Committee to promote addition of fee for library-museum-parks to monthly water bill

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 27, 2026  

A city committee that is calling for a new way to support the library, museum, and parks by adding a fee to utility bills is at work on materials for educating the public about the need for it. The plans include producing a flyer with information and illustrations showing how to testify at a public meeting when the opportunity arrives, according to an update given at the Independence Library Board.

The effort is aimed at helping supporters learn how to address the budget committee after the budgetary sessions begin next month. It's a "handout" on how to deliver comments during public testimony, explained Nathan Christensen, a member of the Library Board who gave a report Monday evening to the Board on the progress on "Advocacy and Promotions."

In 2024, a levy placed on the ballot for the same reason was defeated by a majority of voters. The new fee, as initially presented, would add nearly $20 to the water bill, which currently also includes an add-on public safety fee. 

The idea of increasing the amount of water billing by adding another separate fee has drawn opposition from some in Independence, such as Vince Homer, a tax-watching resident who was one of the first to spot the "tax surprise" of 2023. That year, the educational portion of the property tax bill was boosted significantly due to what Central School District officials later described as a calculating error. 

"Do we really want to have the highest payments in the country for our water bills?" he asked this week, noting that a typical water-sewer bill in Independence is already higher than many other cities. 

Others say they feel sympathetic toward the need for a fee, with the library topping the list of many who have been asked about it. However, some share the view of longtime resident Ernie Moreno, who said he wants to see "Independence get their financial business in order" before there is any further increase. 

The reaction of a number of individuals in town, judging from inquiries by Trammart News at coffee shops and on Main Street, is that several share Moreno's viewpoint: They consider it sad that the library, parks and museum are imperiled by financial strain, but they want to see the city make changes to meet its shrinking budget. 

That's a view held by some who testified at a public hearing for the Polk County Fairgrounds and Event Center, which has a levy to support that facility that is expected to be placed on the November ballot. 

Many showed up to testify to their support for keeping the fairgrounds open with an infusion of new money. However, there also was a call for changing the way things are done in the future to avoid the financial dilemma of the past. 

One of those who holds that view has been added to the Polk County Fair Board. 

Just prior to being confirmed for a position on the Fair Board this week, Kelly Tynon, the owner of Hearth and Home Events, told the County Board of Commissioners that she believes new rates for rentals and entrance fees should be considered. Her company stages Northwest living and outdoor shows across several counties.

"I am willing to do whatever it takes," she told Commissioners Lyle Mordhorst and Craig Pope. (Commissioner Jeremy Gordon was absent.)

Though the levy is needed for an influx of cash to address maintenance issues, the fairgrounds will have to shift from the way it's been operating to a new era of imposing more charges on those who use it, she suggested. 

Both Mordhorst and Pope voted to add her to the Fair Board following her statements. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 27, 2026   

For a couple of shoppers at Robin's Roost Revived, it was time for "thrifting." Lights! Camera! Action!

The two headed straight to the jewelry display case and took out the tools of their trade: a hand-held light to examine ring-bearing stones, a camera poised to snap photos and riveting action – scrutiny so intense it looked like the very definition of hyper-focus.

The pair departed after their thorough examination, but not without explaining they'd be back again. And they were far from alone. Cory Putnam, owner of the store, has what could be called "regulars" in a retail space once referred to as "that junk store." 

Not anymore. 

He's made sure the place has been neatly rearranged for a pleasant secondhand shopping experience for everything from tools to toys since he moved in – at a time when "thrift and sift," as it is sometimes called, is becoming more popular than ever. Putnam (photo) seems to be at the cusp of a trend, if not a current craze. 

It's  the combination of a tight economy and buyers seeking a bigger bang for a dramatically shrinking buck, according to recent data. The findings are evident locally, in a special customer base seen in downtown  Independence.

The city has three stores servicing this well-documented need. Shelves and racks with repurposed wares can found at Robin's Roost Revived on Second Street, at Rockin' Rad Relics, around the corner of D Street and Main Street, and at M-I Closet in the Little Mall on Main. 

Visits to all three showed that low prices are attracting repeat customers.

Thrift-store shoppers save an average of $1,452 per year and this preference for lower-priced previously used clothing now accounts for about a third of all U.S. apparel purchases, according to a study this year by Capital One, the nation's largest credit-card issuing bank. The Capital One report found that, since 2018, "thrifting" has grown 143.5% in terms of market value.

Driving the demand, in part, is the $5-a-gallon price tag popping up at many gas stations and the sticker shock of grocery stores. But it’s more than that. The closure of major mall outlets has some seeking a shopping pastime that is leisurely and low key and less costly, according to brief interviews with several of Putnam's customers. 

Customers can be tight-lipped about why they go "thrifting." For some it seems a matter of economics, for others a hunt for items that can be resold online. Value Village, a global thrift retailer with headquarters in Bellevue WA, took a comprehensive look at the industry two years ago. 

The Value Village survey found that as thrift shopping has gone up, buying at other retail outlets has gone down. And there are reasons the customer base finds it enjoyable. First, "thrifting" now extends beyond clothing and knickknacks. And second, a majority of shoppers like making that special "find" of an item that they need, with some likening it to a successful treasure hunt or exploration. 

Catering to customer needs is key, said shopkeeper Jenny Naylor of M-I Closet, whose daughter Rachel owns the business. 

M-I Closet has racks of previously owned shirts and other clothing, Naylor explained. She now has a sewing service right at the store so buyers can upgrade their purchases with custom tailoring or unique additions, including embroidery. 

At Rockin' Rad Relics – in addition to many  vintage, antique and retro items – there are scores of bicycles ready for springtime riders and typical household necessities, like picture frames and drinking glasses. And, many of the items have flourishes not easily seen elsewhere, like hand-carving on a wooden frame or greenish glass with the distinct Coca-Cola insignia on the glasses. 

The co-owner of Rockin' Rad Relics, Darlene Brush, has only one complaint. 

She'd like more recognition from the city. After all, the store is an essential merchant, too. Yet she hardly ever receives flyers about upcoming events or encounters customers who identify themselves as having walked in from city hall, which is only about a block away. 

That's the same desire expressed by Marena Ward, who owns Heartfelt Hideaway, just across from M-I Closet. She offers low-cost merchandise, too, from dollar greeting cards to hand-made gifts at affordable prices. 

"I do think we deserve more positive visibility," Ward said, noting that the sidewalk signs are the only obvious symbol directing foot traffic to the businesses. "I am surprised all the time that I often see more out-of-towners than residents here." ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 27, 2026   

In the mornings as students arrive at Central High School, Rick Dormer, the new principal this year, may look like a cross between a store-entrance greeter and a pastor welcoming congregants. 

He says a warm hello to everyone he can. 

"I learn a lot about students this way," Dormer said. When Dormer is asked why this is so important to him, he has an explanation: consistent engagement with students reaps benefits. 

One told him how hard it was to read. Another said taking care of siblings while parents are out of town was a frequent responsibility. Many share work experiences of jobs that take time away from school. "It is hard to be a high school student," Dormer observed.

This kind of knowledge is an important tool toward gathering the kind of information that helped Dormer raise graduation rates by 10% as a school administrator in Alaska. And he is out to do the same at Central.  

So he regularly mingles in the halls. He stands in the foyer to hold conversations. He walks all over the school whenever he can comfortably exit his office – even though the demands on his time are immense. 

Being out and about and as interactive as possible can help build success toward higher graduation rates, Dormer said during a Central School Board meeting earlier this year. 

He explained how. Individual differences can be used advantageously. Does the student have a family member who would be receptive to outreach? Is the student willing to put in extra time at summer school to clinch that diploma, once it's explained that's what it takes? Is there a sport or activity that would translate into more attendance and involvement?

"We are just going to keep fighting for every student to cross that line," he said. 

Dormer has set up professional learning communities that loop in teachers and other educators into times for creative thinking and brainstorming, to try to find the best way to reach a struggling student. 

It puts the emphasis on the positive and pro-active and seeks to "remove obstacles," he explained to school board members. It goes by the acronym GRIT – Graduation Intervention Team – and Dormer is a big believer in it. 

In a brief interview after the meeting. Dormer noted that nearly half the students at CHS are Hispanic/Latino and, in terms of percentages, that is significantly higher than the population segment in Polk County or the state. 

Focusing on English Language Learners is important, he said. So is putting emphasis on students with disabilities. These are two groups that clearly benefit from added attention, he pointed out. 

In fact, the challenges facing the Hispanic/Latino community mean that the school will soon be affected by yet another policy change. 

This past legislative session, HB Bill 4079 passed, which is a new law that requires the Oregon Department of Justice to update model policies for public schools to provide best practices for responding to immigration enforcement activities, according to the school district. 

The law now requires every school district, education service district, and public charter school to distribute these model policies to their employees when they are updated, explained Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Kubista. "Once we receive those policies, they would go to our board for the normal board process of policy adoption," she added. 

It's the second time since Dormer arrived that a significant policy shift will be undertaken at CHS.

