Although their streets were crowded with motion picture production trucks, neighbors said they enjoyed watching “the stars come out” in Sellwood ‚Ķ

At the intersection of SE 11th Ave. and Marion St. in Sellwood, a crew sets up a motion picture camera next to an “Atlanta Business Chronicle” news box. Wait ‚Äì Atlanta? Yes; this is movie magic in action.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
A few blocks of east Sellwood became “Hollywood on the Willamette” during the first week in October.

“Into the Wild”, a major studio motion picture, is being directed by Sean Penn, and it stars Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt and Catherine Keener. The movie is being shot in several Oregon locations, including Astoria, the Cascade Mountains, and yes – even Sellwood.

Marcia Gay Harden stops outside her dressing trailer to give a fan her autograph.

Trucks, trailers, generators and transportation vans clogged SE 11th and 13th Avenues, along SE Marion and Linn Streets, when we visited the movie’s outdoor set.

Frank Hildebrand, a producer of the film, took a moment to speak with us about his project. “I thank the neighbors for cooperating with us; everyone has been extremely friendly. We’re thrilled to be able to make this motion picture here in Oregon.”

Packed with trucks carrying production equipment and supplies, SE Marion St. looked more like a Hollywood back lot than a residential street.

The principal actors were seen only for the brief moments when the cameras were rolling. However, the streets were filled with technical crew members and “atmosphere people”, the local “extras” one sees in the background of some shots.

Brush with stardom
Neighbor Bill Bahrenburg, tipped us off about the production’s location ‚Äì something which producer Hildebrand confided to us he’d wished had been kept secret.

Bahrenburg had a front-row seat; William Hurt’s “star coach” was parked in front his home on the 1100 block of SE Linn St.

“It is pretty exciting,” Bahrenburg told us, “to have a major Hollywood production filmed here in our sleepy little corner of Sellwood.  The fact that we can’t park by our house is an inconvenience, but it is outweighed by the opportunity to see the Hollywood machine in process.”

Neighbor Bill Bahrenburg snapped this photo of Sean Penn as the director scurried about his Sellwood set.

It’s not every day that one walks out his front door, he said, and sees William Hurt coming out of a trailer. “Or spots Sean Penn directing a scene just around the corner, or hears Marcia Gay Harden screaming that her wardrobe isn’t in her trailer. It seems surreal. It took them hours to set up a scene that will probably get 10 seconds on the screen.”

An unexpected pleasure, Bahrenburg said, was meeting and chatting with many of his neighbors where were watching the production. “I got to meet so many people I’ve seen when walking the dogs, but never spoken with. This production was good for community building.”

Waiting to be called into action, area resident and “background player extraordinaire” Jennifer Gill is in costume, ready for her next assignment.

Production moves to Reed
When shooting ended in Sellwood, a giant construction crane on the Reed College tipped observers to the next “location” filming. The crane held up part of a set used in the production. What looked like a massive structure from the camera’s point of view was, in reality, a flimsy two-dimensional set suspended from a rope.

Hundreds of students and faculty members from the college served as “extras” on the set of this particular shoot.

Within a day, the crew had moved on. But, the memories left by the production will linger for quite some time, we suspect.

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

You may be surprised to learn that Mayor Tom Potter has called for bringing all Portland schools into one district; that he’d like the city’s surplus funds set aside in savings; and, read his promise that he’ll look into ways to limit the growth of porn in Parkrose ‚Ķ

Portland Mayor Tom Potter, a member of the Lions Club, listens to concerns of a Roseway Lion at this October meeting.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
It isn’t often that the mayor of a major city, like Portland, schedules an address to a civic club.

But, members of the Roseway Lions Club were pleased to hear the mayor deliver a “state of the city” address. And several members looked surprised by his proposal to combine all Portland-area school districts at the October 24 meeting at Steamers Restaurant and Lounge in Parkrose.

Club president, Lion Melinda Palmer got their meeting underway, and Lion Ron Huddleston introduced the mayor.

Lion Ron Huddleston introduces Mayor Tom Potter to club members meeting at Steamers Restaurant in Parkrose.

“Overall,” began Mayor Tom Potter, the city has been doing well.”

Parading Portland’s awards
“We’ve been awarded as the ‘Most Dog Friendly’ city in the US. The ‘O’ celebrated this by creating a graphic, putting my head on the body of a dog.”

Portland was also cited as being the “Cleanest City in America”, Potter added. “We take pride and effort to make sure it is clean, and the most environmental city in the U.S. We have decreased the hydrocarbons by 13 percent since 1990. We encourage people to use public transportation. 24 percent of the city’s power is wind power. In five years it will be 100%. And, we endorse sustainable building practices, like disposing off storm water on-site instead of letting it flow into the rivers.”

