East PDX News

Kids encouraged to be cut-ups at Midland Library

Take one look, and you’ll see the fun these kids had making dimensional paper artwork in this class ‚Ä¶

Instructor Jean Choy helps kids get started on their Sunday afternoon art project.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Not all events at the library involve books.

Not long ago, we stopped by Midland Library to see a paper crafts class that brightened up an otherwise dreary Sunday afternoon for kids and their parents

“This is paper art for children,” explained the instructor, Jean Choy, “and also for adults who like to make art!”

Choy said she’s taught Chinese-style brush painting for 25 years, and enjoys creating art in charcoal and pen and ink. “I’m also a Chinese language teacher.”

-Alisha Archer with a little help from mom Julia, doing arts and crafts at Midland Library by making birds.

The craft at this session was making fanciful birds from paper cutouts.

Check our Community Calendar and you may find a class or special interest program that tickles your fancy. The best part? They’re all free.

Rugby players bring traditional football to Westmoreland Park

It might look like a vicious sport, played without rules, but read this, and learn why rugby is a lot more civilized than you may think ‚Ä¶

Performing what looks like a cross between a ballet leap and an acrobatic cheerleader stunt, rugby players hoist a team member high into the air to catch the ball during a “line out”.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Their game over, soccer players quickly cleared the field at Westmoreland Park when they saw the blue-uniformed Oregon Sports Union “Jesters” and the red-jersey clad “Portland Pigs” (a/k/a Portland Rugby Football Club) on February 17.

“We don’t want to be in the way of these guys,” said a soccer player, making a hasty exit to the sidelines.

About to take place was the semi-annual competition between Portland’s senior men’s rugby leagues.

Century old sport shows no age
While the game of rugby came into being in 1872, the first Portland club was organized only in 1961, we’re told by Shawn Waterman, assistant coach of the Portland Rugby Football Club, known as the Portland Pigs.

“Portland Pigs?” we ask.

“According to oral tradition,” Waterman said with a smile, “at a tournament in San Francisco, a pig wandered on the field. The club adopted it, brought it back to Portland, and later roasted it. It was said to have been delicious.”

Not for the faint of heart
Waterman enthused, “It’s a fantastic game. It gets in your blood. It is a very physical game. It isn’t for the weak at heart, nor unsound of body.”

As in American football, rugby players grab the ball and do their best to carry into the scoring end-zone.

Rugby differs from American Football, we learned, in that players don’t wear helmets or hard pads. They are permitted to use soft, foam shoulder pads.

Asked about the basics, Waterman does his best to simplify the game play.

“The playing field is 100 meters in length, goal posts on each end. There are 15 players on a team. The object is to tally more points than your opponent by scoring a “try”, a “penalty kick” or a “drop goal”. A “conversion” after a “try” scores points as well.”

In simple terms, each team alternately attacks the opposition goal or defends their own.

Unlike American football, a when the player running ball is tackled ‚Äì and wow, are they tackled ‚Äì they untangle themselves and the play continues.

An adult-level rugby match lasts 80 minutes, played in two halves of 40 minutes each. It is controlled by a single referee and two touch judges.

“One thing that makes the game so vigorous,” Waterman stated, “is that, unlike American football, play continues immediately after a tackle.”

Parent calls it a “clean” sport
On the sidelines, watching what looked like violent roughhousing, we met Richard Sorem, the parent of Taylor, a Portland Pigs player. We asked if he had concerns for his son’s safety.

“True, it is a very ‘physical’ game,” Sorem replied. “But, he’s been playing for three years. Even though they play hard, it’s a ‘clean’ sport in which sportsmanship is highly valued. Rugby doesn’t have rules ‚Äì instead, they call them ‘laws’ ‚Äì and they are meant to be obeyed.”

Overall, Sorem said, he didn’t think the chance for injury is any greater than in other contact sports. “There are risks in playing any sport.”

It looks like a coordinated shoving match, but this grapple with the ball is called a “scrum”.

The greatest game
During a break, we ask Waterman why he chose this sport. “Simply, we play it because it is the greatest game.”

Portland rugby is played in a split season, in the fall and spring. “Wet, sloppy fields don’t make for a good game, but we play it in the season,” Waterman commented.

You can see the Portland Pigs practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Montavilla Park, SE 82nd Avenue of Roses and Glisan Street, at 7:00 p.m. Games are played on Saturdays.

