PIO102 by C.M.I.

Sports

Dallas

Garden Club unveils new Gold Star Memorial Marker

Perrydale coach fights cancer while team battles to stay unbeaten See B1

See A3

Wednesday October 2, 2024 | Volume 148, Issue 40

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First responders rescue trapped quarter horse

$2.00

Western teams with Parallel 45 to brew Wolf Tracks Ale

Owner got over his fear of horses through Wilson By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

Six years ago, William Latham got over his childhood fear of horses after building a bond with a 24-yearold learning horse named Wilson. Earlier this month, that bond was in jeopardy when Wilson, blind in one eye, slipped and fell into a flooded drainage ditch near the ranch he was quartering at. Wilson, a paint (type of quarter horse) who used to gallop, giving rides to tourists on the shores of Coos Bay in his youth, now was too old and weak to extricate himself from the muddy bank. “He was turned out with other horses,” Latham summarized the situation. “We don’t know exactly how he ended up there. He had no issues. I’m sure what happened was he just got too close to the bank on his blind side and he probably took a bad step and tumbled in.” Latham was called and rushed back to the ranch outside Dallas from a wedding he was attending in Eugene. Ranch hands called 911 and local veterinarian Chris Wickliffe to help with the rescue. Wilson spent three hours in the ditch, while Latham stood helplessly by worrying over his equine friend. “As a 4-H leader, one of the things we talk about is safety,” Latham said. “When your horse gets in trouble, don’t become part of the problem. Because if you become part of the problem, then they’re going to try to save you first and your horse comes second. So, I stayed out of the way.” Ironically, Latham, 54, had been standoffish with horses his whole life after developing a childhood fear of them. He’s not sure what initiated his unnatural anxiety. “All I remember is (being told) ‘Don’t do that. You’re going to get kicked,’” Latham recalled. “Even walking down the aisle at the fair,

Wolves win Hall of Fame game after unveiling ceremony By LANCE MASTERSON For The Itemizer-Observer

PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES

William Latham recounts how his horse Wilson helped him resolve his childhood fear of the four-legged animals. I’m not walking past any of those horses. They’re going to kill me.” So, in his late 40s, Latham decided to confront his fears, one of the biggest being horses. He started volunteering at a ranch of a friend at church, first with the basics of cleaning out stalls, just being around them. He worked his way up to petting them, grooming them, before finally riding them. “It took me four months before I got on one,” he said. “I went from not knowing anything to now I’m president for the 4-H horse committee. I love them. They’re amazing animals.” As a reward, his friend’s daughter gifted him Wilson. The previous owner had left Wilson in a barn

PHOTO BY SW POLK FIRE DISTRICT

Rescue personnel work out how to extract Wilson, a 30-year-old quarter horse, from being stuck in a deep, muddy ditch near a ranch outside Dallas. stall where his arthritis worsened and became lame. Under Latham’s care, diet and exercise, Wilson was returned to service as a learning horse. Youth as young as three and

adults 20 and older received their first ride astride a horse with Wilson. See RESCUE, page A8

Monmouth approves reselling its electricity through charging stations By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

Anticipating a surge in the need for commercially owned and operated charging stations, the city of Monmouth has authorized installing charging stations and reselling the electricity at 34 cents per kilowatt hour. According to the staff report sent to the Monmouth City Council, in 2012, Oregon passed Senate Bill 1044, outlining new Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) adoption targets of 50,000 registered ZEVs by 2020 and 250,000 registered ZEVs by 2025. The goal extended to having ZEVs be at least 25 percent of registered vehicles and at least half of the new

vehicles sold annually. Additionally, they’d encompass 90 percent of all new vehicles sold in Oregon by 2030. “These aggressive targets point to the installation of a robust statewide ZEV charging system,” the report read. “In order for the city to be prepared for the installation of commercially owned and operated charging stations, the city must allow these owner operators to resell city supplied electricity while setting pricing that allows for them to recoup their costs.” Wade Carey, Power and Light Director, explained further that current city code prohibited the resale of city supplied electricity without a

IN THIS ISSUE Voices Corrections Obituaries Puzzle Solutions Social Public Records Classifieds Puzzles

A4 A4 A6 B2 B2 B5 B6 B7

written contract. The new city ordinance 1415 would change the code to allow the reselling of electricity with a markup for commercially owned and operated EV charging stations. “To meet state mandate, will will have to have places to charge these vehicles,” Carey explained. “The assumption is there will be more commercially owned and operated installations happening within the city limits.” City councilor John Oberst said he was all in favor of electric vehicle charging stations in town. “I think they have potential to pull some people off the highway from time to time. Put them in the right

Two great American pastimes football and drinking beer - came together Friday during the unveiling of Wolf Tracks Ale at Parallel 45 Brewing in Independence. A portion of proceeds from every pint sold, $1 to be exact, will be donated to the Western Oregon University football program. It’s a partnership that can only be described as unique, maybe even historic. “As far as we know this is the first time a university and brewery have partnered to brew a beer, and have proceeds from the sales of that beer go back to the university,” Western Oregon President Jesse Peters. The friendship between Peters and Parallel 45 owner Ryan Booth began several years ago shortly after Peters became WOU president. “I got to know Ryan early on, and it seemed a logical partnership to do this,” Peters said. “It produces something that the community can enjoy, and they know while they’re enjoying it that they are … supporting two things at once, the university and the brewery.” The ale is marketed as a “seasonal fresh hops craft beer that not only tantalizes your taste buds but also supports the WOU football program.” Booth described the night’s honoree as a West Coast IPA that goes down easy. “It drinks real smooth,” he added. “You’re not punched in the face with a lot of bitterness. But you get all this wonderful floral and citrus and tropical fruit that’s in the flavor.” See ALE, page A8

places,” Oberst said. “I appreciate you caught that people couldn’t resell our electricity. The only way we’re going to get those commercial stations is they do that.” After approving the practice of reselling the electricity, the council then needed to settle on a rate. Carter Craig, city community planner, said staff looked around the market and arrived at 34 cents a kilowatt hour. “Charging that as a flat fee. Match it in line with other charging in the area. It’s sufficient to cover our costs,” he told the council. See STATIONS, page A6

PHOTO BY MAUREEN BRAKKE

Raise a glass to the Western Oregon football program. Now you can drink a smooth-tasting ale and perform public good at the same time. Wolf Tracks Ale is only available at Parallel 45 Brewing in Independence.

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