Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 6, 2016 4A
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EDITORIALS
Welcome to 2016
Heading into 2016, here are some projects we’d like to
see make some progress:
We would like to see the Blue Garden open its doors and
be welcomed by the residents of Dallas and visitors alike.
We hope to see the Independence riverfront planned
and developed thoughtfully.
We had a number of new businesses and restaurants
open in 2015 — we hope people support those businesses
and they are able to keep their doors open through 2016.
We would love a bakery in Dallas.
We hope to see more collaboration between Monmouth
and Western Oregon University. We are excited about the
new leadership at WOU and look forward to seeing what
the new board and president bring to campus in 2016.
There’s a momentum in the air, one of vision and
progress. We hope the residents of Polk County can keep
that momentum going.
With an election in November, we hope people can keep
a civilized discussion about candidates and will watch with
interest to see who steps up to serve in our local govern-
ments as well as statewide.
With lingering controversy hovering over Dallas from
2015, we hope for continued respectful conversation that
leads to a resolution for all.
Last year had its ups and downs, but let’s remember the
high points and work to make 2016 packed full of even
more great memories.
One way to ensure your community and its wonderful
events, from Summerfest to Hops and Heritage Festival to
Music in the Park, go smoothly and are fun for all is to vol-
unteer on the boards and committees responsible for mak-
ing those events happen.
Make getting involved part of your New Year’s resolu-
tions.
As for us, we’ll continue to try and provide the best local
news for you, our readers. We love to hear from you, so feel
free to write us a letter to the editor or drop us a note.
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, JAN. 6
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, irst loor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Monmouth Historic Commission — 6 p.m., Volunteer Hall,
144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Dallas Residential Street Task Force — 4 p.m., Dallas City
Hall, 187 SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3502.
MONDAY, JAN. 11
• WIMPEG Board of Directors — 7 p.m., 150 N. Knox St.,
Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Southwest Polk Fire Protection District Board — 7:30
p.m., Rickreall Fire Station, 275 Main St., Rickreall. 503-831-3530.
• Hops and Heritage Festival Commission — 6 p.m., Inde-
pendence Elks Lodge, 289 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-
1212.
• Dallas School Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District of-
ice, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594.
TUESDAY, JAN. 12
• Polk County Board of Commission work session — 9 a.m.,
Polk County Courthouse, BOC oice, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-
623-8173.
• Monmouth Tree Advisory Board — 7 p.m., Monmouth
Senior Center, 180 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Independence City Council — 7 p.m., Independence Civic
Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, irst loor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Monmouth Parks and Recreation Board — 7 p.m., Volun-
teer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Monmouth Library Advisory Board — 7 a.m., Monmouth
Public Library, 168 Ecols St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Independence Heritage Museum Commission — 4 p.m.,
Independence Heritage Museum, 112 S. Third St., Independ-
ence. 503-838-1212.
• Dallas Residential Street Task Force — 4 p.m., Dallas City
Hall, 187 SE Court Street, Dallas. 503-831-3502.
• Polk Soil and Water Conservation District Board — 6
p.m., USDA Service Center, 580 Main St., Suite A, Dallas. 503-623-
9680, ext. 5.
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
Bending to federal
influence not right
Try Monmouth’s
Hadley’s Bakery
It comes as no surprise
that federal influence is felt
in local government.
After all, he who pays the
piper calls the tune.
The simple threat of lost
federal funding can buy a
lot of compliance.
This influence has most
recently reared its head in
the Dallas School District.
The most disturbing as-
pect of the latest episode is
that our elected representa-
tives and their administra-
tors seem to be too easily
disposed to yield to the fan-
cies of federal bureaucracy.
The Office of Civil Rights
the Department of Educa-
tion have filed amicus briefs
in support of transgender
youth.
Yet, no court of law had
ruled in their favor.
Our school board fails to
distinguish between an ami-
cus brief and a judicial rul-
ing.
Superintendent Michelle
Johnstone has referred to
“the law” in her communi-
cation.
The fact is, there is no law
that requires access to sin-
gle-sex facilities based on
perceived gender.
It is concerning to me
that our school board and
their administration fail to
comprehend, or at least
concede, this very conse-
quential distinction in the
law.
Surely, reasonable accom-
modation of transgender
youth and privacy for all is
an achievable goal.
However ill-informed def-
erence to federal overlords
is not acceptable at all, ever.
Hadley’s Radio Bakery in
Monmouth is my new go-to
restaurant. There’s nowhere
else like it for fresh, unique,
traditional home cooking.
My pastry was warm from
the oven because Hadley
bakes small batches
throughout the day. And his
special cold-brewed coffee
is excellent.
You may find a pot of
bone broth soup simmering
on the stove or a plate of
fresh biscuits and gravy, and
so much more. I’ve been
there three times this week.
Jim Cross
Dallas
Rene Grier
Monmouth
Disagreement isn’t
persecution, hatred
The author of the Dec. 23
letter to the editor “Choose
love over differences” seems
to imply that a difference of
opinion means that you are
unwelcoming and persecut-
ing.
He claims to be welcom-
ing and making people feel
safe, yet his rhetoric ramps
up negative feelings toward
those whose opinion differs.
Disagreeing does not
mean there is hatred or
safety issues or that one side
plays the victim.
Progressives talk about
coming to the table to com-
promise, but they never
mean it.
What they really want is
exactly their way.
Referencing the transgen-
der issue at the high school,
a compromise here is the
transgender having their
own space.
People went out of their
way to accommodate the
transgender’s choice of
lifestyle, but that was not
good enough. Instead the
individual is insisting on
foisting a choice of lifestyle
on other students and their
parents, grandparents,
whose responsibility it is to
protect the values of their
children.
All citizens deserve to
have their rights respected
equally and to be protected.
The people who spoke
out to protect their children
would be the first to step
up to protect the transgen-
der. Too bad the transgen-
der can’t respond in kind.
How is it that hundreds of
voices are unable to be
heard over the voices of a
few? I personally would not
trust the author of the afore-
mentioned (letter to the edi-
tor) to protect and respect
my safety and right to priva-
cy because of his one-sided
view.
Terri Parsons
Dallas
Thanks for ‘warm,
fuzzy’ donations
We would like to send a
huge thanks to all the gen-
erous people who donated
warm clothing, blankets,
and other articles of warmth
for our “Warm and Fuzzy”
clothing drive 2015.
What a difference these
things made to those who
needed them.
We would also like to add
a big, big thank you for the
staff at Starlite Lanes, Dal-
las, for acting as a drop-off
point for us and their
cheery attitude.
It made a big difference.
The articles collected sur-
passed the 2014 totals. God
bless.
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 oice: 707 13th St. SE,
Suite 285, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-589-4555
Email: via website,
www.wyden.senate.gov
Deb Darr
Falls City
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-
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Each writer is restricted to
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The deadline for letters to the
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—
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. 1
(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
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