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BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL
Volume 141, Issue 33
www.Polkio.com
Section C
August 17, 2016
$1.00
City set
to fund
$3.5 M
project
IN
YOUR
TOWN
DALLAS
Suspicious package
at courthouse cleared.
»Page 3A
By Emily Mentzer
FALLS CiTY
The Itemizer-observer
INDEPENDENCE — The
city of Independence is ask-
ing for bids to build Osprey
Lane, a new street that will
connect D and C streets
through the Independence
Landing area, formerly
known as Valley Concrete.
The project is listed as an
urban renewal district proj-
ect, with a total budget of
$3.5 million.
“What we are looking at is
a two-phase project,” City
Manager David Clyne said.
“So we’re asking to bid the
whole package, but phase
one now and lock in pricing
for phase two.”
The project includes sewer
and water lines, as well as
sidewalks and gutters
through the Valley Concrete
site, a roundabout on C
Street, and streetscape and
sidewalk improvements from
Riverview Park past Mecani-
co to the bridge. On the other
side of downtown, sidewalks
and streetscape will be in-
stalled stretching to the Inde-
pendence Civic Center.
The project will be paid
for through a loan from Ore-
gon’s Special Public Works
Fund, Clyne said, and repaid
from URD funds.
Right now, the URD car-
ries the loan for the Inde-
pendence Civic Center to
the tune of $889,856 this
year. Of that, $460,000 is
transferred from the general
fund as a loan. The URD’s
revenue expected from 2016-
17 property taxes is
$459,935.
Clyne said he expects fu-
ture taxes in the URD to pay
for the $3.5 million project,
and adding the streets and
other infrastructure will in-
duce development.
“That’s the whole point of
urban renewal, to induce de-
sired development,” he said.
“People always argue, ‘why
not just let it happen?’ But
that’s the point. It hasn’t
happened.”
Clyne said he didn’t think
people would be happy to
see the site replaced with
another industrial develop-
ment.
He said a hotel — which is
part of the city’s plan for In-
dependence Landing — has
been a priority for the city
for decades.
“That’s going to be a
game-changer to get that
done, so that’s the goal,”
Clyne said.
No final agreements have
been signed with developers
of the site, but talks are still
open with Tokolo Properties.
Clyne said with any develop-
er, system-development
charges may be credited or
waived while the city “push-
es this project.”
THE NEXT
7
DAYS
PLANNING
FOR YOUR
WEEK
Parking at Harding
park to be restricted.
»Page 3A
iNDEPENDENCE
Jolene Guzman/Itemizer-observer
Multiple classes of 4-H and FFA participants were judged on Thursday afternoon during the Polk County Fair.
HERDING BIRDS
The Itemizer-observer
RICKREALL — You’ve
heard of herding cats. But
what about turkeys?
You could say that was
what was happening in the
Small Animal Barn between
noon and 1 p.m. at the Polk
County Fair on Thursday.
The market turkey show
had more than its fair share
of the odd-looking birds,
having to show them in
multiple classes.
“There were some really
nice birds,” said poultry
judge Bev Davis.
The brief time between
classes created turkey traffic
jams in the barn already
crowded with an unusually
large number of turkeys,
chickens and rabbits.
The turkeys at the fair are
surprisingly well-trained —
no harness or leash re-
quired to move them — just
a stick to guide them in the
right direction.
Taylor McArthur, an in-
coming sophomore with Cen-
tral High School’s FFA Club,
has a secret to that. It involves
bribing them with treats.
“First, you’ve got to get
them used to you,” he said.
“Then you take grass and
Western oregon’s
soccer team prepares
for season.
they follow that.”
Or he could have used
watermelon or blueberries,
two things he was surprised
to learn his brood liked.
This is Taylor’s first year
raising the birds that could
confidently be placed in the
“so weird-looking they are
cute” category.
“It was fun,” he said after
the show.
See FAir, Page 5A
Teachers put lessons to the test
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-observer
DALLAS — Elementary teachers in
Dallas schools say they may be facing
an unusual situation teaching science
during the upcoming school year — in
a good way.
Last week, a group of Dallas teach-
ers attended training on Project Lead
the Way (PLTW), the nonprofit provid-
ing science, technology, engineering
and math (STEM) curriculum the dis-
trict will begin using at the elementary
level in 2016-17.
Thursday, the teachers worked in
groups on one of the projects de-
signed for third graders. It had them
designing a machine to rescue a tiger
who had fallen into a mote.
Ideas for how to do that differed be-
tween groups — a core principle be-
hind PLTW: There’s not just one an-
swer to a problem.
