Commentary:
Skeptics needed
You should be skeptical of me, and what I write here.
There, you've been warned.
I wear two hats, and that's a good reason for skepticism. One is my Hillsdale News editor/writer's hat. The other is, for lack of a better word, a "community activist's" hat.
The second cap has me deeply involved in this community. In one way or another I have played an integral part in starting the farmers market, the community book sale (see adjacent story), the Hillsdale Alliance, the Southwest Community Connection and this on-line newsletter.
I could tell you that, as a journalist, I have my biases under control, but I don't.
Nor, I suspect, do you.
Under the circumstances, namely editing and writing this newsletter, my biases are more relevant than yours. I'm the writer, which means that I am "the decider," to use the term of our "Decider-in-Chief."
As I going about deciding, I try to be aware of my biases, but I'm certain to miss a few, or even many.
At the very least I have the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Besides the obvious questions of bias and conflicts of interest, I have other problems related to my two roles.
When need be, how do I write about myself if I happen to be in the news?
Do I write about me as if I'm some other person named "Rick Seifert"?
Do I just switch from the detached reporter to the first-person "I"?
Or do I just "write around" myself, pretending I don't figure into a story when, in fact, I do?
And what about quotes? Do I quote myself? On a couple of stories I'm, frankly, a good source for a quote - direct or indirect.
One approach would be simply to write The Hillsdale News as a kind of news analysis, openly from my perspective. I might change the name to "A Hillsdale View" or some such.
I've dismissed that approach as I don't think such an opinionated newsletter is necessary. Besides, I've given myself this column for just that kind of analysis.
Many of these questions aren't new. Some arose with the inception of "Civic Journalism" 20 years ago. The movement was an effort to make journalism a way to solve civic problems rather than to perpetuate them.
The power of the press is undeniable; the question civic journalism raised was how that power should be used. Should the press be a neutral observer? Can it be?
Ethically, can it be? Or should the press overtly take sides, just as long as it gives other sides their due?
And what form should this "taking of sides" take? Editorials? Hard-hitting reporting that "afflicts the comfortable and comforts the afflicted"?
Four 14 years, I have tried to practice "civic journalism" in Hillsdale. I've tried to use the "power of the pen" to build, not tear down, community and communication.
My quandary, as noted, is that I have become part of the news that I am compelled to report about. The potential for bias caused by my dual role could undercut my journalistic credibility.
In his issue and in previous ones, I hope I have managed to avoid some of these problems.
Ultimately, you must judge.
So remain skeptical - and, yes, critical. And let me know your thoughts.
That will be good for both of us - and our community.
Rick Seifert
Editor
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Links to Alliance Members
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Volunteer Les Jevning has spent hours sorting thousands of donated books
Sunday, Dec. 9
Donated books readied for sale
Holiday Farmers market is a go
The fourth Hillsdale Community Book Sale has more books to offer buyers on Sunday, Dec. 9, than any of its predecessors.
The sale will be held in the new Watershed senior housing building at SW Capitol Highway and Bertha Court from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Early birds who want first crack at the books at 9 a.m. pay $20 admission for a book buyers' one-hour early admission to the sale. After 10 a.m., admission is free.
A Watershed open house, a chili feed, community tables and musical performances will accompany the sale at the Watershed.
Meanwhile, the Hillsdale Holiday Farmers Market, canceled last Sunday due to high winds, will be held in the Rieke Parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The three earlier book sales - two last year and one this summer - raised $9500 for Hillsdale Alliance organizations. The Alliance includes the neighborhood association, the business and professional association, Hillsdale's three public schools, the Hillsdale Branch Library, the farmers market and Neighborhood House.
The books are priced to move. With the exception of appproximately 50 specially priced books, the estimated 7,000 books will sell for $1.50 (for hardbounds), $1 for trade paperbacks and 50 cents for "pocket" paperbacks. Children's books are all priced at 50 cents or less.
Some DVDs, videos and books on tape will also be on sale.
A vintage portable typewriter will be raffled off.
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Watershed with tower lit up, minus utility wires and polls. Rendering by Bruce Rodgers.
Paying for landmark lights and a community foundation
"Light up Hillsdale" launched
With the unveiling soon of a landmark Hillsdale sign on the new Watershed building, the Hillsdale Alliance is calling on residents and business owners to "Light Up Hillsdale" by contributing to a Hillsdale community foundation.
The contributions will be a match to the $15,000 the Alliance has already received to light up the new "Hillsdale" sign and capstone light on the prominent Watershed's tower at the corner of Capitol Highway and Bertha Court.
Much of the lighting money comes from four community book sales, including the one on Dec. 9 (see above story). The books have been donated by community members and farmers' market patrons.
The Hillsdale Business and Professional Association is contributing $3000 to the lighting fund.
