Most folks haven’t heard much from Ted Wheeler since he took the Multnomah County Chair office in January. You might be surprised to learn what his priorities are …

In one of his first public appearances in outer East Portland, Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler talks candidly about his goals – the realities of politics.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Since Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler was swept into office by voters last November, we haven’t heard much from him – other than when he shared his mountaineering experiences with the Parkrose Business Association.

Just in time for school, learn why these health care professionals help kids who can’t afford their shots – necessary to enter school …

Jean Taylor, MN, and Karen Oglesby, BSN, remind parents at Lents Founders Day that the monthly Lents Clinic can help make sure their children’s’ immunizations are up to date

Story and photo by David F. Ashton
Seeing our friends from the Lents Childhood Immunization Clinic at Lents Founder’s Day reminded us that, once again, their clinic will be open the first Saturday of each month, starting in September.

Although the neighborhood sits astride two cities and counties, see why Ardenwald neighbors come together for and share food, music and camaraderie …

Past neighborhood chair Cheryl Ausmann-Moreno cuts and serves cake.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The earliest of the National Night Out against Crime events in Portland, Milwaukie, and Multnomah and Clackamas Counties, was in one single neighborhood embracing all of those jurisdictions: Ardenwald-Johnson Creek.

As she served up big slices of chocolate and spice cakes, elegantly decorated with the neighborhood association’s logo, immediate past chair Cheryl Ausmann-Moreno reminded us that while the park in which we were standing was in Milwaukie, the houses across the fence were in Portland.

What’s a good way to raise money for neighborhood activities? Take a look, and see how this first-time event worked out …

Volunteers from the Brentwood Darlington Neighborhood Association gather after their successful “Neighborhood Garage Sale”.

Story and photo by David F. Ashton
Looking for ways to raise money for their neighborhood projects, including maintaining the newly-installed Hazeltine Park, volunteers of an East Portland neighborhood decided to hold a “Neighborhood Garage Sale” on July 28.

“I suggested we have this event,” said Jill Robbins, a board member with Brentwood Darlington Neighborhood Association. “Several volunteers pulled together as at team and put it together here at Hazeltine Park.”

Although it seems city government has put off dealing with crumbling roads and traffic safety issues for years, see what PDOT’s Commissioner, Sam Adams, is doing to start moving the city toward improving our transportation infrastructure‚

Judy Welch, Lents Neighborhood resident, and Alicia Reese, Chair of the Woodland Park Neighborhood, sign in at the outer East Portland transportation meeting.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Pay now for road maintenance‚ or pay a lot more, later on‚ was Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams’ theme at a series of town hall meeting held across Portland in late June and early July. We took in the meetings in inner Southeast Portland on June 20, and the town hall at Central Northeast Neighbors on NE Sandy Boulevard on July 2.

While many Argay neighbors agree their neighborhood could use another park, read why security, access, and activity locations raised some eyebrows at a recent meeting‚

Representatives from Portland Parks & Recreation‚ Doug Brenner, East Portland Services Manager, and Riley Whitcomb, Program Manager‚ show an aerial photo illustration of the farmland scheduled to become a park.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
While most people in the outer Northeast Portland neighborhood of Argay think of the “Beech Property” plot as farmland, it will eventually become a city park, according to representatives of Portland Parks & Recreation.

When these two outer East Portland neighborhoods set out to rid their areas of trash, they gather dumpsters full of refuse. See why these volunteers work so hard to clean things up‚

Argay Neighbor Jim Edmonds, one of the nearly 100 neighbors dropping off trash, being checked in by volunteer Bonny Scott at the Argay Clean-up day.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
“We’ve already had 70 cars so far; it looks like we’ll probably serve 100 neighbors this year,” says Argay Neighborhood volunteer Bonny Scott, as she checks in cars at the early June neighborhood clean-up. “This is the most we’ve had in three years.”

What kind of neighborhood association meeting treats everyone to a delicious barbecue dinner? Take a look at this event‚ it has become a springtime tradition‚

Portland Water Bureau’s Jimmy Brown caters the Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood Association meeting, highlighted by his BBQ chicken and ribs.

Story and photo by David F. Ashton
A couple of years ago, the chair of the Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood Association, Glenn Taylor, talked Jimmy Brown into serving his famous barbecue as a drawing card to attract folks to their spring meeting.

At that time, Brown headed Portland’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement. Brown’s homemade barbecue chicken and ribs were the talk‚ and taste‚ of the association’s meeting.

See why residents are celebrating as the first, major ROSE Community Development turns ten years old‚

These ten-year Lents Village residents say they’re proud, and happy, to have been among the first residents of the facility.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
As hard to believe as it may seem, the affordable senior housing project on outer SE Holgate Blvd. — Lents Village — is already ten years old.

“It is great to get together with the residents who live here, and community members, to celebrate this facility,” comments the executive director of ROSE Community Development, Nick Sauvie.

See the “public art” they’re cooking up for the Lents I-205 MAX station‚ and learn why two kids were honored at this neighborhood meeting‚

Michelle Traver, public art coordinator with TriMet, and artist Kim Hablin answer questions regarding a collage‚ illustrating the art project being developed for the Lents I-205 MAX station‚ posed by the Lents Neighborhood Association board members at their general, monthly meeting.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Part of the I-205 MAX project includes public art at the light rail stations.

They’ve been shooting this movie, starring Diane Lane, all over town. See what we saw “on location” in Eastmoreland‚

Many moviemakers try their best to keep citizens far away from their site. But, the producers of the forthcoming major film “Untraceable” welcomed neighbors to watch them shoot their movie.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Eastmoreland was turned into a Hollywood back-lot for three days during Spring Break, as the crew of the motion picture Untraceable moved into the neighborhood.

Spring Break traffic was slightly disrupted along SE 39th Avenue, because the street was lined with motion picture craft services trucks.

The city’s purse strings are being drawn tightly, choking funding for this outer East Portland horticultural treasure — Portland’s only botanical garden. Learn what advice volunteer supporters were given,

Portland Parks & Recreation planning supervisor David Yamashita led the panel discussion held, ostensibly, to help Leach Botanical Garden volunteers get ideas of how to operate the facility with lower city support.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The faces of Leach Botanical Gardens’ volunteers looked gloomy on the Saturday morning on which they were meeting, a few weeks ago.