Polk County News
2A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • July 5, 2017
NEWS IN BRIEF
OSU Extension opens food safety hotline
CORVALLIS — Oregon State University Extension Service’s
food preservation and safety hot line opens on Monday.
The hotline can answer questions like is it safe to bring dev-
iled eggs to the church picnic? How do I preserve Grandma’s
piccalilli relish? Do I really need to pressure-can green beans?
Callers talk to a Master Food Preservers from Oregon State
University Extension at 1-800-354-7319 weekdays 9 a.m. to 4
p.m. The hotline closes Oct. 13.
Typical hotline questions include where to get pressure-can-
ner gauges tested, whether an old family canning recipe is still
safe and what to do if your refrigerator or freezer goes out. An-
swers are provided by Extension-trained and -certified Master
Food Preservers, a volunteer-based program active in 18 Ore-
gon counties.
IPD to increase patrols for DUII
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Road work is slated on Hayter Street near Maple Drive, one of the local streets on the list for repair for 2017.
Dallas looks at street repairs in new light
Garus: Bond would be needed to address issues of all roads in Dallas
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — The Dallas
Public Works Committee
recommended four sections
of streets for maintenance
this summer, but may
change what types of streets
are prioritized for repair in
future years.
City Manager Ron Foggin
said for several years, the
city’s policy was to focus
money on the streets with
the heaviest use and those
serving the town’s business
districts.
This year, the city’s budget
committee approved includ-
ing $50,000 to repair local
streets, in response to voters
rejecting a $10 million bond
to repair the residential
streets.
A 2014 engineering assess-
ment estimated the city has
a $15 million backlog of de-
ferred maintenance on its 57
miles of streets.
Committee Chairman
Micky Garus asked city em-
ployees to study how many
years the city could ignore
those higher-use streets —
called arterials and collec-
tors — and focus on fixing
neighborhood streets.
Under construction
Street repair projects proposed for 2017-18
1. Southeast Maple Street from Main Street to Uglow Av-
enue: $131,150.
2. Northwest Denton Avenue from Jasper Street to Tilgner
Lane: $56,900.
3. Southeast Greenbriar Avenue and Green Briar Court
(local) from LaCreole Drive to Cynthian Drive: $35,575.
4. Main Street, Southwest Birch Street and Hayter Street
(local) from Maple Drive to Oakdale Avenue: $124,250.
Total: $347,875.
He said the strategy is in part
to answer complaints from city
residents that their streets are
in bad condition, and a way to
sell a bond to voters.
He asked how low the
busiest streets could fall on
the pavement condition
index, a measure of street
quality, before the cost of re-
pair grows to an unaccept-
able level.
“I want to know what
number are we willing to
live with that is still spend-
ing our dollars smartly, but
diverting as much as possi-
ble onto the residential
side,” Garus said. “Just say
our arterials and collectors
were at 70 percent, if we ig-
nored them for three or four
years, how quickly would
they deteriorate?”
Public Works Director
Frank Anderson said streets
degrade between 1 and 2
percent a year, depending
on use, but added there’s a
gamble in that approach.
Anderson said with the
city spending between
$300,000 and $350,000 on
maintenance, and 57 miles
of street to take care of, re-
pairs can easily get pushed
off for too long.
“By the time you get back
to it, it’s dropped down to
an area where its costs have
ballooned a lot,” he said.
“With the little money that
we are using, it’s kind of a
roll of the dice in a sense,
hoping that it doesn’t (de-
grade) that much.”
Garus said the city should
form a committee to look at
funding options again, and
find the best way to market a
S
pend an
after-
noon at
Cubanisimo,
where the views
are breathtaking,
the service is warm
and the wines are
beautiful.
From their Rosado de Pinot
Noir to their award-winning 2014
Rumba pinot noir, the tastebuds are in for a treat.
The Rosado is a beautiful wine with a surprising mix of sweet notes
while maintaining a dry feel.
“It has luscious strawberries, kiwi, and cantaloupe, depending on your
taste,” said Dawn Dean, operations and marketing manager. “But it’s
very dry.”
The pinot gris is a delight, with notes of pear and pineapple in the mid-
dle – some people taste honeycrisp apple. Everybody has different taste,
Dean said, adding that she doesn’t like to lead customers with her opin-
ions, but prefers if they experience Cubanisimo wines for themselves.
Of course Cubanisimo has beautiful pinot noirs, from the lighter 2011
Rumba to the more sophisticated flavors of the 2014.
The winery is hosting events on Aug. 19, 20 and 21 for the Great Amer-
new plan to voters.
Foggin noted the state
Legislature is working on
transportation legislation
that could send more
money to cities.
