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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2015)
Polk County Voices Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 9, 2015 4A How to Contact Officials EDITORIALS Polk County begins Christmas season Polk County kicked off the countdown to Christmas in style last weekend. From cookies and cocoa with Santa in Dallas to lighting the giant tree at Western Oregon University to Portland & Western’s special delivery of Kris Kringle in Independence and Falls City’s tree lighting, there were plenty of smiles and Christmas cheer to go around. Thank you Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce, Inde- pendence Downtown Association, the Elks and Portland & Western, Tony and Jenn Drill, WOU and WOU’s Athletics Department for putting on great events. Here’s hoping that spirit remains throughout the season and if you are looking for way to give back, there are plenty of opportunities to do so. The Salvation Army could always use more volunteer bell ringers to collect donations at local businesses throughout Polk County. For more information or to sign up, go to www.salem.kroccenter.org/volunteer.html. You have to get up early to help Dallas Christmas Cheer with its Christmas Eve deliveries, but it’s worth it. If you want to be part of the fun, show up at 6 a.m. at LaCreole Middle School, 701 SE LaCreole Drive, to help “shop” for or deliver food boxes for local families in need. For more information: www.dallascc.org/. Finally, if you can’t volunteer, you can give. There are collection bins around town for Christmas Cheer and Toy for Tots that need filling, as well as Red Kettles that could use donations. The rain storm that has caused havoc in the region wait- ed just long enough not to disrupt Christmas celebrations around the county, but it’s in full swing now. We want to thank Polk County CERT and the city of Dal- las for posting important and informational updates about road closures and high water areas on Monday and Tues- day. Thanks for helping keep residents safe and informed. We aren’t done yet, as much more rain and flooding is in the forecast for Wednesday (today) and Thursday, so re- main vigilant and careful while driving. 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, DEC. 9 • Monmouth Library Advisory Board — 7 a.m., Monmouth Public Library meeting room, 168 S. Ecols St., Monmouth. 503- 838-0722. • Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173. • Monmouth Park and Recreation Board — 7 p.m., Volun- teer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722. • Polk Soil and Water Conservation District Board — 6 p.m., USDA Service Center, 580 Main St., Suite A, Dallas. 503-623- 980 Ext. 5. THURSDAY, DEC. 10 • Polk County Fire District No. 1 Board — 6 p.m., Central Station 90, 1800 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1510. • Luckiamute Watershed Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-837-0237. • Falls City City Council — 7:30 p.m., Falls City Community Center, 320 N. Main St., Falls City. 503-787-3631. • Southwest Polk Fire Board — 7 p.m. 503-831-3533. Call for location. MONDAY, DEC. 14 • Polk Soil and Water Conservation District Board — 10:30 a.m., USDA Service Center, 580 Main St., Suite A, Dallas. Ease- ment committee. 503-623-9680, ext. 5. TUESDAY, DEC. 15 • Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173. * Independence Historic Preservation Commission — 4 p.m., Independence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212. * Monmouth City Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16 • 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. 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 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 Blessing and hope My husband would like to tell how blessed we were when we went to the Dallas hospital emergency. The doctor found Les had a colon blockage. Les went by ambulance to the Salem Hospital. Les had wonderful care by Dr. VanderHeyden; all went great. Hope we live long enough to see the new senior center. 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 Betty and Les Day Dallas Stranger’s offer a holiday reminder I had the most amazing experience last week. I was in Salem to have lunch with friends and do some shop- ping. My last stop was the Fred Meyer store on Market Street. The clerk totaled up my purchases and suddenly the young woman behind me in line said to me, “May I pay for your groceries as a Christmas gift to you?” I was so astonished. I know I was standing there with my mouth open. When I finally got it to- gether, I thanked her and declined her offer. I ex- plained to her that most of what I bought was either going to the Food Bank, the Boy Scouts food drive, or to the Dallas seniors who adopted a family for Christ- mas. I paid my bill and turned to her to thank her again. We gave each other a hug and said Merry Christ- mas. I left the store with a smile on my face as I real- ized there are still wonder- ful, kind, caring people in this country. Each day brings blessings. Helvi Ross 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 Indy should focus on what they have The city of Independence needs to be reminded that 52 businesses located in our downtown core have closed their doors or gone out of business in the last six years. Fourteen of those re- tail fatalities were restau- rants. Currently there is an ex- cess of 60,000-square feet of vacant retail or income- producing space located within three city blocks. Good luck to the in-state investors attempting to collect $2.40 per square foot when neighboring businesses occupying buildings owned locally are struggling to pay their bills at 38 cents per square foot. In referencing the newly acquired landfill: to comple- ment the current down- town, all new construction must be built to exceed an- ticipated seismic reality. The landfill is unstable ground within a flood plain. That does not mean the property cannot be built on; it means construction due to the proximity of the river will require substantial rein- forcement. Building facades must resemble 19th century architecture to blend in and maintain the historical image of the town. The de- velopment should contain a parking structure, destina- tion hotel, and a performing arts center — things that brings hotel guests to the area. Competitive retail, ad- ditional restaurants or Sec- tion 8 housing is a bad di- rection. Let the hotel guest keys become “the keys to the city,” allowing visitors to shop and enjoy the venues we already offer. The city has been struggling for years and obviously does not or cannot sustain what it al- ready has. For that to change, residents and gov- ernment need to support what they can see and aban- don the ideology of seeing what they can support by continuously attempting to attract new victims to main- tain the illusion of prosperi- ty. As a merchant; I would gladly give the hotel 10 per- cent of the receipts their traffic generated. 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 oice: 707 13th St. SE, Suite 285, Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 503-589-4555 Email: via website, www.wyden.senate.gov Ron Smith Independence 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 veriication 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. Oice: 147 SE Court St., Dallas. Sen. Jef Merkley (Dem.) 313 Hart SOB Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: 202-224-3753 Fax: 202-228-3997 Salem oice: 495 State St. SE, Suite 330, Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 503-362-8102 Email: via website, www.merkley.senate.gov Rep. Kurt Schrader (Dem.) 108 Cannon HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: 202-225-5711 Fax: 202-225-5699 Salem oice: 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. 49 (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 inancial 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 Web: www.polkio.com Phone: 503-623-2373 Fax: 503-623-2395
