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Volume 142, Issue 48
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November 29, 2017
Grand jury clears sheriff’s office in shooting
Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — A Polk County
grand jury cleared Polk
County Sheriff’s Office Sgt.
Kevin Haynes and Deputy
Kelly Lorence in the shoot-
ing death of Baltazar
Escalona-Baez, 17, of Silver-
ton.
On Nov. 21, the grand jury
unanimously found the offi-
cers were justified in using
deadly force during the inci-
dent, which happened on
Oct. 28 near Fort Hill in Polk
County.
Following the announce-
ment of the grand jury’s de-
cision, Sheriff Mark Garton
issued a letter to the citizens
of Polk County.
“I would like to spark a
conversation about officer-
involved shootings, a sensi-
tive topic and an unfortu-
nate reality our law enforce-
ment officers face every
day,” he wrote. “I believe
that every life is precious,
and it is extremely tragic
when someone’s life is lost.
This letter is not intended to
minimize those events.”
He describes the chal-
lenges his deputies face
while on duty, protocols fol-
lowed in officer-involved
shootings, and issues a plea
for people to not make
judgements without seeing
all the evidence.
“Not all citizens will agree
with the grand jury’s deci-
sions, but I would ask every-
one to keep in mind that the
Polk County citizens who
serve on the grand jury re-
view every piece of evi-
dence, talk with witnesses
and then decide based on
the facts of the case,” he
wrote.
He posted the letter to the
office’s Facebook page.
“A lot of times, I want to
be able to say something,
but I can’t because of the in-
vestigation, and ethically, I
can’t,” he said, explaining his
intent in writing the letter. “I
want people to understand
that there is more to it.”
See JURY, Page 2A
Teal steps away from post
IN
YOUR
TOWN
DALLAS
CTE is changing edu-
cation at Dallas High
School.
»Page 3A
INDEPENDENCE
After a short ab-
sence, the Panther Auc-
tion returned.
»Page 10A
Sue Teal retires after nearly three decades at the Monmouth Senior Center
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — A lot has
changed in the nearly 29
years since Sue Teal first
took the job as the director
at the Monmouth Senior
Center.
“It was so quiet, I used to
call my friends up and say,
‘please come have lunch
with me,’” Teal, 67, recalled.
“In the summer, it was so
quiet, no one came in the
door.”
When she started, she was
38 years old; the building
was two years old; and the
senior center had about 85
members, Teal said. The
center had no newsletter, no
calendar, and few programs.
“I was replacing someone
who was 80,” she said. “They
didn’t know if it would work
out because I was so much
younger than they were.”
But Teal said God gave her
a love for seniors.
“I have looked at it as a
ministry more than a job,”
she said. “When I first start-
ed, I said I want everybody
that comes through this
door to know they’re cared
for, that we love them, and
we want to meet their
needs.”
She started talking to
people to see what pro-
grams they’d like and what
they’d like to do at the sen-
ior center. Twenty-nine
years and four remodels
later, a calendar packed
with classes and potlucks,
collaborations with Western
Oregon University, commu-
nity breakfast and a lively
travel program and it’s
clear: Sue Teal was just what
the senior center needed.
“We probably average 100
(visitors) a day,” Teal said.
“To get down time, I have to
leave the building.”
Her favorite activity is the
annual Victorian Tea.
See TEAL, Page 5A
Bon retirement
PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF MONMOUTH
Sue Teal has worked at Monmouth Senior Center for nearly 29 years.
What: A retirement reception for Sue Teal.
When: Thursday, 1 to 3 p.m.
Where: Monmouth Senior Center, 180 Warren St. S, Mon-
mouth.
Admission: Free.
Of note: Refreshments will be provided by the city of Mon-
mouth.
Pena brings people together
By Emily Mentzer
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — She’s
been pivotal in bringing the
community together for a fi-
esta for 35 years.
She connects the commu-
nity to much-needed re-
sources and helps anyway
she can, whether it’s filling
out forms with people, trans-
lating, or showing them how
to eat healthy meals made
from limited ingredients.
