Concordia Neighborhood Association | Portland, Oregon

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There may be more ‘free walls’ in future

Posted on by Posted in Arts & Culture, Concordia News

By Nancy Varekamp | CNews Editor

Street and graffiti artists are currently welcome to express themselves any time on two free walls in Portland. This one is in Concordia. Photo by Lloyd Kimeldorf.

Free wall. Legal wall. Rotating wall. You name it, but there are only two in Portland, and one is in an alley intersecting with the south side of Alberta Street between 27th and 28th avenues.

The Portland Street Art Alliance (PSAA) and a group of Portland State University students are collaborating to convince the city to allow more. They’d like your opinion in an online survey posted in April at PDXStreetArt.org/articles-all.

A proposal to the city this summer will seek permission for building owners to allow street and graffiti artists to express themselves any time on walls that are painted over completely on a regular basis. The wall off Alberta Street is covered once a year.

The PSAA website reported the objective is “for the collective empowerment of Portland’s street artist community to achieve city-wide district revitalization goals and use art as a means to include the voices and perspectives of historically marginalized communities.

“The proposal will combine research, original data collection and analysis to present policy alternatives allowing Portland to better leverage its thriving street arts culture and solidify the city’s identity as a haven for creatives.”

The effort includes analysis of similar policies throughout the Northwest and around the world. Plans call for submitting the proposal to the city this summer.

Nancy Varekamp is semiretired from her career in journalism, p u bli c r e l a t i on s and – her favorite work engagement – writing and editing targeted newsletters.

SPRING EGG HUNT

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Events, Volunteer Opportunities

Saturday, April 20 Fernhill Park(Playground along NE 37th Avenue)

RAIN OR SHINE!

The hunt begins at 10 am SHARP.
Don’t be late – it ends in a flash!

Volunteer opportunities
Friday, April 19 – Egg stuffing party, American Legion Post, 2104 N.E. Alberta St., 5-8 p.m.
Saturday, April 20 – Hiding eggs Fernhill Park, 8-10 a.m.

Refreshments provided by Mark Charlesworth Real Estate Team

Post egg hunt activities
Petting bunnies, thanks to Mark Charlesworth Real Estate Team
Face painting & children’s games, thanks to Sojourn Neighborhood Church

Sponsored by Concordia Neighborhood Association & American Legion Post 134

Details? Contact Social Committee chair Sonia Fornoni at SoniaGF419@gmail.com

$6 helmet sales on tap at Emanuel

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Health and Wellness

Bicycle helmets – and protective helmets for multiple sports – don’t work well if they aren’t fitted well. Trauma Nurses Talk Tough offer reduced-price helmets and the expertise to fit and adjust them at events this summer. Photo courtesy of Legacy Health.

Since its inception more than 25 years ago, Legacy Helmet Sales has distributed 130,000 low-cost helmets in the Portland area.

Last year Trauma Nurses Talk Tough (TNTT) – a Legacy Health service, aided by the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association – distributed 5,000 helmets.

This summer, three of the sales events are scheduled at nearby Legacy Emanuel Hospital, 2801 N. Gantenbein Ave. All will be in the Atrium from 4 to 8 pm. June 6, July 25 and Aug. 22. A June 23 event is scheduled at Good In the Hood King School Park, at 6th Avenue and Humboldt Street, from noon to 4 p.m.

The goal is put an end to preventable injuries and deaths, which the trauma nurses and trial lawyers report they see altogether too many each year.

State law mandates anyone younger than 16 must wear a safety helmet labeled “ANSI” and/or “Snell approved” while on bikes, scooters, skateboards and in-line skates while in public places.

Legacy Helmet Sales, however, sells bicycle and multi-sport helmets in toddler through adult sizes. The price for each is $6. At sales events, professionals and volunteers fit and adjust the helmets for each recipient.

In fact, more volunteers are needed for this year’s events, and training is provided. To volunteer, contact Geri Bartz at GBartz@lhs.org or 503.413.1092.

TNTT’s mission is to teach people of every age how to reduce risk of injury through properly fitted bicycle helmets, proper use of car seat and seat belts, safe driving, and a reduction in falls by senior citizens.

For more information about the TNTT program, visit bit.ly/2LqwTCY. For details about the helmet program and sales, call 503.413.4960.

Geno adds spice to Concordia

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses

By Marsha Sandman | CNA Media Team

Geno Hill’s “not too hot” chili powders are all about adding taste to a variety of dishes. Photo by Marsha Sandman

Concordia resident Geno Hill has a palette for the tasty and the spicy.

