Polk County Social
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 20, 2017 9A
Control moss by keeping grass healthy
Many homeowners strug-
gle with moss that invades
lawns as winter rains pro-
vide just the right conditions
for its growth.
“The most frequent win-
ter time question I receive
regarding lawn mainte-
nance is, ‘How do I get rid of
moss?’” said Alec Kowalews-
ki, turf grass specialist for
Oregon State University Ex-
tension Service.
To answer that question,
Kowalewski and Brooke Ed-
munds, a horticulturist with
Extension, developed a pub-
lication and video on Man-
aging Moss in the Land-
scape in Western Oregon.
The new resources dive into
the three steps to rid your
lawn of moss, a frustrating
process since it first involves
dealing with the conditions
that encourage moss.
“Some people want the
quick fix,” said Edmunds.
“They don’t want to think
that it might be too difficult
to have lawn in the shade.
But grass doesn’t grow well
in wet, shady areas and
won’t outcompete moss.”
Moss is like a lot of weeds,
Kowalewski added. It will do
well in tough situations and
doesn’t need as much nutri-
ents as lawn does.
Don’t just put a Band-Aid
on it with chemicals, Ed-
munds said. Instead keep
K YM
P OKORNY
Make gingerbread houses Thursday
Your
Garden
the lawn healthy by reduc-
ing shade and moisture and
following good cultural
practices. That includes
keeping pH between 6.0 and
6.5 by adding lime if neces-
sary. Fertilize twice in spring
and twice in fall. Mow and
irrigate appropriately.
To maintain a healthy
lawn, Edmunds recom-
mends pruning trees to let
in more sunlight and deal-
ing with excessive water
with French drains or tiles.
If that doesn’t bring the
desired results, Edmunds
recommends treating the
moss with appropriate
chemicals. Another option is
to dethatch the lawn with a
rake or rented dethatcher to
pull up the moss and then
reseed bare spots. If all else
fails, you’ll need to do a full
renovation.
If you choose to use a
product to control moss,
there are several available.
Kowalewski recommends
sulfate products such as fer-
rous sulfate, iron sulfate and
ammonium sulfate. These
are environmentally friendly
Sharon Kay Woods will offer a gingerbread house deco-
rating class at 2 p.m. on Thursday at the Monmouth Sen-
ior Center 180 Warren St. S.
Cost is $3 and includes all the decorations, icing and
graham crackers. All proceeds go to the senior center
scholarship fund.
Register to attend. Class size is limited. Grandchildren
welcome.
For more information: 503-838-5678.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
https://flic.kr/p/itjn57
Maintain healthy grass to keep moss from invading.
options, he said. Apply by
spot treating as soon as
moss appears.
Sulfur products such as
these will lower the soil pH,
making conditions acidic.
An occasional application of
lime, which will raise the
pH, is recommended when
you are making frequent
sulfur applications. Before
applying lime, test soil pH
with a gauge available at
garden centers and home
improvement stores.
If you decide to use a
chemical herbicide,
Kowalewski recommended
that gardeners choose prod-
ucts with soap of fatty acid
or carfentrazone as an active
ingredient. Read labels and
follow all safety precautions
when using pesticides. Re-
member, though, even using
herbicides to kill moss won’t
keep it from returning.
When using herbicides,
be sure to use protective
gear and to follow all of the
label’s recommendations.
Some people like moss.
For them, Edmunds said, “If
you’re OK with it, carry on.”
MI TOWN
To continue along my
medical journey: Today’s a
follow-up appointment with
Dr. Faddis in Corvallis to be
sure all is well. Thanks to
everyone who sent their
good wishes and prayers
and angels — and wonder-
ful dinners and desserts that
meant ever so much. The
entire medical team at Good
Samaritan Hospital in Cor-
vallis brought so much skill
and expertise and kindness
and caring to my surgery
and follow-up. The Pastega
Cancer Center on the Good
Samaritan campus has won-
derful services and support
for cancer patients and their
families. We will be forever
grateful and happy to arrive
at the end of this scary and
often frightening adventure.
