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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 2016)
Polk County News 2A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • March 2, 2016 NEWS IN BRIEF Salvation Army receives $2,000 grant DALLAS — The Dallas Community Foundation has awarded The Salvation Army a $2,000 grant to assist victims of domestic violence in Polk County. The funding helps those who have sufered from domestic violence and want to begin life away from their abusers. This is the third year the Dallas Community Foundation has approved the request for this speciic funding and the need continues. Hundreds of women and children in Polk County have experienced and are experiencing domestic violence in their homes. The Salvation Army receives referrals for inancial assistance for clients of Sable House and the Department of Human Serv- ices. Clients can also self-refer themselves for inancial assis- tance by contacting The Salvation Army Polk County Oice in Dallas, 503-623-9664, ext. 2481. Polk County parcel part of timber sale JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer Elegant Floral owner Dennice Grover takes her home-based flower business and brings it to downtown. FLOWERS AND MORE Elegant Floral brings variety of gifts, shopping experience to downtown By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — Dennice Grover loves flowers. The owner of Elegant Flo- ral, which opened on Feb. 12 on Mill Street in Dallas, seemed destined to be a flower shop owner. It’s just taken some time for her to make that leap. “I’ve been mystified by flowers since I was 4 or 5 years old,” Grover said last week. “I can remember pick- ing in my grandmother’s yard and knocking on the neighbor’s doors to see if I could pick their flowers, and going back to my grand- mother’s and trying to arrange them.” That fascination contin- Fancy flowers What: Elegant Floral. Where: 135 SW Mill St. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. After hours by appointment. Contact: 503-623-5683 For more information: https://www.facebook.com/ele- gantloral1. ued through high school, when she worked in a local floral shop for credit in her career education class. “I just made up my mind then that I was going to pur- sue floral work,” she said. Since then, Grover has worked in floral shops in the area for 35 years and has had a home business under the same name for 16 years. “We decided to take it the Premier Sponsor: next step, which would be to work full time, and the logi- cal thing to do is to open a store,” Grover said. Opening two days before Valentine’s Day was by de- sign. Grover wanted to get Elegant Floral’s name and location circulating. It worked. She had three times the business she thought she would. “I sold every flower I had,” Premier Sponsor: Doors Open For Social Hour at 5:30 pm. For tickets or more information: www.micc-or.org | 503.838.4268 Join the MI Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center as we celebrate businesses, organizations, and individuals for their contributions and support of our community during our 51st Annual Community Awards Banquet! she said. After the Valentine’s Day rush, Grover said she’s had a number of people walk in the shop on Mill Street across the street from the Dallas post office to check out her work. “Visibility is really good right here, with people going to the post office and going to the bank. I’m real thank- ful,” Grover said. Elegant Flower offers silk and fresh flower designs and arrangements for weddings and other special events. Customer designs are avail- able. Grover sells green and flowering plants. By carrying higher-end flowers and plants, gifts, and gift wrapping, Grover hopes Elegant Floral will replace some of what downtown lost with the closure of Plain & Fancy Gifts. “I plan to have a lot of ver- satility,” she said. “I want to have things that are little unique and different that you don’t see in everybody’s flower shop.” The third-generation Dal- las resident would like to help drive more traffic to downtown. “I want to do whatever I can to help Dallas prosper and have downtown be de- sirable,” she said. “I don’t want this place to turn into a ghost town. This is my hometown. I love it. I’m pas- sionate about it.” GRAND RONDE — A parcel in Polk County near Grand Ronde was part of the Bureau of Land Management, Salem District timber sale on Feb. 24. The Rowell Creek Timber Sale, approximately 13.7 million board feet was purchased by Hampton Tree Farms Inc. for $4,274,576. The appraised price was $3,639,496. Hampton Tree Farm purchased a second parcel in Linn County (2.1 million board feet) to bring the total sale to more than $4.76 million and 15.8 million board feet. For more information on Salem BLM’s timber sale program go to: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/salem/timber sales/index.php. Minet manager to receive raise INDEPENDENCE — The Monmouth Independence board of directors approved a 5 percent salary increase for Minet Gener- al Manager Don Patten. Thursday’s unanimous vote came after an executive session to evaluate a public oicer and a brief summary of that meeting provided in public. “We want to convey that we’re really happy with your work, happy with getting the business stabilized,” said Scott McClure, Minet board president. Patten took the opportunity to evaluate the board, saying, “We at Minet are gaining a comfort level at bringing items that we feel should have your input, because we’re comfortable that you will address them appropriately.” Board member Jon Carey requested that he be sent Minet’s monthly reports that go to each city councilor in both Mon- mouth and Independence in advance in case he gets calls from other councilors with questions. “I would like to be perceived as a person in the know,” he said. “If I get a question about it, and I don’t know the answer, it’s embarrassing.” Transgender experience seminar on tap DALLAS — Polk Community for Human Equality and Basic Rights Oregon is hosting informational session “What’s the T? Learning about the Transgender Experience” on Sunday. The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1486 SW Levens St., in Dallas. For more information, or to RSVP, go to http://equalityfeder- ation.salsalabs.com/o/35028/p/salsa/event/common/public/?e vent_KEY=3652. The Beatles music featured at WOU MONMOUTH — The Western Hemisphere Voices presents “Because, The Beatles,” at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Rice Audito- rium at Western Oregon University. The group is one of the premier, audition-only ensembles at WOU. The program will feature music written by The Beatles, in- cluding some original arrangements and some new takes on classic songs. Admission is $3 general, $1 for students and senior citizens. WOU students are free with ID.