FROM THE OREGONIAN

Rose Quarter advisory group forwards three for Memorial Coliseum makeover
By Janie Har, The Oregonian
February 23, 2010, 8:15PM
The 32-member Rose Quarter advisory group voted tonight to forward three concepts to the Portland City Council for the full ‘request for proposal’ treatment.

To no one’s surprise, the three include the Trail Blazers’ plan for a JumpTown entertainment district and developer Doug Obletz’s proposal for a community athletic center. The third is the Veterans Memorial Arts and Athletic Center, which would carve up Memorial Coliseum for use by arts groups, nonprofits, as well as sports.

The council also voted to forward two alternate proposals should any of the three decline to go ahead: the multicultural Rose Quarter Community Crossroads project and the Portland Action Sports Complex. 

The Portland City Council will formally take up the advisory group’s recommendation on March 11.

READ THE ARTICLE

From today's Oregonian: a call to convert St Johns's long-dormant and fully servicable Wapato Jail, owned by Multnomah County, into a state prison. North Portland's county Commissioner Jeff Cogen and newly installed State Representative Lew Frederick have both promised to get the albatross that is Wapato off the ground, so far with no results. The jail has been a national joke for years. Now, the Oregonian weighs in.
[Image right, from OregonLive]

Turn Wapato into Oregon's next prison
By The Oregonian Editorial Board
February 23, 2010, 5:36PM

In 2004, we wrote that it would be short-sighted -- the word we actually used was "nuts" -- for the state of Oregon to build any new prisons while Wapato was sitting empty.

Six years later, the $58 million jail still has never been opened. And the state is still looking, primarily, in other directions. Since 2004, in fact, the state has opened prisons in Lakeview and Madras, and expanded two in North Bend and Wilsonville. But, admittedly, these plans were already in the pipeline.

A few weeks ago, however, the state Department of Corrections made a new decision with the net effect of steering away from Wapato, at least until the 2011 legislative session, and ultimately pointing more perhaps toward Junction City.

And that doesn't make much sense. Few prisons are sited, of course, strictly for reasons of sense or efficiency. If they were, most would wind up in the metro area, because that is where most prisoners are from (and where they will return).

No, the reality is that prisons equate to jobs, and small towns in Oregon are hungrier for state jobs than the metro area seems to be. The result, thus, is a farflung state prison system -- from Tillamook to Ontario -- that imposes cruel hardships on inmates' families if they hope to visit. (It's "a nightmare," several corrections officials privately acknowledged this week.)

READ THE EDITORIAL

Want to do a good deed for a day? Want to help improve your neighborhood? Want to hold the power to give away money?  Well, now's your chance.  Metro ( Portland's world famous, one-of-a-kind wonky regional government) is recruiting a volunteer from the Cathedral Park Neighborhood to sit on the North Portland Enhancement Grant committee.  Committee members get to award money from the North Portland Trust Fund. The fund was set up as a give-back to the community after Metro located a landfill in St Johns.  The landfill is now closed, but the cash keeps flowing. Good for you, North Portland!  Over the last 22 years the fund has given out an average of $1000 a year to neighborhood improvement projects such as tree plants, farmer's markets and the region's pioneering new "underwear exchange program"  Projects benefit residents, businesses and...ok...I made that last one up... there's no such thing as an underwear exchange program (shudder)... But the money goes to good things.  Read more below.

The photo here is of sidewalk construction along North Lombard Street south of Kelley Point Park.  I happened upon it on a Saturday dog walk.  The multi-use path that runs along North Marine Drive connects Smith & Bybee Lakes with Kelley Point very nicely.  According to ODOT signs, the construction of an extention headed south to North Rivergate Boulevard will be completed this summer.

We love you!

From an email from new St. Johns Neighborhood Association Chair Babs Adamski:  SJNA is apparently rescinding its former opposition to the self-storage complex proposed for the old Rose City Chevrolet lot at North Lombard and Richmond in St. Johns. SJNA apparently feels that the developers have significantly improved the design of the project so that the group's reticence is no longer appropriate.

For immediate release:

The board of the St. Johns Neighborhood Association (SJNA) voted on November 23, 2009 to withdraw their appeal of the approval of the commercial development proposed at the former Rose City Chevrolet/Sterling Auto site at 8150 N. Lombard Street. In early November, the City of Portland Bureau of Development Services (BDS) approved the development proposed by a  partnership headed by developer Kevin Howard at the site for a three-story mini storage facility with several retail storefronts on Lombard and Richmond streets. Had it not been withdrawn, the appeal would have challenged BDS' decision before the city's Design Commission.