His unique “not too hot” chili powder found its origin in his own back yard. Friends and family begged for the leftovers. After he took extra to share with his coworkers at United Parcel Service, they encouraged him to package and sell his chili powder.

Then, five months ago, Geno’s NW Underground Chili Powder was born and introduced on the sidewalks of Concordia and surrounding neighborhoods.

He believes in ”gorilla retail.” You won’t find his product in stores or online. He sets up his display anywhere and just offers tastes to passersby.

You’ll often see him on the Alberta Street sidewalks with a big smile and a case of his chili powders.

“Strange things happen on sidewalks,” Geno reported. His Facebook page bears witness to that statement, with many pictures of satisfied customers. You’ll often find him on Last Thursdays in front of the Alberta Street Gallery.

Geno’s NW Underground Chili Powder also offers free delivery in Portland and Vancouver, as well as free shipping within the US.

Geno says he’s a “tasty” rather than a “foodie.” He believes it’s all about taste, which should enhance flavor rather than cover it up. “My chili makes endorphins jump, is an aphrodisiac, clears the nasal passages and wakes you up,” he said.

He uses African chilies and offers 11 flavors, including raspberry, strawberry and mango. Each is packaged in an aluminum screw top tin that fits conveniently in pocket, purse, or on kitchen shelf – ready to sprinkle on a variety of foods.

He is especially proud of his chili powder in the perfect Bloody Mary.

If you don’t find him on the sidewalks of Alberta Street, reach Geno at 503.477.0533 or StaySpicy503@gmail.com.

After living east, south, north and west, Marsha is home at last. And she wants to hear your story. Contact her at MarshaJSandman@gmail.com.

Legacy of trees runs strong

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Trees

By Karen Wells | CNA Media Team

The Oregon White Oak that stands sentry on Luther Hall Green predates Concordia University. Photo by Karen Wells

The trees of Concordia University have stories. Those stories are about how Frank W.J. Sylwester – president of Concordia University from 1905 to 1946 – acquired an eclectic inventory of trees for the campus.

The grand Oregon White Oak (Quercus garryana) is the sentry on Luther Hall Green. That oak was about eight years old when the college, then high school, opened its doors. It was one of the original trees in the Douglas fir woods of east Portland.

Frank was passionate about trees. When the right of way for 28th Avenue posed a threat to the oak, he advocated for the tree to be spared.

He satisfied his yearning for connection to his Germanic ancestry by planting trees germane to Germany. In 1908 he planted European Linden (Tilia × europaea) seedlings from Berlin. He purchased and planted a Spruce (Picea) from Germany. A Correl Tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) is a gift to the campus from Sylwester.

In 1920 Frank gathered Red Oak (Quercus rubra) acorns from Vernon Park, now known as Alberta Park, and planted them on campus. He recalled much later in life, “Every one of those acorns produced a tree.”

In 1960, he saved a small Sequoia (Sequoiadendron) at a campus building construction site. He replanted it in a stand of Incense Cedars (Liborcedrus decurrens). In 1964 he traveled to central Oregon and brought back a Western Juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) seedling for the campus.

In the beginning, the president’s home was part of the campus, just north of Elizabeth Hall. He surrounded it with trees from his travels – Redleaf maples (Acer Palmatum) and Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) to name two. He had an inventory of 59 trees sorted by common and scientific name divided into five, creating the Campus Tree Project.

That project was published in 1974, “Arbor Vitae,” with anecdotal tales and tidbits of Concordia University history.

Karen is a retired early childhood community educator, health and safety trainer.

Local churches participate in Sanctuary Movement

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News

By Karen Wells – CNA Media Team

Two local Protestant churches are demonstrating their support for immigrants and refugees.

Concordia’s Ainsworth United Church of Christ (AUCC) has a long history of involvement in social justice work. This includes being active in the Sanctuary Movement, a national initiative sparked by the current political climate of accelerated attempts to detain and/or deport undocumented immigrants/workers.

Pastor Lynne Smouse Lopez was at the helm of AUCC in 2007 during the north Portland Fresh Del Monte Produce packing plant immigration raids. She and her congregation took action then to assist affected immigrant families.

They are back in action for the latest affront to the security of immigrant families and their children, according to the pastor.

AUCC was the first church in Oregon to engage with the Sanctuary Movement, which counts at least 800 congregations and 18 coalitions nationally. To date, 16 congregations, in nine major cities have provided or offered sanctuary to affected immigrants and their families.

Augustana Lutheran in nearby Irvington neighborhood sponsored a February news conference about sanctuary and deportation. Fifteen local immigrant rights/advocacy groups shared stories of how the latest wave of actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have affected families and children.

