Polk County
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Polk County Itemizer-Observer • March 8, 2017 4A
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EDITORIALS
Brown’s visit sheds
light on attitudes
We still have a long way to go to healing as a county,
state and nation after the recent polarizing presidential
election.
During a visit from Gov. Kate Brown to Ash Creek Ele-
mentary School on Thursday — as part of Read Across
America — she told students about a recent trip to Wash-
ington, D.C., where she took a picture with President Don-
ald Trump.
The children jeered.
In the same day, a photo of the governor reading to kids
garnered comments on our Facebook page such as, “I
would have kept my kid out of school that day,” and other
politically charged rhetoric.
We wonder what kind of climate we live in when it is
wrong for the governor to read to kids, and the president
can be booed by school children without anyone counsel-
ing, “Remember, he’s our president.”
We understand that a lot of the sentiments for both
Brown and Trump likely stem from each’s track record.
People have strong feelings when it comes to politics —
that’s why it’s on the list of things you’re not supposed to
talk about with friends (politics and religion).
Gov. Brown missed an opportunity Thursday morning to
lead by example when it comes to the way we need to treat
people who do not share our opinions. At the same time,
it’s an honor that the woman who holds the highest politi-
cal power in the state of Oregon chose to come to Mon-
mouth’s Ash Creek Elementary School on Dr. Seuss’ birth-
day, when she would have been welcome at any school.
It’s clear from the comments online and letters to the
editor that children are paying close attention to what is
said at home — or in the classroom halls. They are absorb-
ing their parents’ biases and agendas. It’s great to have kids
aware of social issues, but let’s help them learn the basics
of getting along in this world — how to share, how to play
together, laughing together, playing video games and run-
ning outside.
It will prepare them to be better leaders than we are or
have now.
PUBLIC AGENDA
Public Agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings for gov-
ernmental and nongovernmental agencies in Polk County.
to submit a meeting, send it at least two weeks before the
actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via email
(ionews@polkio.com).
—
wednesdAy, MArCH 8
• Independence Heritage Museum Commission — 4 p.m.,
Independence Heritage Museum, 112 S. Third St., Independ-
ence. 503-838-1212.
• Monmouth Library Advisory Board — 7 a.m., Monmouth
Public Library, 168 Ecols St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Monmouth Parks and recreation Board — 7 p.m., Volun-
teer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
tHursdAy, MArCH 9
• Polk County Fire district no. 1 Board — 6 p.m., Central
Station 90, 1800 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1510.
• western days Commission — 7 p.m., Independence Civic
Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• Falls City City Council — 6:30 p.m., Falls City Community
Center, 320 N. Main St., Falls City. 503-787- 3631.
MOndAy, MArCH 13
• Hops and Heritage Festival Commission — 6 p.m., Inde-
pendence Elks Lodge, 289 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-
1212.
• wIMPeg Board of directors — 7 p.m., 150 N. Knox St.,
Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• dallas school Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District of-
fice, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594.
tuesdAy, MArCH 14
• Independence City Council — 7 p.m., Independence Civic
Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• dallas Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Dallas City Hall,
187 SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3565.
• Polk County Board of Commission work session — 9
a.m., Polk County Courthouse, BOC office, 850 Main St., Dallas.
503-623-8173.
wednesdAy, MArCH 15
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
GOVERNOR
gov. Kate Brown (dem.)
160 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-378-4582
Email: via website,
http://governor.oregon.gov/
—
STATE LEGISLATORS
sen. Arnie roblan
(District 5, Democrat)
S-417 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
sen.arnieroblan@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/roblan
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Driver needs fixing,
not intersection
About that roundabout.
First of all — having driv-
en through roundabouts in
other countries, I do agree
that they work very well for
traffic flow. So far, the
“roundabouts” around here
are nothing more than cute
little decorative traffic cir-
cles that present an obstacle
in the roadway that most
drivers don’t know what to
do with.
I do believe we already
have a pretty good road sys-
tem. We don’t need to throw
millions of dollars at it to
make it safer. It’s not the
roads that need to be ad-
dressed. What needs to be
addressed is the idiot be-
hind the wheel that has be-
come impatient and inat-
tentive.
Julianna Burke
Independence
Trump should
resign presidency
Were it only possible, I’d
like to see AG Jefferson
Beauregard Sessions in front
of a jury charged with hear-
ing all of the evidence and
deciding whether or not he
lied to the Senate panel
about his contacts with the
Russian ambassador. As in-
teresting as that would be, it
won’t happen of course. As
long as I’m dreaming
though, how about his sub-
mitting to a lie detector test
or taking sodium pentothal
instead? He’s one lying “bad
hombre” who should “man
up” and resign — now — as
he’s already been in office
for far too long.
Then there’s his boss,
DDT — Dithering Donald
Trump; his Twitter-pated
rants and raves seem to in-
dicate that he is close to
being certifiably loco en la
cabeza (I think that’s Span-
ish for “crazy in the head”).
He should resign too, for
both his own and, more im-
portantly, our country’s
sake. Moreover, it’s the per-
fect time for him to go. I
hear there’s an opening on
“Celebrity Apprentice” right
now. Let’s face it, he’s an en-
tertainer not presidential
material — never was and
never will be.