Howard and his colleagues approached the St. Johns Neighborhood Association in February to solicit community feedback before submitting a preliminary development proposal to BDS, and have continued active discussions with the Neighborhood Association through several progressively improved designs. The Neighborhood Association appealed the approval of the proposed development because it lacked clear commitment to gateway public art features to which Howard had previously agreed and because it included lower quality finish materials than those of other retail storefronts in St. Johns. 

In subsequent conversations, Howard clarified his commitment to make available the Lombard-facing wall of the storage building and a courtyard space at Lombard and Richmond streets for public art installations to enhance the gateway treatment at the site. He also pledged financial support to the planning and acquisition of the art.

The board of the St. Johns Neighborhood Association did not believe that continuation of the appeal would win additional site improvements and voted unanimously to withdraw the appeal. 

The St. Johns Neighborhood Association board of directors looks forward to development at this site that has been vacant for the last three years, and to continuing what has been a very positive relationship with the developer. The proposed development is at least the third that has been suggested since Sterling Auto vacated the site and it comes closest of any of the suggested developments to meeting the development envisioned for this site in the St. Johns/Lombard Plan. SJNA is excited to continue to work with the developer to create plans for the public art component of the project, and will solicit input from general membership and community members in that process. 

For more information, contact 
Babs Adamski, Chair, St. Johns Neighborhood Associaton
babsia@gmail.com, 503-421-5934
or 
Ryan Deibert, Co-chair for land use
rdeibert@comcast.net, 503-484-6037

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving from the Sentinel.  May the spirit of the holiday touch you all.  The myth is that one day pilgrims and Native Americans found a common bound in their collective struggle to live and prosper on this continent. The two groups all brought something to the table and feasted and gave thanks for the blessings of their lives. While history undercuts those sentiments, and while the push of commercialism and cynicism may overwhelm, we hope the spirit of this uniquely American holiday survives. May you find common ground in your family, with your friends and community.  May you reach out to others across the table and give thanks for your the good things in life.  May peace be with you all.
~ Cornelius Swart
Publisher

 [Guest post by Abraham Hyatt of Digital Journalism Portland]

We all want quality journalism. And we're all good at pointing fingers at news outlets in Oregon we think fail at providing substance. But is it possible for our journalism community as a whole — not just startups or existing publications — to fill that gap? Ron Buel, who helped found Willamette Week, has turned that question into a conference: We Make The Media. Buel wants the event, which takes place on Saturday, to be a sandbox for local journalists who want to explore what it would take to create a nonprofit news entity.

The event isn't designed to actually create a nonprofit. That will be left to the participants, says Buel. "They undoubtedly will bring in outside resources to help, but there is no “control group” who will carry this forward. Future action will only be taken by conference participants who are committed to act, to carry out the plans made at the conference and approved by the entire group."

Residents of North Portland need not be alarmed this Saturday when Portland Fire & Rescue will set ablaze another two homes along North Interstate. The homes are situated on a piece of property surrounded by North Interstate and Maryland avenues, and Prescott and Skidmore streets, that was purchased last October by Prescott Partners, a development company based outside of Seattle.

Port completes first phase of runway improvements, airplanes begin returning to regular routes

With the completion of the first of three construction phases improving runways at Portland International Airport, Port of Portland today reopened the north runway, beginning to return aircraft to regular routes.

Representatives selected three candidates to fill the vacant seat in Oregon House District 43 on Wednesday evening.

Lew Frederick captured 71% of the votes of Democtatic Precinct Committee People in the first round of voting. He was followed by Karol Collymore and Eddie Lincoln. The candidates will vie for the seat left when Chip Shields left for a position in the State Senate.

The Multnomah Board of Commissioners will make the final selection on October 22. 

More details at the Oregonian and the Multnomah County Democrats.

Last Saturday night, October 3, St. Johns hosted its first-ever gala fundraising event. Bet on North Portland, held in the showroom of the old Rose City Chevrolet building, was a combination of elegance, downhome fun, and high-stakes prizes. Hosts in tuxedos and ladies in elegant dresses treated guests to lavish cocktails, snacks, and a raft of Monte Carlo games.  Funds raised went to the Lester Viles Fund, a charitable fund dedicated to giving money away to projects in the North Lombard corridor that improve the business and residential commonwealth.

