MOVIES AND MUSIC AT
THE PARK
POLK COUNTY SPECIAL
Page 7A
Volume 141, Issue 26
OLYMPICS
www.Polkio.com
Page 11A
June 29, 2016
$1.00
Falls
City
joins
the
party
IN
YOUR
TOWN
DallaS
new business offers
music lessons.
»Page 3a
FallS City
By Jolene Guzman
City council, school
board to discuss future
of Wagner library.
The Itemizer-Observer
FALLS CITY — Falls City
will have an Independence
Day celebration after all,
except it will be on July 2
instead of the traditional
date of July 3.
The Boondocks co-
owner Laura Britton
jumped in at the last
minute to coordinate a pa-
rade and community
potluck starting at noon.
“The city needed some-
one to step up to do it, and
no one was stepping up, so
I decided to do it,” Britton
said.
The parade will follow
the same route as in previ-
ous years and will disperse
at North Main and Bridge
streets.
The Boondocks has ap-
plications available for
those who want to partici-
pate in the parade.
At 1 p.m., Falls City resi-
dents are invited to a
potluck at Fay Wilson Park,
aka Lower Park, along the
Little Luckiamute River.
The Boondocks and the
city of Falls City are provid-
ing hot dogs, hamburgers
and cotton candy. Resi-
dents are asked to bring a
dish to share.
The grill master for the
afternoon is Falls City
Mayor Terry Ungricht.
At 2 p.m., Britton will
present a trophy to the
best in show parade entry.
Falls City’s annual Third
of July activities were can-
celed this year, as the fire
department didn’t have the
funds to put on the fire-
works show.
See FallS City, Page 6a
»Page 2a
iNDEPENDENCE
Chamber ambassa-
dor program provides
fun networking.
JOlEnE GuzMan/Itemizer-Observer
Using fireworks inappropriately can lead to increase risks of fire or injuries.
MoNMoUth
SAFETY FIRST
Monmouth Fitness
has new ownership and
same feel.
»Page 6a
Follow instructions on fireworks to avoid injury, fire
By Jolene Guzman
Did you know?
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Mateasa
Bathky saw it happen right
outside the TNT fireworks
stand in the Anytime Fitness
parking lot off East Ellendale
in Dallas.
Customers decided to put
on a fireworks show in the
parking lot, thinking it was a
big and safe enough area.
It would have been, ex-
cept for one detail: the dry
grass bordering the parking
lot. A spark from one of the
fountain fireworks flew into
the grass and lit it on fire.
“All it took was a tiny
spark, even though they
were 10 feet away from the
grass,” she said.
“Fountain” fireworks —
those that send a cascade of
colorful sparks in the air —
estimate the height and dis-
tance the sparks will travel
on the box. Bathky advises
• In 2015, there were 227 reported fireworks-related fires
in Oregon, resulting in 28 injuries and more than $423,000
in property damage.
• During 2011 through 2015, there were 924 reported
fireworks-related fires in Oregon resulting in one death,
161 civilian injuries, and more than $2.7 million in property
damage.
For more information: www.oregon.gov/OSP/
SFM/pages/licensing_fireworks_home.aspx#Education-
al_Materials.
— Source: Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office
people to leave a little extra
room just to be safe.
“They always go higher
than it says,” she said.
Bathky’s story is a good
reminder of how easily a July
Fourth tradition can turn
from fun to flammable.
She said people should
read directions on fireworks
carefully and not be tempt-
ed to improvise.
Bathky said more than a
few customers have as-
sumed the stick on “rocket”
fireworks is a handle, like
that on sparklers.
“It (the directions) clearly
says ‘stick in the ground,’”
she said. “But people say,
‘There’s a giant stick. It must
be for me to hold.’”
No, it isn’t, Bathky said,
and if used that way, the re-
sult would be painful as the
rocket fires sparks from the
top and bottom.
Bathky added it’s good to
keep a source of water
around in case something
does go awry.
The Oregon State Fire
Marshal’s Office (OSFM)
agrees, and offers an easy-
to-remember four-step fire-
works safety checklist, “The
Four B’s.”
• Be prepared before light-
ing fireworks: Keep water
available by using a garden
hose or bucket.
• Be safe when lighting
fireworks: Keep children and
pets away from fireworks.
• Be responsible after
lighting fireworks: Never re-
light a dud. Wait 15 to 20
minutes then soak it in a
bucket of water before dis-
posal.
• Be aware: Use only legal
fireworks and use them only
in legal places.
OSFM officials also warn
people to keep their celebra-
tions legal.
See FirEworKS, Page 5a
Get ready for a birthday bash, America
By Emily Mentzer
Inside ...
