General News & Features « East PDX News

Pirate band gathers gold for Llewellyn

See why one of our favorite local musical groups, Captain Bogg & Salty’s Pirate Band, most recently dropped their anchor in Westmoreland …

Arrrr, Mates! Shiver me timbers! We spy Captain Bogg & Salty’s Pirate Band’s a-playing again in East Portland!

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Instead of plundering inner SE Portland for their own gain, the sea dogs of Captain Bogg & Salty’s Pirate Band dropped off a chest of gold – to benefit Llewellyn Elementary School Foundation not long ago.

“This event shows real community spirit,” said the co-coordinator of the benefit concert, Robin Johnson. “Two New Seasons Markets and Wallace Books sold tickets, and the Moreland Presbyterian Church loaned the risers. And, volunteers Eileen Stone and Pete Diamond helped put the stage together.”

The co-organizers of the concert, Robin Johnson and Julie Wright, welcome the 300 fans that came to see Captain Bogg & Salty’s Pirate Band.

In their front row seats in the Moreland Theater, Captain Bogg & Salty fans Zaib, Jillian, Maggie, Winnie are giving us the secret pirate sign (a hooked finger) – showing they are ready for a good time.

The organizers said they appreciated the owners and staff at the Moreland Theatre. “We appreciate them having us back this year; they very kind to us,” said organizer Julie Wright.

Captain Bogg welcomes the crowd of pirate fans to the show.

As a couple hundred young fans and their parents filed in, and the group was about to come on stage, the band’s spokes-pirate – First Mate McGraw – commented, “It’s a strange and wonderful feeling of playing pirate songs in an old movie theater like this. It can’t be replicated elsewhere.”

With a mighty “yar”, and the sign of the hook, another rollicking concert was underway, featuring songs that included “Pegleg Tango”, “I’m A Pirate”, and “Pieces of 8ight”.

The pirate band opens the show with “Weigh Anchor”.

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City leaders start budget poll process in far-East Portland

You can’t get much farther east than Alder Elementary School! See what happened, and what neighbors thought about the process, right here …

Portland Mayor Tom Potter welcomes outer East Portland citizens to the first of several Budget Forums held across the city.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
City of Portland officials said they were kicking off their “City Budget Community Forum” process in outer East Portland. The location they selected for the event — Alder Elementary School, at 17200 SE Alder Street – is about 500 yards west of the Gresham border.

Before the meeting started, participants were invited to peruse a “Community Resource Fair”. Here, Richard Bixby, director of the East Portland Neighborhood Office, helps neighbors locate their neighborhood.

“This is the city’s first community budget meeting,” said Mayor Tom Potter as he greeted us. “We’re talking about the 2008/2009 budget. What we do, before we get too far down the road developing a budget, is to hold some community meetings to find out their concerns, issues, and desires about how we spend our money.”

In the school’s gymnasium, each of the City’s bureaus set up a table. “People can go to each table and discuss issues about that bureau,” Potter explained. “We also have tables set up by the City Commissioners’ offices, because they, and myself, also have special funds requests. For example I’m requesting funds for a Office of Human Relations. So I’ll have a table here, and I’ll be glad to have people talk to me about issues of human rights here in Portland, Oregon.”

These meetings are important, Potter said, “Because, actually, it’s the citizens who pay for this. I think the residents of Portland who pay their taxes should have a say in how things are done. We’re listening to the folks who finance our city, and we’re asking, ‘Here’s what we’re looking at what you think’?”

Participants sat at tables hosted by City bureau personnel. At regular intervals, participants were asked to change tables.

Forum features round-robin format
Although it was made clear to the participants that no formal testimony would be taken, and that Council will not be making any budget decisions at the forums, their comments were recorded at each of the tables.

Participants in the community budget forums expressed their opinions in a round-robin format, where Commissioners listened. At these tables, community members learned what is being proposed in various areas of the budget, were invited to give their comments, expressed their concerns, and asked questions.

Neighbors speak …

Donna-Lynn Kublick, Chair of the Glenfair Neighborhood Association listens to a city official speak.

Following the meeting, Donna-Lynn Kublick of the Glenfair neighborhood commented that it “was a good experience.”

The best thing for her about the meeting was “Having the choice of sitting at different tables with experts in the fields I wanted to know more about, and being able to give opinions on things that need to change. But, I felt we should have been at the tables at least 5 or 10 minutes longer that we were, and instead of going to only three tables [during the evening] we should have been able to go to a fourth.”

