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By Nancy Varekamp | CNews Editor

Put on your walking shoes. Alberta Art Works is offering its third summer of Public Art Walks.

Ninety-minute walks are led by volunteers from Alberta Art Works, the nonprofit that has served for six years as a catalyst for creating public art to celebrate, beautify and create community. Purchase tickets for upcoming walks at AlbertaStreetGallery.com.

“Public Art Walk,” a self-guided tour brochure, is available free in many Alberta Street businesses. And, as of last year, you can download an app from TipTour.org for an audio tour that features voices of the muralists.

“There’s nothing new about public art,” said Maquette Reeverts, a member of the Alberta Art Works board of directors who leads the tours. “Street art was born on the Roman wall paintings in Pompeii. And 1970s and 1980s New York City was the midwife.”

There are many forms, several represented on Alberta Street. What they have in common, according to Maquette is they communicate. Statements – social, cultural, economic and political – add beauty to otherwise drab walls, ATMs, benches, sidewalks and more.

“During the tours we discuss what is sanctioned and unsanctioned street art, and we talk about the concept of public art and public space,” Maquette explained.

“Murals are the best form of graffiti abatement to date.” Taggers tend to respect muralists’ statements and tag elsewhere.

When a mural is tagged, the reasons vary. It could be a tagger’s retribution on a muralist he or she doesn’t like or a demonstration of disrespect for the mural. It might simply point out the mural is in need of repair.

Maquette has several favorite murals, each for a different reason. One is the “free wall” at south of Alberta Street in the alley between 27th and 28th avenues. It’s one that anyone is allowed to paint on at any time.

“It’s forever going up and coming down. The social and political artwork is incredible,” she said. That “sanctioned” wall is painted over every 12 months and artists and taggers begin anew. It’s currently one of two in town. (See ConcordiaPDX.org/2019/05/free-walls.)

Maquette is proud to see the community involvement in the Cycling Center’s mural on 17th Avenue. Fifty volunteers participated to paint it.

There are many mediums. Mimosa studios’ mural doesn’t use paint. Instead, hand painted tiles – created and fired in the ceramics studio – adorn its storefront. And The Station has installed the first participatory street art on Alberta – a blackboard for anyone to write on.

“Each piece of street art here is beautiful,” Maquette pointed out. “And each has something to say.”

Nancy Varekamp is semiretired from her career in journalism, public relations and – her favorite work engagement – writing and editing targeted newsletters.

It’s that time of year again! Clean up season. Many surrounding neighborhoods have had their collection events already. Concordia neighborhood’s event is Saturday, June 1, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the northeast corner of 42nd Avenue and Killingsworth Street.

It is organized by wonderful Concordia neighborhood volunteers and, in addition to helping the neighborhood clean out their spaces, this event raises money for the neighborhood association. That helps us produce this entertaining, informative, creative newspaper, and to host the spring egg hunt, the concerts in the park and other community events.

I hope you get a chance to come see us on Saturday. Please contact Katie Ugolini if you’d like to volunteer.

I have been on the neighborhood association board for about three years, having joined right about the time I became a Master Recycler. This article is a great chance for me to remind my neighbors about the wonderful resources the city provides to help us all take small steps to keep Mother Earth healthy.

The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability website has a super section, ResoursefulPDX.com. It boasts ideas for you to make simple changes in your everyday choices to help you create less waste. The site has ideas and tips on how to:

• Buy, like choosing quality durable products rather than disposable items
• Reuse, like shopping at secondhand stores
• Borrow and share, like visiting the tool library
• Fix and maintain, like getting the soles of your favorite shoes fixed instead of buying new.

There is even a map to help you find resources in your neighborhood, or for a friend who might live in another neighborhood. Metro’s website also has an awesome section, OregonMetro.gov/tools-living. It has four subsections of earth-friendly tips and tricks:

• Dealing with garbage and recycling
• Living in a healthy home
• Creating and maintaining a pest-free yard and garden
• Getting around town using public transportation

There is a search option on each page so you can find anything you are looking for. The Garbage and Recycling page reminds us, “That stuff you’re parting with might not be trash,” and has an extensive database of places that may recycle or reuse the things you don’t need anymore.

Another great option is to simply call Metro at 503.234.3000, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There is so much wonderful information out there. I hope you can take the time to check it out.

Heather Pashley was born in Portland and grew up playing at Fernhill Park. She has worked for OHSU for more than 20 years, worships at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, and she has never strayed far from her beloved Concordia neighborhood.

Concordia University (CU) in February received the largest financial contribution in its 114-year history.

