Mid-county Memo Blog

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.

This is a wee bit out of our usual coverage area, but, as we admire and respect the work the Loaves & Fishes does, we wanted to publish this in the hopes of garnering the needed volunteers.

Loaves & Fishes Centers, the Meals-On-Wheels People, are seeking volunteer drivers to ensure home bound seniors in Southeast Portland receive nutritious meals and a bit of companionship.

“These volunteers are so invaluable because they not only help us feed our frail elderly, but they make sure these seniors see a friendly face at least once a week. Sometimes the Meals-On-Wheels driver is the only person these home bound seniors see all day,” said Belmont Loaves & Fishes Center Manager Donna Trilli.

Portland Fine Arts Guild meets for instructional classes and demonstrations on the first three Mondays of the month at the Russellville Grange in east Portland, Northeast 121st Avenue and Prescott Street, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Classes are $12 for nonmembers and $10 for members; however if you would like to check it out, the class fee will be waived one time for first-time attendees.

Today’s class will be taught by Garve Beckham, who started teaching transparent watercolor in 1972. He taught at Portland Community College for over 20 years, at Oregon Society of Artists, and has had workshops both domestically and internationally.

A Letter to the Editor, submitted online, from Lenny Dee of Onward Oregon follows:

The Portland City Council is currently considering a $42 million minor league stadium deal in Lents that would deal a devastating blow to affordable housing and Lents Park. The current proposal for the stadium would undo the 30% Affordable Housing Set Aside for the Lents Town Center Urban Renewal Area.

The set aside, which ensures affordable housing is incorporated into urban renewal, was hard won by the Coalition for a Liveable Future and other organizations in an effort to mitigate the likely displacement of low-income communities out of urban renewal areas.