Calls for Portland “Rainy Day” fund
Turning to finances, the mayor reported, “We’re in good financial situation. The city has an $18 Million surplus,” he said. “We’re having a discussion on how to spend the money. My hope is that we’ll save some if it for a rainy day. Every government entity needs a rainy-day fund.”

The city’s population is growing, Potter informed the group. Unlike Los Angeles, Portland has grown by five percent while LA has lost by the same percentage. The city has been most successful in attracting those age 18-35, Potter added. “Creative types, like industrial designers and people involved in the arts.”

Wants to help 1,000 homeless
During the past 18 months, the mayor reported getting 900 homeless people off the streets and into permanent housing. But, he added, there are still 1,000 who need permanent homes.

“Most people are not homeless because of what they’ve done. 60% of our homeless have some kind of mental disorder or problem. Some self medicate with street drugs. We’ll be a better city if we can get them off the street rather than letting them wander around.”

Mayor Potter delivering a “state of the city” address to the Roseway Lions club.

Housing prices shift city’s population
Turning to affordable housing, the mayor decried that, for many working people, housing is unaffordable. “What we’ve seen in the past ten years is a migration from inner- to outer-Portland. Many people, including minorities, are moving out to the suburbs looking for housing they can afford.”

Potter pointed out that Portland has six school districts. Only one of these, Portland Public Schools, is seeing a drop in students. He noted David Douglas, Parkrose, Reynolds and Continental are all growing, due to the population shift eastward.

“In these districts, we’re asking for school-building funds on the November ballot. You may not have children in schools, but you did once. Your district needs your support.”

Kids “Bill of Rights”
“My top priority is children. If we don’t take care of our children, they won’t be able to take care of the city in the future.”

The city’s top executive outlined four pillars of his Children’s Bill of Rights:

• Roof over their head ‚Äì “One major reason children don’t succeed in school is because their families don’t have stable housing. They fall behind when they change schools.”
• Full stomach ‚Äì “We need to make sure they have enough good, wholesome food to eat. As we’re here [at this Lions Club meeting], we’re eating our lunches. But one in five children will go to bed hungry in Oregon.”
• Quality Education ‚Äì “Our children need the best education possible to prepare them for life. By helping them succeed at the start of their life, it increases the chance they’ll succeed later in life. From my experience as the Police Chief, I know that when kids graduate from high school, they’re less likely to get into crime or go on welfare.”
• Caring Adults ‚Äì “During my first year after retiring, I ran a homeless youth shelter. I met the kids who live on the streets. I realized they committed criminal acts to survive. 80% came from abusive families with parents who were addicted to drugs, alcohol and tobacco. They, and their children, had a lot of medical problems. Caring adults give our community good, caring children.”

A city, or a society, the mayor concluded, should be measured by how well they take care of their very young, their very old, and people who can not care for themselves.

Suggests combining Portland school systems
When Mayor Potter asked for questions, a member said he was confused by the “school situation”, asking, “Why are some of our schools closing; yet we’re being asked to pay for a bond to build new schools?”

Members of his audience raised eyebrows and shuffled in their seats when Potter floated the idea of combining all of Portland’s school systems into one. Club president, Lion Melinda Palmer, listens intently.

The mayor explained that Portland has six school districts. “We’re starting talks on consolidating our school districts. [Districts] gaining population need money to build schools. The districts losing students and closing schools need money to pay their teachers. Some facilities close because of age or asbestos; others close because of lack of students.

“We need to cut down on overhead of operations.

“This idea [of school district consolidation] will not go over well with the districts. They are independent political bodies, their boards are elected. We cannot tell them what to do. But we can bring it up before the citizens.”

Mayor vows to ‘look into’ proliferation of adult-oriented businesses
Lion Eileen Stocker asked the mayor why the city can’t limit the number of Sandy Blvd. corridor sex shops.

“The number of sex shops and strip clubs in our neighborhood keeps growing,” Stocker said. “We already have too many, and we’ve just added another one ‚Äì a block away from an elementary school. Can the City Council develop a program to help keep the number of sex businesses from growing? Our kids grow up thinking this it’s normal to have sex shops on every street.”

The mayor said he’d driven around Parkrose before the meeting and observed the proliferation of adult-oriented businesses.

“I agree with you on this. The city did pass an ordinance regulating these businesses, regarding location, signage, and so forth. But, the Oregon Supreme Court threw it out, citing the first amendment of the state’s constitution. They’ve given this wide latitude.”

