Commentary:
Defining the news
Events of the past three weeks have forced me to make some tough choices about how The Hillsdale News goes about reporting on Hillsdale.
I've decided that I won't try to compete on big, splashy stories that The Oregonian and the TV stations (and their helicopters) cover like a blanket.
Obviously the closing of the Rieke soccer field to Rieke students and the astonishing landslide on Burlingame Place are prime examples.
The Oregonian put the landslide story on its front page for three days running.
The soccer field story received less attention but has been widely covered.
I could have tried to compete head-to-head with the breaking coverage, but I've decided to stay with my schedule of publishing roughly every two or three weeks and to not put out special issues for well-covered events like these two.
If something happens in Hillsdale that is uncovered and needs to be urgently reported, I will put out "an Extra" as the old-timers called them.
That said, the Hillsdale News is hardly going to ignore well-publicized local stories. I see this publication's role as finding angles that are being overlooked by the major media. For instance, in this issue I report a local effort to help the families displaced by the slide.
In the case of the Rieke field, the major news media are doing what they often do. Once they report on a problem, they move on. Meanwhile, we still live with it and need to see that it's solved. That's where this publication can help out. By continued vigilance and targeting its coverage, the News can keep these problems in public view until they are addressed.
Finally, Please note the new "Date Book" feature in this issue. The section will alert you to upcoming events.
Rick Seifert
Editor
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Letter to the editor:
What happened to Slavin Road?
The house slidings and unstable area near Terwilliger Blvd brings me to ask whatever happened to Slavin Road? It was (is) the steep grade when turning off Barbur Boulevard and heading west towards Hillsdale. John Slavin was a pioneer in the area and Slavin was a perfectly good name for the road, now called SW Capitol Highway.
The property owner on the northwest corner of Slavin and Barbur had an interesting little niche in the rockery (right hand side of Slavin as we climbed the hill). At Christmas time, a lovely nativity scene was set up there and I do believe it was lighted. I wonder how they would ever get to that spot now without being killed or maimed.
Patti Waitman-Ingebretsen
Multnomah Historical Association
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Links to Alliance Members
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Neighbors are urging the curious to stay behind barriers at slide site.
Seven households in limbo
Web sites established
to help slide evacuees
Those who want to help families displaced by the Oct. 8 Burlingame Place landslide now have a web site to turn to. The site has pages for five of the seven households displaced by the slide that carried a house down a steep slope from Burlingame Place to just above Terwilliger Boulevard.
To learn how to help the familes go to http://www.beckercap.com/bgame/. There you can also learn how to log onto another site, Lotsahelpinghands.com, which also is designed to help the families.
Katie Sengstake, one of several neighbors helping the families displaced by the slide, said that a bank account is being set up to help them. Details about it will be posted on the sites soon.
Residents of the area are also strongly urging the public to respect the barriers in the unstable slide area by staying out of the barricaded portion of the street. "By going into the area they are putting themselves at risk and potentially adding to problems the families already have," Sengstake said.
Dozens of curiosity-seekers are walking up the quiet, u-shaped street and have been blocked at the barricades. Several have crawled or climbed around them and even trespassed on private property in an effort to see the slide area, which is not visible from the safe side of the barriers.
Sengstake said that the short-term needs of the families are being met. All have found accommodation with friends or families or are in hotels. Their long-term prospects are up in the air as they work with insurance companies to see how much of their losses will be covered.
She said that engineers have still not pinpointed what triggered the slide at around 5:40 on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 8. Miraculously, Kathei Hendrickson was saved as her house slid away from her. No one was injured as the house slammed into the residential area below, knocking one house off its foundation.
Inspectors have "red tagged" three homes as being unsafe to enter. Another red tagged home, Kathei and Dave Hendrickson's, is rubble at the bottom of the slope. Three homes have been "yellow tagged," meaning owners can enter them for a limited periods.
Meanwhile, a panel is being held Thursday, Oct.16, for those who want to learn more about the danger of landslides in the Southwest Hills. Sponsored by the Southwest Hills Residential League (SWHRL), the presentation begins at 7 p.m. at the Ainsworth Elementary School, 2425 SW Vista Ave.
Terwilliger, Burlingame Place closed indefinitely
as officials await response from property owners
City officials want owners of property affected by the large Oct. 8 landslide to ensure that the slide area is stable before heavily used Terwilliger Boulevard is reopened to through traffic.
