By Ellen Spitaleri When Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish died in January 2020, the metro area lost a beloved and resolute city activist who prioritized affordable housing and accessible green …
Human Solutions: Community Where Everyone Can Thrive Read More
By Sarah Zollner Case Just after the birth of our second child, we moved into a house on a corner lot in a historic neighborhood, across the street from a …
Corner Store Provided More Than Groceries Read More
By Kris McDowell Summer may be winding down and school may be starting, but there’s still plenty of time to take advantage of the beautiful Pacific Northwest to get kids …
Backyard Science & Discovery Workbook: Pacific Northwest Read More
By Nancy Tannler Speakers Julian Gresser and Ben Levi, from the Healthy Heavens Trust Initiative, recently presented the webinar, Protecting the Heavens – The Legal Implications of 5G Satellites in …
For Heaven’s Sake – 5G Satellites in Space Read More
Nonprofit Take Charge America is encouraging parents to talk with their college-bound teenagers about how to build a strong financial foundation. College may present situations where teens need to make …
Money Talks to Have with College Bound Teens Read More
By Gabe Frayne For many Portlanders, the closing or near-closing of the city’s numerous coffeehouses stands out as the most visible impact on the city’s community life brought about by …
SE Cafés Gradually Reopen Read More
By Kate Belt Common Ground Presbyterian Church, 2828 SE Stephens St., was originally incorporated in 1961 as Colonial Heights, a name based on the real estate designation at the time. …
Common Ground Reckoning with Land-Race History Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri To get closer to nature, all you have to do is look up. Go outside, look up at birds in the sky and to find out more …
Pacific Northwest Birding Companion for Novice Birders Read More
By Jack Rubinger Inner Gate Acupuncture is now Inner Gate Health & Wellness, and has locations in both SE and NE Portland. The change was made to reflect a more …
Inner Gate Health & Wellness Read More
By Kris McDowell How We Do Family isn’t the typical book about adoption, pregnancy and parenting. Beyond the fact that it is about trans pregnancy and LGBTQ parenthood, it’s a …
Fresh Oregon-grown blueberries are one of the joys of summer and right now they’re at the peak of perfection. Thanks to Oregon’s skilled and passionate growers, this season will yield …
Blueberry Season is Here Read More
By Jack Rubinger Pickleball combines aspects of whiffle ball, tennis, ping-pong and badminton. It’s a sport that’s fun, great for all ages and is easy to learn. So who came …
Summer is Time to Bust Out Your Pickleball Read More
By Holly Hutchason, Executive Director, Pacific NW CSA Coalition Did you know there are small farms all around the Portland area selling shares of their harvest to residents as a subscription? …
CSAs Support Local Farmers Read More
By Kris McDowell William Ritter’s award-winning middle grade fantasy series, The Oddmire, is releasing a much-anticipated third exploit of brothers Tinn and Cole this month. The gripping monster-filled, scary-funny adventure …
The Oddmire Book 3: Deepest, Darkest Read More
The 2021 Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) Spring Conference offered two days of presentations on environmentally sustainable materials management, a topic not only something many people in the Pacific NW are …
Portland Speakers at Recycling Conference Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri WildCraft Studio School has come a long way from its roots, moving from a rural studio in White Salmon, WA, to a roomy, light-filled space on SE …
WildCraft Studio School Read More
By Nancy Tannler At a Civics for Adults workshop sponsored by the Oregon City Public Library Donna Cohen, M.L.I.S., M.Ed., presented Misinformation, Fake News, and Political Propaganda to a non-partisan …
Critical Thinking Required Read More
By Daniel Perez-Crouse For many, the television show Portlandia primarily conjures images of Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein impersonating Pacific NW stereotypes in skits, even for citizens who walk by …
Portland Statue History Through the Sculptors Read More
By Jack Rubinger Some people are born to be caregivers. Others grow into the role. In Maria Beatty’s case, she was born into a caregiver role as part of big, …
Social Stigma of COVID-19 Read More
