Buckman Community Association
By Susan Lindsay
All aboard! The annual elections for the Board of the Buckman Community Association are upon us! The Board is composed of nine, two-year positions, half of which stagger into election cycle yearly. This year there are six positions available for candidates, five two-year and one single year due to a Board member moving away and resigning early, Board service requires commitment to monthly meetings, and active involvement in service either on a committee or project of their choice. No prior experience is necessary but we hope that you’ve at least come to a meeting or two in the past.
Elections will take place Thursday, June 12 at our monthly meeting. Candidates will be asked to speak briefly about their experience, interests and why they want to serve before the actual vote. A Southeast Uplift representative will attend and assist with the balloting and vote tabulation. Board service is interesting, fun and often quite engaging. It also gives you a means to build community and positive connections here in Buckman with your neighbors. Email the Board for more information at buckmanboard@googlegroups.com.
The all volunteer, completely free Buckman picnic needs you! Scheduled for Sunday, August 3, 4-8 pm at Colonel Summers Park, there will be music, prizes, free ice cream, bouncy house, water games and kids activities galore. Volunteer and donate…or get your favorite business to sponsor. You can donate directly (it’s tax deductible!) via our website, buckmanpdx.org. It’s easy and donation safe! Or if you prefer, send a check directly made it out to “Southeast Uplift,” 3534 SE Main St., Portland, 97214. Be sure to put “For Buckman Picnic 2025” across the check (top or bottom). No amount is too small! You’ll get a receipt for tax purposes. The Picnic costs about $3,000-4,000 to produce as we pay for music, park permit fees, porta-potties, sound, ice-cream truck, bouncy house, insurance and a fun attraction, which last year was those adorable baby goats. To volunteer for the event, contact Buckman Picnic Volunteer Coordinator, Rie Nakata kanemasuoregon@gmail.com. To sponsor, donate or host an activity, email buckmanpicnicteam@googlegroups.com.
Additionally there will be updates on current land use items and announcements at the June meeting as well. Stay connected by using our Facebook page and our website, buckmanpdx.org.
HAND
By Jill Riebesehl
At Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood’s annual meetings we aim to seek input from various and sundry influences in our neighborhood. This year, we sighted in on one group of ubiquitous neighbors—crows—and we learned about CHAP, a side activity of Portland Fire & Rescue which was new to many of us.
Gary Granger, of PDX Crow Roost, informed us that settlers in North America considered crows serious pests and tried many ways to eradicate them, to no avail. Now, urban living provides crows safe harbor. In 2017 in Portland, crows numbered 5,000; now, it’s about 22,000. Attractions include the city as a heat island, fewer predators, more light (crows don’t see as well in the dark) and food sources year round. Granger dispelled the common belief that crows are a major predator of nesting songbirds; indeed, squirrels by far are the major culprits.
Nurse Paul Keltner introduced us to a three-plus-year-old service of the fire bureau that relieves some of the workload and financial burden of more expensive rescue efforts. It is organized in small cadres of EMTs and paramedics with a focus on medical issues, low-key needs and follow-ups and is on duty 8 am-6 pm, Monday-Thursday. All 911 calls are funneled to appropriate responders, of which CHAP is one. (Portland Street Response responds to behavioral and mental health emergency needs.) CARE Oregon funds CHAP, which is not at this point a part of the fire bureau’s budget. By Keltner’s reckoning, the teams have saved taxpayers millions of dollars.
Several members of the Board participate regularly with official groups like PEMO and CTOC, covering city issues and the two shelters in our neighborhood (Clinton St. TASS and Avalon).
The HAND Board officially gained two members, will be electing officers at the June meeting and voted to kick in $300 for the Richmond neighborhood’s annual Movies in the Park. The Board meets on St. Philip Neri’s campus at 7 pm every second Tuesday most months.
Kerns Neighborhood Association
By Rebecca Boenke
Kerns Neighborhood Association is hosting an outdoor event at Domingo’s Thursday, June 5, 5-9 pm. We’ll have live, local music and BINGO. Join us for some great food and drink, fun times and prizes! Domingo’s is located at 2935 NE Glisan St.
Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association
By David Petrozzi
MTNA held its annual Board elections last month, approving the entire slate by acclamation. Congratulations to new and returning Board members, especially Secretary Nadine Fiedler, Treasurer Bing Wong and President Paul Leistner! Here are just a few of our accomplishments over the past year: our annual neighborhood cleanup, free personal safety workshop, Tabor for All initiative designed to improve access to the park, various history events exploring the rich culture of our community, hosting a delegation of Japanese Government officials, organizing the District 3 City Council Candidate Forum giving our members the opportunity to ask direct questions to potential council members during the run-up to election, presentations on the new form of city government, CEI Hub Advocacy safeguarding the health of our rivers, support for pedestrian safety on E Burnside St., support for neighbors on land use issues and our burgeoning place making project designed to build community and enhance livability.
It’s our pleasure to do what we can to keep Mt. Tabor vibrant and we appreciate the support of our friends and neighbors. Join us at our next meeting Wednesday, June 18, online via Zoom and in person at Taborspace. Visit our website. mttaborpdx.org, to sign up and for more details.
Richmond Neighborhood Association
By Allen Field
The Richmond Neighborhood Association met May 12. Meetings are the second Monday of the month 7-9 pm, except January. All are welcome to attend and participate. We meet at Central Christian Church, 1844 SE Cesar Chavez Blvd. People can participate via Zoom—the link to register is on the agenda, posted to richmondpdx.org and the RNA’s listserv. Meetings are recorded and posted to the website. Email richmondnasecretary@gmail.com to get on the listserv.
Laura Bartoff, Creston Elementary School PTA, described volunteer opportunities, which are especially needed with day-to-day activities and during recess and lunch. Background checks will be performed. Creston’s coverage is east of Cesar Chavez Blvd. to SE 51st Ave., and SE Powell Blvd. to SE Division St. Contact volunteercoordinator@crestonschoolpta.org if you can help.
The Board voted to hire Gabrial Tsui to create a spreadsheet of contacts for apartment buildings and managers in Richmond to allow for better outreach to, and engagement with, renters living in the approximately 38 apartment buildings in Richmond.
Monday, June 9 and Tuesday, June 10, 6-8 pm is the RNA Board election at Central Christian Church, 1844 SE Cesar Chavez Blvd. Candidates are Claire Cofsky, Brian Hochhalter, Debbie Hochhalter and Audrey Moss. Candidate Statements and print-at-home ballots are at richmondpdx.org/rna-board-election-process. Candidates will give short statements at the start of the June 9 RNA meeting, then people can go outside to vote. Ballots can also be dropped off June 10, 6-8 pm. People must drop off their own ballots.
The May 17 Richmond Cleanup was a great success. It went much smoother than last year with 30 more volunteers and with Styrofoam collection being moved to July 19 (at the same location, Central Christian Church) with Metro’s batteries/CFLs/sharps collection and C3 Food Pantry bottle drop fundraiser. Check the RNA’s website for details. We picked up material from 12 senior homes and eight high school students. Contact richmondcleanup@gmail.com to get on the volunteer list for next year.
Come to a meeting to get more involved and learn about issues in the neighborhood.
South Tabor Neighborhood Association
By Cathy Kudlick
The South Tabor Neighborhood Association continues to demand safety improvements along SE Powell Blvd. (Highway 26). The major thoroughfare, considered one of Portland’s deadliest streets, marks the southern border of neighborhood. Our May meeting brought together nearly 30 people to hear representatives from ODOT, PBOT, TriMet and District 3 Councilor Angelita Morillo’s office to make brief statements and answer questions, some of them quite emotional. Neighbors continue to testify at public meetings, write letters and take officials to task.
On a cheerier note, garages have been accumulating junk. The annual South Tabor Annual Yard Sale & Garden Tour will be held Saturday, June 7 from 9-3 pm. Come wander around our neighborhood open house to discover treasure for sale in garages and on display in gardens. There will also be food, art and—this year for the first time—live music.
Last but not least, the latest edition of The South Tabor Crow (online) profiles a local restaurant owner and an art show opening in a local hidden gem. To access the newsletter, along with previous issues, and to learn more about our Neighborhood Association, visit southtabor.org.