The Weekly OKNA Email 3/9/12

This week in Overlook news, we begin with a reminder for you to attend the OKNA General Meeting on Tuesday, March 13. We meet at 7:00pm at the Kaiser Town Hall building, 3704 N Interstate Avenue (at Overlook). 
In addition to our regular public safety and other reports, plan to enjoy a presentation by Jerry Cowen, The Storyteller.

If you would like to share a talent with your neighbors, we’re asking for Overlook neighbor participation at the monthly meetings. Email us soon to reserve your spot; Overlook’s Got Talent!

.5) OKNA Meeting Tuesday 3/13 at 7:00 pm
1) Update on Burglary Alert and Arson Investigation
2) Lucky Lab....Pizza, Beer, $$$ for Beach (3/13)
3) Story Hour at Overlook House (Mondays)
4) Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group (3/14)
5) More Brakes For People – More About Sharing the Road
5.5) Facebook Tidbits

Community Note! While out walking today, we encountered some very small ice skates and other gear that looks like it may have been rifled from a car. Please email us back at this address if you know who they belong to.

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1) Update on Burglary Alert and Arson Investigation

Residential Burglary Alert Update-

I wanted to let you know we had a total of 7 residential burglaries from 1/1/12 - 2/29 with 5 being around the N. Concord/ N. Going area. All were during daytime hours and one of these was an attempted burglary where entry was not successful.

Although one is too many, these numbers are not unusually high and we have not had any more of the burglaries that were described in my original alert where homes were being heavily ransacked and items thrown around and food eaten. So things have settled down and we do not appear to have a prolific residential burglar loose in Overlook.

Here is the crime report showing the approximate locations and other info: http://www.overlookneighborhood.org/Overlook_burgs%2001-12.pdf

Arson Investigation Update-

I received a call from Captain Greg Wong, the lead arson investigator for Portland Fire. He told me the Overlook arson case is still very much open and on-going; however, they have not had a similar fire since the last one in lower Arbor Lodge in later October. As to why they have stopped, they have no idea, but the great news is they have. Cpt. Wong asked me to relay his thanks for everyone's communication and on-going vigilance to report anything that may be suspicious and to report any fire damage found on anyone's property. So, not a whole lot of info but still positive news in that these fires have stopped in and around the Overlook area.

Please continue to be vigilant and don't hesitate to contact the police for suspicious activity. Also, the on-line crime reporting tool with Portland Police now includes the ability to report "Suspicious" behavior where you do not need an Officer to respond. This is a method of simply documenting suspicious incidents if needed.

As always, please contact me if you have any questions or concerns and thank you for your continued support and efforts to keep Overlook safe!

Mark Wells
Crime Prevention Coordinator
Office of Neighborhood Involvement, City of Portland
503-823-4098
mark.wells@portlandoregon.gov

Web: www.portlandonline.com/oni/cp
Facebook: www.facebook.com/portlandcrimeprevention
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/58578724@N06/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/pdxpreventcrime
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/pdxpreventcrime

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2)  Lucky Lab....Pizza, Beer, $$$ for Beach (3/13)

Come out to Lucky Lab at 1700 N Killingsworth on Tuesday, March 13th and earn $$$ for Beach School. Lucky Lab will donate 10% of food sales from the entire day to the Beach PTA. Bring friends, get some pizza, drink a beer and feel good about supporting your neighborhood school.

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3) Story Hour at Overlook House (Mondays)

Mondays at the historic Overlook House, join Jerry Cowan for The Storyteller every Monday afternoon from 3:30-4:30 PM. Parents need to attend with their children. For more information contact Jerry at thestoryteller@whizto.us

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4) Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group (3/14)

Meetings of the Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group (PH CAG) are intended to keep the community abreast of developments on the Portland Harbor Superfund Site and to provide a forum for discussion.  PH CAG meetings are open to everyone.  We encourage you to step forward to share your concerns and advice.

Date:         Wednesday, Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Time:          6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Location:      6543 N Burlington Avenue (at the Portland BES Water Pollution Control Lab)

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5) More Brakes For People – More About Sharing the Road

Wow, we had a lot of comments and questions on the Share the Road piece regarding pedestrian crosswalk laws. Most of the laws regarding pedestrians can be found in the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS). Here are a few of the statutes worth perusing; ORS 811.028, ORS 814.040.

