Polk County News
2A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 30, 2015
NEWS IN BRIEF
Rempel poem chosen for publication
DALLAS — At the recent Writer’s conference in Portland, local
poet Debbie Rempel of Dallas gave a reading of her poem
“Beach Chair.” This poem has been purchased by the Assembly
of God Gospel Publishing House to be used in one their publica-
tions.
Debbie is a longtime Dallas resident and graduate of Dallas
High School. She has written many poems over the years which
have been published. This is the irst time she has been paid for
one of her poems.
New manager hired at Polk CDC
INDEPENDENCE — Polk Community Development Corpora-
tion has hired Kevin Alejandrez as the new site manager for the
Park West apartment complex at E Street in Independence.
Park West Apartments were Polk CDC’s irst major develop-
ment, completed in 1996.
The nonproit organization develops multifamily and lease-
to-own homes for low- to moderate-income families, and ad-
ministers an afordable rehabilitation loan program for qualiied
homeowners, rental property owners and businesses. Its mis-
sion is to provide income-eligible Polk County residents with
opportunities for high quality, afordable housing.
For more information or to donate: www.polkcdc.org.
Dallas Fire responds to care facility
DALLAS — Dallas Fire and EMS responded to the Ellendale
Residential Care Facility, 511 E. Ellendale Ave., on Dec. 19 for a
reported structure ire.
On arrival, ire department personnel found the source of the
smoke, which turned out to be a ire in one of the facility’s rest-
rooms. About 50 residents were evaluated and relocated tem-
porarily while the ire was extinguished. Residents were allowed
to return a short time later, once the smoke was cleared from
the facility.
The ire was contained to the restroom. Minimal damage was
reported.
The cause of the ire is under investigation.
Dallas Fire was assisted by Dallas Police Department, Polk
County Fire District No. 1, Faulk Ambulance Service, and Polk
County Sherif’s Oice.
Driver cited after accident at Main
DALLAS — Stefani Thompson, 34, of Falls City, was cited on
Dec. 17 for failing to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk after
an accident at Main Street and Walnut Avenue.
Thompson was making a legal left-hand turn from Walnut Av-
enue onto Main Street when she hit a juvenile pedestrian who
was legally crossing in the crosswalk, said Lt. Jerry Mott.
“She (Thompson) had a green light,” Mott said. “She didn’t see
the lady in the crosswalk and ran into her.”
The pedestrian was transported to a hospital and has since
been released.
The accident happened at 2:54 p.m. on Dec. 17 and closed
the road long enough for Dallas police oicers to take measure-
ments, in case a recreation of the accident was needed later,
Mott said.
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JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer file
Nicholas Indra got his start on this 3-D printing adventure by creating an urn for his son (pictured middle).
Business spawned from lack of choice
‘Anything you think about that can be drawn in a computer can be printed’
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — What
started out as a way to find a
more suitable urn for Nicholas
Indra’s 8-year-old son Daniel
has turned into a full-time 3-D
printing business.
“Shortly after his acci-
dent, we looked for an urn,”
Indra, 32, said. “We couldn’t
find anything that we felt
was appropriate for a child.
We called them ‘old-people
vases.’”
Indra and a friend set to
work designing a “Lego-
man” urn for Daniel to rest
in, using a 3-D printer to
bring the creation to life.
At the time, Indra thought
to make a business out of it,
but is kind of relieved there
Daniel Indra
is not a huge daily demand
for children’s urns.
“In some ways it’s a good
thing that the urn business
isn’t an everyday thing,” he
said. “Obviously from a busi-
ness perspective, it’s not.”
Instead of folding up the
printer, Indra is working to
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news and advertising needs in 2016.
The staff at the Itemizer-Observer
find other ways to market
the uses of the machine,
from Christmas ornaments
at craft fairs to designing
prosthetics.
“We have some ideas of
some projects that we want
to fund personally so we can
show off what the printer
can do,” he said. “We’re still
at the point that we don’t
fully understand what the
printer can do.”
Indra lost two fingers in a
work accident years ago.
Now, he and his friend are
working to print him a pros-
thetic for those digits.
“3-D printing is revolu-
tionizing the world of pros-
thetics,” Indra said.
He also is looking at creating
props from movies or comics
for props enthusiasts.
“Literally anything you
can think of and draw on a
computer, it can be printed,”
Indra said.
While the company is still
in its early stages, Indra said
his ultimate goal is to make
it profitable enough to give
back to the community that
has so supported him and
his family, before and after
Daniel’s tragic death.
“We’re hoping to help the
Scout Pack that my son was
in, buy some uniforms for
Kids, Inc., help sponsor
camping trips,” Indra said.
“Things like that were im-
portant to Daniel. We want
to help give back, help fund
those activities that Daniel
really liked.”
For more information:
Fenix3D.net.