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Portland Landlords Reflect on Criticisms Levied Against Them, As a Whole
A Landlord Can Be Your Greatest Ally

This is the second article in a series (read the first article) about how landlords and their present and potential commercial tenants can work together to create vibrant, livable neighborhoods. As a topic, the relationships between landlords and their tenants is a dicey one, because neither lessor nor lessee seem interested in speaking about it publicly. If there’s any grumbling, it's often whispered to friends, family or more...

Craft of Business: Hiring Your First Employee
8 Tips On Doing Your Due Diligence Before Hiring Your First Employee

This is the final installment in a series about the steps small business owners need to take before hiring their first employee. If you’ve already taken a hard look at your business and determined the right time to hire your first employee as well as figured thevalue your time, you’ve done the heavy lifting. "For a sole proprietor or someone who has a boutique, there's really not a lot invested in bringing in that more...

Branding Is More Than a Logo
Neighborhood Branding: Determining What To Change and How

This is the second article in a series about neighborhood branding. In the first article we explored outsiders’ perceptions of your neighborhood and began to think about how we can change misperceptions. We will now continue to dig deeper into the process of changing the perception of your neighborhood. Potentially dubbed the "Independent Republic of St. Johns" or the "Best Little Town in Portland," the St. more...

Request for More Time Denied by Oregon Health Authority
PWB's Reservoir Compliance Schedule Request Denied

PORTLAND OR – The Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division Drinking Water Program (OHA) today denied the Portland Water Bureau’s request for an adjustment to its regulatory schedule to replace the uncovered drinking water reservoirs at Mt. Tabor and Washington parks. The decision by OHA means that Portland’s existing regulatory schedule to end the use of the uncovered reservoirs by December 31, 2020 remains in more...

Local Bars' Inspired Spins on a Classic Cocktail
Mule Variations: 5 Portland Takes on the Moscow Mule

There are really only two differences between a vodka soda and a Moscow Mule. First, mules are made with ginger beer in lieu of soda, and second, the Moscow Mule belongs to Oprah—it's her favorite cocktail. Given Oprah's full-throated endorsement, it's unusual that so few Portland bars list mules on their menus. Simply asking for one, more often than you might think, may stump your bartender. This may seem strange more...

Land Use Basics
Cracking the Codes of Land Use in Portland

This is the second in a series of articles that will cover the basics of land use in Portland. For tips, resources and a general overview, please see our first story. Three years ago, Neighborhood Notes ran a story announcing plans to build what is now The Albert apartment complex on North Williams Avenue in the Boise neighborhood. That story generated lots of comments—more than 50—for two reasons. One, because of an more...

Launches Outreach to Local Businesses and Community Organizations
Northwest Fair Trade Coalition to Create Portland’s First Fair Trade Directory

Northwest Fair Trade Coalition, Portland’s local economic justice and fair trade coalition, plans to create Portland’s first ever Fair Trade Directory. Local businesses and community organizations who sell fair trade products will be listed in the directory so that people will have a local resource to know where to find and purchase authentic fair trade products. Fair trade products are made under safe and healthy working more...

Craft of Business
Choosing The Right Social Media Platform For Your Business

Twitter or Facebook? LinkedIn, Instagram, Foursquare, Tumblr, Pinterest, Google+, or even MySpace? The options can be overwhelming (don't click here unless you want your head to spin), especially if you don't even recognize a few of the above names, let alone understand what function they serve. So, which one should you choose? "Fish where the fish are," Ben Lloyd, the president of Amplify Interactive, says. And more...

Thinking Local: Jobs
Is Economic Gardening the Right Approach for Job Growth in Portland?

Job growth in Portland comes from local, small businesses. As demonstrated in the last installment of Thinking Local, a discussion of “Job Creation Not Relocation,” resident companies are growing considerably while nonresidents are losing jobs—that’s negative job creation. In a 10 year period from 1999 to 2009, existing Portland companies grew by 63.6 percent while nonresidents (headquartered outside of more...

These Tamales are Great the Other 364 Days of the Year, Too.
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo: 6 Portland Spots That Serve Up Killer Tamales

In his recent book Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, author and columnist Gustavo Arellano argues that until the 1950s and 60s, most (Norte) Americanos didn't even know what a taco was. But, almost everyone knew about the tamale because it was introduced to the world on the stage that was the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Soon after, Arellano writes, "tamale men" in large cities were ubiquitous, selling their more...

Perfect for Mom! (Reminder: Mother's Day is May 13)

Event date: May 1, 2012 May 31, 2012

Event location: Catalyst Massage

90-Minute Warm Herbal Compress Massage, only $65!

In Thailand, massage is often aided by warmed and aromatic compresses made of a blend of herbs and applied to the body as an extension of the therapist's hands. At Catalyst Massage, our therapist uses these warmed compresses during the massage to apply pressure to energy centers, releasing tension and imparting soothing benefit of herbs to the skin and senses. Get this deeply relaxing 90-minute massage for the special price of $65 more...

Space is Limited. Call Today!

Event date: May 1, 2012 May 31, 2012

Event location: The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon

Free Spay/Neuter Clinics for Feral and Stray Cats in May

The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO) will host free spay/neuter clinics for feral and stray cats in the four-county area—Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, and Clark—throughout the entire month of May. Space is limited so call today! Why May? In the spring months, cats begin to breed and are more likely to produce kittens. Cats can reproduce as early as five months old, but can be safely spayed and neutered at two more...