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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (July 19, 2017)
Polk County Living Polk County Itemizer-Observer • July 19, 2017 9A Fight fires with appropriate landscaping Drawing a line around the house with fire-resistant landscapes can mean the dif- ference between a home consumed by flames and one left standing. “Fire specialists often show pictures of houses where people took adequate precautions,” said Brad Withrow-Robinson, forester with Oregon State Universi- ty’s Extension Service. “I’ve seen lots of photos of land charred all around and a house left standing in the middle because the owners created a fire-resistant space next to it. Not always, but often.” It’s fire season again, and people who live in rural areas or on rural-urban boundaries throughout the state need to exercise caution. “People tend to think of wild fire as an issue only in central or eastern Oregon,” Withrow-Robinson said. “But the vigorous, dense growth typical of western Oregon, along with our hot, dry summers, means we have a significant fire danger most years here, too.” People should create and maintain “defensible space” around their homes. Among other things, these areas should be free from brush, debris and firewood, have ir- rigated zones near the house and feature fire-resistant plants. To help people establish K YM P OKORNY Your Garden such spaces OSU Extension developed a guide to Fire-re- sistant Landscapes Plants for the Willamette Valley, which can be downloaded free as an app for iOS and Android phones. The 190-page publi- cation also comes as a mo- bile-friendly or printable PDF. Co-author Brooke Ed- munds, a horticulturist with OSU’s Extension Service, said the guide features 170 plants that thrive in the Willamette Valley. Plants are organized into ground covers, perenni- als, vines, shrubs and trees. Icons indicate what level of water and sun a plant needs, as well as other details such as deer-resistance, and if it attracts bees, butterflies or birds. Height, width and har- diness information and other descriptions are also includ- ed. “No plant is fireproof,” Ed- munds said, “but some are considered fire resistant.” In general, these are plants with more supple leaves without a waxy or resinous surface. Such plants don’t readily ignite. They may be damaged or even killed by fire, but their foliage and stems don’t significantly con- tribute to a fire’s intensity, said Amy Jo Detweiler, an OSU Extension horticulturist. In essence, they can create a living wall that reduces and blocks intense heat. Howev- er, she stressed that fire-resis- tant plants will burn if not watered and pruned proper- ly. Some of the plants fea- tured in the guide are: Carnation (Dianthus): An evergreen ground cover that grows to about 6 to 9 inches tall and 15 inches wide, has pink flowers that appear in June and July and is hardy in Zones 3-9. It takes partial to full sun, attracts birds and butterflies and grows well in rock gardens. Tickseed (Coreopsis): A perennial with yellow, or- ange, maroon or red flowers that bloom from March through November if kept deadheaded. The blossoms entice butterflies and the seeds are attractive to birds. Grow in part to full sun in well-drained soil. Hardy in Zones 3-9. Delphinium: A perennial that prefers well-drained soil and grows upright to 2 feet and gets 18 to 36 inches wide. The blue, pink, purple or white flowers bloom in March and April. Delphini- ums take partial to full sun and need well-drained soil. Hardy in Zones 5-9. Daphne (D. x burkwood- ii): A 3- to 5-foot, semi-ever- green shrub with highly fra- grant white to pink flowers that bloom in May and June and attract butterflies. This plant needs partial shade and well-drained soil with a neu- tral pH. Hardy in Zones 4-8. Black oak (Quercus veluti- na): A deciduous tree with a spreading crown and good fall color. Grows 50 to 60 feet tall and wide. The diminutive flowers in March through May appeal to birds and but- terflies. Acorns attract wildlife. Grows in full sun and is drought tolerant. Hardy in Zones 3-9. In addition to planting fire-resistant plants, Ed- munds recommends the fol- lowing precautions: Move plants, especially flammable ones, away from the house. Clean up dead brush and debris and move firewood away from buildings. Trim trees and shrubs to keep them about 10 feet from each other. Use non-flammable mulch such