Basically, a pedestrian must show intent to cross by extending any part of their body, wheelchair, cane, crutch or bicycle, onto the roadway. A pedestrian (or bicyclist) may not suddenly move into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. We are all pedestrians at some point every day and crossing the street legally and safely is a responsibility we all share. (from SmartTrips)

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5.5) Facebook Tidbits

We make frequent reference to the OKNA Facebook page located at https://www.facebook.com/OKNAinPDX but realize that many of you don't use Facebook. I copied over some of the posts to our website so everyone can see the high quality Overlook information that can get posted to Facebook. Have a read at http://www.overlookneighborhood.org/2012/02/tidbits-from-facebook/

The Weekly OKNA Email 3/2/12

1. O•NeST Sustainability News &Activities
2. Beach School/Escuela Beach News &Activities
3. Overlook House Offers Children’s Qi Gong
4. Public Safety News & Activities
5. Job Fair/Town Hall for North Portland with your Electeds
6. Air Quality Day of Action & Work Group
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1. O•NeST Sustainability News &Activities

O•NeST Reading Circle

There is still time to join our reading circle for The Transition Handbook: From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience, by Rob Hopkins, founder of the worldwide Transition Towns movement.   Let us know if you’d like to borrow a book –we have a few circulating. Contact Josh at josh.cabot@gmail

O•Nest Meeting Monday, March 5

Please join us for our meeting next Monday, March 5that Daybreak CoHousing's Community Room.  We'll be planning for our free Rain Gardens 101 Workshop on 4/29 (see below) at Overlook House (with Metro),our May event, an Earthquake Home Retrofit Workshop (with North Portland Tool Library), and our June event, a Home Ecotour.

Potluck at 6pm, Meeting at 6:30. Come for one or both!

Rain Gardens 101 Workshop in Overlook! (FREE)

Contain that rain! Rain gardens add beauty to your yard and can help restore overloaded urban streams at the same time. Join us and learn how to construct a rain garden in your own yard!

Event date: Apr 29, 2012 1:00 PM → Apr 29, 2012 5:00 PM
Event location: Overlook House, 3839 N Melrose Dr.
Learn more and register now while space is still available: www.emswcd.org Information: 503.935.5368
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2. Beach School/Escuela Beach News &Activities

Beach PTA is now taking orders for spring plants! Order forms are available in the Main Office, or online (links below). Lots of selections to choose from! Organic veggies, annuals, perennials and herbs are available.
Order and Payment deadline is Friday, March 23. Bring completed form with payment to the Main Office. Make checks out to "Beach PTA."
Plants will be available for pick up on Thursday, April 26,at Family Fit Night, 6 p.m. 
You can check out the nursery at www.newleafgreenhouse.com
Order form: http://www.bigtent.com/usr/files/66912853_2_00_OrderformEnglish.pdf

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3. Overlook House Offers Children’s Qi Gong

Join James Bloom for Children's Breath of Fire Qi Gong every Saturday morning 10:00 - 11:00 AM.
For more information contact James at dragonbreathoffire@comcast.net

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4. Public Safety News & Activities

The next Overlook Livability Team cleanup is this Sunday! We'll meet in front of Di PrimaDolci at 9am for resupplies. Questions or want to join in? Contact David at 503-320-1234
Shredding Event Info: Here is a link to an upcoming document shredding event if you need to shred any sensitive papers or documents:http://www.oregon.bbb.org/secure-your-id

March PSAC (North Portland Public Safety Action Committee) is Wednesday March 28^th, just for an early reminder.
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5. Job Fair/TownHall for North Portland with your Electeds

Join Representative Tina Kotek, Senator Chip Shields and Representative Lew Frederick for a jobs-focused town hall.  Businesses from Swan Island, N/NE Portland and the close-in Metro area will be in attendance to discuss hiring opportunities and job qualifications with attendees.  Light refreshments will be provided and there will be opportunity for Q & A with elected officials and company representatives.

SoloPower, Widmer Brothers and American Red Cross will join a growing list of businesses participating including Oregon Iron Works, New Seasons Market and Gunderson.

What: Living Wage Jobs Town Hall
When: Friday, March 9, 2012 at12:00 p.m.
Where:  Vigor Industrial, 5555 N. Channel Ave.,Portland, OR 97217 (map)

For more information, call or email Michelle Rogelstad, at rep.tinakotek@state.or.usor (503) 286-0558 (district) OR MaryAlecia K. Briggs at503-986-1722, sen.chipshields@state.or.us. On the day of the event, call 503-504-6500.

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6. Air Quality Day of Action & Work Group

Frustrated by the ongoing onslaught of fumes emanating from Swan Island businesses situated below the North Portland bluff, residents have begun to meet regularly and discuss effective actions to improve the air quality in their neighborhood. Most neighbors report experiencing paint fumes from Western Star, and unburned fuel odors, from an unidentified source. If you live in North Portland and are interested in getting involved in the neighborhood effort, you are encouraged to join the North Portland Air Quality Google Group.

The group has a day of action planned for Saturday, March 3, 1pm-4pm. You may RSVP and get more information, by contacting the google group: North Portland Air Quality Google Group.

Overlook Back to Business; Lots to Do This Week

Hi Neighbors, it seems there is a lot to buckle down and do ths month. Considering the rash of petty crime we're experiencing in Overlook and ALL of North Portland right now, Wednesday's PSAC meeting is a great place to invest your time. Let the Commander know your needs and KEEP reporting crime! Our reporting statistics are up, but crime itself might not be. The additional numbers have meant more officers in Overlook.

