MAKE 2017 THE YEAR OF
RICHEY TAKES THE LEAD
PREPAREDNESS
BASKETBALL
Page 8A
Page 10A
Volume 141, Issue 52
www.Polkio.com
$1.00
December 28, 2016
IN
YOUR
TOWN
dALLAS
Barb Buchan named
Distinguished Educator.
»Page 5A
FALLS CITY
Water rates to in-
crease for residents of
Green Haven RV Park.
»Page 12A
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Monmouth Inde-
pendence Networks
finds stability in spite of
debt shortfalls.
Tiffanie Bowles, assistant director at the food pantry at Western Oregon, and volunteer Sabbrenna Bowles help run the food pantry.
Facing HUNGER
»Page 6A
MONMOUTH
Students struggle, not knowing where their next meal is coming from
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — The
hunger is bad enough to
deal with, but the stress may
be worse.
Western Oregon Universi-
ty junior Tiffanie Bowles
knows this firsthand.
“I’ve had to use churches
and food pantries my whole
life,” Bowles said. “I know
what it’s like to not know
where my next meal is com-
ing from.”
Bowles, the first in her
family to attend college, ar-
rived at Western Oregon ex-
cited before a harsh reality
set in.
“I was barely eating three
meals a day and my (meal)
p l a n w a s g o i n g d ow n
quick,” Bowles said. “That
wasn’t with me buying
snacks or going out or any-
thing. That was just me try-
ing to feed myself break-
fast, lunch and dinner. …
Around dead week and fi-
nals week, I was like, oh my
gosh, I have no money left
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
A 2014 study found that more than half of WOU students experienced food insecurity.
on my meal card.”
With the biggest tests of
her young collegiate career
looming, Bowles also had to
find new ways to get food.
Luckily, Bowles knew
about WOU’s food pantry.
But Bowles, who is now
the associate director at the
food pantry, knows food in-
security hasn’t gone away
and remains a big issue at
Western.
—
A 2014 study by Oregon
State University found that
59 percent of students at
WOU suffered from food in-
security — defined as having
limited or uncertain avail-
ability of nutritionally ade-
quate and safe foods, and
the ability to acquire such
food in acceptable ways.
Rebecca Hardgrave, direc-
tor of the food pantry at
WOU, said that number is
likely higher thanks to a di-
verse student population
and rising costs.
“The cost of education is
rising, debt levels are rising,
and many people work two
or even three jobs to get
through school,” Hardgrave
said.
No matter the reason,
food insecurity can nega-
tively impact a student’s
health and performance.
See FOOd, Page 5A
County considers facilties bond for May ballot
By Jolene Guzman
How would it be spent?
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — The Polk
County Board of Commis-
sioners will decide in early
January whether to move
forward on a possible 10-
year, $10 million facilities
maintenance bond.
Greg Hansen, county ad-
ministrator, made the rec-
ommendation to place the
bond on the May 2017 bal-
lot.
If approved, it would cost
an average of 20 cents per
$1,000 of assessed value on
properties.
The bond would be used
for improvements to existing
buildings only, not new con-
struction.
“We need to make a deci-
sion the first or second week
in January,” Hansen said.
THE NEXT
7
DAYS
PLANNING
FOR YOUR
WEEK
Courthouse complex — $6.65 million
Polk County Fairgrounds — $1.5 million
Polk County Jail — $500,000
Equipment and furniture — $450,000
Public Works — $400,000
Academy Building — $200,000
Contingency — $300,000
Total — $10 million
He said the board would
consider the matter further
at either its Jan. 4, 2017, or
Jan. 11, 2017, meeting.
Those meetings begin a 9
a.m. at the Polk County
Courthouse conference
room, 850 Main St., Dallas.
If the board approves
moving forward, it would
schedule a hearing to take
comments from the public
on the proposal for Feb. 15,
2017, at 9 a.m. Open-house
meetings are slated prior to
that hearing.
The board would make its
final decision on the bond
on March 1, 2017. The dead-
line to file it with the county
clerk is March 16, 2017.
