The Argay Neighborhood Association annual clean up is tomorrow, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Shaver Elementary, 3701 N.E. 131st Place.

Appliances, scrap metal, microwaves and yard debris are welcome at the annual event.

Argay clean up is tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Shaver Elementary.

Because Metro sponsors the clean up, the ANA charges nominal fees: $10 for a car or trunk full and $20 for a truck or trailer. Questions? Call 503-256-5579.

They will not accept: hazardous materials, herbicides, paint, motor oil, tires or electronics for disposal.

Letting go of belongings can be difficult, even if we have no need or use for them.

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 11229 N.E. Prescott St. in east Portland, is hosting a follow up to a Conversation for Seniors held last October that explored the challenges of getting rid of stuff.

The meeting on Friday, May 18 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. will be a chance for some to examine how they have progressed and for others to begin the process.

Join the discussion, share your story and learn from others. For more information, please call 503-252-5720 or send an email to marlaml@stmatthewepiscopal.org.

In March, Mid-county homeowners and other Friends of Trees volunteers planted 245 trees in the Argay, Parkrose, Parkrose Heights, Russell, Sumner and Wilkes neighborhoods of east Portland.

Following the planting, Friends of Trees‘ nonprofit partner, Verde, planted an additional 310 trees from Friends of Trees in the same neighborhoods.

Cal Calloway behind one of six new Golden Raindrops Crabapple® trees recently planted for him by Friends of Trees.

The 555 tree orders were the result of an overwhelming response to a special offer of free trees to residents in some of Portland’s neighborhoods most in need of trees.

Art students at Portland Christian Schools will offer their works for sale at the Portland Christian Art Show on Saturday, Jan. 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the secondary campus in east Portland; 12425 N.E. San Rafael St.

Attendees will be able to bid on auction items as well while shopping for original art.

Kento Sato, a Portland Christian sophomore, will display this untitled work at the PC Art show on Saturday, Jan. 14. COURTESY AUBREY PARK, PORTLAND CHRISTIAN ART TEACHER

The $2 admission fee includes light refreshments. Additional fare will be available for purchase. Children six and under are free.

ikoniHuman Solutions’ 10th annual Epiphany Choir Fest will be held Sunday, Jan. 8, at 5 p.m. at Parkrose United Methodist Church, 11111 N.E. Knott St. in east Portland. The Epiphany Choir Fest is a celebration of the culmination of the holiday season, as well as a fundraising event to benefit Human Solutions’ Daybreak Shelter and other services for homeless families.

Local church choirs plus a bell choir will perform Christmas anthems and carols, and the combined choirs will perform the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah.” A reception with light refreshments will follow the concert.

Editor’s note: The 2012 elections are a watershed moment in city politics. For the first time in decades, with the mayor declining to run for re-election, Randy Leonard retiring from his council seat and incumbent commissioner Amanda Fritz facing a serious challenge, there will be at least two, if not three new faces at City council. Veteran beat reporter Lee Perlman interviewed the major mayoral and city council candidates. Beginning with this issue and in upcoming editions, we publish the interviews; first up, former city Council member Charlie Hales.  

Early this morning, near 6 a.m., Portland Police officers responded to a burglar alarm at Madison High School, 2735 N.E. 82nd Ave.

Many officers arrived in the area and began setting up a perimeter around the school.

As officers and a police K-9 unit were staging to enter the building, two people ran out of the school and disappeared quickly into a fog bank.

Officers and the police dog began chasing the burglars on foot. During the chase, and likely due to the dense fog, the police dog bit one of the officers instead of the burglar.

If you are looking for English for Speakers of Other Languages classes, look no more. Multnomah University, 8435 N.E. Glisan St., offers free classes on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Multnomah University Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages student Ronnie Glazner shares her enthusiasm with a classroom of eager English language learners.

With the help of MU students, Northeast Portland residents can study English vocabulary and grammar while learning to use English in real life settings like job interviews and grocery shopping. Students may join classes at any time. Contact Kristen Hubert, TESOL program director at 503-251-6412 or khubert@multnomah.edu to learn mor

A fourth candidate has entered the race to replace Mayor Sam Adams in Portland. Jefferson Smith, a state representative from Mid-Multnomah County, announced today he is running for the mayor’s office in 2012 and has begun a campaign to win Portlanders hearts, minds and votes.

Oregon State Rep. Jefferson Smith D-Portland

In a statement e-mailed to the media, Smith said he’s running for mayor because he believes, “Portland can be the city it aspires to be.” It goes on, “We can have big vision and work in small and real ways. We can be prosperous, sustainable and fair,” he said.

We all have things in our life that we wish we could change — mistakes, broken relationships or bad decisions that we wish we could undo. Something that can help is grace — the opportunity to leave our past behind and start anew. In a special, movie-based series, “The Grace Card,” you will discover how to rebuild relationships and heal wounds by giving and receiving grace.

Woodland Park Church offers this series beginning with a free movie night featuring “The Grace Card” on Friday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m., Refreshments will be served. Free childcare will include a movie just for kids.