BUENA VISTA HOUSE
GNIADECKI TAKES SECOND
HIDDEN GEM Page 7A AT DISTRICT Page 10A
Volume 141, Issue 20
www.Polkio.com
One
dead
after
crash
May 18, 2016
$1.00
Leap ahead
IN
YOUR
TOWN
DALLAS
EMS works to im-
prove response times.
»Page 5A
Itemizer-Observer staff report
POLK COUNTY — An
Independence woman
was killed in a head-on car
crash on Sunday on Mon-
mouth Highway (Highway
194) near milepost 6, west
of Monmouth on Fishback
Road.
The two-vehicle colli-
sion happened at about
12:50 p.m.
Tara Kadell, 30, of Inde-
pendence, was driving a
1997 Dodge Neon east-
bound on Highway 194
when she crossed the cen-
ter line, striking a 2006
Dodge pickup head on,
according to reports from
Oregon State Police.
Kadell was pronounced
dead at the scene.
The driver of the pick-
up, Lacey C. McLaren, 23,
of Portland, was not in-
jured.
Two other passengers, a
4-year-old girl and a 6-
year-old girl, were also not
injured, according to po-
lice.
It was discovered
McLaren had a felony war-
rant for first-degree theft
issued by Linn County
Sheriff’s Office. She was
arrested and lodged at the
Polk County Jail.
A male passenger in the
pickup fled the scene prior
to law enforcement arriv-
ing, according to OSP.
He was later identified
as Jason Lee Greer, 33, of
Oregon City. It was
learned Greer had a mis-
demeanor warrant for his
arrest, according to OSP.
As of Monday, Greer had
not been located.
Witnesses reported ob-
serving the Neon driving
at a high rate of speed
prior to the crash.
Highway 194 was closed
for about five hours while
the investigation was
being conducted. OSP was
assisted by Monmouth Po-
lice, Polk County Sheriff’s
Office, Polk County Dis-
trict Attorney’s Office and
the Oregon Department of
Transportation.
This is an ongoing in-
vestigation.
FALLS CITY
City officials hope the
numbers are wrong for
those living on low to
moderate incomes — it
affects grant money to
rebuild the sewer.
»Page 5A
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Central senior Reba Hoffman qualified for state in the girls triple jump. For more track coverage, see Page 10A.
Are you prepared for disaster?
Marion, Polk counties pool resources, ideas to get ready
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
POLK COUNTY — How
long could you exist in an
emergency without electrici-
ty, water and food with what
you have on hand at home
or work? A few days? A week?
With the Cascadia sub-
duction zone and its poten-
tial for a 9.0 magnitude
earthquake lurking off the
coast of the Pacific North-
west, local leaders would
like to see that answer be at
least two weeks.
A group of government
agencies, businesses advo-
cates and media outlets in
Polk and Marion counties
are working together to help
residents achieve that objec-
tive.
The group, called the
M i d - Va l l e y E m e r g e n c y
Communications Collabora-
tive, wants the two-county
region to be the best pre-
pared in the state for the im-
pending Cascadia Subduc-
tion Zone earthquake, or
any emergency.
MVECC includes repre-
sentatives from Polk County,
the city of Salem, Marion
County, Western Oregon
University, SEDCOR, The
Red Cross, Salem Health
(which includes Salem
Health West Valley in Dallas),
Salem-Keizer Public
Schools, and NW Natural.
Media outlets in the part-
nership include the Polk
County Itemizer-Observer,
the Statesman Journal,
Salem Weekly, CCTV, and
radio stations KMUZ, KYAC
and KPCN-LP Radio
Movimiento.
Ed Flick, Marion County’s
emergency manager, said it’s
estimated that less than 10
percent of the population in
the Mid-Valley would con-
sider themselves prepared
for an emergency of Casca-
dia proportions. The goal of
the group is to provide
enough “timely and relevant
information” to the public to
double the number of peo-
ple who are ready.
Flick believes it’s possible,
and more importantly, a
civic responsibility for those
who have the resources and
ability to prepare.
Government will struggle
to respond to everyone who
needs help in the aftermath
of a major emergency like
Cascadia, he said.
“The fact is, we are not
going to be able,” Flick said.
If otherwise healthy peo-
ple can exist on their own,
emergency responders can
focus limited resources and
personnel on vulnerable
groups. The goal of being
able to sustain yourself for
two weeks is based on the
Get ready one step at a time
If compiled over time, building your emergency kit
doesn’t have to be overwhelming or a financial bur-
den.
In conjunction with the Mid-Willamette Valley
Emergency Communications Collaborative efforts, the
Polk County Itemizer-Observer will publish a series of
tips on what you should place in your kit.
Some things to consider when building your kit:
• Kits can be used on all emergencies, so you are not
just preparing for Cascadia.
• In addition to your two-week home kit, you should
have a “get home” kit in your car and one for work. Of-
ficials recommend keeping supplies for three days in a
“get home” kit and seven days in workplace kits.
• When it comes to food, think more than conven-
ience. In a disaster situation having something famil-
iar is comforting, so as much as possible, pack food
that you would eat normally.
• Don’t forget your pets. They will need a supply of
food and necessary medications, too.
projected amount of time it
will take agencies from out-
side the area to be able to
provide assistance to resi-
dents, Flick said.