A member piped up, “Another honor you could add to your list is, I believe, we’re the only city in the country to have live sex acts on stage.”

“You have a good point,” Potter responded. “I will go back and make sure the neighborhood associations are sent up-to-date information about the current law. I don’t know if they can do it or not, but I’ll recommend the License Bureau look into it.”

Meet the Roseway Lions
Interested in being of service to fellow Oregonians? If you live or work in the greater Parkrose area, Roseway Lions invite you to meet them at one of their noon meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.

You’ll get a great lunch for a reasonable price. They meet at Steamers Restaurant, 8030 NE Sandy Blvd. (east of NE 82nd Ave.).

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

Person after person slipped money to Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputies, but they weren’t trying to bribe these public safety officials. Go ahead! Read this article and find out what this was all about ‚Ķ

Serving the Searls family are Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputies Scott McDowell and Jonathan Zwick, along with Red Robin crew members Krisi Davis, Stacey Schuurmans and Tiffany Radmacher, as Deputy Joshua Zwick supervises at the “Tip-a-Cop” event.

Story and photo by David F. Ashton
On any other day ‚Äì and on any other occasion — slipping a sheriff’s deputy a few bucks will land you in jail for bribery.

But, at the Mall 205 Red Robin Restaurant on Sept. 30 – and other locations throughout the city and county – giving an officer a couple of extra bucks was a good thing on that day.

Official explains
“Deputies, command staff, and sergeants from Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office are waiting on tables,” is what Jason Gates, the new public information officer for Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office told us.

“We’re working hard, alongside the Red Robin staff, to help serve their patrons and, hopefully, get good tips. All the proceeds go to the Oregon Special Olympics. Even though we’re in uniform, all of us are here as volunteers, on our time off.”

“Tip-A-Cop” is an official fundraiser, Gates told us, for the Law Enforcement Torch Run, the largest grassroots fundraising effort for Special Olympics.

Gates said that he and his co-workers like supporting organizations like the Special Olympics. “They do so much to help our disadvantaged youth. Also, it gives us a chance to do something for the community beyond our work. We love our community, and we stand ready do more than just enforce laws.”

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

See why these volunteers work so hard to help keep their neighborhood clean …

John and Judy Welch, coordinators for the Lents Neighborhood Clean Up take a break from helping the metal-recycling dumpster.

Story and photo by David F. Ashton
For years, Lents residents John and Judy Welch have worked to make their neighborhood a better place in which to live. So, heading the neighborhood “clean up” on October 14 wasn’t anything new to them.

“Why we do it is simple,” said Judy Welch, former chair for the neighborhood association. “These events get refuse and garbage out of the neighborhood. It looks better here when you drive through. When we make it easy for people to get rid of their junk, they do it. And, all of us can drive down our streets and feel more pride about where we live and work.”

Her husband, John, works at her side. “This time, we have 12 drop boxes,” John told us. “We’ve filled all of them ‚Äì and these drop boxes are 40 yards each. That’s a lot of yards of junk we get out of neighborhood yards.”

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

If you’re a small business person who’s “had it” with paying the city’s high “license fee”, Sam Adams wants to hear from you at a special Town Hall meeting. Read this, and plan to come ‚Ķ no reservations required ‚Ķ

Portland Commissioner Sam Adams listens to the concerns of a Portland business person. He wants to hear what you have to say about the city’s licensing fees at noon, on Nov. 2, at JJ North’s in Gateway.

Story and photo by David F. Ashton
Oregon law allows Multnomah County to levy a “business income tax” ‚Äì but the City of Portland is prohibited from authorizing a tax on businesses. So, the city calls their tax a Business License Fee.

“Portland’s small businesses are paying too much in their Business License Fees,” Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams told us. “I’m addressing this problem by working on license fee reform. I want to hear from East Portland business owners before I make a decision on a reform package.”

Town Hall set for Nov. 2
To facilitate the conversation, the East Portland Chamber of Commerce set up a meeting at which Adams will pitch his reform ideas and listen to citizens.

“This is an opportunity for businesses and residents in East Portland to talk directly with Commissioner Adams and let him know their opinions on the impact of business tax and license fees on our Eastside community,” said Ken Turner, chairman of the government affairs committee of the East Portland Chamber.Turner added, “We’re pleased that this significant session with Commissioner Adams is being is also supported by the Gateway Area Business Association, Parkrose Business Association, 82nd Ave. of Roses Business Association, and Midway Business Association.”

