Guest post by Amie Dahnke. The hazelnut, as any good Oregonian knows, is our state nut. But when roasted hazelnuts are combined with skim milk and a hint of cocoa, our humble state nut is elevated to [cue the Angels] the chocolaty hazelnut spread known as Nutella. According to some, however, "Nutella is more than just a 'chocolaty hazelnut spread,' it is a way of life." The single word conjures up more...

Mayor Sam Adams and City Commissioner Amanda Fritz are hosting a community meeting regarding Last Thursday on Alberta! They are interested in hearing from any and all stakeholders of the event, including businesses from Alberta Street, neighboring residents, vendors, performers, and attendees. The meeting will take place on Monday, February 8th, from 6:00 to 8:00pm, at the Acadian Ballroom at 1829 NE Alberta Street. We know more...

Looking for effective ways to save money on utility bills? Finding where jobs and training in sustainability are posted? How to go about to hiring an eco-friendly contractor? Where to donate used building materials for a tax-donation? Receiving green home design ideas for little or no cash? Finding out where you can attend a free class to build a rain garden? Learning how to make your home elderly-friendly and wheelchair accessible? more...

The Portland Development Commission has officially kicked off its new economic development program, Portland Main Street®. The program, charged with promoting neighborhood commercial district revitalization, is based on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street® approach that has been implemented in 2,800 communities within 45 different states. PDC will be holding application workshops for more...

First the of possession of marijuana was decriminalized, then growing and using marijuana for medical purposes was legalized (with a permit), and then the nation’s first Cannabis Café, where card holders can go to socialize and smoke pot, opened in the Woodlawn neighborhood. So many groundbreaking changes to Oregon law in a relatively short time, I couldn’t help but wonder how things were going for law enforcement more...

Last year, King School's Pre-Kindergarten program was cut to a half-day program.  This year, funding has been obtained to return to full-day status and add classrooms if needed.  Staff are seeking input on parent interest to plan for the coming year.  Estimating the number of incoming students each year is a difficult task.  If you have a child who will be 4 in the fall, contact the school or come to one of more...

One Brick Portland provides support to local nonprofit and community organizations by creating a unique, social and flexible volunteer environment for those interested in making a concrete difference in the community. We enable people to get involved, have an impact and have fun, without the requirements of individual long-term commitments. 'Commitment-free volunteering' allows you to choose when you volunteer, rather more...

Once you learn, you never forget. But cycling, having shaken off the yoke of the beasts of burden it replaced a century ago, and recovering from the detour it took for a spell as something simply to do for fun, is again coming full circle. That is to say, bicycling is no longer a recreational pastime; it's no longer greasy kid stuff. But this time, forgetting how to ride is the least of a modern cyclist's concerns. It's more...

Even though it’s been cold, wet, and icy in recent days, Northeast neighborhoods are abuzz with the news of going solar as Solarize Northeast prepares to launch its solar panel installation project this month. Modeled after the wildly popular Southeast Solarize Portland project that debuted in September 2009 (see our previous stories: Going Solar Doesn't Have to be a Solo Endeavor and Power to the People), a group of more...

From City Repair: This year’s Village Building Convergence (VBC) theme is INTERSECTION: Reclaiming the Crossroads. We want to help you reclaim your own crossroads, to transform the spaces you live, work and play into beautiful meaningful places that will bring people closer and enrich our lives. We call this process “placemaking” and we’ve been helping people do it for 10 years and have built projects in more...