Dormer was hired just as the cell phone ban went into effect. It's been a focus of change during the past school year, he acknowledged. But it is having a good outcome, he said. 

There's a lot of conversation going on, and it seems a successful way to foster student engagement, he said. 

But he admits that he has wondered whether students are learning how to put phones away on their own. Will they be able to show that kind of discipline in the future?

"There's a side of me that wants to train them to take that responsibility," Dormer said.

Asked if he is a natural extrovert, Dormer responded that he just simply seems to like crowds. Basketball and football games at the high school are a particularly favorite pastime, he said. 

Dormer  was principal of Ketchikan High School in Alaska and just before coming  to Central,  served as the president of the Alaska Association of  Secondary School Principals. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 20, 2026   

A vote on the long-awaited parks master plan followed a discussion in which Independence City Manager Kenna West characterized a curt question asked by City Councilor Dawn Roden as an attack on her and city staff after Roden inquired about a sudden amendment to the plan.

"I am tired. It is almost 10 o'clock," West told Roden. "I am really tired of you attacking me and my staff. Stop."

The exchange occurred during commentary about the shuttered municipal pool, which had been a focus of deliberations on the parks master plan – the pool site is the second top priority in it, after Riverview Park and the surrounding area.

Roden, who is the city council liaison to the Parks Board, said she objected to the last-minute modification by Councilor Shannon Corr, which included a $75,000 estimate for a pool-area recreation design. It was added to the resolution for the plan.

Corr said she had been contacted by City Manager West to put it forward.

Roden then asked of West: "Why wouldn't you just bring this forth yourself?" It looked like "back alley" negotiating, Roden added.

There were "no back alley" conversations, said Mayor Kate Schwarzler.

Schwarzler cited state rules – rules she said prevented West from contacting others on the council, which could be seen as serial communication. Trammart News contacted a state agency that said there is nothing in the rules to prevent a city manager from informing an entire council of a pending action. There also is no rule preventing a late add-on agenda item. 

When Roden voted against the motion to pass the plan, the mayor asked Roden to publicly state her reasons for doing so.

Roden declined, but alluded to a need for more information. She later explained it was the $75,000 sum associated with the amendment. She wanted more explanation on that, she said.

Two government authorities who were consulted by Trammart News labeled the mayor's action in asking Roden to explain her vote as improper protocol, with one noting that if the mayor's questioning persists about why "no" votes are cast after they occur, it could have a chilling effect on those with minority views.

An email sent to West and Schwarzler this week for comment on these issues has so far gone unanswered. 

The parks master plan drew a 5-1 vote, with Roden the only dissenter.

Corr called Roden "ridiculous" for her assertiveness to the city manager.

Roden later said that she didn’t understand "why they wouldn’t put that in the packet in advance so that we could figure out where that money was coming from and how it was being spent instead of pushing it into the very last second of a meeting." She also expressed confusion over how the recreation center design was to be funded.

"This is a serious issue for me," Roden said.

Both Corr and West acknowledged a partnership with the YMCA as a reason for the additional provision. The Parks Master Plan calls for continued partnership of the city of Independence with Central School District, as well as the Y. "The YMCA will foster a unique community asset at Henry Hill park as a neighborhood park," according to the plan.

Roden said she is a pool advocate. "I’m fine with working with YMCA to find a funding source for the pool. I’m not fine with them slipping it in last minute," she said.

During the meeting, City Councilor Evan Sorce observed that the pool is an unlikely possibility in the future, due to the millions of dollars it would cost.

When contacted after the meeting, he said that city staff provided research indicating pools that have been recently built in other Oregon cities have an estimated cost, for an outdoor pool, of $3.5 million, and an indoor pool is estimated to cost $11 million.

In fact, according to an engineer contacted several months ago by Trammart News, several firms specialize in pool restoration, though it can be very costly, too. Since the boiler no longer works, replacing it would be a major expense. But, “in some cases, derelict and neglected pools can be restored,” he said.

A science-based examination of the issue of municipal pool closures has been undertaken by Steven Waller, a professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and several colleagues. A common reason cited for a pool tear-down is the cost of maintaining or repairing an older one, Waller said.

But the researchers found that contrasting what a “new build” would cost compared with the dollars needed for a renovation is warranted. Until an expert analysis is done, it's mostly guesswork.

There are other factors, too. It may be easier to attract donors for restoration than for constructing an entirely new structure – existing pools often are seen as a gathering place not limited to swimming, but also for crossing paths with neighbors, Waller added. ▪

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 20, 2026   

OPINION  

It's sunshine week, a time set aside for the nation to recognize how essential it is to promote government transparency and public access to information. This editorial by Trammart News is an observation about how local politics and personal influences can impact the process. 

The musical "Mean Girls" is coming to Central High School soon. I don't want to miss it. However, in some ways, I've been watching a version of it for the past couple of years – courtesy of Independence government.

I call it the "mean girls syndrome" of city council meetings, and it can be painful to view. 

I am referring to City Manager Kenna West and Mayor Kate Schwarzler, and their frequent criticizing of City Councilor Dawn Roden. They haven't declared that on Wednesdays we all must wear pink, but the similarities with the play and the film about a high school clique are hard to overlook.

Oregon legislators put in place a state constitution that protects democracy. In some ways, it seems an even more vigorous document for that purpose than the United States Constitution. Those early lawmakers wanted elected officials to be held accountable for their actions and they wanted residents who voted those officials into office to be represented.

But some of the city's close-knit councilors seem to carry on like a snobbish teen in-group, ostracizing the outsider, Roden, who asks many pointed questions. It often looks like an attempt to marginalize a city council member who frequently makes pertinent financial inquiries – inquiries that others on the council maybe just don't like?

The mayor is well-presented and polished; Roden is direct and blunt. But, from the perspective of this news outlet, at times it seems as if the mayor is all fluffy stuffing while Roden's full of the ol' nitty gritty. Here's an example, and this one involves Trammart News.

A wonderful woman of Mexican descent helped me write a statement in support of our Hispanic community, which comprises over 40% of the Indy population. But, unlike the mayors of Monmouth and Falls City – who put their names on a similarly supportive letter from Gov. Tina Kotek – Schwarzler failed to sign the governor's letter.

So I took TN's locally-authored statement to a city council meeting. After it was read, Schwarzler called for a point of clarification and spent time explaining why she didn't sign Kotek's letter.

And here is why that action seems a mite hypocritical to me. Schwarzler typically makes a little speech before resident testimony at meetings, warning councilors to keep their mouths shut about what is said.

"We want to remind everyone that this is an important part of our process and council doesn't respond at this time," she advised everyone at the last city council meeting, shortly before a resident arrived at the podium.

Schwarzler cautioned all to "listen" only, with no further discussion.

This seems to be a pattern for the mayor, who issues pronouncements she may not follow herself. For instance, when West's time for annual evaluation came up, Schwarzler asked that each councilor weigh in with an assessment of the city manager.

Sparkle and glitter followed. 

Yet here is how the International City/County Management Association describes that process: "The evaluation should contain performance goals, objectives and targets that are linked to the elected body’s established strategic plans, goals, and priorities, and it should focus on the manager’s degree of progress toward organizational outcomes."

But apparently using that as a guide would be like tarnishing the tiara of the prom queen.

West received glowing compliments from all the councilors except for ... can you guess who? Roden apparently saw the city-manager review differently, as an opportunity for goal setting. So Schwarzler interrupted Roden's commentary.

Then the mayor sat and listened as, a few minutes later, West issued a harsh critique of Roden.

West got a bump-up in pay, of course. But since it was expressed only as a percentage, Trammart News had to confirm the sum independently. It's in excess of $175,000 annually.

So, perhaps it's to be expected that West found Roden rather vexing at the last meeting. It was late in the evening, after all, and West was tired. She loudly proclaimed that to Roden who, it may be worth noting, is paid nothing for her position.

Roden had questioned a sudden amendment to the parks plan and called it a "back alley" move, after she learned that West had collaborated with another city councilor to introduce the amendment. Roden is the city council liaison to the Independence Parks Board.

The sudden addition obviously came as a surprise, along with the estimated price of $75,000.

West rose from her seat and told Roden that she viewed her comments as an attack. "Stop!" she ordered Roden. This is the point at which I felt like I had a front row seat at the movie "Mean Girls," minus the twizzlers and diet soda. 

Roden is not a saint-like presence on the city council. She often revisits old issues, such as the tentative loss of the Independence soccer fields. But she is sharp-eyed about taxpayer dollars. 

And here is a fact: West works for the council, not the other way around. State law in Oregon says so. You can find that very advisory in the text for municipal officials by the League of Oregon Cities, which calls this oversight function an important part of a city councilor's job.

Even so, I believe you can count on the mean girls syndrome to continue. They've had unpleasant expert advice, including from their own former finance director, about ideas on how to curb spending. Cuts to personnel costs are the number one recommendation.

But you can bet your hot-pink pompoms that West will be fighting that idea with the fervor of a head cheerleader rooting against the opposing team.