Kublick said she appreciated that a “scribe” wrote the comments voiced on the easel boards. “I felt they really were listening, even to our negative comments – including mine, of how they have treated East County. And, they heard several other negative comments about how outer East Portland has been neglected.”

Jon Turino participates in the forum

Outer East Portland businessman Jon Turino’s take on the Portland Community Budget Forum was that it was well planned and executed. “It provided a good mechanism for Portland residents and business owners both to learn the details of the proposed budget items and to provide their feedback to those requesting the budgeted amounts.”

Turino said he liked the idea of people rotating among tables staffed by bureau executives. “It allowed me to visit those groups of most interest to me, without having to hear about extraneous material that was not of interest to me and/or my constituency. But, it would have been good to have all of the elected officials present to show their direct interest in the inputs from the East Portland community.”

While he saw that his thoughts, issues, and ideas were heard and recorded by the staffers, Turino told us, “I am concerned about how those inputs will be valued and applied as the City’s budgeting process goes forward, and I hope that there will be some feedback regarding the impact of my input.”

What Turino took away from the forum was that the City of Portland budgeting process is a complicated, with a lot of competing priorities. “Some of the City issues are also impacted by County and Metro plans, making it difficult to nail down some specifics.”

Coming from Pleasant Valley, the southernmost neighborhood in outer East Portland, Linda Bauer said she enjoyed the process.

Speaking for herself, Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Association’s Chair, Linda Bauer, said she appreciated the Budget Forum, because, “Lots of Bureau people were there. But it is disappointing to see that not many citizens participated.”

Bauer said she did believe the bureau representatives did hear and record her comments. Most interesting, she added, was that each Portland City Commissioner had picked a special project to champion.

Portland Police Bureau Chief Rosie Sizer listens to the public safety concerns of Centennial neighbor Ron Clemenson. “Overall, it was a good event,” commented Clemenson.

After the release of the Mayor’s Proposed Budget, the City Council will return to the community for more input. A community hearing will be held on May 8 at the King School to take testimony. Additional testimony opportunities are available at the regular Council meetings before that body approves and adopts the new budget.

Want to chime in? Go online and let ’em know Downtown in City Hall what you think by CLICKING HERE.

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2008 Portland Rose Festival kicks off with Parkrose Princess selection

Even though only one Rose Festival event takes place in outer East Portland, all of our high schools participate in the Rose Court. Meet the lovely young lady who will represent Parkrose in this year’s citywide celebration.

After being evaluated and scored, all four Parkrose High School 2008 Portland Rose Festival Princess Candidates – Toyin Oyemaja, Vy Nguyen, Vivian Ngo, and Holly Ho – await the announcement.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The Parkrose High School Theatre filled on Friday afternoon, March 7, with students, staff, and family members as outer East Portland’s first 2008 Portland Rose Festival event got underway: the selection of the Parkrose High Princess.

From the podium, Parkrose High School Principal Roy Reynolds announces, “Please welcome your School’s 2008 Portland Rose Festival Princess Candidates.”

The curtains sweep back and reveal Toyin Oyemaja, Vy Nguyen, Vivian Ngo, and Holly Ho standing on the stage. The enthusiastic cheering is deafening.

Parkrose High’s 2007 Portland Rose Festival Princess, Margaret Drew, greets the assembly, looks at the official tally card, and announces the name of the young lady who will take her crown.

Parkrose Princess Drew returns
Reynolds asks the throng to welcome Parkrose High’s 2007 Portland Rose Festival Princess, Margaret Drew, to the stage.

“I’m so excited,” Drew says. “In just a few minutes will be announcing your Portland Rose Festival Princess. Thank you so much for all of your support. It has been an amazing experience for me. I’m so happy that you’re taking part in the festival and showing your pride in Parkrose, because we have a lot of good things here.”

Beaming her trademark smile, Drew takes the envelope Reynolds presents to her, opens it, glances at it, and proclaims, “And now, without further ado I’d like to announce your 2008 Rose Festival Princess … is Vy Nguyen.”

Vy Nguyen reacts to hearing her name read – meaning she’ll represent Parkrose High School as their 2008 Portland Rose Festival Princess.

Margaret Drew prepares to crown Vy Nguyen.

The Princess speaks
The gathered assembly stands and cheers. After being crowned, she strolls toward the podium.

“Thank you very much,” says Princess Vy. “I thank the girls in the court. I think any one of us would have made an outstanding representative for Parkrose.” She went on to thank staffmembers, family and friends who helped along the way.

Wearing her crown and robe, Princess Vy Nguyen walks to the podium to make her acceptance speech.