No reservations; come early
The meeting starts promptly at 12 noon on Thursday, Nov. 2 at J.J. North’s Restaurant, 10520 N.E. Halsey, in the Gateway District.

The full buffet lunch is $8.50. Reservations are not required, but plan to arrive early to be assured seating.

For more information about the chamber or its events see: www.EastPortlandChamber.com or call (503) 788-8589.

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

If you didn’t come and enjoy a complete dinner while being serenaded with live music at this benefit, see what you missed ‚Äì and how you can help this worthy cause ‚Ķ

Volunteers serving up the meals at the 7th Annual Benefit Turkey Dinner for Loaves & Fishes Center are Seth Young, Angie Boyd Stephen Pletka, and Randi Holberg.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
About to take our friends to dinner on October 8, we remembered it was time for the Benefit Turkey Dinner for Loaves & Fishes Center.

We headed over the East Portland Community Center and tucked into a traditional turkey dinner, with all the trimmings.

“You can have ‘seconds’ if you want,” our volunteer server, Jennifer Lewis, told us. We were hungry, and took them up on their generous offer. Our meal was made complete with servings of pumpkin pie for dessert.

We were joined at dinner by Bruce and Margery Davis who moved here in 1952. They told us fascinating stories about outer East Portland, long before it was developed, then annexed into Portland. That’s our wonderful, cheerful volunteer server, Jennifer Lewis.

After dinner, we spoke with the lady who sold us our dinner tickets.

“We’re having this turkey dinner as a fundraiser,” explained Tamara Rochester, Center Manager CherryBlossom Loves & Fishes, Meals-on-Wheels.

“All proceeds from this community event will go to help feed our seniors. Much of the food was donated, the balance of the food and supplies were provided, at cost, by their vendors.”

She said 25 volunteers cooked, served and cleaned up after serving 250 dinners. The effort raised about $1,500 for their organization.

“We love our volunteers,” Rochester said. “They are great. Many of our volunteers here today help us provide hot, nourishing meals to seniors in their home, and here, at the center.”

Serenading the diners with her keyboard styling on the piano is Kay Robbins. She told us, “I get pleasure for playing for those who enjoy my music. It makes it more festive. I can communicate the music I love with the people who come and enjoy the event at Loaves & Fishes.”

You can help
This center serves 225 seniors in their homes, and 120 more in the dining room, Rochester said. “We always are looking for drivers. But we can use kitchen help as well.”

To learn how you can help, contact the center directly at (503) 736-6325 or the citywide number, (503) 256-2381 or see their website www.loavesandfishesonline.org.

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

Make plans to visit the Rossi Haunted Ghost Town this weekend
— for fun, thrills, and chills ‚Ķ

You’ll find plenty of creepy ghosts and spooks and ghouls in, around, and flying over Rossi Haunted Ghost Town this season.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
One of the best annual Halloween events in outer East Portland is the Haunted Ghost Town at Rossi Farms.

The least scary part of the ghost town is buying your ticket. Dave Kuhn, Mary Brown, Christopher Allen and Vinicio Benois check guests who have come to be scared.

Supports a good cause
“This is our biggest fundraiser for the Drug & Alcohol Free Senior All Night Party,” Mary Brown, event coordinator, told us. “Lots of kids are involved. We have members of the Parkrose High Dance Team here again this year. And, drama students put on costumes and makeup to provide a scary-but-safe atmosphere.”

Last year, Brown told is, they raised $4,000. “We’re hoping for that much again. Saturday night drew more than 400 guests.”

Our ghostly gallery
We’re not going to spoil the fun by revealing all of the surprises, but take a look at these photos for a preview of the “fun” you can expect this year!

It’s “Thriller” time again ‚Äì and these dancers will give you the creeps!

Looks like Turkey Creek Tom and his gang died and went to ‚Ķ ?  From the looks of the dynamite bundle he just lit, our guess is he wants to take some new “friends” with him.

It’s Electra, the Electric Girl. In fact, we’re told every thing she has is charged!

Look out! This creepy quartet may scare the nightlights out of you! Remember their motto, “Touch nothing, and it won’t touch you ‚Ķ usually.”

It looks like one of ghouls escaped!

Rossi Farms Haunted Ghost Town
Come early, if you have young ones who may be easily frightened. The fun gets more intense later in the evening.

Come October 27, 28 and 29. It opens at 6:30 p.m. and runs until 9:00 p.m. (or so). Admission is $9.00 adults; $5.00 children under 12yrs. Rossi Farms is located at 3839 NE 122nd Ave. just south of NE Shaver St.

