Funds for the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods in Jeopardy!

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City Funds dedicated to support the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods and its support for 12 inner N/NE neighborhoods are in jeopardy!

Let’s demonstrate how we work together and show strong support for the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods and the 12 neighborhoods we work with: Alameda, Boise, Concordia, Eliot, Grant Park, Humboldt, Irvington, King, Sabin, Sullivan’s Gulch, Vernon and Woodlawn!

You can help by emailing letters of support of the “Right Budget for ONI (Office of Neighborhood Involvement)” to the Mayor and Commissioners this week (and no later than March 30, 2009).

Email, phone calls or letters indicating support for “The Right Budget” for ONI will be of tremendous help. We have provided you a draft letter to get you started.

Please send your email in this week if at all possible, by Friday, March 20, 2009 and no later than the end of March!

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King Spring Clean Up Meeting

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Hi everyone,

The first organizational meeting for the King Spring Clean Up will be next Thursday, March 19th, 6:00PM, at the NECN offices (4815 NE 7th, behind King School). We’ll meet to discuss budget, timing and location. Please come with your ideas and inspirations! Let’s get King sparkling for Spring.

Charles

What is public safety to you?

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As the bad economy drives a resurgence of crime and gang activities in Portland, we want to know how the Neighborhood Associations and the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods can help. Questions posed at the last NECN Board Meeting:

1. What are your definitions of a safe place to live?
2. What are the steps we – as neighbors and neighborhood groups – can take to prevent or solve these issues (block watches, weekly trash pick-ups, etc)?

If you have a minute, join the dialog on neighborhood safety by answering these questions.

Thanks,

Charles

City of Portland’s War on Graffiti Nets Results

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CITY OF PORTLAND’S WAR ON GRAFFITI VANDALISM NETS RESULTS
The Portland Police Bureau in cooperation with the Office of Neighborhood Involvement Graffiti Abatement Program identified and arrested 189 graffiti vandals between January 2008 and February 7, 2009.
Of the 189 vandals arrested, 90 were juveniles (between age 13 and 17), and 99 were adults (ages 18 to 40). A high percentage of juvenile arrests involved gang graffiti and more adults were arrested for what is known as “tagger” graffiti.
Penalties for adult vandals included incarceration in jail, formal and bench probation, restitution for damages, community service, restrictions on possession of graffiti implements, and drug and alcohol treatment.
Some of the adult vandals prosecuted were guilty of serious property damage over a long period of time. Among the adult vandals prosecuted listed along with their “moniker” are:
“FACE –Portland Unite”: Ryan Birkland pled guilty to one count Criminal Mischief 1 and was sentenced to 24 months bench probation, 2 days in jail, 240 hours community service, restitution to PGE in the amount of $2,154 and to the City of Portland in the amount of $7,500.
“HYRAX; “the deadly hyrax”: Jonathan Forney was sentenced to 18 months formal probation, 2 days in jail, and 10 units ACS (160 hrs community service) paid $19,000 in restitution to the City. His brother, Christopher Forney, received 18 months formal probation, 2 days in jail, and paid $3,000 for his involvement. As part of the plea agreement, Christopher Forney’s sentence was reduced to a misdemeanor if he paid restitution by a certain date.
“FEVER”: Ethan Moreschi pled guilty to 3 counts Criminal Mischief 1 and 1 count of Criminal Mischief 2. He was sentenced to 18 months formal probation, 240 hours of community service, 10 days in jail, $8,030 in restitution to the City of Portland and $616 in restitution to TriMet.
“SOIL”: Terrence Melson pled guilty to 2 counts of Criminal Mischief 1 and 2 counts of Criminal Mischief 2. He was sentenced to 24 months formal probation, 80 hours of community service, 5 days in jail, and $3,000 in restitution to the City of Portland.
“GOAM”: Daniel Zatarien pled guilty to 3 counts of Criminal Mischief 1 and was sentenced to 36 months formal probation, 10 days in jail, 96 hours community service and to pay $3,000 in restitution to the graffiti abatement program.
“Without a strong collaborative effort on the part of Multnomah County District Attorney’s office and the follow up by Officer Matt Miller and others in the police bureau, we could not have achieved these kind of results in so many cases”, says Marcia Dennis, graffiti abatement coordinator. “We hope the community will realize how much time and effort has gone towards holding people accountable for this criminal activity.”
In our continuing efforts to keep Portland a livable and safe environment for all residents, the graffiti abatement program encourages everyone to REPORT, DOCUMENT and REMOVE graffiti as soon as it appears. Call the Graffiti Hotline at 503-823-4824 or enter reports online at: www.portlandonline.com/oni
PPB Graffiti Investigator Officer Matt Miller states, “There are multiple investigations underway and many additional arrests should be expected in 2009”.