Property owners bear responsibility for stabilizing the area, say officials, who still haven't pinpointed a cause of the slide.
Burlingame Place, at the top of the slide, is also closed at the possibly unstable site of the landslide. Motor access to the rest of the horse-shoe shaped street is limited to residents.
Michelle Becker, who lives two houses from the slide, says the closure is necessary. She worries that curiosity-seekers are taking risks by crossing police tape and barricades. "They even ignore verbal warnings. If something happens, we will have to rescue them."
"I'm willing to live with the closings until its safe," she said.
Michelle's husband, John, points out that because of the potential instability of the area, when the city capped the water main to the affected area, they didn't tamp down new asphalt with compactors out of fear of setting off further sliding.
City officials say Terwilliger Boulevard and Burlingame Place are closed "indefinitely."
At Portland's Office of Emergency Management, Keith Berkery said the city doesn't want to spend taxpayer money on a problem that private parties, and perhaps their insurance companies, should pay for.
He added that the owners themselves would have issues with the city saying, "We're coming onto your property, whether you like it or not."
The point agency for a decision to reopen the streets is the Bureau of Development Services. Cheryl Cuck at the Portland Department of Transportation says her agency needs to know from BDS that the area is stable and that debris has been cleared from the site.
"We want to make sure there isn't a danger of material coming into the public road," she said.
She said she has no idea whether it will take days or weeks for the roads to be opened.
Ross Caron, site services division manager with Bureau of Development Services, says that the city has given the property owners, who are in discussion with private consulting engineers and insurance officials, until Friday, Oct. 17, to present a plan for stabilizing the area.
He acknowledged the enormity of the problems the seven displaced households have been dealing with. He declined to predict what would happen if they couldn't meet the deadline.
He added, "The city needs to be comfortable with the measures that the home owners do" before the roads can be reopened.
Caron said he had "no idea" when the city will reopen Terwilliger, which is a major route for north-south commuter traffic to and from OHSU.
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The Rieke soccer field was closed to Rieke students after lead was discovered in turf.
Off limits:
Public meeting set at Rieke
to discuss soccer field's lead
Events that led to the closure of the Rieke soccer field to all Rieke Elementary School students in late September began in Hoboken, New Jersey, last April. The field at Sinatra Park (yes, THAT Sinatra, a Hoboken native) was closed after officials found unacceptable concentrations of lead in the artificial turf.
Flash forward to Portland this fall, where officials found traces of lead on the Rieke field.
Two federal agencies, the Centers for Disease Control and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, differ on whether the lead poses a potential health problem. The CPSC concludes the lead levels pose no danger, but the CDC calls for action when lead exceeds minimum levels.
For the agencies' positions, visit CPSC web site and the CDC site.
While only children six or under are considered at risk, Portland Public School officials decided that the easiest way to manage the problem at Rieke was to put the field off-limits to all students.
Meanwhile the public is invited to the Rieke PTA meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the school at which health officials will discuss potential lead problems associated with the field. The portion of the meeting devoted to the field is expected to begin shortly after 7:30 p.m. The public is asked to arrive at that time.
Included on the panel will be:
· Dr. Gary Oxman, Health Officer for Multnomah County, who will discuss the medical perspective of lead and synthetic turf.
* Andy Fridley, Manager, Health and Safety, Portland Public School District, who will discuss the testing and results for the Rieke School and soccer fields.
* Greig Warner, Environmental Health Specialist for Multnomah County, who will discuss broader lead risk factors and present information and community resources about lead hazards and lead screening.
Among the unanswered questions is the future of the 11-year-old field, which is owned by Portland Parks and Recreation on land owned by the school district.
At an Oct. 6 meeting of parents and city and school officials, the officials laid out options for the future of the field. A replacement field is on a list of parks improvements, but no money is budgeted for the project.
Some of the options include:
· Replace the existing field with a new, safe synthetic surface at a cost of approximately $500,000.
· Replace the existing field with natural turf at a cost of approximately $200,000 to $300,000 plus mitigation of toxic dispersion and ongoing maintenance. Under this scenario use of the field would decrease because of wear and tear.
To pay for the replacements
· A bond may be issued in 2010.
· Grant opportunities might be pursued.
Another option considered was contacting the CDC regarding safety hazards, reviewing responses from other districts, and. possibly re-opening the field.
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Food Front board:
Four from Hillsdale area elected
Four of seven new Food Front governing board members are from the Hillsdale area as the result of Food Front owner/members' voting last month.
