Tree health: Fact, Fiction and a Few Lies
Trees are a vital part of urban and suburban communities. Whether hardwood or conifer, native or non-native, they provide beauty, shade, wildlife habitat, and diversity to backyards, streets and neighborhoods.
They are susceptible to insects, diseases and abiotic stressors that can decrease tree vitality, damage leaves or branches, or kill whole trees.
Sometimes a tree’s problem may even be you.
Alan Kanaskie, Forest pathologist, certified arborist from the Oregon Department of Forestry will present Tree health: Facts, Fiction and a Few Lies.
The program will review the most important tree pests, explore a few myths about tree care, and scare you about invasive insects and pathogens so you’ll help keep an eye out for potential invaders.
The program will be held November 12Â at 6:45 pm at Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church, 5441 SE Belmont.
Parking is on SE 54th Avenue. This is a part of the monthly OSU Extension Multnomah County Master Gardeners speakers series.
Village Movement Picks Up Steam
In an AARP survey it was reported that most seniors hope to stay in their current residence as long as possible. Many are forced to leave because they lack an adequate support system.
About 15 years ago, residents of the Boston Beacon Hill neighborhood began looking for a way to address this specific problem and the first aging in place Village, was born.
An aging-in-place Village is a group of like-minded people in the same geographic area who come together to figure out and develop the resources they will need to age comfortably in their own homes.
These typically include transportation, social activities, educational programs, volunteer- and reduced cost- professional services, health and wellness programs and more–all depending on the needs and interests of community members who co-create the Village.
Over 115 nonprofit Villages have sprung up across the country and there are over a 120 more in development, including Eastside Village PDX and Village Without Walls in Washington County. There are Village planning groups starting to coalesce in Lake Oswego, Beaverton, NE Portland, and Portland neighborhoods south of Powell.
To learn what all the excitement is about, you are invited to attend a Village 101 presentation. The dates are Sunday, November 17 at 2 pm or Wednesday, December 4 at 7 pm. The Village 101 Presentations are held at Southeast Uplift, 3534 SE Main St. Presentations are free, but space is limited, so please RSVP.
To RSVP, email info@EastsideVillage.org or reserve your place online at www.EastsideVillage.org. If you do not have email, you may call 503.926.9543 to RSVP.
Recyling Tip of the Month:Â Fall Recycling
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Q:Â Help! Table scraps in my green bin create a mess and odor…
A:Â Table scraps including meat and bones can easily be contained in brown paper bags, wrapped in newspaper, or placed in purchased corn plastic compostable bags, to keep odor to a minimum.
A friend freezes food scraps and places them in her roll out cart just before pickup. A section of newspaper on the bottom of the cart along with twigs and leaves from the yard can also help.
Those leftover jack-o-lanterns can be placed in the green bin, as well as pizza boxes with food residue.
What not to include: large amounts of fluids, paper plates, cups or cartons, compostable and take out containers, fast food wrappers, coffee cups, pet waste, corks, etc.
Clean rigid plastic containers  from 4” to 5 gal. (and plant ID tags) from your fall plantings are recyclable curbside. Info at www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/carts or call the Metro Hotline 503.234.3000
Get green this holiday season. Go with fabric tablecloths and napkins that last for years. Find them at your retailer or favorite thrift, or DYI with beautiful fabrics. An extra set of plates, utensils and glassware can eliminate one-time-use papers and plastics to save you money in the long run.
Bonita Davis, Certified Master Recycler, Sunnyside Neighbor
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Troop 351 tree sale
This will be troop 351’s, 33rd year selling Christmas trees and wreaths.
The sale is in the SW corner of St. Ignatius parking lot at 3400 SE 43rd Ave. and funds the Boy Scouts and Venture Crew’s summer camps and activities for the entire year. The sale is run by the volunteer boys, girls and parents.
Trees have been hand-picked from local growers and this year they offer for the first time a limited number of SERF-certified trees (grown on sustainable farms).
