Portland News and Events for Sept. 13 through Sept. 26, 2014

PHOTO: John and Dian Jackson Center

Albina Head Start and Portland Community College Cascade Campus last week honored beloved Portland couple John and Dian Jackson by naming the new Albina Head Start and Early Head Start Building in their honor. The Rev. John Jackson, who passed away in 1994, was an important community organizer who inspired creation of The Skanner News Martin Luther King Breakfast. Dian Jackson spoke at the building dedication ceremony along with former PCC Cascade President Algie Gatewood; Albina Head Start Director Ronnie Herndon; new PCC Cascade President Karin Edwards; PCC Board Member Kali Thorne Ladd; and the master of ceremonies, Albina Head Start Board Chair Richard Brown. The new facility is a childcare center, a learning facility for students of early childhood education, and a parent resource center. Lisa Loving photo

Justice 4 Youth

The partnership for Safety and Justice will hold a Justice 4 Youth event 12 - 3 pm Saturday, Sept.13 at Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland. The partnership invites everyone to attend this event which aims to heal our community and build support for people who have been harmed by violence and/or affected by the public safety system. Speakers will share their experiences of the negative impact of “tough on kids” laws that unfairly target youth as young as 15 years old and treat youth of color more harshly by prosecuting them in the adult system and sending them away for long mandatory sentences. www.bit.do/justice4youth

Ferguson Solidarity Rally/ Know Your Rights When Stopped by Police Training

The ACLU will hold a training from 1-4pm this Saturday, Sept 13 in Dawson Park, at North Stanton St at North Williams Avenue in Portland. The training will inform people on their basic rights when dealing with law enforcement. Everyone is invited to attend and find out what to do and say if you are stopped by police.

Drug and Alcohol Recovery Event Set in Vancouver

Clark County’s Substance Abuse Advisory Board hosts the 13th annual Clark County Recovery Forum on Saturday, Sept. 13, in recognition of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

The free event will be 5-8 p.m. in the Centennial Center at Red Lion Hotel at the Quay, 100 Columbia St. A buffet dinner will be provided from 5-6 p.m., or while supplies last.

The event celebrates the Access to Recovery Program and people who have been affected by addiction and made steps toward long-term recovery. This year, the forum is part of Recovery NW Project’s first regional conference, which includes training, a two-day conference for people in recovery, and a recovery walk. 

All attendees and presenters must register for the conference, forum and Recovery Walk at http://recoverynw.org, so coordinators can plan logistics and food accordingly.

Persons requiring special arrangements should call Cyndi Smith, Community Services, at 360-397-2075 ext. 7835.

Free Oral History and Media Production Workshop

The North Portland Multimedia Training Center, a project of The Skanner Foundation, invites community members, local historians, artists, media makers and educators, to join the Vanport Multimedia Project, a community-based initiative dedicated to collecting and preserving Vanport former residents’ memories.

The next workshop (held at North Portland Multimedia Training Center, at The Skanner Newsgroup office at 415 N. Killingsworth St.) will start on Sept. 13. During two weekend-long sessions (September 13th-14th and October 4th and 5th), we'll explore the historic significance of the Vanport community that was destroyed in the flood of 1948, and learn interviewing and media production skills to capture former residents' memories and turn them in digital narratives. With the support of professional producers, participants will work individually or in teams to produce video and audio stories that will be shared at several community events in the Fall and become part of a digital archive.

The workshop is free, but space is limited and registration is required. For more information and sign-up go to http://www.npmtc.com.

A Time to Heal: Promoting Community Health in the Face of Racism and Inequality

PAALF holds its next event on personal and community health, Saturday, Sept.21, from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the Rosewood Initiative, 16126 SE Stark, Portland.
This month's breakfast will include: A free warm meal; free youth programming; free natural healing and other health services; discussion on how to fight against the devaluation of Black life in the wake of police brutality, state sanctioned violence, gentrification and the many other systems of oppression operating against us; and discussion on how racism is impacting our health and tools for collective healing from oppression.

For more information go to www.aalfnw.org/portland, and www.weareblackweare.com.

Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. Presents Play about Black Experience

Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. presents the staged production, “My Walk Has Never Been Average,” Friday, September 26 at 7:30 pm at the Alberta Rose Theatre located at 3000 NE Alberta Street in Portland.

The show is part of the annual Tradeswomen Leadership Institute an educational event that facilitates leadership development, advocacy skills, and unity among all women (union, open shop, self-employed and otherwise) working in the building, construction, mechanical and utility trades.