Princess Vy pauses for a moment with the school’s principal, Roy Reynolds.

After hundreds of photos are snapped, Princess Vy talks with us, and says, “I’m overwhelmed; I’m not sure what I am feeling, other than I’m phenomenally happy about this.”

Asked to what she looks forward as this year’s Parkrose Princess, Nguyen confides, “I’m looking forward to going to see a lot of places around Portland to which I’ve never been, and meeting new people. I’m sure that becoming the representative for Parkrose High School for the 2008 Portland Rose Festival will have a very positive impact on my life.”

Principal Reynolds comments, “These are all great ladies. I think any one of the ladies would have been a great princess for Parkrose. In fact, all of our princesses, for the last 21 years, made excellent queens, too – but so far, that hasn’t been the case. Perhaps this is our year!”

Here she is – outer East Portland’s first 2008 Portland Rose Festival princess to be crowned, Princess Vy Nguyen!

The school and organization thanks Terry Franceschi, Theater Operations Manager, and members of the stagecraft class, for a lovely, fitting setting and professional lighting.

Also, thanks go to members of the Parkrose Bronco Boosters Club and sponsors Menlo Park Flowers and Mr. Formal for the floral arrangements and the men’s formal wear.

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Freeway-bound land may become become a new Gateway-area park

It may be difficult to picture the 35 acres they’re talking about along I-205 that’s planned for the Gateway Green. See why lots of folks are enthusiastic about the possibilities the park affords …

East Portland’s tireless neighborhood promoter of parks, Linda Robinson, talks about plans for the new “Gateway Green” site with neighbors, along with Cedar Kyes (“I’m the roaming bicycle expert”), and Oregon Department of Transportation operations manager Karla Keller.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Not long ago, a group of more than forty participants spent several hours huddled around tables holding drawings in the gym at Crossroads Christian Church.

These folks were looking at plans and commenting on how a strip of land – running along I-205 from the Gateway Transit Center north to Rocky Butte – might become an accessible, 35-acre nature area called “Gateway Green”.

Where will the Gateway Green lie? Oddly enough, in the area marked in red on this drawing!

“I am really excited about the site’s potential,” commented Linda Robinson, East Portland Parks Chair, after the meeting. “I’m pretty confident we can reach an agreement with Oregon Department of Transportation [ODOT], and actually make this neglected property work for the community.”

Says project will ‘create a positive buzz’
At each of the half-dozen large tables, community members conferred with planners, landscape architects, and governmental officials – and shaded in, drew on, and noted their comments on large drawings of the project.

Joined by many community members, real estate developer Ted Gilbert and Hazelwood Neighborhood’s association Chair Arlene Kimura share their dreams for the Gateway Green.

At one table, we met developer Ted Gilbert, who said he’s “absolutely enthusiastic about this project. The Gateway Green is something that will create a destination to visit and a ‘positive buzz’ around the entire region. People will come and take a fresh look at Gateway.”

The Gateway already has “some amazing attributes”, reminded Gilbert. It’s one of the most accessible areas in the region, being the epicenter of the MAX light rail system; and, it offers underdeveloped land.”

“A lot of people might say, ‘yes, but it’s Gateway’,” Gilbert went on. “But if this project comes about, it may spur catalytic quality development here.”

Jordan Secter, a landscape designer with Lando & Associates Landscape Architecture looks over the plans with Marcie Emerson Peters, Parkrose Neighborhood Association and Parkrose Vision Team, and Gill Williams, a landscape architect with David Evans and Associates.

According to traffic studies, continued Gilbert, about 65 million people go past the site every year – on their way to somewhere else. “But if we make it accessible, by a four minute walk, to the Gateway Transit Center – or other pedestrian and bicycle access points – and if it gets connected with the Sullivan’s Gulch bicycle trail, there will be a lot of visitors who come to enjoy it.”

Based on the ideas we saw being discussed at the tables, it appears the area could be a recreational opportunity for cycling, pedestrians, running and jogging, as well as a safe area for bicycle commuting.

“This could create the branding that puts the Gateway region on the map,” concluded Gilbert. “The question is whether or not we can pull it off.”

Outer East Portland’s Teena Ainslie, and Larry Kotan, a Parkrose Heights resident and member of the East Portland Action Plan Committee, study the plan and make their recommendations.

The process continues
Robinson explained that the neighbors interested in the project must go through several more steps addressing the issues identified by ODOT when they gave permission to do this initial exploration phase.

