Concordia Neighborhood Association | Portland, Oregon

American Legion – Veterans renovate, revive Post 134

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News

By Rob Cullivan | CNews Editor

From left: Patrick Bardel, Peenesh Shah and Robin Eckstein are working to renew American Legion Post 134. Photo by Michael French

Robin Eckstein, who served in Iraq, summed up why it’s important for her and other military veterans to have a space where they can bond. “You can’t watch ‘Generation Kill’ on HBO and all of sudden know what it’s like to deploy.”

As our nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, CNews spoke to Eckstein, along with three other veterans, about their lives as well as their meeting space, American Legion Frederick and John Ravin Post 134, 2104 NE Alberta St.

Founded in 1947, the Post has a storied history in Concordia and has even drawn attention from the national press at times for its outreach work, including serving as a warming shelter in the past for the homeless during winter. Since its founding it’s seen everything from potlucks and neighborhood dances to raucous punk rock shows and LGBTQ trivia nights.

Current Post Commander Barry M. Larrain said Post 134 welcomes all veterans of any political affiliation whatsoever. Eckstein said she is a lesbian who has encouraged other LGBTQ veterans to join the American Legion, and Peenesh Shah, a state assistant attorney general and Post member, noted his parents are from India.

“If we live in a community that is diverse, it should be the case that our Post is diverse,” Eckstein said. “The military is a microcosm of the nation. There are people of all different backgrounds, genders, sexualities, races and nationalities.”

Construction costs

Barry Larrain, a retired Army colonel,
commands Post 134, and has been working with others to renovate the building. Photo by Michael French

The Legion members said they’re currently seeking around $25,000 in donations to complete renovating the Post’s Quonset style building and want to encourage younger veterans to join. To that end, the Post—named for two brothers who died while serving in the navy in World War II—is highlighting its building renovation efforts and asking the public to consider funding the construction work. The Post has already installed a new furnace, completed some work on its walls and floors and is looking to upgrade its overall appearance.

But even more important to the Post’s future than its space are the people whom its leaders want to occupy it. Larrain, a retired Army colonel, noted 76 percent of the Post’s 130 members are older than 60, and the Legion wants to expand its membership. The nation’s interest in its military waxes and wanes depending on the news cycle, he and the other leaders mused, but veterans never forget other veterans. Larrain wants the younger generation of veterans to know the American Legion is there for them.

“We have to have a voice,” he said. “We have to have something that represents all veterans, to represent our interests.”

Eckstein, the Post’s finance officer, said the Legion has helped her find other veterans who, like her, have experienced PTSD related to their service, as well as given her a chance to do what all veterans have done, namely serve their communities. On that note, the Post’s Adjutant, Patrick Bardel, a Marine veteran, said the organization gives purpose to his life.

“Our Post 134 is my primary volunteering focus,” he said. “I’m retired, but I never planned to, or will, stop working. The Post is an outlet of my energy to have a place for veterans to get together and put our collective energies out into the community.”

Shah, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq, is a member of the Post’s executive committee and wants the Post to become more integrated into the life of Concordia and the surrounding neighborhoods. He said, for example, the Post can facilitate meetings between school children and American Legion members so they can learn about veterans. He also noted he enjoys the camaraderie the Post provides him. “It’s given me a chance to connect with other veterans of different generations,” he said.

To learn how to donate to American Legion Post 134, visit post134.com and click on “Donate.” To learn more about becoming a member, contact the adjutant at patrickb@portlandrainbarrels. com

CNews Editor Rob Cullivan is a veteran journalist, publicist and grant writer who has written about everything from rock ‘n’ roll to religion. He possesses a deep affection for writers and photographers who hit deadline.

Concordia Art Works – Artist raises funds for Ukraine war victims

Posted on by Posted in Arts & Culture, Concordia News
Anya Mironets Keyes is raising funds for victims of the Ukraine-Russia war by selling such paintings as these pictured above. Contributed photos.

Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, Anya Mironets Keyes moved to the United States when she was 16. Her family has lived in Ukraine for 14 generations.

“When I moved to the U.S. I was a junior in high school,” she said. “I didn’t speak English then and to get enough credits to graduate I took as many art classes as possible because I didn’t have to speak. My AP art teacher taught me fundamentals and instilled in me the idea that I could be an artist one day.”

