Akadi
By Ellen Spitaleri The word “akadi” means tasty in Bambara, a native language in West Africa’s Cote D’Ivoire, where Fatou Ouattara grew up — that is why she chose it …
Ellen Spitaleri
The 4th Wall PDX
By Ellen Spitaleri The 4th Wall PDX is a cinema-themed cafe and lounge located at SE 14th Ave. and Hawthorne Blvd., but it is so much more. However, there is …
Ship John
By Ellen Spitaleri The Ship John logo says it all: Made in the USA and Stuff That Holds Up. The shop, located at 4310 SE Division St., focuses on American-made …
Oscar’s Burgers
By Ellen Spitaleri At Oscar’s Burgers, the impossible is possible — at least in the plant-based burger world. During the pandemic, the restaurant, located at 3500 SE Milwaukie Ave. across …
Really Good Stuff Vintage and Collectibles Reopens
By Ellen Spitaleri As Evan Shlaes was on his way to work on the morning of October 5, 2021, he saw two fire trucks headed in the direction of Really …
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Yarn Bombing Spreads Love on SE Division St.
By Ellen Spitaleri Don’t let the name fool you, yarn bombing is not an act of war. Instead, it is the act of covering objects or structures with crocheted or …
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Lemon Tree Wellness
By Ellen Spitaleri When Heidi Weiss decided to rebrand her business in 2021 and call it Lemon Tree Wellness, she took inspiration from a lemon tree she had been given. …
Family Promise of Metro East to Open Family Shelters in March 2022
By Ellen Spitaleri Currently the lack of affordable housing and the homeless situation are two challenging issues in Portland. “We’re all concerned and not sure how to help,” said Beckie …
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Mama & Hapa’s Zero Waste Shop
By Ellen Spitaleri Ross Ching knows that Mama & Hapa’s Zero Waste Shop isn’t going to cure climate change, but he hopes it does make people more mindful of where …
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House of Dreams: A Loving Home For All Cats
By Ellen Spitaleri If cats could dream, they would conjure up an environment exactly like the one at House of Dreams cat shelter in NE Portland where felines have room …
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Human Solutions: Community Where Everyone Can Thrive
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 …
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Pacific Northwest Birding Companion for Novice Birders
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 …
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City Repair Project Brings Art to the Streets
By Ellen Spitaleri The City Repair Project is a nonprofit with a mission to educate and inspire communities and individuals to creatively transform the places where they live and gather. …
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Brides for a Cause
By Ellen Spitaleri As tradition has it, June is the most popular month for weddings, but with pandemic restrictions in place, large gatherings are not recommended. However, two things remain …
WildCraft Studio School
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 …
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Ritual Dyes
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 …
Boys & Girls Aid Fosters Futures
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 …
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Laurelwood Park Construction Underway
By Ellen Spitaleri It has been a long time coming, but construction has finally begun on improvements to Laurelwood Park, a third-of-an-acre green space at the intersection of SE Foster …
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Improvement Projects, New Leadership at Leach Botanical Garden
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 …
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Feed the Mass Feeds the Community
By Ellen Spitaleri Everyone is hoping for better times in 2021, but Jacobsen Valentine has specific items on his wish list for the new year. As the founder and executive …
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AARP’s Vital Aging Conference
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 …
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Portland’s Hawthorne Boulevard, A New Book
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 …
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Measure 26-213: PP&R Operating Levy
By Ellen Spitaleri A normal summer for Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) features crowded swimming pools, alert lifeguards and plenty of outdoor activities for families and seniors. However, the summer …
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Free Geek Helps PPS Students
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 …
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