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Issue #55
Posted October 27, 2009
Founded 2007
Also in This Issue
* Martial arts come to Hillsdale
* ESP owner moves office
* Cutting holiday waste
* The Datebook
Hillsdale News Sponsors

Legacy hospice 2009

Visit Hopewell House Hospice site


Forum persentation

Visit Meyer & Wyse site

Air Hillsdale Logo

Owner Appreciation Days
Friday - Sunday. Oct. 16 - 18

Visit Food Front site


Alissa at Korkage

Visit Paloma Clothing site

Salon Dirk logo

Spa Haircolor Salon Dirk site


Korkage Logo

Visit Korkage Wine Shop



Alissa at Korkage

Visit Dianne Rodway's site


Celeste's logo

Visit a unique undertaking of Celeste Lewis Architecture, LLC


Bonny Crowley

Visit Bonny Crowley's site


Jeff Devine
Chiropractic Physician


Om Base Yoga
Commentary:

Bias and a 'Local Hero'

Alissa at KorkageOne of the first things young journalists are told by their editors is "Don't become part of the news."

I've warned Hillsdale News readers many times that, contrary to editors' advice, I often get so involved in this community that I become part of the news. I serve on boards, I help found institutions and establish events. I enter public debates.

Despite my involvement, I try to report objectively, although I do try to avoid quoting myself.

Now I find that I have become involved in the news in an unavoidable way. No, I haven't robbed a bank. In fact, a bank, the Bank of America, has chosen me as one of ten "local heroes" in the Vancouver-Portland area.

Here is where my editorial objectivity is put to the test. Is this news? I doubt it will make TV although The Oregonian might give it some ink, partly because the story involves money.

Money is news.

In this case, the Bank of America award comes with $5000 for me to give to the charity of my choice. I might still objectively quash the story if I were to give the money to a place far away, like a Kenyan relief agency. (I served in Kenya in the Peace Corps many, many years ago.)

But I was nominated for this award by Hillsdale folk at the initiative of Linda Doyle, a fellow member of the Hillsdale Community Foundation board. So I've asked that the money be given to Hillsdale, and, to be exact, the foundation.

A further disclosure: I'm the acting chair of the foundation's board. As such, I will have a say in how the money is disbursed in the Hillsdale Community.

Where the money goes also has the makings of news. Stay tuned.

In reporting such an "awards" story, I would normally quote the reasons the person is being honored. I'll spare you - and me. I refer you to Linda, Mike Roach, Ruth Adkins and Ted Coonfield, who provided nomination documentation to the bank.

All four are verifiably local heroes themselves. In April, Roach, co-owner of Paloma Clothing, was honored with
the Mary Oberst Award for Leadership in Preventing Underage Drinking in the schools.

Indeed we know we are surrounded by "local heroes" in Hillsdale. They are everywhere and often unrecognized.

In this economy, it takes heroism for many to simply get by. It may be the heroism of a single mom struggling to keep food on the table, of a student working two jobs to pay tuition, or of those struggling with debt and disease - and of those caregivers helping them.

It's worth noting in passing that according to the news, the Bank of America is having survival issues of its own. That it would be handing out checks to "local heroes" at such a time is itself an heroic act of sorts.

Now then, I hope I have dispatched with my obligation to report this "local hero" news. It hasn't been exactly objective, but under the circumstances, it's the best I can do.

Rick Seifert
Editor
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Links to Alliance Members

Books help bikes

Foundation gives $5000
to new bicycle coalition

Dave Johnson bikeIn an odd bit of Hillsdale alchemy, used books are being transformed into bike racks.

The Hillsdale Community Foundation, which holds the annual community used book sale in late July, has awarded the 2009 sale proceeds of $5,000 to a newly formed coalition of bicycle activists called the Hillsdale Bicycle Coalition (HBC).

The coalition, consisting of bike enthusiasts and business owners, was the only group to apply for the money offered by the foundation.

HBC's project is to build  "visible, accessible and convenient" bike racks near commercial destinations, said one HBC founder Dave Johnson.

The foundation grant, coupled with other money, will pay for the first racks to be installed in and near the old loading zone between Food Front and Baker & Spice. (Johnson is pictured above at the site of the future bike rack.)

The space is now blocked by a tall fence and a storage container. Outdoor caf� seating and possibly an extended roof are also planned for the space.

Property owner Ardys Braidwood, the owners of Baker & Spice and managers at Food Front have embraced the idea.

Johnson said the group has indentified five sites in the Hillsdale Town center. The cost of the full bike rack program could exceed $20,000. The other four sites are at the Capitol Highway entrance to the complex housing OmBase Yoga, at the north entrance to the Farmers Market (where the racks would be movable for the market), near Noah's Bagels and near Salvador Molly's and the Hillsdale Brew Pub.