Being a first-generation immigrant, a career in arts was not a reliable choice, so she studied and became a pharmacist. Nonetheless, Keyes continued pursuing her art, creating paintings in oils and watercolors, centered around her Ukrainian identity.

Her experiences as a first-generation immigrant, a foreign-born mother, friend and American citizen are expressed in her atmospheric paintings, the most recent of which feature images of her fellow Ukrainians.

“I enjoy the creativity and solitude that comes with art,” she said. “It’s meditative and restorative. It truly is the best fit for me.”

When the war in Ukraine erupted, she felt helpless watching the senseless devastation of her home country and decided to create a body of work and donate all proceeds to help volunteer groups in Ukraine, especially in underserved areas. Her portraits, mostly of women, are currently available for purchase.

For more information, visit AnyaKeyes.com or visit the Blind Insect Gallery, 2841 NE Alberta St.

Michel Reeverts, aka Maquette, holds a master of arts degree in art education and serves Alberta Art Works as director and Alberta Street Gallery as a board member. She is also a practicing artist. Contact her at Maquette@AlbertaArtWorks.org

Students on lives after lockdowns

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Schools
Nuss Hubbard, top photo, and Adelaide Maddox, above, were among several fifth-grade students who shared their experiences of life before, during and after the Covid lockdowns. Photos by Peter Keller.

By Rob Cullivan | CNews Editor

One student called it “the never-ending circus.” Another labeled it “Rona.” Still another called it “Virus 19,” and then added he simplified it sometimes to just “The Virus.” “It’s the only virus I’ve known,” he said.

By now, the readers should have figured out fifth graders at Faubion School, 2930 NE Dekum St., were talking about Covid 19 and how it changed their lives forever over the past two years.

In a group interview, students in Nathaniel Williams’ class spoke with CNews on May 16 about how they dealt with online classes during the lockdowns as well as how they adjusted to full-time in-person learning this year. Here’s what the kids said:

Covid Hits

When Covid 19 triggered government mandated lockdowns in early 2020, the fifth-grade students were all in third grade.

One child noted the lockdowns initially seemed like fun: “I was happy I could spend time with friends and family.”

But most of the students said staying at home quickly turned from a novel situation into one they didn’t like.

“I prefer much more in-person school.”

“It’s hard for me personally because I need one-on-one learning.”

“It was soooo isolating.”

“I feel like I lost my social skills.”

Online Learning

The students had somewhat mixed views regarding online learning – staying at home allowed them more sleep, for example, but a number noted working online didn’t always fully engage them the way being in a classroom does. Some even confessed to misleading their teachers about the level of attention they were paying to a subject.

“I would just pretend my computer was having difficulty.”

“If it got too loud, my mom would tell me to turn down the computer volume.”

“I feel like I didn’t learn anything new, and nothing helped me.”

Socialization

A recurring issue for the children was how the lockdowns affected their ability to socialize when they returned to school. Several said they felt it set back their ability to mature and interact well with others.

“In a classroom you can connect with people … but on a computer you can’t really affect that.”

“It was hard to hang out with my friends because you always had to be (six feet) away from them.”

“We were kind of going insane … we got angrier.”

One student said he did learn how to cook for himself, and others said they did enjoy spending more time with their relatives, including young cousins also unable to attend school in person. One child noted a benefit of learning at home was it made him more of a self-starter, perusing learning sites online without being prompted by a teacher.

When they returned, Williams said the children took a while to adjust to being back at school, and asked far more questions than his fifth graders did in years past.

“What I noticed is they needed a lot of affirmation,” he said. “They were looking around like they’d never been in a classroom.” He and the students chuckled when one child reminded him he had said they “were all acting like a bunch of third graders” at first. “If we had to do online school till college, we’d all still be acting like third graders in college!” one student said.

Final thoughts

No generation of American children until now has ever dealt with an event quite like Covid – even during the influenza that swept the nation from 1918-20. Millions of children like the ones at Faubion lost out on a couple of years of in-person learning, and it’s clear after talking to them that the fifth graders at Williams’ class have been changed forever by the lockdowns.

Kaleb Negash said he most missed seeing his extended family during the lockdowns. “If I have kids, they’re going to see their aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings and grandparents five days a week!”

Adelaide Maddox, 11, said they, too, has learned to cherish their family.“I’m going to try to see my family again and again and to never waste any minutes with them because you never know when you will see them again.”