You can learn more about this fascinating, traditional sport by going to www.portlandrugby.org.

‘Oblivious’ driver broadsided by MAX train in Hazelwood

Witnesses, including an off-duty police officer, say they were surprised the elderly driver who turned in front of a rolling MAX train wasn’t killed

Portland Police NRT Officer Michael Gallagher (center, writing on the pad on the car) witnessed what he said was a grinding mix-up between the wrecked car and a MAX train.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Witnesses say it did not look like the driver of blue Dodge Astra was racing, trying to beat the MAX train to the SE 108th Ave. intersection from E. Burnside St.

Nevertheless, the heedless driver lost the contest and was struck, broadside, on the clear, dry early afternoon of March 8.

Thought she was killed
“I happened to look out the window,” says neighbor Laura MacDonald, “and couldn’t believe I was seeing a car just turn in front of the MAX train. It slammed into the car so hard, it spun it around. I thought it must’ve killed the driver for sure.”

The MAX Train coupler struck the car broadside, first in the driver’s door; then in the rear quarter-panel, as it spun it off the tracks.

Driver appears oblivious
About to start his afternoon shift, off-duty Portland Police NRT Officer Michael Gallagher was on his way from the Gateway Area Business Association meeting to East Precinct.

“I was coming south on SE 108th Avenue, waiting for traffic to clear,” Gallagher tells us on scene. She [the driver of the Dodge] was westbound on E. Burnside St. I observed her pulling into the left hand turn lane to travel south on 108th. She appeared to be oblivious to the MAX train, bearing down upon the intersection.”

Gallagher says the train indicator lights and traffic signals were operating, and the MAX train sounded the horn, then hit its brakes.

“When I got out, checking on her after the accident, I thought she’d be seriously injured ‚Äì or worse,” says Gallagher.

TriMet officials check over the MAX train; it is released to continue its westward journey.

Instead of finding a mangled driver, the officer says the heedless driver refused medical attention ‚Äì and, using her four-point cane, walked away from the accident.

“It was my fault, I think,” said the elderly woman. “I didn’t see it.”

East Portland firefighters quench two blazes in two days

Eighteen hours apart, these two residential fires kept crews from Portland Fire & Rescue busy. See why one of the fires sounded “two alarms” ‚Ä¶

Firefighters knew they had to quickly knock this fire down to keep it from spreading to other units of this apartment building. (Dick Harris, PF&R photo)

Story and some photos by David F. Ashton
An apartment house fire on the evening of March 2 sent the crews of eleven fire engines and five ladder trucks to the 13000 block of SE Powell Boulevard.

“On arrival,” PF&R’s John Hill reports, “they had a large amount of fire in two of the first floor apartments.”

The flames, Hill says, were leaping to the second floor of the structure, extending up to the parapet area of the roof. When the roof was ablaze ten minutes after they arrived, the Battalion Chief called for a second alarm.

“A ‘second alarm’ immediately dispatches more resources to a fire,” explains the bureau spokesperson, Lt. Allen Oswalt. “Especially with an apartment fire, we want to make sure we contain the fire, and that it doesn’t spread to other units.”

Portland crews, assisted by Gresham firefighters, quickly knocked down the blaze.

“Damage to the apartment complex was limited,” Hill says, “so that we only had two adults and one child that are going to stay with another family member.”

This fire remains under investigation.

Neighbors’ quick calls save elderly woman’s burning home

Officials say calls by neighbors brought out firefighters to investigate reports of smoke coming from this Southeast Portland home.

“We look out for each other,” says a neighbor, standing in the intersection of SE Steele St. at 57th Avenue as firefighters swirl around us. “I was concerned when I saw smoke coming from this house because an elderly lady lives there.”

The concern led her, and other neighbors, to promptly call 9-1-1 when they saw smoke coming from more than the chimney of the modest blue home on March 3.

While firefighters check on her wellbeing, neighbors gather to comfort the woman whose home is damaged by a basement fire.

Quick investigation leads to fast action
Within minutes, Portland Fire & Rescue’s Truck 25 rolls on scene.

“Firefighters arrived to find smoke-stained windows,” Battalion Chief Erin Janssens tells us on scene. “They immediately called for ‘residential house fire response’, thus dispatching more units.”

A jet of water sprays out of a basement window, as firefighters quickly extinguish the fire, said to be located above the home’s basement ceiling.

