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Community Features
The "Events and Activities" for the month are below these featured stories!
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| Longtime residents might remember the Woodstock Library when, for over 46 years, it was situated between 44th and 45th Avenues on S.E. Woodstock Boulevard – later the home of Woodstock Hardware, and about where the Ace Hardware store now is. By 1960, a new Woodstock Branch Library was built at its current spot at S.E. 49th Avenue and Woodstock. (Courtesy of WNA Collection) |
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SOUTHEAST HISTORY
Connect, create, celebrate – it’s the Woodstock Library!
By DANA BECK
Special to THE BEE
When I was a kid, I practically lived at the library. It was an adventure searching through thousands of stacks just to pick out that right book. At my local library I could learn a new language, discover a place I wanted to visit, find a mystery novel, and locate hundreds of volumes filled with the history of any era. There were so many books and magazines to read that I realized I could never get to them all.
It’s hard to imagine a society without an institution like a library that houses accumulated knowledge, but – believe it or not – people in Portland didn’t have a place to borrow books without charge until 1891, when the Portland Public Library opened to offer free services to residents.
Once the Portland Library opened to the public downtown, then the children, adults, and students from the Brooklyn, Woodstock, Sellwood, Albina and other adjoining east-side neighborhoods could visit the main library and check out books free of charge. Of course, there was still the matter of getting there – but, for ten cents one way, library patrons could travel by streetcar, which proved to be the most efficient way to reach the Portland Library on Stark Street. But sometimes the commute could take between 20 and 30 minutes either way.
As the public explored the overwhelming selection of books and publications available at the Portland Public Library, those who lived at some distance quickly took the idea back to their own locality of possibly starting up their own public library.
Indeed, Woodstock residents began planning for a library of their own as early as 1898, when a social banquet and entertainment function was held at Woodstock Primary School to collect money for founding one there. One Professor Durett, who was the Principal of Woodstock School at the time, started the campaign by donating a set of encyclopedias.
While that fundraiser was a nice start, and attracted many willing citizens, the first effort fell far short of enough money to build a library and pay for a fulltime librarian and staff.
Areas longing for a library of their own looked for temporary solutions – places to borrow books, or just sit down and read. As a result, reading rooms – and deposit stations – began springing up. “Deposit stations” was the name for small collections of books found in convenient places – sometimes in pharmacies, confectionaries, hospitals, fire stations, and various stores in the community. Even churches and some private homes might have a cabinet or small bookcase filled with books and literature waiting for readers to explore. Even today, we have similar resources in front of local homes: “Little libraries” on posts by the sidewalk, in which books can be borrowed or exchanged.
Schools saw the need to create their own libraries, but most of the books found in primary school libraries were then mostly just textbooks – a disappointment to boys seeking books on how to build or make things, or wanting to read adventure books on such subjects as King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, Peter Pan, and Rudyard Kipling’s “Just So” stories. And the girls wanted to read the many Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank Baum; “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm”; and “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”.
At that time, such “deposit stations” were available at Woodstock’s Fire Station, Mr. McGrew’s “Woodstock Drug Company”, and in an assortment of stores, as well as a few religious organizations. Books, magazines, and newspapers found at such local deposit stations were often supplied by the Portland Library Association – but the Association would only supply the books to deposit stations, and would not supply librarians – who, if there were any, would be local volunteers.
Unlike the personal “little libraries” at the curb today, someone was expected to be curating and in charge of these deposit stations. Such early librarians were called “custodians” of the books, and were expected to keep track of the books received, as well as to take requests by patrons, and ensure that whatever was checked out was returned in a timely fashion. Special requests by patrons would be forwarded to the Portland Public Library, who filled the order and had it shipped back out to the reading room in the county that requested it.
Getting back to Woodstock specifically, in March of 1903, the “Church of Our Savior, Episcopal Mission” opened such a library and a reading room in their building, under Charles L. Parker. The Oregonian newspaper reported that the church’s library would be open every evening, and that 22 boys and young men were attending regularly.
The tables in that reading room were supplied with magazines, newspapers, and boxes of books, and the church made plans to expand it. In the following two months a Library Club was formed, and an actual library established, which included a reading room. Besides serving as the library custodian, Mr. Charles Parker directed a Boys’ Brigade and led a Ladies’ Guild. The church encouraged the public to contribute suitable books and pictures, and any donations were gladly accepted.
This Woodstock deposit station was open six days a week, excluding Sundays, but the reading hours were later shortened to only Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings. Apparently Mr. Parker found working six days a week as an unpaid volunteer to be exhausting.
