Concordia Neighborhood Association | Portland, Oregon

Category Archives: Concordia News

Our 42nd Avenue makes strides in 2015, more in store for 2016

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses

By Laura Waddick, Community Engagement Manager, Our 42nd Avenue

Laura W Our 42nd AveIt was an exciting year  in 2015 for the economic development agency —Our 42nd Avenue. Small business activity by our clients and community partners was significant, with Morel Ink opening its first retail quick-printing and mailing services shop and Red Sauce Pizza launching in what was formerly Bob’s Rocket Pizza. Also, Cat Six Cycles, which sells and repairs bicycles, celebrated its second year in business!

New late last year is GO42, Our 42nd Avenue’s space for small business start-ups on the corner of 42nd and Sumner. Kristen Dilley brings Nightingale Acupuncture to the neighborhood; Inger McDowell brings With Love, From PDX; Vida Djorgee opened Essential Quality Care, and Rachel Hestmark brings Hestmark Designs. Rachel also runs a youth entrepreneurship program to teach kids concepts such as product development and marketing. Contact Rachel at hestmarkdesigns@gmail.com for more info.

In other business-related news, Our 42nd Avenue hosted business breakfasts featuring Mayor Charlie Hales and PDC Chair Tom Kelly, and 180 community members were able to connect with employers through the twice-annual Fresh Chance Career Fair, in partnership with Straight Path, Inc. Additionally, the Cully Farmers Market closed out its 4th successful season with new-neighborhood serving programs including senior volunteer vouchers, neighbor vouchers, double-matching SNAP benefits, and a pop-up library.

Early last year Our 42nd Avenue launched the Read Ahead Literacy Initiative in partnership with Rigler School, which trained and deployed 32 reading tutors across the community.

Plans for 2016 include the groundbreaking of 42nd Avenue’s first community plaza in February, a process that began in 2015 with the gathering of community input.

Also, Mulu Terefe, the neighborhood’s employment and training advisor, will be hosting job clubs and employment related workshops throughout 2016! Job seekers should contact Mulu by calling (971)722-2140.

Our 42nd Avenue is a community-driven program that ushers equitable and inclusive economic opportunities to community members, including many of the people who live in the community around 42nd Avenue. We organize activities and resources related to employment, business development, land development, and community engagement. Visit 42ave.org to learn more.

Chair’s Column

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Concordia News

Hi Neighbors,

I believe many of you found big changes in the February issue of The Concordia Newspaper, placing us on the map as far as local papers go. The Board’s “News Team” was instrumental in providing our Editor, Mary Wiley, the assistance she needed to give the Paper a new start in life. Thank you Steve Elder (News Team Chair and CNA Board Member) for organizing this effort and bringing on Susan Trabucco who has the expertise to ensure a great future. I personally want to thank them and all of the folks who put out this paper every month as it is no easy task to do so. Being Chair for CNA, I am fortunate to have this opportunity to write to you each month, and this has given me a unique perspective on the value of a local paper that I had taken too much for granted.

While watching the presidential debates, I was in awe as to how the people have taken back the process and are bypassing the establishment. Regardless if you are on the right or left side of the political aisle, the political landscape is in for big changes. Seems that “The People” have had enough of Congress protecting their own vested interest, and that appears to be a real misunderstanding of what their constituents want. So while we wait and see what comes of all this, let us remember that it is our individual voices that have power, and together we are the ones who are agents of change. Both Bernie and the Donald have realized this and are going directly to the people to make their case, but we must also make our wishes known. This starts with one person speaking up to see who else shares their belief. At one time I had made efforts to contact my local representative, but like so many others I found the cobwebs growing around my feet waiting for an opportunity to plead my case. However, I am fortunate to have become a member of the Board of Directors and now know that my voice and those of who I represent will appear in print for all to see. Not all of us have the luxury of time to become involved, much less the willingness to go through the aggravation of pounding on government’s door, but we all have the opportunity to pick up a pen or hit the keyboard and make our point by way of The Concordia News. Your opinions do matter, and when you share your beliefs and opinions in the Paper, you are calling to action other likeminded neighbors as they begin to realize they are not alone in their beliefs.

