Mid-county Memo Blog

The Wilkes Community Group holds its general membership meeting Tuesday, March 2 in the Margaret Scott Elementary School Library, 14700 N.E. Sacramento St. at 7 p.m.

Agenda items include: presentations from Portland Parks & Recreation representatives about a potential bond measure addressing neighborhood park needs and from Ride Connection, the non-profit transportation service organization. Planning for the showing of movies in Wilkes Park on Saturday, July 24 and Friday, August 20 will also be discussed.

The Wilkes Community Group meets tomorrow, from 7-9 p.m. in the Margaret Scott Elementary School library, 14700 N.E. Sacramento St.

Rod Park, Metro Councilor, District #1 is the guest speaker at tomorrow night’s meeting. You’re invited to join them and share ideas or suggestions. For information, contact Alice Blatt at 503-253-6247 or aliceb@pacifier.com.
Wilkes neighborhood boundaries are, roughly, from Northeast 148th Avenue to the City limits and from the Columbia River to Halsey St.

Links and a recap of feature articles from the online editon of the November 2009  Mid-county Memo follow:

Latest photos and full story about the transformation of the former Children’s Receiving Center into the Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services in east Portland.

Latest photos and full story about how former elementary schools within Parkrose School District — Thompson School and Knott Elementary — are being used these days.

A story about developers, for all intents and purposes, killing a proposed amendment to control the way garages are built on smaller parcels

A recap of and links to feature articles and departments from the October 2009  Mid-county Memo follow:

Terry Robb, Parkrose High School grad and featured performer at the Parkrose Educational Foundation’s inaugural homecoming dance, is one of this month’s front page stories.
Terry Robb: page one, Terry Robb: page two, Terry Robb: page three, Terry Robb: page four and Terry Robb: page 5.

The MAX Green Line opening ceremonies share this month’s front page. The new line opened to fanfare, speeches, bands, free rides and vows to build more light rail farther south and north.

Argay Neighborhood Association chair Valerie Curry intends to resign.  Curry, who has served on the ANA board for six years and as chair for two — and has done yeoman’s work — told the Memo if a current Argay board member, or someone doesn’t get on the board, get up to speed and take over, November 2009 will be her last meeting as chair.

“We need a president and secretary, there’s no vp (vice-president), I go to too many meetings the city wants me to go to, I have to take meeting minutes, I have to do articles for that EPNO (East Portland Neighborhood Office) paper, answer phone calls; my interest is in crime and livability, that’s where my real interest lies,” Curry said.

Mel Sears, President of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Oregon, presented the Academy for Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) Academy with a donation of $2,500 recently.

The gift was made possible through the collaboration of local firms and ACEC Oregon. Participating firms included Parametrix, CH2M HILL, David Evans and Associates, and Petersen Structural Engineers.
 
“We are a part of the community and pleased to financially and professionally support young adults interested in pursuing engineering as a career,” said Mel Sears, Parametrix Executive Vice President, and ACEC Oregon President.

The holiday spirit is alive at east Portland’s Rivercrest Community Church, located at 3201 N.E. 148th Ave.; the church is two blocks south of Sandy Boulevard on Northeast 148th Avenue.

Two events are slated for the holiday.

First, there’s the annual Christmas Sing-Along, set for Sunday, Dec. 16, at 2 p.m. Bring the whole family to enjoy this festive event. A special feature of the Sing-Along will be the organ playing of former church organist Paul Quarino. Quarino’s nickname was “The Organ Grinder,” and his playing will enliven the event.