Concerned that the occupant might be in the building, Janssens tells us, some firefighters made a complete search of the building while others looked for the source of the potential blaze.

“In the basement, they found the source of the smoke, and extinguished it,” says Janssens. “Fortunately, the occupant was out of the building.”

Lt. Greg Holsinger, from Station 25, comforts the homeowner, and gives her information regarding resources available to her.

In all, 24 firefighters responded to the incident, hailing from PF&R Stations 25, 20, 9 and 11.

Screwball comedy takes the stage at David Douglas High

NOW PLAYING: See how a British vicar’s home is turned upside down by four mistaken identities, two impostors, an escaped spy in this hilarious, fast-moving play ‚Ä¶

As the story begins … Penelope Toop (Desira?© Stewart), the American wife of the local vicar is disappointed that her visiting ex-show biz pal, Corporal Clive Winton (Chris McVey) won’t take her to see a show in town. Winton relents, borrows the vicar’s suit, and is mistaken for the Reverend.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The opening night audience laughed out loud, hearing the snappy dialog, seeing the madcap action and reveling in the mash-up of confusion of the David Douglas High School production of See How They Run.

It’s a World War II era play by Philip King, considered by many to be the “King of Farces” because of the screwball situations and humor, heavily playing on problems arising from mistaken identities.

The maid, Ida (Emily Strickland) tries to explain to her boss, The Reverend Lionel Troop (Jonathan Quesenberry) why the town busybody, Miss Skilton (Katy Beckemeyer) is found inebriated, out of control, and in the most embarrassing of situations ‚Äì on the floor!

The line, “See how they run”, originally drawn from the nursery rhyme about the “three blind mice” is best known in popular culture today from The Beatles’ use of it in two of their songs, “I am the Walrus” and “Lady Madonna”.

But perhaps Paul McCartney and John Lennon used this phrase in the songs not because of the children’s rhyme, but because they enjoyed the comedic confusion that reigns in this play.

The real Reverend Troop gets clocked by an escaped prisoner (Joey Russell) who needs a quick change of clothes. Thus, two vicar-imposters are now in the house.

Star-studded, experience cast
You’ll recognize many of the actors in this production. Most of them have played many staring roles in other David Douglas Theater products.

Some of the featured players in this show are Katy Beckemeyer played the lead role in Peter Pan; Chris McVey was “Big Jule” in Guys and Dolls; Jonathan Quesenberry was “Captain Hook” in Peter Pan; Desira?© Stewart played a knockout “Adelaide” in Guys and Dolls and “Wendy” in Peter Pan; and, Emily Strickland, a veteran of nine DDHS productions, and will be competing in the State drama competitions.

The Bishop of Lax (Rachel Lemons), shows up a day early, complicating matters for Penelope, to the delight of maid Ida.

Solid direction produces snappy scenes
Directed by Michael Givler, with the support of Judy LeCoq and Kaila Murry, the actors deliver their lines crisply, with the “snap” necessary to make a fast-paced comedy pick up speed until the frenzied ending.

The more questions the Bishop of Lax asks of Penelope, the more confusing the situation becomes. Corporal Winton laughs hysterically, both because he’s been mistaken for Reverend Troop ‚Äì and because his military uniform has disappeared.

Sophisticated staging
The show’s Technical Director, Mark L. Taylor and his student staff built the realistic set ‚Äì complete with five doors, all well used ‚Äì out and away from the stage front, bringing the action up close to the audience.

The crew’s execution of Lighting Designer David Tangen’s superb illumination design highlights the screwball antics of the characters as they scurry about, trying desperately to right multiple situations that have gone awry.

As the situation continues to worsen, and the pace of the play quickens, Penelope is frenzied as Corporal Winton squares off with the (literally) defrocked Reverend Troop. The action continues to build from here ‚Äì these scenes are from the FIRST half of the show!

Order tickets today
See How They Run continues its run on March 15, 16, and 17.

Showtimes for all performances are at 7:30 p.m. in the beautiful Howard Horner Performing Arts Center, 1400 SE 130th Ave., Portland, OR 97233.

Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for adults.

For ticket information, call the David Douglas Box Office at (503) 261-8270.