St. Francis was correct when he said to light one candle as it is that single candle which acts like a beacon for others to find and join in with you. Our Concordia Newspaper is our most important institution. It gives all of us an avenue to express our basic right of “free speech,” but use it or lose it. It is unfortunate to see how The Oregonian like many other dailies has been reduced to providing day-old news and advertisements for things we don’t need. (My main reason now for buying the Sunday paper is for the comics.) As a result, our local news and neighborhood issues are marginalized because they are not “Breaking News” or of sufficient interest to be considered in larger publications. Major events are not typically spontaneous but grow out of small issues, usually incubating in local neighborhoods. These issues only grow out of proportion when they not addressed locally. Having a pulse on local news and keeping our neighbors aware by posting current issues in our Paper is a sure way of preventing things from getting out of hand. Even more importantly, we can provide accurate information that people need in order to have a meaningful conversation for action. So regardless of your interests or concerns, write your article or series or letter to the Editor and submit it to the CNA News to begin making a difference in our world.

A couple of other things I want to mention is that we are looking for another Board Member, hopefully someone who is familiar with the responsibilities of a Treasurer. We are also shy of a Vice-Chair at the moment. For those of you who are anticipating our neighborhood community Garage Sale, please note this year we are without an organizer for this even so if you are interested in helping out with this event, please let us know. The neighborhood Garage Sale will not happen if we don’t get a volunteer.

Our next General Meeting will be on March 8th in the Community Room in the Kennedy School beginning at 7pm ending at 8:30pm. We will be discussing the Mayor’s plans for siting homeless camps in our neighborhood. This should be a very interesting meeting for all, and I believe you will not be alarmed by the proposals but should attend to get properly informed.

Happy Daylight Savings on March 13th!

ISAAC QUINTERO
President
Concordia Neighborhood Assoc.

Rebuilding Faubion for the future

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Land Use & Transportation, Schools

By Carl Jameson, CNA Media Team

Bull Dogs Excavator_color
An excavator with a demolition bucket drops its mouthful of the old Faubion School into a dumpster. Photo by Carl Jameson

Homes aren’t the only buildings being demolished and increasing in size in the Concordia neighborhood. A single story International style influenced building has been torn to ground and will be replaced by a gleaming three story structure with room for up to 800 children from early childhood through eighth grade, aka James B. Faubion School.

Built in 1950, the school was constructed during a period of modernization and new construction initiated by Portland Public Schools after World War II. In 1945, Portland voters approved a ballot measure to construct, improve, and rehabilitate its public school buildings. The ballot measure was a response to the explosive growth in school-age children that resulted from the arrival of defense plant workers and their families during the war, deferred maintenance needs and just in time for the oncoming baby boom after the war.

Faubion School's namesake: James Blair Faubion Jr. was born in Portland in 1926, attended Fernwood School and graduated from Grant High School in 1944. After joining the U.S. Marine Corps, he was sent to Okinawa, Japan, where he was wounded, paralyzed and lost both legs. He died of complications from his wounds at the age of 22. A community grateful for his service named the school in his honor in 1949.
Faubion School’s namesake: James Blair Faubion Jr. was born in Portland in 1926, attended Fernwood School and graduated from Grant High School in 1944. After joining the U.S. Marine Corps, he was sent to Okinawa, Japan, where he was wounded, paralyzed and lost both legs. He died of complications from his wounds at the age of 22. A community grateful for his service named the school in his honor in 1949.

Fast forward to 2012: The citizens of Portland approved the PPS School Building Improvement Bond. The bond is funding $33 million for the project. Concordia University, a private, non-profit Christian liberal arts university, is contributing up to $15.5 million in building funding along with land and additional resources.

Concordia and Faubion have been neighbors for over sixty years with many Concordia education students completing a part of their field experience at Faubion. The collaboration between the two institutions increased eight years ago with the tenure of Faubion’s current principal LaShawn Lee and has resulted in improved learning outcomes for students in reading, math and science.

