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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Covering Dallas, Monmouth, Independence, Falls City and surrounding areas since 1868
LaCreole Middle School physical education and leadership teacher Julie Petersen received congratulations from sons Riley, center, Maddux, right, and husband Jon after being named Dallas School District's Distinguished Educator for February at an assembly Feb. 10. Nominators for the award wrote that Peterson cares for her students and supports them, is fun and creative, respectful and responsible, and sees the potential in students while giving them the opportunity to excel.
First-grader Ellie Lovas receives a miniature flag from Monmouth Police Chief and Lions Club representative Darryl Tallan at Ash Creek Elementary School Thursday following a presentation about the flag and Presidents' Day for all first graders.
Polk County OSU Extension Service offered a hula hoop making workshop Monday at the Polk County Fairgrounds and Event Center in Rickreall. Working on their hula technique with their newly contructed hoops are, from left, Josh Peters, 7, team leader Christina Sekafetz, Jake Peters, 5, and Stephen Miller, 9.
A new lamb bounds around a pasture on Corvallis Road south of Independence Sunday as the rest of its flock grazes. Lambing season is well under way as newborns are appearing around Polk County, but frolicking weather may be at a premium this week as cold, foggy and rainy conditions persist in the forecast.
Dallas skateboarders (from left) Brady Dunaway, Noel Reyes and Zach Labrado, all 13, take a run through the Dallas Skate Park Friday. Recent warm and sunny weather has hinted of spring, but winter should be back in store this week as rain showers return to the forecast.
Riverview Park in Independence became quite an attraction Friday as the Willamette River rose above flood stage, inundating the community centerpiece and backing up Ash Creek into various neighborhoods.
Thad Boarwright of Dallas stands on the sidewalk at Dallas City Park Thursday as Rickreall Creek rages by. The normally placid creek swept logs and debris in its path through Dallas, fed by meltwater from last week's snowstorm in the area.
Students peer from the windows of a school bus leaving Luckiamute Valley Charter School Thursday after the school was forced into an early release. The Little Luckiamute River sits just feet from the school, and the rising water was beginning to flow across roads in the area. LVCS remained closed Friday, but was left undamaged.
Vidal Pena surveys the wall of sandbags protecting his home bordering Ash Creek on Gun Club Road in Independence Thursday.
"Actorbats" from Do Jump!, a Portland-based blend of theatre, dance, aerials, acrobatics and live music pose on handtrucks as part of the troupe's Ahhh HA! performance in Rice Auditorium at Western Oregon University Saturday. The show was presented as part of WOU's Smith Fine Arts Series before the group heads to Broadway.
A snow man, woman and child keep watch over the intersection of Levens and Mill streets in Dallas. Snowmen and their "families" in various attire have taken up residence in cities thoughout Polk County.
An ethereal glow comes through a stand of trees along Mistletoe Road Monday. High winds expected later in the week, in combination with rain, may endanger some trees.
Former Western Oregon University football player Jason Slowey runs sprints while pulling a weighted sled at McArthur Stadium in Monmouth Monday. The standout offensive lineman is training for the upcoming NFL draft.
A group of deer were out and about early near Dallas.
Cray Cabal, 8, struggles to roll the base of a snowman at Dallas High Sunday as sister Chloe, 11, works on the middle section. For more photos and coverage of the area's first snowfall of 2012.
Two Dallas School District teachers were honored Friday with the presentation of the Dallas Distinguished Educator Award. Lyle Elementary School third-grade teachers Laurie Wilson (top photo, right) and Connie Olliff (right photo) received the honor during Friday morning's school team time. The duo was nominated for the award by Jana Fogg. in her nomination letter, Fogg wrote "My daughter comes home from school telling me about all the amazing things that these two teachers do that are above and beyond." Students of the teachers also raved about their abilites in the classromm. Wilson is pictured with her husband, Todd, and son, Colin. Olliff receives a congratulatory hug from third-grader Megan Fogg, daughter of Jana.
Dallas Distinguished Educator Connie Olliff receives a congratulatory hug from third-grader Megan Fogg, daughter of Jana Fogg who nominated both Olliff and Laurie Wilson as Distinguished Educators.
Allen Mullins of Dalton, Ga., walks down East Ellendale Avenue in Dallas Thursday. Mullins has been walking to all 48 state capitols in the contiguous United States with the aim of raising support for homeless veterans since Jan. 15, 2010. He had just visited Salem (capitol No. 38), and was headed south down Highway 99W to Sacramento, Calif. His Captain America costume serves as a conversation piece.
Josh Christenson, center, olds up the letterman's jacket of Charley Engelfried after Dallas High captured the Mid-Willamette Conference wrestling team title at Silverton High School Feb. 19. Just days after the death of their friend and teammate on Feb. 3, the Dragons rolled through the district meet, 393-359 over Lebanon, enroute to a program-best second place finish at the OSAA wrestling tournament at Memorial Coliseum in Portland.
