pearl district blog...
Nov 18,2008
The First Flush - Unveiling the Portland Loo
by jenniferd
Event Date: 12/08/2008 11:00 AM
Event Location: NW 5th & Glisan
Event Location: NW 5th & Glisan
The city's first Portland Loo will be unveiled on 12/8/2008, as Commissioner Randy Leonard takes the first flush! The Portland Loo is the brainchild of Commissioner Leonard who saw a growing global problem and sought out a novel, local solution. His philosophy is, "When you gotta go, you gotta go." Commissioner Leonard recognizes that all humans are entitled to a little dignity when taking care of such private business. The Loos are: Lightweight: The unit is composed of a minimal materials. Utilizing stainless steel wall panels mounted to a slim profile structure means that the Portland Loo weighs a fraction of a typical restroom and can be delivered on site as a complete enclosure. Open: Louvers at the top and bottom of the wall create an interior environment that offers complete user privacy, while remaining as connected with the outside as possible. The lower louvers are angled to provide law enforcement the opportunity to observe the number of
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posted at 04:33 PM
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Nov 17,2008
City Council will Take Action on Ordinances regarding ALTERNATIVES TO CELL TOWERS
by Trace
Event Date: 11/26/2008 12:00 AM
Event Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave
Event Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave
On Wednesday, November 26, 2008, city staff will be going to Council with the final proposed amendments regarding the manner in which wireless companies may place antennae on utility poles, and replace utility poles with taller ones for wireless purposes. The proposed amendments are designed to balance the need to retain neighborhood character and livability with the expanding need to provide wireless services in neighborhoods. They were developed over the course of two years. Staff conducted three public forums in March, 2008, followed by an online survey in April-May, 2008 (that was responded to by over 900 people, and over 350 individual comments were also received), followed by a citywide public meeting in October, 2008. In short, staff is proposing to allow antennae on utility poles in residential areas on residential streets only as a last resort - when no other site or combination of sites for antennae is feasible. Even then, staff proposes to reduce the allowed pole rep
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posted at 10:51 AM
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Nov 13,2008
Oregon Humane Society Weekend Birthday Bash
by Allison
Event Date: 11/15/2008 12:00 AM
Event Location: OHS
Event Location: OHS
140 years ago, after witnessing the beating of a horse on Front Street, Dr. Thomas Lamb Eliot gathered a group of prominent Portlanders together and founded one of the first animal welfare organizations in the country. The good doctor understood that the only way to improve the plight of animals was to educate the masses about respect and empathy. For this reason, education was a central part of the Oregon Humane Society. And it still is to this day. This weekend (Friday through Sunday), OHS will celebrate over a century of helping animals and educating people with a birthday bash at the shelter on Columbia Boulevard. In honor of this major milestone, OHS hopes to adopt out 140 cats, dogs, and other critters during the three-day birthday weekend by offering 20% off all adoption fees for anyone who brings a present from the OHS w ish list . Also, Best Friends Corner, the OHS retail pet supply store, will be offering 20% off on all merchandise, except pet food, for
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posted at 10:53 AM
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Nov 13,2008
Water Bureau Temporarily Turns Off Bull Run Water Supply
by jenniferd
The Water Bureau temporarily turned off the Bull Run water supply system this morning due to increased turbidity in the watershed. The bureau activated groundwater wells in the Columbia South Shore Well Field to temporarily serve water to Portland. Recent heavy rains and increased stream flows in the Bull Run watershed have contributed to this rapid increase in turbidity. Turbidity is a measurement of the cloudiness of (drinking) water by suspended particles. Portland is one of six large drinking water systems in the country that does not filter its water supply. The city is able to comply with federal drinking water regulations by continuously meeting a set of filtration avoidance criteria. Portland has been able to consistently meet these criteria, but it occasionally has to shut down the Bull Run system and operate from its backup groundwater supply when storms and other natural disturbances in the Bull Run reservoirs increase the turbidity. The Surface Water Treatment Rule
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posted at 10:32 AM
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Nov 10,2008
Portland Parks & Rec Launches Blog!
