Polk County News
12A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 4, 2017
Highlights of 2016
Reporter Jolene Guzman shares a few of her favorite stories
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
1. “Lost ring finds its way
home” — Dec. 21
David Bailey, the man
who lost his wedding ring in
a roadside parking area in
Eastern Oregon and had it
returned two years later, said
it best: “How often does that
happen?”
“Amazing” may be an
overused word, but the
number of coincidences that
lead to Bailey getting his ring
back in this story is simply
that.
As Bailey said, the more
likely outcomes to a story
like this is that the ring is ei-
ther never found or sold by
the person who found it.
That the two men who
spotted it glittering on the
ground were so determined
to return it is incredible on
its own. That Bailey’s friend,
who knew he lost his ring in
that very area, happened to
see the sign the men left
looking for the owner gives
you goosebumps
This was a heartwarming
story in a year that sorely
needed a few happy end-
ings, and it was an honor for
the I-O to share it.
2. “Falls City’s do-all
mayor” — Nov. 23
F a l l s
City Mayor
Terry Un-
gricht is a
true public
servant,
volunteer-
ing to take
on the role
of city
Ungricht
m a n a g e r.
Most people in that position
attend college to train for it
and earn a salary — justifi-
ably so, by the way.
Polk County has plenty of
examples of people who
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Gus and company helped deliver Illahe Vineyard’s 1899 wine last summer.
have gone above and be-
yond — Falls City’s previous
mayor Amy Houghtaling
filled in the job of
mayor/city manager for
eight months during her first
term — but Ungricht has
diligently done the work
since April 2015 and ran for
re-election, no less.
He can be found writing
grants, crafting the city’s
budget or helping fix a bust-
ed water main on any given
day.
Ungricht does all this
without seeking recognition
— which is why we made
him one of our 2016 Com-
munity Champions.
3. “Stagecoach Delivery”
— July 27
You’ve got to love the cre-
ative minds and the fun-lov-
ing nature of the crew at Illa-
he Vineyards. A stagecoach
ferrying the vineyard’s truly
old-fashioned pinot noir
1899 from Dallas to Inde-
pendence? Who does that
and how can I join the fun?
The point of 1899, as the
name implies, is to make it
with methods commonly
used at the time. Since intro-
ducing the wine after the
2011 harvest year, Illahe has
incorporated old-timey dis-
tribution methods, too.
Deliveries of 1899 to its
Portland distributor have
happened via bike and
canoe in the past. This year,
mule team Hank, Gus, Jesse
and Ywa lent a hand — or
hooves — to the cause.
The stagecoach journey
was yet another one-of-a-
kind experience we were
happy to share.
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
David Bailey’s wedding ring was returned after being missing for two years.