Polk County News
2A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • October 28, 2015
Remember loved ones long gone NEWS IN BRIEF
Law enforcement takes part in sweep
By Emily Mentzer
Honor loved ones
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — The
Day of the Dead, Dia de los
Muertos, is not the same
thing as Halloween, even
though the dates are very
close.
In fact, Halloween, or All
Hollow’s Eve, is the night be-
fore Day of the Dead, which
is on Sunday.
This year, the community
is invited to participate in
the festivities on Sunday and
Monday at the Independ-
ence Civic Center, 555 S.
Main St.
The events are similar in
that images of death
abound, but Dia de los
Muertos is about honoring
loved ones who have died
rather than scaring off evil
spirits.
“It’s also known as All
Soul’s Day, when we can
commemorate our loved
ones, remembering all the
good they did, and the good
examples they were to us,”
POLK COUNTY — Polk County law enforcement agencies
took part in the 13th National Family Violence Apprehension
detail on Oct. 21.
The sweep focused on locating people who have outstand-
ing warrants for domestic violence related crimes. October is
Domestic Violence Awareness month.
The Polk County Sherif’s Oice, assisted by Dallas, Inde-
pendence and Monmouth police departments and the Oregon
State Police, arrested seven people.
What: Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, or All Soul’s Day.
When: Sunday, 12:30 to 4 p.m. and Monday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Independence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St.
Admission: Free.
Of note: Community members may set up a display hon-
oring their loved ones from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Sunday’s events will include displays, art work, face painting
and refreshments. Monday, the center will be open for peo-
ple to view displays.
For more information: Juan Navarro, 503-838-1212.
iCLIPART/for the Itemizer-Observer
People paint their faces on
Day of the Dead.
said Elena Pena, co-organiz-
er of the event. “In turn, we
want to change what we can
do for our own good.”
The day has a long histo-
ry, and is connected to the
Catholic Church, but all are
welcome to put up a display
honoring a loved one, enjoy
each other’s company and
the festivities.
“It’s kind of like when
someone in the community
dies and people come to-
gether and bring teddy
bears,” Pena said. “It’s what-
ever comes from the heart,
be it flowers or whatever
they’re willing to do.”
Juan Navarro, Independ-
ence community liaison and
co-organizer of the Dia de
los Muertos event, said fam-
ilies often cook a departed’s
favorite food, tell stories
about them and generally
honor and remember them.
“The spirit feeds them-
Nominate for 2016 ‘Military Child’
selves with the aroma of the
food,” Navarro explained.
“The next day, they go and
eat those foods to honor
(those who have died).”
In his house, his grand-
mother recently died.
“She loved tamales,”
Navarro said. “So I would
cook tamales.”
The family would put up
some candles and pictures
of her, tell stories of her and
stay up all night with the dis-
play. The next day, his family
would feast on those
tamales in honor of his
grandmother.
POLK COUNTY — Operation Homefront is asking for nomi-
nations for the 2016 Military Child of the Year, a national award.
This award is presented to an outstanding child from each
branch of service: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast
Guard and the National Guard. The recipients each receive
$10,000 and a laptop, and are lown with a parent or guardian
to Washington, D.C., for a special gala on April 16. Anyone can
nominate a child. Nominations are due Dec. 11.
For more information on how to nominate a child or to see
photos from past events, go to MilitaryChildOfTheYear.org.
Christmas Cheer looking for families
DALLAS — Dallas Christmas Cheer is gearing up for the hol-
iday season and looking for families in need and donations.
Christmas Cheer is a local nonproit providing a holiday food
box to families in need during the holidays. Boxes are delivered
on Christmas Eve.
To sign up, contact your school counselor or pick up an ap-
plication at the Polk County Resource Center, Academy Build-
ing, 182 SW Academy St., Suite 220, Dallas.
To help the program, go to www.dallascc.org to ind oppor-
tunities to donate or volunteer.
New economic development strategy more focused
DALLAS — After the city
of Dallas redefined its goals
with its Dallas 2030 vision in
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
NAME THAT ROOSTER!
As previously published
in the Itemizer-Observer,
our unnamed but popular
downtown rooster needed
a name, so we appealed to
our customers for suggestions.