by pearlgirl
Keeping up with Portland Parks and Recreation just got a little bit easier with the launch of their new blog, ParkTalk . PP&R has so many great events and programs, it's nearly impossible to keep up. We're looking forward to hearing more from them. Don't forget to take PP&R's survey about their services. It's a great opportunity to provide your feedback and share your priorities.
posted at 11:00 AM
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Nov 10,2008
New Website Connects Resources With Those Who Need Help
by pearlgirl
Mayor Tom Potter and PDC have launched a website of useful links for individuals and businesses. The site provides opportunities for businesses, homeowners and individuals to connect to the resources they need in these tough economic times. Check it out
posted at 10:45 AM
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Nov 7,2008
Portland Parks & Recreation Survey
by pearlgirl
Although not everyone was able to attend the ParkFest event , there is still an opportunity for you to share your attitudes about Portland Parks &Recreation and what is important to you. As we all know—the economic downturn is hitting us all. Portland Parks & Recreation is planning for
significant budget cuts in the next several years and needs your help. This link will take you to a brief survey that will give them important information about what you believe are the core services provided by Portland Parks & Recreation. Please take a moment to share your priorities. Your feedback will be used to plan the PP&R budgets accordingly. Please submit responses by Friday, November 14, 5:00 PM.
posted at 02:49 PM
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Nov 5,2008
Clearing the Air
by pearlgirl
Multnomah County residents can rediscover some of their favorite restaurants and bars as they go smoke-free January 1st. By New Year's Day, bars, restaurants, and most workplaces must be smoke-free, including at least 10 feet from windows, doorways, and vents, as a part of expanded smoke-free requirements of the Oregon Indoor Clean Air Act . Almost one in three people die from tobacco related causes, including secondhand smoke, in Multnomah County each year. Benefits of smoke-free laws include reduced healthcare costs and risks, helps former smokers stay quit, and protection for employees and the general public from secondhand smoke. Most workplaces in Multnomah County have been smoke-free since 2000. By action of the Oregon legislature, the Oregon Indoor Clean Air Act will cover more workplaces, including employers previously exempted by Multnomah County's smokefree ordinance. Workplaces that must be smoke-free include: • Any enclosed area open to the public• E
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posted at 03:43 PM
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Nov 4,2008
Free Coffee at Starbucks for Voting!
by Calendar Girl
Event Date: 11/04/2008 08:00 AM
Event Location: Starbucks
Event Location: Starbucks
If you vote, you'll get a free coffee from Starbucks today. The Seattle coffee giant said it will offer a free tall brewed coffee to voters. The deal kicked off with a 60-second ad during "Saturday Night Live" on Nov. 1. According to a Starbucks spokeswoman, "Simply vote, and ask your barista for a tall cup of brewed coffee at no charge (limit one per customer). In the best tradition of democracy, we're using the honor system so absentee voters shouldn't have a problem."
posted at 05:00 AM
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Nov 3,2008
15 Mashup Tools for Your Local Neighborhood
by dariusmonsef
Want a donut? Want to know if you'll need an umbrella today? Trying to avoid traffic? Want to know if it's safe for your kids to play in the front yard? We'll look a dozen-ish mashups that provide useful, helpful, interesting and fun information about the local area that you you live in. For those asking what a mashup is? The web 2.0 world spawned thousands of social networks and user contributed content sites... The same world has connected even more sites and people with the ability for developers to take the APIs from a couple different sites and mash them together to create new and interesting ways to share information and data. WalkScore | Find What's In a Walkable Distance
"Walk Score shows you a map of what is nearby and calculates a Walk Score for any property. Buying a house in a walkable neighborhood is good for your health and good for the environment." Portland rates in their top 10 cities. You can even see their directory of Portl
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"Walk Score shows you a map of what is nearby and calculates a Walk Score for any property. Buying a house in a walkable neighborhood is good for your health and good for the environment." Portland rates in their top 10 cities. You can even see their directory of Portl
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posted at 08:15 AM
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