Food Front managers are quick to note that the board's eleven members serve the interests of the entire cooperative, not one of the two stores they happen to patronize most.
The newly elected members from the Hillsdale area are Nate Mason, Brandon Rydell, Ted Coonfield and Arnie Panitch.
Coonfield, who was the first chair of the Hillsdale Farmer's market and a past chair of the Neighborhood House board, called Food Front a "perfect fit" for the Hillsdale Community. He said that the farmers market and Food Front work "symbiotically."
"What a great opportunity for the Hillsdale community to have a food store that is owned by its members and that focuses on sustainability and local produce - as opposed to a corporation that is using Hillsdale to send our money somewhere else," he said.
Re-elected to the Food Front board are were Jan Wichert, Kenny Schatzman, David Richardson
Board members serve staggered three-year terms.
Tom Mattox, outreach manager for the cooperative explained that Food Front's board leaves the operation of its stores to the general manager, Holly Jarvis, and focuses on the governance and long-term vision of the co-op.
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Book sale money transferred to foundation
At its Oct. 8 quarterly meeting, the Hillsdale Alliance agreed to transfer $16,200 raised primarily through five community book sales to the new Hillsdale Community Foundation.
Until now the money had been held in a designated Alliance account with Southwest Neighborhoods Inc. (SWNI), a coalition of Southwest Portland neighborhood associations and business associations.
The Hillsdale Community Foundation was formed in early September to serve the Hillsdale community. Its seven-member board is in the process of obtaining non-profit 501 (c) (3) status.
The Alliance is an informal coalition of several neighborhood organizations and institutions including the neighborhood association, Neighborhood House, the Farmers Market, the three Hillsdale public schools, the library, SWTrails, the business and professional association and Hillsdale Votes.
The Alliance initiated the establishment of the foundation and the Hillsdale News on-line newspaper as well as the annual book sale.
Beginning with its January 2009 meeting, the Alliance will be chaired by Linda Doyle and Glenn Bridger. Rick Seifert has chaired the organization since its founding in January 2004.
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Rieke solar project put on hold
The sun won't be powering Rieke Elementary School this year.
But school officials and solar developers are planning to push for funding for the project in 2009.
In these unstable economic times, developers failed to attract investors to the project.
Even in the unlikely event an investor stepped forward in the next month, permitting and other requirements can't be met in time for installation by the end of the year, said Catherine Diviney, solar specialist for Portland Public Schools.
She added that solar contractors are booked up with jobs for the rest of the year.
One piece of good news is that the recently approved federal government's $700 billion financial rescue package includes tax incentives for alternative energy projects. Before the passage, the incentives were scheduled to expire at the end of the year.
In announcing that the project is "on hold" for now, Diviney stressed that it is not dead. "If the climate improves, we may well find an investor and move forward," she wrote community leaders. She added that lessons learned this year will make it easier for the school district to move forward in the future.
As proposed, the 100-kilowatt solar array project would include an educational component for Rieke students. Developers estimate that the array would provide 60 percent of Rieke's energy needs.
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Enterprise:
Yoga studio moves to Hillsale
The OmBase Yoga studio debuts in the Hillsdale Town Center with an open house on Saturday, Oct.18, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The studio, at 6357 SW Capitol Highway, is in a portion of the space once occupied by Dava Bead.
The owners and teachers Vittoria Palazzi and Todd Williamson will be moving their business to Hillsdale after having a Maplewood home-studio called Sacred Onion.
Todd described the yoga practiced at OmBase as being less physical than some forms of yoga. OmBase puts more emphasis on relaxation and meditation. He calls it instilling "the power of slowing down and even daring to pause."
He noted that he and Vittoria work with many elderly practitioners.
To learn more about OmBase, visit www.ombase.org
Bakery owners open cooking supply store
SweetWares, a cooking supply store, has opened its doors at the Hillsdale Shopping Center.
The "soft opening's" first day was Saturday, Oct.11.
The store, at 6306 SW Capitol Highway, is owned by the same family members who own Baker & Spice, just seven doors to the west of the new business.
The owners are Julie Richardson and Matt Kappler, who are married, and Julie's parents, Dave and Cheryl Richardson.
SweetWares will sell small baking accessories like pans, spatulas and cake plates. Hard-to-find ingredients will also be on the shelves.
In December or early next year, SweetWares will open a demonstration kitchen for classes, Julie Richardson said.
