Category Archives: CNA

Highlights from the July 12 CNA Board include:

• The board designated Donn Dennis as the neighborhood association’s representative to the Northeast Coalition of Neighbors.
• The board is still looking for a new board member who is interested in serving as treasurer. Please contact Robert for more information.
• The Media Team introduced the people contracted to publish CNews, and the board discussed and approved their contracts (managing editor, editor and graphic designer). The search for an advertising salesperson is still active.
• The board discussed planning for the autumn annual meeting in November, which will feature city commissioner Amanda Fritz. Look for a survey coming soon to solicit feedback in preparation for this meeting with the commissioner. Board elections will be also be held at that meeting.
• Information about upcoming social events was shared. Concerts in the Park at Fernhill were continuing every Friday night in July, plus a parade and concert is scheduled on National Night Out, Tuesday, Aug. 2.
• The Land Use and Transportation Committee gave a quick update on efforts to engage the developer of the Big House project at the corner of 30th Avenue and Killingsworth Street.
• The next board meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Kennedy School in the Community Room. There is no board meeting in August. Meetings are open to all.

By Carrie Wenninger

This month’s column is intended to provide a timely serving of hot topics – as well as pass along some news you can use – from Concordia Nextdoor.com

Doug the Dog
Wiley dachshund continues to elude traps and extend his about-town adventure. The farthest potential sighting was July 8 at 36th and Broadway.

July Fourth fireworks spark explosive neighborhood debate
Are they good patriotic fun or stress-inducing bedlam?

For some, Red Plum circular isn’t peachy, just junk mail
Click here to remove your address from the Red Plum circular.

Phishy phone calls
Look out for bogus phone scam claiming the IRS has filed a claim against you. Report phishing of that nature.

Two thumbs up
Nextdoor.com’s Recommendations section has been upgraded to make it easier than ever to find neighbor-approved businesses. Find it on the home page menu tagged with a heart icon.

Rx for old meds
Click here for recommendations for disposing of expired or unneeded prescription medications.

Carrie Wenninger is a Concordia resident and lives on 29th Avenue. She is also a freelance writer with a penchant for poetic prose who 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 via email.

The next CNA meeting will be a special meeting of the Board of Directors to discuss the specific issue of filling the Advertising Sales role for Concordia News. Other agenda items may be added as needed.

Date: Tuesday, August 9th
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Community Room of McMenamin’s Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97211).

This meeting is open to the public and any interested community members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

This is the age of information, in which we’re bombarded (or enlightened, depending on your perspective) with streaming news videos, blogs, texts, podcasts and various social media post notifications. So getting a plain old black and white newspaper in one’s mailbox can feel kind of comforting. At least it is for those of us (way) older than 35.

We know, however, the Concordia neighborhood has a median age of 35 years. So, to provide neighborhood news and info to a broader audience (okay, I mean younger), the CNA Media Team is working to beef up more than just the quality of this publication.

We are also working to improve the website and grow our Facebook presence. Why? To appeal to those people who didn’t grow up luxuriating in a morning routine that includes hot coffee, a comfortable couch, and the daily (printed) newspaper.

This all takes a great deal of vigilance and effort. Six months ago the ConcordiaPDX.org website was three years out of date, and we had no Facebook page. We’ve made great strides since then but, because CNA website postings and Facebooking is performed entirely by volunteers with jobs and families, we ask for your patience while we work to improve our digital presence.

Now, here are three ways you can ensure we’re barking up the right media tree to provide what is relevant to you, our valued readers, as resources allow:

1. Complete the survey online.
2. Email CNewsEditor@PDX.org with story or regular feature ideas, breaking news items and events, or to submit a letter to the editor.
3. Email CNewsME@ConcordiaPDX.org if you have suggestions for improvements or ideas forCNEWS, the website or our Facebook page, – or you’d like to volunteer to help in any of these areas, or as a reporter.

Recent CNA Media Team accomplishments:

• Added automatic CNA Facebook posts to the home page of the CNA website.
• Held a Beverage ‘N Brainstormingafter-hours session that we expect to continue. From that session came ideas that debuted last month:
  • Trending on Nextdoor.com is a light-hearted compendium of what Concordians are talking about.
  • What’s Selling in Concordia offers a quick look at neighborhood real estate data.
  • Ask the Historian by northeast Portlander Doug Decker answers readers’questions about Concordia history and connects it to the present day. (Doug offered up this concept, and readers have jumped in with queries.)