Being prepared includes
not just a kit for your home,
but for work, a “get home”
kit for your car, and a plan
coordinating how your fami-
ly will respond during an
emergency.
If that sounds like a lot of
time and expense, don’t be
overwhelmed. You can tack-
le it piece-by-piece. In coor-
dination with the group’s ef-
forts, the I-O will publish a
series of articles highlighting
ways you can get ready, in-
cluding a checklist of items
that should be in your emer-
gency kit.
Flick said preparing for
emergencies isn’t just about
meeting the short-term
needs of you and your fami-
ly, but the long-term effort
of rebuilding your commu-
nity.
“Experiences have shown
that communities that are
involved in their own re-
sponse — out there assisting
in their own recovery — re-
cover faster,” Flick said.
Entrepreneurs to shine at business fair
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — The
Independence Elks Lodge
will be packed with home-
based businesses on Friday
afternoon for the inaugural
Home Based Business Fair,
sponsored by the Independ-
ence Downtown Associa-
tion.
“It was an unsung sector
of the business population,”
said Marilyn Morton, who
came up with the idea while
THE NEXT
7
DAYS
PLANNING
FOR YOUR
WEEK
doing research on home-
based businesses in the
Monmouth and Independ-
ence area.
“It was stunning how
many there were,” Morton
said. “More than 390 resi-
dences and over 500 busi-
nesses, because some peo-
ple have more than one at
their address.”
She and Rod Killen decid-
ed the home-based business
fair was needed.
Morton herself has four
home-based businesses, in-
cluding teaching piano,
something she learned from
a woman who also ran a
home-based business.
The event can hold 40
vendors. Morton said on
Tuesday that there was still
room for businesses to par-
ticipate.
For the business owner,
the fair provides an oppor-
tunity to network and
learn about accounting
and finance, resources,
writing press releases and
training.
That’s not to say the event
is strictly for those who run
businesses from home, Mor-
ton said.
“It offers an opportunity
to see what kind of smart in-
ventors and creative
thinkers we have in the
area,” she said. “You don’t
have to be a small business
to partake of the education.
Entry is free. It’s going to be
a fascinating array of busi-
ness offerings — everything
from 3-D printers to in-
home toe nail care.”
wed
thu
fri
sat
Prepare for a spir-
ited discussion
about the Old Testa-
ment at Brew and
BS at St. Thomas
Episcopal Church.
7 p.m. Free.
Listen to tales of fish-
ing and romance at
the river gallery, as
told by author Henry
Hughes. Refresh-
ments available.
4:30 p.m. Free.
Donate blood; save
a life at the Ameri-
can Red Cross blood
drive at Trinity
Lutheran Church in
Dallas.
12:30-5:30 p.m. Free.
Monmouth and In-
dependence host
their annual clean-
up day. Head down
to the park and vol-
unteer.
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.
Mostly sunny
Hi: 68
Lo: 47
Showers
Hi: 59
Lo: 44
Showers
Hi: 63
Lo: 46
Showers
Hi: 64
Lo: 48
Morton said the business
fair will give entrepreneurs a
chance to feel elevated in
the business world.
“I’d like to give the home-
based business public legiti-
macy, and acknowledge
what they provide for our
community,” she said.
The Home Based Busi-
ness Fair will be from 2 to 6
p.m. on Friday at the Inde-
pendence Elks Lodge, 289 S.
Main St.
Tables are available for
$15. Admission is free.
sun
Today is National
Maritime Day, to
recognize the mar-
itime industry and
Merchant Marines
for their sacrifices
and contributions.
Partly sunny
Hi: 64
Lo: 49
INDEPENDENCE
FCR hires 240 before
its first year in Inde-
pendence.
»Page 3A
MONMOUTH
Western Oregon Uni-
versity Department of
Theatre and Dance
present Shakespeare’s
“Cymbeline,” opening
today.
»Page 2A
SPORTS
Central’s Kevin Cable
is headed back to state
tennis tournament.
»Page 12A
Find election
results online
Itemizer-Observer staff report
DALLAS — Results from
Oregon’s primary election
were reported after this
edition (May 18) of the
Itemizer-Observer went to
press Tuesday.
To find results and reac-
tion, go to www.
polkio.com.
Full election coverage
on local ballot measures
and races will appear in the
May 25 edition of the I-O.
Charges issued
after crash
Itemizer-Observer staff report
DALLAS — Police have
cited a Dallas man in the
May 5 accident on West El-
lendale in Dallas.
On May 11, Kyle Brad-
ford, 23, was cited on driv-
ing under the influence of
intoxicants and reckless
driving. Police have re-
ferred Bradford to the Polk
County District Attorney on
additional charges of crimi-
nal mischief.
At about 9:38 p.m. on
May 5, Dallas officers re-
sponded to a report of a
single-vehicle crash in the
800 block of West Ellen-
dale. According to police,
Bradford had crashed a
1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse
into several mailboxes be-
fore hitting a tree. Bradford
was transported to a hospi-
tal. There were no passen-
gers.
mon
tue
Learn about veg-
etable gardening
from a Master Gar-
dener at the
monthly Dallas Gar-
den Club meeting.
6:30 p.m. Free.
Enjoy the sounds of
the Big Band era at
the Spring Fling at
the Monmouth Sen-
ior Center. Refresh-
ments available.
4-6 p.m. $5.
Showers
Hi: 64
Lo: 47
Showers
Hi: 66
Lo: 45