Below are the final choices.
Choose your
favorite name!
2014, the city and Economic
Development Commission
reviewed its economic de-
velopment strategy.
What it found didn’t ex-
actly align with the city’s
new objectives.
“It would periodically get
updated and things seemed to
get added, but things never
seem to be taken off of it,” said
Jason Locke, Dallas’ commu-
nity development director.
The strategy had become
unwieldly, unfocused and
some objectives didn’t des-
ignate a responsible party to
make sure it was completed.
“There were no real de-
fined roles, and therefore,
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by Nov. 10th
Drop ballet off at SomeThings
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A little effort.
A big difference.
not necessarily a whole lot
of accountability,” Locke
said. “Stuff just wouldn’t get
done because the various
parties didn’t think it was
their responsibility.”
The commission
scrapped the old plan
On Oct. 19, the Dallas City
Council approved a new
nine-point strategy, along
with $12,000 to distribute
the city’s new branding and
marketing materials.
The strategies cover ex-
pected items, such as down-
town revitalization, provid-
ing a guide for opening busi-
nesses; ensuring that com-
mercial and industrial prop-
erties are available; focusing
on tourism; and making
sure the city’s infrastructure
and utilities are available
and in good condition.
Others were more specif-
ic. The city’s third strategy is
to attract craft brewing and
wine industry businesses.
“And a tourism strategy
cannot be underestimated
because a lot of people who
open businesses or bring
companies to a town come
to that town first as tourists,”
Locke said.
Dallas would like to im-
prove its first impression
by launching a new, more
user-friendly website and
distributing its newly creat-
ed marketing materials en-
titled “Take a Closer Look.”
Locke said possibly the
most important strategy is
“workforce development,”
or ensuring businesses have
an adequately educated and
trained pool of workers in
the area. The chamber of
commerce will be in charge
of leading that, working with
the Dallas School District
and Chemeketa Community
College.
“You can’t make products
or serve customers if you
don’t have a trained work-
force or at least a workforce
that has basic knowledge of
how to be a worker,” Locke
said.
Unlike the previous plan,
each strategy has an as-
signed party to oversee it
and more partners wil
emerge.
“They will be identified as
we go through the process of
getting the tactics and im-
plementation measures to-
gether,” Locke said.
Mid-Valley Christian Academy
Navigators
Faith, Integrity, Leadership
Enter the Drawings for your chance
to win one of 31 Turkeys!
Look
for Posters
& Drawing
Boxes
starting
Nov. 2nd!
Drawing at each store listed below:
A-Team Locksmith 689 Main St.
Brixius Jewelers 837 Main St.
Capitol Auto West Valley Chevrolet
812 SE Jefferson
Country Insurance 141 SW Court St.
Courtyard Coffee House 156 SE Mill St.
Court Street Hair 155 SW Court St.
Dallas Alteration Center 131 SW Mill St.
Dallas City Cleaners 144 SW Washington St.
Dallas City Vapors 143 SW Court St.
Dallas Yoga & Balance Studio 115 SE Court St.
Domino's Pizza 772 Main St.
First American Title Co. of Oregon 807 Main St.
Four Season's Styling Center 861 Main St.
Grandma's Attic Sewing Emporium 167 SW Court St.
Harvest CrossFit 172 SW Court St.
Heartstrings Florist & Artisans 137 SW Court St.
Home Comfort 1827 S. Main St.
House of Floors 680 Main St.
Jake's Garage 161 SW Washington St.
Just Stuff 947 Main St.
Old Mill Feed & Garden 313 Main St.
Polk County Itemizer-Observer Newspaper 147 SE Court St.
Pressed Coffee & Wine Bar 788 Main St.
Shear Perfection 1042 Main St.
Some Things 857 Main St.
The Dallas Forty 962 Main St.
The Decorated Wall 186 SE Mill St.
The Fox Theater 166 SE Mill St.
Tim's Automotive Specialties
172 SW Washington St.
West Valley Taphouse 957 Main St.
World Gym 887 Main St.
Drawing will be held Nov. 20th.
Turkey winners will be contacted on Nov. 21st.
It is not too late to check us out!
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