????? ??????Zach Abney, Parkrose High quarterback, was the center of attention at an event in the school cafeteria yesterday held to showcase him signing a National Letter of Intent to attend Harding University on an athletic scholarship. While the day was about Zach, his accomplishments and this honor, the theme was most definitely about community.

Zach Abney, center with tie, wears a Harding University cap for the first time at a ceremony to recognize him as a scholar athlete who has been offered a scholarship to play football at the Searcy, Ark. school. Supporting him are teammates (from left) Tonga Tokelau, Matteo Rigoni, Thomas Lott, Andre Johnson, Deontre Curry, Jonathan Boland, Cody Rowley, Marquis Hammick and Jerry Hunter.

The Rev. Caroline Litzenberger was recently assigned to serve the St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church parish as priest-missioner. A history professor at Portland State University, she will serve at St. Matthew’s on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Litzenberger and Deacon Marla McGarry-Lawrence extend a personal invitation to those not currently attending a church to worship on Sunday or stop by for a visit during the week to learn more about St. Matthew’s and the Episcopal Church

Rev. Caroline Litzenberger is the new priest-missioner at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Parkrose.

Rev. Litzenberger invites neighbors to join the St. Matthew’s community for worship, Sun., Nov. 13 at 9 a.m.

Hundreds of Lao, Hmong and Mien people gathered at the Buddhist temple, Wat Buddhatham-arm on Sandy Boulevard in Sunday for Boun Haw Khao Padap dinh,  one of two festivals held in the Lao calendar year that honors deceased loved ones and ancestors in solemn ceremonies, similar to Western Christianity’s All Souls Day. Like All Souls Day, on Boun Haw Khao Padap dinh, the living pay homage and respect to the deceased.

Hundreds of Lao, Hmong and Mien people gathered at the Wat Buddhatham-arm buddhist temple for Boun Haw Khao Padap dinh, a festival honoring departed loved ones and ancestors.

We first met seven-year-old Lorenzo Caldera when we did a 2002 feature story about his father Joel, a Parkrose restaurant owner at the time, who taught little men the sweet science of boxing; too young to box.

Five years later, not only old enough to box, he was undefeated when we saw him fight — and win — on a youth boxing card his father held in the parking lot of his Sandy Blvd. restaurant in Parkrose.

Today, Lorenzo Caldera is a 16-year old junior at Parkrose High School who trains at Curt’s Ultimate Fitness & Fighting Arts gym in Gateway.

A news release from the Portland Police Bureau about a robbery, kidnapping investigation occurring Sunday at the Courtesy Motel in Parkrose follows:

“On Sunday May 29, 2011 at 11:05 a.m. Portland Police officers received information of a possible hostage situation at an unknown motel along Sandy Boulevard. Officers were told there was a man in a motel room being held at gunpoint against his will.

“North Precinct officers responded to the area of Northeast 110th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard. The initial information in the call did not specify a particular motel. Through their investigation officers were able to determine the motel in question was the Courtesy Motel at 11324 Northeast Sandy Boulevard, Room # 24.

A news release from Portland Police Bureau about an industrious identity and property theft ring centered in a Parkrose house follows:

Portland Police Bureau North Precinct Detectives in conjunction with officers from East and Central Precincts, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and Tigard Police Department executed six search warrants and recovered property from seven locations in the Portland Metropolitan area today, February 17, 2011.

This was the culmination of an eight month long investigation into one of the largest burglary, identity theft, and stolen property fencing operations in recent history.

In anticipation of the severe weather forecast for tonight, the Parkrose School District canceled all meetings and school related activities tonight, including the scheduled school board meeting.

The print and online versions of the October 2010  issue of the Mid-county Memo have been published.  A recap follows:

East Portland’s Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization — with help from a Nike grant — treated current and former teenage refugee clients from Bhutan, Myanmar, Iraq, Vietnam and Somalia to an all-day soccer clinic at Knott Park last month.

The Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services, at the former site of the Children’s Receiving Center on Northeast 102nd Ave. at East Burnside St., officially opened last month.

A news release from the Portland Police Bureau about a car hitting a pedestrian on Sandy Boulevard in east Portland follows. The Portland Police Major Crash Team is investigating.

“At approximately 7:30 p.m. on September 8, 2010, a 31 year-old male pedestrian was hit by a Ford Escape SUV as he crossed Northeast Sandy Boulevard. The pedestrian crossed in the 9700 block of Northeast Sandy Boulevard approximately 100 feet from the nearest crosswalk.

“The driver of the SUV stopped at the scene and is cooperating with the Portland Police Major Crash Team as they investigate this accident. Both east and westbound traffic on Northeast Sandy Boulevard is blocked at this time.

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.