Grants from the city, administered through the Alliance of Portland Neighborhood Business Associations and Southwest Neighborhoods Inc. (SWNI), are also expected to become part of the total for the lighting project.
The drive already is underway for the additional $15,000. Four private donors have pledged $500 each, and Salvador Molly's has contributed $914.
Ted Coonfield, one of the drive's organizers, said the lighted sign and tower light will be a focal point of pride and purpose in Hillsdale. He called the three-story vertical sign "an icon," like the "Hollywood" sign in the Hollywood District, the Pike Street Market sign in Seattle and the "Portland" sign on the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
"When that Hillsdale sign gets lit, they won't confuse us with Hillsboro anymore," he said. "It will be like a marquee."
Mike Roach, co-owner of Paloma Clothing, encouraged community members to contribute part of their state tax refund "kicker" checks to the community cause.
To contribute to the "Light Up Hillsdale" fund, make out checks to "SWNI" with a note line reading, for the Hillsdale Community Foundation.
Contributions are tax-deductible through SWNI, which has non-profit status.
Checks also can be dropped off at Paloma Clothing in Hillsdale or mailed to Southwest Neighborhoods Inc. 7688 SW Capitol Highway, Portland, Or 97219.
To raise the $15,000, organizers also plan a series of fund-raising food events.
The Hillsdale Alliance, founded in January 2004, consists of representatives from major neighborhood organizations and institutions including the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association; the Hillsdale Business and Professional Association; the Hillsdale Farmers Market; Rieke, Gray and Wilson schools; the Hillsdale Branch Library; SW Trails; the Hillsdale Neighborhood Emergency Team; Hillsdale Votes; and Neighborhood House.
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Cost questions remain for co-op to answer
Food Front on track in Hillsdale
After meeting with representatives of the owners of the former Wild Oats space, Food Front Co-op's manager called the visit to the site and the discussion "encouraging."
"There were no stumbling blocks," said manager Holly Jarvis. "We are still moving forward. It's all good news."
She called her Nov. 30 meeting with John and Ardys Braidwood "very friendly and warm."
Ardys Braidwood, by her husband, John, represents her family, the Wardins, in managing its Hillsdale Shopping Center. She said she had nothing to report about the meeting with Jarvis or the status of the building.
Previously the Braidwoods have said the Wardin family was committed to having "a neighborhood grocery" in the space.
Mike Roach, president of the Hillsdale Business and Professional Association, said that from talking with the Braidwoods he concluded that the meeting was "positive."
The next step for Food Front requires coming up with cost estimates for opening and running the store. In January, that information will be presented to the Food Front Co-op's customer/owners and to the co-op board.
Securing financing is another issue. Jarvis said that at least $1 million will be needed to get the store up and running. Costs include hiring labor, new shelving, equipment, marketing, fees and permits, she said.
A membership drive would be launched and co-op members would be approached to finance loans to the co-op. Bank financing would also be required, Jarvis said.
When Food Front extensively remodeled its only store, on NW Thurman Street, in 2002, it sought and received unsecured loans from its members.
Jarvis said that the Hillsdale retail space is far from perfect. At 6,000 square feet, she said, it's "too darn small," and the parking is inadequate.
If it weren't for what she called the excellent "match" with a Hillsdale neighborhood enthusiastic about community ownership, she wouldn't recommend considering the site.
"It's such a wonderful neighborhood. That's why we are pursuing this," she said.
She added that despite the size and parking limitations, the space had worked relatively satisfactorily for many years. Wild Oats vacated the space in September after being bought out by Whole Foods.
Jarvis said she couldn't predict how soon the store might open if all went well. "Everything always takes longer than I think."
She added that the earlier the opening, the better. "We totally understand the neighborhood's need for a grocery. We will do our best to keep this process moving along."
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"Lovefest" in Hillsdale
Leaders appeal for Metro assistance
Hillsdale neighborhood leaders have asked Metro regional councilors to help provide a paid manager to advance the agenda ofthe Hillsdale Town Center Plan.
The plan, which is 10-years old and contains pages of action items, was initiated with Metro's help,
The leaders' appeal to the elected Metro Council came at a councilmeeting held Thursday, Nov. 29, at Wilson High School in Hillsdale. TheMetro meeting was the first to be held here.
The hour-and-half Hillsdale presentation to the council resulted froman invitation by Metro Councilor Robert Liberty, whose districtincludes Hillsdale,
In the discussion following the formal presentation, thecouncilors expressed interest in exploring ways to help but made nocommitment to funding a manager's position.
Several council members praised Hillsdale's community activism andinvolvement. The public praise prompted more than one attendee to callthe event a "Hillsdale Lovefest."