Precinct-wide citizen’s patrol organizes in outer East Portland

If you’re sick and tired of crooks and drug addicts reducing the quality of life in outer East Portland, learn about this special meeting on March 20 ‚Ä¶

Rosanne Lee, East Portland Crime Prevention Program Coordinator, encourages Powellhurst-Gilbert’s Glenn Taylor to attend the March 20 organizing meeting for the new Foot Patrol.

Story and photo by David F. Ashton

They don’t carry guns and bust crooks.

But citizen volunteer members of a “Foot Patrol” do wear identifying vests, and battle crime with notebooks and pens.

Rosanne Lee, East Portland Crime Prevention Program Coordinator, explains, “Their purpose is to record what they see ‚Äì but, more importantly, to be a visible presence in the community.”

Lee says she’s in the process of developing a group of volunteers to assist Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct officers to provide a “community presence at ‘hot-spots’ in various neighborhoods. They also do outreach for the precinct for special projects, like car prowl education.”

After two hours of training, the volunteers decide how to organize, Lee tells us. “This is a new idea; we’ve never organized a Foot Patrol on a precinct-wide basis. And, East Precinct covers a lot of territory. We’re breaking new ground.”

Come check out the Foot Patrol on March 20
Learn more about this do-it-yourself crime reduction program. The few hours you volunteer each month can make a real, positive difference in your community and neighborhood.

The organizing meeting is Tuesday, March 20 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the East Precinct Community Room, 737 SE 106th Avenue.

When disaster strikes, these neighbors will be ready to help

When a major disaster strikes, it could be days, even a week before “official” governmental aid reaches you. See how some neighbors learn to protect their families ‚Äì and perhaps help save YOUR life ‚Ä¶

Carol Moseley and Peter Deyoe show-and-tell class members how to be better prepared to help themselves, their household, and their neighbors, after a disaster.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Perhaps you’ve seen the listing in our Community Calendar for C-NET training sessions, and were curious to learn more.

A couple of weeks ago, we stopped in on a training session at the East Portland Community Center to get a first-hand look at why citizens take this free, valuable series of classes.

“Today, we’re holding the first of a two-part workshop to prepare citizens to deal with a disaster,” says With Peter Deyoe, Team Leader of Hazel Park NET Team. “NET stands for ‘Neighborhood Emergency Team’.”

Deyoe tells us of the many kinds of disasters that could befall citizens in Portland — such as earthquakes, terrorist events, or a disease pandemic.

Don’t count on rapid outside help
There are ways people can be prepared for disaster, regardless of the specific threat, he continues. “The object is to reduce the impact of the disaster by being prepared.”

NET training, he explains, goes on the assumption that, for the first week, individuals should be prepared to “go it alone” in a severe disaster. So, families, households and individuals should be prepared.

Many of the survival supplies are not exotic; and packed in Mylar foil, they’ll stay ready-to-use for years.

“We encourage people to first take care of themselves, and then their households. After that, they can be of assistance to friends and family members.”

Camping at home
Deyoe outlines how people can be ready to “go camping” at home. In the class, the leaders outline several disaster scenarios. “The key is to develop a ‘new mind-set’ of being prepared, instead of being afraid.”

Helping with the class is NET volunteer Carol Moseley, an area resident and a “ham radio” operator. She shows the group practical ways to prepare their household. “People don’t have to spend a lot of money to prepare; just think about it,” she said.

Moseley illustrates her point by showing essential foods and supplies, pointing out what she calls “indispensable items” to have ready for a disaster. She also gave food, water, and waste disposal pointers.

Checklists east preparation
The presenters go over checklists of common medical scenarios and first aid supplies to have on hand. “Make sure you have the wrench or key to shut off your natural gas lines,” instructs Deyoe.

The second part of the two-part class is typically offered the following week. “We hold these classes on a regular basis. Join us, and be prepared,” Deyoe recommends.

Find out more
While it isn’t easy to find, follow this link to the City of Portland web site for more for more information: www.portlandonline.com/oem/index.cfm?c=dbggh

Volunteers ‘rescue’ a ton of plastics from landfill fate

Why would volunteers work all day ‚Äì in the rain ‚Äì helping East Portlanders recycle their discarded plastic items? Read all about it right here!

Mary Leverette, one of the volunteer coordinators for the SE Portland Plastics Round-up, helps East Portlanders put discarded plastic in its place ‚Äì a recycling center instead of the landfill.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Last month, volunteers were standing in the morning drizzle overseeing plastic recycling barrels in the parking lot of Floyd Light Middle School on SE 106th Avenue.

