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Local businesses are the lifeblood of our community. The Mid-county Memo offers this section to our business neighbors for news, advancements, promotions, expansions and other noteworthy events to be shared with the community at large. Business Memo submissions for the July issue are due by Monday, June 16. For best results, email Darlene Vinson at editor@midcountymemo.com. You may also mail submissions to 3510 N.E. 134th Ave., Portland, OR 97230. To leave a phone message, dial 503-287-8904. The Mid-county Memo fax number is 503-249-7672.
Family of jewelers move closer to original home
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| Son and father jewelers Justin, left, and Doug Miller, recently moved their business from downtown to Rose City Park. Memo photo/Tim Curran |
“Once in a while, downtown is cool to visit,” Doug Miller said. “But with 90-minute maximum parking, you can't even go to dinner and a movie without risking a $60 overtime fine, or you have to go into a garage. It's just a lot of negative things to think about.”
Born and raised in Parkrose (Class of '80), Miller said he is more comfortable at the Sandy Boulevard location at 60th Avenue. “It's more relaxing for me out here. I grew up on the east side; it's a lot calmer out here,” he said.
Started by Doug's grandfather in 1925, at its peak in the 70s, Millers International Jewelers employed more than 200 people, did business coast to coast, and was the largest jewelry manufacturer in the Northwest. When his father Bob retired in 1999, Doug, who learned how to manufacture custom jewelry growing up, moved the business downtown. Doug's son, Justin, a 2008 diamond-cutting school graduate, joined his Dad in 2008, making it a four-generation business.
Miller does not rule out a move farther east in the future.
“If we keep making progress like this, we're looking to buy a building, so we don't have to lease,” Miller said. “It has to be the right price, with the right payments, and right location.”
Although open to the public with its retail showroom, Millers has wholesale prices on jewelry. In addition, Millers offers custom manufacturing and expert jewelry repair, all on premises. “We cut our own diamonds and cut out the middleman,” Miller said. Millers International Diamond Cutters and Jewelers is open Monday thru Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 6017 N.E. Sandy Blvd.
Its website is www.millersdiamonds.com
KeyBank volunteers help distribute food
SnowCap Community Charities got a bit of help from KeyBank employees May 14, when they stopped by to assist other volunteers and staff distributing donated food to the agency's clients.
The employees work at the 148th Avenue and Division Street branch and were participating in the bank's 23rd annual “Neighbors Make a Difference Day.”
SnowCap seemed like an ideal place to volunteer, according to Luis Calderon, a relationship manager at the Division Street branch. “It's within the community of our bank, and I wanted to give back to the community,” he said of SnowCap.
His coworker, bank teller Tony Nguyen, echoed Caldron's sentiments, adding that he was struck by the number of folks who lined up for boxes of food at SnowCap's headquarters at 17805 S.E. Stark St., behind Rockwood United Methodist Church.
“I'm just not familiar with this,” he said of the number of people in need of food. “The lines … were long.”
Judy Alley, SnowCap's executive director, said clients are allowed up to six visits yearly to obtain food boxes for themselves and their families.
“We realize that the average family on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-food stamps-runs out of food about the 17th of each month,” she said. “So it is particularly gratifying to be able to offer a little extra food to families in such need. We were able to feed 135 families on this day.”
To drop off donations, visit 17788 S.E. Pine St., one block north of Stark Street, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 503-674-8785 or visit snowcap.org.
An author circulates among us
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| Mill Park resident Mary Anne Luhrs Jayne wrote “The Quirky Landlord”, a property owner's tale of her quirky tenants, using the pseudonym Clancy Rohring. COURTSESY MARY ANNE LUHRS JAYNE |
Now semi-retired, she has put pen to paper and adopted the pen name, Clancy Rohring to create “The Quirky Landlord.” This semi-autobiographical tale draws on real-life characters to weave a narrative of unfailing optimism and trust in human nature. The book is available at Multnomah County libraries and online at amazon.com.
Luhrs Jayne is a member of the Portland Rose Society, an active political campaigner and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.