CNews Editor Rob Cullivan is a veteran journalist, publicist and grant writer who has written about everything from rock ‘n’ roll to religion. He possesses a deep affection for writers and photographers who hit deadline.

Last Thursdays on Alberta return this month

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Events, Local Businesses, Volunteer Opportunities
Kara Maymi takes care of business at Clary Sage Herbarium, 2901 Alberta St. Photo by Christopher Baker.

Thank you again to all the volunteers and for all of the support from our community during the Spring Egg Hunt. The winners of the egg hunt raffle were Donna Amrein, Katie Schaumleffle, Brian Jensen, Michael French, and Catherine Swanson.

Last Thursdays
June is a great month for social events, including the return of last Thursdays on Alberta Street. The plan is to celebrate on Alberta Street between NE 15th Ave. and NE 30th Ave. from 6-9 p.m. every last Thursday of the month. Make sure to mark your calendars and show up to support our local businesses and vendors.

Black United Fund will open up their lot (corner of Alberta St. & NE 29th Ave.) to host several tents supporting our BIPOC community. Alberta Art Works (NE 19th St & Alberta St) will also be hosting live performances, art and many more surprises.

Additionally, Blind Insect (corner of NE 29th Ave. & Alberta St., across the street from Black United Fund) will host “Barrio Parties” on Last Thursdays from June to September, with a different theme each month:

  • June: African Party
  • July: Argentinian Party
  • August: Brazilian Party
  • September: Cabaret theme

Several other businesses on Alberta are getting ready to celebrate Last Thursdays, among them:
Bonne Chance (corner of Alberta Street and NE 22nd Ave.) will be celebrating with an eclectic selection of music and adult beverages.
DB Desserts (Alberta St. between NE 26th & NE 27th Avenues) is offering specials on some of their sweet treats to celebrate.
Holy Beanz Coffee (next door to DB Desserts) will host their “After Sundown Spoken Word & Poetry” from 7-9 p.m.
JRJ Skillets (on Alberta St. between NE 25th & NE 26th Avenues) will offer “Aguas Frescas, Tamales, Elotes, Tacos & Nachos” for the whole family on its brand-new patio.

Free concerts
Also coming this summer, the Concordia Neighborhood Association will collaborate with the City of Portland to bring back “Summer at the Park” concerts. The first band, Son de Cuba, a Latin jazz/merengue/salsa group, performs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, July 15, at Alberta Park. Please stay tuned to next month’s column for more details.

Litter pick-up events
Moving on with neighborhood updates, the neighborhood litter pick-ups have been incredibly successful. Thanks to our many volunteers we have picked up more than 9,000 pounds of trash from Concordia’s streets. We still have work to do though, so please sign up for our next litter pick-up event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 4, at Alberta Park. See Page 2 for more details. If you cannot make it to this one, we have future litter pick-ups scheduled on Aug. 6, Oct. 1 and Dec. 1.

Yard sales
A quick survey for residents: We have received several requests for different events. One of them is a coordinated “Neighborhood Yard Sale” where neighbors can set up their own yard sales. If you are interested in this event please email with the subject “Yard Sale.” Depending on the response we will plan to help coordinate.

Clary Sage
The Concordia Neighborhood Association would like to highlight Clary Sage Herbarium, 2901 Alberta St., which opened in 2011 and changed ownership in 2021. Kara Maymi is the entrepreneur currently behind the shop.

Maymi started her herbarium education as an intern at Clary Sage. Later, when an opportunity to join the management for Clary Sage materialized, the pandemic hit. Instead of letting the business close, Maymi decided to purchase the shop and continued following her passion for medicinal plants.

According to Maymi, her calling is the plant world. The shop has a large variety of medicinal plants, some sourced locally. Sharing knowledge of plants f rom scient if ic, spiritual and practical points of view with customers is a priority.

“We love to see how people express themselves through plants,” Maymi said. In addition to plants, Clary Sage offers house-made essential oils , candles, crystals, incense, body care and many other natural products. They are also proud of the quality of their teas and herbal extracts.

Originally from Puerto Rico, Maymi now considers herself a Portlander at heart, and said she finds Concordia to be her community. Community is one of the pillars of the Clary Sage approach. Plants, like people, live in diverse communities, she said. “When we engage with plants, we can learn how important community is and their relationships among themselves and even with humans.”

