Polk County News
2A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • September 27, 2017
NEWS IN BRIEF
Dallas WWII vet takes Honor Flight
DALLAS — A 93-year-old Dallas resident and World War II
veteran returned to Dallas Sunday after an Honor Flight to
Washington, D.C.
Ralph Thompson served on the USS California from 1943-45.
He was joined by 21 WWII vets and four Korean War veterans on
the trip from Sept. 21 to Sunday. Honor Flights take veterans
accompanied by guardians to see war memorials in the nation’s
capital. Thompson is a 56-year member of the Masons, 65-year
member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and long-standing
member of Eastern Star and Shriners.
Team USA relay flag to grace Dallas
DALLAS — Dallas Fire & EMS will host the Team USA Bobsled
and Skeleton Team flag in honor of first responders Wednesday
(today).
The flag is a relay flag, having been displayed and passed
along from other police, fire and EMS agencies throughout the
U.S. Dallas will be its final location before it heads to South
Korea to fly over the 2018 Winter Olympics. The flag will be
raised at 8 a.m. and fly all day until dark. The public is welcome
to attend. Coffee and pastries will be served.
Madrona Park work commences today
MONMOUTH — The xeriscape planting project at Madrona
Park had been delayed. It has been rescheduled for Wednesday
(today) starting at noon. Help is needed to spread bark. Shov-
els, racks and wheelbarrows would be appreciated, said Mark
Fancey, community development director.
“If you can swing by after work, we may still be out there,” he
said.
Fresh apple cider at Brunk House
POLK COUNTY — The annual apple cider making event at the
Harrison and Emily Brunk Home will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on
Saturday. Tours will be available. Fresh apple cider will be for sale
at $5 per gallon. Various apple desserts will also be available.
The house is at 5705 Salem-Dallas Highway between High-
way 51 and Oak Grove Road just before the Restlawn Cemetery.
For more information: Polk County Society and Museum,
503-623-6251.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
ABOUT YOUR SPECTRUM CHANNEL LINEUP
Communities Served:
Towns of Independence & Monmouth, OR
Effective on or after October 30, 2017, Sportsman Channel
programming will no longer be available on Spectrum TV on
Sports View/Digi Tier 2 Channels 417 & 831
For a complete lineup, visit spectrum.com/ channels.
To view this notice online,
visit spectrum.net/programmingnotices.
(Sept. 27, 2017)
JOLENE GUzMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Alex Giovanoni is the new program manager for the Dallas Downtown Association.
TRANSFORMING DOWNTOWN
Giovanoni hopes to continue work making Dallas ‘a fun place’
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Alex Gio-
vanoni wants people to look
at downtown Dallas and see
a fun place.
Giovanoni, 28, is the new
program manager for the
Dallas Downtown Associa-
tion, taking over for Emma
Guida, who served in the
position until August.
Like Guida, Giovanoni is
participating in the Ameri-
Corps Resource Assistance
for Rural Environments pro-
gram through the University
of Oregon, which has him
placed with DDA until the
end of July.
“The program matches
participants up with com-
munities based on the kind
of work they’re interested in
doing and the place where
they want to be,” Giovanoni
said.
Dallas was on the top of
his list on both counts.
“I went through a whole
process, and I chose Dallas
and Dallas chose me,” he
said. “I’m very happy to be
here.”
Coming to Dallas from
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147 SE Court St., Dallas
503-623-2373
Missouri, he has an out-
side perspective on the
city’s core.
His verdict? “I personally
want to say, I think this
downtown — even as it is
right now — is a much cool-
er place to be and spend
time than a lot of people in
Dallas — and the larger
area — realize,” he said.
His goal is to continue
changing perceptions about
downtown.
He said that with Guida’s
assistance, the DDA has
grown and already brought
successful events to down-
town — including playing a
big role in the Great Ameri-
can Eclipse events — and
established better commu-
nication and partnerships
with other organizations.
While there isn’t an
eclipse to plan around this
year, Giovanoni sees more
opportunities for improve-
ment and feels an obligation
to keep the momentum
going.