It isn’t glamorous, but volunteer Portland Master Recyclers say their regular “Plastics Round-up” events are important.

“Many plastics never break down in a landfill,” explains Master Recycler Mary Leverette. “And ‘never’ is a very long time. But, thanks to growing markets for recycled plastics, we can keep them out of the landfills, reduce the volume, and do a good thing for the community.”

At these scheduled events, Leverette tells us, neighbors are encouraged to bring plastic nursery pots, bags and film, kitty litter containers, and all types of hard-to recycle plastic.

Rachael Berkeley and Zora, here doing their part to help by recycling their plastic goods. “The best way to help our kids become more aware of environmental issues,” Rachael says, “is to demonstrate our beliefs by putting them into action.”

Where the used plastic goes
We learned from Leverette that an Oregon company, Agri-plas, specializes in recycling plastics used at farms, greenhouses, and plant nurseries. The company has developed ways to reuse hard-to-recycle plastics.

“Agri-plas makes chips or pellets out of the materials, and then sells them to other manufacturers who make a multitude of items. Plastic Pots are mostly made back into plastic pots. Plastic bags mostly become plastic lumber. Agri-plas is known for their exceptionally well-sorted and contaminant-free plastic, making it easier for manufacturers to use.”

Next Round-up is May 19
According to what we learned, the Portland Master Recycling program’s mission is “Bridging the gap between awareness and action, by motivating people to reduce waste in their home and workplaces.”

“It’s that simple,” Leverette says. “We volunteer because we’re passionate about taking action to help our environment.”

Check our May Community Calendar for the announcement of their next event.

Or, mark down Saturday, May 19 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. ‚Äì and take your clean, recyclable plastics to at Floyd Light Middle School 10800 SE Washington St.

For more information, see their web site at www.masterrecycler.org.

Just three hours, and 79 blocks apart, two fires gut east Portland homes

See how serious home blazes caused at least one fire crew to race from one East Portland residence to another ‚Ä¶

It took firefighters 30 minutes to put out this fire on SE 153rd Avenue. [Dick Harris, PF&R, photo]

When duty calls, crews from Portland Fire & Rescue respond ‚Äì sometimes going from one fire directly to another. Such was the case on February 23.

Outer Southeast fire
Four minutes after the call came in at 6:22 p.m., the crews from Engines 9, 45, and 73 arrive on-scene, in the 400 block of SE 153rd Avenue.

“The garage is fully involved in fire,” reports PF&R spokesman Lt. Allen Oswalt.

He says the blaze started in the attached garage of a residence. “Hot coals from a fireplace ‘cleanout’, inside the garage, ignited cardboard boxes stored too close to the fireplace chimney. Embers from the fire got up into the exposed attic of the home.”

We learn from the neighbors that the family had occupied the residence for less than two months. The dollar loss from this fire has been set at $60,000.

“The family got out OK, there were no injuries,” says Oswalt. “But, there is a lot of damage to the home.”

Firefighters use an infrared detector to seek hidden flames in the walls of a home on NE 74th Ave.

Northeast blaze injures resident
Later the same evening, the fact that his burning home was a block away from Fire Station 19 may have saved the resident’s life.

Neighbors across the street say they didn’t see flames. “There was a lot of thick, dark gray and black smoke coming out of the house,” she adds. “It seemed like the fire trucks were here, instantly.”

“We’ve got a fire in a one-story wood frame house,” Battalion Chief Chris Babcock tells us on scene. “Engine 19, just a block away, was first in. Immediately, they entered the building to attack the fire. Once inside, firefighters encountered heat and heavy smoke conditions.”

Portland Fire & Rescue spokesman, Lt Doug Jones continues the story: “At the same time firefighting efforts were taking place, members of Engine 19 began to search the inside of the house for any occupants that may have been inside.”

Had it not been for the fast-acting crew of Engine 19, the resident of the burning house probably would have died in the fire. [Dick Harris, PF&R, photo]

Within moments, Jones adds, they found an unconscious 55-year-old man on a bed in a back corner bedroom of the house. “They quickly carried him outside, where firefighters & paramedics began resuscitation efforts. He’s [the resident] being transported to Emanuel Hospital; he’s reported to have a pulse and to be breathing.”

The fire victim is later reported to be in critical, but stable condition.