By Nancy Tannler Peering out the window on any given Tuesday morning – rain or shine – a contingent of women pull up to my neighbors’ house for coffee. These …
Best Friends Forever Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Even with the advent of vaccinations, COVID-19 is still with us and pandemic depression is a real thing. Bratcher is the owner of Ritual Dyes, a yarn …
By Ellen Spitaleri The pandemic is not the only crisis in Oregon right now. Unfortunately there are nearly 8,000 children in foster care and the spread of COVID-19 has made …
Boys & Girls Aid Fosters Futures Read More
By Jack Rubinger There’s a lot of love in the hands and hearts of the many volunteers at the new Kindness Farm in SE Portland. Started by Lou Levit, Kindness …
Compassion and Conservation: The Heart of Kindness Farm Read More
By Don MacGillivray In this period of school closures due to COVID-19, the education of children and teenagers is left to the resources of parents. Therefore many alternative learning options …
Khan Academy Aids Students and Teachers Read More
By Megan McMorris As the world’s gears are slowly starting to turn again, it’s almost hard to imagine what things were like just one year ago – streets eerily empty; …
Montavilla Mailman Transforms Streets with Dance Read More
By Nancy Tannler Observing the night sky without the background illumination of city lights is a profound experience. Almost everyone has a fleeting memory of seeing the expanse of our …
To See or Not To See Read More
By Gabe Frayne On a soggy Saturday evening in Portland, a band called The Resolectrics belted out a rendition of Have Mercy from the stage of the Laurelthirst Public House …
Laurelthirst Pub Perseveres Read More
By David Krogh Portland Rogues Gallery: A Baker’s Dozen Arresting Criminals from Portland History is the latest in a long series of books by Arcadia Publishing on the history of …
Book Looks at Criminals in Portland’s History Read More
Many people planning for retirement anticipate their post-working years eagerly, ready to relax after a life of toil. Others plan with greater anxiety, unsure whether they even have an identity …
5 Things Retirees Will Wish They Had Known Sooner Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Change is in the air and on the ground at Portland Parks & Recreation’s Leach Botanical Garden, the former estate of botanist Lilla Leach and her husband …
Improvement Projects, New Leadership at Leach Botanical Garden Read More
By Megan McMorris I first visited Taylor Court Grocery hoping to sweet-talk my way into a job. It didn’t work. Little did I realize, Mel Hafsos and Errol Carlson have …
Ode to the Neighborhood Corner Store Read More
By Kris McDowell Just because locations of Multnomah County Library (MCL) have had to alter operations due to COVID-19 doesn’t mean reading isn’t happening or being promoted. Recently released numbers …
MCL: Record Digital Checkouts + Everybody Reads 2021 Program Read More
By Jack Rubinger The Groundhopper Guide to Soccer in England is a 380-page travel and cultural guide to all things football in the UK, completely updated for the 2020-21 season. …
The Groundhopper Guide to Soccer in England Read More
By Nancy Tannler When Leroy Eadie stepped into the position of the Director of SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition last January, he had no idea business as usual was about to …
SE Uplift Year in Review Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri Even though AARP Oregon’s 9th Vital Aging Conference took place in November, people still have the opportunity to access speaker presentations from the conference on the AARP …
AARP’s Vital Aging Conference Read More
By Daniel Perez-Crouse “We are treating the symptom and not the cause,” said Doug Riggs, Director of Alliance4Kids, while moderating an event hosted by the Oregon Health Forum about shifting …
Flip the Script Addresses Homeless Youth Read More
By Rachel Hemmingson This season, normally one of togetherness, highlights the problem of separation exacerbated by COVID-19, but it may inspire us to find pathways to solutions. Some older homeowners …
Pathways to Solutions Read More
By Jack Rubinger As a musician (clarinet and saxophonist), I miss the sessions, the camaraderie, the beers and the laughs that were such a part of my life prior to …
Virtual Music Scene Enjoys Crescendo Read More
By Nancy Tannler On a rainy Saturday morning in November, 20 volunteers showed up at Lents Village Apartments to clean and revitalize the outdoor patio and gardening area. They spent …
