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Wednesday September 18, 2024 | Volume 148, Issue 38

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Problems pop up with Polk Park City fields questions in lot’s use for homeless camping By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

PHOTO BY LANCE MASTERSON

A renaissance re-enactor demonstrates a knight’s cutting prowess from horseback during the 28th edition of the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire Sept. 14. For more images from the faire, Visit us online at polkio.com

A shrewed demonstration

To the city of Independence, the plot of undeveloped land between Ash and Walnut streets off Polk Street was a sensible location to locate overnight camping for the unhoused. For Amponia Reyna, however, the location was more than an undeveloped plot of land. It has been a piece of her heritage since she was 12 back in 1973, with plans drawn up to be christened Polk Park. “This has always been a park for me. Always. I remember when Boise Cascade said we’re giving you a park because we see you have lot of children with nowhere (else) to go here.,” Reyna said. She was joined Sept. 15 by other local residents at the edge of the park, alerting nearby neighbors of the situation and sharing their frustrations that nobody from the city nobody told them of the plans until someone set up a tent there, unannounced, last week. See PARK, page A2

City Council races take shape for Nov. 5 By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

With the Presidential race usually taking center stage on election day Nov. 5, many local races for expiring city council seats have taken shape. The Polk County Elections Office has compiled all the candidates who filed their paperwork by the Sept. 5 deadline. Overall, 29 candidates are running to fill 17 expiring city council seats, including five seats in Dallas, and three each in Independence, Monmouth, Falls City and Willamina. Dallas, with the most expiring seats, had seven candidates file, including incumbents Debbie Virden, Carlos Barrientos, Kirsten Collins and Kimberly Fitzgerald, who will be joined by newcomers Anthony Blosser, Lauren May and Troy Hazelton. The top five vote getters will be sworn in come the new year. There will be a race in every expiring seat in Independence. Vying for Seat 2 will be incumbent Dawn Hedrick-Roden against Evan Sorce. Incumbent Sara Jobe did not file to defend Seat 3. Competing to fill the vacancy will be Bill Boisvert, Marc Senyk and Dana Sharman. Lastly, incumbent Kathy Martin-Willis looks to retain Seat 6 against Connor Gowen. In Monmouth Rebecca SalinasOliveros was the only city council candidate with an expiring term not

to refile. Incumbents John Oberst and Carol McKiel will be joined by Ned Kenney, Frank Morris and Jason Ridgeway competing for the top-three vote tallies. In Falls City, incumbents Dennis Sickles and Amy Houghtaling will look to fill three expiring seats, along with Chris Martin, Steve McKee and Tia McConnell Scruton. Incumbent Martha Jirovec is not seeking reelection. And up in Willamina, five candidates are looking to fill three at-large city council seats, including all three incumbents Barry Wilson, Rita Baller and Craig Johnson. They’ll be facing a challenge from Jennifer Eckels and Jace Maroney. While mayoral terms were also all set to expire this year in each city, only one, Dallas, had more than one candidate file. Mayor Ken Woods announced his intent to retire to the Itemizer-Observer effective Dec. 31. After 40 years on the City Council and another year as mayor, Woods said it was time to let someone else have the opportunity to be mayor. “Yes, there are some projects I would like to finish, such as the expansion of Mercer Dam, improvements to our streets and the commercial improvements to the Mill Site in south Dallas, to name a few,” Woods said in a press release. “I am proud to say Dallas has been a great See RACE, page A8

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

A4 A4 A6 B2 B2 B5 B6 B7

PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES

Penny Hanson opened her ‘selective-collective’ shop “Penny’s” at 65 Main St. in Dallas.

Penny’s packs in the selectable collectibles rocking chair and call the rest of my life is over.” When Penny Hanson moved south So, she rented out space in the from Anchorage, Alaska, to Dallas, former Bel’s Salone at 65 Main Oregon, to be closer to her family, Street (more on that later) and she wasn’t ready to retire just yet. displayed much of her inventory. Still in possession of decades Hanson had hand-crafted her own worth of collectibles from her busi- quilts, lampshades, quilts and jewness from the great white north, elry over the years and combined Hanson thought she’d give it another that with some fresh inventory, go. such as collectible action figures. But Penny’s the store almost It makes for an eclectic shopping never got off the ground. experience. “I had a health scare when I first “It’s a combination of new, used, came down and wasn’t even sure I’d collectible. Kind of collective-seget into a business,” said Hanson, lective. A customer came up with,” 75. “Even though I had this idea the last 4-5 years. I got back on my feet Hanson said. “I wanted a different and said if I don’t do it now, I never niche than any other store. I didn’t want to be a Good Will. I didn’t will. I always felt I’m a young person for my age. I just can’t sit on a want to be an antique store.” By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

Walk in and to the right are vintage t-shirts. To the left are handcrafted linens and more. Down the center are the collectibles. Towards the back are bins of pint size toys to distract the kids while their moms, Hanson hopes, are attracted to the collectible China in the antique cabinet (which she says is definitely not for sale). While Hanson is open to selective consignments, the vast majority of the inventory is from her own collecting days, including vintage toys in boxes. Old glass wares. A lot of jewelry that is old. She makes her own jewelry by taking apart vintage finds and piecing them back together to craft her own creations. See PENNY’S, page A8

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