Polk County News
Polk County itemizer-Observer • august 30, 2017 3A
Code enforcement cleans up
By Jolene Guzman
The itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Being a code
enforcement officer is more
than writing parking tickets
and issuing warnings to
homeowners to clean up
their properties.
The job requires patience
and investigative skills when
it comes to tracking down
owners of vehicles and
homes headed into foreclo-
sure, said Jay Fox, Dallas’
code enforcement officer.
Fox has been on the job
full time for a year. Before
that, the position was part-
time.
Working full time is re-
flected in the number of
cases he’s initiated, Fox told
the Dallas City Council at a
recent workshop.
He said property mainte-
nance violations have been
his focus.
“These violations have a
little bit longer time frame to
get things done because we
run into weather issues, we
run into financial hardships.
We run into people who
have a physical or mental
disability,” he said. “We ad-
dress it and try work with
these folks to get things
done, but a lot of times it’s a
long, drawn out situation.”
Those cases are especially
challenging when owner-
ship is in flux, such as when
a home is in foreclosure, Fox
said. He said the response
from banks in the process of
taking possession of homes
isn’t always helpful.
“Foreclosed homes have
been one of my biggest bat-
tles,” he said.
The problem for the city is
if it declares a run-down and
soon-to-be foreclosed home
a nuisance and makes re-
pairs, it then has to collect
the money from the next
owner.
Police Chief Tom Simpson
said Dallas isn’t the only city
that struggles with homes in
foreclosure, and there are
not simple solutions.
Fox said in 2016-17, Dallas
had a surprising increase in
one type of case that isn’t
normally a problem.
Graffiti incidents have
gone from zero to 16, in-
cluding one night where
several downtown business-
es were hit.
“There were several build-
ings tagged that evening,”
Fox said. “It went all the way
Creating pickleball courts
down the alley way.”
Simpson said the person
responsible in that case has-
n’t been caught.
“In general, we really don’t
have a graffiti problem,” he
said.
Fox said this year, he’s
pursued 440 cases com-
pared to 270 last year. Of
those cases, 406 have been
resolved.
“That’s a 92 percent reso-
lution percentage,” Fox said.
“I feel that’s a pretty good
number.”
Thirty-four are pending
and out of the 440, 39 are the
subject of courts summons,
meaning the city is taking
them before a judge to re-
solve them.
“By the time we go to
court, we’ve exhausted any
other means,” Simpson said.
Luckiamute
Domestic Water
Cooperative
BOARD MEETING
Monday 7:00 p.m.
September 11th
503-838-2075
Location: Business Office
8585 Suver Rd. • Monmouth
Commissioners
honor Salem Health
Itemizer-Observer staff report
DaLLaS — Salem Health West Valley Hospital was recog-
nized by the Polk County board of commissioners on aug. 16 as
an Outstanding Community Partner.
This award, the first of its kind in Polk County, recognizes the
support that the hospital has offered the community over the
past several years, according to a press release from Salem
Health.
One project mentioned in the nomination of the award is the
Central Health and Wellness Center, Polk County’s school-based
health center. it opened adjacent to Central High School in
2015, and serves the surrounding community, with Central
School District students as its priority.
The hospital partners with Polk County and Capitol Dental
Care to provide medical, dental and behavioral health care serv-
ices at the center. The center also provides community benefits
such as improved access to primary and preventative health
services, according to the release.
“We’re happy that we have a partner like Polk County that is
as concerned with the health of our community as the hospital
is,” said Bruce Rodgers, West Valley Hospital chief administrative
officer, in the press release. “The work that Polk County and
Family & Community Outreach Department do is inspiring, and
we’re pleased to offer support however we can.”
another project partnership mentioned in the nomination is
the Polk County “Fill Our Home” donation center, born out of a
coffee conversation between Rodgers and Polk County Family &
Community Outreach Department director Brent DeMoe. This
partnership addresses the storage issues the county’s Service
integration Teams were having for all the community partners’
donations of furniture and other household items for its fami-
lies in need. Salem Health West Valley had a largely empty
building across Southeast Uglow avenue from its main campus.
DeMoe and Rodgers collaborated on a plan to offer some of
that space to the SiTs to create a donation center for folks to do-
nate and store those items.
“Our partnerships with the hospital are instrumental towards
meeting our goals that all people are empowered and healthy,”
DeMoe said in the release. “We’re extremely grateful that the
hospital is willing to partner with us to improve the health and
vitality of the citizens of Polk County.”
What’s YOUR
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Joyful Sound Hearing
Have you considered reconditioned
hearing aids? We are currently
significantly over stocked with used
& reconditioned hearing aids.
Call now and schedule a hearing test.
147 SE Court St., Dallas
503-623-2373
503-623-0290 • 312 Main Street, Dallas
Johnny Limbo
and the Lugnuts
CiTy OF DaLLaS/ for the itemizer-Observer
The city of Dallas has started work on pickleball courts across the street from the Dal-
las Aquatic Center. The courts were paid for through parks system development
charges and grants.
DEADLINES
HOLIDAy DEADLInES
For inclusion in the
Wednesday edition of the
Itemizer-Observer:
Social news (weddings,
engagements, anniver-
saries, births, milestones) —
5 p.m. on Wednesday.
