SPRING HOME, GARDEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND CAR CARE SECTION C Volume 142, Issue 12 MENDAZONA Page 10A www.Polkio.com March 22, 2017 $1.00 Central names top three IN YOUR TOWN English, Kubista, Tucker make final cut for superintendent Itemizer-Observer staff report INDEPENDENCE — The Central School District Board of Directors an- nounced the three finalists who have been selected for further consideration to be the district’s next superin- tendent beginning July 1. The finalists were chosen after a screening committee of board members, district employees and community members reviewed 36 appli- cants. The board conducted initial interviews with sever- al candidates. The finalists are: • Greg English, who has Meet the candidates The Central School Board will host a meet-and-greet at 4 p.m. Wednesday (today) at Central High School’s cafeteria, 1530 Monmouth St., Independence. been the principal at Tillam- ook High School in the Tillamook School District. He also served for eight years as an elementary school principal. Tillamook has an enrollment of about 2,250 students. English also was an ele- mentary principal for six years at Neah-Kah-Nie School District in Rockaway Beach. English’s teaching ex- perience includes elemen- tary- and middle-school po- sitions in Oregon and in Cal- ifornia. In 2008, he was voted Tillamook County Educator of the Year. He has a Master of Education in teaching from Azusa Pacific Universi- ty, and a bachelor’s in reli- gion and philosophy from Northwest College. • Jennifer Kubista has been the director of student life in Tacoma School Dis- trict for the last six years, where she is responsible for implementing the “whole- child initiative” districtwide, among other duties. The Tacoma district has about 30,000 students. She also served as the director of athlet- ics and activities in Tacoma. Kubista has served as the commissioner of the Colum- bia Empire Volleyball Associ- ation in Beaverton and has been recognized with the Northwest Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports Network Champions Award. She was named Athletic Di- rector of the Year in 2010 by Wa s h i n g t o n Se c o n d a r y Schools Athletic Administra- tors Association. She has a doctorate in edu- cational leadership from Seattle University, and a mas- ter’s in education from the University of Connecticut. • Tiana Tucker has been an elementary principal in the Lincoln County School District in Newport for the last six years. Her school has 450 students. See FInalISTS, Page 5a Flying drunk breaks window, goes to hospital DallaS Public Works Director introduced to city council. »Page 3a FallS CITy City adjusts Historic Landmark Commission requirements. »Page 2a InDEPEnDEnCE Central High School students take part in egg drop. »Page 12a By Jolene Guzman MOnMOUTH The Itemizer-Observer JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer a late-night brawl on Friday left a window broken at West Valley Taphouse in Dallas. DALLAS — West Valley Taphouse was in clean-up mode Friday night after the business’ front window was smashed during a late-night fight involving a group of people. “A g i r l w a s t h r o w n through the window and was pulled back out,” said taphouse owner Sam Dufn- er, describing the incident. “They continued fighting.” The taphouse was closed at the time of the window crashing, but three employ- ees were getting ready to leave for the night when the incident happened. “It sounded like a gun- shot,” Dufner said. “The window exploded and tables and chairs were knocked over.” Dufner said he didn’t think the damage was caused intentionally. “It was just random peo- ple,” he said. He called the police, but wasn’t able to identify any- one at the time. The crowd Western Oregon baseball earns a series split against Central Washington. »Page 11a SPORTS Central junior Diana Huerte opens tennis season with a victory. »Page 10a that had gathered scattered before police officers ar- rived. Dallas Lt. Jerry Mott said the call came in at 11:36 p.m. He said the investigation is ongoing, and officers are interested in talking to mul- tiple suspects. Because the investigation still is open, he declined to comment further on the in- cident. A repair estimate hadn’t been determined Monday. The window is boarded up in the meantime. Dufner posted a picture of the window of the business’ Facebook page Saturday morning. “We appreciate all the support we’ve been getting,” Dufner said. “We invite peo- ple to come draw on our ply- wood while it’s still here.” By Jolene Guzman The Itemizer-Observer THE NEXT 7 DAYS PLANNING FOR YOUR WEEK Kings Valley Charter School students learn to weave. »Page 7a Coons sentenced to seven years, five months Itemizer-Observer staff report Dallas Fire & EMS make special delivery DALLAS — It’s the kind of call medic crews long for, but rarely get to respond to — an opportunity to help bring life into the world instead of fighting to save it. On Feb. 17, a Dallas Fire & EMS crew, along with the coaching of a 911 dispatcher, delivered little Hailey Marie Haas. “She’s a beautiful baby girl. Mom was a champ,” said Paul McCallum, the paramedic who delivered Hailey. Medic crews don’t often deliver babies — some may go their entire career without being part of a delivery, Mc- Callum said. Paramedics train for deliv- eries, though not as much as for more common incidents, such as cardiac arrest. See BaBy, Page 6a EDUCaTIOn JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer The investigation into the broken window at West Val- ley Taphouse is ongoing. DALLAS — David Michael Coons of Inde- pendence was found guilty of assault in the first degree at the end of a bench trial in which he was charged with stab- bing an acquaintance dur- ing an altercation. Coons, 38, was sen- tenced to serve seven years and five months in prison by Judge Norman R. Hill under Oregon's minimum mandatory sen- tencing laws. The case was prosecut- ed by the Polk County Dis- trict Attorney's Office and investigated by the Inde- pendence and Monmouth Police Departments and Polk County Sheriff's Of- fice. Newsletter APRIL WELSH/ for the Itemizer-Observer The Dallas Fire & EMS crew reunited with Hailey Marie Hess and her family on March 8. Want to be more con- nected? Sign-up to receive the Itemizer-Observer newslet- ter at www.polkio.com and follow us on Face- book, Twitter and Insta- gram. wed thu fri sat sun mon tue Helping Hands Emergency Food Bank offers food as- sistance to those who are eligible each Wednesday. 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Have a new baby? Mom and Me is a breastfeeding sup- port group at Salem Health West Valley. 1 p.m. Free. Head to Guthrie Park for the acoustic music jam session, open to musicians and listeners alike. 6:30 p.m. Dona- tions accepted. Go for a night out at Ugo’s Pizza and help fight cancer by ben- efiting Polk County Relay For Life. 4:30-8:30 p.m. Crack your best joke and help celebrate National Let’s Laugh Day. Celebrate the start of spring break at the Independence Public Library’s “Go Fly a Kite” event. 3 p.m. Free. Learn about jam and biscuits at a 4-H class at the Polk County 4-H Exten- sion office’s spring break classes. 9:30-11 a.m. $2-$4. Showers Hi: 54 Lo: 37 Partly cloudy Hi: 57 Lo: 45 Rain Hi: 55 Lo: 43 Showers Hi: 53 Lo: 38 Showers Hi: 50 Lo: 41 Showers Hi: 52 Lo: 43 Showers Hi: 54 Lo: 43