Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy 2008

I wish you all a healthy peaceful new year.

Here are the dates for neighborhood and board meetings in 2008

General Neighborhood Meetings

Wednesdays:

January 16, 2008
March 19, 2008
May 21, 2008
September 17, 2008

All the above meetings are at 7 PM. at the School on Marine Drive and Bridgeton Road

Board Meetings

Wednesdays:

February 20, 2008
April 16, 2008
June 18, 2008
Oct. 15, 2008

Time[s] and place[s] for the board meetings are unknown at present.

Neighborhood Clean Up Dates

Saturdays:

April 19, 2008
November 1, 2008

According to the By Laws, a new Chair and new Secretary are to be elected in the Spring. As the only meeting officially in the Spring is the May meeting - that should be the election.

Vice Chair and Treasurer are elected in the Fall - and seems that election was missed. The past Treasurer, Stan Hart, resigned and Chuck has taken over that position.

For those who think a change is needed in the neighborhood - please get out to meetings and get yourselves elected to the board.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Late December

As we wind down another year we tend to do as the god Janus did [hence January] we look both forward and backward and see a door to a future. This time of year can be depressing for many; it’s dark in some parts of the world, it’s a time for recounting [Janus looking backward], a time for family gatherings [and all those potential conflicts] and this year it is the middle of a long drawn out primary season that has yet to see a primary vote. But votes will occur when Janus looks forward.

For those of us with birthdays in December and January there is the additional counting and re-counting. Not only is the year changing – we are adding another year to us at the same time.
So on this nearly eve of Janus – I am reflecting doubly – as I am one with a January birthday. After many decades of life – I still see a positive future for us all – but we need to envision it and work toward its effect.

I have been known to get pessimistic about the sorry state of our country but I take heart form my son’s hypothesis that everything has a way of balancing itself out. Guess that comes from having a psychologist for a mother. It’s the homeostatic idea of life, ecology, biology, etc. But I never applied it to politics like he does and that’s why he’s a sociologist ☺


My optimism for 2008 and beyond is that we, as a country, will do more to take care of our own citizens; the young, the middle and the older ones.


That we will protect our food supplies and stop allowing foods in the system that are rife with pesticides, bacteria, hormones and worse.


That we will protect our farm land and stop poisoning the grounds that are so vital to growing good foods.

That we stop poisoning the air we breathe.

That we stop feeding hormones to our food supply.

I could go on - but in short: That we will love, nurture and provide for all people from cradle to grave by giving food, shelter and medical care so that all can experience the most optimal development that is possible.




Besides when you see this symbol outside your house on a cold December morning – you just have to have a positive outlook.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Want to Learn About Blogging?

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

  • The best blogging techniques.
  • How to get traffic to your blog.
  • How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Following up on yesterday's comment

There are some, maybe many, who are upset with what I wrote yesterday.

Let me explain more - I am a process person. Processes, laws, by-laws, Roberts Rules of Order and other procedural methods we use to reach decisions are important. After all - we are, supposedly, a nation of laws.

If you read my politikal blog, lynnsrants, you already know that I dislike that the current federal administration AND congress have forgotten who they represent - WE - the people. They have by-passed most laws and procedures and gone ahead and done what they want...and to hell with constituents.

It matters not if you like the end result - we are not a society that goes with "the end justifies the means" and I am sure that in other matters most of you would agree with me. The tree issue and other neighborhood issues also can not be defined by the ends justifying how those ends were reached!

Not everyone in the neighborhood was or is in favor of what the BNA Board decided to do about the trees just as there were those who were in favor of stopping tree cutting - but unfortunately no opinions were openly solicited before the board's [plus a few] decision was made [and made in secret.]

There are many in our neighborhood who might have had some expertise to offer - legal, financial, outside the neighborhood support, etc. All of this kind of input was ignored yet decisions were made that affect everyone. And now there is a need to fund raise to pay for a decision made by a small group - asking those left out of the process to now pay for the decisions that were made without their input.

That's what some in the neighborhood are unhappy with what is going on. They like their neighbors; they just don't like the way their neighbors make decisions by skipping the process that is in place to make these decisions.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Oregonian article

Today's Oregonian has an article about the Bridgeton tree issue. Read it for an overview and update:

Click HERE

In my recollection of legal lingo there is a saying something like "a trial is the prime example of the failure of negotiation"....well that's what happened here. Only after a trial, and after the city's request that the two sides negotiate followed by the city's denial of the permit that the DD requested and requested that it happen AFTER negotiating - only then did the two sides sit and talk.