Volunteers needed
The social committee needs volunteers for all events. Please email social@ConcordiaPDX.org, or call/text Javier Puga-Phillips, chair of the social committee, at 323.573.1516. Finally, make sure to follow us on instagram @CNAPDX and use #SocialConcordiaPDX to get a shoutout.

Javier Puga-Phillips holds the At Large 4 position on the Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) Board of Directors, manages rentals of the McMenamins Kennedy School Community Room and chairs the CNA Social Committee. He is a real estate professional locally, and he is a published author and motivational speaker in Latin America and Spain.

Houseless campsites crisis comes to a head

Posted on by Posted in CNA
Hamlet 33, at the intersection of NE 33rd Avenue and Dekum Street, currently comprises two independent but closely situated camps, camp A (top photo) and camp C (bottom photo). Camp B was evicted by the city  in April. Photos by Shawn Mihalik.

A number of Concordia residents are concerned about the status of a houseless campsite occupying the medians at the intersection of NE 33rd Avenue and Dekum Street. Initially three camps—A, B, and C— the site known locally as Hamlet 33 now comprises two independent but closely situated camps, after camp C was evicted by the city in April.

“I definitely empathize with the people who live there and are going through this wave of homelessness and drug addiction and the hard times we’re going through,” Concordia resident Matt Caldwell said. His post about the situation on the hyperlocal social network Nextdoor has received over 500 comments. Nevertheless, Caldwell and other Concordia residents have expressed concern about fires, ecological and sanitation issues, and alleged thefts connected to the camp. Caldwell said the camps have been connected to at least four incidents of theft and prowling and claims to have security footage connecting inhabitants of the camps to at least two auto breakins.

Neighbors have also expressed concern over the camps’ proximity to the highway and to Faubion school, which is just two blocks away. “My freshman daughter has to walk down 33rd and the now-closed ramp to Columbia Boulevard from school every day,” Concordia resident Meg Stansfield commented on Nextdoor. “This camp has been a big concern for us for a while now, and [I] wish it would be taken care of like the other camps … that have been removed.”

Neighbors have reported the site to Portland city officials 23 times since March of 2020, but aside from the eviction of camp B, they say their reports have gone unaddressed.

Meanwhile, the site has grown from a single tent in 2019 to around a dozen. “We’re seeing what happens when the government doesn’t do its job,” Caldwell said. His goals for the area include the cleaning and clearing of the remaining camps; the installation of “No Camping” signs, barriers, or rock gardens to prevent future camping; and the creation of volunteer patrols to protect the area after evictions. “I know how complex this is, but the more I think about it … to really do nothing and just let it be, that can’t be a solution,” he said.

In response to their neighbors’ concerns, residents of Hamlet 33 are asking for the neighborhood to work with the houseless community to avoid sweeps. Rebecca Lang, de facto leader of and spokesperson for camp A, where she has resided since April 2020, has been working to make improvements to the camp. She started a vegetable garden, which she hopes to use to bridge the gap with the neighborhood’s housed residents, hoping they will join her in tending the garden and share the produce. “I started gardening to show my thanks to the neighborhood for allowing us to have a camp here,” she said.

Additionally, Lang has overseen the installation of several improvements to the site’s limited infrastructure. “We have a dumpster through Republic Services’ dumpster rental program thanks to Clean Camp PDX,” a nonprofit whose goal is to provide regular garbage collection services to houseless camps. “Trash service is one of the integral parts of being able to maintain a camp that is sanitary,” Lang said. The site also has an ad hoc handwashing station, clean water for which is often provided by nearby Concordia neighbors.

Keri Morin Handaly, a resident of the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood, has been working to help Hamlet 33’s residents keep their camps clean and support their goal of connecting with the Concordia community. “We have about 20-plus volunteers who have availed themselves to support the camp,” Handaly said.

Camp C

The camp members are fully on board with talking to the community and creating guidelines for them to be able to stay there. “We really want the community to understand that [the camp residents are] not just refusing to leave,” Handaly said. “It’s not permanent. It’s compassion-based.” Lang urges her Concordia neighbors to consider the costs associated with evicting camps and pushing the houseless into shelters.

“The thought of sleeping in a room with a hundred people you don’t know is kind of scary,” she said. “Every homeless person has had happen or heard of terrible things that have happened around shelters. All shelters do is hide the face of homelessness for eight hours at night.”

Instead, Lang would like the community to work with Hamlet 33 so that its residents have a place to stay until the city’s Safe Rest Villages are established, even if it means moving the location of the camps.