My Walk Has Never Been Average weaves together stories of African American women’s entry into trades careers and touches on the recurring themes of exclusion from opportunities, sexual harassment, and lack of institutional support for career and professional development.

A limited quantity of tickets are available to the general public from The Alberta Rose Theatre box office for $10. Get tickets at www.albertarosetheatre.com.

Science On Tap - Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide To Medical Marijuana

Science on Tap is a science lecture series where you can sit back, enjoy a pint, and laugh while you learn. Listen to experts talk about the science in your neighborhood and around the world.

The series presents a talk on the book, “Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide To Medical Marijuana,” Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton Street, doors open at 6 p.m. event at 7 p.m.

The author, Michael Backes, talks about the evidence-based research that led to his comprehensive guide to medical cannabis. He will examine helpful and harmful uses of cannabis for medical purposes, including how to have fewer unwanted side effects and how to avoid the buildup of tolerance to the effects of cannabis over time.

Location: http://cstpdx.com
Cost: $8 online advance tickets https://viaproductions.seatengine.com/shows/19493, $10 suggested cover at the door

Police Bureau Seeking Public Input on Discipline Process Directives

The Portland Police Bureau directs member action through the establishment of policy, procedure, and rule, as found within directives. The Bureau is in the process of reviewing all its directives. At the beginning of every month, the Bureau will post directives for public review and ask for comments.

Currently, the Bureau is asking for the community's feedback regarding its directives pertaining to discipline process. Because the discipline process is a serious matter, a process which directly impacts members, reflects upon the Bureau, and is of interest to diverse, external parties, the Bureau is routing this series through its public process for a second time. The Bureau will be looking at national best practices and the public's comments in order to update these policies this fall:

330.00, Internal Affairs Compliant Investigation Process
331.00, Service Improvement Opportunity
332.00, Administrative Investigations
333.00, Criminal Investigations of Police Bureau Employees
334.00, Performance Deficiencies
335.00, Discipline Process
336.00, Police Review Board
337.00, Police Review Board Personnel Selection
338.00, Discipline Guide

Community members are encouraged to read the directives and provide drafting comments at:  http://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/59757

This webpage also enables community members to sign up for email notifications when new directives are posted.

The discipline process directives will remain posted and comments collected for thirty days (30), Sept. 1, 2014 through Tuesday, Sept. 30.

AARP Voter Guide Available On Oregon Candidates Website

Want to know where your candidates for Oregon Governor, US Senate, and the US House of Representatives stand on the issues?

Now you can read their positions at http://aarp.org/yourvote regarding issues such as Social Security, Medicare, financial security, family caregiving, retirement, and transportation. The AARP Voter Guide allows you to compare the candidates and create a personal ballot you can keep or share with others.

FORMER WORKERS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL BENEFITS

News Release from Oregon Employment Dept.
Wilsonville - The U.S. Department of Labor has certified that former workers of TE Connectivity, Medical Business Unit, may be eligible for benefits and services under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program. This includes workers whose wages were reported under Precision Interconnect, and including on-site leased workers from Kelly Services, Aerotek, and Total Technical Services.

The certification was a result of the company being adversely affected by import competition or shifts in production to a foreign country.

Anyone working for these companies who were laid off due to lack of work on or after May 19, 2013 and before June 27, 2016, may be eligible.

Under TAA, affected workers may be eligible for:

Re-employment assistance
Training
Job search allowances
Relocation Allowances
Additional unemployment insurance benefits in the form of Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA)

There are important deadlines associated with this program, so those who think they may be eligible should contact the Oregon Employment Department's Central Trade Act Unit right away at 1-877-639-7700.

Additional information may be found about the Trade Act Program online at www.Employment.Oregon.gov, or on the U.S. Department of Labor website, www.doleta.gov/tradeact.

Race The Wave 5K Fun Run/Walk to Practice Tsunami Evacuation Routes

September is National Preparedness Month and Pacific Northwest coastal communities are leading by example. Cannon Beach will host Race the Wave, their first hazard-themed fun run designed to blend awareness and action into a single activity.

Race the Wave is a 5k tsunami fun run/walk that follows an actual tsunami evacuation route in Cannon Beach. On Sept. 28, participants will learn about earthquake and tsunami hazards so they can make informed decisions and take actions to be better prepared, creating a more resilient community.

The race route begins on the beach and finishes at the higher ground of one of the community’s evacuation meeting points, where Cannon Beach will host a preparedness fair with interactive booths for all to learn more about how to prepare for emergencies and disasters.

Race the Wave: Natural warnings are the best sign of a tsunami. If you feel the ground shaking, move quickly inland or to a higher elevation. Listen to the radio to learn of tsunami warnings originating from non-local causes.