Dates are Sat. Nov. 30 through Mon. Dec. 23. Open weekdays 5Â to 9 pm, Weekends, 9 am to 9 pm. For info call the Tree Lot Trailer phone number 503.775.2848.
Weed Warrior receives award
By Mary Kinnick
Alexa Todd, Volunteer Service Coordinator for the Friends of Mt. Tabor Park (FMTP) Weed Warriors, received the 2013 Force of Nature Award for Young Professional from The Intertwine at its annual Summit held on October 9.
The Intertwine Alliance is a coalition of private firms, public agencies and nonprofit organizations working together to tap new sources of funding, to better leverage existing investments, and more fully engage residents with the outdoors and nature.
The Alliance exists to ensure the region’s trail network gets completed; that our natural areas get restored, and that people of all ages discover they can enjoy the outdoors near where they live.
Todd just completed her third year as the Volunteer Service Coordinator (VSC) for the FMTP Weed Warriors. She has helped the volunteer numbers grow significantly and, as a result, the Weed Warriors have cleared a huge amount of invasive species from specific problem areas in Mt Tabor Park.
Due to the success of these efforts, the Weed Warriors (working in collaboration with Portland Parks & Recreation and Bureau of Environmental Services) were able to plant 1700 native species last Oct. and Jan with another major planting scheduled for January 25.
Due in large part to Todd’s leadership and collaboration abilities, Weed Warriors received the Sandy Diedrich Environmental Stewardship Award in October 2012, a Spirit of Portland Award given by the City of Portland.
Todd’s list of accomplishments include: improving the organization’s overall volunteer numbers as well as retention; designing and achieving multi-partner funding for the first ever Mt Tabor Park Native Plant Guide (available at the Mt. Tabor Park Visitor Center); mapping out specific service project sites detailing locations of natives vs. invasives and planning for those projects.
In addition, she’s creating a Facebook page for the Weed Warriors; making significant contributions to the development of the first ever Weed Warrior crew leader handbook; and planning/ participating in the Weed Warrior crew leader training program.
Her constant attention to the needs and interests of the volunteers has been exceptional. Alexa expects to complete her Master’s degree in Geography from Portland State University in January.
La Calaca Comelona Walk Up Lunch Window is Open from 11 am to 2 pm with to go or out door seating. La Calaca Comelona Lunch Window will be serving an all new menu including: meat tamales, vege tamales, home made quesadillas, tacos, tortas, rice with pinto or black beans and other delicious, authentic Mexican food with a weekly special. Orders can be placed in advance by calling 503.239.9675. Located at 2304 SE Belmont, www.lacalacacomelona.com. Restaurant open daily 4 – closing.
Local lineman plays All American Bowl
Connor Humphreys of Portland’s Central Catholic High School, has been selected to play in the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, joining an elite group of All-Americans.
Those selected play in the game on Saturday, January 4, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The annual East vs. West match-up will be televised live on NBC at 1 pm EST and will feature the nation’s top 90 high school football players.
“Connor is a talented athlete whose leadership and teamwork qualities have made him a standout at his high school,” said Mark Davis, deputy assistant Secretary of the Army for Marketing.
As a result of Humphreys being selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, headcoach, Steve Pyne, is invited to travel to San Antonio and attend the U.S. Army Coaches Academy, a three-day learning experience, including Bowl Week activities.
For information on the All-American Bowl and its related events visit www.usarmyallamericanbowl.com and www.goarmy.com/events/aab .
Ankeny Row–a pocket neighborhood
Homes are not just places to live, they are the foundation for a lifestyle. The owners of Ankeny Row, LLC realized this when they set out to create a community that would enable them to live comfortably with fewer resources without giving up their quality of life. The result is an urban infill “pocket” neighborhood strongly emphasizing people, community and a common ecosystem.
Building on a once-vacant 12,600-square-foot lot in the Buckman neighborhood, Ankeny Row includes six craftsman-style townhomes and a shared common building, garden and courtyard. Its proximity to stores, restaurants, parks and public transit mean that inhabitants can live a car-free lifestyle. The contractors for the project is Green Hammer.