However, there in the bleachers, is a member of the city council who keeps asking questions. Trammart News needs to be able to report on such city matters through coverage of someone like that, someone who's willing to peel back the layers of pretty pastel paper covering the parade float. 

So, here's to you, Councilor Roden. It's "Sunshine Week" across our nation, celebrating the quest for government transparency. I hope you stay the course. Some in town believe "mean girls syndrome" will get the best of you, and that you will quit. I hope not. 

(Both City Manager West and Mayor Schwarzler were informed by email of the pending editorial on "mean girls syndrome." There was no response from either by press time.) ▪ 

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 20, 2026   

Kiwi has become a staple for Oregonians. From a tangy addition for salads to the zing-infusing flavor of smoothies, grocery data indicate significant consumer demand for this fuzzy green fruit.

But it's got a significant hassle factor – whiskery skin that requires delicate peeling. If only there was a fuss-free, non-hairy variety of that same fruit, small enough to avoid all that slicing or dicing and downsized in the shape of a grape. 

There is.

It's called a kiwiberry and Oregon is the country's largest producer of it.

As the Polk County Board of Commissioners learned recently, this type of kiwi is being intensely researched at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center, a farm in Aurora that's the site of agricultural studies by Oregon State University. NWREC, as it is called, has long been a recipient of funding by Polk County.

In a presentation by Steve Young PhD, the director of NWREC, the berry was unveiled along with a larger report on the work being done at the research facility. Young predicted kiwiberries will have quite a future, but how big is "yet to be determined," he said.

One complication is that relatively few people seem to have heard of kiwiberries. For example, across the street from the Polk County Courthouse where the commission meeting was held, two kiwi fans at New Morning Bakery had only one semi-word to say when asked about it: "Huh?"

"Never heard of it," said Dean Braa, who stated he loves kiwi. "Same with me," said Kim Hoffman, also a fruit eater. Both are retired professors from Western Oregon University.

In an interview following the commissioners meeting, kiwiberries were described as being like miniature kiwi fruit but with a more intense flavor by Scott Lukas PhD, associate professor in the department of horticulture at Oregon State University. They have a creamy, sometimes tropical taste, he added.

When he has given kiwiberries to his students, "they are completely wowed," Lukas said.

There's no furry outer skin to be peeled. They're ready to be eaten like a strawberry – when they're ripe, that is. Therein lies a drawback.

There is still a lot to learn about the berries' physiology: How long it typically takes to ripen in storage, for example, when some facilities are cooler than others. Another big factor is "market education" as Lukas calls it. Like the early introduction of avocados and peaches, it may take time for consumers to be able to perceive when the fruit is actually ready to eat.

Kiwiberries are harvested before they're ripe, then placed in plastic "clamshell" containers before hitting food-market shelves. In fact, one brand called "Little Pranksters" helpfully advises how to assess their readiness.

Even though they're available in Oregon every fall, they're a very minor crop compared to any other berry, said Lukas, who heads the berry crop research program at NWREC.

At Cascade Fruit Growers in Brooks, the kiwiberry harvest is miniscule compared with blueberries. Cascade produces 150,000 pounds of kiwiberries compared with 9 million pounds for blueberries, said Graciela Garcia, who works for the company and is a self-described kiwiberry enthusiast.

They taste a little like guava, a little like a banana, with an overlying kiwi taste, she explained.

On an acre of land covered with the kiwiberry fruit vines at the experimental farm, Lukas and colleagues conduct studies on them to get more precise information on the chemical changes and the pace of growth under specific conditions.

The knowledge gained may be used to help launch the berry in the future. How great it would be, asserted Lukas, "if we could figure out the storage so that we could have this unique, flavor-packed, local fresh fruit at the dinner table for Thanksgiving."

"That’s a big driver for me," he said.

Could they replace cranberries for that holiday?

Unlikely, according to Lukas. 

Kiwiberries compliment the portfolio of berries produced in the Pacific Northwest – they don't compete with any of them, he noted. But, although blueberries will always be held in high regard, they may have reached a "plateau," Lukas said.

In the future, kiwiberries may experience a spurt in popularity, he added. ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 13, 2026   

An audit of the city's urban renewal agency (URA) – which is actually the city council when it acts to oversee a specific portion of the city – has revealed that it went over-budget, exceeded the official debt limit before making corrections and didn't properly post a budget-meeting notice for the URA. 

The Independence City Council's URA ended the 2025 year with a debt of $18.6 million, exceeding the city's permitted debt limit of nearly $18 million. However, as City Finance Director Amanda Carey explained, the debt level was able to meet the legal threshold through refinancing – the city's indebtedness now is $100,000 under the amount allowed for the city's urban renewal agency. 

"It is close but under the range," Carey told councilors at their city council meeting Tuesday night. 

The spending went over the budgeted allocations from last year by almost $2,500, said Cyrus Ward, senior manager at Salem-based Aldrich, an accounting and financial advisory firm. Ward later attributed that over-budget sum to a single line item. 

There were three issues found in which "non-compliance" occurred, Ward said. 

One of them pertained to public notification of meetings by the council when it acts as the urban renewal agency. No online publishing nor newspaper notice could be found showing the date for one of the URA budget sessions, he pointed out. 

Though the city assured him this wasn't the case, "we couldn't verify it ourselves," he said. In the future, he advised "making sure that information is tracked." 

In fact, Trammart News had raised the issue of a lapse in meeting notification by the Urban Renewal Agency – and had filed a grievance with the city over it. 

The response to the grievance by City Manager Kenna West read, in part: "The information was posted correctly; that it was overlooked by you or others does not translate to a failure of notice." She further stated in the same email that "we cannot be held responsible for individual oversights or assumptions." 

At a meeting following that grievance, West told council members that the grievance, along with public records requests from Trammart News, were costly and taking excessive time away from more essential city business. (Trammart News paid $1,300 for that specific public record request.)

For about the last two years, West has banned the city communications director and other city staff from answering questions from the local journalism outlet, according to city personnel – making some reliance on public records requests necessary for accurate news reporting. 

When West was contacted by email late this week for a response to the finding from the city audit that seemed related to the one cited by Trammart News in the grievance, the email reply from West stated: "Information related to City business may be found in publicly available materials, including the city’s website, agenda packets, meeting minutes, and official publications."

"No further comment is being provided beyond those public sources," her statement concluded. 

The Independence Urban Renewal Agency is expected to begin budget meetings this spring. 

The URA encompasses redevelopment areas, such as Independence Landing. The agency has the authority, when it is convened by the city council, to propose and implement plans aimed at revitalizing neighborhoods under Chapter 457 of the Oregon Revised Statutes. 

Aldrich is the designated auditor for Independence. A city audit provides independent oversight of revenue and expenditures, ensuring the use of adequate and transparent procedures for public funds, according to the League of Oregon Cities. ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 13, 2026   

The last time Eric Chase spoke before the Independence City Council, council members voted to limit the number of food trucks to seven in the downtown area – a move that brought a sense of relief to Chase, co-owner of the Golden Hop Saloon on C Street. 

He was worried food trucks might continue to grow, out-competing the dining opportunity at his historic establishment. However, his sense of relief was short-lived. 

At their next meeting, the city council tossed out their original decision and removed the food-truck limit,  while also implementing standards ranging from drainage requirements to restroom availability for food truck operations.  

So Chase (photo) went back to the city council this past week to give public testimony about what he called "the flip." 

It didn't have the apparently intended effect: The city council approved a second reading for a no-limit ordinance on food trucks in a 5-1 vote. City Councilor Dawn Roden cast the lone "no."

"It's very disappointing," Chase said.

In an interview after his time at the podium, Chase, a 51-year resident, expressed frustration not only with the reversal –  which he said he learned about only after it happened – but with the two-year process it took to get to the point for food truck regulations to be brought before the council. 

Chase asked: "Why so long?" 

Others have expressed exasperation over recent city moves, as well. 

For example, fees for housing developers, known as system development charges, were bumped up to $54,000 in 2024 only to be whittled down recently by about $10,000, after builders largely abandoned the city's onetime expanding subdivision, Brandy Meadows.  

Representatives of Salem-based Dalke Construction, which built much of Brandy Meadows, say that's still too high – the cities of Dallas and Monmouth have SDCs that are significantly lower. 

Also stunning to some residents was an add-on plan for new fees after local voters failed to pass an operational levy for the museum, parks and library; The levy failed by a wide margin. 

But residents learned a few weeks ago that a city committee was recommending a similar amount be added to their water bill, which already was scheduled to rise this year in a routine rate hike. One called it an "anti-taxpayer move" after a pub talk by Mayor Kate Schwarzler failed to address the proposal. The suggested fee is expected to be sent to the city's budget committee this spring for consideration. 

And residents have expressed surprise about the specific level of taxes in Independence. 

In a housing needs analysis conducted by the city, a majority of Independence households were found to be lower middle income and below. Following a video presentation on the issue by Independence Planning Manager Fred Evander, who noted "we've heard a number of things from a number of folks," a few shared opinions with Trammart News on city taxation.

