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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 2016)
NEWSROOM PINTEREST LEADING THE WAY CHALLENGE Page 8A ALEX DOWDELL Page 12A Volume 141, Issue 50 www.Polkio.com December 14, 2016 $1.00 Dallas residents to pay more for water, sewer IN YOUR TOWN DALLAS new owners use Courtyard Coffee as a way to grow closer as a family. »Page 5A By Jolene Guzman FALLS CITY The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — The Dallas City Council approved rate increases for water and sewer utilities on Dec. 5. The votes will be fol- lowed by a campaign ex- plaining why the increases are needed. Resolutions passed in- clude a 4.31 percent in- crease to water rates start- ing in February. Rates will increase by the same amount in January of 2018 and 2019. Likewise, sewer rates will go up 2.75 percent in February and for the next two years. The city’s Utility Rate Advisory Committee rec- ommended the adjust- ments as necessary to keep up with operational costs and future upgrades to systems. Dallas City Manager Ron Foggin said the city will provide customers in- formation about the in- creases on the city’s web- site, in utility bills, the city newsletter and an open house scheduled for Jan. 9. At the open house, peo- ple can learn about what the rising rates will pay for and calculate what their bill will be after the in- creases take effect. Foggin said the location is to be determined. “We’ve got a good for- mat for that, where it will be educational,” he said. “We will try to hold that in a place that is easily ac- cessible to the communi- ty.” In other business, the city council: • Learned that it may be able to check off one of it one of its top priorities: purchasing land sur- rounding Mercer Reser- voir and in the Rickreall Creek watershed. Foggin said the city’s offer for about 400 acres was accepted by owner Hancock Timber Compa- ny, but details of the pur- chase are still being deter- mined. “We are expecting a contract for purchase in the next couple weeks,” Foggin said. “They would like to — and I’m hoping that we can — close on that property in early 2017.” • Presented an $8,000 check to Dallas Christmas Cheer, proceeds from the first Dallas Glow Run held in October. THE NEXT 7 DAYS PLANNING FOR YOUR WEEK City officials consider library district. »Page 5A INDEPENDENCE EmIly mEnTzEr/Itemizer-Observer Nancy Lodge finds happiness in helping others through a wide variety of volunteer organizations. »Page 6A A JOY TO SERVE MoNMoUTH Nancy Lodge volunteers to help the community — and have fun By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer INDEPENDENCE — Chances are, if something good is happening in Inde- pendence, Nancy Lodge is involved somehow. “Nancy Lodge is a won- derful person,” Mayor John McArdle said. “She’s been in- volved with the downtown association. She’s been in- volved in the SMART (Start Making a Reader Today) program. She’s a driving force at our library.” Lodge and her husband, Mike, found themselves in Independence about 20 years ago after living life on the EmIly mEnTzEr/Itemizer-Observer Nancy Lodge (left) and Marilyn Morton serve cider at the Parade of Lights open house Dec. 3. road in a recreational vehicle. It looked like a good place to settle down for a while. “We decided to buy a little house here and sit a spell,” Nancy said. “In the spring and summer, we’d go back on the road. Mike used to like to build things — shelves, tables — you can only build so many shelves in an RV.” It wasn’t long before John Paff discovered the Lodge’s passion for community. He approached Nancy with a signed petition for her to run for city council. She is wrapping up her 16th — and final — year on the Inde- pendence City Council at the end of December. “She is certainly no slack- er on council,” Marilyn Mor- ton said. “She is very quick to address a situation that doesn’t seem like it should be.” See LoDGE, Page 3A More wintery weather on the way By Emily Mentzer The Itemizer-Observer POLK COUNTY — Thurs- day dropped snow on Dallas and higher elevations in Polk County, and the ice and cold has lingered longer than anyone suspected it would. As late as Monday morn- ing, ice patches caused acci- dents and slippery driving conditions. “We got surprised by a lit- tle cold pocket in the Dallas area,” said Todd Whitaker, Polk County director of pub- lic works. “You can go from good stopping distance to horrible stopping conditions in 100 feet, and be in and out of it in 100 feet.” While the snow has most- ly melted in the valley, above 1,000 feet in the Coastal Range and through the passes, expect to see lots of snow, said Gerald Macke, meteorological technician with the National Weather Service. The snow will return We d n e s d a y a f t e r n o o n , though meteorologists are ymCA raises more than $23,000 during its Christmas Party and Auction. Western Oregon ath- letic director Barbara Dearing announces she will retire in 2017. »Page 12A EDUCATIoN Perrydale Elementary School to perform holi- day musical. »Page 14A Fighter jet causes rumble Itemizer-observer staff report POlK COUnTy — Every- one felt it at about 9:40 p.m. monday. Did you? The Oregon Air nation- al Guard’s 142nd Fighter Wing conducted routine F-15 night training mis- sions for Citizen-Airmen. Training missions began on monday and are sched- uled through Thursday evening. Training flights will be completed before 10:30 p.m. each night. Leaf collection this weekend Itemizer-observer staff report EmIly mEnTzEr/ Itemizer-Observer Snow started falling in Polk County Thursday morning. Ice and sleet continued to cause problems through Monday morning. More wintery weather is coming this week. unsure how much accumu- lation there will be — or how the winter weather will take form: sleet, freezing rain, or snow. “It doesn’t have much of a warm up this coming week,” Macke said. “We’re going to stay pretty cool. We have possible snow showers every day next week.” The lows will dive into the 20s, Macke said. “Anything that’s on the ground will stick around, and any water will freeze for sure,” he said. Whitaker said Polk Coun- ty crews have been busy plowing and sanding main roads. “Drive with caution,” he said. “Pay attention to the weather forecast and the temperature forecast. Don’t follow too closely, and don’t get angry at the person driv- ing slow in front of you be- cause they are just being cautious.” With 57 inches at Govern- ment Camp, it’s a good sign Oregon may be out of the drought, but meteorologists are staying watchful. See SNow, Page 7A DAllAS — The second leaf collection in Dallas will be Saturday and Sun- day. This year, republic Services will be collect- ing leaves from city streets, These are the only times leaves that are placed in the street will be collected. Have them on the street, 1 foot from the curb the night before as the team starts early. leaves can be dropped off at the following loca- tions: lyle Ball Field park- ing lot (gravel area), the end of Hankel Street (off laCreole Drive), and the end of Allgood Street (by City Park old side). For more information: 503-831-3562. wed thu fri sat sun mon tue no need to be nerv- ous when you’re reading to a dog at the Dallas Public li- brary. Dogs are very engaged listeners. 4 p.m. Free. The final Business After Hours for 2016 for the mI Chamber will be at Petals and Vines, complete with refreshments. 5:30-7 p.m. Free. relax or rock out at the Guthrie Park Acoustic music Jam Session at Guthrie Park Community Center. 6:30 p.m. Free. looking for a stock- ing stuffer? meet the author maren Anderson and pick up a copy of her book at Calmlees. Spread some holi- day cheer by taking part in “Answer the Phone like Buddy the Elf” day. Save a life by giving blood at the Ameri- can red Cross Blood Drive at First Presby- terian Chuch in Dal- las. 12:30-6 p.m. Celebrate the Christmas spirit at the monmouth Sen- ior Center’s Winter Wonderland, and see the expansion. 1-3 p.m. $3. Wintery mix Hi: 33 Lo: 28 Snow showers Hi: 36 Lo: 25 Cloudy Hi: 35 Lo: 21 Cloudy Hi: 36 Lo: 27 Showers Hi: 38 Lo: 32 Cloudy Hi: 40 Lo: 35 Rain Hi: 42 Lo: 35 11 a.m. Free to attend.