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Wednesday February 4, 2026 | Volume 151, Issue 4
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Citizens seek clarity on civil Indy sets food truck unrest at Monmouth town hall limit to 7 By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor
At the city of Monmouth’s quarterly town hall Jan. 29 where guest speakers gave their general perspectives in civics, it was a full 45 minutes before an audience member asked a direct question related to the unrest in Minnesota. The city hosted the town hall in the wake of several officer-involved shootings in and around Minneapolis that also featured organized protests that exacerbated the situation. The evening’s lineup of guest speakers included state Rep. Paul Evans, Monmouth city attorney Justin Thorp, Police Chief Isaiah Haines and Polk County District Attorney Aaron Felton. After their prepared remarks, in an audience of more than 30 in attendance, one asked the panel would the city say as a group that if somebody or something is impeding a police officer, that is a violation? Haines asked him to clarify “impeding a police officer.” The audience member got straight to his point. “We’re dancing around Minneapolis right now, this whole place is,” he said. “I feel that there are people impeding officers’ jobs that are legally doing things and they’re (protestors) impeding them and the local police are not doing anything about it. What is the city’s position in the same, exact thing? Are you going to support other sworn officers, whether they’re state, county, or (federal)?” Haines said there was a lot to unpack in his question. “There are Oregon statutes
By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor
arrest somebody right now or are you going to wait until things are cooled down? That’s not a lawyer question, that’s a law enforcement professional question; those are things within their training,” Thorp explained. He added that when an incident involves different agencies, that can get complicated. “We’re not going to go around and violate federal law. But at the same time, the federal government doesn’t get to come and commandeer state and local governments either,” Thorp said. “Depending upon
A new city ordinance will limit the number of food trucks to seven that can operate in downtown Independence. The city council worked out the details of the new ordinance at a recent meeting. In addition to setting a limit, the ordinance also shifts a greater responsibility of food truck operations to the landowner renting out space to the truck operator. City Planning Manager Fred Evander said the new ordinance would help the mobile vending process work better. “Over the past six-plus years, the administration realized there are limitations as the city processes mobile vending licenses,” he said. “Right now, it requires a food truck owner to get all of the permits necessary to operate on a particular lot. The current process does not include the property owner at all.” The new process, he explained, would require the property owner to get their site approved for a certain type of mobile vending use, making it easier for a food vendor to operate on those approved sites. In the past, city inspector site visits to food truck vendors revealed they do not control the property or make improvements to the property. So the new ordinance would break up the process into two separate permits – one that deals with the site and property owner and the second that is
See TOWN HALL, page A8
See TRUCK, page A8
PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES
Oregon State Rep. Paul Evans kicks off the Monmouth Quarterly Town Hall Jan. 29 with a history on civics. that talk about interfering with a police officer. If they’re doing a lawful investigation, the interfering statute is state law,” Haines began. “What I think you’re talking about is immigration enforcement…” The questioner interrupted by clarifying no, he was actually talking about selective enforcement of laws and whether there are some that the chief can choose to ignore. “Be it tactics or discretion, it really depends upon the situation,” Haines replied. “When it comes to things, such as the statute I said on interfering, … if an officer is making an arrest and someone is physically
interfering, they are likely to get arrested as well. “When comparing Minneapolis, when it comes to state agencies versus federal agencies, What I would tell you about that specifically … Oregon is a sanctuary state. There are prohibitions that local law enforcement have from assisting with immigration enforcement,” he added. Thorp agreed that there was a lot to unpack with the question. “A general issue with all law enforcement, is there’s also tactics and procedures in ways you’re going to enforce (the law). Are you going to
Local author debuts thriller ‘The Forgotten Girl’ and other weird discoveries that happen after she takes over the abandoned camp. An accountant for the state by day and amateur novelist by night, St. Clair, 31, has technically written six novels now with “The Forgotten Girl.” That’s if you don’t count the two she wrote as a child and youth growing up in Dallas and Perrydale. She said has pretty much wanted to be an author since she was old enough to write. “In pre-school I had a little book I was writing – “Coyote and Bear” about a bear and coyote, obviously,” she said.
By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor
Most family and friends know her as Samantha St. Clair, or Sam for short. But she’s hoping more people get to know her by her pen name, S.N. St. Clair, after the release of her latest novel, “The Forgotten Girl.” In her latest novel, “The Forgotten Girl”, St. Clair continues her transition from the romance genre into thriller territory. The story follows the lives of two girls – Abbie in 1988 who disappears at a camp for troubled kids, and Kate in 1995 who investigates the voices
S.N. St. Clair
IN THIS ISSUE
“I published my first book when she was 14, but ended up taking it down. As you get older and you’re reading your stuff you go, ‘What was I thinking?’ I hope to one day rewrite that and republish it.” Now living in West Salem with her husband Andrew, St. Clair published her first novel she considered a keeper in July 2024, “Deputy Wolf,” the first in a twobook series so far, where she explores if love is enough to break the cycle of past, destructive behavior. See AUTHOR, page A8
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