What a waste of tax payer monies. Not only is the BNA Board still looking for ways to raise money to pay off the legal fees, taxpayers paid for the court time and will also wind up paying for the cost of the DD attorney fees!

Maybe the next time an issue arises, the "powers that be" will not lie to the citizens but will try to communicate honestly and in good faith before taking unilateral action - and maybe the neighborhood association will start communicating to it's constituents openly and in a more timely manner.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Shop locally

On the left are some ads for local and nearby businesses. We are a small community and we support each other. A great way to do that is by shopping at local businesses where the products are often more unique. And if not unique - the service is always friendlier.

Channel's Edge has adopted a family for Christmas and you can go to CE and find out what the family needs.

There are a few of us who market vitamins and supplements - I call us the Bridgeton Vitamin Club and you can join us - even if you don't live here. Contact Lynn [503-477-5550] for information. Food based vitamins and supplements, children's multivitamins, and preservative-free skin care products can make great gifts.

Tom at Postal Place can send your packages, Wayne can fix your boats, and Channel's Edge, Kabob Shack and Po'Shines Cafe-de-la-Soul can feed you.

Enjoy the holidays....

Friday, December 07, 2007

From the Columbia Riverkeeper

This alert is from the Columbia Riverkeepers and a host of other environmental coaliitons

Please join a wonderfully diverse coalition of farmers, conservation groups, fisherman, global warming advocates, forestland owners, private property rights advocates, neighborhood activists and many others and:

Take a stand against the largest fossil fuel import project planned for the Northwest in decades.

Rally for Oregon !

Wed. Dec. 12th @ 11:45 a.m.

NW Natural Gas's corporate headquarters –

220 NW Second Ave. Portland (2 blocks north of Burnside)

Stand up for the Columbia River, fight global warming, and protect Oregon farmland and Oregon communities - Say NO to proposed Liquefied Natural Gas(LNG) terminals on the Columbia River and over 300 miles of new gas pipelines!

Don't let Oregon become the "gas tank" for California !

Energy speculators from Texas , New York and California want to use proposed LNG terminals in the Columbia River Estuary to send huge quantities of natural gas to California . Three LNG terminals are proposed in Oregon , and each project would import twice Oregon 's total gas demand each day. NW Natural has become an active participant in this scheme by proposing to build the 220-mile long Palomar pipeline that would rip across Oregon from the key salmon habitats of the Columbia Estuary, across the family farms of the Willamette Valley, through the wildlife habitats of the Mt. Hood National Forest and over the Wild and Scenic Deschutes River - all this in order to send gas from the proposed LNG terminals on the Columbia River to a California-bound pipeline near Madras.

California has repeatedly rejected the type of high-impact LNG terminals and pipelines that energy speculators are planning for Oregon , but many of Oregon 's elected leaders have been timid in responding to the serious threats that the proposed LNG project and pipeline would cause. At a time when Oregon should be working to decrease our use of foreign fossil fuels the proposed LNG project and terminals would be a multi-billion dollar investment that would greatly expand West Coast use of fossil fuels while seriously impacting Oregon 's water, lands, air and residents.

Come help say no to one of the largest fossil fuel projects in Oregon's history and join Oregon farmers, fisherman and conservation allies for next Wednesday's rally.

Also- please take action today to contact your elected leaders and urge them to oppose the proposed LNG terminals on the Columbia River and in Coos Bay .

Please ask Governor Kulongoski to direct his agencies not to issue permits for projects that are not needed in Oregon and not in the public interest.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski
60 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, Oregon 97301

Tim McCabe, Gov.'s Energy Advisor (503) 986-6520 tim.mccabe@state.or.us
Michael Carrier, Gov.'s Natural Resource Policy Advisory (503) 986-6525 michael.carrier@state.or.us

Please ask our federal representatives to oppose the LNG projects and require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to consider all of the Oregon LNG projects in a single environmental impact statement that specifically addresses why Oregon should host an LNG plant that is intended to send California gas.

Sen. Ron Wyden Phone: (202) 224-5244 Email: http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Rep. David Wu Phone: (202) 225-0855 Email: http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Sen. Gordon H. Smith Phone: (202) 224-3753 Email: http://gsmith.senate.gov/webform.htm

Rep. Darlene Hooley Phone: (202) 225-5711 Email: http://hooley.house.gov/


In addition to calling your elected leaders, please visit Onward Oregon's website to have an email automatically sent to your state and federal elected leaders.