We have a few more ideas, but your feedback on what we’ve been providing on the pages of CNEWS, on our website and on Facebook would be very helpful to ensure we’re on the path to happy Concordia neighborhood readers. We look forward to your input! And please – LIKE us on Facebook.

Hello, Neighbor,

The winds they are a changing… will it be a hurricane or a summer breeze. No, not talking about the weather but governance, locally and globally. Like it or not, the world is in for a paradigm shift. The question is, will the shift happen to us or will we to it?

I look around and see whole political systems being overhauled and social fabrics being torn apart by festering injustices and poverty. In contrast, the Concordia Neighborhood appears as though we are doing quite well… or are we?

Events are driving changes
I think most of us would agree on that assessment and consider ourselves fortunate not to experience the unrest we have seen in the news almost daily. The severity and impact of these events are driving changes which were usually initiated by leadership within political parties. Now, matters have become so pressing citizens have, in some cases, scrapped their representatives or taken the discussion to the street.

Change is inevitable and typically understood with a 20/20 hindsight perspective. The Concordia Neighborhood is no stranger to change thanks to the many who dedicated themselves to creating the Renaissance. Concordia has become one of Portland’s most desirable neighborhoods.

So no wonder we can look at the rest of the world and tell ourselves all is good. Being fortunate enough to recently move here three years ago, I and others like me are the beneficiaries of these people’s efforts, but can we sit back and go for the proverbial “free ride”? This inheritance of prosperity and wellbeing is only a gift and requires us to be proactive in its preservation if we hope to expect the same future for our children.

Looking into the crystal ball, Concordia looks like it is going in the right direction, but then again, Republican and Democratic party structures had been moving along as though the road ahead were wide open. Assumptions should also be accompanied with reality checks from time-to-time if we are going to be an inclusive society and avoid reversal of fortune.

Foresight needed, not just hindsight
When looking in the rear-view mirror, each and every one of us knows what could have and should have been done to prevent the disturbing events of late. If we are going to heal the world, what we really need is to refocus our 20/20 hindsight to foresight. Let’s take those criticisms and observations about past events and ask ourselves not what we should have done but what will we do to promote wellbeing.

Each one of us is capable of bringing positive changes without having to lead the charge. Change happens in incremental stages and, dependent on small events, eventually connecting to bring about change. We can be the force for a better future just by taking small opportunities to step out of our comfort zone, reaching out to others or when we join an organization of like-minded folks.

Each of these activities lets others know who we are and what is important to us. And like the great philosopher Raffi has said, the more we come together the happier we’ll be. Let’s not make any assumptions going forward, let’s have more conversations no matter if it is about skinny houses or garden club news. Let’s have an understanding and appreciation for the other… not a bad formula for peace.

Lastly, Portland city commissioner Amanda Fritz has been rescheduled to appear at the November general meeting of the association. Please send me your vision for our neighborhood — one year, five years and 15 years from now — to see if Amanda is on the same page as we are, or if she needs to adjust her vision for our future.

Thanks again,
Isaac Quintero Chair
Concordia Neighborhood Association

By Carrie Wenninger

A new regular feature offering an insight into what’s on the minds of Concordians

Curious about the news du jour right here in Concordia? From lost pets and found wallets to free mulch, hot tubs and kids’ clothing (just to name a few things!), from neighborhood crime and safety warnings to coyote sightings to opinions on the newest urban development projects, NextDoor.com is a free resource offering hyper-local social interaction via its web site and app. From their site: “It’s the easiest way for you and your neighbors to talk online and make all of your lives better in the real world.”

This writer has used it personally to quickly raise funds and clothing donations for a family friend’s severely burned young son at Legacy Oregon Burn Center. Within minutes, neighbors began turning up with cash, clothes, offers of homemade lasagna and more, showcasing the power and immediacy of social networking. Here’s a look at last month’s discussions:

May-June 2016 NextDoor.com Hot Topic Round Up

• Doug the dog is still lost! Surely you’ve seen his sweet mug plastered on telephone poles; this ginger long-haired dachshund is greatly missed by his family. He’s been gone since mid-April, but continues to be spotted about town
• Orange Splot’s new development project, Camp Cully, highlights the changing Portland home building scene and stirs up all manner of emotions.
• ‘Tree of Heaven’ labeled invasive species from… the other place, should be pulled up/dug out/girdled immediately, say garden enthusiasts.
• Dog poop: take it or leave it? Neighbors sound off on how to best dispose of the baggie… in a neighbor’s trash can or by packing it home.
• Vernon Elementary School gets high marks from effusive parents! Goooooo Vernon!
• City wildlife is alive and well…another coyote sighting on June 13.