In 1905, the Sellwood neighborhood was the first in the city to establish a Branch of the Multnomah County Library. However, as other neighborhoods struggled to afford a full-time library or find property on which to build one, deposit stations and reading rooms continued to serve the public.
Most start-up deposit stations were still supplied by the Portland Library with a small collection of about fifty books, which were changed out at intervals. The Central Library, as it started to be called, would send out a car to drop off new books and pick up others that weren’t being borrowed by the patrons.
In the summer of 1909, the Oregonian reported that residents of Woodstock had gathered to propose a plan to buy a lot and build a library similar to the Central East Portland Library, which was on the corner of 6th and S.E. Alder. Money was again collected, and membership was pledged in support of a library. W.P. Lyman and F.G. McCourt were chosen to head the new Library Committee.
Today it’s unclear exactly when this Woodstock Library was established, or where it was located. The Multnomah County Library’s online “Gallery” reports that in 1911, a “sub branch library” was begun in Woodstock to offer adult and children’s books to the public, but without a reference librarian or other standard library services. Local residents interested in Woodstock history suggest to me that the library may have been located in the fire station. The evening Oregon Journal newspaper reported that in 1911, the “Woodstock Fire Company erected a one-story frame bell tower on 60th Avenue (Woodstock Blvd.) between 42nd and 43rd” in November of that year – but it does not mention the library. Charles Daniels was chosen as the builder of that fire station. So, some speculate, that might have been when the new Woodstock Library moved in next door.
Wherever the library may have been located, fundraising was still in full swing as the two newspapers announced a “grand basket social” held at Woodstock Hall in the first week of June in 1911 to support the library.
By November of 1913, the circulation of books at that new library was in full swing. The Oregon Journal reported that over 16,536 books were loaned to Woodstock residents, and the library reached an agreement to share with the Volunteer Fire Department at their fire station at 4220 S.E. 60th Avenue. Besides serving library patrons and answering reference questions, library attendants also agreed to answer calls for the Volunteer Firefighters, who in return kept the building heated by chopping and supplying wood for the wood stove for the cold winter days. A collection of beach shells from the Florida coast was then also on display at the library, thanks to a Mrs. Framer – and, it was posted that the Woodstock Branch would be closed on Sundays.
Women discovered another employment opportunity open to them, thanks to the establishment of libraries across the nation. Library Education offered women of the middle class and the working class a new trade. Previously, the main career paths available to them during the start of the 20th Century had been as secretaries, nurses, teachers, or working as a seamstress.
When new libraries began opening around the suburbs of Portland in 1912, most of the staff members hired had graduated from a list of schools that included Indiana Public Library, Drexel Library School, Cincinnati Public Library, Wisconsin Library School, and the Carnegie School for Children’s Librarians. Women in the Northwest hoping to make a career as a librarian either learned the trade by training under an experienced librarian, or else attending one of the many schools in the east.
With book circulation increasing, and children’s storytimes filling to capacity, administrative leaders at the Portland Library Association looked to build a larger library for Woodstock.
In September of 1914, with the backing of the Woodstock Improvement Club business association, the Woodstock Library moved out of its shared space with the Fire Department into larger quarters at 4426 S.E. Woodstock. Reports from the local newspapers stated that dozens of chairs, a large magazine rack, a dictionary case, and three new bulletin boards were among the new features added for the Woodstock Library opening. Patrons now had the option of visiting the Woodstock Library every day from 2 to 6 p.m. – or from 7 to 9 p.m. (The staff was allowed a well-deserved break at 6 p.m. for an hour.)
Though small in enrollment, the Women’s Woodstock Study Group was instrumental in supporting the establishment of a full-service library. Besides supporting the community with their Red Cross classes, fundraisers for the library, and support of the local PTA, they presented historical monthly profiles on Italy, France, Belgium, and Great Britain, in the study room of the library. Established in 1915, the Woodstock Study Group continued their activities until the mid-1940s.
While the Woodstock Library was run with a paid librarian, and space for the library was provided by the Portland Library Association, the community was still responsible for paying for the upkeep of the building and the grounds, and supplying the needed volunteers. Volunteers were called upon to shelve books, staff the checkout counter, and deliver books to nearby residents who were too elderly or infirm to make their way to the library. The Woodstock Women’s Christian Temperance group planted a bed of roses around the Woodstock Library and its reading room, and assumed responsibility for their upkeep.
Coincidentally, in the following years, the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Department moved its firefighting equipment to a building right next to the new Woodstock Library. For the next four years (1916-20) the Woodstock Library and Fire Department were in tandem, until the fire company moved once more to the southwest corner of 47th and S.E. Woodstock Boulevard in 1921. The Woodstock Library stayed put, and would serve the neighborhood in its current location for the next 46 years until 1960, when a new structure was built.