Get a solar audit-nonprofit will benefit
Have you ever wondered if your house would benefit from converting to solar energy? Now is the time to find out. Mr. Sun Solar, a Neil Kelly company, will conduct a free solar assessment of your home. Sign up by July 15 and Mr. Sun Solar will donate $100 to Meals on Wheels People.
Here are some reasons to consider a residential solar assessment:
o It's free
o Cost of solar panels is at an historic low
o Rebates and tax credits reduce the total cost of a solar system by as much as 66 percent
o Solar financing is available at zero percent down
o Oregon gets more sun than Germany, the world's most solarized nation
o Even on overcast days, solar panels may generate up to 60 percent of full capacity which can significantly offset your electric bill, even in winter
o Your roof no longer must face south, any direction but north can capture up to 95 percent of south-facing solar production
The Mr. Sun Solar technician will look at:
o Home orientation
o The sun's path as seen from your home
o Roof angles
o Shading around your home
o Estimated solar production potential
o Current energy use
o Provide you a candid evaluation on whether your home is appropriate candidate for solar.
To take advantage of this offer, visit www.neilkelly.com/mowsolar before July 15.
Spada Farms berry stand opens for season
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| The Spada Farms berry stand opened last last month in Kmart's north parking lot along Northeast Sandy Boulevard near 123rd Avenue. Spada Farms sells most berries at his stand as they come into season. Memo photo/Tim Curran |
On a sentimental note, Spada reports he is leasing a portion of his family's original farm on Northeast Airport Way at 158th Avenue. He is planting the 19 acres with corn, which will be for sale at his stand in July.
Hazelwood historian pens biography
Discovery of a collection of letters by missionary and founder of Pacific University, George Atkinson, led Don Sevetson on a decade-long journey to learn more. Atkinson was a prolific writer who left behind 40 years of correspondence. The breadth of the subject matter and the clarity of these letters struck Sevetson. After retiring as minister of the United Church of Christ, Sevetson traveled to New Orleans, Massachusetts and Vermont in pursuit of the full story. He became so entrenched in the Atkinson story that descendants of George and Nancy Atkinson recently declared he and his wife Mary Louise honorary Atkinson family members.
His article “George Atkinson, Harvey Scott and the Portland High School Controversy of 1980” was published in the “Oregon Historical Quarterly” in 2007. His book, “Atkinson: Pioneer Oregon Educator” was published two years ago.
The Sevetsons reside in the Hazelwood neighborhood.
Facelift underway at Trinity Lutheran
Founded in 1890, Trinity Lutheran Church and School, 5520 N.E. Killingsworth St., undergoes remodeling when the last kids run out the door for the summer. The work is part of a comprehensive plan to upgrade facilities and programming at the church with the goal of making the church and school more attractive, secure and sustainable.
Staff, teachers, parent volunteers, church members and the Parent Teacher Organization will help move classroom materials and furniture to clear the way for construction. Helpers from Laborers for Christ will be on hand June 17 to begin work with the TLCS team.
The Fellowship Hall will be remodeled to expand its area, reduce noise levels and add storage. It also receives easy to clean, and more user-friendly new flooring and ceilings. Renovation of the existing bathrooms is in the plan and three handicap accessible bathrooms will be added in various parts of the building. Exterior windows, walls and doors will be replaced throughout the older sections of the original 1959 school building for energy efficiency and student comfort. Plans include plumbing and lighting upgrades throughout the building.
Refinished doors and a new covered entrance to the school will create an open area for parents waiting for kids out of the elements. The plan also includes several classroom remodels, and upgrading fire alarms and security systems.
The TLCS committee has also been working on plans to increase the efficiency of the heating, cooling and ventilating systems that will be used for Little Tigers, the new Monday-through-Friday year-round preschool and extended care program.
“It's a good old-fashioned barn raising,” church President, Chuck Kunert said. Lanny Afrank, head of properties, added, “It takes a few people to grow a plan and passel of other volunteers to help by doing all sorts of things such as tearing out the old windows and walls. There will be painters, landscapers, lawn mowers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, low voltage experts, volunteer coordinators and cleanup crews to get rid of all the building waste materials.” Other members of the Trinity congregation will step up as hosts for the weekly potluck for all volunteers and the Laborers for Christ crew.
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