Food for Thought is a monthly series that examines the progress of the plans to confront economic factors and create a hunger-free Oregon. At the intersection of SE 162nd and Division you will find a former Safeway supermarket that has sat shuttered and empty since closing its doors in March 2011. At one time, the full-service grocery served as an anchor for the Division Crossing shopping center in Portland’s more...
A walk around your own neighborhood can tell you a lot more about where you live than you might think. Its architecture, of course, defines its look. Its residents define its feel (and, depending on their median age, its sound), while its bakeries, breweries and food carts (or the absence there of) define its predominant smell. In sum, they all capture not just what space you occupy, but how you occupy it. But what more...
Networking doesn't have to feel like a sale. Or an awkwardly ostentatious forum for egotistical schmoozing and one-upmanship. Networking should feel more like socializing—finding common interests and then sharing ideas and solutions to problems—especially in Portland's diverse but cooperative small business culture. So-called networking "events" shouldn't even necessarily be formal more...
Small businesses dominate the Portland marketplace, comprising 95% of all firms and employing 254,000 people, according to the Portland Development Commission. Yet, the PDC also points out that even though “our local economy is populated by thousands of small business enterprises, many... struggle for viability and survival while providing hundreds of thousands of jobs with billions of dollars in payroll." more...
"Local business make our region great. And loving local businesses just got sweeter." —Supportland Neighborhood Notes recently sent out more than 75 Supportland rewards cards loaded with points as a thank you to those that filled out our reader survey. And in response, we got a few questions, like “How do you use this thing?” Supportland co-founder Katrina Scotto di Carlo isn’t more...
With Portland’s ubiquitous farmers markets, a committed locavore “foodie” movement, and the great luck of being located in the Willamette Valley—home to some of the most fertile soil on the planet—how could the Rose City possibly face any food security issues? But the facts don’t lie. According to the Multnomah Food Action Plan, adopted by the County Board of Commissioners in more...
What's your most important business asset? It's not your customers, your products or even your website—it's YOU. Taking care of business is taking care of yourself. Here are three ways to nurture yourself and help your small business thrive. Get Your Three Squares We meet with a lot of small business owners—usually over happy hour—and we regularly hear: "This [insert bar food] more...
Hi there, neighbors. We deeply appreciate the feedback we received from our 2012 reader survey. Our thanks to everyone who braved the open-ended questions and supplied such thoughtful responses. You're our heroes! We were doing it wrong. Well, not everything. But a lot of things are going to change here at Neighborhood Notes. And we couldn't be more inspired.We're honored to make the changes that more...
Today the Portland Water Bureau is turning off the Bull Run water supply system and activating the supply system from the Columbia South Shore Well Field. Recent heavy rains and increased stream flows have contributed to a rapid increase in turbidity, or suspended sediments, in the Bull Run system. The Bull Run water supply is not filtered. "We are blessed to have two high quality sources of water available to more...
The first graduates of the Beginning Urban Farmer Apprenticeship program look to make an impact on the agricultural scene of the Portland metro area. more...