“It will take a while to move through the rest,” Robinson commented, “answering questions, like which organization would manage and maintain the site. We wanted to get a better feel for what activities the community would like to see there, before we talked with a specific agency/organization about management.”

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Cleveland High’s “HONK” fills the winter musical bill

If you miss this musical theater retelling of “The Ugly Duckling” – you’ll miss a fun production replete with fowl puns, feathered frolics, and a purrr-fectly sinister Cat …

Dot, (Maya Houston), based on the bad information provided by Cat (Jordon Beck), a sly, cunning – and generally hungry – feral feline, helps her husband, Admiral Goose Graylag (Sam Bennett), get ready for Ugly’s search-and-rescue mission. It isn’t easy, because Graylag is a really bad navigator.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Taking a turn away from traditional musicals, the Cleveland High School Thespians are now presenting – through March 16 – a relatively new, but award-winning, show simply entitled “HONK!”.

“We thought a contemporary musical would be a nice change from the traditional musical shows we’ve been doing for the last six years,” said the show’s director, Jane Ferguson, Cleveland High’s drama instructor.

“Yes, ‘HONK!” is a cute show,” Ferguson continued, “but, more than that, this is a story about accepting people who are different from you. And, we have a very diverse population of students here at Cleveland High School.”

The central character of the story is Ugly (Michael Chafee), the ugly duckling. Although the others think he’s gawky and odd-looking, he turns out to be a good swimmer with a heart of gold.

Ida (Joellen Sweeney), Ugly’s mother, seems to be the only one who thinks her awkward, honking duckling will ever amount to anything.

About the story …
This retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling” mixes in a theme of tolerance for others.

The British songwriting duo of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe aimed their book and score, originally titled “The Ugly Duckling, or the Aesthetically Challenged Farmyard Fowl”, at children and their parents. Since it first premiered in 1993, its name was changed to “HONK!” and it has won numerous awards, including the 2000 Olivier Award for Best Musical, beating “The Lion King”.

Dot (Maya Houston), wife of the Admiral Goose, gets the air squadron (actually, geese) ready for a mission to find Ugly.

“Our musical director, Sam Barbara, recently starred in this same show at the University of Portland,” noted Ferguson.

“HONK!” is set in rural England. As the story unfolds, Ugly – gawky and odd-looking as he is – finds he simply doesn’t fit into life around the duck pond.

Ida, his tearful mom, does her best to defend Ugly, while his dad Drake ‘ducks’ his fatherly responsibilities.

Along the way, Ugly meets a purrr-fectly cunning, sly – and hungry – stray Cat, who sings of the joys of “playing with food”, and wants to have Ugly over for lunch or dinner, literally.

Ugly stumbles into the house of the Farmer’s Wife while trying to escape the ridicule, and encounters into the sophisticated, domesticated Cat, as well as Queenie (Eleanor Bray), and house-frau hen, Lowbutt (Liza Cortright), who exclaims, “A feather pillow must have burst” when she sees Ugly.

Honk is a pun-filled backwoods romp that includes a wisecracking bullfrog, a snide house-hen, and other comical barnyard creatures.

Will Cat “cook Ugly’s goose”? Can Ugly survive the rejection he faces, a blizzard, and the farmer’s carving knife, and fulfill his destiny of becoming a graceful swan? And in the end, will Cat go insane, and scream “Take me to the Betty Fuur Clinic!”?

It looks like Cat, poorly disguised as Ugly’s father, finally has his paws on the duckling he wants to have over for lunch – as Duck à l’Orange, that is.

About the production
“We hope the community will enjoy this unique musical,” Ferguson said. “This show is a new, hot musical that is being presented in many schools and community theaters.”

The cast of 50 students is aided by a professional choreographer, Aerin Shannon, and a set designer from Lewis and Clark College, John Gerth.

The cast of “HONK!” draws from all grade levels at the school, Ferguson added. “It looks like we have a great group of underclassmen who will be here to continue in our future productions.”

It is love at first sight for Queenie and Cat – they dance a purrrr-fect tango of romance, causing Cat to forget his dastardly luncheon plans for Ugly. But, Ugly’s problems are far from over!

“HONK!” runs through March 15
This show opened to an enthusiastic audience on March 6, and continues on March 7 and 8 at 7:00 p.m. Or, you can catch the show next weekend, March 14 or 16; again with a 7:00 p.m. curtain time. The final showing is a special matinee performance at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 16.

Tickets are only $10 for adults and $8 for students at the door. Advance tickets available online at: www.clevelandhighmusical.com, or call Brown Paper Tickets at (800) 838-3006.

