Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • August 9, 2017 3a
Look back at Praegitzer fire
30 years later, employees are invited to sort-of reunion
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — It was Aug.
13, 1987, when Praegitzer
Industries went up in
flames.
The circuit-board man-
ufacturer employed 220
people. Being one of the
largest industrial employ-
ers in Dallas, the fire was
devastating to the town.
Now, then-facilities
manager Eric Rogers is
planning a reunion for
those affected.
He remembers that
fateful night 30 years ago.
“The fire started at
about 8 in the evening on
the 13th,” Rogers said. “I
was at home and lived up
on Reed Lane. I hopped in
my car and could see a pil-
lar of smoke. It looked like
a smokestack on a battle-
ship.”
Dallas City Councilor
Bill Hahn, then-firefighter,
recalled that the depart-
ment was on drill that
Thursday night.
“There had been nu-
merous alarm calls prior
to the incident,” he said.
“So while we were on drill,
the alarm came in. The as-
sistant chief and myself
drove out that direction
thinking it was going to be
another alarm sounding.
When we turned onto the
Monmouth Highway, we
noticed a big, black col-
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Observer is committed to pub-
lishing accurate news, feature
and sports reports. If you see
anything that requires a cor-
rection or clarification, call the
newsroom at 503-623-2373 or
send an email to
ementzer@polkio.com.
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Remembering the Praegitzer Industries
fire of 1987
A “fire reunion” will be held on Saturday and Sunday
for all the employees and businesses affected by the
massive industrial fire that destroyed Praegitzer Indus-
tries in 1987.
The reunion will include a bring-your-own picnic from
noon until 4 p.m. at the new side of Dallas City Park on
Saturday. A golf outing is scheduled for Saturday at 10
a.m. at Cross Creek Golf Course. A brunch will be on Sun-
day at 11 a.m. at Eola Hills Wine Cellars, Rickreall. RSVP
for brunch: 503-623-2405.
For more information: eric.rogers1947@gmail.com.
umn of smoke coming
from the center of the
building.”
Rogers said he spent the
night directing firefighters
and volunteer firefighters
who were not familiar
with the layout of the
plant.
“That evening was pret-
ty much a blur,” he said.
“It was just panic time.
They were trying to save
the administration build-
ing, because it was the fur-
thest point from the start
of the fire. The firefighters
did a pretty good job
about minimizing — or at
least trying — to keep it
from being a total loss.”
It took a number of days
for Hahn and the fire chief,
the state fire marshal and
the city of Dallas to deter-
mine the cause of the fire:
a faulty immersion heater
in a chemical tank.
The building was a total
loss, with an estimated
$30 million in damage,
Rogers said.
Rogers said the reunion
isn’t really a celebration,
but more of a remem-
brance of the fire and the
effect it had on the town
and the 220 employees at
the time.
“For most of us, it was a
traumatic event,” he said.
The building was re-
opened a year later, and
roughly 180 employees re-
turned to work, Rogers
said.
“Bob (Praegitzer) told
reporters we’ll be back in
business,” Rogers recalled.
“We won all kinds of
awards on the rebuild. It
was an adventuresome
time. A lot of new people
came on. A lot of people
went on to other ventures.
… We need to celebrate
that and reminisce and
move on.”
Falls City Neighborhood Watch
Looking out for each other
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
FALLS CITY — See something amiss in
your neighborhood you call police, right?
In Falls City, sometimes people call mem-
bers of the Neighborhood Watch.
The city’s group — which has eyes on the
entire town, not just certain neighbor-
hoods — has been active for almost a year,
and has 15 members who patrol regularly.
Tracy Young, one of those members, is on
the receiving end of a lot calls from fellow res-
idents. She encourages people to call police,
and sometimes they do. If not, she is willing
to take the concern or tip and place the call
herself.
“We try and help out,” Young said. “I know
we are making an impact.”
Falls City hasn’t supported attempts to in-
crease law enforcement presence in town at
the ballot box, and residents’ relationship
Polk County Sheriff’s Office is tenuous, but
improving, Sheriff Mark Garton said.
The only incorporated town in the Polk
County without its own police department,
Falls City voted down levies to pay for con-
tracts for patrol in the city four times between
2001 and 2007. In Polk County’s two attempts
to pass a public safety levy in November 2013
(failed) and May 2015 (passed), the Falls City
precinct voted against the measures 90-212
(2013) and 136-198 (2015)
Attitudes may be changing through a com-
bination of Neighborhood Watch and the
sheriff’s office renewed effort to make in-
roads in Falls City. Garton or one of his
deputies attends every Falls City City Council
meeting, participates in law enforcement-re-
lated town hall meetings, and has helped the
Neighborhood Watch program get started.
For their part, the Neighborhood Watch
group is active in the community and more
than willing to report concerns they see — or
Three arrested at butane hash oil lab
itemizer-Observer staff report
INDEPENDENCE — Three
men were arrested on Aug. 1
after a search warrant revealed
an active butane hash oil lab at
8400 Buena Vista Road in Inde-
pendence.
The lab was being used to
make homemade marijuana
extract, according to a press re-
lease from the Polk County
Sheriff’s Office.
Dennis Lee Underwood, 35,
was charged with unlawful
manufacture of marijuana ex-
tract (Class B felony), unlawful
possession of less than a
quarter ounce of marijuana
extract (Class C felony), pos-
session of cocaine (Class C
felony), possession of
methamphetamine (Class C
felony), and possession of a
schedule 1 controlled sub-
stance — psilocybin mush-
rooms (Class B felony).