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman surprised many people by taking on reform of the Police & Fire Disability and Retirement System during his spring reelection campaign. The commissioner spoke at both the East Portland Chamber of Commerce, and Parkrose Business Association promoting this measure …

Ken Turner, Governmental Affairs chair of East Portland Chamber of Commerce introduces Portland Commissioner Dan Saltzman at last week’s “Good Morning East Portland” networking meeting.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman has been barnstorming East Portland, asking voters to support a reform of the Police & Fire Disability and Retirement System.

Earlier this year, Saltzman surprised many people by taking on reform of the Police & Fire Disability and Retirement at the same time he was running for reelection. In February, we asked Saltzman why he’d take on an issue that, in the past has been a “campaign killer” for other elected city officials.

“I’m doing what I think is the right thing to do,” Saltzman told us back then, “for both the taxpayers and the welfare for police and firefighters. If the pension goes bust, everyone’s going to be left holding the bag. And I mean everyone ‚Äì our public safety workers and citizens. It is the fiscally-responsible thing to do.”

Portland Commissioner Dan Saltzman, here telling why he urges everyone to vote for Measure 26-68.

Solving a $1.64 Billion dollar problem
Working with a blue-ribbon panel, Saltzman and his staff have been working to find a way to start retiring a $1.6 Billion dollar unfunded liability in retirement fund. He credited Jeff Cogan, his chief-of-staff for managing the process.

“This unfunded liability can literally swallow the city’s entire budget,” he told members of the East Portland Chamber of Commerce on October 18.

“What this means,” Saltzman continued, “is that the city has an obligation to pay this amount of money, but we don’t have the money to pay. If there were a rash of police or fire bureau retirements, or if because of a massive disaster our public safety works experienced a catastrophic loss, we couldn’t pay it.”

In addition to having this massive obligation hanging over the city’s head, the commissioner stated, it also lowers the Bond Rating for Portland. “This makes it more expensive for the city to borrow money.”

Vote required to change city charter
Changing our public safety retirement and disability system requires a change in the Portland City Charter, Saltzman explained.

If Measure 26-86 is passed by voters at the November election, then, starting Jan 1, newly hired workers will go into the state-wide PERS retirement system. “If we don’t do this, our obligation will balloon to $8 billion dollars within 40 years. Instead, as people on the current system retire, our obligation will diminish over time.”

Fixes ‘broken’ disability system
“When it comes to awarding disability payments,” Saltzman continued, “there have been some questionable decisions. Some workers, who don’t appear to be disabled, are ‘gaming’ the system. Now, there is a 99% disability approval rate.”

Because the current disability board is composed of active or retired police officers or firefighters, “we have, in essence, the fox guarding the henhouse.”

The board will be revamped from 11 members down to five. Their role will be to make policy, not make disability decisions, Saltzman added. “Instead, an evaluation of each claim will be made by an expert in the area.”

Unions, city agree to new plan
“These are dramatic changes,” said the commissioner. “The entire city council supports this measure.” Saltzman then quoted Mayor Tom Potter, “Police and fire representatives are supporting this measure in their own way.”

Dan Saltzman says he’s most concerned that this measure will get “lost in the background”, with so many measures on the ballot.

Measure to indirectly increases taxes for 26 years
Asked about the tax impact of the measure on citizens, Saltzman said homeowners will see their property taxes increase for the next twenty years, as existing pensions for retired police and firefighters are paid off. “Then, taxes will taper off. But, remember, in 40 years, our obligations will be paid off, and our public safety workers will have their pensions assured.

While there isn’t any opposition to the measure, “Our biggest concern is that this measure doesn’t get lost among the other measures on the ballot,” Saltzman concluded.

Web Only Extra: Chamber members mix things up at Vino Vixens

Erin Marie, owner of Vino Vixens and Sun Kiss Spa and Tanning hosts a fun East Portland Chamber of Commerce evening event.

On October 17, Wine flowed; guests noshed on cheese, shrimp and antipasto at a special East Portland Chamber of Commerce evening event.

“Vino Vixens is a unique wine bar with an intimate setting,” Marie told us. “This is the perfect spot to hold informal gatherings. And, Sun Kiss Spa offers a full line of treatments. Come see us!

To learn more about this great group, or her two businesses, go to www.eastportlandchamber.com.

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

Be careful driving corner of SE Johnson Creek Blvd. and 43rd Ave. – ghosts and goblins abound at their Halloween-decorated home …

East Portland’s “ghost hosts with the most”, Jeff and Chris Davis, invite guests who dare, to drive or walk past their spooked-out home.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
One look at their place, all decked out for Halloween, and it’s easy to understand how Jeff and Chris Davis turn their abode into an elaborate spook show. Turning their modest 1930’s-era home into a creepy Hollywood-like set required an abundance of imagination, lots of hard work ‚Äì and a $6,000 budget.