as rocks near the house. Have irrigated zones around the home’s perime- ter. Clean off debris from roof and gutters. Remove lawn close to the house or keep it closely cropped and watered. Keep potted plants well ir- rigated. MI TOWN We’re an entire month away from the solar eclipse, but it seems like there are so many mugs, T-shirts and other items that are for sale all over the internet — and at some stores as well. Sev- eral people have compared notes with one another about members of their families and friends who want to camp in their fields or backyards to view this historic occasion. Others have questioned the cost of hotel and motel reserva- tions at various locations, as well. Oregon’s last eclipse of the sun was back in 1979, and while many don’t think it was a big deal — a generation of school children and young adults will have the opportunity to learn more about science, and the rest of us might learn something new, too. — Summertime brings P ATTY T AYLOR D UTCHER Columnist about blood shortages for many reasons — regular donors are on vacation; there are more car crashes because of the increase of summer travelers, people plan elective surgeries dur- ing this time of year, and other factors contribute to the need for blood dona- tions. The next scheduled American Red Cross blood drive scheduled for MI Town will be at First Baptist Church, located at 1505 Monmouth St., in Inde- pendence, on Monday from 12:45 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. More information is avail- able at www.redcross- blood.org. The Red Cross has many other dates and times where you can sched- ule an appointment, as the need continues to rise dur- ing these next few months. — Both Independence and Monmouth libraries con- tinue to have fun and inter- esting programs available during the summertime for readers and curiosity seek- ers of all ages. There are two events today worth checking out, where stu- dents in fourth through 12th grades can Build a Bet- ter Galaxy Craft at the Mon- mouth Library at 2 p.m. Juggler, Henrik Bothe, will be featured in the Build a Better World at 3 p.m. at the Independence Library. — Pack up a picnic supper – or get everything to feed your family from vendors in the park or nearby — and come to Main Street Park this evening (Wednesday) where Hillstomp, a blues group, will be featured from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Be sure to patronize the many mer- chants and other business- es who help pay for these great evenings. — Let’s all try to remember to stay hydrated on these hot summer days — cold water, iced tea and lemon- ade are great thirst- quenchers and help us maintain sound and healthy bodies. Another good idea is to keep fresh water in pet bowls outside so our pets and neighbor- hood birds and squirrels have access to needed liq- uids. Fire season is definite- ly upon us, so use added care when using any kind of burning materials and grills or barbecues. PEDEE NEWS Judy Guida went to Hous- ton, to spend time with her seven grandkids, Adrianna, AJ, Neko, Sam, Tristen, Layla, and Josie, children of John and Gina Guida. They spent lots of time in the neighborhood swimming pools, as temperatures were in the 90s. Judy celebrated the Fourth of July at a family barbecue with fireworks for the kids. Her birthday was July 6, so she and Joe took a dinner cruise in Trinity Bay near Galveston. She had a great time in spite of the hot weather. — On July 1, June Clark headed for Colorado Springs on her motorcycle. The first days were lovely as A RLENE K OVASH Columnist she visited Mapleton, Cave Junction, Glendale, and Shady Cove in Oregon, and McCloud in California, to get motorcycle club check- points. On to the Narrows south of Burns, and then it was time to go east. By Rock Springs, Wyom., she encountered a random problem with fuel delivery to the engine, which led to several days of trying to solve the problem. No way to get to Colorado Springs to meet with other Women on Wheels members on time, so she headed home via Highway 26 to get two more checkpoints in Unity and Dayville, then over the pass and home, which she was glad to see. — Ted and Ethelene Osgood spent a week in the Steens Mountains with friends Nancy Russell, of Wren, and Leon Goebels, of Albany. They had a good time en- joying the scenery, even though the best views were up miles of gravel roads. Still, it was worth the effort. — Amy Shifley was among the more than 900 under- graduate, adult degree and graduate-level students who received diplomas in com- mencement ceremonies at George Fox University this spring. She earned a bache- lor of arts in art and design and is now interviewing for jobs. — On July 29, the Pedee Kids/Youth will have a car wash from 1-3 p.m., then cool off with a swim in the Luckiamute from 3-5 fol- lowed by a barbecue, all at Pam Burbank’s house. This is for anyone with a dirty car, so come on over. Con- tact Pam Burbank at zpamepoo@gmail.com or 503-838-4103 for details. Good time guaranteed. