Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (July 20, 2016)
VALLEY SHAKESPEARE COMPANY Volume 141, Issue 29 LONGBOARD LARRY Page 6A OPENS STORE Page 9A www.Polkio.com $1.00 July 20, 2016 Holland named to Dallas City Council By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — Michael Hol- land was appointed by the Dallas City Council Monday night to fill the vacancy left by councilor Murray Stew- art’s resignation. Holland will complete the term, which concludes at the end of December. He said he will not seek election to the seat in November. He earned the votes of six of the eight councilors: Kevin Marshall, LaVonne Wilson, Jim Fairchild, Ken Woods Jr., and Kelly Gabliks. Holland was one of eight Dallas residents interviewed by council members on Monday afternoon. The others were: Debra Nord, Donald Ellingson, Jen- nie Rummell, Marsha Heeter, Nancy Adams, Paul Trahan, and Richard Hoefler. Two others, Andrew Woolsey and Marv Bennett, applied but later withdrew. When asked why he want- ed to serve on the council, Holland said he likes to be involved in the communities he lives in. Dallas has been no exception. He has served on the city’s budget commit- tee and with the Dallas School District on its super- intendent search and fi- nance committees. “I enjoy this type of serv- ice. I enjoy what I have seen of Dallas so far,” he said dur- ing the interview session, which was open to the pub- lic. “I would like to continue to serve.” Holland said he would like to see improvements made on Ellendale Avenue in Dallas to alleviate poten- tial traffic problems and is concerned about the short- staffed fire department. “That could be a problem long-term,” he said. In the economic develop- ment realm, he said the city of Dallas could encourage businesses that take advan- tage of the popularity of the wine tourism, especially in the downtown area. “I think there is room for a community of Dallas’ size to try to find an identity that no other community has grabbed yet and build on it over a 10, 20, 30-year period of time,” Holland said. He also emphasized the need for thinking decades ahead when planning for a city’s future and balancing limited resources to main- tain services and a livable city. “I think that’s the chal- lenge,” he said. “This is a hard business and we have limited resources. How do you make a complicated community work for the citi- zens when you have limited resources and lots of needs?” Stewart resigned from the council because he moved out of town for a job. Do you want to be a master? POLK COUNTY — In the early part of July, the Independence Police Department saw an increase in re- ports of suspicious persons. Was the city suffering from a crime spree? The culprit was “Pokemon Go,” a free-to-play mobile game released in the United States on July 6. Since its release, it has become a worldwide craze — and Polk County has caught Pokemon fever. — When “Pokemon Go” was re- leased, Dallas resident Andrew Minton, 22, was ready to give it a go. “I’ve been a huge fan of Pokemon since childhood,” Minton said. “When I heard about Pokemon Go, it dragged me into it.” Pokemon was originally released on the GameBoy in 1996. Players take control of a trainer who catches wild Pokemon and battles other gym leaders. “Pokemon Go” features a modified version of that formula. The app uses your phone’s GPS and augmented reality to have Pokemon appear in spots around the world. For lifelong fans, like Dallas resi- dent Gage Burr, “Pokemon Go” is a way to live their Pokemon dreams. Burr recently visited the Oregon Coast — and spent much of it catch- ing Pokemon. “I was instantly hooked,” Burr said. “The thrill of the catch and get- ting out of the house instantly sold me on it.” Anita Roberts spent part of Sun- By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — Dallas city council approved purchas- ing the old RadioShack building at the corner of Washington and Jefferson streets in downtown Dallas Monday night. The city will pay $286, 421, including interest, over 10 years to buy the building from owners Richard and Sharon Solheim. With the purchase, the city will own the majority of the block, which also con- tains Dallas’ Fire & EMS sta- tions. Polk County owns a DAYS PLANNING FOR YOUR WEEK »Page 3A FALLS CITY Emergency Pre- paredness Group looks for new members. INDEPENDENCE Station 40 closed temporarily for clean- ing and upkeep. »Page 3A POLK COUNTY • “Pokemon Go” players spend 43 minutes per day playing — more than Whatsapp, Instagram or Snapchat, according to Simi- larWeb. • By July 8, more Android phones installed “Pokemon Go” than Tinder. LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer Andrew Minton attempts to catch ’em all on Sunday at Dallas City Park. day walking around Dallas City Park with her grandchild. For her, the true magic of the game didn’t revolve around catching that rare imaginary creature. “It’s fun for everyone,” Roberts said. “I’ve noticed parents and their kids doing it together. It gets the whole family out.” It seems “Pokemon Go” has struck a rare balance between the old and the new. “It brings the older fans of the game back and the younger kids like it because it’s right there on your phone, and it’s something new,” Kayla Ferris said. The game also features a health benefit. As would-be trainers search high and low for new Pokemon, hatch an egg — which requires trav- eling a certain distance — or to find the next Pokestop or gym, people are getting exercise. “It’s hard to put down,” Ferris said. “Every time I’m out and walking things just