“She’s been really active in
the community for a long
time,” said friend and collab-
orator Lucy Villastrigo. “Every-
body knows her. Everybody
knows who Elena Pena is. She
really likes the community,
that’s why she’s really active.”
A Central High School
graduate, Pena said her vol-
unteerism started with her
THE NEXT
7
DAYS
PLANNING
FOR YOUR
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parents and the example
they set for her growing up.
“They’re the ones who
taught me all I know for car-
ing for people,” Pena said. “A
lot of people in the commu-
nity helped me become what
I am. A lot of good teachers.
A lot of good role models.”
Pena added that her par-
ents were always helping
people in the community.
“Basically, that’s how I got in-
volved, because they helped,”
she said. “I thought, ‘oh, this is
something I like doing.’”
She connected with volun-
teers in the ’60s, people who
were out in the community
helping people learn English,
training people how to help
themselves, Pena said.
“I used to work with food
services through OSU Exten-
sion Office,” she said.
Pena taught people how to
wed
The deadline to
apply for Adopt A
Family is today.
Applications are
available at the
Academy Building
in Dallas.
Partly sunny
Hi: 48
Lo: 36
create meals with govern-
ment-provided flour, sugar,
powdered milk, butter and
other items.
“People didn’t know how
to use them,” she said. “So
the folks that connected with
the community when I was
in high school would get me
involved in the stuff, and I
liked being around them.
They were beautiful people.”
See PENA, Page 5A
MONMOUTH
Building permits will
cost 10 percent more in
2018.
»Page 7A
FALLS CITY
The Wagner Commu-
nity Library will remain
open until Aug. 31.
»Page 2A
SPORTS
New coach is ready
to lead Dallas’ girls bas-
ketball team.
»Page 11A
Fatality in
crash south of
Monmouth
Itemizer-Observer staff report
MONMOUTH — Ore-
gon State Police Troopers
responded to a two-vehi-
cle crash on 99 W/Parker
Road just south of Mon-
mouth Thursday at 7:58
p.m.
Preliminary investiga-
tion shows a 1999 red
Chrysler Sebring operated
by a 79-year-old male
from Carlton pulled out in
front of a 2015 white Ford
F150 pickup, operated by
Dennis Yoder, 29, and oc-
cupied by Jennifer Yoder,
25, and their two children,
1 and 2 years old respec-
tively.
The Yoders were unin-
jured.
The roadway was
closed for about three-
and-a-half hours. Polk
County Sheriff's Office,
Polk County Fire District
No. 1, and the Oregon De-
partment of Transporta-
tion assisted OSP.
This is an ongoing in-
vestigation and the identi-
ty of the deceased driver
will be released when next
of kin notification is com-
pleted.
Social media
PHOTO COURTESY OF ELENA PENA
Elena Pena said husband Raul is a big supporter.
Follow and like the
Itemizer-Observer on social
media on Twitter
(@PolkIONews and
@PolkIOSports), Instagram
and Facebook.
Subscribe to the Itemiz-
er to get access to more
stories online at
www.polkio.com.
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fri
sat
sun
mon
tue
Western Oregon
University’s
women’s basketball
team opens confer-
ence play by hosting
Saint Martin’s.
7 p.m. $7/adults
The winter sports
season kicks off this
week and Central
and Dallas’ girls bas-
ketball teams both
host games.
7 p.m. $6.
The River Gallery in
Independence cele-
brates its holiday art
show with an open-
ing reception at the
gallery.
6 to 8 p.m. Free.
The Monmouth-In-
dependence Cham-
ber of Commerce
will hold its annual
member celebration
at Crush Wine Bar.
2 to 4 p.m.
If there’s a break in
the weather, try
your hand at pickle-
ball at the new
courts across from
Roger Jordan Park.
9 a.m. to noon.
A free class on deal-
ing with challeng-
ing behaviors
common with older
adults is offered in
Salem at 12:30 p.m.
For more info, 9A.
Rain
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Sunny
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