The old style bulldog mascot of Faubion School guards the demolition site. Photo by Carl Jameson
The old style bulldog mascot of Faubion School guards the demolition site. Photo by Carl Jameson
Principal Lee soaking in the last moments of memories.Photo courtesy of LaShawn Lee.
Principal Lee soaking in the last moments of memories.Photo courtesy of LaShawn Lee.

When the new Faubion School is completed in 2017 the oldest of its former pupils will be seventy-six years old and they certainly won’t recognize their former school. The new building, yet to be officially named by PPS, will house the Concordia University College of Education and Faubion PK-8 School under one roof. Together, along with Trillium Family Services and other community partners, they will offer educational, health and social services aimed at creating a foundation of success for students. Faubion’s current pupils, temporarily at the Harriet S. Tubman site, can’t wait to move into their new home. “They were sad leave the old Faubion, but are very excited to see the new building taking shape and for the future,” said Vice Principal Jennifer McCally.

dump truck enters the job site. Photo by Carl Jameson
A dump truck enters the job site. Photo by Carl Jameson

At the old Faubion site there will be increased construction traffic in and around school grounds. Site security is a priority. There will be construction fencing surrounding the site for the duration of work.

Groundbreaking for the new Faubion School will take place in Spring 2016. Todd Construction, the general contractor for the rebuild, plans on a work schedule from 7am-5pm, Mon-Fri, but work may occur on some evenings and some weekends as needed.

Helpful links

Faubion Rebuild site

Faubion School

Concordia 3toPhD site

Concordia University

Carl Jameson is a writer/director/videographer at Craftmaster Productions, a full service creative production company. He’s lived and worked in the Concordia neighborhood since 2001. Reach him by emailing carlj@craftmasterpro.com

Apartments on tap for Bighouse Automotive site

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Land Use & Transportation

By Susan Trabucco, CNA Media Team

bighouse-automotive
A 30-unit apartment building is planned at the corner of N.E. 30th & Killingsworth. Bighouse Automotive operated at this location for over 60 years. Photo by Carl Jameson

For decades the home of Bighouse Automotive and a U-Haul outlet, a 10,000 square foot parcel at the corner of NE 30th and Killingsworth in Concordia’s Fox Chase district is slated for the development of a mixed-use building, an outright use for the site under the City of Portland’s current code.

30th & K Properties, LLC, a Vancouver, Wash.-based company, recently purchased the property at 3009 NE Killingsworth from former owner David Bighouse. The project includes 30 apartment units and a small amount of ground floor retail space on the site. Brian Spencer, the company’s representative, said plans have been submitted to the City of Portland for review and permitting. Upon approval, construction will start in the spring or early summer this year.

Final details of the design are in the process of being completed, but the project will be constructed to the city -allowed height. The building will be four stories, with residential units on all floors, and approximately 800 square feet of ground floor retail space on the SW corner of the lot. -Of the 30 apartments planned, 24 will have two bedrooms and two baths; the remaining units will have one bedroom. Rents will be market rate.

Spencer said the building will be constructed with quality components, and be very nice-looking.

“I really think people are going to like it, and see it as an asset to the neighborhood,” he said.

As is allowed by City of Portland code, and because of the relatively small lot size, no onsite parking is included in the plans. In keeping in with Portland’s bike-friendly culture, however, two-wheeled commuters will be accommodated with ample bike storage.

On February 17 the development company presented its plans to the Concordia Neighborhood Association’s Land Use Committee to give committee members an opportunity to ask questions.

“We want to be good neighbors to the people that live and work near the development,” Spencer said.

Architectural design work for the project is being provided by Portland-based Mackenzie, and Union Corner Construction  of  Vancouver,  Wash.  is  the  construction  contractor.  Both  companies  have  experience  in  the neighborhood; most notably they have worked on Concordia University projects, including Hilken Community Stadium.

Apartments rendering Bighouse property
This artist’s rendering shows the current design of the a new mixed-use building to be constructed at N.E. 30th & Killingsworth.