Cleveland High School is located at 3400 S.E. 26th Avenue, just north of SE Powell Boulevard.

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Electrical fire causes minor damage in Brentwood Darlington

Had the fire gone unnoticed, it could have been much worse. See what else you can learn about fire safety by reading this one …

-1 Portland Fire & Rescue firefighters, arriving minutes after the fire was reported, quickly extinguish a fire in the upper level of this home.

Story and photo by David F. Ashton

Just four minutes after the alarm sounded at 2:18 p.m. on March 2, the crews of Portland Fire & Rescue (PFR) Station 25 rolled up to a house on the 6400 block of SE Duke St.

They saw what their neighbor had reported – smoke rolling out of a vent in an attic area in the house, according to the Battalion Chief on scene, Terry Munro.

“Our crews got right up there and put it out with a portable fire extinguisher,” Munro explained. “They had their water lines ready, just in case the fire grew larger.”

As it was, the prompt response of the crews kept the fire small. “They’re doing overhaul [removing burnt material, and looking for remaining embers] with just one pan,” added Munro. “And, they’re removing bits of insulation and other materials, to make sure they can get a good look at the source of the fire.”

We noted engines from Stations 11 and 20 were standing by, and asked why the bureau responded with so many crew members and equipment.

“It’s our standard response to a house fire,” explained Munro. “We don’t know if it will be a large or small fire until we get there. It’s better to have resources there, and not need them, then not have them and need them. It keeps a smaller fire smaller.”

Thanks to the firefighter’s prompt response, only one pan was needed to remove burned debris from the home’s attic.

Fire due to overloaded circuits
When we talked with PFR spokesman Lt. Allen Oswalt about the fire, later this week, he said inspectors had found that the fire started in a branch electrical circuit, not sheathed in metal, in the ceiling and roof of the house.

“The report says there was a failure in the power circuit where it went through structural members of the house,” commented Oswalt. “Two space heaters, plugged into the same circuit, caused the overloaded wiring to arc.”

Total loss was about $1,000.

Update your smoke alarm
Oswalt reminded us that, with the coming of Daylight Savings Time on March 9th, fire departments suggest folks check their smoke alarm batteries.

“With the new available technology,” Oswalt said, “we’re now suggesting that when you ‘change your clock’ you install a new smoke alarm with a ten-year lithium battery.”

In 1998, the fire bureau spokesman reminded us, an Oregon law required that any new smoke alarm installed contain a 10-year lithium battery. “The ten years are up. If you installed a new one back then, it’s time for buy a new unit.”

The new smoke alarms also have a “hush button”, he added. “This button silences the alarm when nuisance smoke or shower steam accidentally sets it off.”

New alarms cost about $15. “But remember, smoke alarms continue to provide the most important protection against death in a fire,” Oswalt reminded.

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SMILE! You’re on red-light camera!

Outer East Portland citizens have been given two more opportunities to have their photo taken – for only $245 per picture. See where these handy “outdoor photo booths” are now working …

Drivers who speed through this intersection on a yellow light had better take heed! By late August, police will issue tickets to those who blow the read light!

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Lead-footed, red-light-running drivers in the Gateway shopping area: beware! The City of Portland has installed two new “red-light cameras” along SE Stark Street. And, they’re up and running.

The new red-light cameras are on SE Stark at 99th Avenue, and on SE Stark at 102nd Avenue.

The system camera systems were put into operation on August 7, according to Portland Office of Transportation’s Greg Raisman.

SNAP! This car didn’t heed the traffic control signal – and will be sent warning ticket while the red-light photo system is being tested.

“During a two-week test period,” Raisman told us, “Portland Police will be checking the violation photos and mailing warning letters to vehicles and drivers that would have been issued a citation.”

But, don’t press your luck. Beginning August 21, scofflaws will receive a $245 fine when the newly-installed cameras flash drivers’ photographs as they run red lights. The photos will generate a citation.

“Basically, the camera cannot take a picture unless a vehicle enters the intersection after the light is red,” assured Raisman. “Each photograph is reviewed by a Police officer to ensure there is evidence of a violation before a citation is issued.”

The red-light camera program is administered jointly by the Portland Police Bureau and the Portland Office of Transportation.

For all the details about how the system works – and why the City of Portland believes these devices will increase safety – CLICK HERE to read our February, 2008 article about outer East Portland’s first red-light camera.

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Smile! You’re on red-light camera!

