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December, 2024- Vol. 119, No. 4 Scroll down to read this issue! Memories of THE BEE's first 100 years! In 2006, THE BEE celebrated its centennial of serving Southeast Portland! A special four-page retrospective of Inner Southeast Portland's century, written by Eileen Fitzsimons, and drawn from the pages of THE BEE over the previous 100 years, appeared in our September, 2006, issue. Click here to read the special centenary retrospective!
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At the recent neighborhood meeting, Reed College Facilities Director Steve Yeadon proudly showed an interior image of the newly-rebuilt (and significantly stronger) campus gymnasium. (Photo by David F. Ashton)
Remember this? Reed College Facilities Director Steve Yeadon projected an image of their gymnasium three years ago, just after the roof caved in. (Photro by David F. Ashton)
Reed College: New ‘Sports Center’ finished, after ice storm collapse
By DAVID F. ASHTON For THE BEE
Because its century-old campus is zoned by the City of Portland as “Campus Institutional”, Reed College meets a zoning requirement by hosting periodic meetings for folks from surrounding neighborhoods and business districts.
One of these took place in the Vollum Hall Lounge, on Tuesday evening, October 29 – and the big news of the evening was the reopening of the gymnastic space smashed by a major ice storm over three years ago.
Guests from the Reed neighborhood as well as Eastmoreland, eventually numbering about 40, helped themselves to cups of hot spiced apple cider and cookies as they walked into the hall.
Opening the meeting was Reed College Director of Conference Planning Lisa Leonard, who introduced the evening’s program.
Next, the college’s Associate Dean of Graduate and Special Programs Laura Zientek talked, in general, about their institution – pointing out that the student population ranges from “young college-age individuals” through older adults. “One of the things that all the students have in common is a desire to learn, and a desire to develop better critical thinking.”
‘Sports Center’ reopening But the big news of the evening was announced by Steve Yeadon, Facilities Director at Reed College: The new gymnasium, part of the Aubrey R. Watzek Sports Center, has finally been completed, and is reopening.
As reported on page one of THE BEE at the time, a massive ice storm the day after Valentine’s Day in 2021 essentially destroyed the college’s gymnasium facilities. “I clearly remember seeing water pouring into the gym, and some of the wooden beams beginning to crack under the weight of the load of the roof,” recalled Yeadon. The collapse followed.
After a two-year process of permitting and funding, Yeadon said that construction on the $24 million project began May of 2023 and was completed this September.
Projecting images of the completed reconstruction project, Yeadon highlighted the use of “mass timber” beams in the ceiling. The new, massive composite wood beams were constructed off-site, trucked in, and then were lowered into place by giant cranes.
“We didn’t add to the size of the previous building; it’s approximately the same footprint, and the same square feet in size,” he explained. “In addition, the natatorium got an external facelift. A combined entrance now is in the quarter between the two buildings.”
Before ending the meeting, Yeadon touched on a $15 million project to improve the infrastructure of the “central plant” – including seismic upgrades, mechanical replacements, and “de-carbonization” – and he mentioned changes in parking, and the addition of electric vehicle charging stations. But the news of the rebuilt gym was clearly the highlight of the night.
Amidst falling rain, a Central Precinct officer kept watch on an area near OMSI, as a man reported to be menacing with a weapon was hiding in bushes and refusing to surrender to police. He eventually was taken into custody near the science museum. (Photo by David F. Ashton)
Skulking man, brandishing weapon, arrested near OMSI parking lot
By DAVID F. ASHTON For THE BEE
As many as a dozen Central Precinct officers were dispatched to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) parking lot at noon on October 30th.
The officers – sent for this “Suspicious-with-Weapon” incident – closed down the 1900 block of S.E. Water Avenue, and the stub of 2nd Avenue, as they searched for the “man with a gun” reported to be in the area of the science museum.
The hunt went on for just over an hour, with officers making a dragnet through the vehicles in the parking lot, and in the bushes alongside – until a man was found eventually, and was taken into custody.
“A man was reported to be pointing a gun at people in that area,” PPB Public Information Officer Sergeant Kevin Allen later told THE BEE. “It took over an hour to convince him to come out of hiding in the bushes.
“He never complied, so officers were required to apprehend the subject using a ‘less lethal kinetic impact sponge round’ during the confrontation.
“Officers did not locate a gun, but he had a long railroad spike that he may have been holding to mimic a gun,” Sergeant Allen reported – adding that this subject also had multiple arrest warrants. No bystander had been injured by the suspect’s menacing.
45-year-old David James Alexander was arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) that afternoon at 2:32 p.m. on two charges of Disorderly Conduct, two counts of Menacing, and also Escape in the Third Degree.
At his arraignment the judge “released” one count of Disorderly Conduct and the Escape charge. However Alexander is currently being held in the MCDC on previous Misdemeanor charges, including Theft in the Third Degree, in lieu of $1,000 bail.
The Sellwood Moreland Farmers Market’s longtime manager, Lannie Kali, waved goodbye on her last day with the nonprofit. (Photo by David F. Ashton)
Moreland Farmers Market: Manager’s ‘goodbye’ after 13 seasons
By DAVID F. ASHTON For THE BEE
The recently-renamed Sellwood-Moreland Farmers Market – still held in the Westmoreland Business District on Saturdays – ended its 2024 season on October 19th in its latest location as a market. It will reopen in mid-May next year every Saturday midday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“It was a fabulous season, with lots and lots of farmers at the market, which is really exciting,” outgoing Market Manager Lannie Kali told THE BEE with a lilt in her voice. “Adding to the experience, we had a lot of great musical performers here, week after week!