So much for “how”. We visited the Davis’ on their property at the corner of SE Johnson Creek Blvd. and 43rd Ave. to learn why they dedicatedly decorated for Allhallows Eve.

“We like Halloween,” said Jeff simply. “And, it is a lot of fun. It is mainly that we get to express ourselves.”

Chris chimed in, “There is a lot of creativity in all this. We’ve figured out ways to improve our display. It’s grown every year for eight years.”

Jeff said he attended a convention dedicated to Halloween events and decorations, and picked up new lighting and special effects used in their tableau of terror.

The Davis Haunted Grave Yard wouldn’t be complete, they said, without a cathedral ‚Äì so they built one ‚Äì complete with its own ghost.

New ‘cathedral’ towers over the graveyard
The couple proudly spoke of their largest set piece, a cathedral. The fa?ßade is built on the front of their garage and shop, towering prominently at the back of their driveway.

“If people look closely,” Jeff said, “They’ll see a ghost in the upper window.” The couple even came up with a method of making realistic-looking stained-glass windows. “But, everything packs down into a relatively small space,” Jeff told us.

Neighbors are entertained
“Our neighbors say they’re impressed, and say they love seeing what we come up with every year,” Jeff grinned.

“We get a lot of great compliments,” Chris added, “People come from all over to see our display. It seems as much fun for them as it is for us.”

As we were photographing the spook-making couple, neighbor Rick Denton walked up. “I really enjoy what they do. But then, I love this kind of stuff. Being a magician, I play with stuff like this. I know how much care and effort they put into their production. It’s wonderful.”

Jeff and Chris Davis stand with their friend who is “hanging around” for a while. They welcome visitors to look–but from outside the gates of their property.

Ghosts everywhere
This year, the Davis Graveyard features 40 individually-lit tombstones, six monuments, three animated features and projected special effects. A large, hooded monk figure is set up so he can talk to, and interact with, passers-by.

Hoping to turn their passion into a business, the couple is writing a book to help others learn how to make props and transform their own yards into elaborately Halloween-themed sets. Interested? See www.davisgraveyard.com for more details

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

Take a look and you’ll see why police are still trying to figure out how this wreck, which sent one man to the hospital, took place …

Two cars, a minivan, a SUV and a Tri-Met bus collided, shutting down SE 122nd Ave. just before rush hour.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The only things clear about this five-vehicle accident on October 17 were that the weather was sunny, and the bus was stopped.

“I was picking up passengers at my regular stop,” the Tri-Met driver told us, “heard smashing and crashing, and felt a bump when a car ran into the bus.”

Police on scene declined giving us information; drivers of the other vehicles refused to speak with us.

Witnesses to the bizarre pileup gave conflicting reports, saying that either the red BMW or the white Chevy had bounced the green Kia into the rear wheel of the bus. No one could explain how a black Lexus SUV was also damaged in the multi-car collision.

Although many people said they witnessed this accident, no one could say exactly who caused it, or why it happened.

The accident tied up the northbound lane of SE 122nd Ave. for hours while an officer from the Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division sorted out the facts and took measurements, and East Precinct officers filled out paperwork.

One person, a man said have been in the red BMW, was transported to a hospital with minor injuries.

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

We’ve reported on this special unit since it started as the “Tired of Tweekers” mission. See how this handful of police officers are still making outer East Portland streets safer every day ‚Ķ

The Portland Police Bureau Crime Reduction Unit’s acting Sgt. Mark DeLong and Officer Anthony Passadore show people at the Commander’s Forum an evidence bag containing illicit drugs taken from suspected drug dealers.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
What started two years ago simply as a crackdown on methamphetamine dealers and users in southern outer East Portland has become a full-time unit of Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct.

At the October Commander’s Forum, the “Crime Reduction Unit’s” (CRU) acting Sgt. Mark DeLong and Officer Anthony Passadore gave a well-illustrated progress report.

East Precinct’s CRU is comprised of officers who don’t take service calls. These cops are trained to spot individuals’ behavior which indicates they are involved in some kind of criminal enterprise.

Drugs, guns and money
“Our job is getting easier,” said DeLong, “because we see the same crooks over and over again. But, to keep them off balance, our officers go out at different times on different days.”

The officers say a suspect couldn’t answer a simple question because these balloons were stuffed in his mouth. We learned they are color-coded: Green for heron, white signifies heroin or cocaine, and pink is typically cocaine.

