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Wednesday June 25, 2025 | Volume 150, Issue 26 www.polkio.com

Dallas resident killed in Highway 194 accident A Dallas resident was killed in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 194 June 17. According to the Oregon State Police, at 6:38 a.m., officers responded to a two-vehicle crash in Polk County near Monmouth. The preliminary investigation indicated a farming swather, operated by Dylan Branch, 34, of Monmouth, was traveling westbound on Highway 194 near milepost 5 when an eastbound Toyota 4Runner, operated by Erika Smith, 59, of Dallas, struck the swather’s boom. Her 4Runner left the roadway and came to rest in the trees on the north shoulder. Smith was pronounced deceased at the scene. Branch was not injured. The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Monmouth Police Department, Polk Fire District 1, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Grand Ronde man killed in Highway 18 accident

A Grand Ronde man was killed in a motorcycle accident June 15 on Highway 18. According to the Oregon State Police, officers responded at 7:07 p.m., to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 18, near milepost 27, in Polk County. The preliminary investigation indicated an eastbound Freightliner commercial motor vehicle and trailer, operated by Nikita P Sukhodolov, 19, of Salem, made a left hand turn into a gravel lot and entered the path of a westbound Kawasaki ZX-18 motorcycle, operated by Joseph Nicholas Grammer, 50, of Grand Ronde. Grammer’s Kawasaki struck the side of the Freightliner during the collision. Grammer was declared deceased at the scene. (Sukhodolov was not injured. The highway was impacted for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation. OSP was assisted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office.

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Food banks get needed deliveries By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

On a crisp morning June 20 with a threat of rain on the horizon, a small army of volunteers were called into action at the Ella Curran Food Bank to unload a much needed delivery of food and sundries courtesy of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Steve Anderson, the local LDS communications and humanitarian team member, explained the 24 pallets delivered to the Independence food bank originated from the church’s Salt Lake City main hub that actually gets distributed world wide. He’s helped coordinate local deliveries for about six years, including to other programs in the region like Christmas Cheer and the PHOTO BY DAIVD HAYES Marion Polk Food Share Program. Ben Thackeray of Dreamies Creamery distribution center in Monmouth drives the forklift to With the help of Abby Warren, help unload 24 pallets of food and sundries delivered June 20 by the Church of Latter Day Polk County Service Integration Saints to the Ella Curran Food Bank. Coordinator, the deliveries have been dispersed to other, smaller helped people that were in need. regional food banks have seen a “The civic club in Willamina food banks in the region, including And that is the whole idea. We get cutback in their supplies. does a once a week food distributhe Dallas Food Bank, Willamina the youth out participating, and “We’re doing great (now). We tion. The month before they tried Library, West Salem Dream Center, working with Patty here at the pan- want to thank the LDS church for to do a food drive to keep our food Polk County Resource Center and try. It’s just a great effort. Really putting together this really generous shelves stocked. Just the sheer Falls City Food Bank. feels good, because everybody is donation,” Nevue said. fact we can help alleviate some of Today one truck was filled with lifting together.” Sarah Frost, Willamina Library that, and we can also provide food 24 pallets of food and sundries, The morning shift of about 20 Director, was on hand to get her during all of our operation hours, from peanut butter and cocoa mix youth volunteers were all memfirst delivery to her small food which is a big deal for people who to dish washing liquid, enough to bers of both the Independencepantry she’s been operating for a can’t make it down weekly,” Frost guarantee each location with three Monmouth congregation and year come September. She helps on said. pallets of food. students at Central High School. average 30-40 people monthly out Among the volunteers were also “It’s kinda nice to make sure Another group of 20 jumped in the of her pantry. Independence City Councilors Evan it helps augment (them), because afternoon shift. As soon as pallets “During the summertime it Sorce and Bill Boisvert helping everybody is so short of food right were off loaded, they jumped in to increases, as we work to secure unload the truck. now,” Anderson said. “I think this is really cool. It’s separate the boxes into other trucks, extra funding to feed the kiddos, He added the church makes local SUVs and minivans headed out to too,” Frost said. “Last summer, we a perfect example of small comdeliveries whenever it can, as Ella munities working together to help the other food banks. fed kiddos over 600 times.” Curran is a regular customer. each other out and take care of each Director Patty Nevue thanked She added getting this big an “I’ve worked with the homeless other,” Sorce said, “working to their their neighbor Dreamies Creamery injection of food donation is huge population in Polk County, and best extent possible that no one for joining in the offload by lendfor her community, making a big the refugee population as well,” goes hungry in our communities.” ing the use of their forklift. The impact to keep them stocked for Anderson said. “The idea is Jesus delivery was timely as many of the months to come.

Adrenaline keeps longtime mud drags competitor going Event pays for Willamina’s 4th of July fireworks show

By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

Jeff Lockwood believes Willamina puts on the greatest fireworks show this side of Highway 22, although he gives a nod to Independence’s for being pretty good, too. However, he said it takes a hefty sum to finance such a spectacular show. And for the past quarter century, the city has raised funds through its second most spectacular show - the Willamina Mud Drags and SXS Drags. Lockwood, a Willamina resident who runs a body and paint shop out of Sheridan, actually competed in the first ever mud drag. “I drove a buggy. That didn’t turn out so great,” he admitted. Now 50, Lockwood will return this year June 28 behind a very different vehicle, affectionately named Never Enough. Lockwood describes the modified class competitor as having a chassis built RacingMud.com with a ‘32 Vic modified body, a 707 cubic

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

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PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES

Willamina resident Jeff Lockwood stands next to his modified racer he’ll enter in this year’s Mud Drags on June 28. big block Chevy engine, two-speed power glide that supposedly makes 1,500 horsepower naturally aspirated. While he’s never had it timed out to double check the veracity of the claim, it has led to impressive results. “Richard Hoyt actually built the car and last year he actually let me

drive it in Willamina. I took second place with it there,” Lockwood said. That was followed up with first place finishes at Camus Valley and Sutherland. So enamored with the results, he bought the car from Hoyt. Lockwood said he first caught the mud racing bug from his father-in-law.

“He started racing, and I just followed suit,” he said. These days, as president of Total Destruction Racing Team, he’s helping Willamina put on the show. “For the most part, it’s a pretty fun event. Usually we do pretty well there,” Lockwood said. “Last couple of years we’ve had a pretty good crowd.” The mud drags draws competitors from all the region and beyond. Lockwood’s own team Total Destruction has 40 members with one from Alaska and another from Sisters who travel all this way to compete. The mud drags has many categories to compete within. Lockwood said drivers can keep it relatively cheap to participate in the four-cylinder, six-cylinder stock class. “You get into the road and trial and the modified now you’re going to spend a little bit of money,” See MUD PAGE A3

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