For more information and to participate in Race the Wave visit the community Facebook page.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion10, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate's activities at twitter.com/craigatfema The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications

Added hours make inspections convenient for home improvements 

Homeowners planning repairs and remodels can get their projects done sooner under a new service that offers evening appointments for building safety inspections Tuesday through Friday.

This is a natural time to think about heating, plumbing, windows, roofs and siding for work to be completed before winter sets in, said Jim Muir, chief building official.
Call (360) 397-2069 or send email to [email protected] to find out if your project is eligible for an appointment after regular business hours or to schedule one up to 14 days in advance.

The 4th Aging & Memory in the African American Community: The Heart-Brain Connection

At this FREE educational conference for midlife and older African Americans, learn from African American heart and brain experts how a healthy heart helps sustain a healthy brain. Discover ways you can improve both. Enjoy interactive resource information plus a healthy soul food lunch.

Tuesday September 30, 2014 from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM

Legacy Emanuel Lorenzen Conference Center
2801 N. Gantenbein
Portland, OR 97227

AARP SMART DRIVER COURSES OFFERED FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY

News Release from AARP Oregon
The AARP Smart Driver Course, offered by AARP Driver Safety, is the nation's largest classroom and online driver safety course and is designed for drivers age 50 and older, but all ages can attend. The Oregon courts have approved the AARP Smart Driver Course for completion of a court-ordered driver safety program for all ages.

In Oregon, classes are held in every county. A list of classes in October in Washington County.

In Oregon, participants may be eligible for a multi-year auto insurance discount upon course completion. Participants are encouraged to check with their insurance agent for details about the type of discounts they can receive by taking the course.

The classroom course costs only $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonmembers. The cost for the online course is $17.95 for AARP members and $21.95 for nonmembers.*

For more information or to find a course, visit www.aarp.org/ADS2014 or call 1-888-227-7669. The course is open to drivers of all ages, and AARP membership is not required to take the course.

Drug and alcohol recovery events set for September 8-16, 2014

Vancouver, WA – Clark County’s Substance Abuse Advisory Board will host the 13th annual Clark County Recovery Forum on Saturday, Sept. 13, in recognition of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

The free event will be 5-8 p.m. in the Centennial Center at Red Lion Hotel at the Quay, 100 Columbia St. A buffet dinner will be provided from 5-6 p.m., or while supplies last.

The event celebrates the Access to Recovery Program and people who have been affected by addiction and made steps toward long-term recovery.

Speakers include Board of Clark County Commissioners Chair Tom Mielke, Commissioner Edward L. Barnes, Cleve Thompson, retired Clark County Alcohol and Drug Program manager, and two officials of the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Five people, including Sheriff Garry Lucas, will receive special recognition, and three people will share their stories of recovery.

This year, the forum is part of Recovery NW Project’s first regional conference, which includes training, a two-day conference for people in recovery, and a recovery walk.

All attendees and presenters must register for the conference, forum and Recovery Walk at http://recoverynw.org, so coordinators can plan logistics and food accordingly.

The goal of organizers in Washington and Oregon is to raise awareness about recovery and encourage others toward it. The forum is an opportunity for the community to learn about the realities and challenges of helping a person into recovery and local resources that make recovery possible.

Persons requiring special arrangements should call Cyndi Smith, Community Services, at (360) 397-2075 ext. 7835.

Neighborhood Emergency Team Trainings – Sign Up Now

The City of Portland has two scheduled Basic Training classes coming up: one in Linnton in September, and another in New Columbia (Portsmouth neighborhood) in October.
The trainings are designed to train local neighbors on how to take charge and help their block in the event of an earthquake or other natural disaster. Space is limited and participants are urged to sign up now.

This class will cover all basic curriculum to become certified as an active member of Portland's Neighborhood Emergency Team Program.

You do not need to reside in Linnton or New Columbia to take the training at either location.

Get links to the signup page by contacting the NET Coordinator Jeremy Van Keuren, Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, at 503-823-4421 [email protected]

Also, a two-day Ham radio course is being offered at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center on Friday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 13. The class is free and all materials are provided. The exam fee, however, is $14.

If you are interested in joining the class, please email Eric Kosko at [email protected].

The Celebration of Wild Steelhead Returns

U.S Fish and Wildlife and Soul River /NCO are teaming up with other area vendors to organize a fun-filled, family-friendly outdoor music event, The Celebration For Wild Steelhead.