Warren Kester opens a bee hive box in a field of meadowfoam north of Rickreall May 24 while checking some of W.C. Kester Apiaries' hives for queen activity.
Kathy Vargas, left, and Naivi Vargas-Garcia, both 9, check their fourth-grade class assignments on the first day of school at Independence elementary Sept. 6.
Three-year-old Gracie Straus of Dallas peers out from her closet while deciding which toy to play with July 28. Gracie's array of medical issues have pushed her family into debt, but with the help of benefit fundraisers like the Night of Fire and the Winter Rod and Speed show, the community stepped up to provide a helping hand.
Meagan Ray, Lindsey Nusser and Courtney Conaway (from left) get their balloons in order before the start of the Summerfest Parade July 30 in Dallas.
Hayden Petersen, 4, of Dallas takes off from the chute during the mutton bustin' competition at the Polk County Fair's Family Night Rodeo in Rickreall Aug. 12.
Jarod Bookey of Dallas took the Class 5A heavyweight title at the OSAA wrestling tournament Feb. 26 at Portland Memorial Coliseum to become Polk County's only team or individual state champion in 2011.
A bush on North Fir Villa Road near Dallas sits frozen on Friday morning just after sunrise. An unusually cold and dry spell in Polk County has resulted in several recent frosty mornings, but conditions are expected to change this week, with slightly warmer temperatures and predicted rainfall most days.
Brent Turley (in machine) of Dalke Construction Co. lifts a charred beam out of the partially demolished former Taste of India Restaurant in Monmouth on Thursday. Construction on a new building at the site is slated to begin after the first of the year, and will include a new Taste of India as well as another retail storefront.
Third-grader Emmanuel Gutierez, right, concentrates on a steady hand while painting a glass Nov. 17 at Independence Elementary School. Retired teacher Kathy Boyarsky has been teaching enrichment art to third-,fourth-, and fifth-graders at the school since early October. At left is fellow third-grader Joselyn Lopez.
Smiles were the order of the day Friday, Nov. 18, as Lisa Reamers, a fifth-grade teacher at Whitworth Elementary School, was presented the first Dallas Distinguished Educator of the Month award for the 2011-2012 school years. Reamer, who was nominated for the honor by student Will Button, is flanked by award presenters Michael Bollman and Christy Perry.
An Oregon National Guard Blackhawk helicopter sits in Riverview Park in Independence Friday, Nov. 11, as part of local Veterans Day observances. The chopper landed and crew allowed community members to sit in the cockpit, take pictures and explore the equipment used in its missions as a search and rescue vehicle.
A plot of small maple trees just outside Buena Vista seem almost unnaturally colored in their autumn color. For more photo of fall splendor, click on Images.
Dennis Eberly uses an antique woodworking tool to carve off an "eyebrow" for his spooky pumpkin at the Independence Public Library on Tuesday, Oct. 25, as a crowd of onlookers young and old watch.
Eberly uses a cooking skewer to attach an eye once most of the carving is complete. His creation included popsicle stick teeth in various shades, a large wart, and ears made from the pieces removed to make the eyes.
Pedestrians cross the street and walk through the courtyard outside the Werner University Center on the Western Oregon campus Monday, Oct. 3, during a break between rain showers. Polk County will see rain, wind and sun in the coming days.
Bryson Ward, 3 (far left), and sister Jocelyn, 5, were among many who turned out for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Day of Service at Dallas High School on Saturday, Sept. 19. Church members and community volunteers worked at sites throughout Polk County as part of a coordinated Day of Service project.
Gracie Ponyah (left) participates in the junior girls Fancy Shawl Dance duirng the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde's annual Contest Powwow on Sautrday, Aug. 20, at the Uyxat Powwow Grounds in Grand Ronde. To her right is Aurelia Johnson. The powwow is one of the largest in the Pacific Northwest.
From left, Kyson Morin, Bobby Butler, Isaac Butler and Gus Garcia compete in the junior boys Chicken Dance.
Marcel Allen Jr. of Dallas competes in the junior boys Grass Dance category. Allen is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
Girley Crum and his wife Linda (not pictured) of Boring make and sell a wide variety of Native-oriented items.
A tugboat pushes the new Buena Vista Ferry up the Willamette River on Friday, May 13, toward its launch point on Willamette Ferry Street southeast of Independence. The new craft, paid for with $3.2 million in federal funds and about $200,000 from Marion County, was built by Diversified Marine Inc. It is expected to begin operations in early to mid-June and serves as a connection between Polk and Marion counties. The new ferry replaces one that was taken out of service last summer after some 55 years of use.
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