Susan Trabucco is a business communications consultant. She lives in the Beaumont Wilshire neighborhood, just a few steps from Concordia. Reach her by emailing susan@trabucco.biz or call (503) 440-7732. 

Bringing happiness to Alberta Street

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Health and Wellness

Portland Happiness Center and businesses on NE Alberta Street are partnering to create the first street to invest in happiness in the nation. In  2009,  Portland  was  rated  as  one  of  the  least  happy  cities  in  the  country,  according  to  a  U.S.  economic  well -being  survey from  MainStreet.com,  a  personal  finance  site.  Also,  according  to  a  2014  study,  Portland  has  one  of  the  highest  teenager  and  a dult depression  and  suicide  rates  in  the  nation.  Our  city  could be  happier  –  much  happier.  According  to  Portland  Happiness  Center’s founder Rodrigo Baena, companies and organizations that invest in wellness in the work environment experience a significant increase in productivity levels, improve relationships and naturally end up attracting more clients.

Businesses  owners  and  employers  that  become  members  of  the  Happiness  Center have  the  opportunity  to  create  a  community, meet  monthly,  learn  tools  to  use  in  their  work  environments  and  go  to  talks  and  seminars.  Individuals  can  also  become  members, receiving invitation to events, inspiring presentations, weekly news about happiness and personal growth and volunteering on one of the many projects the center holds monthly.

In 2015 the Portland Happiness Center was nominated to participate in the largest happiness conference in the world.

For more information on how to join this happiness movement, visit www.PortlandHappinessCenter.org, email info@portlandhappinesscenter.org or call  503-444-3333.

Future Families of Vernon Mixer March 6

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Events

The Vernon IB World School PTA is hosting the Future Families of Vernon Mixer on Sunday, March 6, 2016 from 3:00 – 5:00 PM at McMenamins Kennedy School Community Room. McMenamins Kennedy School is located at 5732 NE 33rd Ave., Portland, OR 97211. Children are welcome.

The Future Families of Vernon Mixer offers current and prospective Vernon families a casual opportunity to learn more about Vernon and the community that supports our neighborhood school.

Neighborhood families can enjoy complimentary snacks and talk to prospective and current Vernon families about:

  • Preparing their child for kindergarten.
  • Determining whether Vernon is the right school for their family.
  • Getting involved and meeting other Vernon families.

Families are encouraged to come to the mixer to learn more about Vernon’s:

  • Global International Baccalaureate (IB) program and how IB students often outperform students from other programs.
  • Weekly special classes including art, music, PE, library, technology, Mandarin and Spanish.
  • On-site before and after-care programs offered by the YMCA and SUN (Schools Uniting Neighborhoods).
  • Two vibrant, active school gardens and a Garden Studies teacher.

“The Future Families of Vernon Mixer is the perfect place to meet current Vernon families and learn about all the awesome things going on at the school. We’re an engaged group of parents, teachers, and community members working hard to make sure our kids have a great place to learn. Join us at the Mixer on March 6th to learn more about our great school and community,” said Lindsay Corliss, Vernon parent and PTA member.

Learn more about Vernon IB World School at the Future Families of Vernon Mixer on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at McMenamins Kennedy School Community Room.

For more information, please contact Lindsay Corliss at (503) 750-6670, or lindsaycorliss@gmail.com.

Summer Concerts in Fernhill Park Needs Y-O-U

Posted on by Posted in Arts & Culture, Concordia News, Events

A Call to Business Owners, Families, and Individuals!

There’s no better way to spend a warm and breezy summer evening than gathering with friends and neighbors in Fernhill Park for music, dancing and family fun! For the last eleven summers, the Fernhill Concert Series has been a smashing success- offering the finest musical talents that Portland has to offer free of charge! This year it all happens on four Friday nights starting July 8th through July 29th and ends with a big shebang on Tuesday August 2nd for our Concordia Neighborhood National Night Out! The CNA Fernhill Concert Committee has begun the long, hard slog of fundraising for the Summer Concert Series, but we need your help to raise enough money to fund all five concerts! So, if you have the means, PLEASE DONATE! We are looking for local businesses and individuals to donate anything they can to help make the concerts happen! It doesn’t matter if you are a business owner, a family, or an individual, WE NEED YOU to help raise the money to produce another memorable concert season in Fernhill Park.