pop up. You think, let’s walk this way and before you know it, you’ve walked all over town.” “Pokemon Go” does bring certain risks, mainly becoming too focused on what’s happening on screen. “Around here, the biggest con- cerns would be trespassing and peo- ple not being aware of their sur- roundings, especially traffic,” Inde- pendence Sgt. Juventino Banuelos said. “I would be alert to signage prohibiting access and, of course, al- ways be respectful of private proper- ty. In regards to traffic, as a pedestri- an, keep your eyes up when you’re moving and absolutely no playing while driving.” Those are sentiments echoed by Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton and the Monmouth and Dallas po- lice departments, but so far, “Poke- mon Go” has been far more positive than not in Polk County. “People really seem to enjoy the game, and we have witnessed a lot of positive interaction between play- ers,” Monmouth Police Chief Darrell Tallan said. “Pokemon Go” has become a cul- tural phenomenon, even seeing users spend more time per day than on Facebook, and players around the world have the same goal. “You’ve got to be the best, like no one ever was,” Burr said with a smile. City buys RadioShack building 7 Young Professionals aim to inspire future leaders. Poke-phenom The Itemizer-Observer THE NEXT DALLAS »Page 2A ‘Pokemon Go’ craze hits Polk County By Lukas Eggen IN YOUR TOWN parking lot on the block. City Manager Ron Foggin said the city doesn’t have specific plans for the prop- erty yet, but is considering future facility needs with the purchase. Possibilities include ex- pansion of the fire or ambu- lance stations or building a “public safety building” he said. “The goal is to give the city control of that block, so as we need to expand, we have the property,” Foggin said. Foggin said while those plans develop, the city wants to lease the building. He said the structure needs minor electrical work and an up- grade to the restroom to make it accessible to those with disabilities before it will be available. He expects that work to be completed soon and the building listed for lease in the fall. Foggin said the owners of- fered Dallas the building for $275,000 and the city negoti- ated a selling price of $262,000. The Polk County Assessor’s Office’s had the value at $258,000. “ T h e y ’v e ow n e d t h e building for quite a long time and they’ve always seen the city owning it in the future,” he said. The purchase was ap- proved unanimously by the council. In other business: The council, acting as the Dallas Urban Renewal Dis- trict Board, declined to pur- chase the former Dallas ar- mory property at 817 SE Church St., from current owner Oregon Military De- partment. The district had consid- ered purchasing the proper- ty with redevelopment through a public-private partnership in mind after the armory was demolished wed thu fri sat If you’re in the mood for some New Orleans jazz, check out Music in the Park at Main Street Park in Monmouth. 6:30 p.m. Free. Looking for a tasty treat or a special treasure? Check out Polk County Bounty Market on the Acad- emy Building lawn. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. If you’re in the mood to listen to some stellar tunes, check out the River’s Edge Summer Music Series. 8:30 p.m. Free. The Polk County Fairgrounds Beauti- fication Day gives you a chance to help complete needed projects. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Cloudy Hi: 81 Lo: 54 Partly cloudy Hi: 75 Lo: 53 Partly sunny Hi: 78 Lo: 53 Sunny Hi: 80 Lo: 54 in 2012. The discovery and re- moval of underground oil storage tanks delayed the sale. Department of Environ- mental Quality Department- required monitoring of the site prevents the district from taking possession of the property until spring 2017 at the earliest, if it de- cided to buy it. That leaves little time to recoup the investment be- fore the district expires in 2024. For more information on that decision, see the July 27 edition of the I-O. sun Did you know? Machu Picchu was re-discovered on this date 1911. Sunny Hi: 82 Lo: 55 Oregon State Univer- sity Extension wel- comes two new agents to serve Polk County. »Page 2A SPORTS Kailee Curtis learns some tough lessons through golf. »Page 9A ONLINE Steve Milligan joins Central School Board. www.polkio.com Buena Vista ferry to close Thursday Itemizer-Observer staff report SALEM — The Buena Vista Ferry will close on Thursday. The ferry will be re- moved from the river for its required five-year hull inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard. The ferry will also be cleaned and painted, maintenance duties will be performed and the Willamette River will be dredged to maintain a clear operating path for the ferry. Buena Vista Road South will be closed at the inter- section with Talbot Road South during the same time period to ensure the safe operation of heavy equipment required for the ferry haul out and dredging operations. The exact reopening date is not known, but it is expected to be closed for three to four weeks. The public is asked to travel on alternate routes and are discouraged from venturing beyond the clo- sure to view the ferry. For more information: Mike Shepard, Bridges and Ferries Supervisor, 503-588-5036 or email to MRShepard@co.marion.or .us. mon tue Show off your musi- cal talents with the Willamette Valley New Horizons Or- chestra. 6:30 p.m. $25 monthly fee Check out artwork created by Joshua Simonson, which is on display at Dallas Public Library through the end of July. Sunny Hi: 82 Lo: 55 Sunny Hi: 82 Lo: 57