On the Streets Where We Live December 2014

By Nancy Tannler, Editor

 

Dear Readers:

 

Occasional trills of anticipation and good cheer for the upcoming season waft through me these days. I’m not sure it this is a throwback from the sentiments of childhood, the onset of my second childhood, the spirit of tradition or something in the air.

Whatever it is, I am grateful to be part of another round of winter festivities.

Our neighborhoods and business districts are taking on new appearances as the demand for housing and commerce space increases. Almost every neighborhood has witnessed new infill housing and remodeling going on.

Fortunately, citizens with an eye on both the past and the future are keeping tabs on demolitions and navigating the slippery slopes of the legality and design of most of these building projects.

OpenFest celebration on Division Street was attended by lots of neighbors and business people who were glad to see an end to the construction turmoil. Portions of the street look completely different now – more room for new business and apartment dwellers.

The Central Eastside Industrial District, Cesar Chavez, Burnside, Belmont are all witnessing the expansion of the population.

I recently heard someone refer to all the new people coming here as immigrants, which struck me as odd. I thought  that only applied to a person arriving here from a foreign country, but on further thought, it makes sense – it’s a migration. There are varied opinions on how many will be making this area their home. One population projection is 100,000 in the next thirty years, which sounds right to me.

It is mostly the young who are coming here in hopes for a better way of life. They leave overcrowded, under-populated,  polluted, conservative, backward cities and states for the possibilities that Portland has to offer.

It is my highest hope that these young “immigrants” will pick up the torch for all they find good about living here and become involved in the issues that will affect the future of our fair city and state.

A part of the beauty of Portland is the grassroots involvement of its citizens. One example is the determined efforts of the people who have relentlessly opposed the Portland Water Bureau, Bureau of Environmental Services, Portland Parks and Recreation, City Council and their plans for our open reservoirs. (See cover story)

Although they haven’t won the battle, at least they have the gumption to stand up and fight  for something they love.

This year we resurrected our Locally Famous column that gives a shout out to a few of the locals who make a difference here in SE. Their involvement in government, leadership and arts and entertainment on a local level make all our lives better. We will continue spotlighting these individuals in the coming year.

Another example of good citizenship I am proud to talk about is my brother Michael Tannler.

Michael Tannler
Michael Tannler

Although he no longer lives here in the northwest he received the Volunteer of the Year award in his community of Morro Bay.

Mike always said he was born to be retired and, after working hard for thirty+ years, he and his wife Sandi were able to move to the Central Coast of California.

Rather then lounge around, he became a volunteer for the Morro Bay Police Department. (Of course one of the draws could have been the uniform he gets to wear as the years of photographs of him in his Boy Scout, National Guard and Hudson Bay band uniforms will attest to.)

He volunteers several days a week and helps relieve officers in an underfunded and overused police department.

The Southeast Examiner has continued to exist and thrive thanks to our advertisers, readers and writers. We have owned the paper for almost twenty years now and have had the great good fortune of getting to know some of the players on the stage of our very special community.

SE Portland has an incredible array of intelligent, entrepreneurial, good-hearted beings that bring color and light to us all.

On the Streets Where We Live December 2014

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