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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2015)
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • July 22, 2015 3A Polk County News DEADLINES NEWS DEADLINES For inclusion in the Wednesday edition of the Itemizer-Observer: Social news (weddings, engagements, anniver- saries, births, milestones) — 5 p.m. on Thursday. Community events — Noon on Friday for both the Community Notebook and Community Calendar. Letters to the editor — 10 a.m. on Monday. Obituaries — 4 p.m. on Monday. ADVERTISING DEADLINES Retail display ads — 3 p.m. Friday. Classified display ads — 11 a.m. on Monday. Classified line ads — Noon on Monday. Classified ads are updated daily on www.polkio.com. Public notices — Noon on Friday. CORRECTIONS The Polk County Itemizer- Observer is committed to publishing accurate news, feature and sports reports. If you see anything that re- quires a correction or clarifi- cation, call the newsroom at 503-623-2373 or send an e- mail to nadams@polkio.com. WEBSITE The Polk County Itemizer- Observer website, www.polkio.com, is updat- ed each week by Wednes- day afternoon. There, you will find nearly every story that appears in the print version of the newspaper, as well as some items, in- cluding additional photos, that do not appear in print due to space limitations. The Itemizer-Observer is also on Facebook and Twit- ter. WEATHER RECORDED HIGH LOW July 14............... 86 July 15............... 85 July 16............... 81 July 17............... 88 July 18............... 99 July 19............... 96 July 20............... 89 57 54 55 52 62 61 57 RAIN .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 Rainfall during July — Trace. Rain through July 20 — 15.27 in. Change in gravel to blame for flurry of flats on county roads He said less expensive one- and two-ply POLK COUNTY — Michael Henich has tires are more lived on gravel Highland Road for 16 years, likely to suffer but in the last two years, he’s had a total 20 “rock flats” on gravel roads. flat tires and blowouts. He doesn’t think that is normal, and he Whitaker rec- believes it is something about the gravel or ommends buy- the maintenance on the road that is causing i n g t o u g h e r Public Works tires — public the flurry of flats. “The last two years have been really bad,” works trucks Henich said. “It seems like the wrong-sized use six-ply tires to avoid flats, for example. To Henich’s concerns about the type of rock rock. It’s an inch too big. used on Highland Road, Whitaker said the “Something is wrong.” Henich has lodged a number of com- county’s sources of rock have gotten slimmer. The pit that produced the less angular river plaints, even taking his tire remnants to the Polk County Commissioners for them to see. rock used on roads previously closed about He said he was told to buy sturdier truck two years ago. Since then, the county has had to use soft- tires, which he did to put on his wife’s car, but she found the tires noisy and made for an un- er, but sharper, crushed quarry rock. That type of rock is more comfortable ride on prone to causing flats, paved streets. “It seems like the wrong- Whitaker said. “She finally got so He said it is prov- frustrated, she said sized rock. It’s an inch too big. ing difficult to trans- ‘take them off,’” port rock more like Henich said, noting Something is wrong.” what the county re- another issue: “They — Michael Henich ceived from the are much more ex- closed pit from other pensive.” Henich added that solution didn’t seem sources. Whitaker said the county uses a practical when the only stretch of gravel rubber roller when it grades gravel roads to road they drive is the mile it takes to get compact loose gravel, but traffic on the from their home to a paved street. roads quickly kick up the rock again. Polk County Public Works Director Todd Whitaker said in his opinion the best an- Whitaker said, unfortunately, he doesn’t swer to the problem is stronger tires. have another suggestion for Henich. “That’s probably unwelcome news to “The problem is that folks are not buying someone who is retired, but that is what it the right tires for gravel roads,” he said. takes to live on a gravel road,” he said. By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer Beer, wine to come to fair By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer RICKREALL — In a year of changes for the Polk County Fair, organizers have added yet another for 2015: beer and wine. Striving to appeal to a broader audience, the fair will have a beer and wine garden in the 4-H building and patio hosted by Rogue Ales and Eola Wine Cellars. This isn’t the first time t h e f a i r h a s f e a t u re d wine — a number of years ago the fair had a wine and cheese tasting booth — but it is the first year it will be featured in this manner. “We are trying to high- light the county’s agricul- ture, that grapes and hops are grown in this county, too,” said Tina Andersen, fair manager. In addition to pouring their potent potables, both Rogue and Eola will set up displays about their opera- tions in Polk County. Andersen said adding wine and beer to the fair was something she wanted to do for years, but wasn’t able to find the time to make it happen. Fair Board Chairwoman Anna Scharf offered to help. At a recent Board of Commissioners meeting Commissioner Mike Ainsworth said he opposed having alcohol at the fair, preferring it to be a “family- oriented” event. However, Scharf said Polk County is behind other counties in featuring local brews and vintages. “The majority of county fairs in the state have some form of alcohol,” she said. The beer and wine garden will be open noon to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, closing about two hours be- fore the fair shuts downs. Andersen said the goal is to offer more to the 21-and- older crowd. While alcohol will be restricted to the beer and wine garden, the building is not far from the main stage and opens to a patio, so visitors will be able to listen to live music. “We are hoping people stay at the fair longer,” she said, adding they can visit food booths before going to the wine and beer garden. “They can sit there enjoying the afternoon or evening.” Indy council sets goal to improve government ties By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer INDEPENDENCE — In- dependence City Councilors want to improve relation- ships with other county gov- ernmental agencies, specifi- cally with Monmouth. Independence City Man- ager David Clyne presented the strategic plan, outlining six specific goals, to the council at its July 14 meeting. Goal 6, to improve rela- tionships with other govern- mental agencies, was rewrit- ten to be broader than just Monmouth. “When we had our coun- cil goal setting session, we Government had to (improve) our rela- tionship with our sister city, Monmouth,” said Mayor John McArdle. “I asked staff to rewrite that goal to in- clude the Grand Ronde Trib- al Council, the county and school district. So they changed that at my request. I know that’s a little different than what we talked about.” Councilor Marilyn Mor- ton said she did not see a problem adding other agen- cies, but Monmouth should be a priority. “It was clear to me that council’s intention was to improve our relationship with Monmouth specifical- ly,” Morton said. Councilor Forrest Peck said he liked the idea that the city councils from both Monmouth and Independ- ence were planning a joint work session — which is tentatively scheduled for the fifth Tuesday in Septem- ber — but more strategies were needed to fulfill the goal of better relations be- tween the two cities. Peck suggested bringing back the “All Hands Meet- ing,” something that has not happened for a few years. The meeting was between all the department heads of both cities. Other councilors agreed that the goal should have suggestions and steps on how to accomplish it. The other five goals on the strategic plan all had specif- ic steps on how the goal would be measured and ac- complished. Goal 6 was the only one not to have such an outline. McArdle suggested the plan be approved by the council with a provision that specific strategies for im- proved relations with Mon- mouth and other agencies would be worked on and added on later. Councilors Morton, Peck, Nancy Lodge and Tom Takacs all said they would rather pass the plan after it was complete rather than piecemeal. Clyne said he would take the strategic plan back to outline steps for Goal 6 and bring it back to the council. “I would urge going back to the original notes and put the emphasis on putting Mon- mouth first,” Morton said.