Independence, with a tax rate of 19.1332, appears to be the highest in Polk County, exceeding that of neighboring Monmouth’s at 18.2184, according to a listing by the county assessor's office. (The tax rate represents a number that reflects the amount of taxing districts.)  

Independence also has the highest property tax, called the “ad valorem,” of any city in Polk County, excluding the West Salem area. The ad valorem tax rate, 4.5897, was set years ago and is the permanent rate for Independence’s taxing district. In contrast, Monmouth’s ad valorem is 3.6107.  ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 13, 2026   

Career Day at Central High School had everything but a crystal ball for students flocking through the gym Monday to explore scores of booths showing possible job pathways. Many wanted a read on the future with AI already affecting Gen Z. 

As the buzz of talk filled the air, students expressed some anxiety about the outlook for work once they graduate from high school. They also appeared to be price-sensitive about college and uncertain about where they might fit in as AI looms. 

Several said they wanted to find an opportunity to earn money without abandoning the idea of higher education.

One answer for doing so came from Tim Rogers, an adjunct professor and former administrator at Chemeketa Community College. Training in the electronics program at Chemeketa is preparation for a technical service far less likely to be negatively impacted by AI, he said. 

To illustrate, he held up a palm-sized device taken from the inside of a pedal for an electric guitar. "See this," he said. Although it looked like it could have come from a spacecraft, it was a piece of technology currently being fixed by his colleague, Nick, who was standing with him and also teaches in the Chemeketa program. "This is hands-on," Rogers said of the intricate work needed to get the part working again. "And it is the kind of thing that will survive AI." 

From sheet-metal fabrication apprenticeships to on-the-job training for systems that regulate indoor temperature and airflow – such as "HVAC," the acronym for heating, ventilation and air conditioning – several representatives emphasized that there are some professions designed to "earn while you learn" that seem to be relatively "AI-proof."

"I don't know why I am not (presently) surrounded," joked Paul Wagner, an insulation superintendent for American Heating, Inc., which is based in Portland. A swarm of students had just departed and he had temporarily stopped handing out pamphlets when Trammart News stopped by. 

Wagner pointed out that what once used to be referred to as the "trades" now takes a level of learning that means starting pay, even while in training, can range from $25 to $28 an hour. From automotive repair to plumbing, such professions are high-tech and high-skill, according to interviews with others at the event. 

From a booth staffed by residents of the Independence Airpark, pilot and inventor David Ullman, a former engineering professor at Oregon State University, explained that some technical expertise flourishes with mentoring. At the airpark, volunteers welcome students to weekend workshops, such as "Teen Build" and "Teen Aviation Weekend." 

In the "Teen Build” program, which is an ongoing program, youth 14 years old and up construct an actual airplane from a kit under the guidance of experts, learning to read plans and use tools in the building process. During the "Teen Aviation Weekend," student groups fly a simulator and learn about aeronautical careers. Both are offered at the Independence State Airport by chapter 292 of the Experimental Aircraft Association there.

Career Day was organized by Crystal Larson (photo), Central High's college and career coordinator. The booths ranged from Salem Health to Spirit Mountain Casino and included branches of the military and Polk County Fire District No. 1, among many others. 

At the table of the Independence Police Department, Officer Anthony Preston fielded questions from students who wanted to know what it felt like to be a cop. Television and movies apparently leave out an important aspect of the job, at least part of the time, according to some of the duties explained by Preston.

Personable approaches and polite interactions are needed in a lot of encounters, he said, noting that being pulled over for speeding or another infraction can be stressful to motorists and others. 

Asked about his own experiences as a young person with police, which Preston cited as sparking his interest in law enforcement, he recalled that he was stopped as a teen in Portland, and the police officer noticed he was wearing insignia from a wrestling team. "We started talking about it a little bit," Preston recalled. "He wanted to know where I was wrestling and I told him about the next match," he said.

The police officer showed up for it, Preston said. "He didn't stay but he was there, and I never forgot it," Preston said. ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 6, 2026   

Polk County Treasurer Steve Milligan has filed what might be called a "twofer." He's signed up to be a candidate for county commissioner and submitted an addition to his lawsuit against the county where he's seeking the seat. 

Both actions were taken by Milligan in the past few weeks. During the same period, County Commissioner Craig Pope confirmed he's mulling a run for county treasurer when that election comes up again. "You can say that I am considering it," he told Trammart News. 

These latest developments seem to be creating unique circumstances.

The position Milligan's vying for, which is held by the incumbent County Commissioner Jeremy Gordon, is also being sought by Carlos Barrientos, a Dallas city councilor, and Mark Adams, who owns a commercial business in Salem.

Milligan seems to be in a category all his own – as a plaintiff in a case against the county that continues to drag on. Milligan contends that he's been unable to fulfill his role as treasurer, due to constrictions imposed by county officials. In 2024, a judge agreed. 

The steps taken by the County Board of Commissioners to change aspects of the office, first by resolution in 2016 and later with an ordinance, are "unlawful, invalid and unenforceable," according to the order issued by Yamhill Circuit Court Judge Ladd Wiles. 

So, Milligan filed the appeal after what he claims is a failure to meet the terms of that order. And he filed for candidacy to challenge Gordon, who has been endorsed by the Polk County Democrats, the same organization that supported Milligan's bid for treasurer. Additionally, the two have both been mayors: Milligan served in that post for Monmouth and Gordon did the same in Falls City. 

Incumbent Gordon has disagreed with Milligan over assertions by Milligan that he’s unable to serve in the role that was the aim of his campaign for treasurer — a difference of opinion that was aired more than a year ago and also involved a discussion with the two other commissioners.

Meanwhile, another candidate for commissioner, Monmouth City Councilor Roxanne Beltz, who is seeking to fill the commissioner's seat being vacated by Craig Pope, also has received the endorsement of the County's Democrat Party. Beltz's competitor in that race, John Swanson, said he has not sought any party's endorsement.

“I  want to serve all. If you call, I’m not going to ask what party you belong to. I would caution candidates from leaning on political parties for a nonpartisan office,” he said.  

In his run for re-election, Gordon has received endorsements of several county and city elected officials and community leaders. 

Milligan has won considerable support at the ballot box as treasurer. He was returned to the treasurer's office by a large margin in 2024, when he defeated Chris Patoine, the spouse of County Assessor Valerie Patoine. "He (Patoine) believed all along that the commissioners were right in reducing the duties, and he was good with that," Milligan said.

Milligan contends the February appeal was undertaken to obtain the right to be treasurer under the description spelled out in more than a dozen references of the Oregon Revised Statutes. 

With some frequency, Milligan hasn't been in attendance when his report is on the agenda, Gordon pointed out. In fact, the outcome of the case itself hasn’t been mentioned for many months, except for confirmation of the recent appeal from Milligan.

No obstruction to Milligan’s service as treasurer has been apparent to Trammart News during regular Tuesday meetings of the county commissioners, where the treasurer’s report is given periodically. When asked about this, Milligan described incidents in which he wasn't included or failed to receive communication that occurred outside of the commission meetings. 

The vote for commissioners will take place in May. If no candidate exceeds 50% of the ballots for the position, the top two will face each other in the November election. 

A decision on Milligan's appeal is expected this spring, he said. ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 6, 2026   

Downgrading the risk of Highway 51-22 interchange – the juncture that recently was the site of a crash fatality – prompted the Polk County Board of Commissioners to publicly question some traffic-study methods used by the Oregon Department of Transportation at a recent meeting. 

Following a presentation by ODOT representatives, which came one day after a school bus collided with an SUV at that 51-22 interchange, County Commissioner Craig Pope noted that ODOT's "heat map" of the site seemed to incorrectly portray the area as less dangerous than it is.

Commissioner Jeremy Gordon agreed, observing that "I don't think this is matching reality." 

The ODOT presentation was made to commissioners the morning after a bus of Salem high school students – on a field trip to Western Oregon University – had a head-on collision with an oncoming SUV at the interchange, which killed the SUV driver, a 68-year-old man reported to be from Independence. 

The heat map that was referenced reflected data from the Safety Priority Index System, which compiled the crash history at the 22-51 interchange during 2020 through 2022, according to the ODOT presentation. Safety heat maps are one way that ODOT identifies crash trends. 

That specific area, where the two highways meet, has been one of concern by all three county commissioners. That point was supposed to be one of the first scheduled for improvement in the near future, Pope observed. Now it looks like it has been moved down the list of priorities, he suggested.

ODOT Manager Anna Henson, who oversees Area 3 that includes Polk County, sounded a note of reassurance at the meeting. She told Pope the design process of 22-51 interchange project is getting underway. 

Later, an ODOT spokesperson offered further explanation. "Because of how that data is calculated, a location may still have safety concerns even if it does not appear in the highest category on the map," stated Mindy McCartt, public information officer for ODOT. 

"The 22-51 highway intersection continues to be recognized as a location with safety concerns, which is why ODOT is advancing the interchange design," McCartt added. 

The county board of commissioners took matters into their own hands many months ago, when they arranged to implement what one called a "temporary fix."

As motorists approach 22 from 51, there are now street stripes, reflective markers, a barrier, upright tubes and signs to deter left-hand turns. 