If you would like to help the CNA Fernhill Concert Committee fundraise for this year’s fabulous season, please contact Katie Ugolini at social@concordiapdx.org or 503-449-9690. HELP SUPPPORT THE POWER OF LIVE MUSIC TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER!

Furthermore, if you are a business, institution, or individual and want to be a Fernhill Concert Series Sponsor by contributing $300 or more, you will receive these awesome benefits of sponsorship:
​•​Opportunity to have promotional table at all 5 concerts to display, give or sell items.

​•​A chance to give to your neighborhood

​•​A tax deductible contribution staying “close to home”

​•​Your Business Name Recognized:

Here are the options:

Please join us at the concert sponsorship level that is comfortable for you!

Champion Sponsor: $3,000
Presenting sponsor status for one night of a concert series
Opportunity to emcee and welcome audience to the concert
Logo or name on the concert banner, select Summer Free for All movie screens, season brochure and neighborhood flyer
Listed as presenting sponsor in the season brochure and the neighborhood flyer
Listed on the PP&R Summer Free for All website
Recognized from the stage at all concerts
Thanked in Concordia News and on the CNA Website and recognition in the  SFFA final report
Listed in the newspaper guide distributed in seven languages
Invitation to sponsor night

Major Sponsor: $1,250 and up
Logo or name on concert banner, one Summer Free for Allmovie screen, season brochure and  neighborhood flyer
Listed on the PP&R Summer Free for All website
Recognized from the stage at all concerts
Thanked in Concordia News and on CNA Website
Name listed in the newspaper guide distributed in seven languages

Contributing Sponsor: $600 and up
Name in bold on the concert banner
Name in bold in the season brochure and on neighborhood flyer
Listed on the PP&R Summer Free for All website
Thanked in Concordia News and on the CNA Website

Good Neighbor Sponsor: $300 and up
Name listed on the neighborhood flyer
Listed on the PP&R Summer Free for All website
Thanked in the Concordia News and on the CNA Website

Any sponsor may have a promotional table at the concerts they are supporting.

Sponsorship commitments are needed by April 1 but payment is not due until June 1, 2016 to be included in promotional material.  If you are a business, please let us know how you would like to participate as a sponsor by contacting Lynn Shisler, Concert Production Manager at lynn.shisler@portlandoregon.gov.  If paying by check, make checks payable to Portland Parks & Recreation/Fernhill Concerts and mail to Portland Parks & Recreation,  ATTN: Lynn Shisler, Concerts: 6437 SE Division St.,  Portland, OR 97206. CREDIT CARDS ALSO ACCEPTED.

The Murals of The Black United Fund

Posted on by Posted in Arts & Culture, Concordia News, Local Businesses

When you walk by the Black United Fund’s building at 28th and NE Alberta you can’t miss noticing a recently completed 25 x 100 ft mural that swirls across its west side facing wall. The vibrant mural honors iconic women of the civil rights movement.

Vox Siren, a Creative Change Agency that focuses on promoting gender equity and ArtUprising, a non-profit that connects artists and non-profit organizations working to dismantle institutional oppression partnered with the Black United Fund of Oregon on the mural.

Black United Fund, Alberta Street, Portland, Oregon
Photos courtesy of Carl Jameson

The Black United Fund of Oregon is the only black-owned, community specific nonprofit that operates and owns its building and property on Alberta Street. The organization’s mission is to assist in the social and economic development of Oregon’s low-income communities and to contribute to a broader understanding of ethnic and culturally diverse groups.

Kimberlee Sheng, the Executive Director of Black United Fund provided leadership in the creative design said, “As a child growing up the women depicted on this mural were major inspirations in life; they embodied the vision I held for myself, and the determination that was required to create real and lasting change.”