The $5 million grant from the Robert D. and Marcia H. Randall Charitable Trust will establish the Robert D. Randall Endowed Chair for Business and Technology.

According to university officials, that chair will expand the CU School of Management’s focus on an innovative business education and technology program.

“This gift will be transformative in advancing Concordia’s commitment to developing ethical and impactful leaders,” said Michelle M. Cowing, Ph.D., school of management dean.

“Concordia Portland will continue its long history of innovative partnerships to solve difficult societal and business challenges throughout the Pacific Northwest.”

The focus for the business & technology program is driven by the unique makeup of the regional economy, she added. It’s one fueled by homegrown businesses as well as global enterprises.

A new clinical model and technology curriculum will be co-designed with regional business leaders working in small and large businesses alike, startups and the growing tech sector.

According to the dean, engaging students in a variety of clinical experiences and a strong technology emphasis will prepare future leaders who are able to help businesses respond to ever-increasing economic and technological change.

The $5 million grant kicks off a university campaign to raise an additional $1.25 million. That’s also for the university’s business program, which is now named the Randall Fellows Clinical Program for Business & Technology.

By Nancy Varekamp | CNews Editor

“When you have something that’s unregulated and there’s tons of fear, there are all sorts of placebos,” said Tim Cook, NW Seismic structural consultant.

He told participants at the recent, local Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Expo to be careful about making – or hiring – residential seismic retrofits. F

ollowing the event, Tim explained there’s no code for installing anchors to hold an existing home to its foundation during an earthquake. New home construction codes offer some reference for builders. And forensic engineering studies of homes damaged by earthquakes offer evidence-based criteria for optimum retrofit methods.

“It’s not rocket science, of course, but there are a lot of nuances,” he reported. Tim has been involved in the retrofit industry for six years, now working for a company that traces its roots to the Spring Break Quake in the 1990s.

“There’s no education required to do seismic reinforcement. We see a lot of engineering that people are paying for that isn’t going to work,” he said.

A survey in the San Francisco Bay area – ground zero in terms of industry knowledge – found 80 percent of the residential retrofits inspected probably won’t be effective.

“In this way, this is really embarrassing to the industry,” Tim noted.

Websites can provide both good and bad information. Tim pointed to the site maintained by the city of Salem Building & Safety Division. It recommends hardware designed to resist uplift forces generated by wind, rather than the lateral forces generated by earthquakes.

“If city inspectors don’t understand this, why would contractors go out of their way to learn the basics?” Tim asked.

He has these suggestions for DIYers and/or those who plan to hire contractors:

• Research contractors’ websites for information on their experience, methods and recommendations. Take note if they provide simple statements about earthquakes and nothing about how all the components fit together.
• Research Tim’s company website at NWSeismic.com to learn the basics about retrofitting.
• Attend a free workshop. Multnomah County Library invited NW Seismic to present them. The workshops are geared to homeowners – some of whom are DIYers and some who just want to be informed consumers. For details, visit MultCoLib.org/events/seismicretrofitting.

“Just keep digging deep and asking questions until you’re comfortable to make decisions,” Tim advised. “Above all, remember this business is fussy enough,” he added. “We recommend contractors do only seismic. If they do insulation, they shouldn’t do seismic. It’s not a recipe for success.”

Nancy Varekamp is semiretired from her career in journalism, public relations and – her favorite work engagement – writing and editing targeted newsletters

Below are the poetry efforts of three Faubion School fourth graders in Mr. McGee’s class.

Clouds
By, Genevieve
Clouds have emotions like we do. They rain
on people and they don’t care who. Clouds
have rainbows, hair clips and ties. Sometimes
clouds are nice and make shapes in the sky.
They also make storms while our hearts
flutter high above the clouds. No storms, no
rainbows, no rain or grey skies. Sometimes no
clouds to be seen. No rainbows or storms, no
emotions or feelings, just calm and clear…
but something is near. Clouds just come
again.

Portland is a home of clouds, they come
and go, it’s quite the show. When clouds are
excited, BOOM! Thunder or lightening all
pour through the sky. Clouds love emotions
just like you and me. Sometimes it’s better to
leave them in peace.

Untitled
By, Clover
When I shiver in fear at night, I think what
will happen to our world. Then I think of
Faubion school. The way I feel cool, they
way my school is unique. Unique as in
feminism. Amazing people who stand up
and girls that run the playground and then
I don’t feel that bad.

Feminist
By, Grace
I can do this.
I can show this to people who do not
believe in women’s rights. People who do
not believe in feminism. I grab my sign and
go out to the road chanting, screaming,
while the rain pours down on my cold, wet
body. Thank you Earth, Thank you for all of
the people who are feminists. Thank you.