“I’ve been open to us moving to a place that’s preferable,” she said. “It’d be an awesome thing if we could work with Concordia to open a campground. If you see people as people and not just homeless, they’ll want to do better. When you sweep people constantly, they have no connection to where they’re at. If you give them a place they can trust in, they want to do better.”

Portland Commissioner Dan Ryan, who is championing the Safe Rest Village program, describes SRVs on his website as “an improved point of entry for Portlanders on the continuum from living on the streets to finding stability in permanent housing … All Safe Rest Villages will include case management with wraparound behavioral and mental health services. They will not be unmanaged tent or vehicle camping as people are currently living in—they are a way to address that unsafe, unsanitary, and dehumanizing way of living.”

Ryan’s office currently has plans to establish 10 SRVs, with expansion in the future. The city’s first SRV, in the 2300 block of Southwest Naito Parkway, opened in May. Portlanders can learn more about Safe Rest Villages at www. portland.gov/ryan/safe-rest-villages.

“We’re people that ran into some problems,” Lang said of she and her fellow Hamlet 33 inhabitants. “But we don’t mean anyone harm. We’re just trying to live our life like everyone else, just trying to do it with love in our hearts.”

Shawn Mihalik is a novelist, photographer, martial artist, and the Concordia Neighborhood Association’s media team lead. Although he’s fairly new to Portland, he already loves it here.

NE Village PDX volunteer enjoys connections

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Volunteer Opportunities

By Jon Dickman | CNA Media Team

Retiree Abe Cohen (left) volunteers to drive members of Northeast Village PDX to appointments. On this rainy day, John Bear was a passenger headed to an appointment at OHSU. Photo by Jon Dickman

An appreciation of authentic human connection and a love of helping others inspired retired chiropractor and Cully resident Abe Cohen five years ago to volunteer with Northeast Village PDX, 5830 NE Alameda St., serving Concordia and other neighborhoods in central northeast Portland.

For the past five years, the group– volunteer-based, member-led and self-governing–has enabled older people to remain in their homes and enjoy a meaningful quality of life. Services may include transportation, light home maintenance, tech support, social visits, phone check-ins, tax help, yardwork and neighborhood walks. Membership fees help pay for village operating costs.

A driver for the village, Cohen cherishes the one-on-one time he spends when taking a member to a doctor, dentist, or physical therapy appointment or to go shopping, on a park walk or to a hair salon.

“It’s like when I was a chiropractor,” he said. “It’s a meeting of different people from different backgrounds, different personalities, different walks of life. It’s very stimulating.”

John Bear – a writer, former Jeopardy contestant and one of Cohen’s regular passengers – said Cohen was always cheerful. “Abe is one of those people who would rather be 15 minutes early than one minute late. So, I can always count on him for pickups and rides.”

Although the pandemic has limited socializing, some village members use videoconferences for book and movie discussions and arts and crafts. Cooking groups also conduct their meetings via videoconference, as well as speakers who share information of interest to older adults. More in-person cultural, recreational, and social activities are slated to start up again soon.

In February, Northeast Village PDX joined more than 280 similar villages across the country to celebrate the movement’s 20th anniversary. The U.S. House of Representatives marked Feb. 15 as National Village Day.

The milestone was also commemorated by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, who issued a statement into the Congressional Record of the United States Senate to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of the national movement.

“I see a lot of gratitude,” Cohen said. “It’s nice to do something for people who appreciate what you’re doing – not for ego gratification – but because you’re giving them something.”

Northeast Village PDX holds videoconference information sessions for prospective members and volunteers at 2 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month. Register on the calendar at NEVillagePDX.org, or call 503.895.2750 for more information. Also, you can check out their introductory video on their Northeast Village PDX YouTube channel.

Jon Dickman, enthusiastic volunteer with Portland FolkMusic Society and lover of classical jazz vocals, leads a memoir/ show-and-tell group for NE Village PDX called “It’s All About Us.”

Theatre, pub welcome post-lockdown crowds

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses

By Rob Cullivan | CNews Editor

From left: Gordon Freeman (fiddle), Richie Rosencrans (guitar), Jacob Grieco (flute) and Preston Howard Wilde (pipes) perform at the Concordia pub T.C. O’Leary’s, a hub of Irish music in Portland. Contributed photo.

As Covid lockdowns and masking mandates end, people have come out to slake their live music thirst at two of Concordia’s most popular venues, the Alberta Rose Theatre and T.C. O’Leary’s.

