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Wednesday October 1, 2025 | Volume 150, Issue 40

Monmouth man sentenced to prison in 20-yearold sex abuse case Luis Miguel Meza, 54, has been sentenced to serve 12 ½ years in prison for sexually abusing an eightyear-old family member in 2005. Polk County Circuit Judge Rafael A. Caso sentenced Meza, of Monmouth, after a jury unanimously found Meza guilty of two counts of first-degree sex abuse stemming from multiple incidents involving the victim, who sought out the assistance of law enforcement in 2024. Meza will not be eligible for any form of early release or sentence reduction for the entire length of his incarceration. He will also be required to serve a 45-month term of Post-Prison Supervision upon his release. After the sentencing, Polk County District Attorney Aaron Felton said his office was an advocate for victims, regardless of when the crime took place. “Whether a crime occurred this year or 20 years ago, our office and all of Polk County law enforcement is committed to seeking justice for the victim and holding the offender accountable,” Felton said in a press release. The case was investigated by the Independence Police Department. It was prosecuted and tried by Polk County Deputy District Attorney Shannon Clausen.

Ghost Walk expands to biggest ever on Oct. 4 By MARILYN MORTON

Prepare for a little shiver and a little spookiness to visit Independence on Oct. 4 during the Independence Ghost Walk. In 2002 the Ghost Walk began as a walking tour over 9 blocks of historic Independence from Main to 3rd Street. Walking through what is all an historic district, guests enjoyed spectral and old-time stories about the goings on, seen and unseen, in Independence. As the Ghost Walk grew it matured into a “choose your own adventure” evening. About 20 sites host a story-teller on Ghost Walk night. Some tell stories on the street, others invite guests into the buildings and hear tales. Orbs – and many other curious things – often show up in photographs taken during the Ghost Walk.

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IN THIS ISSUE

Dallas purchases private property to expand city park

Smile for Bigfoot

PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES

Leslie Bole gets her photo taken with Sasquatch by Tara Townley at a photo booth sponsored by Walk the Path Community Theatre during the first ever Bigfoot, BBQ and Brews event Sept. 27 in Dallas City Park. For more photos from the two days of festivities, see more photos online.

Monmouth dog breeder charged with animal neglect, 41 dogs seized STAFF REPORT

A Monmouth dog breeder has been charged with animal neglect and 41 of her dogs have been seized. On Sept. 11, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office animal control deputy received a call regarding a stray puppy in poor health in the area of McCaleb Road, which is located just west of Monmouth Deputy Jodi Whiting was familiar with someone in the area that she’d had previous contacts with who owned dogs of the same breed as the puppy. She contacted the suspected owner, Jeanette Case, who lives at 12900 McCaleb Road. During the subsequent investigation, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office noted unsuitable living conditions and a lack of care standards for the animals in Case’s possession. On Sept. 23, at approximately 8:30 a.m., the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and 12 members of the Oregon Humane Society (OHS) returned to Case’s home, executing a search warrant to conduct a large-scale joint operation. Without incident, the team seized 41 large guardian mixed-breed dogs that were lacking in socialization and care. Several of the dogs were borderline feral. While securing the scene, deputies located three one-day-old puppies discarded in random areas and were able to quickly get them removed from the unsafe conditions and taken from the scene for immediate care. It was later reported the puppies were doing well.

PCSO COURTESY PHOTOS

Polk County Deputies and members of the Oregon Humane Society rescued four puppies Sept. 23 that were neglected at a Monmouth breeding farm. Sadly, OHS staff located a fourth puppy that was deceased. Case was charged with animal neglect 2. According to the PCSO, further charges will likely be added after the case is reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office and all of the evidence, including veterinary examination records, can be collected as part of the investigation.

A scared dog tries to crawl out a gate but cannot because it is tied up.

See GHOST, page A3

$2.00

“The Polk County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Oregon Humane Society for assisting us with this operation. This would not have been possible without their help,” the PCSO said in a press release. “OHS took custody of all 41 dogs and are currently providing all medical care and evaluations for the surrendered animals. Their team of professional handlers and medical staff on scene, along with Deputy Whiting, showed great care and compassion for all of the involved canines.” At this time, the surrendered dogs will complete their medical evaluations and treatment prior to being temporarily placed with care providers in accordance with OHS policy. After being released by the District Attorney’s Office, the rehoming of these animals will be handled by OHS. If you would like to help with the care and medical costs of these animals, contact the OHS branch in Salem at (503) 285-7722 for instructions on how to make a contribution to their ongoing wellness journey.

$870,000 expenditure comes from Park CDCs By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

The Dallas City Council authorized at its Sept. 15 meeting the purchase of private property to expand a new city park currently under construction. The council approved the $870,000 purchase price negotiated by City Manager Brian Latta, using Park System Development Charge (SDC) funds that are exclusively set aside for such projects. The 4.95 acre property at 645 SE Fir Villa Road is immediately adjacent to and south of John Barnard Park which is under construction. Latta said the land consists of two tax lots. The main lot contains a house that fronts on Fir Villa Road with a lot of property behind it. The other lot is just 15-20 feet wide by several hundred feet long on the northern edge of the property. The house is roughly 2,200 square feet that also comes with two garden sheds and an 1,800 square foot machine shop. The money of that future transaction would go back into the system development charge revenue for parks, which is the funding being used for this land purchase. As part of the purchase negotiations, Latta said the seller will be responsible for all closing costs, including all taxes and title fees. Latta explained park park system development fees are collected through development and from developers. “So when a building permit is issued for residential or commercial development, they pay a park SDC, or System Development Charge. It’s like an impact fee,” Latta said. He added those fees can only be used for expansion or enhancement projects and cannot be used for maintenance or any other city service. “So, if we have a broken swing set, I can’t replace that swingset with a new swingset with this funding,” he said. “But if a swingset didn’t exist in a park, I could add a swingset with this money. So, we’re looking to buy property that we don’t currently own to our park system which is an eligible use of this SDC money.” Before a vote was taken, Council President Larry Briggs wanted a reminder from Latta how much he See PARK PAGE A3

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