Jessica Vega Pederson is a candidate for Oregon House District 47, which includes portions of Portland east of I-205 to the Gresham border and from I-84 and Northeast Sandy Boulevard south to Division Street and Powell Boulevard. She is running to build a sustainable economy with high wage jobs, to strengthen our educational system and to fight for equity in Oregon. If elected, she would make history as the first Latina to serve in the Oregon House.

Running in House District 47, Jessica Vega Pederson wants to become the first Latina to serve in the Oregon House.

A news release from Mary Bauer, Regional Arts & Culture Council’s communication associate, about publication of RACC’s annual report and presentation to Portland’s City Council follows:

The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) will present its annual “State of the Arts” report to Portland City Council on Wednesday, March 9th at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers of Portland City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Street. RACC’s 2010 Report from the Community, now available in print and online, will serve as the basis for this presentation.

Here comes a rant.

Since the proposed city-wide Portland Parks & Recreation levy Lee Perlman reported on last month was heavy on the catalog of long overdue east Portland park projects, expectations PP&R would go the extra mile for Mid-county residents was not unwarranted.

However, as usual, the City falls short where it comes to delivering long-needed and neglected infrastructure east of 82nd Avenue.
One wonders how much money PP&R spent with their “outreach” to come to the vaunted, high-priest like conclusion that the economic climate “makes it too difficult” Too difficult? Please. As if that is a revelation. If not now, when?

In the City’s Daily Update e-mail, we thought this Bureau of Environmental Services event would be of interest to readers. For event information contact Ericka Dickey, 503-226-2377.
For Environmental Services information contact BES Public Information Officer Linc Mann, 503-823-5328. Get more information at portlandonline.com/bes/ecoroofpdx.

“Building owners and home owners wondering how to go about building an ecoroof can learn about it at Ecoroof Portland 2010 on Friday, March 12 and Saturday March 13, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (both days) at the Leftbanx Annex, 101 N. Weidler St.

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.

The bicyclist killed this morning on Northeast 122nd Avenue at Fremont Street has been identified.  Willamette Week obtained the man’s identity.

Read their updated story here: http://tinyurl.com/my2tab.

Our condolences to his family.

And, on a personal note … I met, worked with, and played softball against Pete, and “the boys” in my salad days (early 80s) when I was booking, managing and promoting bands around Portland. It was sad to hear about Pete.  This e-mail below is from Jon DuFresne (Jon@compphys.com). Besides helping Pete out, this will be a good show tonight at Duff’s Garage.

We received a note from Rev. Chuck Currie of the Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, 4715 N.E. 106th Avenue in Parkrose.  Currie is on the cutting edge where it comes to recognizing injustice, and man’s inhumanity to man. The subject of this Sunday’s sermon is about the gun-totin’ Kentucky man of the cloth, and, apparently, the bullet. Rev. Currie’s press release follows:

“Recently, a pastor in Kentucky had his parishioners bring their guns to church for a special celebration of guns and God.  “I don’t see any contradiction in this,” the Rev. Ken Pagano, the pastor of the New Bethel Church, told The New York Times.

We received a call today with sad news. Jack Gartner, founder of Gartner’s Country Meats in east Portland passed away. The reason we mention it here is because there was a story slated for the June issue of the Memo about this Mid-county institution celebrating its 50th Anniversary  early next month.

Although Gartner has been retired since 2008 — selling the business to daughter Sheri Gartner Puppo and Rick Minor, his former partner’s son — he was still a Gartner’s employee, readying himself for work the morning he died. Gartner was looking forward to greeting many of his old customers at the anniversary celebration.

The Glenfair Neighborhood Associaiton holds their gemneral membership meeting tonight, at 7-8:30 p.m., in Glenfair Elementary School, 15300 N.E. Glisan St.
The bondaries for this outer east Portland are: Northeast Glisan Street on the north to Southeast Stark Street on the south, and from Northeast 148th to the City limits at 162nd Avenue.

Tonight’s Agenda:
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Citizens Noise Advisory Council (CNAC)
3. Minutes
4. Treasurer’s report
5. Partners for a Safe and Livable Portland and parks reports
6. Land Use report
7. East Portland Neighbors/ East Portland Neighborhood Office updates
8. Small Grants report
a. Software purchase – David
9. Bylaw discussion
a. Number of meetings
b. Removal of Article 5, Section 6