to undertake looking at proposed bylaws and finishing them. »Page 5A MONMOUTH NEWS The first phase of Monmouth Engaged — Mon- mouth’s visioning process —is complete, and City Manager Scott McClure said the findings have been good. “When you put it all together, you go to the things that weren’t there, and people are pretty happy living in Monmouth,” he said. “Are there some areas that we could do better, sure. We could have better cooperation with Western (Oregon University), more amenities, more bike-pedestrian safety. There’s always things you could do better.” »Page 2A POLK COUNTY NEWS Polk County Oregon State University Extension adopted a 2015-16 budget that will allow the pro- gram to focus resources on marketing and growth. The budget committee, consisting of the three Polk County commissioners and three citizens, adopted the budget on June 24. The budget totaled $382,500, with $377,500 going to operations and $5,000 held in contin- gency. The two biggest expenditures in the budg- et are $260,000 (up from $250,000 in 2014-15) for OSU staffing and programs and $60,000 for renting fairgrounds facilities. »Page 3A wed thu fri sat sun mon tue Exercise your Scrab- ble chops with Betty at the Independ- ence Public Library on the first Wednes- day of every month. 1 p.m. Free. “Into the Woods” plays at the Riverview Park Am- phitheater to help kick off the Fourth of July weekend. 10 p.m. Free. What better way to get into the spirit of the holiday than at Falls City’s Third of July festivities, in- cluding fireworks! Dusk. $5 parking. Happy Fourth of July! Enjoy the pa- rades, barbecues, festivals and fire- works, but be safe about it. Don’t drink and drive. Rickreall Grange Flea Market is back at the grange hall, perfect for grabbing breakfast and find- ing a hidden gem. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Ever dreamed of playing in an or- chestra? Join New Horizon’s and give it a shot. The group meets each week. 6:30 p.m. $25/month. Head to your local library and join the summer reading program: Every Hero has a Story. it’s not too late to join! Free. Sunny Hi: 94 Lo: 60 Sunny Hi: 95 Lo: 58 Sunny Hi: 92 Lo: 56 Sunny Hi: 92 Lo: 61 Sunny Hi: 91 Lo: 59 Sunny Hi: 87 Lo: 56 Sunny Hi: 90 Lo: 58