Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • July 22, 2015 4A
EDITORIALS
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I-O awards reflect
well on community
It’s award season at the Polk County Itemizer-Observer.
As an organization, the paper took home 14 awards from
the Oregon Newspapers Publishers Association’s Better
Newspaper Contest. Five of those were first-place nods.
Perhaps the best of the 14 is the Elmo Smith Award of
General Excellence, which the paper took second place.
That means that out of all the newspapers with similar
circulation, the I-O is the second best in the state of Oregon.
That gives us a chance to toot our own horn, but it also
gives us a chance to toot yours.
We couldn’t have done any of it without you. It is be-
cause you let us into your lives to share your stories that we
can do what we do.
Because of you, 2014 was an amazing year for news in
Polk County, and the judges in the state of Virginia thought
so too.
We cried with you and cheered with you. As your local
newspaper, we get to focus on the news and stories that re-
ally matter to you.
Thank you for reading, advertising and for calling us out
when we make a mistake. Thank you for realizing that we
are human and will, no matter how careful we are, make
mistakes now and then.
While other newspapers throughout the state and coun-
try have struggled, you have helped keep us vibrant. We
want to tell you stories you cannot find on Yahoo or Fox
News. We want to tell you stories that matter to your lives
and to your pocketbook.
Our staff members, from those in advertising to those in
the newsroom, live in Polk County. We are at community
events — and not just to put a story in the paper, but be-
cause we love our communities. We love Polk County, and
we hope you will brag about us as much as we enjoy brag-
ging about you.
Because we’re proud to be the second best in the state —
though don’t take that to mean we won’t strive for better.
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, JULY 22
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
FRIDAY, JULY 24
• Polk County Public Health Advisory Board — noon, Acad-
emy Building, room 212, 182 SW Academy St., Dallas. 503-623-
8175 ext. 2307.
MONDAY, JULY 27
• Independence Library Board — 4 p.m., Independence
Public Library, 175 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1811.
TUESDAY, JULY 28
• 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, JULY 29
• 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
Nice to see ‘little
gem’ featured
A big thank you to Itemiz-
er-Observer publisher,
Nancy Adams, and staff
writer, Jolene Guzman, for
the wonderful, full-page
write-up on Daryll’s Nursery
in the June 17 edition of the
I-O.
Daryll Combs has operat-
ed this little gem of a nurs-
ery out on West Ellendale
for several years. Some-
times, however, these “little
gems” in and around Dallas
go unnoticed, and we need
to be reminded.
This coverage in our local
paper was a very positive re-
inforcement of one of our
dedicated, local businesses.
I would like to suggest that
perhaps we could see more
of this sort of thing.
How about a special fea-
ture each week, acknowl-
edging some of our long-
time local businesses?
We all need to be remind-
ed of the hard-working es-
tablishments who have con-
tributed so much to making
Dallas the city we love.
Carol Mannen
Dallas
Mini-Marathon a
great success
Monmouth Fitness Club,
Brook & Terry’s Espresso
and Anytime Fitness, spon-
sors of this year’s Fourth of
July Mini-Marathon are
pleased to announce the
enormous success of the
43rd annual event.
Proceeds were distributed
to: Monmouth-Indepen-
dence Lions Club, Ella Cur-
rin Food Bank in Independ-
ence, Central High School
track and cross-country and
the Kelsey Oldham Scholar-
ship.
A special thanks to Race
Director Terry Cable, of
Brook & Terry’s Espresso,
Monmouth and Independ-
ence police departments
and all the volunteers that
made this annual event a
great success.
Also, thanks to Willamette
Valley Road Runners, the
city of Monmouth, Mon-
mouth Parks Board, Inde-
pendence Public Library
and Central Lions Club, that
helped sponsor and support
the 43rd Annual Mini-
Marathon.
Come join the fun next
year at the 44th annual
Fourth of July Mini-
Marathon.
Terry Cable
Mini-Marathon Committee
Monmouth-Independence
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
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
WANT TO WRITE A LETTER?
Letters to the editor are lim-
ited to 300 words. Longer letters
will be edited.
Election-related letters of all
types are limited to 100 words.
Writers are limited to one elec-
tion-related letter per election
season. Election letters from
writers outside of Polk County
are not accepted.
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
businesses 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.
The Itemizer-Observer does
not guarantee the accuracy of
facts presented by letter writers;
dissenters are welcome to re-
spond. Letter writers who dis-
agree with other published
letter writers should maintain a
civil discourse and address the
subject, not the author.
Letters, like all editorial mate-
rial submitted to the newspaper,
are edited for length, grammar
and content.
Letters must include the au-
thor’s name, address and tele-
phone number. This includes
letters submitted via the I-O’s
website. Names and cities of res-
idence are published; street ad-
dresses and telephone numbers
are used for verification pur-
poses 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. Let-
ters submitted may not be re-
tractable after this deadline.
—
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.
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. 29
(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