However, the commissioners have reiterated that this action was taken only as an interim safety approach. 

Since then, ODOT has been running public updates with bright graphics advising the public that eventually there will be permanent changes to eliminate some of the left turns "that were unsafe and caused back-ups during peak-hour traffic."

(ODOT has secured funding for design, which is scheduled to run from 2026 through 2029. Construction funding has not yet been identified.) ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, March 6, 2026   

The two "A" grandmothers, Aida and Anne, testified at the last city council meeting. They read a statement written by Anne, then revised and simplified by Aida (photo). It was read because scores of mayors – including Monmouth's Cec Koontz and Falls City's T.J. Bailey – had signed a letter from the governor's office objecting to the treatment of Hispanic community members. 

But it wasn't signed by Independence Mayor Kate Schwarzler, who explained a too-short turnaround time for doing so, and that she'd put her own thoughts on social media. 

So, the two grandmothers read their message for the official city record. 

And, in the aftermath of a walkout by hundreds and hundreds of students from the Salem-Keizer school district, it seemed a good time for another discussion.

The two grandmothers wanted to celebrate the students who showed support in a peaceful and respectful way. 

(The statement read at the city council meeting is published once again at the bottom.) 

ANNE: You see these kids, these students, who have done walkouts and it is really something. It's been a good example of peaceful protest. They are exercising their First Amendment rights without shouting or jeering or throwing out insults ...

AIDA: I saw pictures. I don't know much about that walkout. 

ANNE: Well, Central High School students have done walkouts, too, over different issues. It's the same way. High energy but well behaved. 

AIDA: It's inspiring to see when these protests are respectful, non-violent. 

ANNE: So why aren't adults engaging in them? I do see some but not like the student walkouts ...

AIDA: Well, for one thing, this isn't an affluent town. People are working. I think that interferes with a lot of outside activity. They are really under pressure to do other things with their time. 

ANNE: Yes, that's true. When I was raising children my own time certainly disappeared. It no longer belonged to me. 

AIDA: Also, when you do something like that, even in a peaceful way, you're showing others how you feel – others who may not feel the same way. These might be neighbors or maybe people who know who you are ... but now they know how you feel about an issue and it is different from their own way of thinking.

ANNE: So? 

AIDA: In the times we are living, this can mean ...

ANNE: So, what you're saying is ... this can mean people won't like other people because now they know neighbors ... or whatever ... feel differently than they do? 

AIDA: Like that, yes.

ANNE: At the risk of sounding judgmental, I believe if someone doesn't like me simply because I have an opinion different from their own, that's too bad for them. 

AIDA: But it is so good to see young people who feel they are making a difference, showing how they stand on matters. However, some adults may not feel that they can do that. They maybe feel like they are making themselves a target, and it won't change anything anyway. 

ANNE: You know, when you're in other countries, some of them like China, you see what freedom of speech is. I spent about 10 days in China. I've been to the middle East, too. These are wonderful places in many ways. but to have opinions stifled or be afraid to speak your mind. It's just so jarring. Such a shock, really. 

AIDA: I think there are people here who are afraid to speak their minds now, at least sometimes.

ANNE: I wonder if the possibility of backlash is being ignored by these young people who stage these walkouts or if they just feel so strongly that they do these protests anyway, regardless of consequences. 

AIDA: I think they have optimism.

ANNE: I have optimism about them, our youth. I went to college classes the past year or so with young people. What a fine bunch I met. 

AIDA: Yes. I am so proud of my children. My daughter here is outspoken and so confident. I am proud of that. My grand-daughter is such a good mother. They are great people. 

ANNE: Yes, and they shouldn't have to be afraid of the future. 

AIDA: I think they will make it a better one. 

     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Statement for Trammart News composed by the two grandmothers.

"We  believe all are residents in our community. We believe all who live  here are entitled to due process. We believe all who came here looking  for a better life, and contributing to the community in a positive and  peaceful way, should never have to walk in fear. Treatment that makes  our residents feel unsafe is unfair and inhumane. We believe we should  uphold the designation "welcoming community" that the city council  adopted several years ago. We believe that we should be able to speak  out in support of that designation, which was bestowed on the city by  elected officials." ▪   

Editorial analysis by Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, February 27, 2026   

At an Independence City Council work session Tuesday night, City Councilor Dawn Roden asked a question that's been posed by residents recently, as inflation keeps its grip on prices and the city continues to grapple with severe financial strain. 

Roden wanted to know if the planned water treatment plant – a facility at an early estimated cost of $44 million – is a debt that should really be taken on. Her fear, she said, "is that it is going to be spread to the people who live in our community right now." 

Roden made the comment after it was revealed that a $10 million grant for water-treatment plant construction had fallen through – the federal government has pushed the pause button on such funding. However, grants "don't factor in" to the budget process for the new plant, explained Shawn Irvine, the city's assistant city manager and economic development director. 

"We built the rate structure on an assumption that we were not going to get grants," explained Independence Public Works Director Gerald Fisher. If grants come in, the rate rises might be less or fees to developers could be lowered. But the water rates as they stand now will simply increase incrementally, in order to finance the anticipated loan for the plant. 

Roden also noted that grant funding to the city dropped from the year before. 

Her comments came in the wake of a proposal that's being sent to the city budget committee to place a monthly add-on fee of about $20 to residential water bills to fund the city's museum, library and parks.  Additionally, a hike in water-and-sewer charges is expected in 2026,  according to a schedule adopted by the city council.  

If it sounds like Roden is a lone voice sounding new alarm bells, it may only be because she wasn't joined by other city councilors. But across town, from the Independence Hotel to Polk County Fairgrounds supporters, the message from others seems to be the same: time to rethink past plans. 

For example, at their Wednesday meeting this week, the Polk County Board of Commissioners scrapped their own proposal to put an advisory question about funding for the Fairgrounds on the May ballot. Instead, a levy vote to save the Fairgrounds from closure is likely to be put to voters in November. 

Realtor Jesse Peterson, who was on hand during that meeting, said he hopes economic considerations are being taken into account as the fall levy vote goes forward. Though other advantages associated with the fairgrounds often are cited – 4H and FFA livestock shows, a community center for disaster relief – Peterson pointed out that the loss of local vendors and event visitors would be a revenue-reducing blow. 

Revenue loss was on the minds of others at the meeting, too. Whether the levy passes or it doesn't, there ought to be proposed alternatives for the future of the Polk County Fairgrounds and Event Center, according to two other attendees. 

Perhaps it should be pricing changes or whittling down the offerings, but the way things have been done in the past may no longer be appropriate, given the tight financial squeezes being seen, said Sean Wilde, of Monmouth. The future is probably going to demand thinking outside the box, agreed Chip North, who lives in rural Polk County. 

Neither one expected the economic situation to improve any time soon, an opinion backed up by recent research. 

A pub talk held last night by Mayor Kate Schwarzler drew about 15 people, who gathered at Parallel 45 to hear a presentation by the mayor on city revenue – and the lack of it. The $8 million received by the city each year, mostly from tax revenue, is an inadequate amount for running city operations and maintaining a cushion of reserves, she said. 

The police department, for instance, takes $4.1 million annually. That leaves only about half to fund all of the salaries and departments. The situation means the next two-to-three years will be hard, she said.

The situation prompted resident Patrick Fugeman to inquire why shared services between Monmouth and Independence aren't being explored – such as combining the two police forces. 

"Why can't we combine some resources?" he asked. The question was a good one, agreed Mark Winningham, another resident. 

Schwarzler said there aren’t significant cost savings and there are cultural differences. The situation isn’t likely to change soon.

Oregon's economic forecast is weak, according to a number of reports. From layoff notices to slow growth, economic indicators point downward in Oregon's most recent statewide economic report, which used findings from 2020-2024.

Independence has been hit with reductions in tourism. "Oregon's Tourism Economy Plummets” is the beginning headline of an article in one industry magazine. As a result, the Oregon Destination Association has advised that its members are "doing more with less." 

At the Independence Hotel, that's also true. The new manager, Matt Smith, is dividing his time between a Salem-based downtown hotel and The Independence Hotel near the banks of the Willamette River. Like everyone everywhere else who was queried, he said there's been a dip in business. 

Sales are down in wineries, so is liquor consumption in pubs and taverns. Oregonians simply are drinking less, according to the Oregon Liquor Cannabis Commission. 

However, spring lies ahead, Smith pointed out – and that may mean an upturn. ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, February 27, 2026   

New Independence sidewalk rules would place more legal responsibility on downtown merchants to keep walkways clear – and when injuries occur in the presence of outdoor signs, decorations or displays, business owners would be liable. 

That's the recommended change of code that was introduced by City Planning Manager Fred Evander at the city council work session Tuesday. It's an effort to be more "flexible" in allowing shops to have outside signage and eating spaces, he said. But the liability for the city-owned sidewalks would now be borne by the proprietors, not the city, Evander explained. 

Basically, "if you are putting something on the sidewalk, you are liable for that," Evander said. Previously, outdoor dining was granted with a permit but the renewal process wasn't going well and neither was enforcement, he added. 