See Section C
The Itemizer-Observer
POLK COUNTY — The
smell of freshly spun cotton
candy, roasting corn, sun-
screen and sulfur can only
mean one thing: It’s time to
celebrate America’s birthday,
and nobody does it better
than Polk County.
Whether you prefer a
more laid-back atmosphere
or the excitement of adrena-
line-rushing carnival rides,
one of our cities will have
something for you.
Celebrations kick off Fri-
day night in Independence
Riverview Park with a show-
ing of “Jurassic World.” Many
food trucks also will be open
Friday night, so grab a blan-
ket and get ready to enjoy a
THE NEXT
7
DAYS
PLANNING
FOR YOUR
WEEK
»Page 2a
For a complete schedule
of all the Fourth of July cele-
brations in Dallas, Independ-
ence and Monmouth.
alcohol, fireworks and
pets are not allowed in Inde-
pendence Riverview Park
during Western Days. Please
leave those things home.
dinosaur movie of epic pro-
portions — picnic optional.
Don’t forget to brave the
carnival rides on Friday for
only $1.
Saturday, festivities con-
tinue in Independence with
the annual Hometown Cele-
bration, a time set aside for
locals to come out and enjoy
the parks — and an evening
fireworks display — without
fighting the crowds of tens
of thousands that gather
there for the Fourth.
Monmouth’s new Art in the
Park festivities open at noon,
with a Community Art Show
at its new home in the fire hall
across from Main Street Park
on Warren Street, and arts
and crafts for children.
Three bands will take the
new stage at the amphithe-
ater at Main Street Park
throughout the day on Sat-
urday, all locals.
Sunday, you’ll have a
choice between Monmouth
and Independence. With the
cities so close together, it
isn’t difficult to explore all
they have to offer. Church
services will open the festi-
vals in both locales, followed
by concerts and activities.
In Monmouth, the
Willamette Valley Concert
Band will play its patriotic
concert Sunday night. In In-
dependence, the band Ro-
mance will fill the air with
Latino beats.
The evening wraps up in
Independence with a show-
ing of “McFarland, USA.”
Fortunately, Falls City res-
idents pulled together at the
last minute and will host a
parade on Saturday.
Monday, something is
going on in Dallas, Inde-
pendence and Monmouth.
From the Polk County
Firefighters Breakfast in
Independence, to the Mini
Marathon in Monmouth,
followed by the children’s
parade and the start of the
Monmouth Independence
Rotary Grand Parade —
which finishes at
R i ve r v i e w Pa rk — t h e
morning is packed full
with events.
See FoUrth, Page 6a
SPortS
Central junior dies in
swimming accident.
»Page 11a
PolK CoUNty
County remains on
watch list for state.
»Page 3a
Dallas puts
out fire
quickly
itemizer-observer staff report
DallaS — Dallas Fire
extinguished a house fire
on Monday morning in less
than 15 minutes.
Responders received a
call at 9:59 a.m. on reports
of a fire in the 1500 block
of Hill Street.
all occupants in the
house evacuated prior to
firefighters’ arrival.
Once on scene, respon-
ders extinguished the
small kitchen fire, and the
occupants were able to re-
turn home.
The cause was a sus-
pected cooking fire, ac-
cording to april Welsh of
the Dallas Fire Depart-
ment.
“We would urge people
to just be careful of the
placement of items in your
kitchen next to your stove
top and to make sure burn-
ers are turned off,” Welsh
said.
Working smoke detec-
tors are also key in being
alerted to a fire and a per-
son’s ability to evacuate
safely, Welsh said.
“This home’s smoke
detectors were active,”
she said. “They did their
job and alerted people.
Checking smoke detec-
tors on a regular basis
and replacing the batter-
ies as needed is impor-
tant. Working smoke de-
tectors save lives.”
wed
thu
fri
sat
sun
mon
tue
looking to tap into
your artistic side?
Check out Painting,
Canvas and Cock-
tails at The Boon-
docks in Falls City.
7 p.m. $30.
Find your latest
treasure at the Polk
County Bounty Mar-
ket on the academy
Building lawn.
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Free.
let the Fourth of
July fun begin!
Check out a free
showing of “Jurassic
World” at Riverview
Park.
9:30 p.m. Free.
looking to avoid the
Independence Day
crowds? Check out
the Hometown Cel-
ebration fireworks
display.
10 p.m.
The Willamette Val-
ley Concert Band
performs at the am-
phitheater in Mon-
mouth for a fun
patriotic concert.
6:30 p.m. Free.
Happy birthday,
america! Dallas, In-
dependence and
Monmouth all offer
Fourth of July festiv-
ities all day long.
See Section C.
Feeling generous?
You can donate
blood at the ameri-
can Red Cross
blood drive at
Western Oregon.
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
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