Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 17, 2018 4A
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EDITORIALS
Citizens help
deputies, vice versa
In the last week, deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s
have made news in somewhat unusual ways.
It could be filed under business-as-usual, but twice a
passer-by took an active role in the public safety of the
county and of our deputies.
On Sunday, a citizen reported a man was driving and ap-
peared to be smoking methamphetamine from a glass
pipe.
When a Polk County Sheriff’s deputy, aided by Grand
Ronde Tribal Police officers and Oregon State Police troop-
ers — and the nose of a K-9 from Newberg Police Depart-
ment — followed up with a traffic stop, they not only found
a driver under the influence of intoxicants, they discovered
a quarter pound of meth, a stolen handgun and cash.
On Friday, a citizen saw a muddy scuffle between a
deputy and a suspect. Rather than continue on his way, he
stopped to assist the deputy.
On Saturday, it was the deputies’ turns to help the com-
munity, spending their day off painting rooms at the Titus 3
House, which serves as a transitional home for women ex-
iting jail or prison.
Our law enforcement community — sheriff’s deputies
and police departments — are integral parts of our daily
lives in Polk County.
We’re happy to see citizens serving as eyes and ears for
when problems arise, helping keep our streets free from
crime, and to see deputies and officers pitching in to help
citizens in a way that doesn’t involve a warrant or a citation.
Keep up the great work, everyone.
PUBLIC AGENDA
Public Agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings for gov-
ernmental and nongovernmental agencies in Polk County.
To submit a meeting, send it at least two weeks before the
actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via email
(ionews@polkio.com).
—
WednesdAy, JAn. 17
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk Coun-
ty Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St., Dallas.
503-623-8173.
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
ThursdAy, JAn. 18
• Monmouth Arts and Culture Commission — 7 p.m., Volun-
teer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Independence Parks and recreation Board — 6 p.m., In-
dependence Civic Center, third floor, 555 S. Main St., Independ-
ence. 503-838-1212.
MondAy, JAn. 22
• Independence Library Board — 4 p.m., Independence
Public Library, 175 Monmouth St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• dallas school Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School District Of-
fice, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-5594.
TuesdAy, JAn. 23
• Polk County Board of Commissioners work session — 9
a.m., Polk County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850
Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Independence City Council — 6:30 p.m., Independence
Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• Monmouth senior Advisory Board — 1 p.m., Monmouth
Senior Center, 180 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
WednesdAy, JAn. 24
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk Coun-
ty Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St., Dallas.
503-623-8173.
GOVERNOR
Gov. Kate Brown (dem.)
160 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-378-4582
Email: via website,
http://governor.oregon.gov/
—
STATE LEGISLATORS
sen. Arnie roblan
(District 5, Democrat)
S-417 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
sen.arnieroblan@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/roblan
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Vote no on
Measure 101
My name is Kevin S.
Chambers. I’m running for
Oregon House District 20.
Having resigned from my
previous job, I had to tem-
porarily join OHP, but I’m
voting no on 101.
A no vote does not take
away coverage for those on
OHP.
A no vote is a yes vote on
government accountability,
management, and responsi-
bility.
Hundreds of millions of
dollars have been wasted by
the majority, money that
could have been put to-
wards paying this bill.
The government needs to
use our resources responsi-
bly instead of burning
through it and demanding
more.
Kevin S. Chambers
Candidate for OHD 20
Monmouth
WRITE A
LETTER
Letters to the editor are
limited to 300 words. Longer
letters will be edited.
Election-related letters of
all types are limited to 100
words. Writers are limited to
one election-related letter
per election season. Election
letters from writers outside
of Polk County are not ac-
cepted.
Each writer is restricted to
one letter per 30-day period.
Letters that are libelous,
obscene or in bad taste will
not be printed. Attacks by
name on businesses or indi-
viduals will not be printed.
The deadline for letters to
the editor is 10 a.m. Monday.
Letters submitted may not
be retractable after this
deadline. For the full letters
policy, see polkio.com.
Questions? Email editor
Emily Mentzer at
ementzer@polkio.com, or
call 503-623-2373 ext. 117.
Adopt-A-Family
team says thanks
POTUS misses
mark on diplomacy
The Dallas Adopt-A-Fam-
ily team would like to thank
the community of Dallas for
your amazing generosity
and support.
We had 197 donors adopt
families and 20 that provid-
ed financial support.
Thanks to the many church-
es, businesses, groups, or-
ganizations, Christmas
Cheer and individual fami-
lies, we were able to make
Christmas a little brighter
for 224 families and 17
teens.
This meant food for 1,115
individuals and gifts for 622
children.
We had many people in
the community that also
volunteered their time and
helped to make this happen.
A huge thank you to all of
you, I wish I could recog-
nize each of you individual-
ly, but the list is too long.
Thanks for making a dif-
ference and we hope you
will keep us in mind next
Christmas.
Happy New Year from the
Dallas Adopt-A-Family
Team ( Jim and Candace
Fowler, Jason Ramos and
Nicole Bats/ Salvation Army,
Polk County, Dana Goodale,
Susan Humphrey, Kathy
Spear, Judy Jeffreys, Bev and
Derrill Robinson).
Life with the current ad-
ministration continues to be
chaotic as ever.
