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Who advances toward official Hispanic serving institution designation See A3

Bertram Latta sets national discus record for 14-years-olds See B1

Wednesday May 15, 2024 | Volume 148, Issue 19

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New Dutch Bros ready to debut after 20 years By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

At age 20, Clarice Lafreniere, as a Rosie the Riveter, joined the production lines at Keizer Shipyard in Swan Island in Portland, Oregon, welding rivets on fitted metal needed for ship construction during WWII. At age 102, traveled to Washington, D.C. April 6-13 to join about 30 other Rosies to attend an award ceremony at the U.S. Capital to receive a Congressional Gold Medal.

Local ‘Rosie the Riveter’ honored for WWII contributions Clarice Lafreniere, 102, receives Congressional Gold Medal

By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

Clarice Lafreniere never imagined “in a million years” anyone would be interested in a little job she performed over a three-year stint in Portland more than 80 years ago. However, the Independence resident, now aged 102, wasn’t just any employee in the public sector in 1942. She was one of about 16 million women recruited to build vehicles, weaponry and ammunition during World War II. Each even earned the moniker Rosie the Riveter. Lafreniere and her granddaughter Barbara Robertson traveled to Washington D.C. April 6-13 to join

about 30 other Rosies to attend an award ceremony at the U.S. Capital to receive a Congressional Gold Medal, the oldest and highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress. The pomp and circumstance included speeches and presentations by both Speaker of the House Mike Johnson along with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Lafreniere said it was quite memorable to meet so many other Rosies. Robertson said the donors and sponsors who made the trip possible for the Rosies to get to D.C. included the Gary Sinise Foundation and The American Rosie the Riveter Association, which paid for a banquet, reception and three-night

stay “in a lovely hotel.” They also arranged for a tour of the White House. (President Biden was not in attendance). “We have so many pictures, you can’t imagine. It’s something you only do once in your lifetime, I’m sure. It was great. All of us have a story,” Lafreniere said, adding she wasn’t even the oldest one there. Two 106-year-old cousins from the Maryland, D.C. area held that distinction. Unfortunately, there were so many of Rosies being honored, Lafreniere said she didn’t have an opportunity to talk to them all. “There was one lady there who lost her home from the fire in Lahaina, (Hawaii). Lost everything.

She got out with her purse and her glasses,” she said. “Never in a million years I expected to get the award. Actually, I didn’t find out about Rosies (organization) until three years ago. I never kept track of anybody I worked with. Of course, there were only five of us gals that worked in the crew.” Lafreniere and her first husband were new to Oregon at the start of WWII. Her daughter was actually born the night of the attack on Pearl Harbor. “She heard it on the radio and went into labor,” Robertson explained. “You were a good See ROSIE, page A8

Project Gear Box fills the gap in sports equipment needs By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

With five children of her own, Gabrielle Walton had grown weary of seeing other children playing ill-equipped on sports her husband Mark and others coached in recreation leagues. “We’ve always as a coach, as a family, during a season had a kid or two without a mouth guard or pair of cleats, needed it and thought there should be a resource for this,” Gabrielle said. “This season coaching flag football and we had 7 out of 17 kids need cleats.” Talking with other parents, she began to see a real need in the communities of Monmouth, Independence and Dallas. That’s

when the Waltons decided to provide that resource themselves. Enter Project Gear Box. “In the first 25 days, we helped 22 kids get gear, including the first 14 days when we had no fliers. We had nothing. I was just a mom on a mission. And now I’m a non-profit on a mission to make this a real resource in Polk County,” Walton said. The Franklin Foundation in Dallas reached out to them, helping the Walton’s grow their idea into a real non-profit organization. “So, we applied through the state of Oregon for a business name. We did the right paperwork through the See PROJECT, page A2

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

A4 A4 A6 B2 B2 B4 B6 B7

BY DAVID HAYES

Gabrielle Walton holds a tote outside the Monmouth YMCA filled with sports equipment donated to her new nonprofit Project Gear Box.

Joe Lawless is ready to re-introduce the property at 820 E. Ellendale to the Dallas community as a second, more expansive and accommodating Dutch Bros. Tonight (May 15) is a soft opening from 4-7 p.m. with a grand opening Friday for a full day of drive through services. “We’re just excited to be a part of the community in a different spot. It’s fun,” Lawless said. The plan to open a second Dutch Bros franchise in Dallas has actually been in the works for 20 years. With the help of his father Don and grandfather Lewis, the Lawlesses bought the property in 2005 from Lyn and Bonnie Fast. “They were ready to retire and came to us, saying we are ready to be done with this,” Joe recalled. Joe bought his first Dutch Bros franchise in Dallas in 2004 then a second in Monmouth in 2006. At the time, he predicted in the I-O if all went well, he expected construction to begin in two months and would take about 40 days to complete. However, current regulations and configurations weren’t ready for his plans. “At the time, they were planning this road (La Creole Drive) to go all the way out to Kings Valley Highway. The only building we could do at that time was called the Flying Dutchman which is like the Monmouth location with a double drive through,” Lawless explained. “So, we had to be 50 feet from the center of the road. And that model didn’t fit here. So, well we wait. It’s been 20 years since our last one.” Business designs have since changed. Lawless said their buildings are a lot skinnier, narrower and taller. With the current layout, the new Dutch Bros property can fit at least 50 cars in the drive through lanes that wrap around the house. ‘The nice thing about the new location is they have an exit lane,” he added. “So you can be like 10 cars back. We have your coffee ready for you and run it out to you and you can go out the escape lane. Just helps expedite all of our procedures.” Additionally, motorists exiting Dutch Bros will also have traffic light directing them safely back onto Ellendale. “Most people look at the lights, notice there’s a light for people going out (back onto Ellendale) too. There’s lights on all sides. People don’t realize that because it’s been a residence for 20 years,” Lawless said. As for the plantation house itself, Lawless said for right now, future plans are on the back burner. “We got the inside painted. Put some flooring in. The former office See DEBUT, page A8

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