Category Archives: Community Involvement

Let’s help Bora and Transition Projects get some hungry folks fed, Dec. 29, 5-7 PM

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Sunday Dec 29,  5 – 7 PM
Mississippi Pizza Pub & Atlantis Lounge
3552 N. Mississippi Ave
Portland, Oregon 97227 (map)
$10 (100% goes to Feed The Folks at Walnut Park Shelter)
All Ages!

Find out more

Not long ago, While Rome Burns had the pleasure of meeting D. Bora Harris, activist and one-time political candidate (Multnomah County Chair). Championing the causes of the elderly, homeless people, affordable housing, and the interests of children, Bora, a business specialist and consultant from the black community, told While Rome Burns what her current project is: To help feed folks at Walnut Park Shelter.

Musicians Tevis Hodge Jr. and Leah Rae Charles will perform.

Mining the vein of traditional American music including: blues, jazz, ragtime, jugband and folk, Tevis Hodge Jr.has been wowing fans from Portland’s tiniest music joints to it’s biggest festival stages. He performs in various band configurations, and as a solo act in the Portland area and the greater Northwest. Hodge has performed with a number of musical luminaries, including vaudeville legend Baby Gramps, folk giant Peter Yarrow, Joe McMurrian (winner of The Best Independent Blues Release), Suburban Slim (three time Muddy Award nominee), Lucy Hammond (top 5 on Roots Music Charts for Oregon) and Kevin Selfe (Muddy Award winner). While Rome Burns is pleased as punch to welcome Mr. Hodge to the fold.

Singer/songwriter Leah Rae Charles has a talent for connecting with audiences, whether she’s belting out the low-down dirty blues or crooning her way through chestnuts like “Killing Me Softy” and “Bang Bang” (!), Leah is passionate about art in all its forms. A mother of three and college student, Leah believe’s that love heals and that we are all lights waiting to shine!

Portland Police Bureau Strategic Planning Meetings

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The Portland Police Bureau is hosting two upcoming community meetings for its Strategic Planning process we would like to share with you.

The purpose of the meetings is to present the draft Police Strategic Plan framework and solicit additional feedback from the community through small group discussions.

An agenda will be posted one week prior to the event. For background information, please visit the Strategic Planning Project Page at http://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/76886.

Date: Saturday, May 25th
Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Location: East Portland Community Center, 740 SE 106th Ave, Portland, OR 97216

and

Date: Thursday, May 30th
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Terrell Hall Rm 206, PCC Cascade Campus, 5624 N Borthwick Ave, Portland, OR 97217

Loretta Smith reschedules to September 5 at King Neighborhood Association!

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Update your calendar! City Council candidate Loretta Smith is rescheduled to come to King Neighborhood Association on September 5!

Due to last-minute scheduling conflicts, our KNA meeting has been pushed forward a week – to September 5 — so that Loretta Smith can meet King neighbors and residents to share her vision for Portland and to hear our concerns, issues and questions.

Don’t miss this chance to talk to and hear from the woman who may be elected Portland’s next new commissioner come November! It all starts at 6:30 p.m. at 4815 NE 7th Avenue on the south end of King School in the NECN offices!

With the end of summer vacation and the start of a new school year, this is a perfect time to get involved in your King Neighborhood Association. We’ve got a lot coming up this year — from adopting new bylaws that empower members —  to tackling the issues that most affect livability in King neighborhood. Help set the course by attending meetings, speaking up – and maybe even running for office yourself! We’ve got a couple vacancies on the KNA board just waiting for you!

See you September 5!

Margaret O’Hartigan, Chair, King Neighborhood Association

Make Plans to Attend Now!!!

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City Council candidate Loretta Smith is coming to the next member meeting of King Neighborhood Association!

That next KNA meeting isn’t until Wednesday, September 12 — but make plans now to attend, ‘cause this is a golden opportunity to talk to and hear from the woman who may be Portland’s next new commissioner come November!

Ms. Smith is running for the Portland City Council position currently held by retiring Commissioner Dan Saltzman. So whether you’re concerned about potholes or police, homelessness or short-term rentals, this is a chance to help your neighborhood’s issues get heard.

In keeping with KNA’s mission to strengthen our neighborhood’s voice in city government, we’ve also extended an invitation to have JoAnn Hardesty as KNA’s guest in October. Ms. Hardesty is also running for retiring Commissioner Dan Saltzman’s seat.

This means that no matter which candidate you support – no matter which woman wins – you have the opportunity right here in King neighborhood to hear from and speak to Portland’s next city commissioner!

And speaking of elections – at KNA’s meeting last week, members elected a new KNA treasurer and elected Diego Gioseffi as the At-Large #4 representative. This means that for the first time in years, every board member and officer has been elected by members rather than appointed by the board. Our new treasurer is Sarah Moses, who is a certified public accountant!

But wait! There’s more! We’ve still got a couple vacancies on the KNA board of directors that need filling! So attend a couple meetings to get your feet wet, and then throw your hat in the ring to help steer KNA to bigger and better things!

Finally, as part of our goal to make KNA more democratic and more member-oriented, we’re working on a re-write of KNA bylaws to give more power and more say to KNA members. So if you’ve got ideas on how you want to see KNA improved, please send your thoughts and ideas to me at margaret@kingneighborhood.org

‘Cause this is YOUR King Neighborhood Association!

See you September 12!

Margaret O’Hartigan, Chair

Your King Neighborhood Association, July 13

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Hello and welcome to YOUR King Neighborhood Association!

Don’t forget our special KNA Board meeting on Wednesday, July 18 at Vanport Square Studio (5229 NE MLK Blvd. Jr., Ste. 102), from 6:30- 8 p.m. We’ll be exploring ways to make the neighborhood association better serve our members and neighbors, so please come and tell us what you’d like! (You can also send your comments to me at margaret@kingneighborhood.org and I’ll see that the rest of the board members see them!

KNA now has a representative to Northeast Coalition of Neighborhood’s Land Use & Transportation Committee! This is yet another way of giving King residents a voice about what happens in our neighborhood.

And speaking of voices, don’t miss the chance to make yourself heard when it comes to environmental and transportation issues affecting King Neighborhood.

The State of Oregon is taking public comment on its new “Cleaner Air Oregon” rules requiring companies to report air toxic emissions. You have until August 6 to submit comments. You can get additional information regarding the rules – and submit your comments about them – at http://cleanerair.oregon.gov .

You can also make your voice heard about Metro’s 2018 regional transportation plan! There are a number of pedestrian crossings and other safety modifications planned for the NE MLK Jr. Blvd Corridor. Tell Metro where and what you want to see done! For additional information, to take a survey and to submit your comments by August 13, go to www.oregonmetro.gov/public-projects/2018-regional-transportation-plan

Finally, take a look at the tentative plans for the Lloyd-to-Woodlawn Neighborhood Greenway for bicycle traffic along either NE 7th or NE 9th avenues. Portland’s Bureau of Transportation is considering building a bicycle commuter trail right through the heart of Irving Park as part of the NE 9th Avenue option. Is that really something we want to do with the limited park space we have here in North/Northeast? You can weigh in on that and PBOT’s other proposals by going to www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/L2W   PBOT’s also holding an open house event on August 1 at Augustana Lutheran Church (2710 NE 14th Avenue) from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Finally, you can make your voice carry even farther by letting us know your opinions on these issues, so that we can add the King Neighborhood Association’s voice to your own!

After all, this is YOUR King Neighborhood Association.

Margaret O’Hartigan, KNA Chair