Polk County News
14A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • February 3, 2016
Sewer backup could mean
natural gas line trouble
Itemizer-Observer staf report
PORTLAND — NW Nat-
ural (NYSE:NWN) is notify-
ing its customers of an im-
portant safety matter: on
rare occasions, a sewer
backup could mean a natu-
ral gas line has accidentally
crossed the sewer line.
If a sewer backup occurs,
it’s important that plumbers
first scope the line with a
video camera. Attempting
to clear a sewer line without
first using a scope could re-
sult in the release of natural
gas into the sewer system of
a home or business, a po-
tential hazard.
If a crossed line is sus-
pected, call NW Natural at
800-882-3377. If the lines
cross, the gas line will be
rerouted at no cost to cus-
tomers.
“It’s important to scope
prior to clearing a sewer line
and also to call us,” Ryan
Van Gordon, NW Natural
project manager, said in a
press release. “These simple
steps could prevent a po-
tentially unsafe situation.”
A gas line can accidental-
ly cross a sewer line if the
sewer line wasn’t able to be
located on a map or didn’t
have tracing technology in it
at the time the line was in-
stalled. This problem is now
preventable because maps
and tracing technology are
improving. Plus, NW Natu-
ral now sends a video cam-
era down the sewer line
after installing a gas line
with trenchless construc-
tion.
To l e a r n m o r e :
www.nwnatural.com.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Free amateur radio class begins Tuesday
KINGS VALLEY — A free Amateur radio technician class — or
ham radio — will begin from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday and continue
Tuesday evenings through March 15.
The class will be held at Kings Valley Charter School, 38840
Kings Valley Highway. Participants will prepare to pass the Federal
Communications Commission’s amateur radio technician class li-
cense exam.
In the event of an emergency, the primary modes of communi-
cation may be disrupted or overloaded. Ham radio is a third-tier
fallback mode of communication, after landline and cellphone, to
both receive and disseminate information during an emergency
and during recovery operations.
RSVP to dsprague@kvschool.org.
Thompson files for House District 23
DALLAS — Jim Thompson, of Dallas, has announced he will run
for the Oregon House of Representatives this year for House Dis-
trict 23. He has iled as an Independent Party candidate.
Thompson held the seat for three terms, appointed in 2008.
The last day for candidates to ile for the May 17 primary elec-
tion is March 8.
Remember to claim your kicker
SALEM — Tax return iling season is open and the Oregon De-
partment of Revenue wants to remind you to claim your tax sur-
plus credit, or “kicker,” on your 2015 personal income tax returns.
The credit is how the state is returning a more than $402 million
tax surplus to eligible Oregon taxpayers. There won’t be any kicker
checks issued as there have been in the past.
The Department of Revenue launched What’s My Kicker, a new
online tool that calculates your credit amount based on informa-
tion from the 2014 Oregon tax return you iled. All you need to
enter is your Social Security number or individual taxpayer identi-
ication number (ITIN), last name, and iling statuses for 2014 and
2015. Visit www.oregon.gov/dor and click on the “What’s My Kick-
er” link. You can only use this tool if your 2014 and 2015 iling sta-
tuses are the same.
If your iling statuses are diferent, you can calculate the
amount of your credit by multiplying your 2014 tax liability before
any credits, except credits for taxes paid to other states, by 5.6 per-
cent.
IRS warns of scam
Itemizer-Observer staf report
WASHINGTON — Ag-
gressive and threatening
phone calls by criminals
impersonating IRS agents
remain a major threat to
taxpayers, headlining the
annual “Dirty Dozen” list of
tax scams for the 2016 filing
season, the Internal Rev-
enue Service announced.
The IRS has seen a surge
of these phone scams as
scam artists threaten police
arrest, deportation, license
revocation and other things.
The IRS reminds taxpayers
to guard against all sorts of
con games that arise during
any filing season.
"There are many varia-
tions. The caller may
threaten you with arrest or
court action to trick you
into making a payment,”
said IRS Commissioner
John Koskinen in a press re-
lease. “Some schemes may
say you’re entitled to a huge
refund. These all add up to
trouble. Some simple tips
can help protect you.”
Scammers make unso-
licited calls claiming to be
IRS officials. They demand
that the victim pay a bogus
tax bill. They con the victim
into sending cash, usually
through a prepaid debit
card or wire transfer. They
The IRS will never:
• Call to demand im-
mediate payment, nor
will the agency call about
taxes owed without irst
having mailed you a bill.
• Demand that you pay
taxes without giving you
the opportunity to ques-
tion or appeal the
amount they say you
owe.
• Require you to use a
speciic payment method
for your taxes, such as a
prepaid debit card.
• Ask for credit or debit
card numbers over the
phone.
• Threaten to bring in
local police or other law-
enforcement groups to
have you arrested for not
paying.
— Source IRS.gov
may also leave “urgent”
callback requests through
phone “robo-calls,” or via a
phishing email.
Many phone scams use
threats to intimidate and
bully a victim into paying.
They may even threaten to
arrest, deport or revoke the
license of their victim if
they don’t get the money.
Stay alert to scams that
use the IRS as a lure. For
more: IRS.gov.
Man arrested near Ash Creek
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904 Main St, Dallas
503-831-1588
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — Ash
Creek Elementary School
went into a brief lockout Fri-
day when Corey Harman,
22, resisted arrest and ran
t h r o u g h t h e s c h o o l ’s
grounds, Monmouth Police
Sgt. Kim Dorn said.
At 10:45 a.m. on Friday,
officers from Monmouth
and Independence were at-
tempting to arrest Harman
on a felony warrant in the
1900 block of Laurelridge
Street in Monmouth, near
ACES.
Harman physically resis-
ted arrest and escaped
briefly from officers, running
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through ACES school yard.
Officers quickly caught up to
him, and with help from
P o l k C o u n t y S h e r i f f ’s
deputies, were able to take
him into custody, Dorn said.
Harman fought with offi-
cers, who deployed a con-
ducted energy device (Taser)
twice at the initial scene and
once on the school grounds,
Dorn said.
He was charged with pro-
bation violation felony war-
rant, resisting arrest, sec-
ond-degree escape, interfer-
ing with a police officer, as-
sault of a police officer, ha-
rassment and second-de-
gree disorderly conduct. He
is lodged in Polk County jail
with $75,000 bail.
“Based on statements
made, Harman was believed
to be under the influence of
methamphetamine, mari-
juana and alcohol,” Dorn
said in a press release about
the incident.
The lockout was lifted as
soon as the scene was secure
and Harman was in custody.
There was no attempt by
Harman to enter the school
building.
No students or staff were
placed in danger during the
event, Dorn said.
Monmouth Police Depart-
ment was assisted by Inde-
pendence PD, Polk County
Sheriff’s Office, Polk Fire
District No. 1 and Dallas Po-
lice Department.
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