Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • August 19, 2015 4A
EDITORIALS
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Play it safe while
summer lasts
It’s nearly that time of year again, when students will be
heading back to school. Summer is nearly over, with just a
few performances left on outdoor stages in Dallas, Inde-
pendence and Monmouth.
And what a summer it’s been, with temperatures consis-
tently in the 90s, and often in triple digits. Rain totals have
been about 0.01 for three months. It’s enough to make
some question if we’re still in Oregon.
As you head out to enjoy these last few weeks, be safe
about it. This is one of Oregon’s driest years on record, and
fires seem to start just by looking at the grass in the wrong
way.
It may be fun to roast marshmallows by a campfire and
sing songs, but preventing a forest fire by skipping it this
year is may be a better choice.
The rivers are low and as unpredictable as ever. Remem-
ber to always wear a lifejacket if you play in or on the rivers.
With another heat wave coming through the valley this
week, it’s still important to hydrate, especially for young
athletes who are training for fall sports. Get plenty of rest,
and see our story on Page 10A for more tips from local
coaches on safely training in the heat.
Of course the old-timers will say this isn’t abnormal.
Oregon has had dry spells just like it has its wet spells. As
we all try and do our part to conserve water at home, we
may have another dry, warm winter ahead. The National
Weather Service is unsure about how this year’s El Nino
will affect us. It may mean warm and wet, but maybe just
warm.
On the bright side, the Old Farmers Almanac is predict-
ing a colder than normal, whiter winter for the Pacific
Northwest. Is a white Christmas in store? Depends on who
you ask.
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, AUG. 19
• 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, AUG. 20
• 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.
MONDAY, AUG. 24
• Independence Library Board — 4 p.m., Independence
Public Library, 175 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1811.
TUESDAY, AUG. 25
• 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, AUG. 26
• 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
Please return
stolen solar lights
I am not sure how to han-
dle this, but surely people in
Dallas need to be aware that
there are elements, even
here, that prevent those
who are new to the area
from feeling safe.
My neighbor who lives
across the street had several
solar lights on either side of
the sidewalk to her front
porch. These were not just
ordinary lights, but some
she brought with her from
her previous residence.
Someone took them dur-
ing the night. She was in
tears and said she was sorry
she ever lived in this town.
This was not over reaction;
she and her family moved
here expecting it to be their
permanent residence.
Would you please print
this and urge whoever took
them to return them. It
might have been just a
prank, but it gives our town
a black eye.
I love living here too and
want to keep her as a happy
neighbor.
Helen and Bob Murphy
Dallas
Top Secret not
protected properly
When I worked in Top Se-
cret Control Office (TSCO)
Distribution Center at HQ,
VII Corps (U.S. Army), I
controlled Secret and Nato
Secret documents.
Our TSCO office was in a
vault in the basement. Each
Secret document had a
number. Our documents
were hand carried by couri-
er to our Division HQs. We
demanded our Receipts to
be signed and couriered
back to our office. We knew
the location of each Secret
document.
Confidential and Secret
documents had to be
kept/stored in vault-like-
safes in offices. When pulled
out, they had a thin card-
board like cover sheet — SE-
CRET — red lettering, white
background.
Fast forward 38 years, I’m
annoyed to hear on national
TV, news anchors talking
about Secret and Top Secret
emails.
If federal government
agencies don’t control clas-
sified documents (num-
bered hard copies only),
then we need an investiga-
tion by the judicial branch
of government.
When I read the "Stars &
Stripes" newspaper, I read a
sentence or two within the
article that was Secret. It
was never divulged as Secret
and one wouldn’t have
guessed it was classified at
all. Many documents were
over-classified.
Classified documents
must be strictly controlled
and only be numbered hard
copies, not emails.
Kenneth Johnson
Dallas
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. 33
(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 advertise-
ments. 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
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CLASSIFIED LINE ADVERTISING
Dawn Ohren .....................................................................................................................ioads@polkio.com
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Kathy Huggins ..............................................................................................................iosales@polkio.com
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Web: www.polkio.com
Phone: 503-623-2373
Fax: 503-623-2395