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Polk County News Polk County Itemizer-Observer • February 17, 2016 3A Indy seeks ‘tech hub’ status By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer Dallas Police Office Colby Hamilton takes photos of a car verses building crash in Dallas on Monday morning. No one was injured in the accident. Car smashes into Dallas building Itemizer-Observer staf report DALLAS — No one was injured in a Monday morn- ing crash in Dallas in which a car ran into a building. At about 11 a.m. police and firefighters responded to a report of a car crashing Osborn Nethery into an office in Ellendale Plaza at 289 E. Ellendale Ave. The driver of a blue Acura sedan appears to have acci- dently drove over concrete wheel stop and sidewalk curb and into the lobby of Weston K. Morrill Dentist Burrow Office while trying to park. The car damaged the out- side wall of the office and broke a window. The car suf- fered front-end damage. Dallas Police did not issue a citation to the driver of the Acura. Mirelez Lee Corrections posts ‘most wanted’ Itemizer-Observer staff report POLK COUNTY — Polk County Community Correc- tions lists these individuals as “most wanted” for Febru- ary. Citizens with informa- tion on the whereabouts of any of them can call Com- munity Corrections at 503- 623-5226. • Scott Leroy Osborn, born Oct. 29, 1971, 6-1, 185 pounds, brown hair, blue eyes. Charge: Possession of methamphetamine. • Troi Nethery, born Feb. 2, 1989, 5-3, 140 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes. Charge: Felon in possession of a firearm. • Dasha Jacquelyn Burrow, born Sept. 1, 1989, 5-4, 115 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes. Charge: Supplying con- traband. • Antonio Monreo Mirelez, born Feb. 21, 1990, 5-7, 150 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. Charge: Second- degree kidnapping. • Christopher Shawn Lee, born July 6, 1984, 5-11, 195 pounds, brown hair, blue eyes. Charge: Second-degree delivery of a controlled sub- stance. INDEPENDENCE — The city of Independence con- tinues its innovation efforts through education and smart agriculture programs, said Shawn Irvine, economic development director, at the Feb. 9 council work session. “The story that’s begin- ning to form is we’re trying to be this hub,” Irvine said. “People will come to town, spend money and shop. Hopefully we’ll have people coming to set up base to do research.” Independence has been marketing itself as a techno- logical hub with the help of the high-speed fiber avail- able through Monmouth In- dependence Networks. Irvine said the idea of in- novation spreads to the schools, where hopefully students will learn about coding and how to use and manipulate technology, and City Council learn to be entrepreneurs. Business Oregon has shown interest in the efforts because it is a model for a new economy in Oregon, Irvine said. “That’s been a tough nut to crack,” he said. “We want to take tech and marry it to smart ag. They’re interested in learning more about it.” Another thing that has been percolating is the idea of a tech incubator, a physi- cal building where tech companies can share office space and try something new, Irvine said. Councilor Nancy Lodge suggested that the old city hall building, currently under foreclosure proceed- ings, would be a perfect lo- cation for a technology in- cubator. “That’s one of the places I’ve looked at,” Irvine said. “These incubators, the older the building, the bet- ter. They’re the kind of place you don’t want them to stick around there. Get your feet under you and get your own office space.” Foreclosure proceedings on the old city hall have been delayed for various reasons. Councilor Tom Takacs asked what tech companies are looking for. “One, skilled workforce, programmers, techies who can say, ‘I’ve got an idea; you’ve got an idea; our ideas fit; let’s make a busi- ness,’” Irvine said. Tech companies are looking for “those people and opportu- nities to connect to those people,” he said. OSP investigates fatal crash Itemizer-Observer staf report POLK COUNTY — Oregon State Police (OSP) is continuing the investigation into the Feb. 10 single-vehicle fatal crash on Highway 221 that took the life of a McMin- nville woman. At approximately 2 p.m. OSP troopers and emergency responders were dis- patched to Highway 221 near milepost 14 for a reported single vehicle fatal crash. Once on scene, troopers determined that a 1999 Dodge Durango, operated by Deborah Wall, age 55, from McMinnville, was south- bound when it left the roadway and collid- ed into a telephone pole on the south- bound shoulder. The front passenger, Shari Smith, age 50, from McMinnville, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Wall was transported by ground am- bulance to Salem Hospital with serious in- juries. Troopers are looking into the possibility that Wall swerved in an attempt to miss a vehicle that was in her lane. Troopers and other officers searched the area for the other vehicle without success. OSP troopers from both the Salem and McMinnville Area Commands are continu- ing the investigation. Witnesses to the crash contact Recruit Trooper Jason Robb of the Salem Area Command at 503-378-3387. Seatbelt usage is undetermined. The highway was closed for approximately four hours during the investigation. Detours were set up by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). OSP was assisted by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, ODOT, Portland General Electric and Polk County Fire. The Itemizer-Observer Your community news source