Visit studios and watch artists at work painting, making ceramics, sculpting, printmaking, 

building musical instruments and more. To learn more about individual artists and the 

interesting demos they have planned: http://portlandopenstudios.wordpress.com/  

Tour guides for this popular event are $15 and are available at Art Media, New Seasons 

and other outlets. You can also purchase a tour guide online or contact me for one. 
 

All east side artists are open October 10 & 11, 10am-5pm. 

All west side artists are open October 17 & 18, 10am-5pm. 

My studio is open for this event on Oct 11 - 12. I'll be exhibiting new work and demonstrating a variety of approaches to oil painting as well as covering the use of materials. The artwork available ?ts a variety of budgets so come on by! For more info please visit www.portlandopenstudios.com. 

When you see this image, it means Twitter is "overcapacity". Hate to see Twitter down, but I do love this image.How awesome it that.  All the little birdies carrying that big whale. "Tweet Tweet, Chirp, Chirp..UUUuuugh.."

I'm seeing this page more and more on Twitter these days. We've had a few sitedowns at the Sentinel due to overcapacity as well.  Thus our current upgrade (still in progress) It's good to know the whales have the same problems that the guppies do...or are we the little birds????

~ Cornelius Swart 

Sign of the times? It appears the recently opened coffee shop at Richmond and N. Lombard at the entrance to downtown St Johns that opened last month is now closed.  A call into the Sentinel from one resident informed us that sadly the business is in the process of moving out.  Below is the street edition story on the shop that the Sentinel was going to press with TODAY. The story will now be pulled. Stay tuned online.

-----
Bad-luck location gets a new lease on life 
Story and Photo by Jason E Kaplan

The shop that was once Big Kahuna BBQ and a myriad of other short-lived businesses has found a new tenant.  Blue Moon Coffee started as a kiosk on Northwest 23rd Avenue.  Owned by Derek and Erin Jurovich, the couple bought a shop in Lake Oswego three years ago.  Now they have just opened their second location on the corner of North Lombard and Richmond streets.

UPDATE 9.27- Frtiz sharp rebuke, Brunberg eloquent and stedfast reply

UPDATE 9.25-Ongoing conversation between Mississippi business owner Jim Brunberg and the larger business community about posters on telephone poles.  This exchange is an open letter to city council and mayor and the response from Randy Leonard.

FROM EMAIL   EMAIL EXCHANGE

"Dear Sam, Amanda, Randy, Dan, and Nick,
I ask for your assistance in finding a cooperative solution to the posters-on-poles debate.  The discussion is a cooperative one; the community is aligned on all sides in an attempt to offer a more controlled venue for postering near public right-of-ways, on kiosks that protect the poles.
If the city shines a little “love” on this issue and helps us find a solution to the pole/poster conundrum, it will cost very little and prevent ill will all around.  If the status quo continues, however, there are potentially expensive property law and constitutional law issues.

Video by Cornelius Swart [updated for better resolution 9.4.09-1pm]

Highlight from the opening of the Time Based Arts Festival.  Gang Gang Dance's encore set. The crowd takes the stage and joins the show.

FROM OREGONLIVE ~ Jake Cohen

"The Salvation Army Moore Street Community Center has powered down its Intel Computer Clubhouse for good. The clubhouse, 5325 N. Williams Ave., had provided free computer access and training to area youths since its inception in 2001. Economic difficulties forced the clubhouse to shut down for eight months beginning in late 2008, and the program could not be sustained after the Salvation Army hit the restart button last April.The clubhouse would have required more than $90,000 in 2010 to continue, according to the Salvation Army."
READ THE STORY

FROM KATU's report on a new bike corral at Widmer in Eliotl

From the recent christening of a new bike corral at Widmer on N. Russell and Interstate to a new bike circulator study for N/NE to Biketoberfest. Here's are some links and releases about Portland's singular two wheeled obession and we don't mean those fantastic little moveable kitchen stands you can get at Ikea.
CITY RELEASES NEW N/NE BIKE NETWORK PLAN- includes new Cycle Tracks- see attachment

Portland's signature performance art festival, kicks off tonight at the old Washington High School with a performance by NYC's art/noise band Gang Gang Dance.  The free event starts the 10 day multi-venue exhibition of high and experimental art that includes, music, visual, video, dance and performance art.  The Sentinel will have ongoing coverage online. Stay tuned.
 

"There are those who make 'noise,' and then there are elegant, shadowy troupes cobbling ghost languages and fractured dub into undulating biospheres. Gang Gang Dance [creates] music for brightly lit graffiti-scoured parks." Pitchfork Media