Community News April 2015

Walk + Bike Challenge

The Walk + Bike Challenge is a friendly competition aimed at encouraging more kids and families to walk and bike to and from school and throughout their neighborhoods. The Challenge is hosted by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) with support from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).

Once you register your school for the Walk+Bike Challenge, be sure to order your free incentives including: stickers, temporary tattoos, prize ribbons, and helmets.

Teachers can check out the Resources page for tips, curriculum, and for a free coordinator packet that includes: tips and resources for promoting the event, organizing parent volunteers, procuring local prizes, and how to track active transportation trips taken by students.

New this year: tracking all participants’ trips is even more important. For every child that participates in the Walk+Bike Challenge, Grouptrail will donate 10 cents to BTA’s Walk+Bike program.

Track on a weekly basis or for the whole month. BTA will hold weekly prize drawings for schools that log trips each week to win extra incentives, gift certificates, and other great prizes.

Register at walknbike.org. All the information is there.

 

car2go adds bike racks

 

car2go announced it will officially begin outfitting 250 of its blue and white car2go vehicles, half of its carsharing fleet, with bike racks, allowing over 30,000 Portland members to combine both transportation options when needing to get from Point A to Point B with ease.

“Bicycling is such an integral part of life here in Portland, so it was important to us to find a solution where we could combine the options of both bicycling and car2go in a simple, safe, and durable way,” said car2go Portland Location Manager, Ken Hills.

Launched in March 2012, Portland car2go currently has over 30,000 members who have access to 530 vehicles within a 52 square mile Home Area.

It is a flexible and “on demand” mode of transportation, and complements existing public transportation by bridging gaps between the “first and last mile” of a member’s commute.

 

Members are encouraged to keep up to date on all the latest member events and promotions by following @car2goPortland on Twitter and connecting with car2go on Facebook.

 

Early learning–Early intervention

 

Join the League of Women Voters in Portland for this civic education panel discussion on what’s best for Oregon’s children. The focus is a study by the League of Women Voters of Oregon Education Fund (LWVOR-ED) that provides background on Oregon’s efforts to improve its system for young children while reducing risk factors in children’s early years—from pregnancy to age six. See the study online at : voteoregon.org/children-at-risk.

This public, free event is Tuesday, April 14, from 7-9 pm at the Multnomah County Building, Board Room, 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd.,.

The program will be taped and available soon after – online at: www.lwvpdx.org.

 

PPS Hosford Middle School received a $3500 grant to combat childhood obesity. The running club exercised twice a week, all participating students received new running shoes and will be running in a 5K culminating event on May 3.

 

The public is invited to join this community 5K fun run/walk that starts and finishes at Hosford Middle School (aka the dog park).  Funds raised from this event will fund the Hosford PTSA and Shu Ren programs supporting band, drama and Mandarin Immersion.  Community members can register for the Hosford Husky Hustle on line at https://runsignup.com/Hosford.  Follow the event on Facebook at HMS5kHuskyHustle.

 

Gardening tips

 

By Bonita Davis

Certified Master Recycler

 

Gardening season is here! Whether it’s a tomato plant on the deck, a community garden plot, or raised beds in the yard, it’s time to dig in the dirt.

Even if you use the green roller bins for most of your yard clippings and food scraps, you can still reap the benefits from making and using backyard compost. Go www.oregonmetro.gov, Tools and Services, to find great info on how to get started, including making or buying a compost bin.

Look for the $5. Off Good Stuff Coupon redeemable at participating local retailers for compost, native plants and hand weeding tools. Compost from our curbside program is available for $20 per yard through Recology. Call 503.647.9489, for info including delivery options.

Visit the SE Portland Library at 2800 SE Harrison and get inspired by the inventory of 1,200 tools. Membership and tool loans are free, and they are now open Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturdays. Check out their Seed Exchange Program. Hours and details at www.septl.org.

