Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • March 9, 2016 4A
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EDITORIALS
County offers plenty
to brighten your days
Don’t let the gloomy weather get you down. There are
plenty of things to be bright about in Polk County.
Friday, Monmouth and Independence celebrated resi-
dents and businesses that make the town great by giving
back to the community.
This Friday, Western Oregon University will host the
NCAA Division II West Regional, with eight teams — in-
cluding WOU — competing for a spot in the Elite Eight.
Students from LaCreole Middle School are working to
save money to attend the world championships of robot-
ics. The team, Shift, will head to Kentucky in April to repre-
sent Dallas among the best of the best.
Then there’s the “news that could have been worse.”
Thanks to the sprinkler system at Forest River and the
quick response from Dallas Fire & EMS, a fire on Thursday
did not get out of control. The fire, started by a cigarette,
could have been much worse, affecting not only Forest
River and its employees, but all of Dallas.
Thanks to the perfect timing — and perhaps a little
chance – Monmouth City Councilor and Central High girls
basketball assistant coach Jon Carey was saved from a car
accident-turned-fire on March 2. Polk County Reserve
Deputy Eric Berry and Lincoln County Deputy Eric Larson
were in the right place at the right time to pull Carey from
his car before it ignited and went up in flames.
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, MARCH 9
• Independence Heritage Museum Commission — 4 p.m.,
Independence Heritage Museum, 112 S. Third St., Independ-
ence. 503-838-1212.
• Monmouth Library Advisory Board — 7 a.m., Monmouth
Public Library, 168 Ecols St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Monmouth Parks and Recreation Board — 7 p.m., Volun-
teer 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.
• Polk Soil and Water Conservation District Board — 6
p.m., USDA Service Center, 580 Main St., suite A, Dallas. 503-623-
9680, ext. 5.
THURSDAY, MARCH 10
• Polk County Fire District No. 1 Board — 6 p.m., Central
Station 90, 1800 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1510.
• Western Days Commission — 7 p.m., Independence Civic
Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• Falls City City Council — 6 p.m., Falls City Community
Center, 320 N. Main St., Falls City. 503-787- 3631.
• Polk County Fair Board — 8 a.m., Polk County Fair-
grounds, 520 S. Paciic Highway (99W).
• Luckiamute Watershed Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall,
144 S/ Warren St., Monmouth. 503-837-0237.
SATURDAY, MARCH 12
• Monmouth Tree Advisory Board — 7 p.m., Monmouth
Senior Center, 180 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
MONDAY, MARCH 14
• Hops and Heritage Festival Commission — 6 p.m., Inde-
pendence Elks Lodge, 289 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-
1212.
• WIMPEG Board of Directors — 7 p.m., 150 N. Knox St.,
Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Dallas School Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District of-
ice, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594.
• Southwest Polk Fire Protection District Board — 7:30
p.m., Rickreall Fire Station, 275 Main St., Rickreall. 503-831-
3530. (location moves each month)
TUESDAY, MARCH 15
• Independence Historic Preservation Commission — 4
p.m., Independence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence.
503-838-1212.
• Monmouth City Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 S.
Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Dallas Parks Advisory Board — 5:30 p.m., Dallas City Hall,
187 SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3502.
• Falls City School Board — 6:30 p.m., Falls City High School,
111 N. Main St., Falls City. 503-787-3521.
• Polk County Board of Commission work session — 9
a.m., Polk County Courthouse, BOC oice, 850 Main St., Dallas.
503-623-8173.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16
• 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.
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
Support bond to fix
community streets
Our Dallas streets have
been falling into disrepair
for 20-plus years.
Street damage begins
with water finding cracks in
the asphalt, degrading the
road base. As more cracks
occur, they become “spider
webs.” The streets then de-
teriorate faster becoming
more expensive to repair.
Let the damage continue
without repair, and the
streets will need complete
reconstruction.
We now have many
streets in poor condition,
and so I support the 10-year
bond to repair them.
I want to be a part of
keeping Dallas a great place
for all of us to work and live.
Debra Nord
Dallas
Gas, tech company
may keep kids here
Very exciting news ap-
peared in the IO regarding
the proposed new job op-
portunities in Dallas to be
provided by American Gas &
Technology.
This has the potential to
propel tremendous eco-
nomic growth in Dallas and
bring (hopefully) family
wage jobs to our town.
It would be helpful to get
a little more information re-
garding timelines (when
might hiring begin), wages
(just an approximation of
the entry level salary range)
and benefits.
My husband and I relo-
cated to Dallas seven years
ago after retirement, but our
son and his family have
been here close to 20 years.
It would be wonderful to
see good jobs for our grand-
children, and even great-
grandchildren, keeping
them close.
Lynne Bowen
Dallas
Resident disagrees
with raise for Minet
Dear Editor. A raise for
Minet’s manager. Really? For
what?
Carl Nightengale
Independence
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
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
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 busi-
nesses 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 disagree
with other published letter writ-
ers should maintain a civil dis-
course 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 submit-
ted via the I-O’s website.
Names and cities of residence
are published; street addresses
and telephone numbers are
used for veriication purposes
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.
Letters submitted may not be
retractable 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.
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. 10
(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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Dawn Ohren.....................................................................................................................ioads@polkio.com
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Kathy Huggins ..............................................................................................................iosales@polkio.com
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Web: www.polkio.com
Phone: 503-623-2373
Fax: 503-623-2395