Community events —
Noon on Thursday for both
the Community Notebook
and Community Calendar.
Letters to the editor —
10 a.m. on Friday.
Obituaries — 4 p.m. on
Friday.
ADVERTISInG DEADLInES
Retail display ads — 3
p.m. Thursday.
Classified display ads
— 11 a.m. on Friday.
Classified line ads —
Noon on Friday. Classified
ads are updated daily on
www.polkio.com.
Public notices — Noon
on Thursday.
REUNIONS
Caterpillar/Towmotor
Reunion will be from 4 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 9 at Dallas City Park’s
Siebert/Fredrickson Memorial Shelter. Bring food to share and
your own chair, plate, utensils and beverages – no alcohol.
For more information: Orval Stepper, 503-623-2474, or Lyle
Thomas, 503-871-3921.
MUSIC, FOOD, BEER & WINE GARDEN
Performing Tonight
August 30
Coming Up
Threes
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
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.
WEBSITE
Friday - Monday • September 1 - 4
NUT JOB 2: NUTTY BY NATURE (Digital) (PG)
WONDER WOMAN (Digital) (PG13)
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (Digital) (PG13)
NEITHER WOLF NOR DOG (Digital) (NR)
DARK TOWER (Digital) (PG13)
WIND RIVER (Digital) (R)
HITMAN’S BODYGUARD (Digital) (R)
ANNABELLE: CREATION (Digital) (R)
LEAP (Digital) (PG)
EMOJI MOVIE (2D Digital) (PG)
DUNKIRK (Digital) (PG13)
LOGAN LUCKY (Digital) (PG13)
(11:45 1:55)
(4:10)
(11:50 2:25)
(4:55)
(1:45 4:15)
(1:50 4:25)
(11:40 2:10 4:40)
(12:20 2:35 4:50)
(12:05 2:20)
(4:35)
(1:45 4:35)
7:10
7:15
6:50
7:00
7:10
7:05
10:10
9:50
9:20
9:35
9:40
9:20
7:05 9:40
7:20 10:05
Tuesday - Wednesday • September 5 - 6
NUT JOB 2: NUTTY BY NATURE (Digital) (PG)
WONDER WOMAN (Digital) (PG13)
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (Digital) (PG13)
NEITHER WOLF NOR DOG (Digital) (NR)
DARK TOWER (Digital) (PG13)
WIND RIVER (Digital) (R)
HITMAN’S BODYGUARD (Digital) (R)
ANNABELLE: CREATION (Digital) (R)
LEAP (Digital) (PG)
EMOJI MOVIE (2D Digital) (PG)
DUNKIRK (Digital) (PG13)
LOGAN LUCKY (Digital) (PG13)
(1:55)
(4:10)
(2:25)
(4:55)
(4:15)
(4:25)
(2:10 4:40)
(2:35 4:50)
(2:20)
(4:35)
(4:35)
7:10
7:15
6:50
7:00
7:10
7:05
7:05
7:20
Thursday • September 7
RECORDED
HIGH LOw
59
57
58
49
56
56
56
RAIn
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
Rainfall during aug. — 0.15 in.
Rain through aug. 28 — 33.45 in.
(Main & Academy Streets)
Food Available:
El Pique • Black Rock BBQ
Main St. Park Amphitheater
The Polk County Itemizer-
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.
aug. 22............. 89
aug. 23............. 85
aug. 24............. 78
aug. 25............. 83
aug. 26............. 93
aug. 27............. 93
aug. 28............. 99
Rotary Performing Arts Stage
Every Wednesday through August 30 ~ 6:30pm
(Celtic)
WEATHER
6:30 - 8:30 PM
Music in the Park
CORRECTIONS
The Polk County Itemizer-
Observer website,
www.polkio.com, is updat-
ed each week by Wednes-
day afternoon. There, you
will find nearly every story
that appears in the print
version of the newspaper,
as well as some items, in-
cluding additional photos,
that do not appear in print
due to space limitations.
The Itemizer-Observer is
also on Facebook, Twitter
and instagram. Watch for
breaking news, links to sto-
ries, sports scores updates
and more.
August 31
Monmouth 2017
Look for the
Music in the Park Series
on Facebook for more
information about this
year’s artists.
HITMAN’S BODYGUARD (Digital) (R)
NEITHER WOLF NOR DOG (Digital) (NR)
DARK TOWER (Digital) (PG13)
WIND RIVER (Digital) (R)
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (Digital) (PG13)
IT (Digital) (R)
ANNABELLE: CREATION (Digital) (R)
LEAP (Digital) (PG)
EMOJI MOVIE (2D Digital) (PG)
DUNKIRK (Digital) (PG13)
LOGAN LUCKY (Digital) (PG13)
(4:25)
(2:25)
(4:55)
(4:15)
(4:10)
(2:10 4:40)
(2:35 4:50)
(2:20)
(4:35)
(4:35)
7:00
7:15
6:50
9:35
9:50
9:20
7:00 10:00
7:10 9:40
7:05 9:20
7:05 9:40
7:20 10:05
Mark
Sturtevant
Solution on Page 6A