When planning out your garden, why not include a little extra to share with the Oregon Food Bank through their “Plant a Row Program?”   To learn more, go to www.oregonfoodbank.org

 

Warner Pacific College Early Learning Center

 

The Early Learning Center (ELC) is nationally-accredited by the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) and state licensed part-day preschool program.

ELC provides an opportunity for students to practice skills learned in the classroom, under the guidance of a director and qualified teachers.

They are hosting an informational, drop in Open House Wednesday, March 18, from 5:30 – 7:30 pm, at 2219 SE 68th Ave.

For more information, contact them at 503.517.1081.

It’s for parents with children between 3 – 6 years of age. Meet the teachers, tour the facility, and pick up a registration packet.

 

Southeast Soccer Club Competetive Program

 

Southeast Soccer Club provides a positive experience for all levels of development and competition and to instill a lifelong love of the game. The program is designed to prepare players for high school and college play and follows the curriculum of the United States Soccer Federation.

Development U9-U10 and U11-U 14 soccer is a year-round program involving outdoor play in spring, summer and fall and indoor futsal in winter. For fees and programs go to SESC-PDX.org.

 

Baseball in Portland for 2016

 

Rose City Baseball, LLC, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R), and the Portland Development Commission (PDC) announced that baseball is returning to the City of Portland with a new college wood-bat team based in east Portland.

The City and the Great West League are partnering to bring Portland’s new baseball team (soon-to-be named by Portland’s fans) to Walker Stadium in PP&R’s Lents Park (SE 92nd and Holgate) for the 2016 season.

The new Walker Stadium will have a capacity of 1,500, including group event areas. The stadium in PP&R’s Lents Park was constructed in 1956. It is located within easy reach of mass transit and major freeways.

The updated Walker Stadium will cater to fans’ enjoyment of professional-style baseball with multiple concession stands, a playground and group event areas.

The yet-to-be-named team will play 30 home games per 60 game season. The team will pay rent to the City, clean the stadium, and provide security during games.

Outside of the dates set aside for the team, the stadium will be open for permitted play by anyone who reserves it.

 

 

Oldest Human Occupations

 

Near the Rimrock Draw Rockshelter outside of Riley, Oregon, archaeologists recently discovered evidence suggesting one of the oldest known human occupations in the western United States.

Archaeologists with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the University of Oregon Archaeological Field School have been excavating at the Rimrock Draw Rockshelter since 2011. Their discoveries have included a number of stone projectile points and tooth enamel fragments likely belonging to a prehistoric camel (Camelops sp.) that became extinct approximately 13,000 years ago.

What has the archaeological community most excited is a small stone tool found below a layer of volcanic ash. Near the bottom of a 12-foot deposit, archaeologists discovered a layer of ash identified as volcanic ash from a Mt. St. Helens eruption about 15,800 years ago.

Beneath the layer of volcanic ash, archaeologists discovered a small orange agate tool believed to have been used for scraping animal hides, butchering, and possibly carving wood. A blood residue analysis of the tool revealed animal proteins consistent with bison, the most likely species being Bison antiquus, an extinct ancestor of the modern buffalo.

“The discovery of this tool below a layer of undisturbed ash that dates to 15,800 years old means that this tool is likely more than 15,800 years old, which would suggest the oldest human occupation west of the Rockies,” said Scott Thomas, BLM Burns District archaeologist.

 

The Spritely Bean, 5829 SE Powell Blvd. offers a variety of beverages, food and indie comics. They want to provide a pleasant café environment for the community, as well as an event platform for invigorating the local comics scene. They will host book signings, gallery shows, workgroups, and established events, like 24-Hour Comics Day. 503.302.5225

 

Free Dahlia Workshop

 

Old House Dahlias hosts a free dahlia workshop at 8005 SE Mill St. to demonstrate and the do and don’ts of planting dahlias.

Find out how to make your plant stand up with less staking, what to look for if a plant is infected with virus or parasitic bugs, how to harvest, divide and store dahlias. Learn how to root cuttings  and increase the amount of dahlias without dividing tubers. Dahlia tubers will be for sale.

