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Wednesday September 11, 2024 | Volume 148, Issue 37

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Dangerous highway intersection claims another life personally expressed the outrage boiling over about the dangerous intersection the state has known about for more than a decade. “This is awful,” Pope said. “Commissioner Mordhorst can By DAVID HAYES tell you from his expressions Itemizer-Observer I’ve seen yesterday, his frusCounty Commissioner Lyle tration with ODOT that we all Mordhorst was in a meeting share that this is way beyond with ODOT Sept. 3 discussing anything we can tolerate.” a planned overpass design for Pope said he and Mordhorst the Highway 22 and Highway have been trying desperately 51 intersection when his to get something to happen to “phone blew up.” improve that “very, very danAnother two-car accident gerous intersection.” had just occurred, resulting in “With all the work he has the death of a motorcyclist, been doing over the last sevDavid Lee Sterrett, 69, from eral years and all the work I Dallas. did for more than eight years At the following day’s on that intersection, we are County Commissioners nowhere further along today meeting, chair Craig Pope than when I started 14 years

Frustration mounts over solution inaction

ago on that intersection,” Pope said. Mordhorst said in one fouryear period, the 22-51 intersection had 154 accidents and 10 fatalities. The numbers, he said, are bad enough to put the location in the top five of the state’s Safety Priority Index System (SPIS), which tracks the top hot spots for dangerous highway locations, for the last 10-15 years. The county commissioners have pleaded with ODOT for a solution since one emerged in 2010. This is especially frustrating for Mordhorst, who was a manager of Les Schwab for years before running for public office. “Following the legalities of politics and government is very frustrating.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

A motorcyclist from Dallas, later identified as David Lee Sterrett, 69, was killed on Highway 22 Sept. 3 when a motorist turned into his path off Highway 51 heading westbound. “In government, there are so many steps you have to do to cross the T’s and dot the I’s. It’s very frustrating. Especially when we continue

As a businessman, you make a decision and move forward and you do it today,” Mordhorst said.

to have accidents and deaths in the county.” See HIGHWAY, page A3

Chemeketa seeks new $140 million bond levy Plan includes improvements to Dallas campus By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

Summer’s last hurrah West Hills Winery hosts season’s final cruise in car show

PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES

Myrna and Jim Gulick’s 1954 Chevy Coupe graces the entrance to their business West Hills Winery Sept. 6 as an invitational beacon to the other classic car owners for one final appreciation cruise in. Myrna said the four cruise ins they hosted this past year have raised between $15,000 and $20,000 to go toward a new barn and cottage to be built for the Board of Horses Adaptive Riding and Therapy (HART) program in Independence. “This is an appreciation car show, a last hurrah for summer. Have a pretty good turnout because everybody wants to see each other one more time, Myrna said. “Our car community is very instrumental in putting up that building. We also have great support from the Grand Ronde Community Foundation.”

Tastes of Sicily, New York come together at new pizzeria “I made pizza with my own grandma when I was a kid, and that’s really where makOn Saturday this scene played out at the newly ing square pizzas comes from opened New York Squares in for me,” he said. Independence. Galatioto also frequented A customer complimented many of the best pizza eatowners Michael and Juby eries in a city known for its Galatioto about their pizza. pizza eateries. His venture She then asked about a sweet- into all things pizza continued ness she tasted but couldn’t during the years he lived in identify. That, Michael said, is Italy. He gained firsthand the hot honey. knowledge of the country’s The reason this tidbit stands food culture, from Torino out is that hot honey is probasouth to Castellammare Del bly the only ingredient found Golfo (where his family is on a New York Squares pizza from). that isn’t rooted in tradition, The foundation of any good especially the Sicilian-New Silicon pizza is its crust. York City style pizza tradition. “Because we’re from New Michael Galatioto knows York. Our pizza is square, pizza. He is first-generation which is rooted in Sicilian American-Sicilian, having pizza … which is rooted in been born and raised in focaccia,” he said. Queens, New York. He grew Focaccia makes for a up on Sicilian pizza made by his grandmother Giovanna. He thicker crust than what is found on most pizzas. From helped her in the kitchen. By LANCE MASTERSON For The Itemizer-Observer

PHOTO BY LANCE MASTERSON

In opening their new restaurant, New York Squares in Independence, Juby (left) and Michael Galatioto are continuing a family tradition. The restaurant features Sicilian-New York City style pizza.

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

A7 A7 A6 B2 B2 B5 B6 B7

there, it’s quality on top of quality. The Galatiotos moved to the area about a year ago. They were working at New York Presbyterian Hospital and at “ground zero” during COVID. Mike was in IT, Juby was a medical secretary. Their days were stressful. “But COVID was not the reason we moved. We wanted to move for years. New York is a very high-priced place. It’s kind of frantic,” he said. “We like traveling and seeing other places. This sort of opened our eyes to the fact that we just didn’t want to be in a city with 10 million people.” Instead, they chose a city with 10,000 people. Though Oregon wasn’t their first choice. North Carolina, South See PIZZA, page A8

With their 2008, $92 million bond levy expiring in 2026, Chemeketa Community College is proposing a new, $140 million bond levy to take its place. Chemeketa Community College President Dr. Jessica Howard and Jackie Franke, board of education member, made their pitch to the Monmouth City Council Sept. 3, seeking support before sending the ballot measure to voters in November. While significant portions of the proposed $140 million bond would go toward improving CCC’s Salem campus, Howard explained it would also address physical and infrastructure needs for the next 15-20 years, including at the Polk County campus in Dallas. “It will Improve learning and teaching spaces, including the Polk Center in Dallas, which is in dire need of new technology,” Howard explained. “When people ask what this is all about, I like to say, imaging a phone from 15 years ago. Are you still using it? That’s how fast and crucial technology is in each iteration is different from the last.” Chemeketa Community College’s service district encompasses 2,600 miles across Marion, Polk, Yamhill and portion of Linn counties. It is the second largest community college in the state behind Portland Community College that draws about See BOND, page A6

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