“Of course, what makes our market really ‘work’ is the shoppers who come – we have from 1,600 and 2,200 on the largest days – to patronize our vendors every week,” pointed out Kali.
A "new business" incubator Adding to the vitality of the SMFM are the brand new entrepreneurs, starting a new business, who come to sell their wares, Kali observed. “We host a lot of start-up businesses; the market allows them to ‘test market’ their product ideas; and then, step up to become bigger businesses.
“In addition to our vendors and shoppers, I’m grateful to our rotating band of a dozen volunteers who set up, take down, and run the market every week. And, the market continues because of the 11 people on our Board of Directors, who work every month to make this happen – all year around!
“The success of this true community effort is also due to Wells Fargo Bank being really generous about the use of their parking lot, for which we’re very grateful.” The market now operates on S.E. Claybourne Street in Westmoreland, adjacent to that parking lot between Milwaukie Avenue and 17th.
Manager moving on Wrapping up our conversation, Kali confided that this was her last day with the Sellwood Moreland Farmers Market.
“I’ve been here for 13 years; starting as an intern – becoming a volunteer, and spending part of the time as a vendor – and I’ve been the Market Manager for the last eight years,” she said. “Now, I’m moving on as the ‘Event and Marketing Manager’ of the ChefStable Group, in an effort to bring folks back and reactivate downtown Portland.”
Hours after a fatal overnight motor scooter accident, someone left a small flower memorial at the brand-new traffic island, into which the victim had crashed in the dark. (Photo by David F. Ashton)
Motorscooter crashes in the dark, driver dies, in Brentwood-Darlington
By DAVID F. ASHTON For THE BEE
After he apparently drove his motor scooter into a new “traffic island” at S.E. 72nd Avenue and Ogden Street at 3 a.m. on Friday, November 1, its adult male driver was thrown to the ground. And, arriving East Precinct officers found he had died from the impact.
The PPB Traffic Division’s Major Crash Team was dispatched to investigate, closing down S.E. 72nd Avenue from Bybee to Henderson. “Preliminary information suggests that the scooter was the only involved vehicle,” a PPB spokesperson reported.
On November 7th, Portland Police revealed that the man killed in the crash was 43-year-old Sean A. Kehr of Portland. It was not mentioned whether or not he had been wearing the required helmet at the time of the accident.
Later that week, during a gathering at the Brentwood-Darlington Community Center later that week, that crash was a topic of conversation. “That new ‘traffic island’ hasn’t been marked, except for some ‘cone sticks’ around it,” a neighbor told THE BEE. “I live close by, and I’ve almost run into those concrete barriers with my car, myself.”
If you have information to add about this crash, please e-mail it to – crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov – to the attention of the Traffic Investigations Unit, and refer to Case No. 24-279710.
Following Westmoreland Fire Station 20’s Engine at its head, the Monster March parade splashes through the Westmoreland business district. (Photo by David F. Ashton)
Pounding rain doesn’t faze Monster Marchers
By DAVID F. ASHTON For THE BEE
With an “atmospheric river” taking dead aim at Inner Southeast Portland on Saturday afternoon, October 27, it seemed questionable whether the beloved and long-established Hallowe’en tradition, the Moreland Monster March parade, would even take place.
The short answer: Yes it would! None of the costumed marchers who showed up had the slightest reluctance to go ahead and get soaked in the parade!
Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division officers dutifully blocked traffic as the 2024 Moreland Monster March stepped off on schedule from Llewellyn Elementary School on its trek (splash?) through the Westmoreland business district and back to the schoolgrounds.
From blocks away, the arriving parade was announced by music, vigorously played by the Sellwood Middle School Marching Band at the head of the procession, just behind Oaks Amusement Park’s mascot, Chipper the Squirrel.
The “long view” north on S.E. Milwaukie Avenue from Bybee Boulevard was a sea of umbrellas, under which the mostly soaked-to-the-skin marching revelers moseyed, while dripping kids collected handfuls of candy from generous business staffers along the way.
A PPB officer agreed with us that at least 1,200 folks had arrived in the downpour to participate in the annual celebration.
Afterwards, THE BEE caught up to this year’s event organizer for the Llewellyn Elementary School PTA, Melisa Pierson of the Westmoreland office of Windermere Real Estate. “As always, those with the Sellwood Community House and the Sellwood Moreland Business Alliance were very helpful; graphic artist Mel Latthitham with Sweet Bonny generously created the poster,” said Pierson. And THE BEE donated the color ad.
“As an additional attraction today we showed Randy Sean Schulman’s local movie, ‘The Masked Villain of Sellwood’, at the Moreland Theater, sponsored by Melisa Pierson Real Estate. And, the fifth grade parents at Llewellyn hosted a bake sale, to support their kids’ overnight trip,” She added. “It was so great to see so many people come out and enjoy this fun family event despite the rain!”
And if you would like to see it too, here's a brief and exclusive BEE VIDEO of this year’s Monster March!....
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