Under the new system, which hasn't yet been adopted, as long as there is a three-foot space from the curb to the obstruction and a five-foot-wide space for pedestrian traffic, the code would allow it with the provision that the city isn't the liable party. 

"We are just indicating we are not liable," said City Manager Kenna West in response to an inquiry from Councilor Dawn Roden about the planned change. "That is what we are making clear." 

Roden, who had requested a paper agenda packet, was confused because she received the wrong one, she said. 

The explanation drew an apparent rebuke from Councilor Shannon Corr. 

"The package is available online, Councilor Roden, and you chose to have a paper copy," Corr said. As Roden questioned City Recorder Myra Russell about the apparent mix-up, West intervened to tell Roden not to directly question "my staff." 

The exchange prompted a query of concern over decorum by a viewer to Trammart News. A follow-up inquiry to West indicated she did not want to address the perception of the interaction, which she said she considered "hypothetical or speculative in nature."

In another question, City Councilor Evan Sorce asked if the flower baskets provided by the Independence Downtown Association mean that organization would be liable if the hanging pots were linked to any harm. There seemed to be general agreement that IDA likely would absorb the liability. 

The new code is expected to be adopted by March.▪  

 By Lance Masterson 

for Trammart News Service, February 27, 2026   

Central High’s cheer squad is on a hot streak – and it has no intention of cooling down.

Over the past four years, including 2026, the Panthers have finished first, third, first and third at the OSAA state championships. It’s a run of sustained excellence matched by few programs in Oregon.

This year presented another opportunity for the Panthers to defend their state title – a pursuit that sharpened the team’s edge despite feeling internal and external pressures.

“There’s always pressure and expectations that the community has for you, and the expectations that you have for yourself,” senior Ash Smith said. “It encouraged us to work even harder.”

The unexpected can also ratchet up the pressure valve.

While performing before judges at state, the Panthers were assessed a safety deduction after an athlete stepped on a prop while teammates were elevated in a stunt. Even a small deduction can alter outcomes in a sport where teams are often separated by fractions of a point in the final standings.

When fifth-place Wilsonville and fourth-place Crater were called to the podium, doubt creep began. Concern spread.

“I just kept saying, ‘Top three, top three,’” coach Megan Smith recalled.

Senior Ariannah Williams admitted she felt similar uncertainty.

“You hear fifth place and you hear fourth place called, and then you get the feeling of what if we didn’t place at all,” Williams said. “And then you get called, and you did place, and it’s just this amazing feeling.”

Central finished third, Thurston second and Churchill first.

The Panthers’ success extends well beyond Oregon. Megan Smith’s squad also placed third at the National High School Cheerleading Championship, or NHSCC, in Florida – widely considered to be the largest competition in the country. The team performed in front of thousands, with portions of the event aired on ESPN.

The trip included a visit to Disney World and first-ever flights for some athletes. But focus never wavered.

“I go down to compete; I don’t go down there to have fun,” Coach Smith said.

The result was even more impressive given health woes.

“There were 20 out of 27 of us that came down with the flu,”  Smith said. “And they still showed up on the mat and pushed forward.”

Central’s dominance didn’t happen overnight.

Fifteen years ago, sisters Megan Smith and LeAnne Asplund began rebuilding the program from the ground up.

“When we took it over, it was strictly a sideline program. We established excellence and rebuilt the culture,” Coach Smith said. “It you want to be labeled an athlete, you train and act like one.”

Early years were about accountability and eliminating internal strife. Because there is no bench in cheer – and thus no place to hide – attendance was (and is) mandatory.

“One absence affects the entire routine,” the coach said.

Standards rose. Tryouts became competitive. Cuts implemented when necessary. Central has since reached new heights.

The Panthers compete in the highly technical Game Day division, a fast-paced format built around synchronization, crowd-leading elements and precision. It mirrors what fans see along the football and basketball sidelines.

“We do band chants, signs, flags, formations,” Coach Smith explained. “Same elements, just elevated” for competition. “The team loves Game Day. It’s a lot of fun.”

Game Day also plays to Central’s strength. Traditional cheer requires a majority of athletes to tumble – a skill best taught to younger athletes. Central doesn't have those numbers, yet. But that's changing. Thanks to the Monmouth-Independence YMCA and other feeder programs.

Unlike some sports, there is no place to hide in competitive cheer. Teams perform one at a time. For a few minutes. With only one chance.

“We’re only as strong as our weakest member. We say, ‘Lift while you climb,’” said Smith.

For Ash Smith (no relation to her coach), success breeds its own kind of pressure.

“There’s pressure to keep the legacy going,” she said. “And that pushes us to work harder.”

The program continues to grow. New athletes arrive from feeder programs and from within the high school, with athletes drawn to the team’s culture and competitiveness.

A mentorship program has helped eliminate cliques and build unity. Team lunches and senior-led outreach help foster positive relationships, regardless of grade level.

“My freshman year was very cliquey,” Williams said. “Now I can walk up to anyone and they’re my best friend. Watching everyone grow – not just their skills, but as people – has been amazing.”

Change is coming. Central moves to Class 4A next year and will face new competition in a new league.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Coach Smith has already scouted potential new rivals.

“Teams are improving; they’re getting better,” she said. “But I’m really excited for our future.” 

(Note: LeAnne Asplund no longer co-coaches with Megan Smith.  According to OSAA, Smith's staff consists of Alex Molina Lopez, Brayden  Farmer, Jessica Washburn and Julia Ericsson.) ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, February 20, 2026   

EDITORIAL OPINION  

A 1958 horror movie I wasn’t allowed to see until I became a teen with my own ticket-buying power is playing out in the state legislature. Only the popcorn is missing. 

Or so it seems to me. It’s called “The Blob.” 

Like the film that hit the silver screen almost 70 years ago, a force is growing in the Capitol Building, under watchful, worried eyes. It’s also inching along in just the same way. This time, instead of being known as the blob, its’ being called the “transportation package” and it is coming soon to a legislator representing you. 

If you ever actually saw “The Blob,” which stars a very young Steve McQueen who had practically no acting chops back then but was a charmer nonetheless, you’d know that the adults in this drama are a bit like Oregon lawmakers. They are fighting over how to handle this massive task with their best intentions. Yet they are struggling, as the blob oozes on. 

It seems a hard match for them. In fact, the advertising slogan for the film – “It creeps! It crawls! And there is no stopping it!” – seems to be an apt description of what those elected officials are up against. 

If you’ve been over-wintering outside Oregon or avoiding all news reports, maybe you don’t know the ODOT-inspired creation to which I am referring. It is certainly messy, very much like the movie version. 

It is now in the 2026 legislative session, after the Democrats passed a hurried stop-gap bill to finance road and bridge infrastructure following a broader but failed attempt before that. The measure would raise the gas tax and includes some other fee hikes – increases that pretty much guaranteed there’d be an immediate and successful signature-gathering campaign to put these proposed tax increases on a ballot for voters. 

The bill included a six-cent add-on to the current 40-cent gas tax, and uptick in DMV fees, as well as a pay-per-mile program for electric vehicles.

Now the legislators, like members of law enforcement in “The Blob,” seem to be battling over the matter. Finally, the Oregon Senate voted to place the tax referendum on the May ballot, to give voters the opportunity to decide then whether to repeal increases on the gas tax and other fees this spring.  

Meanwhile, in Independence, there are quite a few people who sound a little like they’re uttering Steve McQueen’s lines from the movie. They want to know why this is happening. And, if the cause is found, perhaps only then can the problem be solved.

After all, ODOT has about a billion dollars that seems to have been lost in some kind of unaccounted-for shuffle. 

On a regional level, we have some would-be blob slayers. 

State Rep. Paul Evans proposed a revision that would have amended a 2009 law requiring local governments, such as cities and counties, to put gas-tax increases to voters before they can raise them. But, after a mighty backlash, “I decided to not move it forward for consideration,” he said.

County Commissioner Craig Pope, a strong believer in asking the public to raise taxes rather than allowing local governments to simply impose those increases on residents, said he was happy to see Evans reverse himself. In the future, he’d like to see adequate collaboration with counties and cities on such possible changes in the law, Pope said. 

Sounding a common-sense note, state Sen. Deb Patterson observed she drives an electric vehicle. Patterson said she believes she should be paying a “fair share” of the gas tax if fuel-using cars end up paying more at the pump. 

You may ask, and this is a good question, why Trammart News feels confident comparing all this to an outdated monster movie. This is because I, Anne Scheck, once was an intern at ODOT (at a satellite office in Keizer). 

I liked everyone I met, from the civil engineers to the maintenance specialists. But this was where the blob analogy first sprung to mind. Because this Oregon department is a rather startling bureaucracy. Even simple filing by me wasn’t done to regimental satisfaction. 

I failed in attempts to master bureaucracy, just like “The Blob” did in box-office returns.

But I stayed interested in ODOT. So, when public hearings on the so-called transportation package were held many months ago, I put on my press badge and attended one of them. 

