Mid-county Memo Blog

The July issue of the Memo was posted earlier this week.

This month’s feature stories include: a story by Heather Hill about the schism at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Parkrose; Lee Perlman reports on the progress of PAC, or the Gateway Regional Center Urban Renewal Area Program Advisory Committee; Perlman also reports on the wrapping up of the Portland International Airport’s Master Plan; finally, this month’s Perlman’s Potpourri, a beat reporter’s round-up of news and information in Mid-Multnomah County.

As always, the Memo Calendar, containing east Portland’s most comprehensive listing of community events.

A note from Portland Parks & Recreation Information Officer Beth Sorensen about free summer swim lessons follows.

“Did you know that Portland Parks & Recreation offers FREE swim lessons to the public every summer?  No catch!

“Anyone 3 years or older qualifies for five free swim lessons for beginners June 21-25 at any of our thirteen local PP&R neighborhood pools.  Last summer we taught more than 3,100 Portlanders how to swim during our free swim lessons and we’d like to teach even more this year.

A recap, with links, to the online version of the June issue of the Mid-county Memo follows:

June’s front page says Elmer’s Restaurants in affiliation with the Rose Festival Association, are bringing back the popular Rose Meal. Every day during the 2010 Rose Festival celebration — May 22 through June 13 — Elmer’s Restaurants will donate 20 percent of all proceeds from their special Rose Meal menu in support of the Portland Rose Festival Foundation.

Also on the front page is Lee Perlman’s report on last month’s Portland Plan workshop at David Douglas High School in outer east Portland.

The East Portland Action Plan Committee meets Wednesday, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the David Douglas School District Board Room, 1500 S.E. 130th Ave.

Contact Lore Wintergreen at 503-823-4035 or lore.wintergreen@ci.portland.or.us.

The EPAP Advisory Committee meets the fourth Wednesday of every month.

A Media Advisory from Strikeforce, a mixed martial arts cage fighting promotion company, about their Challengers Event Friday at the Rose Garden follows. Rivaling boxing, mixed martial arts, with almost no help from the mainstream media, has become an incredibly popular phenomena.

More than one Portland native is participating. They work out at Matt Lindland’s Team Quest Martial Arts Gym in Gresham at 182nd and Southeast Stark St.

“Friday’s night’s STRIKEFORCE Challengers headliner, former Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland, and two other popular area fighterstook part in a workout at Team Quest Martial Arts and Fitness just days before the event to be broadcast live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Portland Plan meeting at David Douglas today

A media advisory (new name for  press release) from Bureau of Planning & Sustainability Eden Dabbs about the Portland Plan’s Phase Two workshop at David Douglas High School follows:

“WHAT: Portland residents are invited to participate in the Portland Plan Phase Two Community Workshops all over town!

“Featuring door prizes, refreshments and live music, the East Portland Plan workshop will be Saturday, May 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at David Douglas High School. Childcare will be provided.

An east Portland multi-neighborhood bulky waste Spring clean-up is being held tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — earlier if dumpsters fill up — in TriMet’s Park & Ride at Southeast 122nd Ave. and E. Burnside St. in outer east Portland. Enter on Southeast Ash St.

They will welcome appliances, furniture, metal and tires.
Because of Metro’s new rules this year, they can’t accept yard debris, electronics (televisions and monitors), food, animal, Commercial or hazardous waste.

Suggested Donations are $10 per passenger car load; $20 per truck load. Tires: $2 off rim, $5 on rim — limit five.

Here’s a recap of the May 2010 online edition of the Mid-county Memo at www.midcountymemo.com:

This month’s front page story: snapshots of a day in east Portland’s life, Saturday, April 24.

Lee Perlman reports on East Portland Action Plan advocates’ testimony at a City Council meeting on the EPAP one-year-anniversary.

A story by Heather Hill about the 50th anniversary celebration of the David Douglas School District held at the Annual David Douglas Educational Foundation Auction/Dinner last month at Persimmon Country Club in Gresham.

Be advised: we received a traffic advisory about lane closures on Southeast Division St. at 109th Avenue beginning Monday.

“The Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the public that beginning Monday, April 12, SE Division Street at SE 109th Avenue will be reduced to one lane in each direction for street repairs due to a water main break. The public is advised to expect delays in the area for a week and a half and to choose alternate routes if possible.

“The hours of the lane closures are weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Lanes are expected to be re-opened Thursday, April 22. Work is weather dependent.”

Because Multnomah County is required to furnish court facilities to adjudicate violations that occur east of 122nd Avenue, the proposed East County Courts Project is important to east Portland. The e-mail follows:

“The East County Courts Project will hold an informational meeting about the proposed East County Justice Center Tuesday, March 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Parklane Christian Refomed Church, 16001 S.E. Main St.

“The purpose of the meeting is to update community members and get their comments on the status of the East County Courts. The agenda includes: Brief overview on recent history of the project by the Project Manager Comments at beginning and end from Commissioners McKeel and Shiprack.