Polk County Itemizer-Observer • September 23, 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
St. Philip Catholic Church’s
name was misspelled in a
subhead in the Sept. 16 issue
of the I-O’s story, “Altar society
celebrates rich history,” on
Page 3A.
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.
The Itemizer-Observer is
also on Facebook and Twit-
ter. Look for breaking news
online.
WEATHER
RECORDED
HIGH LOW
Sept. 15............ 65
Sept. 16............ 71
Sept. 17............ 70
Sept. 18............ 75
Sept. 19............ 81
Sept. 20............ 81
Sept. 21............ 73
45
52
53
50
49
52
51
RAIN
.04
.01
.89
.00
.00
.00
.05
Rainfall during Sept. — 0.99 in.
Rain through Sept. 21 — 16.98 in.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Citations issued during campaign
INDEPENDENCE — Ten citations were issued to drivers fail-
ing to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk during a safety en-
forcement operation conducted by the Independence Police
Department on Sept. 14.
Police staked out the intersection of Monmouth and South
Sixth streets from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. during the operation.
Fourteen warnings were given to drivers for failing to stop for
pedestrians, two citations were issued for other offenses, in-
cluding using cellphones, and seven warnings were issued for
other traffic offenses.
“Educating our citizens in traffic safety is our only goal when
conducting these types of operations,” said Officer David Oliv-
eros. “Please don’t drive distracted; pay attention to what is
going on around you; and always drive safe.”
For more information on traffic safety: www.oregon
impact.org.
Dallas police adds two new officers
DALLAS — Two officers, Mike Fleming and Hannah Flaming,
have joined the Dallas Police Department.
Fleming was a police officer for the Newberg-Dundee Police
Department for nearly a decade. Prior to
that, he was a corrections deputy working in
the Polk County Jail.
Flaming is a new offi-
cer, still completing the
Oregon police academy
and a field training pro-
gram before becoming a
certified officer. After
that, she will complete
Fleming
field training working
with another officer. That
Flaming
process typically takes nine month to a year.
Before being hired each officer had to
pass a standardized written test, a competitive interview
process, a background investigation, physical examination and
psychological examination. One officer is filling a new position
and the other replaces a retiring officer.
Salem Health looks for partners
SALEM — Salem Health is taking applications from Marion
and Polk county organizations for its 2016 Community Partner-
ship Grant program.
Grant amounts generally range from $20,000 to $50,000, and
applicants must meet the minimum requirements.
This year, $170,000 in grants went to Salvation Army of
Salem, Oregon State University Extension Service, HOME Youth
& Resource Center and Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion and
Polk counties.
For more information regarding eligibility, application crite-
ria and deadlines, visit www.salemhealth.org/about/communi-
ty/community-partnership-grants.
Ward honored for work in garden
INDEPENDENCE — The Oregon State University Extension
Service Master Gardener program honored 25 volunteers on
Thursday for their service to their counties and communities.
Darrell Ward, a Master Gardener since 2011, was named Polk
County’s Master Gardener of the Year for his “tireless” efforts to
pay for and develop the 6-acre Inspiration Garden in Mountain
Fir Park in Independence.
Ward has helped clear brush and weeds, restore landscaping
through planting, and helped raise money for a garden build-
ing that will serve as a storage, work and meeting space.
For more information on the Master Gardeners:
extension.oregonstate.edu.
County admin earns high marks
POLK COUNTY — County Administrator Greg Hansen was
given high praise during his annual evaluation last week.
The Polk County Board of Commissioners meet with Hansen
on Sept. 15 to discuss his performance over the last year. Com-
missioner Mike Ainsworth said all three commissioners were
more than pleased with Hansen’s work.
“We are extremely fortunate to have an administrator with
the knowledge he has,” Ainsworth said. “I can’t think of any-
thing negative to say about him.”
His yearly evaluation is just a performance review and
doesn’t include changes in salary or benefits. That is considered
during the county’s budget proceedings each year.
This year marks Hansen’s 30th year working for Polk County,
Ainsworth noted.
“That’s a lot of history,” he said. “He has gone through a lot of
commissioners.”
For more News in Brief, see Page 9A
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer file
About 30 feral cats are being trapped at a Dallas business to be rehomed. Because they
are not used to humans, they make excellent rodent controllers in barns.
Barn cats seek new homes
Feral Cat Awareness Project rescues 50 feral felines
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — About 50 cats
in Polk County need barns to
call home or they may be eu-
thanized, said Edith Walters,
founder of Feral Cat Aware-
ness Project.
Some of the cats were
found at the home of an eld-
erly woman in West Salem.
Walters said it was a hoarder
situation. Others made their
home at a local business in
Dallas until the new owners
wanted them removed.
“They’re like a wild cat,”
she said. “They’ve never had
human contact. They had a
caretaker that fed them, but
they’ve never been touched
by a human.”
The feral cats are not suit-
ed for living in a home, but
are perfect as natural rodent
control, Walters said.
“A lot of people prefer
feral cats for barn cats be-
cause they’re skittish,” she
said. “They stay away from
the house and the dogs.
They’re there to do a job,
and that is to take care of ro-
dents, and that’s what these
guys do.”
Cats are placed at least
two at a time and must be
contained for three weeks
while they get used to their
new barn, which must pro-
vide adequate shelter for the
cat, Walters said.
She has about 30 cats still in
need of shelter and caretakers.
Not all of them are ready to go
today, but having homes lined
up makes an easier transition
for the animals.
“We are in the process of
catching the cats,” Walters
said. “It’s easier for me if I
have people who want them.
I can trap them and take
them over. It’s easier and less
stressful for the cat if we can
do it all in one nice swoop.”
For more information
about trap, neuter and re-
lease, or to adopt a barn cat:
www.feralcatawarenesspro-
ject.com or find the organi-
zation on Facebook.
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