It was a sight to behold. It looked like half the state population was in attendance. Some public testimony was piped in over a zoom screen, while other comments were taken by microphone at a front table. For anyone who doubts Oregon residents don’t care about this issue, let me disabuse you of that notion. There was spillover into the hall. 

And so, I singled out two speakers, both women, on opposite sides of the issue. 

One wanted to abolish the very idea of these fees and the other said she didn’t mind them – she depended on public transit. But they agreed solidly on this: Layoffs would be bad, even heartbreaking. Taking jobs away from hundreds of people who have worked for ODOT – maybe far more than hundreds – would be a shattering blow to families, and possibly to the state economy. 

I found myself agreeing with this divergent pair. I was around ODOT employees as an intern. Many people took such pride in their jobs, even as they were hemmed in by the bureaucratic barriers I saw. There are some really great folk there. 

Recently, one of them surfaced. It was Anna Henson, Mid-Willamette Valley Area Manager for ODOT.

Trammart News wanted to know if a traffic light was a necessity on 7th and Monmouth streets in town. This had been a real stumbling block to developers of the Brandy Meadows subdivision, who were tasked by the city of paying for a lion's share of the traffic signal installation. 

Henson responded that ODOT agreed that a traffic light at this intersection would be appropriate mitigation, but a full intersection control evaluation would be necessary for final determination. This cleared up quite an ongoing source of confusion. 

As for the transportation funding solution, none of us are likely to know until the legislative session tells us what the outcome will be.

At the end of the movie version of “The Blob,” complete destruction is avoided when the blob fighters finally figure out they cannot stab, burn or shoot the blob out of existence. They have 

to freeze it. 

But then the character played by Steve McQueen expresses concern that it won’t stay cold. Suddenly, a big question mark fills the screen before the credits roll. 

I thought this was a campy, over-the-top movie when I finally saw it during my adolescence. Now it appears to me to be a little too much like real life. 

(Note:  Since the original story was published, The Oregon Senate passed a bill to put the tax referendum on the May ballot and the House is expected to follow suit by the end of the legislative session. ) ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, February 20, 2026   

A few weeks ago, the Independence Police Department located a man who hadn’t registered as a sex offender. He’d tried to use a false ID but officers at the scene found something else, too – a bag of suspected fentanyl. 

Finding that drug locally wasn’t an isolated incident. 

This past October, a vehicle left running for hours in town came under scrutiny by the IPD. “One of the occupants was found with drug paraphernalia and substances that tested positive for fentanyl or amphetamines,” according to the Independence police log.

The individual was arrested. But does the story end there? 

Not if a new county-wide program succeeds in raising awareness of the continuing opioid threat, despite reports that the use of fentanyl has dropped in recent years. 

The Polk County commissioners unanimously funded a campaign for the next two years with $25,000 in proceeds from what is known as “opioid settlement money.” The term refers to billions of dollars in compensation that has been given to states, counties and cities as a result of lawsuits against the manufacturers and retailers of prescription opioids, which resulted in widespread addiction. 

At a meeting of the Polk County Board of Commissioners in January, the concept of a “supply shock” was explained by Mark Stewart, a professor of psychology at Willamette University. He and other supporters of the nonprofit organization “Fentanyl Free Oregon,” testified before the commissioners about the risk of the drug, and the possibility of its new rise. 

Because the number of overdose deaths are down, there’s a perception that “the storm has passed,” said Stewart, who has made opioids one focus of his research. However, what often happens is that re-emergence often follows a lull. “It is going to come back,” he said. 

While commending the county’s behavioral health department, Commissioner Craig Pope said: “What we’ve done is not nearly enough.” 

In late 2020, Oregon voters overwhelmingly approved Measure 110, which turned out to be the most liberal drug law in the nation; It decriminalized possession of small amounts of substances like fentanyl and meth. This led to a huge spike in drug use and overdose deaths.

In 2021, Oregon ranked 38 out 48 states from available data in the rate of fentanyl-related deaths – but it had climbed to 13th by January 2024, according to a report from Oregon's Common Sense Institute, a non-profit and nonpartisan research organization.

Though Measure 110 has since been overturned, “it will take years to turn that tide,” said Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst. 

In fact, illicit drugs are distributed under a well-oiled business model, said Jim Bauer, the board president of Fentanyl Free Oregon. “This is all about ‘let’s get this out there,’ “ stressed Bauer, who also serves as the chief development officer of the Salem Health Foundation.

In a 2024 report to state legislators by the Oregon Health Authority, a warning was issued about new synthetic opioids far more powerful than the fentanyl of the recent past. 

Commissioner Jeremy Gordon said he already has a sign by Fentanyl Free Oregon planted in his yard. But he said the situation still begs the question “Why is there this demand?” 

Trammart News put that question to a fellow patron in a convenience store a few blocks from where Gordon lives, during a stop-in a few months ago when youth vaping was seen on the street outside. “For some, it's wanting to be happy, even for a brief period of time, whatever that takes,” the customer observed. 

Fentanyl Free Oregon will partner with organizations serving youth in Polk County to create highly tailored “micro-campaigns” about the dangers of street fentanyl, explained Ryan Gail, vice president of the VanNatta public relations firm in Salem.

The idea is to equip youth with practical tools to recognize and respond to risky situations and learn the local resources available for them. “Micro-campaigns will reflect each organization’s specific needs and may include customized educational materials, tailored training sessions, and awareness events featuring local experts,” Gail said.

“We partner with the county in many ways and will be happy to meet with them as their campaign takes shape,” said Emily Mentzer, communications coordinator at Central School District.

(Note: website for Fentanyl Free Oregon -- https://fentanylfreeoregon.org/ ) ▪  

By Lance Masterson

for Trammart News Service, February 20, 2026   

Central’s boys varsity basketball team keeps winning, even while one of its leaders watches from the bench.

Senior Jack Holestine, the Panthers’ primary ball handler and leading scorer, has missed the past two weeks with a shoulder injury suffered while diving for a loose ball against Crescent Valley on Jan. 30.

“It’s basically my collarbone,” Holestine said (photo). “It’s like a sprained ankle. I tore some ligaments and it will just take time.” 

Even so, the Panthers have rallied behind their fallen leader by winning four straight games. Senior catalyst Holestine hopes to be back in action when league-leading West Albany comes calling on the last weekend of this month. 

However, doctors estimated a two-to-three-week recovery window. And Holstine noted even simple shooting drills causes discomfort.

“I can’t really do much right now,” he added last week. “Shooting free throws hurts, and they said not to push through it.”

Central was 8-1 in league and 11-4 overall when Holestine went down. Given his contributions, some feared the team would struggle in his absence. That has not been the case.

The Panthers have won every game without him. Five games against the best of the Mid-Willamette Conference close out the regular season, so stiffer challenges await.

Holestine expects to suit up in time for the Friday, Feb. 27th, matchup against league-leading West Albany. This will be one of the team’s biggest home games in years.

The OSAA second-ranked Bulldogs are 13-0 in league, 17-3 overall. The Panthers are right behind them at 12-1, 15-4 overall, and ranked eighth.

The Panthers kept pace with the leaders after Holestine's injury by rallying to beat Crescent Valley, followed by wins over McKay, Woodburn and Dallas.

“I think we’re playing really good right now,” he said. “We’ve had people step into larger roles. They’ve been playing really hard.”

Senior Ryan Burgett has absorbed much of the ball-handling responsibilities, transitioning back into a point guard role he hadn’t played regularly since freshman year.

“It’s hard without Jack because he’s our main ball handler,” Burgett said. “But guys have stepped up. It’s been good for us to learn how to play without him.”

Central has compensated for Holestine’s absence by emphasizing ball movement and tempo.

“We’ve been passing the ball really well and pushing the ball a lot,” Burgett said. “I had to jump back into point guard and get used to it. It took a couple of games.”

Just as important, he added, is the team’s all-for-one motivation.

“We just want to do good by Jack,” Burgett said. “He got hurt diving for the ball, so the least we can do is give 100 percent every game.”

Central’s coach, Tyler Allen, said the team’s response goes beyond making up for Holestine’s production. It’s also been about reshaping the offense. 

“We’ve always felt we have two dominant areas, interior and exterior,” Allen said. “With Jack out, we’ve honed in on that interior presence.”

The Panthers installed a high-low motion that allows Burgett to initiate offense but move off the ball sooner, often sliding to the block where he’s more comfortable.

“It lets Ryan bring it up without putting a lot of pressure on him in the half court,” the coach said.

Ironically, the adjustment was already in progress before Holestine went down. West Albany had denied Holestine touches in the teams’ first encounter. Thus prompting early tweaks that later became essential.

The result has been a more versatile half-court attack built around Lucas Haines and Burgett in the post.

“I keep telling our shooters, if you want to get wide open looks, get the ball into the post,” Allen said. “We’re seeing teams double Lucas, and when we skip the ball, our shooters are getting great looks.”

At the same time, Central’s defense is limiting opposing offenses to just 35 points a game, or 12 points less per game than the first time these same teams met.

