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Breeann Flesch names WOU interim Dean of Graduate Studies & Research |
Sports
Dallas Library host free showing of “Best in Show” | PAGE A2
Lady Dragons features best, most girls wrestlers in the state | PAGE B1
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Wednesday January 17, 2024 | Volume 148, Issue 03
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Dallas DMV manning shortages continue Improvements planned to streamline services By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer
While Oregon’s Department of Motor Vehicles has plans in motion to improve services at their offices statewide for 2024, other problems from 2023 have carried over into the new year. Most notably, staffing levels. Already, the Dallas DMV had to close Jan. 9 due to insufficient staffing. Michelle Godfrey, mid-Willamette Valley DMV public information officer, said that happened nine times in 2023. She added the staffing shortage extends to DMV offices throughout the region. “On a daily basis, DMV must shift staff among offices to cover absences,
SNOW BOUND SNOW BOUND
See DMV, page A8 PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES
Steve and his dog Patches make their way to a warming center Jan. 13 in Downtown Dallas after a weather system dropped a couple inches of snow overnight and freezing rain continued throughout Saturday.
Rick’s Place nears Open Road goes global with new name, brand its end Transportation company expands presence in Dallas after 30year run By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer
Dallas based transportation business Open Road By LANCE MASTERSON unveiled its refreshed brand For The Itemizer-Observer identity and new name on Jan. 4, OpenRoad Global. A landmark business is closing its doors after almost Mark Weisensee, CEO, and wife Liz Weinsensee, 30 years in downtown Corporate Secretary/Banking Monmouth. Rick’s Place will no longer Administrator, celebrated the be quenching thirst, satisfying announcement at their Dallas appetites and hosting morning headquarters before about 75 employees inside the foyer of chats come the end of the the newly expanded building, month. The coffee shop “has been while another 200 watched via livestream. a fixture on Main Street for “OpenRoad has gone 29 years and 11 months, through a great transformation and the warm smiles, great over the years. Our services beverages and sandwiches are complete, our operating (from owner Rick Gydesen) model is in place, our technolwill be sorely missed,” ogy is top-of-the-line, and our said Miriam Haugen, vice culture is powerful. The work we’ve done up to this point has positioned our business See RICK’S, page A7 to reach new heights in the
coming years,” said Mark. “Our refreshed brand is so much more than just a facelift. It speaks to the decades of drive, grit, and determination that have led us to our strong position in the industry, and it also signals the exciting and bright future each of us is working so diligently toward.” This news comes in the wake of many recent initiatives and accomplishments of the company, including: - Ranking No. 5 on The Oregonian’s List of Top Midsize Employers of 2023 - Appearing on the 2023 Inc. 5000 list for the fourth time – ranking No. 2835 with a three-year revenue growth of 188%. - Celebrating 20 years of growth and expanded services worldwide in June 2024. “It struck us that our name Open Road Transportation
PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES
Open Road Global founders Mark and Liz Weisensee raise a toast with their employees Jan. 4 to the company’s new name and brand. wasn’t quite describing the version of ourselves that we’d become, Liz told the employees. “With nearly two decades of growth, expertise and expanded service worldwide, we needed a name
that didn’t simply connotate transportation but something that encompassed the entirety of our services. Open Road Global is a name that will carry us far into the future as it accurately reflects our
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mission to empower global business through personal and modern logistic services.” The Weisensees began Open Road Trucking in 2007 See EXPANDS, page A8
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