All the buildings were designed as Passive Houses, utilizing a combination of super-insulated, airtight construction, heat-recovery ventilation and passive solar heating. As a result, the buildings’ heating loads have been reduced by 90% compared to typical new homes. The buildings will produce all of their own energy from rooftop solar arrays, allowing them to achieve net-zero energy performance.
Contest promotes garbage day reminders
For every 1000 Portland residents who go to www.garbagedayreminders.com to sign up for free email reminders, the City will hold a drawing to select winners to receive a prize of a $100 garbage bill credit.
The contest is open to all single-family and smallplex (two- to four-unit) households and runs from today through March 1, 2014, or until ten winners are selected. To sign up for reminders and be automatically entered for a chance to win, visit www.garbagedayreminders.com.
It has been two years since Portland started adding food scraps to yard debris in the green Portland Composts roll cart and switched to every-other-week garbage collection. Now almost 80 percent of Portland households do.
Food scraps are converted into nutrient-rich compost that is used by local farmers and community gardens. Since the start of the program, 156,000 tons of food scraps and yard debris have been collected and household garbage headed to the landfill has decreased by 37 percent.
“Congratulations to Portlanders for reaching a 70 percent recycling rate citywide,” said Mayor Charlie Hales. “These email reminders are one more way to make green choices even easier.”
Mt Tabor lost and found
Many items have been turned in at the Mt Tabor Park Visitor Center. Â If you believe any of the items below belong to you, you will find the Visitor Center open most every Saturday and Sunday, plus throughout the week. Some items are listed here:
• Black key fobs. •  Single keys for cars without the black fob. • Miscellaneous house keys with these identifiers: a Batman lanyard, a red ribbon, a red twist bracelet, a red caribiner, a green flipflop, a black lanyard, a pewter attachment, a pewter ring and a small silver caribiner. keys with a small tag that says Paris, keys on a ring with the word On Guard, a key with brass tag #46 and house or car keys without any identification.  There are cell phones, earphones, lens covers, chargers, a watch, a bike computer, sunglasses, a change purse, camera case, a black pouch with belt clip and credit cards, a black wallet with credit cards, and more bank cards. The list of clothing items is too long to list.
Annual Advent Craft Festival – Sunday December 1, 1-3 pm. Crafts to make for all ages, including Christmas swags. It is a community event and free. Tabor Heights Methodist Church, 6161 SE Stark. Questions? www.taborheights.or or call 503.236.7151
EMOTIONS 101 – Free class Thursday, Nov. 14, 6:30 pm. Tired of applying a fresh coat of positive thinking over an old set of “negative” feelings? Learn how to cut through “stuck” feelings using self-compassion. No registration required, just drop in. Classroom opens at 6:15 pm. No food or pets, please. 1235 SE Division St., #207. For information, visit www.TinaGilbertson.com/free_events.html.
Grant/Cleveland High School Ski Race Team’s annual Winter Gear Swap held Nov. 8 and 9 at the Portland Adventure Boot Camp, 1606 NE 37th Ave. (between Broadway and Sandy Blvd.) The Mountain Shop is donating tons of used skis, boots and gear so expect even more great bargains this year. Consignment items will be accepted Friday, Nov. 8, from 7:30 to 9 pm and Saturday, Nov. 9, beginning at 10:30 am. The sale will be held Saturday, Nov. 9, from noon to 6 pm, and Sunday, Nov. 10, from 10 am to 3 pm. For info: www.grantclevelandskiteam.com.
Holy Cross Lutheran Church Welcomes their new Pastor Michael Suelzle who comes from Grace Lutheran Church in Pocatello, Idaho.Pastor Suelzle will be installed as Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church Nov. 10, at 4 pm. His brother, Pastor Dan Suelzle from Grace Lutheran Church in Eugene will preach and Rev. Paul Linnemann, District President will conduct the rite of installation. All are welcome to attend and welcome Pastor Suelzle and his family. Holy Cross Lutheran Church is at 8705 E. Burnside Ave. Call: 503.254.8705 or email: office@chlcpdx.org .