HBC, which formed in response to the Hillsdale Community Foundation grant opportunity, also envisions a series of "First Saturday" bike activities that could make Hillsdale Southwest Portland's bicycling hub.  Activities include bike training for children, Saturday bike parkways, and "Celebrate our hills" bike rides.

Since its founding in mid-September, HBC has grown to 18 members, Johnson said. Those interested in joining the group may contact Johnson or fellow founder Steve Evans (503) 452-8930. The other founders are Todd Williamson of OmBase Yoga and Michael Reunert. who is active in the Rieke School community.

The group invites memberships and contributions for the bike improvements.

Johnson said bike parking facilities also will have bike and hiking maps of the Hillsdale area.

He sees Hillsdale as a place that is "a great destination that people are drawn to as a center" of activity and commerce. "It's a community center," he said, noting that Hillsdale is at the crossroads of Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, Capitol Highway, Terwilliger Boulevard, Bertha Boulevard and even Barbur Boulevard.

"People come here to get where they want to go," he said, noting the connection between Tri-Met bus service, biking and trail hiking.

The HBC is getting support and advice from the City of Portland's Office of Transportation, which is promoting compact "20-minute neighborhoods," Johnson said. "They want Portland to be a city of communities."

Under the grant proposal, the first bike rack is to be installed by the end of March.
Opening Nov. 2

Martial arts center takes former newspaper space

Kung Fu
By Brian Olsen

Soon the Kung Fu students of Wally and Lara Jones will be practicing martial arts just across Cheltenham Street from the entrance to Hopewell House Hospice.

The ground-floor location was formerly a distribution center for The Oregonian newspaper.

The Joneses' Westside Academy of Kung Fu will open Monday, Nov. 2.

The Joneses, veteran instructors at the southeast Portland branch of the Academy of Kung Fu, live in Southwest Portland. They describe Hillsdale as a community of families and a perfect place for their academy.

Vegan vegetarians, they believe the academy will fit right in with several Hillsdale businesses that serve health-conscious residents.

The couple brings 18 years of collective experience in kung fu.  Wally is a second-degree black belt in kung fu and specializes in adult instruction. Lara is a former elementary teacher with a Master's in Education. She holds an advanced degree in kung fu and specializes in childhood instruction.

The Academy will offer kung fu classes for children and adults as well as CrossFit classes for adults only. Family kung fu classes will be offered on Wednesdays. A class schedule can be viewed at www.westsideakf.com.

Kid camps will be offered on school district down days. The next camp is Friday, Nov. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and includes instruction in kung fu and other movement arts. The cost is $45 and includes a healthy snack.
ESP building available

Veteran property manager vacates Hillsdale office; works from Canby


Robinn Rudd, who has managed well-known Hillsdale properties from her office building here for more than 20 years, has moved her business operation to Canby, where she lives.

The  1800-square-foot ESP Property Factors building, across from the Hillsdale Brew Pub, is now available for lease, Rudd said.

"I was driving two hours a day to my office to do my books," she says explaining the switch. "The move has been a real time-saver."

She will still have strong ties to Hillsdale because she manages The ReMAX/Equity Group building, the complex that houses Salvador Molly's, McMenamins brew pub and the apartment complex behind the library.

"My main job is to keep everyone happy," she says. Recently she helped plan the enclosure of the old porch at Salvador Molly's. The change makes the area useful year-round, she said.

Rudd has been in Hillsdale since 1988 when she went to work with property manager John Selling. She became an owner of ESP Property Factors, at 1522 SW Sunset Boulevard, in 1990.

She calls Hillsdale "The best community I've ever been in. Everyone helps each other. It's the little things we all do for each other."

She quickly adds, "I'll still be a member of the business association because I still own the building. And I will still manage the properties there. I'm still a part of Hillsdale."

Clearly Hillsdale is still part of her. She fondly remembers business association meetings at Poncho's, now Casa Colima, when it was owned by the late Joan Edmunds. "Those were fun times," she says.

Those interested in leasing her building can reach her at (503) 245-1177.
Holiday 'Stuff' alert!

Local waste-busters offer holiday tips

By Brian Olsen

Soon Hillsdale will be awash in the waste of the holiday season. You don't need to contribute to the piles, say two local residents who have found solutions.

Betty Shelley has not required garbage pick up at her home since August 2008. She is a part-time employee for Oregon Metro Recycling Information and teaches a Portland Community College class about ways to reduce waste.

Shelley calls her waste-busting method "the old fashion way" of reducing consumption and reusing products.

Shelley suggests:

� Stop using throw-aways.
� Reuse wrapping paper and aluminum foil.
� Use cloth napkins rather than paper.
� Instead of buying a Christmas tree, go to a local park after a storm and pick up branches and use them as Christmas decorations.
� Simplify. Don't make the holidays about stuff.

