Mid-county Memo Blog

Received an e-mail plea from Portland Mayor Sam Adams looking for help to find  business volunteers. There’s a Tribune editorial on the same subject here.

“Students behind on core graduation credits who attend summer school are more likely to graduate from high school. But budget cuts driven by the current recession will reduce summer school opportunities and risk increasing the dropout rate.

“We pledge to continue our efforts toward finding a long-term fix for education funding. Our schools, our teachers, and our students deserve it and our community desperately needs it.

We received a note from Rev. Chuck Currie of the Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, 4715 N.E. 106th Avenue in Parkrose.  Currie is on the cutting edge where it comes to recognizing injustice, and man’s inhumanity to man. The subject of this Sunday’s sermon is about the gun-totin’ Kentucky man of the cloth, and, apparently, the bullet. Rev. Currie’s press release follows:

“Recently, a pastor in Kentucky had his parishioners bring their guns to church for a special celebration of guns and God.  “I don’t see any contradiction in this,” the Rev. Ken Pagano, the pastor of the New Bethel Church, told The New York Times.

The Montavilla Neighborhood Association set a date for its first Meet and Greet, Saturday, July 11, at the Coconut Café in east Portland at Northeast 79th and Glisan Street from 11 a.m. to noon.

Some proceeds will be donated to the Montavilla Neighborhood Association to help create and sustain community projects.
MNA Board members will be on hand to meet with neighbors and have informal conversations. Any idea on how to better Montavilla  has potential merit and is welcome.

For questions about the MNA in general, or this event in particular, contact Brian Wong, Co-Vice Chair Montavilla Neighborhood Association at 971-221-4718 or e-mail him at: wong.brian57@yahooh.com.

Citizen volunteers needed for police review committee

The Independent Police Review Division receives and screens complaints about Portland Police Bureau officers. The IPR may investigate, mediate, dismiss, or refer complaints to the Portland Police Bureau.

The IPR overseeing investigations, analyzing complaint patterns, and conducting policy reviews. is seeking volunteers for the Citizen Review Committee to monitor and advise the IPR, hear appeals and receive public concerns.

Candidates must be Portland, Oregon residents or business owners with a lack of real or perceived conflicts of interest for or against law enforcement. Seeking five volunteers for two year terms.

We received a note from über Parkrose schools volunteer Allison Newman Woods. It follows. It seems Allison, along with Superintendent Dr. Karen Fischer Gray are the progenitors behind the formation of a new group of Parkrose Patrons focused on enhancing the music experience at Parkrose Schools.

“Hello, as many of you know, Dr. Gray and I have been spreading the word about an exciting new program designed to raise funds and offer volunteer support for the Parkrose Scool District’s music programs throughout the District. We settled on a date for our kick off meeting, Tuesday, July 7 at 4 p.m. at the District Office., 10636 N.E. Prescott St.

For nearly 30 years Neighborhood Watch has been a cornerstone of Portland’s crime prevention efforts. neighborhood Watches are groups of neighbors working together to improve public safety, building community on their block, in their neighborhood.

Neighborhood Watch participants get to know their neighbors, learn crime prevention techniques, and together, plan projects, such as: eradicate drug houses, have a neighborhood garage sale, help maintain yards of neighbors unable to.

The City of Portland’s Crime Prevention Program administers Neighborhood Watch for Portland. Every few years, staff conducts a survey, updating their information.  Thie survey will be conducted this summer, from mid-June to late July.

The Argay Neighborhood Association throws a heck of a National Night Out party. This year’s party, Tuesday, August 4, the Kooltones are going to rock the house, or park — Argay — at Northeast 141st Avenue and Beech St. The ANA is looking for volunteers.
volunteers who sign up by June 30 receive a free meal and soft drinks while working their shift.  Short shifts allow time to enjoy the event. They’re looking for face painters, help with set-up, food service, photo-takers  and clean-up.

Call ANA Chair Valerie Curry at 503-256-5579 or e-mail her at argayinfo@yahoo.com to get details and register.

Redfeceived a note from Ollie Lund; our contact at the Northeast Portland Rotary. He sent us a note on their program this week. The meet every Wednesday at noon in the banquet room of the Refectory Restaurant at 1618 N.E. 122nd Ave. in east Portland.  It follows:

“Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. And, following lung cancer, and is the second most common killer of men in America. More than 37,000 men will die of prostate cancer in 2009. Yes, it is mostly a man’s disease, but it is devastating to wives, daughters, sisters and companions of men who face surgery, radiation, other treatments — or coffins.

Dear advertisers (and prospective), we thought this press release from the Better Business Bureau about unscrupulous publishers, targeting restaurants primarily, might possibly save you time, hassle and money.

ADVERTISEMENT PUBLISHER CHEATS BUSINESSES
Avoid Wasting Hard Earned Advertising Dollars

Lake Oswego, OR – June 19, 2009 – The “Trivia Pages” is presented as an entertaining laminated booklet displayed in restaurants and other high traffic eating establishments. However, businesses complain they are getting cheated when they purchase advertising space from Northwest Publishing the Portland, Oregon-based company, located at 2705 SE Ankeny St.,  in east Portland also goes by NW Publishing, NWP, and Table Topics. Accusations that the company over-promises and under-delivers are common.

Mark Warrington,   Portland Parks & Recreation security coordinator sent us a note about the  Park Rangers program. It follows:

“PP&R Park Rangers have begun their twelfth year of seasonal operations. Each year the positive reputation of Park Rangers grows among government and community-based partners as well as the public.

“Park Ranger Supervisor Kurt Nelson leads the PP&R Ranger program. He has been busy revising Ranger procedures, conducting training and getting equipment ready for the busy season. Last week, the Park Ranger Training Academy graduated nine new Rangers who will be paired in teams with ten returning veteran Rangers.