“We had help from Engine 9,” reports Babcock. “They had just come from the fire on 153rd.”

A small dog found outside the residence was rescued and sent to Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital.

This fire was extinguished very soon after fire crews arrived, officials say.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and is still under investigation by Portland Fire & Rescue Fire Investigators.

Dramatic domestic violence rescue followed by SERT foray

Even after police used a ladder to help a woman escape from a Brentwood-Darlington home, the man involved didn’t give up. See why SE 52nd Avenue was shut down while cops lobbed canisters of tear gas into that house ‚Ä¶

SE Rex Drive, west of 52nd Avenue, quickly fills with public safety workers and vehicles, when it becomes obvious that a domestic disturbance is about to escalate.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Neighbors around the house in the 4800 block of secluded SE Rex Drive say the man’s behavior wasn’t typical ‚Äì in fact he was definitely acting abnormally on March 1.

At 3:45 pm, Portland Police Bureau Southeast Precinct officers respond to a reported domestic disturbance at the home.

When we arrive on scene, we learn there is dispute between a man and a woman. The man is holding the woman against her will.

Dramatic second-story rescue
“When officers arrive,” police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz tells us, “they learn the man threatened a female in the house with a knife; and she’s hiding in an upstairs room of the house.”

Officers work quickly to bring the woman to safety by putting a ladder up to the window, and then rescue her by pulling her through a second-story window.

It doesn’t take long from SE 52nd Avenue to turn into a parking lot filled with all kinds of emergency-response vehicles.

Makes threats instead of giving up
We note two fire engines in the area. “The man made statements he was barricading himself in the home, or was going to burn the home,” explains Schmautz.

Officers attempted to contact the troubled man, Schmautz says, but after he made several threats, officers activate the bureau’s Special Emergency Response Team (SERT).

SE 52nd Avenue, between SE Flavel Drive and SE Harney Avenue is shut down. “Public safety is our primary concern,” says a sergeant, in passing.

SE Precinct Commander Derek Foxworth (left) takes charge of the unfolding situation, and briefs Public Information Officer Sgt. Brian Schmautz on the status of the operation.

From all over the city, members of SERT roll on-scene. Soon, SE 52nd Avenue is filled with patrol cars and off-duty SERT member vehicles.

Officers “suit up” as a temporary command center is set up. They dress in Kevlar vests and camouflage jackets; check their weapons; and get ready for deployment.

SERT moves in
Using restraint typical of SERT operations we’ve observed; they don’t rush in shooting.

The heavily-armored SERT vehicle snakes its way south on SE 52nd Ave., turns west on SE Rex Drive, and moves into position near the house in which a man refuses to surrender.

Instead, the heavily armed team members quickly remove neighbors from surrounding homes and seal off the area. Then, they take positions surrounding the house. SERT K-9 teams suit up and take positions.

At the same time, trained SERT negotiators establish communication and endeavor to talk the man into surrendering.

At the Mobile Command Center, a huge RV-looking vehicle, SE Precinct Commander Derek Foxworth and the command staff listen to the negotiators and the SERT team leaders.

“If the negotiators believe that talking is fruitful, they’ll continue to talk as long as it is reasonable,” Schmautz tells us. “But when the suspect starts becoming irrational, or starts making statements leading them to believe he will cause harm to himself to the community by his actions, the commander will direct SERT to deploy gas and enter.”

Negotiations break down
As night falls on this particular rainy evening, the negotiators talk with the man, seen pacing in the house for more than an hour. But, talking doesn’t lead him to come out.

At 6:16 p.m., the sound of shells being fired can be heard ‚Äì it’s the SERT team, shooting tear gas into the house.

A few minutes later, “Pop, pop, pop” ‚Äì more shells are lobbed into the residence. “They’ll use enough tear gas or other less-lethal means to gain compliance as necessary,” Schmautz comments.

As night falls, bystanders’ eyes began to sting, as wafts of tear gas came from the house where a man was holed up.

Still, the troubled man doesn’t exit. For 40 minutes, more and more tear gas floods the residence. The man breaks a window, trying to escape the tear gas.

Finally, surrender
Just before 7:00 p.m., the man, later identified as 50-year-old Gaylon Amen, gives up and comes out.

“Amen apparently sustained some non-life threatening injuries when he broke out a window to escape the gas,” Schmautz tells us. “Amen is being transported for medical attention, and will be charged with one count of Menacing and one count of Assault in the Fourth Degree.”

