Mid-county Memo Blog

Right now, today — from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Parkrose High School Community Center, 12003 N.E. Shaver St. — there’s a Fix-It Fair being held. Fix-It Fairs are free events designed to save Portlanders money and connect them to resources. Join your Mid-county neighbors and talk to experts about how to spend less and stay healthy. Fix-It Fairs are crammed full with resources for helping you to create a healthy home, including:  How-to classes on various home and garden topics, money-saving, cost effective tips and free giveaways. Bring your bicycle, free, minor tune-ups and flat tire repairs are available for students and families.
Fix-It Fairs are held 3 Saturday mornings during the winter at various locations around the City of Portland from November to February.
The 2009-10, 23rd Annual Fix-It Fair season Is presented by The City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability with support from these sponsors: Energy Trust of Oregon, Pacific Power,  Portland Development Commission, Portland Lead Hazard Control Program, and Portland General Electric.

We received a note from the Portland Police Bureau about a rash of burglaries at Portland schools, and in east Portland at David Douglas and  Parkrose schools. If you have any information, call Detective Mary Wheat at 503-823-0010.

“Portland Police are investigating a series of burglaries at schools in the Portland area that began in early December. Investigators believe that twelve burglaries have occurred at various schools and that the burglars are attempting to steal laptops and computer equipment.”

We received a note from Melissa Ritchie (MMRitchie@columbia.com), a Parkrose Middle School Outdoor School booster, about a fundraiser this month in support of PMS Outdoor School. It follows:

“Please join us for an all day fundraiser at Parkrose Burgerville, 4229 N.E. 122nd Ave. (near the High School) on Thursday, Jan. 21st.

“Proceeds from the sales of the day will benefit Parkrose Middle School’s Outdoor School when you present them with a flyer or let your server know you are supporting Parkrose.  Dine in or Take out!

“Thank you so much!!
~Melissa”

A recap, with links, to the January 2010 issue of the Mid-county Memo follows.

A feature story about Multnomah County Sheriff’s office personnel adopting residents of a skilled nursing facility, a MCSO neighbor, is on this month’s front page.

Lee Perlman asks Mid-county business leaders, school and social service agency administrators to reflect on 2009 and what they see for 2010.

A story by Heather Hill about shop classes and vocational training for Parkrose High School students provided by a partnership with the Northwest College of Construction.

We received an e-mail from Scott Bradley, pastor of Abundant Life Church in Parkrose, requesting publicity for an upcoming marriage seminar at his church. It was too late for the print version of the January edition of the Memo by the time it was received (editorial deadline: 15th of every month),  so I told him we’d place the notice on our blog site; it follows.

“Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage! Register now for a 2-day marriage seminar. This is a wildly entertaining and informative marriage event designed to bring hope and positive change to marriages. Cost is $35 per couple or $18 per individual.

Donate your returnable bottles and cans to for a a good cause.

The monthly Parkrose Middle/High School Bronco Boosters can collection, is this Saturday, Jan. 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Parkrose Middle School, 11800 N.E. Shaver St. in east Portland.

Donations of refundable cans and bottles support the PHS Scholarship Program. Call Dave Luce at 503-255-3745.

In our last blog post, we published an incorrect date for the  recurring ca$h for cans fundraiser at Parkrose Middle School.

The correct date for the can drive is next Saturday, Jan. 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at  Parkrose Middle School.

I hope my mistake caused no one else (besides me) to drive to the middle school yesterday.

The monthly Parkrose High School Bronco Boosters can collection, is this Saturday, Jan. 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Parkrose Middle School, 11800 N.E. Shaver St. in east Portland.

Donations of refundable cans and bottles support the PHS Scholarship Program. Call Dave Luce at 503-255-3745.

Links and a recap of feature articles from the December 2009  edition of the Mid-county Memo online version follow:

Latest photos and full story about the world’s largest choral festival, The Grotto’s twenty second annual Festival of Lights in east Portland.

Full story about east Portland neighborhood association leaders examining the different ways other neighborhood offices are run.

Latest photos and full recap of fall high school spots in Mid-County.

Latest photos and full story about Hall of Fame wrestling coach Marc Sprague joining the David Douglas Mat Club.

Mid-county Memo Neighbor of the Year (1994) William “Bill” Winge’s obituary.

The Refectory’s Annual Customer Appreciation Party is tonight at 7 p.m.

Owners Mitch and Cece Stanley fete their customers with complimentary food and beverages at the yearly bacchanalia. Bring non-perishable cans of food for their favorite community charity,  SnowCap.

Lots of fun, live music and schmoozing.

See you there.