The 100-plus community members, congregants and local media heard stories of children who are afraid to go to school for fear of returning home to an empty house if their parents are detained unexpectedly by ICE. Participants also heard that, because of the fear of ICE, many in need of food or medicine are going without.

Sanctuary Movement details

These resources can help you learn more about the Sanctuary Movement and/or step up to help:

The old is made new by local upcycling pro

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses

By Carrie Wenninger – CNA Media Team

Upcycler Mari Bartoo Jacobson
You’re likely to run into Mari Bartoo Jacobson Saturday – Sunday, June 23 -25 during the Concordia Neighborhood Association Annual Yard Sale. Her business embodies the adage, “One person’s garbage is another’s treasure.” The upcycler uses others’ castoffs to create works of art.

Local crafter and ingenious upcycler Mari Bartoo Jacobson of The Make House’s Rutabaga Redesign is preparing to shop the June 23 – 25 Concordia Neighborhood Association Annual Yard Sale. She’ll be looking for inspiring objects, doodads and diamonds in the rough.

What’s upcycling? It’s the process of bringing new, useful and often beautiful life to old, discarded materials. It’s the embodiment of the idea that “One person’s garbage is another’s treasure.”

Q: Why do you do what you do?
A: I‘ve always been keenly aware of our often ugly impact on the environment around us while, at the same time being deeply enamored of the beauty we can bring to light. I endeavor to turn what would otherwise become part of a landfill into something new and interesting. I also love the challenge of uncovering the loveliness of old, grungy metals and woods. Sometimes you really have to look. It’s a lot like finding buried treasure.

Q: How did you become interested in upcycling?
A: My dad was a carpenter when I was young, and I remember always feeling empowered to build things: tree houses, a rubber band gun, a marimba – those are a few of the things I built with my dad. In my family there was a lot of emphasis placed on “walking lightly on the earth.” So what I do now feels like a beautiful outgrowth of those opportunities and values I was given growing up.

Q: Where do you do your work?
A: I have a workshop space in The Make House at 1732 N.E. Alberta St. Six other artists and I have workspace in the building, and I also curate a retail space on the main floor called Rutabaga Redesign. My shop features local, handcrafted work from over 50 different artists and craftspeople, myself included.

Q: Explain the name.
A: Rutabaga Redesign is the name simply because I really like how it rolls off the tongue. Say it out loud. Isn’t that fun?

Carrie is a Concordia resident and lives on 29th Avenue. As a freelance writer with a penchant for poetic prose, she tries to look for the humor in everyday life. She also is a mom and world traveler who, with her partner, owns a company that restores and repurposes vintage homes. Contact her at WurdGurl@gmail.com.

Concordia hosts first two Portland crossbikes

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News

By Jonathan Maus, Bike Portland

Of Portland’s initial seven crossbikes, the first one to appear was on 33rd Avenue at Going Street. Photo by Marcus Murray
Of Portland’s initial seven crossbikes, the first one to appear was on 33rd Avenue at Going Street. Photo by Marcus Murray

In early August, crossbikes were painted at seven intersections around the city – the first two in Concordia neighborhood.

If you see one, don’t fret. Treat them exactly like they sound: like crosswalks, but for bikes, almost.

In Concordia, they are on 33rd at Going and on Killingsworth at 37th. Elsewhere, they are at N.W. Johnson at 21st, N. Williams at Rosa Parks, N.E. Tillamook at 15th, N. Michigan at Killingsworth, S.E. Lincoln at 60th and N.E. Rodney at Fremont. Another 15 are planned.

All are on neighborhood greenway streets. Roger Geller, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) bicycle coordinator, said it’s just the latest effort the bureau has undertaken to make crossings safer on what are designed to be low-stress, family-friendly streets where priority goes to people on bikes and on foot.

The crossbike locations must meet specific criteria that have been vetted by Geller and PBOT traffic engineers. They are used only on what are known as “minor collector streets” – a designation that applies only if the street has (at the most) one lane of traffic in each direction, no more than 10,000 cars per day (with 1,000 in the peak hour) and a maximum speed limit of 30 miles per hour.

Each marking costs about $4,000, including signs and crosswalk striping if necessary.

Geller said crossbikes are an idea he’s be working on for several years, and it came from how he observed people using curb extensions – where curbs are bulbed out to narrow the crossing distance.

“When a cyclist was taking advantage of the curb extension and stopped at the end of it, it was clear from our observations that motorists would be paying attention more because they would stop,” Geller said. “So we thought, if we put more indicators in the intersection that more clearly signal that this is a crossing, it would lead to even greater awareness.”