Presents of Mind Holiday Open House, November 9, 10 from 12 noon– 5 pm, 3633 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 503.230.7740. Get a look at thier unparalleled holiday selection for the best solstice, Christmas and Hanukkah cards, wrap, Menorahs, decorations, ornaments, boxed cards and more. A portion of all holiday sales this year will be donated to Outside In.
BREAKFAST FORUM MEETING – Modern Israel from Personal Experience, November 21, 7:30 am, at Tom’s Restaurant, SE 39th and Division. David Tver, a Portland native, speaks on modern Israel and his experiences living there for seven years. He’s done research at Tel Aviv University, worked making eyeglass lenses, and lived on a kibbutz. In the US, he has headed an Israel immigration club and the local branch of the Biblical Archaeology Society. The Breakfast Forum is an informal group; members are interested in a wide range of issues, including educational and political issues. They discuss these monthly in respectful ways. Members choose both topics and speakers. No registration required. Call 503.774.9621.
Portland “Comp” Plan Forum: Thursday, November 14, from 7 – 9 pm, Buckman Community Association hosts a forum on potential changes to future housing and commercial density on the inner eastside as a result of the writing of a new comprehensive plan. How much density and development in inner SE/NE do you want? What kind and where? Now is the time to get involved and get your ideas and opinions heard. Staff from Portland Planning and Sustainability will be on hand to answer questions, explain their process and listen to feedback on future development, size, and traffic/parking impacts on neighborhoods. Nearby neighbors from HAND, Sunnyside, Richmond, KERNS and Brooklyn are invited and encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be served and all are welcome. Multnomah County Board Room, 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
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Portland Sings! A Community Sing–Sunday Nov. 17, 3 – 5 pm, TaborSpace 5441 SE Belmont St., 503.238.3904. Have fun singing along to your favorite songs. Mark Bosnian leads everyone in singing songs of many genres: Motown, Pop, Rock, Folk, Soul, Blues, Country, Broadway, Jazz, and more. Sing the melody, sing a harmony, whatever works for you. Email for a digital lyric book: info@SingFreeNow.com Admission sliding scale $5-$10
Volunteers Needed for Donate Dinner Campaign. Meals on Wheels People needs volunteers for its annual Donate Dinner campaign Nov. 23 through 27. The event raises much-needed funds to feed seniors in the greater metro area. Volunteers spend just two hours distributing Donate Dinner cards to shoppers at one of 27 independent grocers. Volunteers are most needed in North and Northeast Portland as well as close-in Southeast Portland. More than 1,500 individuals make this one of the largest volunteer events in Portland. To register for a volunteer shift, see the participating grocers or to view a promotional video, visit www.donatedinner.org or call Lauren Woodward at 503.953.8132
Home Energy Tune-Up Workshops – Home Performance Guild of energy efficiency contractors presents tips on how to improve home energy performance in a series of workshops at Umpqua Banks throughout Portland during the month of November. Homeowners learn the basics of a home energy assessment, how to navigate energy efficiency programs and incentives, and how to pinpoint opportunities for home energy performance improvements. To learn about the Home Performance Guild, visit HPGuild.org or Umpqua Bank Hawthorne Store – Saturday, November 16, 2 to 3 pm, 3557 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Contact: & RSVP  Jerrell Owens, 503.219.6152.
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St. Philip Neri eScrip program–an electronic scrip program that allows for St. Philip to receive a specific percentage of money from purchases made at Safeway and other stores. The website, www.escrip.com tells you how to sign up. There is an online mall and dining out to donate income too.
Pug lovers—come meet your next best friend! Pacific Pug Rescue is having our November adoption outreach at Furever Pets at 1902 NE Broadway, Sunday Nov. 9 from 12:30 – 2:30. Come and meet all our sweet adoptable pugs.