In the presentation, Hillsdale leaders thanked Metro for its role inidentifying Hillsdale as a Town Center. Hillsdale, the smallest of 30regional town centers, was chosen largely because it is served by ninebus lines and offers opportunities for higher densities. By developingtown centers, Metro and City of Portland leaders hope to slowexpansion of the urban growth boundary, lessen suburbansprawl and encourage the energy-efficient use of transit.
In a Power Point presentation, past Hillsdale neighborhood president Wes Risherreviewed successes under the town center plan, including the saving ofRieke Elementary School, the new Watershed development, the TurningPoint transitional housing project, and the expansion of the branchlibrary.
Risher also highlighted opportunities that call for attention. Theyinclude a town center plaza, shelter for the farmers market, and rational development of the largeopen space in the Sunset Triangle north of Capitol Highway.
He and others noted the need to address blight from overhead utilitywires, lack of sidewalks, and inadequate parking in much of the towncenter.
A panel of Hillsdale leaders told the six (of seven) councilors inattendance about how the town center designation had helped theirorganizations.
The panel members were Josh Kadish, chair of theHillsdale Farmers Market board; Ruth Adkins, Hillsdale parent andPortland School Board member; Virginia Tribe, head Hillsdale branchlibrarian; Rick Nitti, executive director of Neighborhood House; DonBaack, Hillsdale Neighborhood Association president and chair of SWTrails; Mike Roach, president of the Hillsdale Business andProfessional Association; Rick Seifert, chair of the Hillsdale Alliance,and Risher.
After the panel discussion, Thomas Benke rose to object to any plazaplan that would displace the girl's softball program, which uses the field behind Rieke School. Benke, who has one daughter who wasin the Wilson softball program and another who currently is, wrote aletter to the same effect in the Issue #9 (Oct. 29) of the HillsdaleNews. Benke has been involved with area softball programs for sixyears.
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Briefly
Dessert, Songs and Christmas
Hillsdale Community Church's fourth annual Christmas Dessert Concert will take place Sunday, Dec. 9, at 6:30 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall of the church at 6948 SW Capitol Highway.
This year's concert features choir, soloists, pianos and organ performing favorites such as "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Away in a Manger," "Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella," "Angels' Carol," "I Wonder As I Wander," and "We Need a Little Christmas."
Dessert and an audience sing-along round out the evening.
Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for children. Dessert is included.
Call the office at (503) 246-5474 or stop by Hillsdale Community Church-UCC for tickets.
Reservations recommended as seating is limited.
Choirs to handle Handel at Wilson
The Wilson Choirs will perform their "Winter Choral Concert" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 20, in the Wilson High School Cosgrove Auditorium.
Suggested donation is $3, but no one is turned away for lack of funds.
The concert will feature all four Wilson choral groups: Wilson Women, Wilson Men, WAVE and Wilsingers.
The evening will include a performance of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus." Wilson Choir alums will be invited to join in the singing onstage.
The concert will be followed by a "Wassail Party" in the auditorium lobby.with free food and drink,
Watershed opens doors to residents, public
Look for the new landmark "Hillsdale" vertical sign to be installed on the Watershed building on Dec. 14 or 15, just as the first tenants move in to the rent-subsidized senior housing project.
A cylindrical light will top off the building's tower in late January, reports Martin Soloway, deputy director for housing with Community Partners for Affordable Housing, which owns the building.
Thirty tenants have been approved to move in in mid-December. Another 60 are on the waiting list. The building has 51 units.
An open house, including tours of the building and model units, will be held in conjunction with the Hillsdale Community Book Sale on Sunday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Book sale patrons will be invited to contribute funds for used book purchases for the new building's library, Soloway said.
Soloway added that donations of used laptops are sought. The laptops should be capable of receiving wireless Internet service, which is available free in the building.
The Connection has a new chief reporter
A new reporter is covering Hillsdale and surrounding communities for The Southwest Community Connection.
Pamplin Media Group, which owns the paper, has hired Shasta Kearns Moore as the paper's reporter. She replaces editor Jessie Kirk, who has moved on to the Pamplin-owned Beaverton Valley Times.
Despite her title as "reporter," Moore said she will edit the paper although she will have less responsibility for layout than Kirk did.
Moore is a 2006 University of Oregon journalism graduate. For the last year she has been a reporter at the Tillamook Headlight-Herald.
She grew up in Eugene and has spent time abroad in France and Russia.
She now lives in Canby but is looking for a home in the Milwaukie area with her fiance Matt Millard.
She recently was introduced to the area recently by taking a five-mile hike with Hillsdale Neighborhood Chair Don Baack.
"People are really involved with the community here, so I'm excited about my work," she said.
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Rick Seifert
Editor, Hillsdale News
(503) 245-7821
editor@hillsdalenews.org
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