Commentary:
Sponsoring the News
Starting with this issue, the Hillsdale News is being sponsored by several community-minded businesses in the Hillsdale Town Center. They are listed above.
I thank them for their support, as I'm sure you do.
I volunteer my editorial and writing services, but modest costs associated with the publication require me to seek support for web hosting and e-mail distribution. For now, any extra revenue from sponsorships will be contributed The Hillsdale Alliance and eventually to the Hillsdale Community Foundation (see story in this issue.)
At some point, the News may require paid part-time staff for it to continue.
Because of space constraints, I've placed a limit on the number of sponsorships. Ten places remain. If you own a business and are interested in a sponsorship, feel free to call me at (503 245-7821 or e-mail me at editor@hillsdalenews.org.
Currently sponsorship listings are viewed by approximately 600 readers per issue. The readership is expected to continue to grow. Twenty-issue sponsorships are offered at $50, $100 and $150 levels.
Rick Seifert
Editor
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Links to Alliance Members
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A new sign marks the site of the planned solar array.
Time running out
Solar project still
lacks investors
Financial uncertainties have cast a shadow over the future of the proposed $800,000 solar power array at Rieke Elementary School.
A new sign on the site next to Bertha Boulevard calls the slope the "future home" for the three large solar panels, but there is no certainty about when, or even if, the project will be built.
Sandra Walden of Commercial Solar Ventures, a development firm trying to attract an investor, said Friday, "Right now I can't say whether it will or won't happen."
She expects to have an answer next week.
Catherine Diviney, energy specialist with the Portland School District, said an investor had been close to agreeing in early September. "Now it looks as though we should have gotten them to sign then," she said.
In the interim, the economy and the financial markets have been thrown into uncertainty.
Walden said the problem for the Rieke financing is "everything that's front-page news."
Finding an investor quickly is key because federal tax incentives for alternative energy projects are not available for projects that can't be completed by the end of this year.
The 100-kilowatt solar array project includes an educational component for Rieke students. Developers estimate that the array would provide 60 percent of Rieke's energy needs.
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Construction crews begin work
to straighten, improve crosswalk
 Work has begun on a simplified and safer crossing at the busy intersection of Capitol Highway and Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway across from the new Watershed building.
The construction contract calls for work to be completed by Nov. 7 although Lisa Elbert, project manager for the city's Department of Transportation said minor work may remain after the date.
"The crosswalk will be functioning but work like striping may still be needed." She said that November weather can make painting stripes difficult.
The new crossing, which costs $107,695, will remove the pedestrian island in the middle of the intersection and straighten the crossing. An on-demand pedestrian signal will stop westbound slip-lane traffic entering Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway from SW Capitol. Presently, the single-lane section of the crosswalk has no signal and accelerating motorists frequently pay little heed to the zebra crossing.
The crosswalk will also feature a countdown signal informing pedestrians of how much time remains to cross the five-lane crosswalk.
The contract with Signal Construction Group of Woodburn specifies that during the construction period, traffic lanes will be kept open during peak commuter hours, Elbert said.
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Hillsdale swells Food Front's owner rolls
A remarkable 500 Food Front customers signed up to become members of the cooperative in the first two weeks after Food Front opened its Hillsdale store on Sept. 30.
That's a torrid pace, says Tom Mattox, Food Front's community outreach manager. Food Front's original and only other store on NW Thurman attracts about 350 new members in a year.
Food Front is preparing to invite members to lend the cooperative $275,000 to help pay for the costs of opening the new Hillsdale store.
Meanwhile, a three-day Hillsdale grand opening celebration is scheduled for October 10, 11 and 12. The event, which will feature music, will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
Cooperative to honor Roach
Mike Roach, co-owner of Paloma Clothing, school advocate and a prominent small-business leader, will be honored by Food Front at the cooperative's annual membership meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Roach will receive one of Food Front's three annual Sustainable Community Awards. In announcing the award, a Food Front press release praised Roach for "his tireless, enthusiastic support for the opening of Food Front's new store in Hillsdale."
Roach is president of the Hillsale Business and Professional Association.
The annual meeting will be held at the Ecotrust Building at NW 10th and NW Johnson from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
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Hillsale Community Foundation launched
A Hillsdale Community Foundation has been launched with the passage of by-laws and the appointment of a founding board.
Dianna Ponder, the Hillsdale-based controller of Northwest Acute Care Specialists, is the chair of a board of seven founding directors. Ponderhas been the treasurer for the Hillsdale Farmers' Market board for six years.
The other members of the board are Les Jevning, Mike Roach, Don Baack, Linda Doyle, Pam Field and Rick Seifert. Two more directors remain to be chosen.
At its founding meeting on Sept. 4, the board approved by-laws that call for a self-perpetuating board of nine directors. Five positions of the nine are designated for those "associated" with the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association, the Hillsdale Business and Professional Association, the Hillsdale Farmers Market, Neighborhood House, and Rieke, Gray and Wilson schools. Directors serve three-year terms.