Hillsdale resident, Heather Hawkins, co-founder of www.EnviroMom.com, challenges her site's readers to reduce waste as well. Hawkins became a master recycler after seeing the documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth." 

Her family of four, including two young children, produces only one 32-gallon can of garbage a month. Her readers have taken on her "One Can a Month Challenge."

She recommends going through each room in your house and identifying waste and ways to reduce it. You can apply the same approach to Holiday activities. Ask yourself which traditions produce waste and reinvent them with less waste. 

Her site's "Host a Green Birthday Party" story has many tips that can be applied to the holidays.
 
To reduce waste Hawkins suggests:

� Do not give in to that urge to buy a gift simply for the sake of giving a gift out of obligation. "A lot of times you give a cheap token and now you've burdened somebody with something they don't want."

� Buy gifts with less packaging and do not wrap the gift.

� Swap gifts.

� Use reusable dishes.

� Make events about fun and not stuff.

Both Shelley and Hawkins suggest that holidays with less stuff are less stressful.

Hawkins says that reducing waste "helps me to slow down and enjoy the season and get back to what it all means. Ultimately you are doing something that really benefits the environment."

Shelley discourages making the holidays about "stuff." Instead, she says, "Maybe your family would rather simplify and enjoy each other."

For inspiration on reducing waste, both Shelley and Hawkins recommend watching the documentary, "The Story of Stuff."
The Date Book

Tuesday, Oct 27, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Spooky Stories for Adults

Storyteller Anne Rutherford tells original and vintage horror tales, mixing them with spooky songs. Hillsdale Branch Library.

Tuesday, Oct 27, 7 p.m.
Wilson High School Concert

The Wilson High School Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Orchestra will hold their first concert in the school auditorium. Parents, students, staff, alumni, and community members welcome. Admission is free.

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.
Hillsdale Neighborhood Association meeting

The meeting, at St. Barnabas Church, 2201 SW Vermont again will take up the Housing Authority of Portland's (HAP) plan to raze and rebuild the Hillsdale Terrace public housing complex. HAP is seeking HNA's endorsement for the project as part of its application for federal funds. The new development, costing $42 million, would double the number of units to 122.

Wednesdays, 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Oct. 28, through Dec. 9,
Childbirth Education in a Jewish Context

For first time expectant parents in at least their 20th week of pregnancy.  All family constellations and religious backgrounds (e.g. interfaith, same sex, etc.) are welcome. Classes include pregnancy, labor and delivery, and post-partum care as well as the topics of Jewish welcoming ceremonies, choosing a baby's Hebrew name and making a Jewish home. The course is open to the entire community.  $180 for Neveh Shalom families and $225 non-member families. Congregation Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW Peaceful Lane,
For more information contact: Caron Blau Rothstein, [email protected] or 503-246-8831 x139


Saturday, Nov 7, starting at 9 a.m.
Southwest SWNI/SOLV Litter Patrol and Fall Clean-up

9 a.m. - 1 p.m. for disposal; 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. for litter patrol. Volunteers help clean-up litter in the neighborhood, and neatniks bring scrap, yard debris and donated items to the  Portland Christian Center Parking lot at 4700 SW Dosch Road. Litter volunteers should bring work gloves. Pick-up trucks are also needed. Suggested contributions for disposal is $10 per carload to cover dumping charges.

Saturday, Nov 7, 5:30 p.m.
Rieke Elementary School Auction

Mary Rieke Elementary benefit auction at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. On-line ticket sales at Rieke Auction web site and click on "buy tickets".  For more information, contact Mary Jo Cohen at (503) 477-6333 or email [email protected] for direct personal assistance or questions.  Purchase deadline Friday, October 30th.

 Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m.
"Of Song and Soul" concert with
Ilene Safyan and Justin Jude

Two of Neveh Shalom's community's most talented singers and performers. At Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW Peaceful Lane.  Reserved tickets $18. RSVP, 503-246-8831 x100.

Tuesday, November 17, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Tales of Wonder and Wisdom: An Evening with Rafe Martin

At Hillsdale Library. Recommended for teens and adults. Space is limited. Free tickets for seating will be available 30 minutes prior to the event.

Thursday, November 19, 7 p.m.
Southern Air: An Evening with Storyteller Donald Davis

Mittleman Jewish Community Center, 6651 S.W. Capitol Hwy. Recommended for teens and adults. Admission: $10. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets on sale at Hillsdale library and Annie Bloom's Books, 7834 S.W. Capitol Hwy.To order tickets by mail or for more information, call (503) 988-5402.

Saturday, Nov. 21, 11 a.m.
Family Matinees with Storyteller Will Hornyak

At the Hillsdale Library. Recommended for ages 5 and up. Admission is free. Space is limited. Free tickets for seating will be available 30 minutes prior to program.

Rick Seifert
Editor, Hillsdale News
(503) 245-7821
[email protected]