Then, situated in that new and larger structure, the Woodstock Library became more than just a place for patrons to borrow books, read periodicals, and scan through newspapers. As did other Branch Libraries in the Multnomah County system, the Woodstock Branch offered a free community meeting place for the public. Organizations like the Woodstock Parent and Teacher Association, Woodstock Girls Reserve, and the Woodstock Study Club held weekly or monthly meetings in that back room of the Woodstock Library. The Woodstock Flower Club, which was formed in 1917, continued to hold its monthly lectures and programs in the Woodstock Library well into the 1980s, when it was then renamed the Eastmoreland Flower Club.
America’s engagement in the “European War”, now known as World War I, was still three years away – but already, in 1914, many Americans were concerned about the growing tension brewing in Austria-Hungry and the southern Slavic countries of Bosnia, Serbia, and Herzegovina – especially since nearly thirty percent of the United States’ population was composed of immigrants who had relatives and family living in Eastern Europe at the start of the Twentieth Century.
By the summer of 2014 war had broken out with Germany and Austria-Hungry against Russia, France, and Great Britain; and the Woodstock Library posted this note on a bulletin board: “Readers weary of war and war news may be interested in the list of cheerful books positioned near the fiction shelves.”
Once the United States did become engaged in the European War in 1918, libraries gained a new function – being used as gathering places for Red Cross events. Red Cross demonstrations, posters, lectures, and even knitting groups occurred in Portland at the various Branch Libraries, and at the Central Library.
From the beginning of the war, also, the Portland Library Association ensured that every American soldier stationed in Multnomah County was supplied with books and magazines. And, in a premonition of our own recent COVID-19 pandemic, from November 1st through 16th of 1918 all the libraries in Multnomah County were mandated to be closed in the dire, and often-fatal, “Spanish Flu” pandemic. Although that strain of flu was named for Spain, that extremely virulent strain actually arose in the American Midwest and caused a massive death toll before it subsided.
However, I digress, and let’s get back to another service that arose around that time in Portland: In addition to the Branch Libraries and the deposit stations, “traveling libraries” were introduced in Multnomah County, to bring books to rural areas lacking a library nearby. “Book wagons”, as they were often called, brought books to seniors, schoolchildren, and the infirm, in farming communities and in isolated areas around Multnomah County.
The program also served patrons in the sparsely-populated sections the east side of Portland, too, with scheduled stops along portions of Foster Road and Powell Valley Road, along with Division and Halsey Streets. Other routes included Parkrose and Rockwood, and outer Gresham. Distant routes along the historic Columbia River Highway included Bridal Veil, Latourell, Springdale, and Corbett, as well as Skyline in west Portland. Deliveries were made on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with return trips included at established stops every two weeks.
Most of these touring book wagons looked like a small bus, with two shelves of books on either side of the interior. Adult books were on one side and books for children on the other. Designated stops were set out along well-known routes, and the driver stopped at each one for around twenty minutes before moving on. They sometimes had an oil stove going inside to keep the patrons and driver warm in the winter.
During the “Great Depression” in the 1930s, few funds were available to provide book wagon service to most parts of the nation – but, thanks to the dedicated support of Oregonians, touring libraries here continued supplying books, and other useful material like trade manuals for the unemployed who were looking to learn a new trade.
By the 1940s, when these book wagons were expanded and renamed “Bookmobiles”, they served a special added purpose in World War II by making stops at military installations and at the Kaiser Shipyards in North Portland. Even today, Bookmobiles still have regular routes in rural counties of Oregon.
By the way, a remarkable coincidence you may not be aware of, is that America finally entered the First World War on December 7th, 1917 – which 24 years later was the very same day, in the very same month, that the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbor in Hawai’i, resulting in the immediate entrance of the U.S. into the Second World War.
After peace returned in 1945, and year by year thereafter, Multnomah County Library Branches increasingly became community gathering places, open to people of all nationalities and ages, and serving the needs of the general public. Besides lending books, and providing a space to study or read magazines and newspapers, the local libraries became places to hold lectures, meetings, recitals, Parent Teacher meetings, and to celebrate holidays. In 1921, the Oregonian reported that Portland had the highest circulation of books per capita of anyplace in the United States. The Woodstock Library helped contribute to that record, reporting 28,968 books circulated through its check-out counter in that year.
From the very beginning, the Children’s Section has been a cornerstone of the Multnomah County Library System.