Some call them “City of Portland ATMs”, set up to withdraw $245 from your wallet. But see why officials say these automatic camera systems now being installed in outer East Portland might just save your life …

No, it won’t be technician Tony May looking at you through the center window in this box at SE Washington St. at 103rd Avenue on March 3 – it will be a high-resolution film camera, snapping photos of red light running scofflaws.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
When it comes to mangled vehicles being towed away from an intersection, this outer East Portland crossroads in the Gateway area didn’t win top prize – it’s in third place.

The intersection of SE Washington St at 103rd Avenue racked up 35 traffic smash-ups in the past four years – every one of them caused by a driver running a red light.

However, this outer East Portland intersection does have the honor of being the first to receive a brand new red light camera system that automatically snaps photos of vehicles running a red signal.

“Portland uses red light cameras because they are an important tool for improving traffic safety,” says Sergeant Dan Costello of the Portland Police Bureau’s Traffic Division. “Angle crashes are more than two times more likely to result in serious injuries and fatalities than rear-end crashes.”

Traffic specialists say that when red light violations occur, they most often result in an angle or turning collision. These broadside – or T-bone – collisions are especially dangerous, because the sides of vehicles offer the least protection to their occupants.

It takes a large crane to lift and position the pole that will hold the new Gateway red light camera.

Caught on film
On February 27, we watch as foreman Jeff Yost of Electrical Construction Company, and his apprentice Jason Rickford, hoist the new camera-bearing pole and secure it to the sidewalk in front of the Old Chicago restaurant.

Soon, Tony May, an installation specialist from Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS), the company contracted to install and operate Portland’s red light cameras, arrives to oversee the final installation of the box and hardware.

“This won’t be a video camera; we’ll be installing what we call a ‘wet film’ camera,” explains May. “A magazine holding enough high-resolution Fuji film to take at least 200 shots is attached to the camera. A technician comes and physically changes out the film magazines.”

How often the technician will have to change them depends on traffic, May adds. “Looking at the traffic right here, I think it’ll get quite a bit of business.”

The heavy steel box Jason Rickford and Tony May are mounting will contain a high-resolution film camera, and an industrial-strength photo flash that’s synchronized with the traffic control signal circuitry at the intersection.

A computerized, impartial witness
While Yost and Rickford wrestle the heavy camera pole – made from steel and aircraft-quality parts – into place, May points out parts of the system, including detection loops buried in the pavement, and photo flash units mounted on poles near the intersection.

We learn that the system activates based on the timing of the traffic light. When a vehicle runs a red light, the system takes two pictures.

Loops of wire, buried in these pavement cuts, determine a vehicle’s speed as it zips through a red light – and helps capture the moment on film.

The first photo snaps only if the traffic light is red and a vehicle crosses the detection loops located behind the wide, white “stop line”. Using a time-distance calculation, system’s computer determines when to take the second photo – one that shows the vehicle traveling through the middle of the intersection.

“The photo flash units [synchronized with the system] are powerful; they’ll light up the area at night,” May says. “And you’d be surprised at how clear the photos are. You can see drivers doing all kinds of things, like drinking a beer, while they are running the red light.”

Warnings issued through March 16
According to Cheryl E. Kuck at the Portland Office of Transportation, they’ll fire up the new camera on Monday, March 3. “During a test period that continues for two weeks, Portland Police will be checking the violation photos and mailing warning letters to vehicles and drivers that would have been issued a citation,” advises Kuck.

“Beginning Monday, March 17,” cautions Kuck, “motorists who run a red light at this intersection may receive a $245 fine. Each photograph is reviewed by a Police officer to ensure there is evidence of a violation before a citation is issued.”

Now that the construction crew is gone, you probably won’t notice the red light camera – unless you run the red light and see a brilliant flash as it takes your portrait.

Three more red light cameras to come
Outer East Portland’s #1 crash spot, SE Foster Road at 96th Avenue – with 53 red light crashes in four years – isn’t likely to see a red light camera soon; the project is “beginning the design phase”.

However, the second-place intersection at SE Stark Street at 102nd Avenue, with 44 red-light crashes logged – located just a block north of the first installation – will have the unblinking eye of the law snapping scofflaw’s photos in just two months.

Also in the neighborhood, at SE Stark Street at 99th Avenue, because of 19 red light crashes, another system will be installed before summer.

“No matter how pressed you are for time, please stop for a red light,” says Portland’s traffic Commissioner, Sam Adams. “Gambling on saving a minute or two by running a red light could kill or seriously injure you or someone else. Red light running has very serious consequences.”