FIREWORKS
SAFETY
Volume 142, Issue 26
47TH ANNUAL
Page 8A
MINI-MARATHON
Page 10A
www.Polkio.com
June 28, 2017
$1.00
IN
YOUR
TOWN
Pollen, pollen everywhere
DALLAS
School Board votes
to replace track at Dal-
las High School.
»Page 10A
INDEPENDENCE
Bystander saves
youths from Willamette
River.
»Page 9A
MONMOUTH
NASA scientist
speaks to library.
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
»Page 12A
Salem was listed as number two on the list of worst places for people with allergies on Monday, according to Pollen.com.
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
POLK COUNTY — The offi-
cial count of allergy-causing
pollen is tabulated at a station
in Eugene, but those with the
misfortune of being allergy
sufferers measure the season
in itchy eyes and throats,
sneezes and congestion.
Residents of the
Willamette Valley, where
grass seed is king, can experi-
ence a unique level of misery.
Monday, Pollen.com list-
ed Eugene and Salem as one
and two on the list of worst
places for people with aller-
gies. Portland was No. 5.
This season started off
with a bang, but the spring
rain we had for a few weeks
in a row took the edge off of
what could have been pollen
hell in the valley.
“It started to pick up, but
then it rained,” said Beth
Brenner, a nurse with Allergy
& Asthma Associates in Eu-
gene.
See POLLEN, Page 5A
SPORTS
Western Oregon run-
ner David Ribich named
Great Northwest Athlet-
ic Conference’s Male
Athlete of the Year.
»Page 10A
POLK COUNTY
Sheriff reviews use-
of-force policy.
EMILY MENTZER/ Itemizer-Observer
Pollen from cottonwood trees dust trails throughout the county.
Silbernagel retires after 29 Merritt ready to
years with corrections office become director
By Jolene Guzman
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — One of Marty
Silbernagel’s favorite events
of the year is Polk County
Community Corrections an-
nual pizza party in October.
The occasion celebrates
those people who have gradu-
ated from probation and are
now leading healthy, produc-
tive lives. Each year, invitations
for the reunion are sent out to
former clients of the office.
See RETIRE, Page 9A
DALLAS — When Jodi
Merritt saw the advertise-
ment for Polk County’s
Community Corrections di-
rector position this spring,
something clicked.
Merritt was working as a
manager with Jackson
County Community Justice
and hadn’t thought of
changing jobs or moving.
“I had been in my last po-
sition for almost 10 years.
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Marty Silbernagel will retire on Friday after 29 years.
And then
working
with Jack-
son Coun-
ty for 15
years, I
was very
comfort-
able,” she
Meritt
said. “I
needed a change, some-
thing to challenge me. I love
to learn, I love to ask ques-
tions. I love to develop
things and people.”
See MERRITT, Page 5A
Polk County offers Fourth of July fun
Itemizer-Observer staff report
POLK COUNTY — Find-
ing a way to celebrate Inde-
pendence Day in Polk Coun-
ty won’t be a problem,
whether you are looking for
a laid-back day in the park
or a thrill-ride carnival expe-
rience.
July Fourth celebrations
will take place in Dallas,
Falls City, Independence
and Monmouth, spanning
from one-day events to a
long holiday weekend of
fun.
Falls City is first in line to
mark the nation’s birthday
on July 1 with a short, but
entertaining parade and
THE NEXT
7
DAYS
PLANNING
FOR YOUR
WEEK
community gathering in
Lower Park, complete with
music, grilled hamburgers
and hot dogs, and cotton
candy.
Saturday evening, Inde-
pendence’s Western Days
joins the party with the car-
nival in Riverview Park
opening at 6. Western Days
run from Saturday to July
Fourth with two fireworks
displays on the schedule.
Monmouth’s July Fourth
celebration opens on Mon-
day and runs through Inde-
pendence Day.
The main event has an
art show, held both days.
Artists can enter until 11
a.m. on Monday.
Independence Day brings
the long-standing Mini-
Marathon, Children’s Pa-
rade, and the highlight
Monmouth-Independence
Rotary Club’s Fourth of July
Grand Parade, all starting in
Monmouth.
This year, Margaret John-
son will be the Grand Mar-
shal.
“We talk about how much
we want to honor the person
or people involved,” said Jim
Birken, parade committee
chairman. “We discuss how
much they warrant recogni-
tion. This year, the Grand
Marshall is Margaret John-
son, and she is representing
all of the community volun-
teers.”
Dallas will mark July
Fourth with Freedomfest
and the revival of its barbe-
cue contest. It was not part
of the 2016 celebration, so
Freedomfest founder Beth
Jones stepped in to bring it
back.
This year pits six amateur
smoker teams against each
other.
“We are opening it up to
something that embraces
everybody,” Jones said.
Freedomfest opens in
Dallas City Park at 3 p.m.
with the contest, a beer gar-
den, vendors and live music.
At 6 p.m. it moves to Roger
Jordan Community Park for
more live music, food truck
vendors and, of course, fire-
works.
»Page 9A
Salem Health
presents
grant
Itemizer-Observer staff report
SALEM — Salem Health
presented a $41,370 Com-
munity Partnership Grant
to Family Building Blocks
to pay for a pilot project to
electronically conduct de-
velopmental screenings
for children in a family’s
home.
Salem Health intro-
duced the Community
Partnership Grant pro-
gram in October 2014 and
will grant a total of
$306,382 in 2017.
Successful initiatives
improve the quality of
life for those most at risk
in our community and
decrease the need for
catastrophic care and its
associated social, emo-
tional and economic
costs.
Electronic screenings
increase the chance of
early detection of devel-
opmental delays. Early de-
tection followed by quali-
ty interventions result in
better long-term health
outcomes.
Research indicates that
detection rates for devel-
opmental disabilities with-
out using tools is 20 per-
cent, compared to 80-90
percent when using a
screening tool.
Only 30 percent of chil-
dren with disabilities are
identified for intervention
before starting school.
Providing intervention
prior to kindergarten for
children with potential de-
lays has significant bene-
fits.
wed
thu
fri
sat
sun
mon
tue
Come enjoy some
laughs with come-
dian Michael O’Neill
at Dallas City Park
thanks to the Dallas
Library.
11:30 a.m. Free.
Extend a hand to
everyone you meet
and take part in Na-
tional Handshake
Day!
Rock out with musi-
cians or just enjoy
the music at the
Guthrie Park
Acoustic Music Jam
Session.
6:30 p.m. Free.
Kick off your holiday
weekend with Falls
City’s Independence
Day celebration,
which begins with a
parade.
Noon. Free.
Got a special talent?
Come out to West-
ern Days and com-
pete in Talent Quest
at Riverview Park.
Noon to 10 p.m.
Free.
Check out local
artists’ latest master-
pieces at Mon-
mouth’s Community
Art Show.
Noon to 5 p.m.
Free.
Happy Fourth of
July! Keep your cel-
ebrations safe with
smart use of fire-
works and, if you
drink, have a desig-
nated driver.
Mostly sunny
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Sunny
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Lo: 49