In November of 1923, the fourth grade students of Woodstock Elementary School, and their teacher Miss Helen Lewis, decided to perform a live show based on children’s classic stories at the Woodstock Library. The group sang songs and gave recitations dressed in the costumes of their favorite children’s stories. After the show, it’s reported that an exceptional number of children’s books were checked out at the front counter that day.
Besides being in charge of library duties, staff members of that day were also involved in community activities. Miss Carrie Meussdorffer was the Woodstock Librarian in that era, and also served as the Chair of the Pure Literature Committee of the Woodstock PTA, which met at the library regularly.
A Children’s Librarian has always been on hand at the Woodstock Branch to greet young people and to answer questions, and to direct them to children’s books available for checking out. In the summer and during school holidays, when students had less accessibility to a school library, the Woodstock Library offered reading programs, story hours, and a summer reading list. Contests and prizes were given to those who read most books during summer vacation.
After 46 years of generations of families visiting the Woodstock Branch Library, plans were made to build an entirely new building for it on land owned by the Multnomah County Library. In March of 2000, the Woodstock neighborhood opened a new and better library on the corner of 49th and S.E. Woodstock Boulevard.
Now, today’s Woodstock Library is closing for about four months for a “refresh”, funded by the recent library bond measure, and at the end of that time it will reopen and, we are promised, will be better than ever.
Indelible fixtures of the neighborhood – the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Department, the Woodstock Post Office, the Dieringer Brothers Grocery Store, and many others – came and went over the decades, as did generations of people who once lived here. Out of all those, it’s the Woodstock Library that remains, still an integral part of the Woodstock community.
_________________ Special thanks to BEE correspondent Elizabeth Ussher Groff – and to the Multnomah County Library Reference, Information, and Content Team – for their contributions to this article.
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| The “Be Kind VHS Depot”, at 3933 S.E. 45th Avenue, offers free vintage videotapes and DVDs. (Photo by Paige Wallace) |
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‘Little Libraries’ by the sidewalk not always full of books
By PAIGE WALLACE
For THE BEE
Around practically every corner, you see them. Elevated wooden boxes in front of homes and along sidewalks, often brightly painted and cleverly constructed. Open the doors of these magical spaces, and you’ll usually find books. Take one, leave one. A free exchange.
But did you know that some of these kiosks in Inner Southeast Portland hold other types of treasures? Not books – but toys, puzzles, craft supplies, plants, art, dog treats, and other surprises.
Each location has a theme. The items inside are free. Exchanges are encouraged. The point is to create joy.
“Southeast Portland has so many generous and creative souls!” exclaimed Rachael Harms Mahlandt, co-creator of “PDX Sidewalk Joy”, a website and interactive map that guides users to these whimsical spaces across the city. Inner Southeast Portland boasts more than 20 sites on the map, which is online at – http://www.pdxsidewalkjoy.com
THE BEE tracked down many of these creative installations across our service area, and spoke with some of the people who enjoy them.
Andrew Bedno bikes from his home in Creston-Kenilworth to find treasures that are featured on the Sidewalk Joy map. One sunny Sunday in February, he set out to find a new puzzle for his winter entertainment. That brought him to the Foster-Powell Puzzle Exchange on S.E. Boise Street.
“I love all the little libraries in Portland, in general. I like whimsy!” Bedno exclaimed. “Gosh, I’m not sure all this exists in other cities — certainly not the variation of themes. There’s a stick library for dogs that I passed on the way here!”
In fact, there are multiple stick libraries and dog-themed kiosks. At 1624 S.E. Harold Street, sticks and toys are shared inside a hollow tree stump. Nearby resident Sarah Chaney said she comes by daily with her new rescue pup, Ozzy, to see what’s available.
Sellwood’s Treat Stop, 7614 S.E. 16th Avenue, features free dog biscuits in various sizes. Photos inside the kiosk highlight a different canine companion from the neighborhood each week. Larry and Miles Lewis live nearby and make it a point to stop by often with their dog, Layla. “It’s so cool that they do this,” Larry said of the station’s hosts.
Several of the Sidewalk Joy stops take unusual forms. Infinite Jest, at 1725 S.E. Bidwell Street, is a repurposed vending machine that dispenses handwritten jokes. Brentwood-Darlington boasts a “mug exchange” at 6115 S.E. Henderson Street, built atop an eclectic and colorful old metal stove.
Sidewalk Joy locations often appeal to hobbyists. For gardeners, Woodstock hosts two seed libraries: The box at 5515 S.E. 54th Avenue features a variety of seeds, books, and gardening resources. Another, in the S.E. Tolman Street Alley, offers native plant seeds, and is surrounded by a pollinator-friendly garden.
