СВЕТИ ГЕОРГИThe Parkrose Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative wrapped up its three organizational meetings last month with creation of a seven-person steering committee for the next step: a formal commitment to the Portland Development Commission and city, then formation of an “urban renewal light” district bringing physical, permanent improvements along Sandy Boulevard, from Northeast 99th to 120th avenues.

Colleen Gifford, from left, David Ableidinger and Luke Shepard at a Parkrose Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative organizational meeting held last month. Gifford, hired by the Parkrose Business Association through a grant from the City to recruit steering committee members for the Parkrose NPI, one of six areas in Portland designated by the City and Portland Development Commission.

According to participants, nights at Outdoor School are magical: the glow of the campfire, songs and skits with friends old and new, the quiet walk back to the cabin, wrapped up in an individual goodnight from the student leaders.

Captain Conservation lectures Outdoor School students how to reduce waste.

The cost for a 6th grader to spend the night at Outdoor School is around $60. Donate $60 to provide one night for one student; get friends and family together to sponsor a night for a cabin of kids for $600; $1800 will pay for one night at Outdoor School for one class of 6th graders.

As part of its citizen outreach, the Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission held one of its three hearings on the draft Portland Plan at Parkrose High School Community Center last month. Several local residents gave testimony on issues the Plan should address.

The Portland Plan will set policies to guide the creation of a new City Comprehensive Plan, replacing one enacted in 1980. This will set zoning and other regulations to guide both public activity and private development.

Parkrose High School sophomore Max Denning, right, Metro representative of the Oregon Association of Student Councils, testifies at the Portland Plan hearing at Parkrose High School Community Center held last month. Mid-county Memo photos/Tim Curran

Dave Luce — the Can Man — holds his monthly pop-can drive today at Parkrose Middle School, 11800 N.E. Shaver Street.

Bring your returnable soda cans and bottles to the east Portland middle  school from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Luce and his crew will take them off your hands and see that they get put to a good use.

As reported in the March edition of the Mid-county Memo, a live music event held in benefit for Parkrose Music Boosters in January, was filmed and will be airing tonight on PDXposed. The e-mail below is from our friends at the online music magazine, Buko Magazine.

“Jon Olson and the PDXposed team lands at our PG3 show to interview all three stars and talks to Ty (Hitzemann) about k-12 music education programs.
Three local guitar greats, Geoff Metts, Terry Robb and Jennifer Batten made it all happen.
Buko Magazine offers fine optional musical entertainment for those tired of the status quo…PG3 rocked the Roseland in a huge way!

Watch PDXposed tonight on FOX 12 at 6 p.m.

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 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.

A recap of feature articles from the September issue of the Mid-county Memo follows.

The three stories on the front page are: TriMet opens light rail service in Southeast Portland to Clackamas Town Center with the opening of the Green Line Saturday, September 12.

Marking the completion of the Russellville community — begun over a decade ago by the Rembold family — Russellville Park II opens with fanfare and politicos speechifying.

Mid-County’s Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization uses federal stimulus dollars to keep hundreds of teenagers working and learning.