The by-laws state the purpose of the foundation as being "the betterment of the Hillsdale community" and fostering "a sense of community among Hillsdale's many diverse groups."
The formation of the foundation was spearheaded by the Hillsdale Alliance but the foundation is not affiliated with the Alliance.
The foundation board is working to establish the foundation as a 501 (c) (3) organization so that it can receive tax-exempt contributions for its work in the community.
The Alliance, which has raised $15,000 through five book sales, may transfer all or most of the money to the Foundation's fund once it is established. Each year a percentage of the foundation's permanent fund would be distributed for community projects.
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Voter registration drive harvests
voters in Farmers' Market
 Hillsdale Votes! is registering voters in the Hillsdale Farmers' Market through Sunday, Oct. 12.
On its first Sunday in the market, Sept. 14, Hillsdale Votes! volunteers registered 25 new voters. Several were previously registered but had moved and needed to re-register using their new addresses.
Some were new arrivals to the states. Among them were a few who were unaware that Oregonians vote by mail.
Volunteers are also selling "Hillsdale Votes!" buttons for $5 to raise money for "Hillsdale Votes!" signs that will be put up a month prior to election day, Nov. 4.
The last day to register to vote is Tuesday, Oct. 14. Ballots will be mailed Friday, Oct. 17.
If you would like to be a Hillsdale Votes! volunteer, contact Rick Seifert at editor@hillsdalenews.org or phone 245-7821.
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Enterprise:
New wine shop is organized for the palate
 "Floral, Aromatic, Minerally."
"Rich, Oaky, Smooth."
"Crisp, Dry, Refreshing."
Alissa Larrance (right) displays her new wine shop's wares in bins ranked under trios of inviting adjectives.
She has just putout her "Korkage" shingle in Hillsdale, opening its doors Tuesday,Sept 16.
The cozy shop with its contemporary decor is at 6351 SW Capitol Highway next to where Dava Beads was until it closed this summer.
Asa graduate of Wilson High School (class of '86), Alissa knows Hillsdalewell. Several friends who live in the community encouraged her to open a wine shop.She says she also was drawn to the location because it is an easy walkfrom surrounding neighborhoods at a time when people are choosing towalk more.
Alissa is no stranger to the food and beveragebusiness. For five years she managed the Raccoon Lodge in Raleigh Hillsfor her father, Art, the owner. She was also a partner in a brew pub inSellwood.
Rather than arranging her shop's wines by growingregion, she has placed them under six "styles." Three for whites; three forreds. That's where the adjectives come in. The ones at the beginning of this story apply to thewhites. The remaining three, all reds, are "Big, Powerful, Bold,""Soft, Mild, Simple," and "Fruity, Spicy, Earthy."
Korkage's hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with Thursday evening wine tastings that last from 4 to 7 p.m. |
Around & About:
First Town Center planning session nears
Three dates on Hillsdale's fall calendar may be important to the community's future.
Each one marks a meeting that is a critical step in developing a design strategy for the Hillsdale Town Center. The two-hour meetings are Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the Wilson High School cafeteria.
Sera Architects is conducting the meetings under a City of Portland Planning bureau contract.
Here are the dates and their topics:
· Sept. 24 - Background and Urban Design Framework
· Oct. 22 - Design Alternatives
· Nov.12 - Preferred Alternative and Phased Development Strategy
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Wilson sets a 'Mousetrap'
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Hillsdale will be the scene of a murder this Halloween.
The location will be the Cosgrove Auditorium at Wilson High School where drama students will perform Agatha Christie's venerable "The Mousetrap."
The play, which features a surprise ending, has a long history both at Wilson and in London's West End theater district.
Wilson's longtime-drama teacher, Julie Accuardi, first performed the play in the '70s. In the '90s it was a senior project for a student director, says Jamie Miller, Wilson's current drama teacher.
In London, the mystery debuted in 1952 and still is being performed at St. Martin's Theatre.
Miller says that "The Mousetrap" is a great play for his cast of eight students (three women; five men) because it has interesting, quirky characters who play well off each other. While it is a murder mystery, it isn't overtly violent.
Evening performances will be held Fridays and Saturdays of the weeken
ds of Oct. 31 and Nov. 6. Sunday matinees will be offered each of the weekends.
Hillsdale Church rummage sale Oct. 3 and 4
The Hillsdale Community Church will hold its "Rummage Faire" on Friday, Oct .3, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The United Church of Christ church is located at 6948 SW Capitol Highway, at the top of the hill between Hillsdale and Multnomah Village.
The sale will be in the fellowship hall, whose entrance is on SW Texas Street.
Tickets on sale for Rieke Foundation auction
Rieke Auction tickets go on sale starting Tuesday, Sept. 23, 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 fundraider of the year, is organized by the Rieke Foundation, which provides funds to enhance school staffing.
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Rick Seifert
Editor, Hillsdale News
(503) 245-7821
editor@hillsdalenews.org
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