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Wednesday August 27, 2025 | Volume 150, Issue 35

Food bank seeks county support

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MICC leadership shaken up after president’s job axed

MINET Bubble Fun

By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

The Dallas Emergency Food Corporation sought a letter of support from the Polk County Board of Commissioners Aug. 20 to help the organization’s plans for a new building for the Dallas Food Bank. Eileen Dicicco, board secretary, said the letter would become part of funding proposal packets for the project, the first of which is for a $1.5 million Community Development Block Grant requested by the city of Dallas on behalf of Dallas Food Bank. The Dallas Food Bank has been serving the community since 1983 as an all volunteer, 501c3 non profit and remains the primary food assistance provider in the Dallas area, Dicicco said. Food insecure individuals seek assistance from the Dallas Food Bank on average 520 times a month. Families are allowed to shop twice at the food bank. Dicicco said last year, the food bank served more than 1,500 unique households comprised of 4,882 individuals. They expect that number to rise to 5,000 this year. The reason they are developing plans for a new building is they’ve outgrown their current space of 1,800 square feet they lease within the Main Street Plaza. The original purpose of the space was as a business office, thus the chopped up rooms have proven to be less than ideal for their food distribution purposes. Dicicco said they don’t have a lobby, so individuals have to wait outside for their turn, and the food area is very small, allowing for only one cart at a time. “So, if you have a slow shopper in front of you, the whole process is slowed up dramatically,” Dicicco told the commissioners. Their current lease expires at the end of 2025 and the board has yet to see a proposed renewal. “We know our costs for being in this space are going to rise. Our current rent is about $1,725 per month. And $150 of that goes toward utilities,” Dicicco said. She added they’re facing an increase of $500-$600 in utility costs if they stay under a new lease. The search for a new space has been ongoing for the past two years. Since January this year, they have been negotiating with the United Methodist Church to purchase a portion of their property at 565 SE La Creole Drive. They have completed partitioning plans and a purchase and sale agreement is under review, Dicicco said. The purchase will be made with their own funds. “We have been saving up for 10 years to be in a position to be able See SUPPORT, page A2

IN THIS ISSUE

By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES

The bubble machine proved to be the most popular attraction at MINET’s 4th Annual Customer Appreciation Event Aug. 21. The event has averaged about 500 attendees the last couple of years. For more photos from the event, see page A8.

Get back in the action with new physical therapy business PerformX By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

Between Dallas, Monmouth and Independence, there are plenty of gyms that help clients get back into and stay in shape. However, there’s a new facility in Independence that can help you get back to the gym should an injury occur along the way - PerformX Physical Therapy. The business celebrated its official grand opening Aug. 23 rather unconventionally. Before the traditional ribbon cutting, assisted by the Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce, the husband and wife owners of PerformX Dalton and Sidney Urrutia organized a workout with the Firehouse Crossfit where they have their own gym memberships. They were joined by family, friends and other community members. “It was a good handful of people, it was a nice workout, nice heat, a good amount of fun for everybody,” Dalton said. Dalton said he and Sidney have been offering physical therapy services since 2018. It has been a part of an overall plan ever since he went to physical therapy school in 2010. “It’s been a lot of learning and processing bumps in the road. But, we’re here,” Dalton said. Originally from the Willamette Valley, the Urrutias took a detour, moving abroad, where Dalton got his physical therapy education in Scotland. After offering physical therapy in five or six countries, they returned to the U.S. during the pandemic and moved to Independence in 2023. Many of the gym owners in the region helped the Urrutias get their feet settled offering their services locally. “When we first got to Independence, we rented a room from Jen (Lindh) at Anytime Fitness. That’s where we started,

PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES

Dalton and Sidney Urrutia cut the ribbon at the grand opening of PerformX Physical Therapy on Aug. 23. with an office space in the back,” Dalton said. “She was immensely helpful and supportive and kind of keeping us in the loop with how things were going and gave us a big push getting us started. So, we can’t thank her enough.” He went on to thank Firehouse Crossfit in Monmouth where the Urrutias work out as their home gym and made many of the community connections. “Owners Dave and Leslie (Plotts) have done tons to help us out, too. Same thing with Jared and Lauren (Dickerson) at Shred City in Dallas. And Shane (Rider) with Kiowa Fitness has been insanely helpful for us, too,” Dalton said. As the name implies, PerformX offers performance rehab and therapy. But in a twist, the Urrutias help injured athletes get back to their specific sport. “We help injured people get back to doing the things they love the most,” Dalton said. “We’re a little bit different. We kind of go outside the standard system and focus completely on what the person wants to get back to. So, no matter what

it takes, whether it’s chiropractic, massage or physical therapy, our goal is getting them back to doing what they want.” He added they can help if it’s getting back on the ground playing with the grand kids or back in the game as a top contender. In addition to Dalton, PerformX has two members on staff who are physical therapists and another who is a sports chiropractor. Among their staff of six is a virtual physical therapist, Tom, who helps people rebound from all over the world from his home in Connecticut. Their facility has about 1,500 square feet in the front side of the building at the corner of Main and Monmouth streets, the former location of Jubilee Champagne and Dessert Bar. They are not using the space in the back yet, which Dalton said would be used if they ever expand. For now, the space is still for lease. They have two treatment rooms, one geared toward chiropractic, the See PERFORMX PAGE A3

The Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce has shaken up its leadership due to ongoing financial challenges. The chamber board of directors has eliminated their president/CEO position, which is currently held by Mackenzie Newland. Newland will continue to work with the MICC through Aug. 29. “The board has made the difficult decision to elimi- Mackenzie nate the posi- Newland tion as part of a broader restructuring plan,” the MICC board said in a press release. The board also called Newland, who joined last October, an exceptional leader during her tenure with the MICC, “guiding the Chamber with heart, innovation, and unwavering commitment.” “Her passion for building a stronger, more connected business community has left a lasting legacy. From launching new initiatives to forging meaningful partnerships, Mackenzie’s leadership has elevated the Chamber’s role as a trusted hub for education, collaboration, and advocacy,” the board statement read. The board blamed the financial challenges on unexpected operational costs, reduced funding and declining membership, which all led to unavoidable significant changes. Newland told the I-O that she and the MICC Board have been reviewing the Chamber’s budget and options for sustaining operations and came to the conclusion that there needed to be some adjustments due to the economy and rising costs. “We looked at multiple scenarios, including reducing my hours. Ultimately, we mutually agreed that a reduced schedule wasn’t sustainable for me or my family, and that MICC needed time to restructure the role and overall operations,” Newland said by email. The board indicated the move to eliminate Newland’s position was a difficult decision because she was performing so well. “Mackenzie has remained dedicated to supporting the chamber through every challenge. She has worked tirelessly to bridge funding gaps and preserve the chamber’s mission, even while facing her own family’s needs,” the chamber board wrote. See MICC, page A2

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