Legally-speaking, crossbikes aren’t crosswalks. In a crosswalk, drivers are required by law to stop for anyone on bike or foot who shows intent to cross. Not so in a crossbike. But if you’ve walked or biked at all in Portland, you’ll know that people tend to happily stop at neighborhood greenway crossings already, so these markings should only increase awareness.

PBOT plans to work with a Portland State University researcher to evaluate the new markings to see whether they improve conditions.

Jonathan is publisher/editor of Bike Portland. This story is condensed from BikePortland.org coverage of the crossbikes. Contact him at Jonathan@BikePortland.org or 503.706.8804.

Cottage Pantry marks a year in business

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses

Cottage Pantry
Colorful balloons welcome partygoers to The Cottage Pantry café for a first anniversary celebration Aug. 8. Photo by Tom Faulkner

By Susan Trabucco, CNews Managing Editor

The Cottage Pantry at 30th Avenue and Ainsworth Street celebrated its one-year anniversary with food and fun Aug. 8. The Concordia neighborhood coffee and baked goods café is the brainchild of proprietor and native Portlander Judy Louie, a self-taught baking aficionado who had always wanted her own restaurant. Now, with a year of experience under her belt, she’s feeling positive about her entrepreneurial adventure.

“I love the location and the people,” she said. “It’s awesome, and I can bike to work from where I live near Alberta.”

Judy also enjoys the café’s location near an English language school, which attracts students from all over the globe who are intent on learning English, which is required for local college enrollment eligibility.

Cottage Pantry

“When I dreamed of opening my own place, I imagined I would do it in another country,” she explained. “With proximity to this school and the many types of wonderful people that brings to my café, I feel like I’m in a foreign land.”

Cottage Pantry is open 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.

Boutique fitness studio opens in Concordia

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses

By Susan Trabucco, CNews Managing Editor

Chris Pike - Sensible Fitness
Chris Pike, a fitness instructor with extensive experience, opened Sensible Fitness recently in the Fernhill Park area. Photo by Susan Trabucco

Seeking an injury-free fitness regime sans crowded classes? Look no further than Sensible Fitness, a new, boutique fitness enterprise tucked into a charmingly-repurposed garage in Concordia.

In the studio, watermelon-washed walls and abundant skylights provide a cheerful, light-filled ambiance. Brightly-colored floor mats and hand weights of various poundage are scattered about – inviting their use. Toby, the owner’s dog, watches from a corner, his tail wagging gently.

Proprietor Chris Pike is no stranger to the business of exercise. Using a science-based approach, he ran his fitness program under a different name for six years in Davis, California. A medical condition exacerbated by too much sunshine led him to relocate to Portland this year. Because he’s committed to sustainability, he chose the Concordia neighborhood.

“I don’t own a car, and I bike or walk everywhere, so this neighborhood works out perfectly for me,” Chris said.

His Sensible Fitness program uses a blend of strength training, stretching and movement to provide class participants – there are six maximum per class – a full range of exercise. Chris’ program incorporates elements from yoga and Pilates as well as ballet and African dance.

Former Davis client, Ellen Dean, is a die-hard Chris fan. She now leads a group in Davis that continues to meet to exercise according to the program he taught them, using a CD with Chris’ voice and his music.

“Chris is a very talented teacher with a lot of knowledge about body mechanics. He could be famous for his routine, but he isn’t someone who brags or puts himself out there in a competitive way,” she said.

Kylie Mendonca, also a former class participant from Davis, learned Chris had moved here and looked him up so she could go to his Portland studio for workouts while she was on an extended summer visit. Now she is gearing up for a move here.

“Chris is so sweet. He makes an effort to learn people’s names, and he pays attention so he can help those who might need help with the poses. And you really see results from his classes – not only do you feel strong – you look fit,” she added.

Chris does what he loves. Although he earned a Ph.D. in physics, he has invested an enormous amount of time learning the art and science of fitness.

“They say you can do anything well if you put in 10,000 hours,” he said. “Well, I’ve put in that much time reading, learning from dance and fitness instructors, and trying new ideas to help people be fit without injury.”

Sensible Fitness classes, appropriate for participants of all genders and fitness levels, are offered at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. daily by reservation.

Prices vary depending on class size, and $15 for a single session. Private or customized small group classes are also available.

For a class schedule and to sign-up visit SensibleFitnessPDX.com, or contact Sensible Fitness by at info@sensiblefitnessPDX.com or 503.757.6656.