Tom Augustyn
Dallas
Too much traffic,
development
What’s the deal with all
the huge construction
trucks on Ellendale? Why
can’t they be routed to use
Highway 22 to Kings Valley
to avoid the already overly
congested and dangerous
conditions they attribute to
on Ellendale, which is al-
ready a burden because of
the excess traffic caused by
the huge Fowler subdivi-
sions and other building
going on. There was no in-
frastructure put in place to
accommodate the thou-
sands of new residents and
the thousands of vehicles
they drive.
Why is the entire town
impacted in such a negative
way because of a couple
people? Some are not even
residents of Dallas but live
out of town or in the county.
Why are the city fathers not
addressing the negative im-
pact of this too rapid and
rampant growth, which is
causing Dallas not to be the
cute and quaint, slow-paced
family community that it
was up until a couple of
years ago? Now it is just a
bedroom community for
Salem, where people come
to sleep, occasionally shop
in the already limited and
crowded few stores that are
here. It is sad that Dallas is
becoming ruined by over
building.
Ali Rion
Dallas
Republicans show
they hate everybody
It is clear the Republican
Party despises average
Americans. Their hatred is
intense and clearly mani-
fests itself.
Social Security is the most
successful program of any
government on earth. Work-
ing citizens and employers
pay into a required savings
program; and at work’s end,
have a modest retirement.
Prior to this, millions of eld-
erly lived in abject poverty.
Now they can save. Elimi-
nating the program will re-
turn millions to poverty.
That’s OK with the GOP.
Of course, Medicare and
Medicaid are on the chop-
ping block too. Again, mil-
lions of Americans will live
out their years without health
care. Very likely they will die
of preventable diseases. No
problem for the GOP.
Republicans fight to pre-
vent any sort of rational gun
control. America suffers a
world beating gun-death
rate. Firearm restrictions?
No chance, so we get mur-
dered. Between paid-off
congresspersons, the NRA
and its lap dog, the GOP; no
gun control.
Should we be cheated by
our banks and investment
advisors? Yes, says the GOP.
If Republicans can kill the
Consumer Financial Protec-
tion Board we will be easy
pickings for those folks who
put America in the trash can
in 2007.
Should we protect the en-
vironment? No way, says the
GOP.
Why do they hate us? Per-
haps they want us to be third-
world level workers so corpo-
rations may enhance profits.
Maybe we are not good or
successful enough to rate
their respect. Readers should
give the question some
thought. Perhaps you can
come up with something.
The truly sad part of this
question is that many Amer-
icans support the GOP
though it is clearly not in
their interest to do so. They
happily work to destroy
their and their children’s fu-
tures. This effort at self-
delusion is astounding.
sen. Jackie winters
(District 10, Republican)
S-301 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1710
sen.jackiewinters@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/winters
sen. Brian Boquist
(District 12, Republican)
S-305 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1712
sen.brianboquist@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/boquist
rep. david gomberg
(District 10, Democrat)
H-471 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1410
rep.davidgomberg@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg
rep. Paul evans
(District 20, Democrat)
H-281 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1420
rep.paulevans@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/evans
rep. Mike nearman
(District 23, Republican)
H-378 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1423
rep.mikenearman@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/nearman
—
U.S. CONGRESS
sen. ron wyden (dem.)
221 Dirksen SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-5244
Fax: 202-228-2717
Salem office: 707 13th St. SE,
Suite 285, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-589-4555
Email: via website,
www.wyden.senate.gov
Fred Brown
Dallas
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letter writers should maintain a
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subject, not the author.
Letters, like all editorial mate-
rial submitted to the newspa-
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Letters must include the au-
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letters submitted via the I-O’s
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not copies of letters sent to
other media.
Letters of thanks to busi-
nesses, individuals and organi-
zations are limited to 10 names.
The deadline for letters to the
editor is 10 a.m. Monday.
sen. Jeff Merkley (dem.)
313 Hart SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3753
Fax: 202-228-3997
Salem office: 161 High St. SE,
Suite 250, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-362-8102
Email: via website,
www.merkley.senate.gov
rep. Kurt schrader (dem.)
108 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-5711
Fax: 202-225-5699
Salem office: 544 Ferry St. SE,
Suite 2, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-588-9100
Fax: 503-588-5517
Email: via website,
www.schrader.house.gov
—
POLK COUNTY
Board of Commissioners
850 Main St.
Dallas, OR 97338
Phone: 503-623-8173
www.co.polk.or.us
—
CITIES
dallas
187 SE Court St.
Dallas, OR 97338
503-623-2338
www.ci.dallas.or.us
Falls City
299 Mill St.
Falls City, OR 97344
503-787-3631
www.fallscityoregon.gov
Independence
555 S. Main St.
Independence, OR 97351
503-838-1212
www.ci.independence.or.us
Monmouth
151 W. Main St.
Monmouth, OR 97361
503-838-0722
www.ci.monmouth.or.us
HOW TO REACH US
newsrOOM
Emily Mentzer ..............Editor/Monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com
Vol. 142, No. 10
(USPS) - 437-380)
The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875
Winner of 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 General Excellence Awards
from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
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Published weekly at 147 SE Court Street
Dallas, Oregon 97338
Phone: 503-623-2373
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which is in error if the Itemizer-Observer is at fault.