DeLong held up an evidence bag as he started his first story.

“We saw a person at a pay phone on NE 102nd. Nearby was a Honda Accord ‚Äì these cars are stolen all the time. This guy looked nervous when we pulled up and walked over to the car. I smiled and said, ‘Nice Car.’ He mumbled something; he couldn’t talk. We found out, after we encouraged him to spit them out, it was because he had balloons containing heroin and cocaine stuffed in his mouth.”

Making crime numbers drop
“We work to impact specific crimes that make the [crime statistics] numbers drop,” Passadore said succinctly. “We focus on drug-related crimes; people who sell or take drugs are usually doing other crimes. We’ve been especially trained to notice behavior that signals that something is amiss.”

“But we’re not a drug unit,” DeLong added. “We are a street crime unit.”

This photo shows some the cash, drugs and guns – including a sawed-off shotgun – which the CRU has taken off the streets of East Portland. (Portland Police CRU Photo)

Passadore recalls when they saw a suspicious couple in a car. “We asked if we could take a look, and found three pounds of marijuana in the car. At the man’s house, we found stolen handguns, including a Tech-9, money counting machine, and other stuff. In the process, we cleared four burglary cases. This guy was stealing from people in the community to purchase drugs and make more money.”

East Portland drug trends
The officers report they’re now seeing an increase of cocaine in outer East Portland. “Meth is still a problem,” Passadore said. “A big problem.”

The average heron user does two or three balloons a day, DeLong explained. “Some will do up to six. We’ve seen some addicts who inject it into their neck because they’ve blown out their arm and leg veins.”

“We’re constantly in the drug houses every day,” continued Passadore. “We’d like it if they all got treatment, but our job is to shut down their business. And, we have our work cut out for us.”

Houses of drug users, and especially “stash houses”, usually have violent crime associated with them. “We get ‘shots fired’ calls and respond to home invasion reports,” explained Passadore. “If we move drug houses out of an area, crimes drop.”

Solving, not moving, crime problems
While the CRU officers work to move crime out of East Portland, the officers say they alert law enforcement agencies in adjoining areas about criminals who may be moving into their area.

“We want to close them down,” Delong stated. “These people are not good neighbors. Their houses look, and smell, like a pig sty.”

Passadore said they work to do more than just disperse problems to other areas. “We break the bonds among people who steal, do drugs, live and ‘crash’ together. If we isolate the leaders, the amount of crime goes way down. When on their own, people tend to do less crime.”

A good example is a guy called “Moke”, Passadore said. “We ran him out of the A-Quality Motel in Powellhurst-Gilbert during the ‘Tired of Tweekers’ campaign. When we ran into him at 122nd and Powell, he was OK. He wasn’t out doing crimes. But he told us if he were back with his friends at A-Quality, he’d be doing crimes today.”

Gangs and drugs
Asked about the connection between gangs and drugs, the officers brought out a figure of Jesus Malverdie.

Officer Passadore introduces the group Jesus Malverdie, the “patron saint” of Mexican drug runners and dealers.

“He is the ‘patron saint’ of Hispanic drug smugglers,” explained Passadore. Although he lived long ago, he is thought of as a ‘Robin Hood’ character. The Hispanic drug culture adopted him as a good luck charm. If we see a photo or figurine Malverdie in a vehicle during a traffic stop, it isn’t ‘probable cause’, but is sure is a good indicator of drug trafficking. In drug houses, we see shrines with offerings of tequila, money, food, and drugs to him.”

Most gangs are in the drug trade to make money, and they make a lot of it by importing and distributing drugs, explained Passidore. “We engage lot of people in conversation. If someone is wearing gang attire, we’ll stop and talk with them. Some of them object, saying we’re targeting them because of their clothing. We say, ‘If you don’t like it, don’t announce yourself by wearing a gang uniform’.”

He continued, saying, “I’ll take a gun off the street ahead of a pound of dope any day. We try to seize guns from gang members.”

East Precinct Commander Michael Crebs shows citizens photos taken at some of the more recent CRU busts. He told the group the only complaint he’s gotten about CRU officers is that they are ‘too nice’ on the street.

CRU crew trains patrol officers
The CRU was originally composed of officers with drug crime experience. “Now we bring mid-career and new officers into the unit,” Delong said. “We teach how to identify drug trends, how to interact with drug dealers, and how to spot criminal behavior.”

East Precinct Commander Michael Crebs said part of the training CRU officers pass along is verbal skills. “I’ve actually gotten complaints from arrested suspects that our CRU officers are ‘too nice’ on the street. These people say our officers are ‘so friendly, I feel like I have to talk with them.”