“We’ve got to address that
$15 million, and there’s no
money other than getting
some help through a bond,”
Garus said. “Hopefully the
state can help a little bit.”
He suggested replacing
the policy of focusing on the
most-used streets to those in
the worst condition.
Foggin said he appreciat-
ed the idea behind that, but
said that may not be the
most cost-efficient ap-
proach because it costs
money for contractors to
move their equipment.
Instead, he said the city
staff can research repairs
that would make more im-
provements at a lower
cost.
He said streets in the mid-
range condition cost more
than five times less to repair
than those in the worst con-
dition.
Garus said public works
employees should research
what would give the city the
most for it money.
INDEPENDENCE — Independence Police Department offi-
cers want to remind motorists that an arrest for driving under
the influence of intoxicants includes a $10,000 fine. This can be
avoided simply by being prepared to either stay put or have a
designated driver.
During the month of June, Independence Police Department
officers made six DUII arrests. Four of the arrests were for alco-
hol and two were for controlled substance impairment.
High visibility enforcement searching for impaired drivers
will continue in July in partnership with grant money provided
by Oregon Impact. If you see a driver operating in an unsafe
manner, do not hesitate to call 911. The Independence Police
Department wishes everyone a fun and memorable summer.
Monmouth offers notification system
MONMOUTH — The city of Monmouth, in partnership with
Nixle, has implemented a communitywide notification system
to alert residents about localized emergency situations and ad-
visories.
Residents may receive three types of messages: alerts, advi-
sory and community. People may sign up for alerts via a cell-
phone by texting their ZIP code to 888777, or go onto the city’s
website, follow the links and enter a ZIP there. Following the
website will not send texts to a cellphone, but will list any
alerts.
For more information: ci.monmouth.or.us.
Fire season starts Monday
PHILOMATH — The Oregon Department of Forestry’s West
Oregon District declared the start of wildfire season started on
Monday.
The district protects private and state forestland in Lincoln
County and portions of Polk, Benton and Yamhill counties.
The declaration of fire season imposes certain restrictions on
recreational and work activities in forests. Examples include the
use of sky lanterns and exploding targets.
Industrial fire precaution levels are set at 1 throughout the
district. All industrial forest operators are required to have fire-
fighting equipment on site. Restrictions vary by area.
For more information: 541-336-2273.
Also, all Hancock Forest Management Northwest Oregon
properties will be closed to all public access until the Oregon
Department of Forestry declares fire season terminated.
What’s YOUR neighbor up to?
Find out in the Itemizer-Observer. You may find your neighbor,
your boss, your friend or yourself in the pages of the I-O.
Local stories on local people—that’s our specialty.
ican Eclipse. The afternoons are available at $25 for general
entry – which includes a commemorative glass and a full flight –
or $40 for the afternoon package, which enters you to win prizes
from a magnum to reserve bottles, as well as salsa dancing les-
sons and food.
On Saturday and Sunday, veterans and active military mem-
bers are free for general entry. The winery always offers dis-
counts to military and veterans, Dean said, because the owner
of Cubanisimo believes they
should be thankful for those who
have done a service to protect the
country.
For the big day on Aug. 21, peo- Camping Under the Stars! Eclipse Reservation Party!
August 20th
August 21st
ple may camp in the vineyard
Sunday night and enjoy the after-
$250 includes entry,
$150 — Reservation Only
commemorative glass, wine
Includes your entry fee, wine
noon package, plus stay for break-
tasting, raffle, food ticket, private
tasting, tapas plate, a Cubanisimo
fast Monday morning, view the
library tasting of 6 special
wine glass and entry into our daily
eclipse, and continue the party
vintages, hors d’ oeuvres,
door prize raffle, coffee, and
Monday afternoon.
campsite, breakfast, and next
breakfast.
People who choose not to camp
day’s entry.
may RSVP to Cubanisimo to view
CUBANISIMO VINEYARDS
the eclipse from the vineyard that
1754
Best Road NW, Salem, OR 97304
feels like it sits on top of the world:
cubanisimovineyards.com.
503-588-1763 • vino@cubanisimovineyards.com
ECLIPSE RESERVATIONS
Music from the Redgate Winery & Fieldhouse
Friday
July 7 • 6-9 PM
Diamond Back
$5.00 cover
________________________
Saturday
July 8 • 6-9 PM
Harvey Brindell &
The Tablerockers
$5.00 cover
8175 Buena Vista Rd., Independence
503-428-7115 • www.redgatevineyard.com
Must be 21.
Food Available.
Tasting fees $10
Glass of wine $5
Thank you to these sponsors. Please make it a point to visit these wineries while exploring our great region.