Thanks for your support and help,
Columbia Riverkeeper, Landowners and Citizens for Safe Communities, Oregon Chapter Sierra Club, Citizens Against the Pipelines, Columbia River Clean Energy Coalition, Cascadia Rising Tide, Willamette Riverkeeper, Native Fish Society, Wahkiakum Friends of the River, and many others.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Beware when using ATM macines

A friend just told me that she was the victim of a "swiped" pin number and her account was hit for $500 [plus ATM fees] twice.

She will be reimbursed - but - the lesson is to beware when you use ATM machines.

The bank said to look at the bank camera to see if it has been taped over -

On snopes.com there is a good article and some photos of "doctored" ATM machines:
click here

Coming this Sunday

Sunday, December 9 from 1 to 4 PM come and hear Ellen Whyte and Jim Miller sing and play guitar and bass at Channel's Edge!

Channel's Edge is located at: 207 N. Bridgeton Road Portland [503-737-2465]

If you haven't heard either Jim or Ellen - this will be a treat

You can also check out the goodies at Channel's Edge while listening to great music..

There is also a wine tasting - to help Kim and Bob decide what wines to add to their selection

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Board Meeting Tonight

If you can make it - the Board of the neighborhood association is meeting tonight at 7 PM at The Mews.

The agenda is to talk about the DD meeting that will happen tomorrow night.

Local Café Hosts Christmas Party to Strengthen Community Morale

PORTLAND, OR (December 5, 2007) - Po'Shines: Cafe de la Soul, a soul food cafe in North Portland, will host a community Christmas party on Saturday, December 22nd. With live music, as well as free food and drink, the event hopes to celebrate the holidays while fostering dialogue and support within the Kenton community.

Po'Shines has been quite active in the community since it's opening this past summer. One of their first moves was to become a partner in the Teach Me to Fish program. The program is an initiative designed specifically to empower at-risk and troubled youth within the greater Portland area by providing guided training in job, life and performing arts skills. The café offers their facilities and staff to serve as an integral part of the success of the program. The café recently partnered with a neighboring organization PROPER, to host their 14th annual free community Thanksgiving dinner that fed over 300 people this past November.

“It is great when you can see a local business really care enough to be involved with the community,” said Echo Leighton, president of the Kenton Business Association. “Kenton has always been a community rich in culture and for Po'Shines to support such diversity while empowering the community through a program like Teach Me to Fish, is a movement that could really make our neighborhood thrive.”

“It’s amazing the change that can be made when a community really comes together,” said Antjuan Tolbert, manager of Po'Shines. “This Christmas party may seem like a little thing, but my staff and I see it as an opportunity to bring understanding and unity to a community comprised of individuals who don’t often get to come together because they are too focused on just making ends meet.”

For the party, Chef James Bradley promises to raise the dining standards for community events. The menu for the evening includes smoked salmon chowder, spanikopita and wild mushroom napolean as well as spice cake and up-side down apple pie for dessert, and malt cider and sorrel to drink.

Po’Shines will be collecting donations of time, materials and resources for the learning garden that they plan to start in early spring of 2008.

The party will be held from 6-10 on Saturday, December 22nd at the cafĂ©, located at 8139 N. Denver. For more information call Po’Shines: CafĂ© de la Soul at 503.286.2590.




Sunday, December 02, 2007

DD meeting

I hate typing - I'd rather cut and paste and for some reason the images won't allow me to cut and paste and are "asking' to be downloaded rather than enlarging - so I'll post some parts of the agenda here. [It's the 3rd image in previous post]

The DD meeting is on December 6th from 6 to 7:30 at the DD Headquarters 1880 NE Elrod Drive [that's off 33rd]

- Landowners arrive and register at 5:45
- Staff reports start at 6:22 with financial info [current and projected budget] and one item is "Bridgeton levee"
- Video at 6:50
- Q and A at 7:20
- Adjourn at 7:30

To me it seems like an ambitious agenda for such a short meeting - only 10 minutes for Q and A? Apparently not many people have gone to these meetings and asked questions in the past : - )

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Drainage District Meeting - December 6th at 6PM


This is a copy of the letter and agenda sent to all landowners in the DD.

Click on the images to download and read.
[not sure why they don't just enlarge - oh well]

First two images are the DD's summary of the legal situation regarding the trees and the third image is the agenda for the meeting