LEGO enthusiasts can swap out a pirate for an astronaut, or any other characters hanging out in Sellwood’s Minifigure Exchange, 1818 S.E. Lexington Street.
Vintage movie fans will want to check out Creston-Kenilworth’s Be Kind VHS Exchange, 3933 S.E. 45th Avenue.
Knitters and crocheters can source yarn, books, notions, and related supplies at the FoPo Fibrary. “That one’s really popular right now,” remarked Harms Mahlandt.
A miniature art gallery in the Foster-Powell neighborhood is hosted by Sidewalk Joy’s other co-creator, Grant Brady. In February, tiny paintings of red and pink hearts were displayed on its walls.
One goal of the Sidewalk Joy project is to help people create their own unique installations and exchanges. The website features information on building codes, weatherproofing, how to host a spot if you’re a renter, and other useful details to create your own DIY project. “I’m really hoping to have people see this and think, ‘that looks like fun, I would love to have that in my neighborhood’, and then feel like they have the resources that would help them,” said Harms Mahlandt.
She also encourages seeking out the installations in your own part of town using the interactive Google map as a guide. “We have so many areas that are walkable. Bring a date or visiting relatives!” she encouraged. “You’ll get to see the spice of each neighborhood.”
As you happen upon, and peer into, these collections of joy, it becomes clear that Inner Southeast Portland has plenty of that “creative spice”.
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| Inside Woodstock’s “The Heist Bar & Food Carts”, illuminated art called “Offset Circles - Humming Bird” decorated the walls. (Photo by David F. Ashton) |
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‘Winter Lights Festival’ reappears in Inner Southeast
By DAVID F. ASHTON
For THE BEE
A decade ago, the Portland Winter Light Festival began – and that included in Inner Southeast Portland, centered around the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry -- later expanding south along the Eastbank Esplanade.
But, as pandemic restrictions lifted, organizers were persuaded to move the majority of the larger illuminated art exhibits and activities, called “Anchor Sites”, into downtown Portland. But once again our part of town was not entirely without participants this year.
This year’s theme, “A Light for Tomorrow: A Technicolor Future,” was exploring “how the fusion of art, technology and sustainability can illuminate an imaginative future shaped by creativity”, according to the organizers.
Of the more than 200 free light-based art installations set up for the 2025 festival around town this year, which ran from February 7 through 15, there were these four in Inner Southeast Portland neighborhoods:
“OFFSET CIRCLES — HUMMING BIRD”
This exhibit of lit artwork was hung on the walls of the former US Bank branch in Woodstock, which is now the location of The Heist Bar & Food Carts.
These artworks were comprised of dynamic luminous layers. “Art is best left to be experienced; successful art needs no lengthy description,” commented artist Craig Dorety.
Those in the indoor food pavilion, bustling with couples and families on a busy Saturday night at the time we visited, didn’t appear to take much note of the exhibition. “I had no idea that this wall-art was part of the Portland Winter Light Festival! But they’re cool,” remarked patron Sarah George.
RESONANT TREES: ILLUMINATION OF SOUND
Located behind a fence, in front of a Reed neighborhood home on S.E. 28th Avenue, this exhibit between Long and Pardee Streets invited passers-by to “talk to the trees” and see a light show.
A representative of the artists, the “Luminary League”, explained, “These trees grow best and glow brightest when soothing voices are heard. This piece was conceived out of a desire to spark conversation: with strangers, with friends.”
THE LIGHTING OF THE SEQUOIAS
It’s been a few years since we checked in on how those behind “Save The Giants Park” at 3656 S.E. Martins Street in the Eastmoreland neighborhood have participated in the Winter Light Festival.
This year, the trio of giant sequoia trees was again illuminated – but, this year, more than 1,000 feet of lighting extended all the way to the top of the tallest tree.
OAKS AMUSEMENT PARK MIDWAY
Many families touring the various Winter Light Festival exhibits around town made their way to Oaks Amusement Park to stroll down its Midway, illuminated by the lights on many of the rides. Some of these visitors coupled their trip to The Oaks with a fun skating session at the Oaks Park Roller Rink.
When all the lights have gone, one thing for sure is that the lighting at Oaks Park will continue to attract people to the oldest continuously-staffed amusement park in the United States – our own nonprofit Oaks Amusement Park in Sellwood, just north of the Sellwood Bridge on the Willamette River.