“It’s a high bar,” he said. “I
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.
Friday - Sunday • Sept. 29 - Oct. 1
LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE (Digital) (PG)
(12:10 1:30 2:05 3:55) 7:15 9:40*
HITMAN’S BODYGUARD (Digital) (R)
(4:30)
MOTHER! (Digital) (R)
7:05 9:50*
FRIEND REQUEST (Digital) (R)
(2:35)
9:25*
HOME AGAIN (Digital) (PG13)
(4:50)
AMERICAN MADE (Digital) (R)
(1:45 4:35) 7:20 9:55*
KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (Digital) (R)
(12:40 3:45) 6:20 6:50 9:55*
IT (Digital) (R)
(1:00 4:00) 7:00 10:00*
AMERICAN ASSASSIN (Digital) (R)
(1:50 4:30) 7:10 9:45*
FLATLINERS (Digital) (PG13)
(1:40 4:15) 6:50 9:25*
*Not playing Sunday
Monday - Wednesday • Oct. 2 - 4
LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE (Digital) (PG)
HITMAN’S BODYGUARD (Digital) (R)
MOTHER! (Digital) (R)
FRIEND REQUEST (Digital) (R)
HOME AGAIN (Digital) (PG13)
AMERICAN MADE (Digital) (R)
KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (Digital) (R)
IT (Digital) (R)
AMERICAN ASSASSIN (Digital) (R)
FLATLINERS (Digital) (PG13)
(1:30 2:05 3:55)
(4:30)
7:15
7:05
(2:35)
(4:50)
(1:45 4:35)
(12:40 3:45)
(1:00 4:00)
(1:50 4:30)
(1:40 4:15)
7:20
6:20
7:00
7:10
6:50
6:50
Thursday • Oct. 5
KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (Digital) (R)
FRIEND REQUEST (Digital) (R)
HOME AGAIN (Digital) (PG13)
LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE (Digital) (PG)
AMERICAN MADE (Digital) (R)
BLADE RUNNER 2049 (Digital) (R)
HITMAN’S BODYGUARD (Digital) (R)
IT (Digital) (R)
AMERICAN ASSASSIN (Digital) (R)
FLATLINERS (Digital) (PG13)
(12:40 3:45)
(2:35)
(4:50)
(1:30 2:05 3:55)
(1:45 4:35)
(4:30)
(1:00 4:00)
(1:50 4:30)
(1:40 4:15)
6:50
7:15
7:20
7:00
7:00
7:10
6:50
7:30
feel that expectations for me
and DDA are high.”
Giovanoni has been busy
getting to know downtown
and the wider community in
the weeks since he arrived,
and sees three long-term
projects that have potential
to change the character of
downtown in a good way.
He said the vacant former
armory property on Church
Street, which is in the
process of being turned over
to the Dallas Urban Renewal
Agency, has the potential to
be of the site of another an-
chor business. The URA will
be asking for proposals from
potential developers soon,
he said.
“That’s a big opportunity
that certainly I’m going to
work with folks in the city,
like the planning commis-
sion, to try to move that for-
ward,” Giovanoni said. “That
is really exciting.”
He’s offered a suggestion
for the vacant Carnegie
Building on Court Street if
the proposal under consid-
eration now falls through.
Giovanoni said The Dalles
has a similar building that
was converted into an arts
center, which would fulfill
one of the DDA’s strategic
plan goals for bringing
more art activities to down-
town.
Lastly, he said the DDA
may help the owners of the
D a l l a s Fo r t y o n Ma i n
Street acquire grants for a
historic restoration of the
building.
Alongside those long-
term projects, Giovanoni en-
courages people to take part
in events downtown,
whether they be cash mobs
or “Out and About” events to
support businesses.
He believes collaboration
and sharing ideas to the best
way to make downtown Dal-
las “a cool place to be, where
there is a lot of good stuff
going on.”
“Keeping these events
going on where people are
working together and enjoy-
ing themselves together is a
good for the vision of the
DDA,” Giovanoni said.