Volunteers Spruce Up Lents Village Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri When Rhys Scholes set out to write his first book, he decided to focus on something familiar. The Hawthorne area has been his home for decades and …
Portland’s Hawthorne Boulevard, A New Book Read More
By Rachel Hemmingson Here we are in dark, short, rainy days. Like every other year, we’ve put away lawn furniture and said goodbye to our gardens, but this year is …
Assessing Housing for Older Homeowners Read More
By Megan McMorris Walking down lively SE Stark St. these days, it’s hard to imagine that just a season ago, the empty streets looked like the scene out of a …
Montavilla’s Tinker Tavern Opening This Month Read More
By Kris McDowell Like many residential care facilities in Portland and across the US, the residents at Whitewood Gardens have been quarantined in their rooms to keep them safe. It’s …
Seniors Create Art During Quarantine Read More
By Kris McDowell Portland’s Jenn Louis released her third cookbook in September, The Chicken Soup Manifesto: Recipes From Around the World. The 240-page book is divided by country, taking readers …
Travel the Globe with The Chicken Soup Manifesto Read More
By Megan McMorris It’s a scene out of a nightmare: waking up in the middle of the night to discover a fire coming toward you. A neighbor pounding on the …
Longtime SE Residents Lose Home in Echo Mountain Fire Read More
By Kris McDowell Halloween is typically a time of parties and getting together with friends for spooky fun. Like many things over the past six months, Halloween will need to …
CDC Issues Halloween Guidelines Read More
Are you finding yourself walking more or struggling with your diet these days? If so, you are not alone. The COVID-19 pandemic may have changed many aspects of our lives, …
How Some Americans’ Health Habits Changed During COVID-19 Read More
By Rachel Hemmingson Weirdly, there is a whole lot of real estate activity right now and we don’t see it slowing any time soon. What does the timing of this …
By Jack Rubinger The church at SE 29th & Harrison has been under-used or unused by the Mormon Church for many years. It was built in the early 1930s and …
Status of Mormon Church Unclear Read More
The numbers are staggering. In the first 12 weeks after Governor Brown declared a state of emergency in March, 450,000 Oregonians filed for unemployment and an estimated 50,000 lost insurance …
Home Share Offers Solution to Affordable Housing Read More
By David Krogh In June the Homebuilders Association of Metropolitan Portland (HBA), Metro and the Build Small Coalition hosted a virtual tour of modern middle housing project examples intended to …
Modern Middle Housing Virtual Tour Read More
By Ellen Spitaleri “We view the internet like electricity and Free Geek provides the light bulbs,” said Adelle Pomeroy, the digital inclusion manager at Free Geek, a nonprofit community organization …
Free Geek Helps PPS Students Read More
By Jack Rubinger It’s been five months since the initial lock down in Portland and we’re facing the next (silent) public health emergency, a mental health pandemic. People aren’t leaving …
By Nancy Tannler In February of 2019 Portland City Council approved the Enhanced Services District (aka business improvement district), in the Central Eastside; a geographic area from the Willamette River …
Improvement Grants Awarded to Nonprofits Read More
To the Editor: The North Tabor Neighborhood Association meets every third Tuesday to discuss topics that impact our community. One of these topics includes construction taking place in the area …
Letter to the Editor September 2020 Read More
By Megan McMorris When Marko Johnson opened MuddWorks coffee roastery on NE 70th and Glisan in November 2019, his plan was to focus on wholesale roasting first, retail second. Plans …
Pandemic Pivots: Two Success Stories Read More
By Rachel Hemmingson, Consultant & Advocate for Aging Well When I was first working with Home Equity Conversion Mortgages, a woman called me with great shame and fear. She’d come …
Your Home and Community Read More
By Don MacGillivray The United States finds itself challenged by shifting political, economic and social conditions. There is a prevailing sense of crisis in America and with the challenges of …
By Rachel Hemmingson, Consultant & Advocate for Aging Well Ever since the stay-at-home decree, I’ve observed one small business down the street from me being absolutely swamped: it’s a garden …
Gardening and Aging Well Read More