With key games against playoff-caliber teams ahead, Allen wants urgency to remain – 

even in games the Panthers are favored to win.

“Defensively, I’m a perfectionist. I’m never going to be happy,” Allen said. “We’re going to watch film and fix mistakes.”

Defense is based on effort.

“You either want it or you don’t, and our guys want it,” he said.

Defense also fuels the offense. Against Dallas, for example, the Panthers scored 10 points in less than two minutes to close out the first half. Many of these points came off turnovers.

“Our transitions were great,” Allen said of the game. “My plea is to find that fire again. These games are steps toward where we want to get.”

That destination is a deep playoff run and a trip to Linfield University, home of the Class 5A state tournament.

“We cannot miss opportunities to improve and perfect our craft.”

Recent wins have also created valuable minutes for role players who grind every day in practice.

“These guys show up every day,” Allen said. “Some of them defend starters for two straight hours. When they get minutes, it matters.”

As for Holestine, he hopes to rejoin a team that is only getting stronger and more confident.

“I’m looking forward to next week,” he said. “Maybe Friday.”

************

Notes:

The boys are at Corvallis this Friday, and return home for Lebanon on Tuesday and West Albany on Feb. 27th. Games begin at 5:30 p.m.

The West Albany game is senior night for the Panthers. As the regular-season finale is at Crescent Valley on Tuesday, March 3. Seniors include Ty Cirino, Hudson Heise, Branden Ball, Wells, Burgett, Holestine, Kao Phantern and Moses Garcia.

Before the game against Crescent Valley, Holestine was honored after scoring the 1,000th point of his prep career. The injury came at the start of the third quarter. ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, February 13, 2026   

More than 300 people showed up at public events this week on the fate of a question over levy funding for the Polk County Fairgrounds. But only one consensus seemed to emerge: Throw out the old playbook and write a completely new one. 

What's needed is a much stronger game plan for a campaign to pass the levy, including a dollar-and-cents guide to the specific money needed, where it will be used and why, according to many attendees. A similar levy went down to a thumping defeat in 2025 and was referenced by several who were at the Saturday work session which was held at the fairgrounds. 

"Like everyone here, I am worried about the fairgrounds," said State Rep. Anna Scharf, whose district includes Dallas and Falls City, when she was queried by Trammart News Saturday. Inquiries to others indicated widespread support for putting a levy on the ballot to fund the facility, which is having annual shortfalls of around $300,000. 

The fairgrounds and event center is threatened with closure this year under the current financial squeeze. But more clarity and better public education is needed, according to many of those in attendance. Better strategy was a rallying cry by several. 

"We'll have a much more robust campaign," asserted County Commissioner Craig Pope in his address to the crowd on Saturday. 

Improved communication also was a common thread in citizen testimony at the county hearings on Wednesday, including from both candidates vying for the county commissioner seat that's being vacated by Pope when his term ends this year. 

Be forthright about costs, how the money will be used, and share specifics about the revenue, as well as the timeline, urged candidate Roxanne Beltz, a city councilor in Monmouth, who also advocated for searching for funding possibilities at the federal level. 

Her opponent for the position, John Swanson of Rickreall, chief of staff for State Sen. Bruce Starr – whose district covers much of rural Polk County – sounded a similar note. The move to secure voter approval for a levy should "tether it" to clarity on spending, as well as other potential funding possibilities, he said. 

Both Swanson and Beltz said they favor putting "an ask" on the May ballot to assess if there's support for an operational levy in November. 

The hearings were held in the county commission room both in the morning and in the evening on Wednesdy, and drew an overflow crowd at the latter meeting.

However, opinions were divided on whether to place that question on the May ballot, which asks voters how they would vote for a levy in November, or instead to simply seek approval of the measure, which would add less than $40 annually to an average homeowner tax bill in Polk County. 

One of those who citied possible confusion by voters if the "ask" was put on the May ballot was Tim Ray, chair of the Polk County Fair Board. "I do wonder if a question in May can be confusing to the voters," he said. 

Most of the individuals who spoke publicly praised the outreach so far. Gabby Walton, director of the Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce, was on hand Saturday and at the evening hearing in county commission chambers Wednesday night. Walton (photo), of Independence, called the fairgrounds a place of growth for youth, citing 4H and FFA, as well as a commercial outlet for many, with 700 events ranging from the reptile extravaganza "Reptopia" to the monthly flea market.

The fairgrounds are a critically important center for enterprise, stressed Deb Thomas of Independence, who manages the Polk Flea Market. In her testimony to the county commissioners, she said the market's vendors are a "family" of fairgrounds supporters. “We’ll do everything in our power" to make sure the levy passes, she said, adding that she is in favor of the "survey" question on the May ballot. 

Memories of animal auctions and flower shows were shared among the crowd, including one memory that harked back 20 years ago this year, when 30 trees were planted by 4H and FFA youth – trees that now provide shade for fair-goers and rodeo viewers. The place is one of "simple, traditional pleasures and values" that are irreplaceable, according to one of those in a group session at the Saturday event, which was held in the main hall at the fairgrounds. 

County Commissioner Pope, who spent part of his boyhood on the fairgrounds, called it "our shining city." 

Commissioner Jeremy Gordon stressed that the levy is "a modest amount" for such a vital facility. Commission Chair Lyle Mordhorst issued the reminder that the fairgrounds also served as a disaster relief center that provided food and shelter for families and their animals during the 2020 wildfire devastation. 

The decision as to whether to place the "advisory question" on the May ballot has yet to be decided by the Board of Commissioners. They have a February 25 deadline for making that determination, said County Administrator Greg Hansen. ▪  

By Anne Scheck

Trammart News Service, February 13, 2026   

This past Tuesday, the Independence City Council passed a new $100-per-year business fee, reversed an earlier decision to place a seven-truck limit on the number of food carts downtown and over-ruled a recommendation to have 15-foot setbacks on any city barbed-wire topped fencing that abuts three or more residential yards. Councilor Dawn Roden, who had an excused absence, wasn't at the meeting. 

New $100 Fee on businesses in city is passed by council. 

Independence businesses, including those that are home-based, will be paying $100 annually to the city after a list of them is developed and implemented, according to a resolution that received a unanimous vote by the city council Tuesday night. 

Councilor Roden was absent from the meeting. 

Businesses that have registered with the Oregon Secretary of State are expected to be used as the record for billing the businesses.

The new fee schedule, which also includes increases to other pre-existing fees, was presented by Independence Finance Director Amanda Carey. 

(Trammart News will follow up on this change with interviews from downtown business owners.) 

Number limiting Food Trucks in downtown is removed.

After a presentation by Jennifer McMullen, co-owner of The Tap Station on Main Street, the city council voted in a unanimous decision to reverse an earlier decision that would have allowed only seven food trucks to locate in the downtown area. 

The initial determination was unfair, McMullen (photo) asserted in her testimony. The action seemed to value one small business owner over another– Parallel 45 had been allowed five food trucks. "I would like to remind the council that all businesses in our town are small businesses," she said. 

The council voted to approve a resolution that completely removes the cap on the number of food trucks. 

(Trammart News plans a feature on The Tap Station, which has undergone recent renovation.) 

Barbed wire fencing: Planning Commission is over-ruled.

The barbed wire was installed on a city-owned fence surrounding the south well field of Independence to add an extra layer of protection to city property. 

But residents of the neighborhood, known as the River Oak area, said the barbed wire addition went up without any communication from the city – and for some of the properties, the fence where it was placed was by their back yards.

The matter then went to the planning commission, the governing body that can make recommendations to the city council on zoning issues. 

After a hearing was held, a majority of the planning commissioners recommended mandating a setback for city fencing with barbed wire, which would be 15 feet from the owners' property lines when it impacts three or more residential yards. 

The council voted to adopt a resolution that eliminated the requirement for the setbacks on city fencing. Mayor Kate Schwarzler warned against the "one-off" nature of the provision. 

However, City Councilor Evan Sorce said he was worried about the lack of communication – neighbors had reported returning home from work to find the change, including barbed-wire on fencing and snips of it on their property. "What is the level of communicating this?" Sorce asked.

There was no communication about it, prior to the installation of the barbed wire, confirmed Assistant City Manager Shawn Irvine. 

Sorce pressed for more communication during such city actions in the future. "How do we do this? It makes a difference, too," he said. 

But Councilor Shannon Corr said she believes there isn't enough staff time to carry out such communication. In the wake of Corr's comment, Trammart News was contacted by a resident with an inquiry about why the full-time communications director couldn't accomplish that task. 

Asked for a response, Planning Commissioner Rebecca Jay noted that the planning commission worked carefully to find what a majority felt was the right means to address both the city's needs and those of the residents. "I did feel, well, what is the point of having a planning commission if they (the council) aren’t going to listen to us," Jay said. 

"This is very disappointing," observed Peggy Clyne, one of the residents who was affected by the barbed-wire addition. She attended Tuesday's meeting. 

(Trammart News will follow up with an inquiry into the duties of the communication director, the approach used by other cities and the reactions of River Oak neighbors.) ▪