Class dates are April 11,12 at 10 am, 12:30 pm and 3 pm

Call Mark to reserve a place: 503.771.1199 as size of classes are limited.

 

Powell-Division committee selects Tilikum Crossing

 

By Craig Beebe

 

TriMet general manager Neil McFarlane passed out commemorative Tilikum Crossing pins at the recent Powell-Division steering committee meeting. The committee decided to move forward using the new transit bridge for what is planned to be the region’s first bus rapid transit project.

“The Tilikum Crossing is the ‘bridge of the people,” McFarlane told fellow members of the Powell-Division Transit and Development Project steering committee. “You are all part of the Tilikum’s people now.”

The steering committee advanced several bus rapid transit route options in Portland and Gresham, ultimately choosing Tilikum Crossing, and three options each in Portland and Gresham.

The committee expressed near-unanimous enthusiasm for using 82nd Avenue as the route to connect bus rapid transit line from Powell Blvd. to Division St in SE Portland, citing access to PCC Southeast and the Jade District.

 

The committee chose to advance 50th, 52nd and 82nd avenues, removing Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. and SE 92nd Ave. from further consideration.

In Gresham, the steering committee advanced three options that make an important connection to Mount Hood Community College, which many on the committee and the public have highlighted as a priority.

The three options also mean the line could serve Gresham Vista Business Park and Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center on SE Stark St.

 

DIY Insulation Workshop

 

These free workshops teach participants how to weatherize a flat attic. Both are held at at Community Energy Project, 2900 SE Stark St., Suite A.

The DIY Insulation Workshop is Saturday, April 18, from 9 to 11:30 am Topics covered include safety, air sealing, ventilation, installing insulation, and incentives to help cover the cost of your project.

The Lead-Safe Home Projects Workshop is Tuesday, April 28, from 6 to 7:30 pm.

Before any scraping, sanding, or remodeling in pre-1978 housing, you’ll need the info from this class. It’s designed for people who want to do a small project that may involve exposure to lead paint, such as sanding down an old window frame or reused door with potential lead paint, or a small construction project in an older home.

Find out more and register for these workshops at www.communityenergyproject.org or call 503.284.6827 x108

 

Cleveland High School’s College Night is Wednesday, April 29, 7 – 9 pm in the auditorium. and doors open at 6:45 pm at 3400 SE 26th Ave. College Night is an essential informational meeting for juniors and sophomores and their parents as they begin the college research and application process. The evening will be divided into several sessions so students and their parents can learn about researching and choosing the right school, the admissions process, how to write a compelling college essay, financial aid and scholarships, and other pertinent topics. Speakers will be from CHS, university admissions offices, and outside admissions experts. Call Cleveland’s College and Career Center if you have questions 503.916.5120.

 

Franklin High School Senior All-Night Party plant sale FUNDRAISER takes place Saturday, April 18 from 10 am to 2 pm, at 1725 SE 57th Ave, between Lincoln St.and Hawthorne Blvd. Come early for best selection. Donated plants are welcome. If you’ve been out on these nice sunny days dividing or rearranging and have orphans, they will pot them up and give them a good home. Call Maye Thompson at 503.232.6167 to arrange contributions, before Thursday, April 17.

 

Easter Egg Hunt ON Easter Morning – April 5,10:15-10:45 am for children up through 3rd grade. Sunnyside United Methodist Church, 3520 SE Yamhill.  Easter Service is at 11 am.  All are welcome.

 

The Oregon Fuchsia Society Annual Spring Plant Sale is Saturday, May 16, 9 am – 2 pm at Portland Nursery, 9000 SE Division St. For information, www.oregonfuchsiasoceity.com, 503.246.7920.