Artists Eatcho and Jeremy Nichols collaborated on the mural that features historical figures of Coretta Scott King, Ruby Bridges, Ruby Dee, Angela Davis, and Maya Angelou. “These women, along with countless others- some who will never be named, opened many doors of opportunity for both women and men, and have had a tremendous impact on how communities of color navigate “systems” of inequity,” Sheng said.

Murals of the Black United Fund, Alberta Street, Portland, Oregon

There is another important person represented in the mural: a young girl stands below the image of Maya Angelou and reflects on her predecessors. She represents a generation boldly ready to continue the legacy of powerful leadership. Sheng said, “In our more than 30-years of operation, the organization has always been lead by women therefore it is fitting that this mural would pay tribute to a few of the iconic black women of the civil rights movement. Upholding a beacon of hope for all, these historical women stood alongside our brothers and numerous communities involved in the struggle, just as we still do today.”

The mural was supported by the Public Arts Murals Program, administered by Regional Arts and Culture Council. Watch a video “A Voice to be Thankful For” created by Vox Siren about the mural.

There’s more murals to come for the building. Alberta Art Works, an organization that supports the neighborhood’s art, artists, performers and creatives, commissioned six 8 x 8 foot murals for the building’s Alberta Street side.

Murals of the Black United Fund, Alberta Street, Portland, Oregon
The murals will tell the story of Alberta Street’s history, economic growth and diversity. Two murals are complete, two are in progress and the rest are scheduled to be completed in Spring 2016.

Red Sauce Pizza a standout addition to Concordia’s food scene

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses
Opening her own pizza restaurant is the culmination of a dream for Red Sauce Pizza owner Shardell Dues. The restaurant opened on the western edge of the Concordia neighborhood at 4935 NE 42nd Ave. in late October last year. Photo: Susan Trabucco.

From the moment you pull up to Red Sauce Pizza, Concordia neighborhood’s recently-opened pizzeria, it’s evident that something good has happened. With a newly painted exterior, crisp, white curtains in the windows, and a brightly-lit, purposefully-upside down sign announcing “PIZZA” – it’s apparent that a new business is in operation at this location that has long been home to pizza-making operations. It also announces the owner has made an investment in the neighborhood.

Located at Concordia’s eastern edge on the west side of 42nd Avenue near Old Salt Marketplace, Red Sauce is the brainchild of Shardell “Shar” Dues. Dues has called Portland home for 20 years, and is comfortable in this ‘hood – her most recent employer was New Seasons Concordia, where she worked in the meat department. With Red Sauce, Dues combines her knowledge and love of meat with her passion for pizza to bring soul-satisfying pies to this emerging urban district and its surrounding neighborhood.

Dues is no amateur when it comes to pizza-making – she earned her chef stripes at Apizza Scholls – one of Portland’s most revered pizza eateries. At Apizza Scholls, Dues learned the fine art of pre-fermenting and hand-tossing pizza dough, which makes for a sublime crust that’s crispy and chewy all at once, and perfectly moist inside. Customers often mistake her crust as wood-fired for its texture, but it’s not, Dues says.

“We bake our pies with a 1971 General Electric oven that I bought off of Slabtown bar in NW Portland a year ago. It was completely overhauled by my electrician and best friend Nancy Boyce of Power Tech. It works like a dream and gets hot, hot,hot,” Dues exclaims.

That blistering oven cranks out pie after perfect pie; from plain cheese to creative combos such as pepperoni with pineapple and jalapeno, or pepperoni and house-made chorizo; salami, chili flake, grana and “arooogula,” and another with spinach, goat cheese and red onion. Dues makes her own sausage, too.

The only white sauce pizza offered at Red Sauce is for mushroom aficionados, who will find a piping pie generously loaded with fresh fungi and a slight drizzle of truffle oil that serves to tantalize your taste buds and provides a little aroma-therapy at the same time.

Build-your-own pizza options include toppings such as capicola ham, anchovies, mushrooms and various cheese choices including a jersey cow ricotta.

The names of each pizza were inspired by the loyalty of friends and family who helped Dues get the restaurant ready for business. For example, the “It’s Me, Nummy” is a nod to her Mom, Elaine, who goes by the nickname Nummy.

