Read why hundreds of folks volunteer to restore Johnson Creek, and the surrounding watershed …

Welcoming members and guests to their first annual meeting is Michelle Bussard, Executive Director, Johnson Creek Watershed Council.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The tables were set, displays erected, and the staff of the Johnson Creek Watershed Council welcomed members and guests to their luncheon at the Eastmoreland Golf Course clubhouse on May 18th.

“We are having our inaugural annual meeting,” Michelle Bussard, Executive Director, Johnson Creek Watershed Council told us. “It will be featuring the ‘State of the Watershed’ report. And, this event celebrates all of our stakeholders and communities throughout the watershed’s area.”

Specifically, Bussard told us, the report is like snapshots, depicting a decade of change along Johnson Creek. “More than 100 projects are up and going along the Creek. These include projects designed to help fish passage, to wetland, upland, and riparian restoration.”

The most important mission of the organization, Bussard went on, is to bring the Johnson Creek ‚Äì a stream that runs from Gresham to its confluence with the Willamette River near Milwaukie, back to the condition in which salmon and other native fish will thrive. “Moreover, when the fish thrive, people who live near Johnson Creek, or visit it, will be able to enjoy its beauty and health.”

Noah Jenkins, an AmeriCorps member assigned to the Council, demonstrating a “stream table” at the Johnson Creek Watershed Council meeting. “This provides a demonstration of how streams get created and meander over a period of time.”

The organization claims over 5,000 volunteers who have contributed countless hours of time. Other people have donated in-kind services, equipment and materials. “For example, Howard Dietrich and Nancy Bishop have provided our creekside office space for the past ten years. Our volunteers allow us to greatly leverage the funding we receive on a 1-to-5 basis.”

For more information, see their website at www.jcwc.org.

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News ~ Published May 29, 2006

In a startling announcement, METRO, our “extra” government, said people should take old cans of paint, insecticide, and other household products classified as “hazardous” to a place of worship ‚Äì or a grade school! Read why ‚Ķ

If you don’t know where to take “hazardous household wastes” ‚Äì here is an event for you! Frankly, we’ve never been to the METRO Recycling Center, and have wondered how to safely dispose of some old house paint.

Free household hazardous waste collection events take place almost every weekend (except  Labor Day weekends).

These events will take place between from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., now through the through autumn months. The nice folks at METRO say these events are small, frequent and community-friendly.

By the way, churches aren’t the only location; if you are uncomfortable taking your hazardous waste to a church or school, you can visit the August event in the parking lot of the Parkrose K-Mart!

Parkrose
Oct. 6 – 7
K-Mart
12350 NE Sandy Blvd.

Rockwood/Gresham
Oct. 27 – 28
Rockwood United Methodist Church
17805 SE Stark St.

For more information, call Metro Recycling Information at (503) 234-3000 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

Published March 22, 2006 ~ By David F. Ashton

Explaining how first-time home-buyers can benefit from land trust programs is Kelly Caldwell, speaking to a group at the Holgate Street Library. David F. Ashton

Apartment dwelling families can easily pay $1,000 per month in rent. With houses costing upwards of $200,000, home ownership today seems, for many, an impossible dream.

However, one program, Portland Community Land Trust, is making homeowners out of renters.

Using this program, the Land Trust takes ownership of the land on which the house sits. “This reduces the purchase price to the new owner of the home by up to a third,” explained Kelly Caldwell to a group at Holgate St. Library. “We are helping families move into homes today ‚Äì and at the same time, creating a base of permanently affordable homes.”

Owners of a home purchased with help of the Portland Community Land Trust get their full equity, plus a portion of the appreciation value of the home when they sell it. The balance of the appreciated value returns to the Land Trust, allowing them reduce the selling price to the next buyer.

“In outer Southeast Portland,” Caldwell continued, “we have a buyer-initiated program. At the time of closing, we bring in funds to reduce the amount of the buyer‚Äôs mortgage.”

Comparing a land trust home sale to a conventional property, Caldwell informed the group their rate of return would be a bit lower. “Yet, the profit one could realize is still a significant amount of money, considering one gets no return from paying rent. If one can‚Äôt qualify financially to get into a home using conventional strategies, this makes sense.”

Interested? Learn more about Portland Community Land Trust by calling (503) 493-0293 or go online to www.pclt.org.

?ì 2006, David F. Ashton, East PDX News