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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 2016)
Polk County Voices Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 27, 2016 4A How to Contact Officials EDITORIALS New resource center to open near CHS It took a lot of cooperation between local, county and state governmental agencies and organizations, but the Central Community Resource Center will finally open its doors Thursday. The center has been in the works since the Central Health and Wellness Center opened in June 2015, but has taken longer than thought to get going. Based in the former Central School District office build- ings across the street from the high school, it gives resi- dents of Monmouth and Independence centralized access to social services. With 32.8 percent of Independence’s population below poverty level — and 28.3 percent in Monmouth — according to the United States Census Bu- reau, help with rent, utilities, child care and food supple- ments are definitely needed. The Polk County Family and Community Outreach and public health have already had success in its model at the Academy Building with the service integration model. Having so many organizations and agencies in one place makes it easier for those who need help to only ask once rather than fill out forms for multiple agencies and get the runaround while they get referred to this or that. Extending that model to a location in Independence opens up access to more people in Polk County. So often, families that struggle financially only have one car — at least one car that is reliable. And, as County Commissioner Mike Ainsworth noted, the question comes down to, “do we eat supper and feed the family, or put gas in the car to drive to Dallas and ask for help?” Now, those in need could walk or ride a bike easily to the center and get the help they need. The Central resource center is a great investment in the county and in the Independence and Monmouth commu- nities. While the center will be open just one day a week at first, hours will expand as the need does. Coleen Bradford, Department of Human Services self- sufficiency manager, said DHS used to have offices in In- dependence, where the health center is now located, but had to consolidate when the budget got tight. “I know the need is here,” she said. We think she is right. 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 Thanks for Adopt- a-Family success Dallas Adopt a Family, a long-standing program, pro- vides families with gifts and food through gracious com- munity donors who “adopt” families for Christmas. This previous year, we are happy to announce that 189 families applied, and all were adopted. This achieve- ment would not have been possible without the help of an entire community who came together and rose to the occasion once again. Our churches, local busi- nesses, schools, civic groups, and volunteers opened their hearts by do- nating financial resources and giving their time. On Dec. 14-15, families arrived to the Evangelical Bible Church to pick up their gifts and food. Their smiles, gratitude, and in some cases tears, reminded us all that the long days of planning and preparation paid off, but most impor- tantly it reminded us all that we are all connected. We hope that everybody involved knows how much we thank their continued hard work and kindness over the years. Our hope is that together we continue to serve our community for many years to come. We sincerely thank you, and look forward to 2016. Jim and Candace Fowler Dallas Adopt a Family Committee 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 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. 27 • Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, irst loor conference room, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173. Thursday, Jan. 28 • Monmouth Independence Networks (Minet) Board of Di- rectors — 7:30 a.m., Henry Hill Education Support Center, 750 S. Fifth St., Independence. 503-580-8525. MONDAY, FEB. 1 • Central School District Board of Directors — 6:30 p.m., Henry Hill Education Support Center, 750 S. Fifth St., Independ- ence. • Independence Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Independ- ence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212. • Dallas City Council work session — 5:30 p.m., Dallas City Hall, 187 SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3502. • Dallas City Council — 7 p.m., Dallas City Hall, 187 SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3502. TUESDAY, FEB. 2 • Monmouth City Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725. • Dallas Urban Renewal Advisory Committee — 5:30 p.m., Dallas City Hall, 187 SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3565. • Polk County Board of Commission work session — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, BOC oice, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3 • Monmouth Historic Commission — 6 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725. • Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725. • Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, irst loor conference room, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173. 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 Happy National Chocolate Cake Day Do we need a birthday, wedding or anniversary to have chocolate cake? Not today (Jan. 27), because it’s National Chocolate Cake Day. In America, chocolate was consumed primarily as a beverage until the 1830s or ’40s. Chocolate cakes, as we think of them today, mostly did not exist then. According to the Dover Post, chocolate cake was born in 1765, when a doctor and a chocolate maker teamed up in an old mill. They ground up cocoa beans between huge mill- stones to make thick syrup. The liquid was poured into molds shaped like cakes, which were meant to be transformed into a beverage. A popular Philadelphia cookbook author, Eliza Leslie, published the earliest chocolate cake recipe in 1847 in The Lady’s Receipt Book. Unlike chocolate cakes we know today, this recipe used chopped chocolate. Other cooks of the time made con- tributions to the develop- ment of the chocolate cake. The first boxed cake mix was created by a company called O. Duff and Sons in the late 1920s. Betty Crocker released their first dry cake mixes in 1947. 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 newspa- per, 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. 141, No. 4 (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