Schmautz says police has little information about Amen, other than that “we’ve had some prior criminal contact with him. For whatever reason, he was having a severe episode. It could be a medication or a mental health issue.”

The police representative adds that their Domestic Violence Unit will work with the rescued woman to assure her future safety.

The mission accomplished, SERT members disperse.

Many police officers called up for this SERT mission were off duty. They stripped off their gear, got in their vehicles and returned home.

“A good mission,” a SERT officer commented to us, in passing. “Everyone’s going home safely, and perhaps this individual will get the help he needs.”

I-84 wreck gives motorists 7,000 gallons of milk to cry over

See why the commute into Portland — from Gresham, and points east — became a nightmare during the March 1st morning drive. The good moos: No cows were injured …

Hours after the mishap, big-rig tow trucks were still trying to right the toppled milk-carrying tanker trailer.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Eastbound traffic on Interstate 84 was slow mooo-ving on March 1 because of a trucking accident.

At 5:55 am, Portland Police Bureau East Precinct officers, and investigators from the Traffic Division, were called to the scene of a non-injury collision on I-84 westbound near NE 122nd Avenue, involving an overturned milk truck.

Investigators contacted the driver of the truck, 36-year-old Francisco Macias. He told them he had been forced to swerve to avoid a car after it cut in front of him in traffic.

As he swerved, he struck an abandoned vehicle on the side of the roadway. The jolt from the impact caused the load of milk to shift in the big tanker truck, with the milk’s momentum carrying the second tanker over onto its side, where it ruptured open.

The concrete Jersey Barriers on either side of the lanes contained the milk, making it easier to clean up.

Police allowed one lane of traffic to slowly make its way past the scene of udder desolation ‚Äì backing up drivers past Troutdale.

On this morning, the “Milky Way” wasn’t in the heavens nor within a tanker truck ‚Äì the bovine product covered the freeway. Cats across east Portland were said to be near tears.

The milk was the property of the Milky Way Corporation of Sunnyside, Washington, but after the washdown and cleanup, they won’t be getting it back. No one was hurt, and no citations have been issued.

New Parkrose Schools superintendent to be named next week

Discover why the Parkrose School Board spent months researching and creating a “strategic plan”, before they went shopping for a new education boss ‚Äì and learn how you can meet the final two candidates ‚Ä¶

Parkrose School District superintendent, Michael Taylor, says he’ll be leaving in June; but he’s excited about the process the Board’s used to find his replacement.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The unassuming single-story brick building on NE Prescott St. ‚Äì the location from which the Parkrose School District is managed ‚Äì won’t look any different after June 30.

But, on July 1, this $30 Million educational enterprise will be under the leadership of a new superintendent. That’s when Michael Taylor retires from that position.

Six-month process concludes
Just because the Parkrose School Board has taken six months to hire a new superintendent doesn’t mean they’ve been lollygagging or dragging their feet.

Instead, with help from certified facilitators, board members conducted 37 focus group meetings with representative groups from all segments of their community. They recorded 1,700 comments from among 260 Parkrose people.

The participants volunteered their time; no one was paid for their input. “Every cultural group was heard from,” Taylor said. “We listened to what they wanted for their kids’ education.”

The purpose of this process was to develop clear, concise “Mission and Belief” statements.

“I’m excited about this process,” Taylor told us. “This is one of the few districts that have taken the time and resources to develop a ‘strategic plan’ before they conducted the search for their new superintendent.”

This means, Taylor continued, that “we’ve focused on who we are [as a school district], and what we want from our educational system. Only then, did the board focus on finding the person to lead the effort.”

Taylor said it took the board’s design committee 18 hours to consider, rank, and then boil down the community’s comments. “From this input, we developed a mission or vision statement for the district.”

Mission Statement revealed
Taylor said their Mission Statement is in two segments: “What we believe education should be, and how we’ll know we’re successful.”

*Full text of this Mission Statement is at the end of this article.

The document begins, Taylor said, with this statement: “‘The Parkrose School Community provides a premiere education that unlocks the potential in each student.’ This speaks to the quality of education our community expects, and to our bringing out the potential in each student.”

The thing that came that came through, he elaborated, “was the emphasis on maximizing the potential for each individual student. It recognizes that there are many ways to achieve success. Our Board recognized that we need to recognize that our students come from diverse cultures, educational level backgrounds, and have varying levels of family support. Our students come from all kinds of families ‚Äì from the well-established, to the homeless.”

