Nominations Sought for McCoy Citizen Involvement Award

The Multnomah County Citizen Involvement Committee (CIC) is currently seeking nominations for the 16th annual Gladys McCoy Citizen Involvement Award, which CIC Chair Brad McLean called “Multnomah County’s Volunteer Hall of Fame.”
The award is given annually to one volunteer who has contributed substantial time and effort to issues important to former Board of Commissioners Chair Gladys McCoy. The citizen selected for this honor will have made a significant impact in the Multnomah County community by being involved in civil rights, affirmative action, human rights, education, environmental issues, local government and/or community issues.
The deadline for nominations is March 26, 2010. This year’s award will be presented during Multnomah County’s Annual Volunteer Award Ceremony on April 27, 2010.

Submit a nomination form online or call (503) 988-3450 to obtain a form.
Robb Wolfson, Citizen Involvement Coordinator
Multnomah County Office of Citizen Involvement
503-988-3450 | robb.wolfson@co.multnomah.or.us
Multnomah County Building | 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Room 192 | Portland, OR 97214

Columbia River Crossing and its Regional Impact

CROSSING THE COLUMBIA: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
A Forum to Explore the Columbia River Crossing and its Regional Impact
Presented by PDXplore and the Architecture Foundation of Oregon

Exhibitions and Presentations
March 22-26, 2010

Pacific Northwest College of Art
1241 NW Johnson | Portland, OR
Free and open to the public

For complete details, please visit www.pdxplore.org

The Architecture Foundation of Oregon (AFO) and the independent PDXplore design collective share a purpose to advance awareness of design and its role in the urban planning process. To help the public better understand the magnitude of the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project, AFO and PDXplore have partnered to present Crossing the Columbia: What Does It Mean?, a multi-faceted forum at Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA).

The forum will provide several opportunities to consider and discuss this urban infrastructure project of local and national relevance. The results of the CRC will impact our region for decades and the project demands a clear vision of its far-reaching economic, ecological, cultural and social significance. We hope to broaden the discussion with a wide-reaching audience in the Portland-Vancouver region including: elected officials, community leaders, neighborhood associations, special interest groups, the architecture and design community, students and educators, and interested individuals.

The forum is co-sponsored by PNCA and the Regional Arts & Culture Council.

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PDXplore: Expanding Design Awareness
March 22 – 26, 2010, PNCA’s Swigert Commons
Visit a large-scale exhibition that will feature questions and design approaches to the Columbia River Crossing and its regional impact, presented by the five members of PDXplore.
Opening Reception:

Monday, March 22, 5:30-7pm, PNCA’s Swigert Commons
AFO and PDXplore welcome the public to join them in celebration at the opening of the exhibition. A tour led by the PDXplore design collective will begin at 6pm, offering the public an opportunity to learn more about the individual designers’ approaches and ask questions.

International Panel: Fresh Design Perspectives
Thursday, March 25, 6-8pm, PNCA’s Swigert Commons
Join moderator Ethan Seltzer as he leads a provocative discussion about the Columbia River Crossing with international experts in the fields of design, culture and urban planning. Panelists include: Boston Globe architecture critic, Robert Campbell; artist, Ed Carpenter; outgoing National Endowment for the Arts Director of Design, Maurice Cox; Toronto architect and urban design consultant, Ken Greenberg; and author of The Organic Machine: The Remaking of the Columbia River, Professor Richard White.
All events are FREE and take place at Pacific Northwest College of Art
1241 NW Johnson | Portland, OR
PNCA is open to the public daily from 10am – 7pm

Mara Gross
Policy Director
Coalition for a Livable Future
503.294.2889
www.clfuture.org

Urban Renewal Meetings

This Saturday, March 20th, 10:30-11am, NE Coalition of Neighborhoods office:

Urban Renewal Area (URA) Strategy Session and Recommendations Workgroup: At this Workgroup, staff at the NE Coalition will be presenting recommendations from community input from the series of URA forums that have occurred. Then Neighborhood Leaders will be deciding on specific recommendations and input to give to the Portland Development Commission. As you know, this is a big issue in our neighborhoods and we want to get our neighborhoods on the same page sooner rather than later.

Saturday, April 3rd, 10am-1pm, Curious Comedy Venue at 5225 NE MLK (in Vanport Square):

Portland Plan Retreat: The Portland Plan is the City’s update to the 30 year plan. Many people throughout the 12 Neighborhoods in the NE Coalition area have requested that the NE Coalition coordinate a retreat for Neighborhood Board Members to come together, identify specific neighborhood issues to advocate for in the Portland Plan, and strategize about how we will advocate for our issues. This is a unique opportunity for us to come together across neighborhood boundaries, share our needs and talk about how to move forward together.

N/NE Neighborhoods Portland Plan Retreat

Saturday, April 3rd
10:00 – 1:00 pm
NE Coalition Office
Light refreshments provided
A special interactive workshop for all people who live and work in the NE Coalition Neighborhoods!

Why come to this workshop?
* To learn where we are now, based on the Portland Plan facts and survey results
* To discuss where we want to go – the Portland Plan will affect our day-to-day lives in the next 25 years.
* To help shape what our streets, business districts and NE Coalition neighborhoods will look like in the future
* To look more closely at arts and culture, economic development, food systems, historic resources, housing, human health and safety, public schools, urban form and more in the NE Coalition neighborhoods

RSVP to Lauren McCartney at 503-823-4135 and lauren@necoalition.org

Emerson Working Group Meeting

Tuesday, March 16th 4:00 – 6:00 pm
NE Coalition Office, 4815 NE 7th Ave
Groundwork Portland invites you to help come up with a community outreach and engagement strategy for Emerson Street Garden, a property on NE 8th and Emerson St. that has been sitting, vacant, with lead and other toxins in the soil since the 1950s.
Learn more »