Boxes of Hope
Sports Panthers end season as winners
WOU students create care packages for foster children
See B1
See A3
Wednesday March 11, 2026 | Volume 151, Issue 6 www.polkio.com
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Buzzin’ Finds finally has physical location in Dallas By David Hayes I-O Editor
Dallas has a new thrift store in town. While Buzzin’ Finds held their official ribbon cutting March 3, owners Justin Strawder and Jessica Sipe officially opened the doors to Buzzin’ Finds on Feb. 13 with no worries about the cursed date. “It’s been great. We like our scary dolls and our scary stuff, so it kind of worked out perfectly,” Strawder said. He said Buzzin’ Finds is what most would call a second hand or thrift store, essentially selling used goods at a discounted price. Strawder has been in the second-hand industry the past five years making online sales, such as through eBay, and through swap meets and vendor markets. Sipe just came on board the past couple of years and “just loved it so much,” Strawder said. Sipe was born and raised here in Dallas while Strawder moved here about two years ago from his hometown of San Diego. The duo met prior to the COVID pandemic when they were both working at Jefferson Lodge Retirement Home, and hit it off. As with many other industries, Strawder said with the social media trends, thrifting is definitely making its way back. What sets their thrift store apart is their inventory is always changing. “It’s never the same, and that seems to be a pretty big thing in the Dallas community. They want to see new, different things,” Strawder said. “They don’t want to walk into an establishment and always see the same things when it comes to a thrift store or used items. So we always try to
Marc Senyk
Photo by David Hayes WaFed Banker Rebecca Masingle (left) holds the ribbon for Buzzin’ Finds owners Justin Strawder and Jessica Sipe at their official ribbon cutting ceremony March 3. switch things around, but it seems to be working really well, and people like what we do.” They boast having a little bit of everything second hand, including fishware, collectibles, comics, vinyls, clothes and vintage books. “We just had vintage insects from the 1950s, so literally anything odd and unusual, you can find it here,” Sipe said. The initial setup has Sipe holding down sales at their brick-and-mortar business while Strawder remains mostly at home making online transactions. Before moving in at 1254 SW Fairview Ave., the duo sold some of their inventory next door at The Shabby Barn. Just one week after their ribbon cutting, they’re already putting out feelers for a bigger location. “So with business, it seems to be rapidly growing. Our clientele is really pushing us to get a bigger establishment,” Sipe said.
Buzzin’ Finds
1254 SW Fairview Ave., Dallas (503) 949-0270 buzzinfinds.square.site “She’s constantly telling me that people just feel like it’s too claustrophobic, not really much space, so we’re trying to expand within time, but we’re trying to get our name out there,” Strawder added. “They really just want to see everything that we have and more of what we have because we do have so much. So we want to be able to get more out there for people that love what we do.” If a customer can’t find what they’re looking for in the store, the duo steer the shopper online where their inventory is endless, shipping to addresses literally around the world. “It doesn’t matter where you are, you can get any item you
want. If we have it, we’ll ship it to you,” Strawder boasted. Sipe added online customers can also make an order and complete the transaction for pickup at the store itself. “So, you don’t really find that with any other thrift stores,” she said. Buzzin’ Finds maintains its inventory through an online Square space that displays what is currently in stock at the brick-and-mortar business. Then if a customer wants to find out what’s outside of the store, they get directed to their other social media platforms, whether it be eBay or Facebook Marketplace, and you can see other items are on there. The duo are really excited to be offering up their finds to other collectors finally through a physical location. “Our main concern is just keeping up with the flow of customers and just making
Central fills vacant school board position By David Hayes I-O Editor
The Central School District finally has a new board member to represent Zone 1 – local pastor and small business owner, Marc Senyk. When Steve Moser passed away in December, the administration opened the application process to replace him. However, nobody applied by the deadline for the first go-around. After the deadline to apply was extended, Senyk stepped forward as the only applicant. After an introduction about himself, the board members didn’t rubber stamp his approval. They took the opportunity to grill Senyk on his philosophies on education and youth in the community, just like any other applicant, with no guarantee of his confirmation. Senyk and his wife Cheryl have been in the community, Monmouth and Independence, for about 30 years and living
See buzzin, page A7
See school, page A2
Gamer rolls the dice on new event to support food pantry By David Hayes I-O Editor
Ed Webb, Western Oregon University’s Facility Scheduling Manager in the Office of Student Engagement had a successful recipe he hoped to replicate. Simply attract gamers, both table top and electronic, have some professional Star Wars re-enactors from Portland’s 501st Cloud City Garrison mingling with the participants
and charge for entry a donation to the campus’s Food Pantry. The event was the Fight Hunger Games spread out in many rooms, big and small at WOUs Werner Center. By midday on Feb. 7, they’d reached a third of their goal at 700 pounds. (The total haul was unavailable by the I-O’s deadline). “Our goal is 2,000 by the end of the day. But the idea is that the gaming event is the
thing that attracts people and then the cost of attending is a food donation,” Webb said. Meanwhile, everyone gets a prize that was donated. The idea was a success at Webb’s last school. Webb came to WOU in May from Cal State Bakersfield where, as a re-entry student, he launched the club Campus Gamers. Campus Gamers’ See gamers, page A8
Photo by David Hayes Caledonia Fry reacts to the Magic: Commander Card attack on her by fellow gamer Ashtyn Lefond while Dalton Robertson and Bird Gilooly look on during the first ever WOU Fight Hunger Games in the Pacific Room at Werner Center on March 7.
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