—
At this time of year, when
stormy days and nights are
more frequent than not, it is
P ATTY
T AYLOR
D UTCHER
Columnist
somehow reassuring to see
the bright lights from the
beautiful tree on the Western
Oregon University campus
as I’m driving along Highway
99W. No matter how busy the
day or what tasks await us in
the evenings, M-I Town’s
Christmas tree is beckoning
through the rain and the fog
to say “Welcome Home”
from our travels.
—
Home for us the past 18
years has been a sweet old
house within walking dis-
tance of the college cam-
pus, where we love to take
frequent walks with our
dogs. It’s in a community
where a special combina-
tion of college students and
working people, newcom-
ers and long-time residents,
retirees and young children
can share the experiences
of life in a small town with-
out the stress and frustra-
tion of too much traffic and
too many people and too
much crime activity in the
big city.
—
In M-I Town, we share
more than a couple of ZIP
codes with our neighbors.
We get to know one another
on walks around town, at
the libraries, in the grocery
stores, at our jobs and in
local restaurants. We are all
affected by what happens to
people who live down the
street or around the corner.
We grieve one another’s
losses and try to try to help
relieve their suffering. We
share our joy and happiness
and congratulate each other
when good things happen,
because we care about each
other. We share a sense of
community.
—
We’ l l b e c e l e b ra t i n g
Christmas with children,
grandchildren, great-grand-
children and other family
members traveling. We’ll
drive over the river and
through the woods to visit
our kids and their kids in
Portland and Scappoose,
sharing love and laughter
with and catch up with kids
home from college for
Christmas break. We’ll share
all the traditional holiday
foods and throw caution to
the winds and eat that extra
piece of homemade fudge
because it’s just so good.
Merry Christmas and best
wishes from our home to
yours.
PEDEE NEWS
Former Pedee resident
Ted South, 78, died on Dec.
2. He grew up on Shady
Lane, going to school in
Pedee and lived there until
the ’60s. He was the brother
of Carla Burbank.
—
Daniel and Heidi Russell
just got home from a truly
life-changing trip to the na-
tions of Egypt, Jordan, and
Israel, given to them by
friends who felt it was im-
portant for them to go. They
visited many historically sig-
nificant sites in the three
countries. In Egypt, they
spent time among the pyra-
mids, seeing artifacts from
King Tutankhamen’s tomb,
and spending a sunny after-
noon sailing on the Nile
river.
—
In Jordan, they walked
A RLENE
K OVASH
Columnist
through a mile-long crevice
in red stone to the ancient
city of Petra (carved from
red stone bluffs and made
famous in the movie Indi-
ana Jones and the Last Cru-
sade). Also in Jordan, they
visited the place believed to
be where Jesus was baptized
by John the Baptist. Later, in
Israel, the Russells enjoyed
time at the Sea of Galilee,
Jerusalem, and the Dead Sea
where they stood in many
places described in the
Bible.
—
One of the many high-
lights of the trip was partic-
ipating in the annual light-
ing of the Bethlehem
Christmas tree among the
Palestinians in Bethlehem.
This event was marked with
speeches and special per-
formances, including an
appearance by Yacoub Sha-
heen, the 2017 winner of
the television show “Arab
Idol.” While at the Sea of
Galilee, they had “St. Peter’s
Fish,” a traditional fish
lunch served to tourists
and pilgrims. It was also
traditional to bite the head
off the fish. Yum? The
weather was perfect — sun-
shine and 60s to 70s the en-
tire time, except for a few
drops of rain in Jordan as
they were riding to the bor-
der crossing into Israel.
—
Meanwhile the kids got
to stay at various times
with friends and relatives
and did well with that.
—
Pete and LaVerne Ben-
nett became the parents of
a grandfather on Dec. 8.
Their son Rick and
Michelle’s son Ryan and
wife Shawnna’s baby was
born in Salem, where they
live. His name is Elliot
Phillip and is Pete and LaV-
erne’s first great-grand-
child.