Joseph Matthew Soulier, 38,
was charged with unlawful
manufacture of marijuana ex-
tract, unlawful possession of
less than a quarter ounce of
marijuana extract, and posses-
sion of cocaine.
Brandon Michael Axmaker,
18, was charged with unlawful
manufacture of marijuana ex-
tract and unlawful possession
of less than a quarter ounce of
marijuana extract.
Members of the Polk Intera-
gency Narcotics Team, assisted
by the Oregon State Police and
Polk County Sheriff’s Office,
served the warrant at the resi-
dence.
Due to the hazards, mem-
bers of Polk County Fire District
No. 1 assisted during the dis-
mantling of the lab in case of
any emergency.
Detectives collected more
than 216 pounds of marijuana
which was being used a make
extract in the lab.
The process was a closed
loop system, and there was just
more than 30 ounces of fin-
ished hash oil product found at
the location.
Detectives estimate the
street value of the hash oil to
be about $25,000, the release
from the sheriff’s office stated.
In addition to the active lab
operation, detectives also lo-
cated user amounts of
methamphetamine, cocaine
and psilocybin mushrooms at
the location.
More charges are pending.
Matinees are all shows
before 6pm. New pricing for
matinees are: Adult $8.00
Children $7.00 • Senior $7.25
Pricing does not reflect
3D showings.
are told about — using Facebook to post tips
and or directly contacting deputies.
Garton said the idea of forming a Neigh-
borhood Watch group in the town took off
fast. He said there were only a few people a t
the first informational meeting. The next
meeting, interest had increased significantly.
“There was like 20 people there wanting to
be captain of their area, not just interested
people. They really wanted to take a role in
making it work,” he said. “It’s great. It’s really
great to have that support. Anybody will tell
you it hasn’t always been that way out there,
and there are a lot of good people there.”
Young said when the sheriff’s office was
losing deputies and patrol hours to budget
cuts, the perception was that the amount of
crime increased and the trust in the office de-
teriorated. That is getting better with patrol
hours restored and a full complement of
deputies who interact with residents on a reg-
ular basis.
Young added that responses are getting
faster, which may encourage people to call
police.
“The community is getting over its fear,”
she said.
The sheriff’s office supports the group, which
meets monthly, often with Garton or a deputy
on hand to answer questions or offer training on
how to safely and legally patrol and report po-
tential crime. He’s encouraged by the enthusi-
asm the group has for its mission.
“We continually educate them on what in-
formation we need to be able to act versus
what the public thinks we need,” he said. “I
honestly think most people are supportive of
it because they want to make their city bet-
ter.”
Young said the group is happy to help the
sheriff’s office — and its community — in any
way it can.
“They can’t be out here all the time,”
Young said.
Joyful Sound Hearing
Have you considered reconditioned
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Mark
Sturtevant
503-623-0290 • 312 Main Street, Dallas
Monmouth 2017
Music in the Park
Main St. Park Amphitheater
Every Wednesday through August 30 ~ 6:30pm
MUSIC, FOOD, BEER & WINE GARDEN
Performing Tonight
Look for the
Music in the Park Series
on Facebook for more
information about this
year’s artists.
August 9
Cascade
Crescendo
Friday - Thursday • Aug 11 - Aug 17
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (Digital) (PG13) (12:40)
WAR FOR THE PLANET
OF THE APES (Digital) (PG13)
(3:40)
NUT JOB 2:
NUTTY BY NATURE (Digital) (PG) (12:20 2:35 4:50)
ANNABELLE: CREATION (Digital) (R) (11:40 2:10 4:40)
DARK TOWER (Digital) (PG13)
(12:00 2:20 4:40)
DUNKIRK (Digital) (PG13)
(11:45 2:15 4:45)
KIDNAP (Digital) (R)
(12:40 2:55 5:10)
EMOJI MOVIE (Digital) (PG)
(11:45 2:00 4:15)
DETROIT (Digital) (R)
ATOMIC BLONDE (Digital) (R)
(1:50 4:30)
(Jamgrass)
6:45
9:45
7:05
7:10
7:00
7:15
7:25
6:30
9:20
9:40
9:20
9:45
9:40
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Bring your chairs
and blankets
and we’ll see you
in the park!
For More Information Contact:
Mark Fancey 503-751-0147
8:45
7:10 9:50
and
presents
Day Drink In The Dark
A Total Solar Eclipse to Remember!
The Dallas Forty is sponsoring it’s first PUB CRAWL
August 18-21. Participating locations are throughout
the town of Dallas. Get your Crawl Card
at any one of the locations listed.
Performing Aug 11
Schwing Band
Show begins at 7:30
Rain
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
Lawn Seating — Bring blankets & chairs
This Week’s FREE MOVIE:
Rainfall during Aug. — 0.00 in.
Rain through Aug. 7 — 33.30 in.
Showing August 10 • 9:45
KONG: Skull Island
Visit each one during Eclipse weekend and get a stamp
at the register. Once card is full bring it to:
AUG 18 Concert: Aerosmith Pump - 7:30 PM
AUG 19 Concert: “Indy Goes Dark” Pyromania
Def Leppard Tribute - 7:30 PM
AUG 17 Movie: Star Trek Into the Darkness - 9:45 PM
The Dallas Forty, 962 Main St.
Raffle will be held at 9 pm on August 21st.
No limit on amount of entries.
• VENDORS • BEER & WINE GARDEN
Riverview Amphitheater, Independence, OR
Visit our website: independenceamphitheater.com