A recent study identified
more than $8.5 million in
needed improvements at the
county buildings, including
the Polk County Courthouse
complex on Main Street in
Dallas, the Polk County Jail,
and Polk County Fair-
grounds in Rickreall.
The study didn’t include
needs at the Academy Build-
ing, which had a significant
upgrade five years ago, and
public works facilities.
“Not having adequate
fund to address these main-
tenance needs with the
county operating budget, it
is necessary to look at fund-
ing options to finance these
needs prior to them escalat-
ing in cost substantially,”
Hansen wrote in a memo to
the board.
Recommended improve-
ments include: new roofs at
the courthouse and jail; ex-
terior repairs on the court-
house; parking lot improve-
ments at the courthouse,
fairgrounds and the Acade-
my Building; main building
renovation at the fair-
grounds; HVAC upgrades
and window replacement at
INdEPENdENCE
the courthouse; ADA up-
grades at the courthouse
and fairgrounds; asbestos
abatement; basic restoration
of the old courthouse build-
ing; seismic upgrades; and
emergency generator and
security upgrades.
Taxpayers finished paying
off the county’s road bond
this year, which amounted
to 51 cents per $1,000 as-
sessed value. That bond was
approved in 2006.
Hansen said he recom-
mended using $1.4 million
to pay off the remainder of
the Academy Building reno-
vation, but the board pre-
ferred to use that money for
upgrades at the courthouse
complex.
The county will continue
to make regular payments
on the Academy Building
balance.
Mayor John Oberst
steps down after 10
years.
»Page 3A
SPORTS
Central’s Grace Hol-
stad ready to swim to
victory.
»Page 10A
Three
arrested
after chase
Itemizer-Observer staff report
MONMOUTH — On Sat-
urday at about 1:10 a.m.,
Monmouth Police Officer
Alaster Graham noticed a
vehicle travelling at high
speeds west on Hoffman
Road from Glazemeadow
Street. The vehicle, a black
BMW, turned north onto
Highway 99W. The car
continued north at a high
rate of speed.
Graham attempted to
initiate a traffic stop. The
vehicle slowed and pulled
to the shoulder before ac-
celerating northbound.
The driver attempted to
turn east onto Clow Cor-
ner Road, but was unable
to navigate the turn and
went into a ditch.
Deverick Thomas, 37, of
Dallas, was charged with a
warrant for probation vio-
lation and conspiracy to
attempt to elude a police
officer.
Brandon Parker, 35, of
Independence, was
charged with unlawful
possession of a firearm
(concealed), possession of
heroin, and supplying
contraband.
Amy Montgomery, 36,
of Sheridan, was charged
with attempting to elude
a police officer, driving
while suspended, reckless
driving, two counts of
reckless endangering, and
possession of metham-
phetamine.
The suspects were not
injured, and were lodged
at Polk County Jail without
incident.
wed
thu
fri
sat
sun
mon
tue
Helping Hands
Emergency Food
Bank provides for el-
igible families at
Monmouth Chris-
tian Church.
10 a.m.-noon. Free.
James2 Community
Kitchen feeds all
who are hungry at
Dallas United
Methodist Church.
4:30 p.m. Free.
Taking your tree
down? Dallas Mat
Club will recycle it
tomorrow at LaCre-
ole Middle School.
10 a.m.-3 p.m. By
donation.
As you make your
way to New Year’s
celebrations
tonight, what is your
plan to get home
safely? Designate a
driver or call a cab.
Happy New Year!
Make a healthy
choice starting
today with a walk in
the fresh air at a
local park.
Free.
The Itemizer-Ob-
server office is
closed today in
honor of New Year’s
Day. Many govern-
ment offices also are
closed.
Salem Health West
Valley hosts
Overeaters Anony-
mous each Tuesday
at the hospital in
Dallas.
Noon-1 p.m. Free.
Partly sunny
Hi: 44
Lo: 33
Partly sunny
Hi: 45
Lo: 35
Partly sunny
Hi: 42
Lo: 29
Showers
Hi: 41
Lo: 33
Showers
Hi: 40
Lo: 33
Partly sunny
Hi: 32
Lo: 21
Sunny
Hi: 30
Lo: 20