Talent Buyer Adam East of Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta St., says the venue has hosted live performances since last September and is now just about back to its pre-pandemic average of five shows per week.

Upcoming shows include Booker T. Jones of “Green Onions” fame May 1; Portland singer Stephanie Schneiderman and indie rockers Swansea on May 6 as well as a musical tribute to Dolly Parton on June 4 called “Dolly Hoot” featuring local musicians.

Alberta encourages patrons to be vaccinated as well as wear masks, East said, but doesn’t require either. Alberta weathered the Covid storm by being creative.

“We switched to online shows, and presented over 150 livestream shows during lockdown,” East said. “We had a subscription service that kept some of our staff working, and provided some work for musicians in the local scene who had seen all their gigs dry up. We lost a few staff members, but most came back.”

Down the street at Irish music hub T.C. O’Leary’s, 2926 Alberta St., owner Tom O’Leary said he’s hosted performances since the end of the first lockdown, in spring 2020 and whenever regulations permitted after that. However, O’Leary’s did move its performers to an enclosed area outside the pub to decrease the potential for Covid transmission.

“We kept it outside as much as we possibly could depending on the temperature,” he said, noting patrons could enjoy the performances via video screens inside the pub. O’Leary’s doesn’t ask patrons to be masked or show vaccination cards, but the pub owner said his establishment can accommodate those who are concerned about Covid exposure.

“If anyone was feeling nervous to be back in this environment, we have plenty of space outside,” he said, noting the pub has seating room for up to 60 people outside.

O’Leary’s will ask for proof of vaccinations and that patrons be masked when Tom stars in the award-winning Irish American tale “The Smuggler,” which opened April 28 and which runs through to May 22 (see related story page 8). The Dublin born actor says regulations are different for theater as opposed to music, and the pub must abide the rules guiding playhouses for its staging of “The Smuggler.”

CNews Editor Rob Cullivan is a veteran journalist, publicist and grant writer who has written about everything from rock ‘n’ roll to religion. He possesses a deep affection for writers and photographers who hit deadline.

Bureau addresses bridges’ issues

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News

By Keith Daellenbach CNA Media Team

Bridge access closure signs stand on the Northeast 33rd Avenue access ramp to and from Northeast Columbia Boulevard. Photo by Keith Daellenbach

Two bridges span Northeast Lombard Street and an adjacent railroad connecting the Concordia neighborhood to Northeast Columbia Boulevard, and both have changes in store as planned by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT).

These bridges are at the northern termini of Northeast 33rd Avenue and Northeast 42nd Avenue. They provide necessary vehicular and bicycle access to Northeast Columbia Boulevard as well as north to Northeast Marine Drive.

The Northeast 33rd Avenue bridge has been partially closed for eight months and, according to PBOT’s website, the bridge could reopen at the earliest in late June (Portland.gov/transportation/pbot-projects/construction/ne-33rd-avenue-bridge). Meanwhile, PBOT plans to replace the Northeast 42nd Avenue bridge.

The Northeast 33rd Avenue bridge was constructed in 1929 and, according to a brass plaque affixed to the bridge, was originally called the “East Thirty-Third Street Viaduct.” According to PBOT, a bridge of this design has a typical life of approximately 50 years. In a 2021 report on infrastructure in the United States, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) reports that 42% of all bridges are at least 50 years old and many need repair (InfrastructureReportCard.org/cat-item/bridges/).

In 2019, the ASCE gave Oregon a “C” grade for its bridge infrastructure and said the state had the lowest percentage of bridges in good condition among western states (InfrastructureReportCard. org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ FullReport-OR_2019.pdf). Funding for Oregon’s bridges, according to the ASCE, is critically low. Now 93 years old, the Northeast 33rd Avenue bridge’s life has been considerably extended due to upgrades and repairs. As recently as a few years ago, it was closed for many months as it was upgraded to include lanes designed to accommodate increased bicycle traffic.

PBOT inspectors found damage to concrete in one of the bridge’s crossbeams at the northern terminus of the bridge. Two of the three ingress/egress lanes were closed in late August 2021. Only the undamaged northbound fly-over section, which transports northbound traffic on Northeast 33rd Avenue to a westbound direction on Northeast Columbia Boulevard, remains open.

