2nd Annual Block Party !!

Saturday August 1st
3 to 8 PM
4th Ave. NE between Roth and Suttle

Come enjoy the Music with your Neighbors
We will have 5 bands
(Indie Rock, Jazz, Soft Pop, and 80’s Rock)

You need to bring your smile and friends
Along with a blanket or folding chair,
Your favorite beverage and a pot luck dish.

We will have ice to keep your favorite beverage cold, tables to hold potluck dishes, and paper plates, cups, and forks.

If you have any questions on what you can do, please call Mark at 503-706-4326

We hope to see everyone there!!!

Heat Wave Coming!

Having lived on the hot and very humid East Coast with a personal history of heat exhaustion - I know the symptoms and what to do to take care - yet even then I have had problems in Portland.

Dealing with many days of hot in a row is something to be serious about. In fact, as a NET person we got warning that we may be put on stand-by...

Here are some precautions to take that we got from NET:

Check on family, friends and neighbors who do not have air conditioning, who spend much of their time alone or who are more likely to be affected by the heat.

Never leave anyone in an enclosed vehicle, even with the windows partially open.

Drink plenty of fluids, even if you don't feel thirsty. Start drinking fluids at least 30 minutes before going out.

Avoid beverages with caffeine, alcohol or large amounts of sugar because these can actually result in the loss of body fluid.

Eat smaller meals, more often, but be sure meals are well balanced, cool and light.

Take frequent breaks when working or recreating outside.

Wear sunscreen SPF 15 or higher, wide-brimmed hats and light-colored, loose-fitting clothes.

Dress infants and children in cool, loose clothing. Shade their heads and faces with hats or an umbrella. Use sunscreen as directed on small children!

Consult your health care provider about the added effects of sun and heat when taking prescription drugs, especially diuretics, antihistamines and antidepressants.

Check on your animals frequently to ensure they are not suffering from the heat, have water and shade.

and my own added warning - don't just drink water - you need electrolytes added to it - I use a product I market but there are others available - water alone can flush your system of needed resources. This many learn from experience - so learn from mine and take care this week.

From Tina Kotek - our state representative

Representative Tina Kotek D-North/NE Portland District 44 Phone: 503-986-1444 900 Court St. NE, H-281, Salem Oregon 97301 District Office: 503-286-0558 Kenton Firehouse, 2nd Floor Email: rep.tinakotek@state.or.us Website: http://www.leg.state.or.us/kotek E-Newsletter July 1, 2009 Dear Friends, The Oregon State Legislature adjourned Monday night, closing out a productive session during a challenging time for our state and the country. We finished a day ahead of schedule, and I'm proud of the work we did to maintain and create jobs, protect vital services, and move the state towards economic recovery. I look forward to spending more time at home and catching up with individuals and community groups in the district. There's always more work to do and problems to solve. I hope you will join me at my upcoming town hall to debrief about the session and discuss ways I can be helpful to our community in the months ahead. Wednesday, July 15, 7:00 p.m. Session Wrap-Up Town Hall Kenton Firehouse, 2209 N. Schofield Street I will also be attending the following neighborhood association meetings: St. Johns NA, Monday, July 13, 7:00 p.m., St. John's Community Center, 8427 N Central Street Arbor Lodge NA, Thursday, July 16, 6:30 p.m., Kenton Firehouse, 2209 N Schofield Street Overlook NA, Tuesday July 21, 7 p.m., Kaiser Town Hall, 3704 N Interstate Ave Session Highlights from My Office We passed hundreds of bills this session, ranging from a variety of minor technical things to some major policy initiatives. I personally worked hard on dozens of bills and spent a good deal of my time focused on the Department of Human Services budget as the co-chair of the human services budget subcommittee. As the Majority Whip for the House, I also played an integral role in managing how bills moved and how we worked in a bipartisan fashion on the House floor. Here are a few of the bills I considered priorities this session: Health Care Reform and Expanded Access to the Oregon Health Plan (HB 2116 and HB 2009): I served on the House Health Care Committee, where we did the bulk of the work to craft bills to increase access to health care by enrolling an additional 80,000 kids and 35,000 low-income adults in the Oregon Health Plan and create the Oregon Health Authority and implement cost-containment strategies to reform health care in Oregon. Nutrition Information for Consumers (HB 2726): I led the fight to require chain restaurants across the state to post calorie information on menus and menu boards and provide additional nutrition information to consumers to empower them with the information needed to make healthier choices. School Nurses (HB 2693): I sponsored a bill to implement task force recommendations to improve the availability of school nursing services across the state, including establishing timelines for the state to achieve the national nurse-to-student ratio (1 nurse for every 750 students) over the next decade. Neighborhood Livability (HB 3201): I co-sponsored a bill with Rep. Sal Esquivel from Medford that would have allowed the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to exercise greater enforcement authority over serious or persistent problems with licensed bars and taverns. The bill passed the House, but died in a Senate committee, so I hope to bring this bill back in the future. Foster Children and Psychotropic Drugs (HB 3114): I passed a bill that addresses the overmedication of children and youth in foster care by requiring a mental health assessment before the prescription of any new psychotropic medication and an annual review for children under 6 and youth who are taking more than one psychotropic drug. Metal Theft (SB 570): My bill dealing specifically with catalytic converter theft was addressed in the bipartisan comprehensive bill that strengthens protections against metal theft by clarifying the role of scrap metal dealers in reporting suspected stolen metal and keeping records of transactions, banning cash payments which incentivize metal theft with immediate reward, and increasing the tools that law enforcement has to combat the growing problem in our communities. Farm-to-School and School Gardens (HB 2800): I worked with co-sponsor Rep. Brian Clem from Salem to seek additional investments in farm-to-school and school garden programs in Oregon. Although our bill did not make it out of the budget committee, we were successful in making sure the statewide positions in the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education were not eliminated so we can keep momentum on this important initiative. Facing the worst economy in generations, the Legislature was tasked with prioritizing essential services: health and human service programs, education, and public safety. My colleagues and I focused on passing smart policies that improve the quality of life in Oregon. We asked big corporations and households making over $250,000 a year to contribute their fair share in taxes, minimizing the burden for working families while protecting the small businesses that will be the engine of our economic recovery. And we combed the budget for ways to do more with less so we could make your tax dollar go further. I hope you are pleased with the work we accomplished in Salem. Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts. Best wishes,