—
Pedee Church’s Christ-
mas schedule includes a
Christmas Eve morning
service at 10, and their tra-
ditional community can-
dlelight service and chil-
dren’s program on Christ-
mas Eve at 7.
LIBRARY CALENDAR
DALLAS
950 Main St. • 503-623-2633
www.ci.dallas.or.us/library
• Thursday, Dec. 21, 10:30 a.m. — Chil-
dren’s Story Time.
• Dec. 22-25 — Library Closed.
• Tuesday, Dec. 26, 10:30 a.m. — Morn-
ing Children’s Story Time.
• Tuesday, Dec. 26, 3:30 p.m. — After-
noon Children’ Story Time.
—
INDEPENDENCE
175 Monmouth St. • 503-838-1811
www.ci.independence.or.us/library
• Wednesday, Dec. 20, 10:30 a.m. —
Family Story Time.
• Thursday, Dec. 21, 3 p.m. — Movie
(Cars 3, Rated G).
• Saturday, Dec. 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. —
Kid’s holiday movie specials.
• Dec. 25 — Library Closed.
• Wednesday, Dec. 27, 10:30 a.m. —
Family Story Time.
—
MONMOUTH
168 S. Ecols St.
Itemizer-Observer
COMMUNITY
NOTEBOOK
503-751-0182
www.ci.monmouth.or.us/library
• Dec. 22-25 — Library Closed.
• Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2 p.m. — Movie
(Despicable Me 3, Rated PG).
—
WAGNER COMMUNITY LIBRARY
111 N. Main St., Falls City
503-787-3521, ext. 319
www.facebook.com/
WagnerCommunityLibrary/timeline
• See the library’s Facebook page for up-
coming events.
Visit our website, www.polkio.com
for local news, sports
and community events.
Community Calendar is a listing of upcoming events
taking place in Polk County that are open to the pub-
lic. To submit an event for calendar consideration,
please send it at least two weeks before the actual
event date to the Itemizer-Observer via email
(ionews@polkio.com).
—
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 20
• Willamette Valley Food Assistance Program Food Bank
— 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., 888 Monmouth Cutoff Road, Building E,
Dallas. Weekly distribution for eligible community members.
503-831-5634.
• Day-2-Day Diabetes Support Group — 3 to 4 p.m., Salem
Health West Valley (main conference room inside main en-
trance), 525 SE Washington St., Dallas. 503-623-7323.
• Pickleball — 9 a.m. to noon, Roger Jordan Community
Park. Meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m.
to noon. Karen Freeman, 503-871-4172.
• Brew and BS: The New Testament — 7 p.m., St. Thomas
Episcopal Church, 1486 SW Levens St., Dallas. A lecture series on
New Testament figures. Bring brew of choice — coffee, tea, chai,
beer, wine, cider. 435-503-4304.
—
THURSDAY, DEC. 21
• Dallas Lions Club — Noon, Pressed Wine Bar, 788 Main St.,
Dallas. Everyone welcome. 503-623-8121.
• Monmouth-Independence Rotary Club — Noon, First
Baptist Church, 1505 Monmouth St., Independence. Visiting Ro-
tarians, guests and prospective Rotarians are welcome to these
luncheon meetings. Free. 503-838-4884.
• Mom and Me — Salem Health West Valley, 525 SE Washing-
ton St., Dallas (enter through emergency door on Clay Street).
Breastfeeding support group. Free. 503-831-5593.
• James2 Community Kitchen Meal — 4:30 to 6 p.m., Dallas
United Methodist Church, 565 SE LaCreole Drive, Dallas. Free;
everyone welcome. 503-623-8429.
• Hymn sing-along — 6:30 p.m., Monmouth Senior Center,
180 Warren St. S., Monmouth. Sing hymns with others. 503-838-
5678.
• Veterans Night at the Elks — 6:30 p.m., Independence Elks
Lodge Post 1950, 289 S. Main St., Independence. Different or-
ganization presents about services offered to veterans. Bunko
upstairs for families.