Hours for the store will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Housing agency moves offices to Watershed
Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) has moved into The Watershed, the new 52-residential-unit senior housing building that the non-profit agency guided into existence over four years.
CPAH, with its seven-member staff, bought the smaller of two commercial condominiums in the building, which is at the corner of Bertha Court and Capitol Highway.
The second commercial condo, which has 1880 square feet of space, is still on the market for $495,000, said Sheila Greenlaw-Fink, CPAH's executive director.
Greenlaw-Fink said that since moving into the 1240-square-foot office on Sept. 29, CPAH staff has been forced to "walk its talk" by maintaining the sustainable environment of the LEED-certified "green" building. CPAH requires the building's residents to do the same.
"It's good that we understand that behavioral changes don't happen over night," she said.
She added that CPAH appreciates having a permanent home at last. Previously, CPAH's staff had moved four times in 10 years. She added that Hillsdale's location is much more convenient for downtown lender-partners. CPAH's last office was in King City.
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The Date Book
Wednesday, Oct. 22 - Meeting on Town Center design alternatives
The second of three meetings for developing design alternatives and a development strategy for the Hillsdale Town Center will be held Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. in the Wilson High School cafeteria.
Sera Architects is conducting the meetings under a City of Portland Planning bureau contract.
The October 22 meeting will look at design alternatives developed by Sera.
A third meeting on Nov.12 will introduce a preferred alternative and a phased development strategy.
Saturday, Oct. 25 - Rieke Auction
Rieke Auction tickets are on sale for the dinner/auction to be held at Mittleman Jewish Community Center Saturday evening, Oct 25.
Tickets are $40 per person or $400 for a table of eight. Tickets will be sold every Tuesday, Wednesday,and Friday at the school after school lets out.
The Rieke Auction, the elementary school community's biggest fundraiser of the year, is organized by the Rieke Foundation, which provides funds to enhance school staffing.
Saturday, Oct. 25 - Free concert by
Jackson MS - based band
The Oregon Symphonic Band, which begins its second year of residency at Jackson Middle School, is holding a free fall concert Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. at the school's auditorium.
Oct . 30 and 31 - Senior Harvest Bazaar
The Neighborhood House Senior Center Harvest Bazaar and Bake Sale will be Thursday, Oct. 30 and Friday, Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Senior Center in the Multnomah Arts Center, SW 7768 Capitol Highway. Donated items will be accepted at the center any week day from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. until Oct. 25.
Weekends of Oct. 31 and Nov. 7 - "The Mouse Trap" at Wilson High
Wilson High School's production of Agatha Christie's venerable "The Mousetrap" will be presented at evening performances Fridays and Saturdays of the weekends of Oct. 31 and Nov. 7. Sunday matinees will be offered each of the weekends. All performances will be at the Cosgrove Auditorium at Wilson High.
Saturday, Nov. 1 - Neighborhood Fall Clean-up
The fall SWNI/SOLV neighborhood clean-up will be held the morning of Saturday, Nov. 1.
The two-hour event is a chance to clean up litter in our neighborhoods.
Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at the Portland Christian Center at Dosch Road and Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway.
Organizers provide orange safety vests, litter grabbing sticks and lots of bags. Volunteers should bring work gloves and wear long pants and shirts with long sleeves.
At the end of the work, there will be a raffle for gifts donated by local merchants. SWNI will provide fruit, muffins, juice, coffee and hot chocolate in the morning and pizza for lunch.
Neighbors can also bring in junk and yard debris and drop it off. Click here for a list of acceptable items.
Thursday, Nov. 6 - Preparing for Winter emergencies
Local emergency planners are holding an informational meeting to get you ready for winter's worst cold and wet weather.
The Hillsdale Neighborhood Emergency Team (NET), along with representatives from Portland General Electric and the American Red Cross, will tell you what to do in case of a power outage, advise you on an emergency kit for your household and tell you ways to help your neighbors in case of an area-wide emergency.
The meeting will be at the Community Room of The Watershed, 6380 SW Capitol Highway, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov, 6.
For more information, call John at (503) 244-0761 or Lynn at (503)768-9209.
The Hillsdale NET is made up of neighbors who have undergone at least 24 hours of intensive training by the Portland Fire Department. They are prepared to work with their neighbors during the first 72 hours of any citywide emergency when many neighborhoods will be on their own.
To learn more about NET, go online at www.pdxprepared.NET
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Rick Seifert
Editor, Hillsdale News
(503) 245-7821
editor@hillsdalenews.org
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