By Ian Wilson, Portland Edible Gardens Summer is in full swing. Spring greens have wilted away in the heat, tomatoes are starting to ripen on the vines, zucchini’s broad canopy …
What to Plant Now in Your Home Garden Read More
By Megan McMorris When I last saw Daniel and Elise Gold in February of this year, we were sitting at Montavilla Brew Works (SE 76th and Stark) as they told …
Rising from the Ashes: Montavilla’s Main Drag Gets Creative Read More
When COVID-19 shut down the state, all lives changed dramatically. This was never more true than for seniors who often struggle with a sense of isolation from their communities. As …
Eastside Village Works Read More
By Dr. Richard Smith, Intermountain Regional Vice President for Health Services, Humana Multnomah County residents have been turning to virtual medical visits, also known as telemedicine, more than ever during …
Getting the Healthcare You Need During COVID-19 Read More
By Jack Rubinger At Reed College, concerns about Oregon OSHA’s top workplace safety hazards are being addressed pro-actively. These include injuries from trips and falls, chemical spills, physical and mental …
Addressing Workplace Safety Read More
By Kris McDowell 111 Places in Portland That You Must Not Miss is a book that feels good in your hands. The sturdy, ultra-heavy stock paper cover is smooth and …
Book Takes Readers on a Portland Tour Read More
By Kris McDowell These days we are seeing change in many areas of life and in many areas of our city. One area that may have flown under your radar …
Rocket Empire Machine Readies for Launch Read More
By Rachel Hemmingson, Consultant & Advocate for Aging Well In this time of the pandemic life is bewildering. Two friends of mine have lost 90+-year-old aunts to the illness. A …
Staying Safe At Home Read More
By Kris McDowell Prior to the COVID-19 closing of Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), they received another BODY WORLDS exhibit from the series of traveling exhibits that has …
OMSI Reopens with BODY WORLDS Exhibit Read More
By David Krogh Urbanism Next, the University of Oregon program, sponsored a virtual forum on May 14. The primary topic was COVID-19 and its impact on cities, primarily related to …
Urbanism Next Addresses COVID-19 Read More
By Nancy Tannler Have you noticed your windshield is no longer splattered with bugs when you return from a road trip? That might make washing easy, but the bad news …
Where Have All the Insects Gone? Read More
By Megan McMorris When people ask me what I did to celebrate my milestone birthday in May, I answer with one word: nothing. “The only thing on my to-do list …
Learning How to Just Be: Unplugging in an Already Unplugged Time Read More
By David Krogh When Bob Dylan wrote this song in 1963, the Vietnam War was just getting under way, racial tensions were increasing, President Kennedy was assassinated and Dr. King …
The Times They Are A-Changin’ Read More
By Midge Pierce For the Class of 2020, Commencement will go on, at least in a physically-distant, drive-through form. The determination of families, educators and graduates themselves to retain some …
2020 Makes Graduation History Read More
By Don MacGillivray Nuclear energy as a method of producing electricity has always been highly controversial. Still, the need to reduce global warming requires that every viable option must be …
Considering Nuclear Power Read More
By Rachel Hemmingson, Consultant & Advocate for Aging Well Leverage adds capacity when you wish to accomplish something. During this time of social distancing, I see many homeowners accomplishing a …
Your Home and Leverage Read More
By Nancy Tannler Mannahouse is the non-denominational church with six campuses in the greater Portland-Vancouver area. The Rocky Butte campus, at NE 92 and Prescott St., has partnered with the …
Gift Baskets for Foster Families Read More
By Merilee Kern Water. We all need it and know we need it for optimum health and wellness. Still, a shocking few live daily life in a properly hydrated state …
By Jack Rubinger For Dr. Constance Ohlinger, the owner of Cadence Natural Health, and member of the Division Clinton Business Association, telemedicine has been a blessing during the coronavirus pandemic. …
Use of Telemedicine Increasing Read More
By Midge Pierce Prompted by what he calls, “terrifying experiences” bicycling down Hawthorne Blvd., Zach Katz, “a neighbor with a plan,” is pitching community groups on an initiative called Healthier …
Healthier Hawthorne Initiative Read More