Carrie is a resident of NE 29th Ave. and a freelance writer with a penchant for poetic prose who tries to look for the humor in everyday life. She is also a mom and world traveler and, with her partner, owns a company that restores and repurposes vintage homes. If you see her, please say hello or email her at wurdgurl@gmail.com

By Daniel Greenstadt, CNA Board of Directors

As you may have read in past CNEWS issues, in order to help ensure a bright future for our community newspaper, in May the CNA board voted to fund four paid, part-time contract positions. Three of the positions were filled as of the CNA June 14 board meeting, effective with production of the August issue of Concordia News.

The advertising sales representative position remains unfilled, so please spread the word to your marketing-savvy friends.

It’s the pleasure of the CNA board of directors – and hopefully CNEWS readers as well – to welcome the following individuals to the CNEWS family as we embark on a new era of ever-improving service to our community.

Susan Trabucco was named to the Managing Editor position. A Beaumont-Wilshire resident, Susan has been volunteering as team leader, editor, layout/graphic design and advertising sales for CNEWS since early this year. Susan brings to CNEWS a background that includes 10 years in sales and sales management, 15 years as a freelance public relations and communications professional, and five years as an entrepreneur publisher; in 2006 she launched a monthly regional business and real estate journal established in Astoria, Ore. As the sole owner of the newspaper, she served as editor and publisher to a staff of five. She sold the newspaper in 2011. Susan is currently self-employed as a business communications consultant, providing P.R. and marketing services. She is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College.

Nancy Varekamp, who is new to Concordia News, was named to the Editor position. Nancy brings 43 years of communications experience to CNEWS, all of them editing and writing newspapers and newsletters, and 35 of them additionally advising clients on the strategies and mechanics of communicating with their stakeholders. She spent seven years as a reporter and editor in Tigard, 20 years in public relations and employee communications with Pacific Power, and has served a variety of clients for 16 years as an independent communications consultant. Nancy has lived in nearby Rose City Park for 22 years. She is a Lewis & Clark College graduate with a bachelor’s degree in communications.

Gordon Riggs was named to the Layout/Graphic Design position. A Concordia resident, Gordon stepped up to volunteer for the recently revitalized CNA media team in January this year, initially assisting with the CNA website; he then volunteered to undertake CNEWS layout for the June issue. He has a long career history as a project manager, engineer and software developer. Gordon transitioned to the field of graphic design around eight years ago, studying at the Pacific NW College of Art. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon, awarded the honor of Phi Beta Kappa.  Gordon is currently self-employed as a graphic and website designer and consultant.

The CNA Board held its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on June 14, 2016. Some highlights from the meeting are:

• The CNA will have games for kids and an information table at NE Sunday Parkways on July 24 at Fernhill Park. Stop by and say “hi” and hear about what your neighborhood association is working on for the benefit of the neighborhood, and learn how you can get involved.

• Garlynn Woodsong, chair of CNA’s Land Use and Transportation Committee, provided an update on the city’s Residential Infill Project Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Guest speaker Mary Kyle McCurdy, with 1000 Friends of Oregon and representing the Portland for Everyone coalition, provided some background information on how various plans under consideration will affect development in Portland’s neighborhoods. Both Garlynn and Mary Kyle served on the Residential Infill Project Advisory Committee.

• The Board heard an update on planning for National Night Out, scheduled for Tues., August 2. CNA’s event will include a children’s parade that starts at Dekum Court followed by the last Summer Concert of the season at Fernhill Park.

• The CNA media team provided an update on its staffing proposal to contract several paid positions to help produce Concordia News. The Board approved the hiring of contractors for three of the four advertised contract positions: Managing Editor, Editor, and Graphic Designer/Layout.  The search for an Ad Sales person is still active.

• The next Board meeting is Tuesday, July 12 at 7 p.m. at McMenamins Kennedy School, in the Community Room. Meetings are open to all – we hope to see you there!