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| East Portland accountant Kevin Minkoff, speaking in Sellwood, discussed some of the “tax landmines” small business owners must avoid this year while preparing their returns. (Photo by David F. Ashton) |
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Tax tips and ‘Breakfast for Dinner’ in Sellwood
By DAVID F. ASHTON
For THE BEE
As has been its recent tradition, a winter meeting of the Association of Home Businesses (AHB) provided the combination of a unique dining experience, and helpful tax tips.
On Thursday, February 20, more than a dozen members and guests made their way to SMILE Station in Sellwood, and found pancake chef Sheldon Penner of Chris Cakes Northwest behind his hot griddle.
Each diner took a dish, stepped away from the grill, stood steady, and watched Penner flip a pancake high in the air to land squarely on their plate. Folks dressed their hotcakes with syrup and butter and helped themselves to the copious hot sausages.
Then, on to the tax presentation by Kevin Minkoff, CPA, “Not Your Ordinary Bean Counter”, who is a former Sellwood resident – now living and practicing in the Parkrose neighborhood.
In addition to answering questions about when to start a “S Corporation”, and the tax ramifications of healthcare, the primary focus of his discussion was “Small Business Deductions: What You Might Be Missing”.
“There are three primary categories, where small business owners are likely to miss out on valuable deductions,” Minkoff said:
Cash payments often overlooked
“Consider small but significant cash payments, including bridge tolls, parking fees, newspaper subscriptions, postage, and even cash payments to contractors – they are all deductible business expenses that often go unrecorded,” Minkoff elaborated.
Documentation is key
Improper documentation of expenses often keeps business owners from properly deducting expenses, Minkoff said. He highlighted common items such as automobile mileage, meals, travel, home office expenses, and self-employed health insurance that are often disqualified – only due to a lack of proper recordkeeping.
“So,” Minkoff advised, “it’s really essential to keep detailed, contemporaneous [“noted at the time of occurrence”] records – like receipts and mileage logs – so you don’t miss out on deductions that could save you money.”
Personal expenses with a business purpose
Finally, Minkoff shed light on personal expenses that can sometimes be legitimately converted into business deductions.
“If the expense serves a clear business purpose, it can likely be deducted,” he explained. “For instance, business owners who maintain an office at home may not realize that cleaning, maintenance, and even magazine subscriptions for their office lobby, could be deductible. Similarly, part of the costs for mobile phones and home internet access can be deducted when used for business purposes.”
Learn more about Kevin Minkoff, CPA, by visiting his website – https://nyobc.com
To learn more about the Association of Home Businesses, go online – http://www.ahboregon.org
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| At this year’s Rose City Open at the Portland Petanque Club, Roland Rakotondramanana – from Madagascar, by way of Indiana – let fly another of his boules, and never missed his mark during the Westmoreland Park tournament. (Photo by David F. Ashton) |
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Summer or winter, Westmoreland’s ‘Petanque’ keeps rolling along
By DAVID F. ASHTON
For THE BEE
It happens every year and draws Petanque players from across the country – it’s the Portland Petanque Club’s annual “Rose City Open” tournament, held at Westmoreland Park’s “terrain” (overall gravel playing field) and “pistes” (subdivided playing areas) in late summer. In 2024, it took place on September 7.
“It’s important for people to know that we play, year-around, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sunday – starting about 11 a.m. – no matter what the weather is like,” pointed out Neil Bastian, club member and the tournament’s organizer.
“In fact, we welcome to anyone wants to stop by and give petanque a try; we’ll lend them a set of boules – the steel balls pitched in the game – and we’ll teach them how to play,” Bastian told THE BEE.
The 11th year of the Rose City Open tournament again attracted 44 teams of two people each “from all four corners of our country, and many of them of come from places around the world,” Bastian said. “In the Petanque community, our club is known for holding high-quality, competitive tournaments – and we love getting together and playing competitions!”
Notwithstanding, Petanque is an uncomplicated sport to learn and is easy to play, insisted Bastian. “Anybody can play, at any level, and enjoy the game.”
Since they’re playing right through the winter at Westmoreland Park, you might want to look into this game, and also the club that brings it to Portland. You can start, at their website – http://www.pdxpetanque.org
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| JCWC “Presidential Service Award” recipients Marianne Colgrove, Tamra Dickinson, and Shirley Craddick proudly display their special Certificates of Appreciation. (Photo by David F. Ashton) |
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Volunteers honored at JCWC annual dinner, in Woodstock
By DAVID F. ASHTON
For THE BEE
Cheerful folks were headed into the Parish Hall at All Saints Episcopal Church in Woodstock on November 13th, for the annual Volunteer and Community Appreciation Party. The Johnson Creek Watershed Council offices of the Johnson Creek Watershed Council are located on the church’s campus.