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES These Polk County groups would welcome individuals who have time or expertise to volunteer. Organizations that would like to be added to this list should call 503-623- 2373 or email IOnews@polkio.com. • AARP Foundation Tax-Aide – 503-930-7636 • After DARC — 503-623-9501 • American Cancer Society Road to Recovery — 1-800-227-2345 • Arc of Polk County — 541-223-3261 • Ash Creek Arts Center – 971-599-3301 • Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Polk County Inc. — 503-623-8473 • Central School District — 503-838-0030 • City of Dallas — 503-831-3502 • City of Independence — 503-838-1212 • City of Monmouth — 503-751-0145 • Crime Victims Assistance Program — 503-623-9268 • Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce — 503-623-2564 • Dallas Fire Department — 503-831-3532 • Dallas Food Bank — 503-623-3578 • Dallas kids, Inc. — 503-623-6419 • Dallas Police Department — 503-831-3582 • Dallas Public Library — 503-623-2633 • Dallas Retirement Village — 503-623-5581 • Dallas School District — 503-623-5594 • Delbert Hunter Arboretum — 503-623-7359 • Ella Curran Food Bank — 503-838-1276 • Falls City Arts Center — 503-559-6291 • Falls City School District — 503-787-3531 • Family Building Blocks – 503-566-2132, ext. 308. • Friends of the Dallas Library — 503-559-3830 • Gentle House Gardens, Monmouth — 503-838-2995 • Girl Scouts of Southwest Washington and Oregon — 1-800-338-5248 • H-2-O — 503-831-4736 HART (Horses Adaptive Riding and Therapy) — 971-301-4278 • HandsOn Mid-Willamette Valley — 503-363-1651 • Heron Pointe Assisted Living — 503-838-6850 • Independence Health and Rehabilitation — 503-838-0001 • Independence Public Library — 503-838-1811 • kings Valley Charter School — 541-929-2134 • Luckiamute Watershed Council — 503-837-0237 • Luckiamute Valley Charter School — 503-623-4837 • Meals on Wheels — 503-838-2084 • Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce — 503-838-4268 • Monmouth-Independence YMCA — 503-838-4042 • Monmouth Public Library — 503-838-1932 • northwest Human Services — 503-588-5828 • Oregon Child Development Coalition — 503-838-2745 • OSu Extension Service - Polk County — 503-623-8395 • Perrydale School District — 503-623-2040 • Polk Community Development Corporation — 503-831-3173 • Polk County Community Emergency Response Team — 503-623-9396 • Polk County Museum — 503-623-6251 • Polk County Public Health — 503-623-8175 • Polk County Resource Center — 503-623-8429 • Polk Soil and Water Conservation District — 503-623-9680 • Relief nursery Classroom — 503-566-2132 • SABLE House — 503-623-6703 • SALT (Sheriff’s Auxiliary & Law Enforcement Together) — 503-851-9366 • Salvation Army — 503-798-4783 • SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) — 503-391-8423 • Salem Health West Valley Hospital — 503-623-8301 • Victim Assistance Program-Polk Co. District Attorney’s Office — 503-623-9268 x1444 • Willamette Valley Hospice — 503-588-3600 • WIMPEG Community Access Television — 503-837-0163 Do you depend on Social Media for your advertising? Did you know we can increase your reach? and more! NO AD BLOCKERS! YOUR Social Media streaming on our as w website with o l s A o. the help of $50 m Friends 2 Follow polkio.com has on average 6,000 visitors each week! They cou ld all be looking at your social media posts! What’s YOUR neighbor up to? Call us to get your social media posts streaming on our website and instantly increase your reach! Find out in the Itemizer Observer. You may find your neighbor, your boss, your friend or yourself in the pages of the Itemizer Observer. Local stories on local people — that’s our specialty. YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER 147 SE Court St., Dallas • 503-623-2373 Heidi 503-623-2373 ext 115 Rachel 503-623-2373 ext 110 Karen 503-623-2373 ext 118