The tax reform bill gives
tax breaks for owners of pri-
vate jets and golf courses,
and gives a tax credit to
wine production. How
many private jets, golf
courses or wineries do you
own? Lindsay Graham stat-
ed, “If the tax bill works the
way I think it will ...”.
Shouldn’t he know how it
works? The plan also gives
permanent cuts to busi-
nesses, but individual cuts
expire in eight years. Why?
Trump again is calling the
Mueller investigation a
“witch hunt” and is upset
Mueller got thousands of
documents from Trump’s
transition team.
He previously stated he
would talk with Mueller, but
now he wants to go through
attorneys. Interesting.
Why is off-shore drilling
opened off all states except
Florida. Why is Florida ex-
empted? Isn’t it strange that
Trump has a multi-million-
dollar resort in Florida?
On Jan. 11, Trump report-
edly calls Haiti and several
African countries “s***hole”
countries when he learned
the immigration plan would
restore protection for immi-
grants from these countries.
So much for his “big heart.”
On Jan. 3, Trump states
“his nuclear button is bigger
than the one in N. Korea.”
Vickie Boer
Dallas Adopt A Family
Community Member
Dallas
Let’s continue to antagonize
N. Korea. Why can’t Con-
gress settle the DACA situa-
tion without a stipulation
that a wall is built between
the U.S. and Mexico? And
when does the wall between
the U.S. and Canada start?
Cliff Brown
Dallas
Trump not good
leader of free world
Making America “great”
again — a walk in nature is
not a round of golf. Thanks
to those who voted for
Trump. As we enter a new
year with the so-called rep-
resentative of all the Ameri-
can people, a little reflection
is in order.
Our POTUS: Blatant tax
cheater gives break to those
who do not need it. Thus in-
creasing the already widen-
ing gap and concentration
of wealth and power, also
adding fuel to the ill-needed
attention of class distribu-
tion. Has kept and gained
wealth by multiple bank-
ruptcies — great business
acumen there.
Has and is less than hon-
orable on contracts with the
private sector and, sadly,
with other nations.
Will mistreat the environ-
ment and our natural re-
sources because it may be
profitable.
“I mean, who cares if our
children and grandchildren
have clean air and water if I
can have a job and a big ole
gas guzzler now.”
And what about those
jobs. No sissy liberal or pro-
gressive jobs like solar or
wind. I’m talking real drilling,
earth shattering ones, and
let’s put them in some of the
most sensitive and inhos-
pitable places on earth.
Has sold fraudulent serv-
ices for profit — so-called
college.
And, most importantly,
how is being sexist and
racist not morally wrong in
a civilized and democratic
society? Sad.
And if you think im-
peachment may be a solu-
tion, don’t forget who is
waiting in the wings: Pence
and Ryan. Think women’s
rights and religion in gov-
ernment, Social Security,
and Medicare. Double sad.
Welcome to the herd.
Hope you like the brand.
Machevelli lives.
Have a peaceful and
healthy new year.
sen. Jackie Winters
(District 10, Republican)
S-301 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1710
sen.jackiewinters@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/winters
sen. Brian Boquist
(District 12, Republican)
S-305 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1712
sen.brianboquist@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/boquist
rep. david Gomberg
(District 10, Democrat)
H-471 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1410
rep.davidgomberg@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg
rep. Paul evans
(District 20, Democrat)
H-281 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1420
rep.paulevans@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/evans
rep. Mike nearman
(District 23, Republican)
H-378 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1423
rep.mikenearman@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/nearman
—
U.S. CONGRESS
sen. ron Wyden (dem.)
221 Dirksen SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-5244
Fax: 202-228-2717
Salem office: 707 13th St. SE,
Suite 285, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-589-4555
Email: via website,
www.wyden.senate.gov
Louis Stuckey
Monmouth
sen. Jeff Merkley (dem.)
313 Hart SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3753
Fax: 202-228-3997
Salem office: 161 High St. SE,
Suite 250, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-362-8102
Email: via website,
www.merkley.senate.gov
rep. Kurt schrader (dem.)
108 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-5711
Fax: 202-225-5699
Salem office: 544 Ferry St. SE,
Suite 2, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-588-9100
Fax: 503-588-5517
Email: via website,
www.schrader.house.gov
—
POLK COUNTY
Board of Commissioners
850 Main St.
Dallas, OR 97338
Phone: 503-623-8173
www.co.polk.or.us
—
CITIES
dallas
187 SE Court St.
Dallas, OR 97338
503-623-2338
www.ci.dallas.or.us
Falls City
299 Mill St.
Falls City, OR 97344
503-787-3631
www.fallscityoregon.gov
Independence
555 S. Main St.
Independence, OR 97351
503-838-1212
www.ci.independence.or.us
Monmouth
151 W. Main St.
Monmouth, OR 97361
503-838-0722
www.ci.monmouth.or.us
HOW TO REACH US
neWsrooM
Emily Mentzer ..............Editor/Monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com
Vol. 143, No.3
(USPS) - 437-380)
The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875
Winner of 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 General Excellence Awards
from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
Periodicals postage paid at
Dallas, OR, Independence, OR and Monmouth, OR.
Published weekly at 147 SE Court Street
Dallas, Oregon 97338
Phone: 503-623-2373
Lukas Eggen..................Sports Editor......................................................................leggen@polkio.com
Jolene Guzman............Dallas/Falls City/Polk County Reporter ................jguzman@polkio.com
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