Buckman Community Association
By Susan Lindsay
Over the next several months, the BCA is hosting at our monthly meetings all the candidates for City Commissioner District 3. In June, we met Jesse Cornett and Dan Gilk. In July it will be Luke Zak, Rex Burkholder and Tiffany Koyama Lane. Come and meet your future commissioners to help inform your vote!
Meanwhile, summer is here and our Buckman Summer Events are in full swing! Coming right up is the Buckman Movie in the Park, the evening of Thursday, July 18 at Colonel Summers Park featuring cult classic and crowd favorite, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
Next is the 12th Annual Buckman Picnic in the Park Sunday, August 4, 4-8 pm at Colonel Summers Park. This event is over the top fun and should not be missed. The event is very kid (young and old) friendly, featuring music, an ice cream truck, fire engine tours, mini horses, prizes, splash pad fun, kids’ games, face painting and a bouncy house or two! We always try to get a roving politician or two at the party. This being an election year, we can assume many will show up to woo your vote. While we will not be serving a hot meal as in years past, we hope to have free snacks and other goodies.
But we need volunteers and donations (both events are covered by our fiscal sponsorship so all business and individual donations are tax deductible). Sponsors will be recognized in signage and announced with great appreciation at the event. To volunteer, donate or get more detailed information, please email buckmanpicnicteam@googlegroups.com. We’ll get right back to you!
If you live and/or work in Buckman, one of the oldest and greatest neighborhoods in Portland, and want to get involved in neighborhood projects, activities or community building, please contact the BCA anytime at buckmanboard@googlegroups.com or via buckmanpdx.org. We are also on Facebook and you are welcome to join our group and post your own events there. The BCA meets once a month, every second Thursday, 7-9 pm at Hinson Church, 1137 SE 20th Ave. (enter off Salmon St.). We also offer a hybrid option. Email us for the link!
HAND
By Jill Riebesehl
The Hosford-Abernethy NA June meeting was mostly all business, except for the visit with state Rep. Rob Nosse. He opened by saying it’s been a light summer compared with the last few years of challenges. In his capacity, he covers and participates in a myriad of civic meetings and activities, which he shares in a newsletter as well as a column in this newspaper.
We discussed issues and problems of disadvantaged youths, public financing, housing and behavioral health care. Several people on our board are well-versed in much of this, making the discussion lively. Rob referred to Dr. George Keepers, chair of psychiatry at OHSU, who says what our state is doing on mental health is all wrong, as it is ranked 46th in the nation as measured by access to care and positive outcomes. We also discussed the pros and cons of the county taking over homeless sanctuaries managed by the city.
We, as well as Sunnyside NA, agreed to give Richmond NA $300 for its annual movies in the park event. The movie will be “A Million Miles Away,” Friday, August 30 at Sewallcrest Park. Entertainment will be youth martial arts One With Heart at 7:30 pm; the movie starts at dusk. We agreed to give our OK to the Hood to Coast run-walk relay to pass through a small section of our neighborhood Friday, August 23-Saturday, August 24. WeShine will be holding a “welcome day” for the Avalon Village sanctuary Saturday, June 29, 2-4 pm; the anticipated opening is late July. Chris Eykamp mentioned the old Kimball organ at Cleveland High. Members are concerned major changes at the high school may threaten it. The Columbia River Theatre Organ Society is holding concerts monthly on Tuesdays, for sure in September.
The Board discussed what HAND’s role might be regarding the long-standing banana mural at SE Division St. and 12th Ave. and lent its support to two other murals.
We elected our slate of officers for the next interim, with no changes. And we agreed to change our regular meeting date to the second Tuesday of the month. The next meeting will be July 9, 7 pm at St. Philip Neri. Everyone is welcome.
Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association
By David Petrozzi
MTNA hosted a neighborhood discussion focused on ensuring that summer events in Mt. Tabor Park are safe, secure, clean and considerate for everyone. Lieutenant Dominic Frederickson from the Portland Fire Department shared its existing plans for fire safety and the various ways they keep our park safe during dry weather, summer holidays and scheduled events. An officer from the Portland Police Department was also present to gather community feedback, aiming to fine-tune its response strategies for park events, particularly after dark.
Our neighbors then had the opportunity to share their personal stories of how these events impacted them, ask important questions to Portland Police and Fire regarding safety and security, and suggest ways to continue working successfully to address each other’s concerns. It was wonderful to see our community come together to build a better, more enjoyable Mt. Tabor Park for everyone.
A representative from the newly formed Tabor Dance Community shared their inspiring story of growth. What started as a small gathering of friends to boost mental health during the pandemic has blossomed into a vibrant community event, free and open to everyone. The group recently registered as a nonprofit organization. This step ensures their events will be properly permitted, addressing safety, parking, noise levels and fostering neighborhood goodwill. You can learn more about their story and upcoming events at tabordance.org.
MTNA’s next meeting will be held Wednesday, July 17, 7 pm, online via Zoom. For more information, including how to register, as well as all of our additional neighborhood outreach, please visit mttaborpdx.org.
Richmond Neighborhood Association
By Allen Field
The Richmond Neighborhood Association met June 10. Meetings are the second Monday of the month, 7-9 pm, held at Central Christian Church, 1844 SE Cesar Chavez Blvd. The link to pre-register for Zoom attendance is on the agenda, posted to richmondpdx.org and the RNA Announce listserv. Email richmondnasecretary@gmail.com to be added to the listserv.
The annual Board Election was held June 10 and 11. All the candidates were elected—Fran Davison, Allen Field and David Michelson.
The Board voted to adopt the amendment proposed by SE Uplift to their Fiscal Sponsorship agreement on the annual fee structure. The Board also voted to pay the city the fee for the August 30 movie in Sewallcrest Park, “A Million Miles Away.”
Field gave a report on the Spring Cleanup. A record number of cars came through (318), a record amount of bulky waste, Styrofoam and electronics was collected and it was Metro’s second largest event this year for collection of household batteries, compact fluorescent lights (CFL), meds and sharps. Green Century Recycling, a new vendor, handled the Styrofoam and electronics recycling.
Goals for next year include eliminating the backup that occurred on Cesar Chavez Blvd.; adding more volunteers; enforcing the ban on construction/demolition/remodeling debris; organizing the rummage sale better; and having more organizations take unsold items from the Rummage Sale. The Styrofoam collection might be made a separate event next year to better ensure it won’t rain on the event, which contaminates the Styrofoam. Contact richmondcleanup@gmail.com if you want to volunteer next year.
The next RNA meeting is Monday, July 8. Everyone is welcome. Check out a meeting and learn about ways to get more involved in the community.
South Tabor Neighborhood Association
By Cathy Kudlick
The South Tabor Neighborhood Association (STNA) is in full swing this summer. In June, our 4th Annual Yard Sale/Garden Tour had more host sites than ever before—over 50 throughout the neighborhood!
Also in June, we revived The South Tabor Crow, a quarterly online newsletter that includes profiles of local places and people. To access the newsletter and sign up for our low-traffic mailing list, visit southtabor.org. And please fill out the quick survey in the newsletter with your feedback. We’re already at work on the September issue and would love to expand our tiny editorial flock of two. Let us know if you’d like to get involved.
The enthusiastic response to The Crow brought new members to our outdoor June meeting and Board elections. Join us again in person Thursday, July 18, 7 pm to meet neighbors and new Board members and to discuss fall plans. Everyone is welcome!