A notice was posted recently at John Luby Park requesting feedback on turning a portion of the park into an official off-leash dog area.

Portland Parks & Recreation’s Ali Rice, 503-823-2967, is asking for your opinion on whether to turn a little over an acre at the south end of the park into an official off-leash dog area.

Should a portion of John Luby Park be converted into an off-leash area for dogs?

The area proposed is the only part of the park without towering Douglas Fir trees.

The area has been an unofficial off-leash area for years.

A news release from the Portland Police about a teenager missing from his mother’s side —with permission — at Ventura Park in the Hazelwood neighborhood of east Portland. The police are asking the public for help.

“Detectives from the Portland Police Bureau’s Missing Person’s Unit are asking the public’s help in locating 16-year-old Levi Richard Parker. Parker was last seen in Ventura Park located at Southeast 117th and Stark Street on Thursday, July 22, 2010.

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.

East Portland Community Center, 740 S.E. 106th Ave., hosts the 13th Annual Independence Day Parade Thursday, July 1.

Festivities are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The parade is from 11:30 a.m. to noon-12

Pre-parade activities include face painting, temporary tattoos, free popcorn, a rock climbing wall, crafts and live music.

The parade has become a favorite community event over the years with decorated tricycles, bikes, wagons and scooters with participants of all ages.

Call Ali Rice, 503-823-3456 for more information.

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 press release from Portland Parks & Recreation follows:

“At a special Parkrose High School event this morning, Portland Timbers owner and president Merritt Paulson presented a check for $50,000 on behalf of the Major League Soccer team to the Parkrose School District, a contribution towards the future Parkrose Regional Soccer Center.

“In addition to Paulson, others at the presentation included Portland City Commissioners Nick Fish and Amanda Fritz, and Parkrose School District Superintendent Dr. Karen Fischer Gray, who accepted the donation on behalf of the school district.

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.

We received an e-mail from Portland Parks & Recreation’s Public Information Officer Beth Sorensen regarding non- budget cuts to PP&R programs for teens. It follows.

“Portland Mayor Sam Adams released his Proposed Budget for FY 2010-2011 and, while Portland Parks & Recreation took across the board reductions required of all General Fund bureaus, the Mayor restored funding for two important programs for children and teens that were facing potential elimination this year.

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.

Here comes a rant.

Since the proposed city-wide Portland Parks & Recreation levy Lee Perlman reported on last month was heavy on the catalog of long overdue east Portland park projects, expectations PP&R would go the extra mile for Mid-county residents was not unwarranted.

However, as usual, the City falls short where it comes to delivering long-needed and neglected infrastructure east of 82nd Avenue.
One wonders how much money PP&R spent with their “outreach” to come to the vaunted, high-priest like conclusion that the economic climate “makes it too difficult” Too difficult? Please. As if that is a revelation. If not now, when?