Statistics tell the CRU story
The six officers and one sergeant who make up the CRU made 2,600 street contacts from June, 2005, through June, 2006, and seized:

• Meth: 5,165 Grams, (11.3 pounds)
  
• Marijuana: 203 pounds
  
• Cocaine 9.3 pounds
  
• Heroin 3.9 oz
  
• Various prescription drugs: 400 pills
  
• Firearms: 78 guns
  
• Cash $195,785
  
• Vehicles: 212

Want to learn more about how your police work to reduce crime, as well as the fear of crime, in our community? Look for the date of the next Commander’s Forum in our East PDX News Community Calendar.

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News

See how the hard work of neighborhood volunteers leveraged the city’s investment of $20,000 to make Portland’s newest city park worth at nearly $500,000 ‚Ķ

City and county dignitaries, parks bureau officials and neighbors gather as the ribbon dedicating Hazeltine Park is cut.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The project started as a “clean-up” of a vacant lot on SE Flavel Drive at Nehalem Street. The effort ended up producing a Portland’s newest city park.

“This is a special project,” explained Jeff Milkes, SE Services Manager for Portland Parks & Recreation, “because it was built as a coordinated effort between the Brentwood-Darlington Neighborhood Association (BDNA) and Portland Parks and Recreation.”

At the dedication ceremony on October 6, Milkes told us improvements done on this park would put the price tag at nearly $500,000. “But we built for $20,000 because we had so much volunteer effort, so many donated services. Working together, we’ve preserved it, forever, as a park.”

Taking a break from setting up for the park’s dedication ceremony, Dick Hazeltine stands next to the sign bearing his name.

The Hazeltine of Hazeltine Park
Helping to make the new park ready for the afternoon dedication ceremony, Dick Hazeltine stopped to comment on the park that bears his name.

“At one time, they had a community policing office here,” Hazeltine recalled. “When they closed that down, I nominated this land to be a city park, with hopes it would stay in public use. Today, we’re seeing the results of that.”

The modest neighbor, born six blocks from the new park site, said he was surprised to learn members of the Brentwood-Darlington Neighborhood Association voted to name the park after him. “I’ve been involved with the neighborhood most of my life. This park is a symbol of what the county, city and neighborhood can do by working together.”

Terry Hazeltine, son of the park’s namesake and his wife, Dorothy being served at the park’s dedication buffet.

Neighbors picnic at the park
Before the official dedication, neighbors started filtering into the new park. The smell of hot dogs, BBQ chicken and other treats filled the air.

Grilling up hot dogs on one of the two, new steel grilles for which she lobbied is BDNA member Gale Kiely.

We talked with BDNA member Gale Kiely as she grilled hot dogs. “When the parks department asked what we wanted, I told them we needed a large, brick and stone barbecue pit. When they offered steel barbecues, we jumped at the offer. We’re cooking on them tonight!”

Portland “east side” City Commissioner, Randy Leonard, came by to congratulate neighbors on their new park.

As neighbors mingled and ate, Portland City Commissioner Randy Leonard stopped by the celebration. “Anytime we get something new that improves East Portland, I like being part of it. It’s fascinating how neighbors and the city worked together to make this a reality.”

Ribbon cutting completes opening celebration
Before the ribbon-cutting ceremony, officials from the neighborhood, city and county lauded the efforts that brought this park into existence.

Portland Parks’ City Commissioner Dan Saltzman welcomes neighbors to the opening celebration of the new park.

Portland Parks’ City Commissioner Dan Saltzman told us that, more important than having a new park, was “the spirit in which this park was developed. The neighbors approached us. We were happy to work with them. This is a good story.”

At the dedication Saltzman told the gathering, “It is a pleasure to come out today and see this park. And the story of how this land became a park is inspiring. We had more desires than resources. But, by working together, we’ve put something in place of which we can be proud.”

Thanking all the neighbors who made the park possible is Dick Hazeltine.

Dick Hazeltine thanked the volunteers for all of their efforts, and the Parks Department for their help. He pointed out the great western view the park provides.

As the cut ribbon fluttered to the ground, Hazeltine smiled and looked into the late afternoon that broke through the clouds, adding a warm glow to the celebration.

As you look this new park, located on SE Flavel Drive at Nehalem Street, reflect on the effort that brought it into being. And, if you live in the area, consider helping out at a “work party” the association holds on the second Saturday of each month, between 9 a.m. and noon.

To learn more, see www.BrentwoodDarlington.org.

¬© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News