Editor’s note: Letters to the Editor should be less than 300 words. The Southeast Examiner reserves the right to edit letters for length or content. Submissions are not guaranteed to …
Letters to the Editor May 2020 Read More
By Jack Rubinger Spring is here and that means it’s time to bust out your golf clubs. Local golf courses, putting greens and driving ranges are open during our current …
Golfing: Entertainment + Reflection Read More
At this writing, we are still all hunkered down with the threat of COVID-19. We may still be when you read this so why the topic of freedom? You may …
Your Home and Your Freedom Read More
By Lee Hedgmon Ah yes… every year this happens. An article is published about making dandelion wine or mead and for the next two months, SE homebrew supply shop FH …
Tips for Making Dandelion Mead or Wine Read More
By Becky Ohlsen, Co-Author, One Night Wilderness: Portland, 2nd Edition This time of year, people start itching to spend more time outdoors. Due to social distancing practices, none of us …
Plan a Camping Trip in Your Backyard Read More
By Megan McMorris When I moved to the Montavilla neighborhood in the fall of 2016, I felt like I was stepping into a dream. After nearly 20 years in Portland, …
What Doors Will You Reopen? Read More
By Nancy Tannler Driving through SE Portland neighborhoods, you might have noticed yard signs encouraging foster care. The Oregon Department of Human Resources (DHS) is the agency that facilitates this …
You Can Foster a Child Read More
By Don MacGillivray Earth Day is now a major worldwide event that will be celebrated by over one billion people in at least 193 countries making it the largest secular …
This month, we look at health and how it can be impacted by the design of your house. A 67-year-old friend lives in a house she loves, which she bought …
Emotional Impact of Home Design Read More
By Jack Rubinger Classique Floors + Tile has been open since 1977 and co-owners Abby Mages and Markus Stoffel have owned the store for the last year and half. Mages, …
Business Walkabout: Classique Floors + Tile Read More
By Nina Silberstein When you want to avoid crowds and busy airports, many people find nothing better than exploring the outdoors in a fully-stocked camper van. For Christian Jurinka, his …
Business Walkabout: USA CamperVan Read More
By Midge Pierce Portland loves its volcanoes. On a clear day, a lucky few may catch a 10-peak view along the storied stretch from Washington to southern Oregon. The city …
By Megan McMorris The sudden closure of Montavilla’s Country Cat restaurant in August at the corner of SE 80th and Stark St., seemed to set off a chain reaction. Longtime …
What’s Happening to Montavilla’s Main Street? Read More
By Rachel Hemmingson I will always remember my visit with a healthy, vibrant retiree in Oregon City who lived up on a bluff. She and her late husband designed their …
Age-Friendly Home Updates Read More
By Kris McDowell Jack Kerfoot is running in the May primary to fill City Commissioner Position No. 2, recently vacated with the passing of Nick Fish in January. During his …
Kerfoot Running for City Commissioner Position 2 Read More
By David Krogh Sarah Iannarone is one of many candidates running for Mayor against Ted Wheeler. Originally from New York, Iannarone moved to Portland in the late 1990s and ran …
Sarah Iannarone’s 2020 Mayoral Campaign Read More
By David Krogh Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has announced his bid for re-election to a second term. If successful, he will be the first Portland Mayor to serve more than …
Mayor Ted Wheeler’s Re-Election Campaign Read More
By Jack Rubinger Teressa Raiford doesn’t pause for a breath. She has a lot to say, she’s passionate, has a sense of humor and a deep knowledge of Portland history. …
Teressa Raiford – Candidate for Mayor Read More
By David Krogh The Southeast Examiner recently met with Mingus Mapps, candidate for City Commissioner Position 4, currently held by Chloe Eudaly. Mr. Mapps was provided a list of questions …
Interview with Mingus Mapps Read More
By Midge Pierce If you’re looking for a flexible, well-paying, part-time job that benefits your community, you may be in luck. The search for 2020 census workers is on. With …
Census Workers Needed Read More
By Megan McMorris As new businesses start to refurbish old auto body shops along Montavilla’s NE Glisan, the neighborhood is entering a tipping point. Where it goes from here is …
What’s Happening to Portland’s Auto Row? Read More