Since opening, Red Sauce has added lunch on the weekends, and also serves “Ruthless” sandwiches with intriguing names and ingredients, such as the Tony Soprano, with capicola, pepperoni, finnochiona salami, provolone picante, black olives, mama lil’s, pepperoncinis, romaine, oil and vinegar, oregano; and the Uncle Paul, with arooooogula, pommodoracio tomatoes, goat cheese, herbs and kalamata olives.

With a few months under her entrepreneurial belt, Dues is encourage and pleased with the reception.

“It’s been great – busy, busy, busy,” she says. She is appreciative of comments from folks in the neighborhood, too. “They tell us to just keep doing what we’re doing; we get nothing but great feedback from the community.”

Red Sauce is located at 4935 NE 42nd Ave. Hours of operation are Wed. through Sun. from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. , and Fri. through Sun. for lunch from Noon to 3:30 p.m. The restaurant also serves beer and wine. To encourage neighborhood walk-ins, Red Sauce does not take reservations. For more information visit www.redsaucepizza.com or call (503) 288-4899.

A New Year and New Look for Concordia News!

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News

Happy New Year Neighbor,

Welcome to 2016 and a new start at making the world a better place for all of us.

The board met on January 12th for its regularly scheduled board meeting with a full plate of action items that include submitting a request to delay the demolition of an existing home (reportedly to be very habitable and recently remodeled). Neighbors requested that the board submit a request for delay on their behalf while they attempt to convince the developer to reconsider the demolition and work with them to come up with a mutually satisfactory compromise. More about this later as we get feedback.

Ashley Golokow, one of our board members had taken over the responsibility of the community meeting room at the Kennedy School and made great progress in getting the reservation system sorted out with additional improvements as well including a commitment from the Kennedy School to spruce the place up, Good work Ashley!

In addition to securing yet another year of Concerts in the Park, the board has secured one night of “Movie in the Park”. We may not be showing the new Star Wars film but promises to be an event where families and friends can enjoy a movie and picnic with ones you love to add to a list of favorite memories. Keep an eye out for schedules to appear later this spring. The funding is being provided by the City of Portland General Funds, Concordia Neighborhood Association and one of our own board members, Robert Bowles (thanks Robert!)

Two new Board of Directors were installed on the Board, Please welcome Donn Dennis and Joe Culhane and extend our gratitude for their stepping up to the occasion to serve the community.

Joe Culhane, has a history of volunteerism with both community and church the offering his artistic talent whenever needed. Joes latest art project was the intersection painting at NE 28th and Jarrett, bringing
the community together. Other interests are Ally beautification and developing emergency preparedness scenarios for our neighborhood.

Donn Dennis, prior to retirement Donn had made a career in human resources administration as well as a history in both higher education as well as corporate business management and development. Donn also added…that he lives with his” …wife and their two rescued-but-totally-untrained dogs”.

Concordia News Just Getting Better! Keep your eyes open for some real change coming soon to the newspaper and website. We are fortunate to have had Susan Trabucco, a Business Communications and former newspaper owner, volunteer to take our paper into the future with an emphasis on our community reporting the news and events of interest the Newspaper industry has abandoned in favor of national news provided by Wire Service or social media. Susan and volunteers on the Media Committee are
committed to bringing you a newspaper catering to local news and local interest. Look for these developments in future issues, and please don’t hesitate to contribute your stories for publication as well. We are looking for you to be our eyes on our local world.

Please consider coming to our February board meeting as we will be discussing and finalizing our goals and objectives for 2016. We will also be formulating working committees to focus on those projects you see
as priorities.

Lastly, I want to invite those of you who would like to have a one on one conversation with me, Chair for the Association, to discuss your specific questions and suggestions. There are some of us who are not always comfortable in large venues and reluctant to pursue your interests and this will be an opportunity to make your wishes know without the formality of a board meeting and no required agenda. I will be in the community room at 6:00 pm, an hour before the start of our board meeting to focus on you alone. Hope to see you there.

Isaac Quintero
Chair, Concordia Neighborhood Associates