The weekend celebration kicks off Sunday, Sept. 7, at 1 p.m. in Peninsula Park where there will be instructional workshops, giveaways, and a live reggae/blues performance by The Rising Buffalo Tribe. The event runs until 6 p.m.

The celebration promotes ethical and respectful fly fishing and the conservation of Wild North American Steelhead with a fun filled day of music, fly fishing workshops, conservation, and other exciting activities.

There will be free fly fishing instructional workshops that cover fly casting, fly tying, responsible practices, as well as conservation seminars. Soul River will also be giving out free beginner fly rod kits to youth in attendance (quantities are limited).

Pet Specials at Multnomah County Animal Services

The Multnomah County Animal Shelter located at 1700 W Historic Columbia Highway in Troutdale is urgently seeking the public’s help adopting or fostering animals for a short period of time in their home.

As the region’s only open-door shelter that accepts all stray animals, the shelter is at 105 percent capacity.

Throughout the month of August, the shelter is offering a discount on adoptions with its “Pretty in pink” adoption special. All shelter pets designated with the color pink can be adopted for just the cost of a license fee. That's $25 for dogs and $12 for cats.

If you can’t adopt right now? There are other ways to help especially with our community’s cats.

Find out how you can help at www.multcopets.org.

Mitchell S. Jackson selected for Everybody Reads 2015

In January, 2015, Multnomah County Library will launch Everybody Reads 2015, the library’s 13th annual community reading project, with Mitchell S. Jackson’s debut novel, “The Residue Years.”

Set in 1990s Portland, The Residue Years is Jackson’s semi-autobiographical account of a family’s struggles in a neglected black neighborhood of a predominantly white city.
Mitchell S. Jackson received an M.A. in writing from Portland State University and an M.F.A in Creative Writing from New York University.

He has been the recipient of fellowships from Urban Artist Initiative and The Center For Fiction and teaches writing at New York University. His writing has appeared in publications including the New York Times, Salon, and Vice Magazine.

Jackson will speak on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Tickets are available from Literary Arts.
To read more about Multnomah County Library, visit www.multcolib.org.

Entrepreneurship Course for Baby Boomers Coming to Portland

Portland-area residents aged 50 and over soon will be able to learn how to more effectively turn their entrepreneurial ideas into business success thanks to a new program from Kauffman FastTrac® and AARP. “FastTrac NewVenture™ for the Boomer Entrepreneur” is specifically designed to help Baby Boomers who are considering entrepreneurship to hone their unique strengths, experience and expertise in order to start their own businesses.

The 10-week course will meet one evening per week beginning on Sept. 16 at the Avita Business Center, located at 5257 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Portland. In an outreach to its membership, AARP is offering $500 scholarships to 60 aspiring entrepreneurs who were born prior to 1965. Learn more at www.states.aarp.org/category/oregon.

Jim PepperFest 2014

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Parkrose High School Performing Arts Center, 12003 NE Shaver St., Portland

The public is invited to the free all-ages performances, Native American art show and sale, and other attractions from noon to 7:00 pm.
Please bring 2 cans of food for the Oregon Food Bank. There will be a ticketed evening benefit concert supporting music education and access to band for Parkrose High School music students.

20% of gross ticket sales will be dedicated to the Jim Pepper Remembrance Scholarship Fund, which will provide college scholarships in Jim Pepper’s name equally to Parkrose students and Native American music students living on or off reservations anywhere in the USA. Click here for more information.

Northwest Children's Nature Play Week

September 11-15

Join us in a catalyzing week focused on making health, happiness and the outdoors a priority for our kids, families, and communities. From September 11 – 15 David Bond of Project Wild Thing will be in Portland. Hailing from the U.K., David will be visiting with parents, kids, educators, parks professionals, and everyone in between to share his work and help inspire further growth to great things already going on here in the northwest. A series of events, dubbed the Northwest Children’s Nature Play Week, have come together and we are really excited.

Check out the schedule of events here.

Awesome Portland provides micro-genius grants for flashes of micro-brilliance.

The Portland Chapter of the Awesome Foundation for the Arts and Science (awesomefoundation.org), is part of an ever-growing, worldwide network of people devoted to spreading Awesomeness in the universe. The Portland Awesome Trustees pool their money and distribute a $1,000 grant every other month to encourage projects that build community, foster fun and support creativity. Our next application deadline is September 9, 2014 and the winner will be selected September 25, 2014 at Velo Cult.
Learn about past winners, find out how to apply for the next grant and learn more about Awesome Portland at: www.awesomeportland.org. Follow us:@awesomepdx.

Find more news and events in Portland and Seattle on The Skanner Community Calendar