Risks required to achieve goals
To offer more, and varied, educational opportunities for students, Taylor went on, “the school district will need to incorporate new ways of teaching students. There is an inherent risk in introducing new programs and teaching methods.”

Right now, Taylor said, the School Board is sharing their Mission Statement with the community. “We’re asking, ‘If this is what we believe, and if this is how we measure success, what will this look like in our schools? What would that outcome mean to you?'”

Having Parkrose students pass state tests is only the first part of educational measurement, Taylor continued. “That is a given. From there, this is about the activities that help students grow into being successful, productive citizens.”

Taylor won’t pick successor
While he’s been deeply involved in designing the mission statement process, Taylor said he won’t be the one to choose the next superintendent.

“I’m staying a little more distant from the selection. I’m making sure we have good community and staff involvement and communication regarding this decision process.”

A superintendent search can often be difficult for a school board, we learned. “In some cases, while the Board gives policy direction, they’re not clear about specific targets and goals they’re after,” Taylor explained. “But, by clearly defining the goals for our schools before starting the superintendent search, they are able to succinctly communicate their desires to a candidate ‚Äì on a single sheet of paper.”

While interviewing candidates for the job, Board members used their Mission Statement to help them formulate their questions.

“During interviews, Board members asked the candidates not only how the district can better accommodate diversity, but also develop educational systems and programs that allow [students] different paths to success,” said Taylor. “The new superintendent will have the ‘Mission and Belief’ statements, as a yardstick. It becomes our measurement.”

Come meet the finalists March 8
Taylor said that the Board has chosen two final candidates, both of them from Oregon school districts: Dr. Karen Gray, Superintendent of the Coos Bay Schools; and Dr. Ivan Hernandez, Superintendent of the Fern Ridge Schools.

“Our Board has done background and site checks; they’ve completed their visitations,” Taylor told us. “We’ve asked the candidates to meet our community on March 8. By March 12, the Board will have made their decision.”

Two meetings will held on Thursday, March 8.

Morning meeting:
Parkrose School District Office
10636 NE Prescott
Dr. Gray will speak from 8:00 to 8:45, followed by Dr. Hernandez speaking from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m.
Evening meeting:
Parkrose High School community rooms (L 12-14)
From 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., Dr. Hernandez will speak; from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m., Dr. Gray will talk.

Each candidate will present a short talk and then answer questions. The School Board wants to hear what you think, and will have feedback forms at both programs. We’re told coffee and other refreshments will be served.

Superintendent Taylor says that, other than taking a fly-fishing class, he hasn’t seriously considered what he’ll do after he leaves the district in June.

Taylor’s next move
“What’s next for Michael Taylor?” we ask. “A fishing trip?”

“It’s funny you’d say that,” he replied. “I have my first fly-fishing class tomorrow night. I’ve put it off for a year-and-a-half because of conflicts with school meetings.

“I want to make sure I finish what I’m doing here. So, I’m fully here until June 30. I’ve heard some proposals for part time work. My family is all here, so I’m staying here in the community.”

“If you have some spare time,” we playfully suggest, “Teena Ainsley, in the Parkrose ASPIRE program, could use your help‚Ä¶if you have an hour-a-week.”

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Parkrose School District
Draft Logo Statement, Mission and Belief Statements
January 18, 2007

The Parkrose School Community provides a premiere education that unlocks the potential in each student.

We believe that ‚Ä¶

The health of our community, our state, and our nation is fundamentally dependent upon the success of each individual student.
A student’s success is the responsibility of all members of the community.
Respect for the individual and for strong relationships are essential.
All students are capable of achieving high expectations.
We must meet students’ diverse individual needs, and provide a variety of pathways to success.
Taking measured risks is an essential part of our growth as a learning community.
Accountability in all aspects of education is crucial.

We will be successful when ‚Ä¶

Each student will graduate, having completed a K-12 education, with the knowledge and skills they need to adapt to their future: “Knowing how to learn.”
Each student’s education is driven by an individual education plan that assures high expectations, and is based on student needs and aspirations.
Each student is provided with a wide range of learning opportunities, in and out of the classroom.
Each student’s educational experience is integrated with the community and its resources; and the school, the families, and the community work collaboratively for each student’s success.

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