• Dallas Senior Writing Group — 10 a.m. to noon, Dallas
Senior Center, 955 SE Jefferson St., Dallas. For all seniors who
love to write. Free. 503-623-9616.
• American Legion Women’s Auxiliary — 7 p.m., Academy
Building, room 108, 182 SW Academy St., Dallas. 503-623-2591.
• Radio Operators Association of Dallas (ROADS) — 7 p.m.,
Polk County Courthouse (Jefferson Street entrance), 850 Main
St., Dallas. Organization for amateur radio operators; public wel-
come. 503-881-5836.
—
FRIDAY, DEC. 22
• Take Off Pounds Sensibly Club Meeting — 9:45 to 11 a.m.
Church of Christ, 127 Heffley St. N., Monmouth. First meeting is
free. 503-930-7936.
• Altered Attitudes Alcoholics Anonymous — Noon, 186 SE
Mill St., Dallas. 503-399-0599.
• The Arc of Polk County Dance and Karaoke Night — 6:30
to 8:30 p.m., Academy Building, 182 SW Academy St., Dallas. For
adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Admis-
sion: $3 (staffers and family admitted free). Snacks available for
purchase. 541-223-3261.
• Guthrie Park Acoustic Music Jam Session — 6:30 to 10
p.m., Guthrie Park Community Center, 4320 Kings Valley High-
way, Dallas. Free (donations accepted). 503-623-0809.
—
SATURDAY, DEC. 23
• Polk Community Free Clinic — 7 to 11 a.m., Trinity Luther-
an Church, 320 SE Fir Villa Road, Dallas. Free medical and mental
health care for uninsured and underinsured. Held on the first
and fourth Saturday of the month. 503-990-8772.
—
MONDAY, DEC. 25
• Merry Christmas!
—
TUESDAY, DEC. 26
• Indoor Play Park — 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., First Presbyte-
rian Church, 879 SW Levens St., Dallas. Open to children pre-
kindergarten and younger with parent/adult. Mondays through
Thursdays. Free.
• James2 Community Kitchen Meal — 4:30 to 6 p.m., St.
Philip Catholic Church, 825 SW Mill St., Dallas. Free; everyone
welcome. 503-623-8429.
• James2 Community Kitchen Meal — 4:30 to 6 p.m., Unit-
ed Methodist Church located at 242 N Main St., Falls City. Free;
everyone welcome. 503-623-8429. (Second, third and fourth
Tuesdays)
• Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) Club — 6 to 7 p.m.
weigh-in, 7 to 8 p.m. meeting, First Christian Church basement,
1079 SE Jefferson St., Dallas. Meetings offer programs and activ-
ities aimed at losing weight. Open to anyone. First meeting is
free.
• Overeaters Anonymous — Noon to 1 p.m., Salem Health
West Valley, 525 SE Washington St., Dallas. Support group meets
in the quiet room/chapel immediately inside the emergency
entrance on Clay Street. Dee Ann White, 971-718-6444.
• Dallas Rotary — Noon, Dallas Civic Center, 945 SE Jefferson
St., Dallas. Lunch and speaker. Public is welcome.
—
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 27
• Respite care — 1 to 3 p.m., 182 SW Academy St., Suite 216,
Dallas. Free child care for parents who need time to run errands,
pay bills, etc. Free. Open for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years.
503-877-8473 to reserve space. Diapers are provided.
• Willamette Valley Food Assistance Program Food Bank
— 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., 888 Monmouth Cutoff Road, Building E,
Dallas. Weekly distribution for eligible community members.
503-831-5634.
• Pickleball — 9 a.m. to noon, Roger Jordan Community
Park. Meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m.
to noon. Karen Freeman, 503-871-4172.
• Brew and BS: The New Testament — 7 p.m., St. Thomas
Episcopal Church, 1486 SW Levens St., Dallas. A lecture series on
New Testament figures. Bring brew of choice — coffee, tea, chai,
beer, wine, cider. 435-503-4304.
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