 

Orienteer Hike/Event at Mt. Tabor–The Columbia River Orienteering Club offers this free annual event to teach the fun of using a map and compass to get to markers along a course. Instructional clinics will be offered throughout the morning; so plan to arrive between 10:30 am and noon Saturday, April 25, at Picnic Area B on the east side of the park. Choose the Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Intermediate, or Challenging course. Website www.croc.org/content/mt-tabor-park-2. To make sure there are enough maps, pre-register by emailing anndyw@pacifier.com.

 

Easter Sunday, April 5, 11 am, Presbyterian Church of Laurelhurst, 935 NE 33rd Ave. All ages are welcome.  503.232.9129.

 

Salmon & Sushi Fest 2015 – Sunday, April 26 starting at 11 am – 7 pm, at the Oregon Buddhist Temple, 3720 SE 34th Ave. They will serve a delicious salmon meal (salmon, marfar chicken, vegetable, salad and rice) for $15 and an assortment of sushi (makisushi, inari sushi, and California rolls) for $7.50 provided by the Nichiren Temple. Also available for purchase: dessert, wine, and beer. Pre-order to ensure availability. www.oregonbuddhisttemple.com.

 

TED Talks, We Talk: Dee Williams, Minimalist – at Belmont Library, 1038 SE Cesar E Chavez Blvd. Thursday April 9, 6:30-7:30 pm. Popular local author of The Big Tiny, Williams sold her home and got rid of most of her belongings. She then built a tiny house on wheels, parked it in a friend’s backyard, and commenced redefining her understanding of the basics. Watch the video with us and stay for a conversation.

 

Creative Writing Class for Adults & Teens
Write from prompts that may lead to new stories, poems & other creative pieces. Mondays, April 6 – June 1, 6:30 – 8:00 pm. TaborSpace, 5441 SE Belmont. $12 to drop in for a class or $80 for all 8 weeks. All experience levels are welcome to join this supportive group. Taught by Pushcart-nominee Linda Ferguson. For information, email ljdferguson@gmail.com.

 

Moving for Better Balance Tai Chi – Wednesdays, 11 am – 12 pm at Presbyterian Church of Laurelhurst, 935 NE 33rd Ave. Tai Chi helps to build balancing skills and, hopefully, prevent falls. Taught by a trained Registered Nurse. All ages welcome. 503.232.9129. A donation of $1 – $4 per class is appreciated.

 

Certified Ombudsman Volunteer Training begins April 15. Certified Ombudsmen are resident advocates for those who are living in long term care facilities and are trained to educate, investigate, and advocate for the rights of the resident and learn to be a “problem solver”. To apply, visit www.oregon.gov/LTCO to download an application or contact Gretchen Jordan, Coordinator of Volunteers at 1.800.522.2602.

 

Oregon Farm Bureau seeks calendar photos for its 2016 Oregon’s Bounty calendar. Horizontal-format, high-resolution images are needed of agriculture in all seasons. Subject ideas include farmers markets, ag products or crops in the field, planting and harvesting, panoramic scenes of farmland, people enjoying agriculture, farm animals, portraits of farmers/ranchers, county fairs, and farming scenes from all seasons. Deadline for entries is September 15. Photo specs and contest rules are available at oregonfb.org/calendar. To request a copy of the 2015 Oregon’s Bounty calendar, contact Anne Marie Moss, at annemarie@oregonfb.org, 503.399.1701.

 

Hope and Healing Bloom at Mental Health Care Fundraiser – Celebrate Spring while providing mental health care for those in need, regardless of faith or finances. On Saturday, April 18th, The Northwest Catholic Counseling Center (NCC) holds its annual “Swing Into Spring” to help defray the costs of caring for many of our most vulnerable. The benefit is at the Riverside Golf and Country Club at 7 pm with dinner, music, and raffle prizes. Without this vital community fundraising support, many of the 1,200 people NCC helps each year would not have access to mental health care services. Tickets are $45 each and reserved tables of eight are $275, and can be purchased at www.nwcounseling.org or by calling 503.253.0964

Community News April 2015

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