If you wondered why NE Glisan Street was shut down most of Sunday morning – it ended OK, except for dozens of golfers who missed their tee-time …

Numerous Glendoveer Golf Course duffers and path hikers discovered their Sunday morning recreation would be delayed until nearly noon, as the police SERT crew coaxed a released felon out of a home directly across from the Ringside Restaurant.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
A 5:30 a.m. “domestic violence” call reporting an inebriated felon, on post-prison release supervision, claiming to be armed with a pistol, was enough cause to rally the Portland Police Bureau’s Special Emergency Response Team on September 14.

Learn why Asian folks came from all over the greater Portland area to celebrate this ancient Chinese celebration …

Performers from the Northwest Lion Dance Association usher in the good times at the 9th annual Mid-Autumn Festival.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
One of the largest Mid-Autumn Festivals – also known as the Moon Festival, a popular East Asian tradition of Chinese origin — didn’t take place in downtown Portland. Instead, nearly 3,000 people did come to celebrate their second-favorite holiday in outer East Portland, on S.E. 82nd, on September 13.

Learn why officials say this dreadful driver shouldn’t have been driving at all – and, be amazed at the stupid thing she did after causing the wreck. The pictures tell this rather humorous story …

When we arrive on scene, this crumpled Acura is the only vehicle in sight. Fortunately, the driver wasn’t seriously injured.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The police radio reports a motor vehicle accident on NE 82nd Avenue of Roses about 1:00 p.m., as we’re covering other stories on September 13. We snap to attention when we hear the dispatcher add, “It’s a roll-over.”

Discover what hundreds of neighbors learned when
they turned out for this “Town Hall” …

Panelists at the anti-prostitution Town Hall Summit include Portland City Commissioner Randy Leonard; Jeri Williams, Neighborhood Coordinator, Office of Neighborhood Involvement, and a survivor of prostitution on 82nd Avenue; Bill Smith, Executive Director of Defenders USA, a group formed to help end demand for prostitution; Multnomah County Sheriff’s Deputy Keith Bickford, Office Human Trafficking Coordinator; James Pond of Transitions Global; Lila Lee, Executive Director of Council for Prostitution Alternatives; Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Commander Michael Crebs; and Ken Turner, president of 82nd Avenue of Roses Business Association.

You haven’t missed them all! Look here and discover
the great line-up of acts you’ll see on Sunday …

Henry Weeks and Moggy Vanderkin play and sing Americana style music at the first Lents Music in the Park concert on September 7.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Carrying a folk-music theme, this Lents Music in the Park series is pleasing folks with top musicians.

This concert series runs through September. This year, it’s produced in cooperation with the Portland FolkMusic Society.

See how, for the first time, kids in this outer East Portland neighborhood got free backpacks filled with school supplies …

Ricardo Becerril, senior project manager with LCG Pence Construction, shows all of the supplies their company stuffed into backpacks to be given to all Lent School students.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
You’ve seen stories telling how organizations have “adopted” schools, purchasing back-to-school supplies for students. But, until this year, Lent School has languished – no sponsors meant no backpacks.

See how members of the Gateway Area Business Association honored public safety workers and citizens killed in the 2001 terrorist attacks …

Standing before Portland Fire & Rescue Engine 30 are Third Battalion Chief Mark Gift; Station 30 firefighters Erin Spens, David Glenn, Matt Phillips and Lt. Steve Bregman on their way to the 9/11 memorial service held at 111th Square.

Story by Watford Reed with David F. Ashton; David F. Ashton photos
Beneath a gigantic American flag, members of the Gateway Area Business Association memorialized the 3,000 men and women killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

See why many folks came for the party –
and stayed to see the game …

He’s the “Parkrose Can Man” – he runs returnable container drives that support Parkrose school activities the first Saturday morning of each month at Parkrose Middle School. It’s Dave Luce, who prepares to enjoy the buffet dinner served at the Tailgate Party.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
School spirit was running high on September 5 at Parkrose High School, before the Parkrose Bronco’s football team took on their first opponents of the year.

We’ve seen the results when this happens at homes and apartment buildings – but look at the devastation a careless act caused at a venerated local business …

Portland Fire & Rescue crews keep pouring water on material used to make industrial conveyor belts at this September 10th three-alarm blaze in inner SE Portland.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
For decades, Empire Robber & Supply, located in inner SE Portland’s industrial area (on SE Taylor and SE Water Streets), has been fabricating, installing, and servicing heavy-duty conveyor belts which move mountains of gravel and other building materials.

Find out why national honors were awarded to this
outer East Portland kindergarten teacher …

Carolyn Snowbarger, the director of the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative, US Department of Education shares a light moment before the awards ceremony with Barbara Rommel, Superintendent of the David Douglas Schools.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Lincoln Park Elementary School’s kindergarten teacher Tess Miller didn’t know why the school’s staff and 550 students were called to a special assembly on September 10 at 2:00 p.m.

But, by 2:10 p.m., Miller discovered that she’d been chosen Oregon’s 2008 “No Child Left Behind American Star of Teaching” award winner.

A year after Portland City Council stripped cops of their street prostitution-fighting ordinance; street sex has exploded along 82nd Avenue. See how the City now plans to combat this unsavory problem and (below) how neighborhood organizations are responding …

Standing in the background, Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Commander Michael Crebs, Roseway Neighborhood board member Tyler Whitmeyer, Madison South neighborhood’s Geneva McArtor, Portland Police Bureau Chief Rosie Sizer, Portland Police Bureau SE Precinct Lt. Vince Elmore and Madison South neighborhood chair Ruth Hander listen as Portland Mayor Tom Potter reads a statement detailing plans to curtail street-level prostitution.

So, exactly what activities drew 250 neighbors to
this late-summer event? Take a look …

Event Coordinator Delores Wood lines up the parade at the Powellhurst/Gilbert Neighborhood Fair at Raymond Park.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Visiting neighborhood-sponsored activities is one of our summertime joys – and the Powellhurst/Gilbert Neighborhood Fair on August 16 was no exception.

More than a dozen organizations – ranging from Leach Botanical Gardens, to the Midway Business Association, to city and county agencies – provided information and goodies in tents set up in Raymond Park – on SE 118th Avenue, between SE Holgate Boulevard and SE Harold Street.