Once inside, 62 attendees greeted their friends amongst the volunteers, picked a table at which to sit, and browsed the door prizes to be given away that evening.
“Tonight, we’re celebrating all of our volunteers and our partners, as well as members of the community, who have made a huge impact on the Johnson Creek Watershed in 2024,” announced JCWC Volunteer Program Manager Marlee Eckman. “The theme of the year’s celebration is ‘connection’ – how we can use our connection with each other to help our planet.”
After guests served themselves supper from the buffet provided by “Bete-Lukas Ethiopian Restaurant”, Eckman began the formal program with a prize drawing.
“You have shown up in rain, snow, and heat, to tend to the land and the creatures that call this watershed home -- and on behalf of all the staff and Board, we thank you for all the incredible work you have done this year,” said Eckman.
She reeled off a dazzling list accomplishments:
- 1,364 individuals spent 4,778 hours volunteering at 73 stewardship events.
- 4,966 native plants were installed along and near Johnson Creek
- Pulled 8,000 sq. ft. of unwanted vegetation from natural areas
- Pulled 4.9 tons of trash out of Johnson Creek, including brass knuckles and disco boogie shoes
- The organization connected with 750 youths and families during outreach events
Next came the presentation of JCWC Volunteer Awards, grouped by the number of hours of service given to the organization by each volunteer in 2024; at the top of the list were three people who volunteered more than 100 hours – and they were also presented Presidential Service Awards as well:
First recognized was the longtime leader of Friends of Tideman Johnson and Chair of the JCWC fundraising committee, Marianne Colgrove; Next was JCWC President of the Board, instrumental in helping the organization through their Executive Director transition, Shirley Craddick; and lastly, in addition to volunteering 149 hours this year, Tamra Dickinson was also commended for organizing JCWC’s first Open House, and for being “a fearless leader and staff advocate”.
Recognized separately as JCWC’s “most dedicated volunteer”, was Sima Seumalo, who had just returned from her second AmeriCorps term, to be Outreach and Riparian Specialist.
“Finally, all of this work would also not be possible without our private donors and sponsors,” Eckman remarked, as she commended:
Mintkeski Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation,
Portland General Electric,
City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services,
City of Gresham, East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District,
Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District,
Multnomah County, Clackamas Water Environment Services; and
Templeton Foundation.
Recognized separately as JCWC’s “most dedicated volunteer”, was Sima Seumalo, who had just returned from her second AmeriCorps term, to be Outreach and Riparian Specialist.
Learn more about the Johnson Creek Watershed Council online – http://www.jcwc.org
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MARCH 1
“Portland Mini Makers Market” today in Woodstock: The 3rd Annual nonprofit “Portland Mini Maker’s Market” will take place at Woodstock Elementary School midday today, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The exact address is 5601 S.E. 50th Avenue, on the south side of Woodstock Park. Everyone is invited to come shop and support junior artisans selling original art, handmade gifts, décor, and more!
MARCH 5
“Ash Wednesday” celebrated at noon today: Moreland Presbyterian Church is celebrating Ash Wednesday at 12 noon today. All are welcome. The church is situated on S.E. Bybee Boulevard between 18th and 19th Avenues.
MARCH 15
Sellwood history walk this morning: From 9:30 until 11 a.m. this morning, join a walking tour of Historic Sellwood, Part 1. Led by members of the SMILE History Committee, this 90-minute stroll will cover the beginnings of Sellwood, from the1840s until 1900. No registration required, just show up! It’s free (but donations are welcome). Dress for the weather, and meet at the boat ramp in Sellwood Riverfront Park by 9:30 a.m.
Keeping the neighborhood clean this morning: The Woodstock Neighborhood Association’s periodic “Walk ‘n Clean” this morning gives community members a chance to clean up litter and trash. All equipment is provided including new grabbers from “Adopt One Block”. Choose your own route, leave from the Woodstock Community Center starting at 9:30 a.m. this morning, or whenever you can get there. Enjoy refreshments of hot chocolate, pumpkin muffins, and more.
It’s “St. Patrick’s Celebration Day” at St. Agatha’s: From noon until 7 p.m. this afternoon, St. Agatha Catholic Church opens the doors to everyone for their annual celebration – starting with the Community Parade at noon, the Beer Garden and Food Carts from noon until 7, the Family Carnival from 1 to 4, and live music featuring bagpipers and Irish Dancers throughout the day. The location is 7960 S.E. 15th Avenue in Sellwood.