On the underside of the bridge, workers erected temporary vertical steel supports and bolted them to new concrete footings which, in turn, support a large steel I-beam that supports a concrete cross beam to hold up the bridge while repair work is completed. The cost of repairing the bridge remains to be determined.

Meanwhile, PBOT notes the Northeast 42nd Avenue bridge sits on a recommended Emergency Transportation Route. However, the bridge is vulnerable to earthquakes (Portland.gov/transportation/pbot-projects/construction/ne-42nd-ave-bridge-over-ne-lombard). A $17 million dollar project will pay for the replacement of this bridge. A new bridge will meet modern seismic code and will provide better access for freight, walking, and biking. Bidding and contracting will happen this summer and construction is expected to start this fall.

Keith Daellenbach is a mechanical engineer and outdoor enthusiast who loves mountain climbing, skiing, biking, canoeing, and beekeeping with wife Amy and son Micah. His home is in Concordia.

Exhibit features resident’s botanical paintings

Posted on by Posted in Arts & Culture, Concordia News 2 Comments

By Rob Cullivan | CNews Editor

Amy Daileda’s ‘Bitter Nightshade’ is among the paintings she’ll be exhibiting this month at Flour Market.

Concordia resident Amy Daileda will showcase a group of paintings in “Micro Flora,” an exhibit at Flour Market Bakery, 5507 NE 30th Ave., from Wednesday, May 4, through Sunday, May 29. A reception will take place from 5-8 p.m. Friday, May 6. Admission is free and open to the public.

Daileda said her paintings are being exhibited “mere blocks from where my subjects grow. Flora is a list of the plant life of a particular area, period or habitat. These acrylic paintings represent part of the flora of my Northeast Portland, Oregon native, edible, organic garden.”

The artist used macro, or close-up photos of plants to help her create her works. “I also study their botany, edible and medicinal uses, history and beauty, and try to connect to them using all of my senses,” she said. “Using acrylic paint on locally made wood panels, I painted them while working next to the studio window that overlooks our organic garden where they grow.”

The exhibit is part of the Taking. Up. Space. Initiative facilitated by the Artist/ Mother and Thrive Networks. Taking Up Space or T.U.S. is a female focused community global art exhibition taking place in more than 80 locations in May. You can learn more about them by visiting the #takingupspace2022 hashtag on Instagram.

Daileda has lived in Concordia for 21 years and is a clothing designer creating wearable art for even longer under the name Vivid Element. She said that this is her first painting exhibit since 1993.

“During the pandemic I started painting again,” she said. “Since we were quarantined at home, I used the details of plants and flowers I grow in our Backyard Habitat Certified garden as subjects. I studied painting in college and am now inspired to take it further. I’m thrilled to be showing at this great new bakery in our neighborhood.”

For more information, visit VividElement.com/art_event/micro-flora.

Concordia Art Works – Metalsmith’s jewelry reflects his experiences

Posted on by Posted in Arts & Culture, Concordia News, Local Businesses
Precious metals, crystals and natural gems grace the
artwork of Claudio Starzak. Photo by Maquette Reeverts

Claudio Starzak was born in the Argentine Patagonia. After school, he and his friends would hang out at a local handicraft store, where he was introduced to metalsmithing, a common profession in Argentina.

With a modest set of tools, he spent years traveling through South and Central America. Claudio visited various cultures, experienced pre-Columbian and sacred sights, sat with healers and shamans, and met master jewelers – all while honing his metalsmithing skills.

His artwork reflects his experiences and stories. Organic, flowing precious metals embrace crystals and natural gems. A master of rings, earrings and pendants, he creates much of his work using an overlay technique, building up designs using layers of metal.

“My mission as an artist remains to inspire love, joy and harmony by bringing more beauty into this world.”

Custom and casted wedding rings are a big part of Claudio’s business. A good percentage of his jewelry is made from casting originals, but commissions from custom work kept his business afloat through COVID-19 times. It was also during that period that Claudio Starzak Jewelry was robbed, and he lost half of his inventory.

There was an almost 50% drop in jewelry sales during this time because no one was socializing and, therefore, not dressing up with jewelry. Claudio is looking forward to a productive and busy summer season.

Discover more at ClaudioStarzakJewelry.com.

Michel Reeverts, aka Maquette , holds a master of arts degree in art education, serves Alberta Art Works as director and Alberta Street Gallery as a board member. She is also a practicing artist. Contact her at Maquette@AlbertaArtWorks.org