In an economy where young people find it difficult to get employment, three agencies teamed up last month to present their annual Youth Job Fair.

Following the success of last year’s event, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization again hosted the event, working with SE Works, a community-based workforce development organization again, organizing and presenting the job fair.

Thirty employers were on hand to speak not only about immediate summer job openings, but to also assist young job seekers looking at long-term career possibilities. Representatives from the City of Portland, Portland Parks & Recreation, Nike, Portland General Electric, and Safeway, interviewed for positions currently available, as well as spoke candidly about how to shine in job interviews.

An annual event returns to our area.

The 2006 Oregon State Tae Kwon Do Championship is set for Saturday, May 13 at Mt. Hood Community College, 26000 S.E. Stark St. in Gresham.

Again this year headquarters for registration and information is long-time Mid-county Memo advertiser Choi’s Martial Arts, also known as Choi’s Tae Kwon Do Academy, located at 11702 N.E. Halsey St.

The Gresham event promises to be filled with excitement for the whole family, whether you participate or observe. Registration desk opens at 8 a.m., with competition beginning at 9:30 a.m. Spectators can enter for $5 each, with children under 5 years of age allowed in for free.

Mill Park resident Emilie Boyles recently became the second person in

In May 2005, the Portland City Council approved “Voter Owned Elections”, or VOE, for city elections, making Portland the first city in the country to adopt full public financing of elections, similar to systems in place in Arizona, Maine, and North Carolina.

Under the new law, candidates will have the opportunity to focus on voters rather than donors when running their campaigns. To qualify, Voter Owned Elections candidates agree to collect $5 qualifying contributions, 1,000 for City Auditor and City Council, 1,500 for Mayor, demonstrating community support.

In October 2006, Willamette Week, Portland’s News Weekly, published an in-depth look at  Physicians’ Hospital, formerly Woodland Park Hospital in Mid-county by Pulitzer Prize winner Nigel Jaquiss. Jaquiss did an outstanding job chronicling the ills at this doctor-owned hospital, an institution that to date has done nothing to enhance the reputaion of the area.

http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=6856

Thanks go to Nigel Jaquiss for ripping the facade off this operation. Operate they do. Well they used to. Below is a Willamette Week follow-up to more self-inflicted ailments at Physicians’ Hospital, also ably reported by Jaquiss.

http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3217/7297/

Last week in Pendleton at the OSAA 2A High School State Championship the Portland Christian boys and girls teams lost their two opening round games and wereeliminated.
After a successful regular season, the Royals’ hopes were high heading to Pendleton.

The boys team finished 24-5 during the regular season, including a 65-58 win over local rival class 4A Parkrose in November, with a 14-1 record in the Northwest League.

The girls team finished their 2A Northwest League regular season undefeated at 15-0 and went 22-4 overall.

Parents interested in learning more about St. Therese Catholic School are invited to contact the school during the Open Enrollment period, beginning April 1.
St. Therese provides an enriching and reasonably-priced Catholic education for all families who value faith based learning, according to Sister Kathy Cordes, School Principal.
“In this secure, spiritually-based environment, roadblocks to learning diminish,” said Jenny Wright, St. Therese School Board President. “When a child attends St. Therese, the family joins a caring community of other families which is another great benefit of our school.”
The accredited curriculum for each grade includes religious training, computers, Spanish language and music. Drama clases are open to all students, culminating with a spring musical production. Class sizes are limited to 30 students. Beginning in first grade, students are eligible to participate in Catholic Youth Organization sponsored athletics.
St. Therese Catholic School is accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and by the Western Catholic Educational Association.
St. Therese is east Portland’s only Catholic grade school, serving 220 children, K-8. The school was dedicated in 1955 and has since graduated more than 1,000 elementary students.
To receive an application packet or schedule a tour, call Sister Kathy Cordes at 503-253-9400. St. Therese Catholic school is at 1260 NE 132nd Ave., The St. Therese website is http://www.stthereseschool.org/

In March, TriMet will host a series of open houses to review future service plans and projects, including the I-205/Portland Mall Light Rail Project and the Washington County Commuter Rail.
Tuesday, March 21, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Portland Adventist Academy, 1500 SE 96th Avenue.
The I-205/Portland Mall Light Rail project will add light rail to 5th and 6th avenues between Union Station and Portland State University, and between Gateway Transit Center and Clackamas Town Center. The extension is part of the proposed 8.3-mile I-205/Portland Mall Light Rail project set to begin construction in mid-January 2007 and will open in September 2009.
The open house will also focus on TriMet?s Transit Investment Plan, or TIP, a rolling five-year plan, which lays out strategies to meet the region?s transportation and livability goals.
The TIP is updated and revised annually, providing a framework for TriMet in partnership with local jurisdictions to leverage investment to improve the region?s total transit system. Those plans include adding more Frequent Service bus lines, expanding high capacity transit and local service, and improving amenities, information, reliability, comfort and security.
For more detailed information on the I-205/Portland Mall Light Rail project, or to receive updates by email, visit www.trimet.org. Or you can contact Mary Fetsch at
503-962-6403