A recap of feature articles from the September issue of the Mid-county Memo follows.

The three stories on the front page are: TriMet opens light rail service in Southeast Portland to Clackamas Town Center with the opening of the Green Line Saturday, September 12.

Marking the completion of the Russellville community — begun over a decade ago by the Rembold family — Russellville Park II opens with fanfare and politicos speechifying.

Mid-County’s Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization uses federal stimulus dollars to keep hundreds of teenagers working and learning.

There’s a new place for lunch and dinner in the Parkrose area.
Good World Chinese Restaurant & Lounge opened earlier this year at 10721 N.E. Sandy Blvd. in Parkrose

Owners Kevin and Wan Su, husband and wife, have created a restaurant that is friendly and inviting. They told the Memo that the Chinese food they offer is low in fat and yet high in fiber, which they say is excellent for the diet.

Good World serves both Cantonese and Szechwan style Chinese food, along with what is more traditionally called “Chinese-American” food. The chef expertly prepares each dish, and there are literally dozens of different choices.

Memo Executive Editor Rich Riegel stopped by the area’s new Muchas Gracias Mexican Food restaurant the other day and wanted to report to Memo readers on the fare.

The restaurant I’m talking about is in the Gateway Shopping Center at 1307 N.E. 102nd Ave. It’s the former Tower Books location.
I’ll confess that I’ve eaten at several other Muchas Gracias locations, in Salem, Ore. and Vancouver, Wash. I also know there’s a location in St. Helens, Ore.

During my life I’ve eaten at a wide range of Mexican food establishments. Taco Bell. Taco Time. The former Poncho’s on Sandy Boulevard in Portland. Taco Del Mar in Portland.

Addie’s You and I Travel Service at 7545 N.E. Sandy Blvd. in east Portland always has something good going on in the travel world.
Addie Lindstrom and her staff are available to help Mid-county Memo readers with cruises and vacation travel. She also specializes in business fares and last minute fares.

Addie’s Winter 2006 newsletter just came out, and Addie’s offers myriad packages, including EcoAdventures. Costa Rica, Belize and Guatemala trips, with visits to national parks, rainforests, volcanoes, coral reefs, Mayan ruins and colonial cities.

There are also EcoAdventures’ packages to South America with a wide variety of trips, ranging from the wildlife of Galapagos Islands to cosmopolitan cities.

Last year I received the chance to have my taxes prepared at Pacific Northwest Tax Service in the Gateway area.
And I just wanted to let the readers of the Memo know that those folks treated me like a king, and did a great job preparing my taxes.

The person with whom I worked with on the preparation was superb, and made the whole process fairly painless.
It helped that I came in fully prepared, but nonetheless, I was able to file my county, state and federal taxes easily.

Longtime Cleary’s Restaurant & Spirits bartender J.P. Pierce celebrates her 60th birthday this Saturday, Jan. 14 at the Refectory Restaurant, 1618 N.E. 122nd Ave. The party starts at 6 p.m.
Before her stint at Cleary’s, Pierce worked for over a decade at The Ringside East. She is well known to many in the Mid-county community and wants to invite all her friends and customers to her birthday bash this Saturday. Although the party won’t be held there, Cleary’s Restaurant & Spirits is located at 12429 N.E. Glisan St. in the Menlo Park Plaza Shopping Center.

For those of us who have to use our automobiles, a question sometimes arises: Who can I trust to maintain and repair my car?

For me, Rich Riegel, it’s been a challenge.

Finding someone you trust is daunting. I know that many women feel intimated by automobile mechanics, thinking that some women’s lack of knowledge about auto mechanics make them easy prey for unscrupulous auto shops. I’d like to say, don’t feel like the Lone Ranger, some of us guys get taken in when the mechanic says something like, “You’ll have to replace your Johnson Rod,” which is a line from a “Seinfeld” television show episode. There is, of course, no such thing as a Johnson Rod, but how are we to know?

If you are looking for a unique dining experience, check out Pho Thien Vietnamese Cuisine at 10041 N.E. Glisan St. Owner Andy Nguyen operates a great place to enjoy a variety of delicious food items, including pho.
I wondered what pho was all about, so I ordered some at Andy’s restaurant, and it was super cool! It’s a soup, but more. I can’t even describe it well enough, so you’ll have to stop by and check it out for yourself. Call 503-256-0217 for hours.