“The idea is to have a pulley to lift
him up and have the device on wheels
so it can move,” said Elizabeth Blake, a
second-grade teacher at Lyle Elemen-
tary School, describing her group’s so-
lution to the tiger’s predicament.
The group was having fun, so they
were betting their students would, too.
“That’s going to be the problem —
getting them to stop in the time
(scheduled) for this,” Blake said.
PLTW designs projects and class
lessons aiming to inspire curiosity in
science and math early, said Susan
Castillo, the organization’s west region
vice president.
“It’s very hands-on, project-based,
problem-based learning, so students
are applying math and science in very
dynamic ways,” Castillo said “It’s very
engaging because they are solving
»Page 3A
MONMOUTH
Youths talk turkey in Small Barn at Polk County Fair
By Jolene Guzman
no injuries in house
fire on e Street.
»Page 11A
SPOrTS
Raft race provides
fun in the sun.
»Page 10A
Monmouth
Cutoff is closed
itemizer-Observer staff report
DallaS — monmouth
Cutoff Highway from
uglow Street east to the
west side of Holman Road
will remain closed until
Friday.
The purpose of the clo-
sure is to repair a bridge.
Polk County crews will be
doing the work with the
assistance of city of Dallas
crews and contractors.
after Friday, there will
be flagged access during
the final work and
repaving.
Detour signs will be set
up to warn drivers of the
closure and alternate
routes. The primary de-
tour route will be Godsey
Road to miller avenue.
Fire season is
still in effect
itemizer-Observer staff report
Jolene Guzman/Itemizer-observer
Teachers worked in groups on a Project Lead the Way lab on Thursday.
real-world problems through these
various activities they get involved in.”
She said students make up their
minds early about their interest and
ability in science and math, some as
young second or third grade. The objec-
tive of the elementary curriculum, called
“Launch” is to show them as they begin
school that science and engineering
doesn’t have be complicated and boring.
“We know if we can get them early
applying math and science in really fun,
engaging ways — where they can really
see in real life how you apply it and why
it matters — then we can get them excit-
ed about it early on,” Castillo said.
Steve Martinelli, Dallas’ director of in-
structional services, said PLTW fits with
how the district has been incorporating
STEM teaching in elementary schools,
especially at Whitworth Elementary, a
fourth- and fifth-grade school.
“I think it will be the majority of our
science content that we do,” Martinelli
said. “What I saw at Whitworth was
they were doing great things with en-
gineering and design, but teachers
were developing all their own units. It
was so overwhelming. It’s a ton of time
and work to get those done.”
PLTW provides those lessons and al-
lows teachers to focus on teaching
strategies.
Watching teachers learn the new
material, Martinelli said he’s excited to
see how young students react to sci-
ence classes where they learn con-
cepts — and use them.
“It makes me want to be a kid
again — or a teacher,” he said, smiling.
“Science is all about how the world
works. It’s not all the technical jargon.”
PolK CounTY — The
2016 fire season has
burned far fewer acres
than at the same point in
previous years — but offi-
cials warn caution must
remain.
To date, 470 wildfires
have burned 3,685 acres
on oregon Department of
Forestry protected land. In
2015, 17,800 acres were
burned at the same point.
oDF credits prepared-
ness and weather condi-
tions as factors to the de-
crease in acreage burned.
oDF stresses for people
to remain vigilant in pre-
venting fires. To date, 87
percent of all fires started
on oDF-protected lands
have been caused by peo-
ple. Campfires and debris
have been restricted
statewide for several weeks.
wed
thu
fri
sat
sun
mon
tue
World’s Finest per-
forms “american
Dubgrass” style
tonight at mon-
mouth music in the
Park.
6:30 p.m. Free.
Calling all veterans:
The Independence
elks lodge hosts a
free dinner and
presentation on the
third Thursday.
6:30 p.m. Free.
Dig out your blue-
grass instruments
and jam with like-
minded musicians
at the Faith evangel-
ical Free Church.
7-10 p.m. Free.
Come learn about
SmaRT and pick up
a free book at the
original Independ-
ence Farmers mar-
ket.
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.
Join the Dallas
Wingdingers RC Fly-
ing Club at Whit-
worth elementary
School gym for a
demonstration.
1-3 p.m. Free.
Willamette Valley
new Horizons or-
chestra gives adults
a second chance to
learn an instrument.
6:30 p.m. $25/per
monthly fee.
James2 Community
Kitchen serves all
who are hungry a
free meal at St.
Philip Catholic
Church.
4:30 p.m. Free.
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