Folk Music Society concert tonight on Steele Street: The nonprofit Portland Folk Society continues its monthly public concerts tonight, with guitarist Jon Shain and bassist F.J. Venture performing. The duo have recorded original folk-blues albums, and write songs together as well. Tickets ($24) available at the door (ages 12-18 $12; under age 12 free), at the Reedwood Friends Church, 2901 S.E. Steele Street in the Reed neighborhood. Doors open at 7; show starts 7:30 p.m. For more information, go online – http://www.portlandfolkmusic.org
MARCH 16
Author book reading this afternoon in Woodstock: From 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. today, Brentwood-Darlington resident Kristen Mägis, Ph.D., will read from her newest book, “One Moment, One Chance, Always: Finding Hope in Despair”, at Shop Halo Halo – 4981 S.E. Woodstock Boulevard. You’re invited to join Kristen and your neighbors for the reading, and refreshments.
MARCH 20
St. Agatha Taizé Evening: The Taizé Evening experience is a contemplative time of quiet reflection, candlelight, and simple, repetitive chants that foster peace and prayerful meditation. It takes place at 6 p.m. tonight at St. Agatha Church, 7983 S.E. 15 th Avenue in Sellwood. All are welcome, including families with children.
MARCH 26
Workshop on landscape “stormwater solutions” this evening: Join the East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District, which does serve Inner Southeast and offers grants, at a FREE workshop this evening in the Creston-Kenilworth neigborhood! It’s called “Intro to Stormwater: Solutions for Healthy Waterways”. Learn tips and ideas from landscape experts on how to create an attractive, low-cost, and low-maintenance landscape that will benefit people, water, and wildlife. It’s this evening from 6:30 until 8 p.m., at SymbiOp Garden Shop, 3454 S.E. Powell Boulevard, next to DeNicola’s Restaurant. For more information on this free workshop, and to reserve a spot, go online – https://tinyurl.com/2xbp9unh
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SCROLL DOWN FOR A LIST OF COMMUNITY HOTLINKS -- USEFUL, AND JUST PLAIN FUN HOTLINKS -- IMMEDIATELY BELOW!
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Useful HotLinks:
Your Personal "Internet Toolkit"!
Charles Schulz's "PEANUTS" comic strip daily!
Portland area freeway and highway traffic cameras
Portland Police
Latest Portland region radar weather map
Portland Public Schools
Multnomah County's official SELLWOOD BRIDGE website
Click here for the official correct time!
Oaks Amusement Park
Association of Home Business (meets in Sellwood)
Local, established, unaffiliated leads and referrals group for businesspeople; some categories open
Weekly updates on area road and bridge construction
Translate text into another language
Look up a ZIP code to any U.S. address anywhere
Free on-line PC virus checkup
Free antivirus program for PC's; download (and regularly update it!!) by clicking here
Computer virus and worm information, and removal tools
PC acting odd, redirecting your home page, calling up pages you didn't want--but you can't find a virus? You may have SPYWARE on your computer; especially if you go to game or music sites. Click here to download the FREE LavaSoft AdAware program, and run it regularly!
What AdAware doesn't catch, "Malwarebytes" may! PC's--particularly those used for music downloads and online game playing--MUST download these free programs and run them often, to avoid major spyware problems with your computer!
Check for Internet hoaxes, scams, etc.
Here's more on the latest scams!
ADOBE ACROBAT is one of the most useful Internet document reading tools. Download it here, free; save to your computer, click to open, and forget about it! (But decline the "optional offers" -- they are just adware)
Encyclopedia Britannica online
Newspapers around the world
Convert almost any unit of measure to almost any other
Research properties in the City of Portland
Local source for high-quality Shaklee nutritionals
Note: Since THE BEE is not the operator of any of the websites presented here, we can assume no responsibility for content or consequences of any visit to them; however we, personally, have found all of them helpful, and posted them here for your reference.
Local News websites:
The news TODAY
Local News Daily.com
KATU, Channel 2 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 24)
KOIN, Channel 6 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 25)
KGW, Channel 8 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 26)
KOPB, Channel 10 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 10 and 28)
KPTV, Channel 12 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 12)
KRCW, Channel 32 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 24 and 25)
KPDX, Channel 49 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 12 and 26)
"Next Generation TV", in the incompatible ATSC-3 format, is currently duplicating (in the new format) KATU, KOIN, KGW, KOPB, KPTV, KRCW, and KPDX on channels 30 and/or 33; you will need a new TV or converter box capable of receiving the new ATSC-3 format in order to see these broadcasts. The one we use and can recommend is the Zapperbox -- learn more at: www.zapperbox.com
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