kenton news...
Jan 8,2009
Businesses Watering Down New Bottle Bill Laws?
by pearlgirl
From OLCC... With the first full weekend of the New Year under Oregonian's belts, consumers are finding that many Oregon retailers and manufacturers haven't made the change to selling only bottled water labeled with the OR 5¢ refund value. Oregon Liquor Control Commission checks show several brands on the shelves are still unmarked."We were the first in the nation to have a bottle bill and now we're embracing our first expansion," said Thomas Erwin, OLCC Director of Government Affairs and Communications. "Oregonians value our environmentally responsible culture and take the bottle bill seriously. In order to make this a success, retailers and manufacturers need to do their part, too."
Under the new law, water bottles sold in Oregon as of Jan. 1 must be marked with a 5¢ refund value. Only bottles with the OR 5¢ designation are eligible for the 5-cent redemption. This becomes a problem for Oregonians when they are charged
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posted at 11:52 AM
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Jan 8,2009
Notes of Interest » January 7, 2009
by pearlgirl
Yesterday's trip around the blogosphere provided Portland neighborhood news that was awesome and, um, not so awesome: the release of The Sentinel's January '09 Street Edition (it's the AWESOME issue!); the pervasive influence of architect A.E. Doyle on Portland ( the recent decision to demolish Doyle's Riverdale Grade School : not so awesome ); restaurant reviews of Chez Joly in the Pearl and Firehouse in Woodlawn (final vote on awesomeness of said establishments: YOURS); controversy over the Sellwood Bridge; and flooding in SE Portland (NOT awesome). Today's photo, courtesy of The Sentinel: awesome!
posted at 11:09 AM
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Jan 7,2009
SAVE THE TOYS!!!
by NoPo Ness
No, that's not the battle cry to man-up against the Burger Meister MeisterBurger from Jules Bass' and Arthur Rankin Jr.'s 1970's classic, Santa Claus is Coming to Town . It is instead a call to action here in the real world, where our kids are inundated with electronic gadgetry and BPA plastics. Under the guise of "protecting us" (Note to the US Government: you're a little late on this one!) the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is now endangering the livelihood of our local handmade toymakers. These are the few places we can get beautifully made toys by caring folks, who do things like use natural dyes, fiber and wood or hand stitched or knitted creatures. The real danger here is to the minds and imaginations of our children, especially if the only toys they can get their hands on are those made by large corporations that single-handedly keep battery manufacturers in business and require in-the-box play instead of the wonderful exploratory world of make bel
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posted at 06:04 PM
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Jan 7,2009
Potential Hazards Due to Heavy Rain and Flooding
by pearlgirl
From the Portland Bureau of Transportation... The National Weather Service forecast calls for heavy rain and potential flooding of Johnson Creek tonight or early Thursday morning. These conditions could create a number of driving hazards in the Portland metro area. The Portland Bureau of Transportation crews have staged barricades at several locations in anticipation of heavy rain and flooding, and sandbag pile locations are re-stocked with sand and sandbags. Other City bureaus will partner to respond to conditions as necessary. The public is advised of the following potential hazards associated with heavy rains: Street flooding, clogged catch basins, and drainage problems Pools of standing water all over the city Fallen trees blocking streets Landslides and debris flows blocking streets Issues of house flooding and sewer backups Traffic signal outages Downed power lines and power outages The following sandbag locations are open and stocked with s
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posted at 01:10 PM
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Jan 7,2009
Snowpocalypse Hangover » Potholes
by pearlgirl
From the Portland Bureau of Transportation... This winter's early heavy snowfall caused treacherous driving conditions for motorists, and it is also creating another potential hazard - potholes. The combination of heavy snow and rain, freezing and expanding of moisture under pavement, and thawing has produced potholes, and Maintenance Operations crews busy with sand and gravel cleanup, flood preparation and response, and more snow removal efforts in the West Hills have had limited time and resources to make needed repairs. But pothole patch crews are rolling. "It's an ongoing battle," said Mayor Sam Adams. "On Monday we received two dozen calls to our Pothole Hotline. On Wednesday we received five dozen calls." Call the Pothole Hotline at 503-823-BUMP (2867). Listen to the recording and be prepared to provide some basic information, including the location of the pothole, nearest cross street, your name and contact information, and the time and da
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posted at 12:46 PM
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Jan 7,2009
Neighborhood Toolbox » How to Organize a Neighborhood Clean Up
by pearlgirl
If you're interested in starting a neighborhood clean up or improving your current event, we got the dirt on how to organize a successful clean up from NWNW Neighborhood Clean Up Coordinator Alison Wallisch. She created a comprehensive clean up guide on the following topics: Big Picture: Organizing a Neighborhood Clean-Up Reusable Items at Neighborhood Clean-Ups Haulers at Neighborhood Clean-Ups Recycling at Neighborhood Clean-Ups Creativity in Your Neighborhood Clean-Up How to Fund Neighborhood Clean-Ups Publicity Seeking Support and Developing Partnerships Volunteer Recruitment Timeline: Organizing a Successful Clean Up Download the Neighborhood Clean Up Guide
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posted at 10:44 AM
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Jan 7,2009
Buyers Benefit From Sliding Home Values
by Agent503
For the first time since the housing bubble burst, the year-over-year decline in value for residential property in Portland is in the double-digit range. According to the S&P Case-Shiller Index, arguably the nation’s most recognized source for home price changes, Portland homes lost more than 10% since October 2007. But not all neighborhoods have been affected to the same extent. Losses in several close-in neighborhoods have remained in the single-digit range, some have even posted mild gains. In some situations sellers have lowered prices on their homes beyond the neighborhood trend, creating interesting opportunities for buyers. Find out more here .
posted at 09:58 AM
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Jan 7,2009
Notes of Interest » January 6, 2009
by pearlgirl
Yesterday's news was chock full of things Portlanders are passionate about: bikes, art, technology and beer. I guess you'd call it a good news day, right? News for bike lovers : the bike community helped land the Boise neighborhood on the pages of Sunset Magazine , and there's a new 'vintage inspired' bike apparel designer in Buckman. For art aficionados : PORT has released their picks for First Thursday—don't let the fact that January 8 is actually second Thursday fool you. Oh, it's ON! Geek news: Local social networks were given a tip of the hat on OPB—including our friends at PDXdog.com !!! For those of you who are still trying to locate the blogosphere, there's a new user group in town that can help you with your blogging needs. For beer lovers : Rogue has produced a limited edition of Jazz Guy Ale for the Portland Jazz Festival . Jazz Guy Ale will be available February 1. Mark your calendars!
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posted at 08:34 AM
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Jan 6,2009
Notes of Interest » January 5
by pearlgirl
It's always great to give and receive props. Yesterday, the news was full of 'em: props of presidential proportion were bestowed on Portland's Get A Life Marching Band —they'll march in the inaugural parade; Mayor Adams gave props to Portlanders in his first mayoral address; Willamette Week showed a little love to Old Spaghetti Factory ; Hollywood Theater was given a special designation by Sundance Film Festival; and City Council got a little LUBA-love in support of their decision to make David Douglas a satellite urban renewal district. photo: Christmas w/a K
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posted at 07:52 AM
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