1) PSAC This Week (1/25)
2) FOT Needs Trucks (1/28)
3) Volunteer at the Tree Planting (1/28)
4) PPS News From the OKNA Meeting
5) Noisy North Portland Needs Volunteers
6) North Portland Greenway Trail PAC

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1) PSAC This Week (1/25)

PSAC Meeting; Come See the Commander

North Portland PUBLIC SAFETY ACTION COMMITTEE (PSAC)

Wednesday January 25th, 2012
7:00 – 9:00 PM
Location:  Historic Kenton Firehouse
2209 N. Schofield – across from the Kenton Post Office

On the agenda: North Precinct Command –Commander Mike Leloff gives a presentation and information on Police Bureau’s upcoming budget.

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2) FOT Needs Trucks (1/28)

Need 10 trucks!

Friends of Trees has the annual Overlook/Arbor Lodge tree planting coming up on the 28th of January at Kaiser Town Hall and we are in need of about ten more trucks to move trees around on planting day. I wanted to reach out and see if in any of your worlds you know of individuals who would be willing to truck drive for the Friends of Trees planting. Please pass on my contact information and I can follow up with more details. Whitney Dorer, 503-467-2521 or whitneyd@friendsoftrees.org

Whitney adds: We are planting 220 trees this year! I've been working this planting for many years and this is a record year!

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3) Volunteer at the Tree Planting (1/28)

Come out on Saturday January 28th for Overlook and Arbor Lodge neighborhoods' 13th annual tree planting event. Last year over a hundred people came and we planted over 120 trees.   We want you to join us this year! Bring your kids or anyone else you want too.  We will meet at Kaiser Permanente Town Hall at 8:30 for hot drinks and some breakfast items. Then we will go out in small groups and plant trees. 

Volunteer roles that we seek are

- Pickup truck owners/drivers (I will help you remove and re-install your topper before and after the event, or we can just do it at the event).

- Cooks to bring some lunch dishes from home.

- Tree planters who will go out in groups with experienced tree planters to install the trees.

- Greeters to welcome people in the morning as they arrive

- General operations assistance.

This year we are in special need of neighbors who own pick up trucks.  Pick up truck owners bring their trucks to the event, and have them loaded with trees(you can help with the loading if you want, but its not necessary).  Then the truck owners drive the trees and a volunteer planting team to locations around the neighborhood where the trees will be planted.  Your assistance is critical and greatly appreciated.   

Usually people come alone or in pairs, so you will be getting to know some neighbors while out planting trees.   If you want to contribute but can’t plant trees, please consider contributing some breakfast item or a dish for the big lunch we will have after all the trees are planted.   Every year we also need people to help organize the meeting places, and to drive other volunteers and trees in your pickup truck.   This year we might have close to 200 trees to plant, and will really need volunteers and pickup trucks.

Last year was a huge success and we’re going to make it even better this year.  Call Garrett with any questions about how the day will go down, or if you'd like to give a heads up that you are coming with some food or your truck.   503 422 5070.  Thanks!

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4) PPS News From the OKNA Meeting

At this past Tuesday's OKNA meeting, representatives from Portland Public Schools came by to inform us of the listening and information sessions that will take place in the coming months. It's very likely that PPS will be looking for another bond measure on the ballot for capital improvements. Do those buildings need work? Everyone seems to agree 'yes' but how we pay for it and accomplish the work is a massive job.

Please do your part to become an informed voter and take a look at the selection of meeting topics PPS will cover in the next couple of months:

http://www.pps.k12.or.us/files/families/Buildings-and-Learning-V01.pdf

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5) Noisy North Portland Needs Volunteers

Well, we do have a lot of noise issues here. Now there's an opportunity for you to do something about it.

Portland’s volunteer Noise Review Board currently has a  position the City is looking to fill.  One seat is open for a “Citizen at Large” community representative on the board. 

The Board is comprised of five members including:  three citizen at large positions, a representative from the construction industry, and a professional in the field of acoustics.  Appointments to the volunteer Noise Review Board are made for a three-year period.

The Noise Review Board normally meets once a month on the second Wednesday evening of the month.  The Board is charged with making decisions on Noise Variances for projects that range from nighttime construction projects to large outdoor concerts.  The Board also works to develop long term objectives for achieving reduction of sound levels in the community.

If you have further questions regarding the Noise Review Board, contact the City’s Noise Control Officer, Paul van Orden at (503) 823-5829.  Interested parties are encouraged to file an official application for the City of Portland Noise Review Board and attend a Noise Review Board meeting (next scheduled meeting is February 8th, 2012 at 6 PM).  Applications can be acquired from the City’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement.   Completed applications should be filed by no later than Friday February 15, 2012 .

For applications please see the web at: http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=38616
Or contact: Kathy Couch, Office of Neighborhood Involvement
Phone: (503)-823-3992    E-mail: kathy.couch@portlandoregon.gov

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6) North Portland Greenway Trail PAC

Portland Parks & Recreation is moving forward on planning the North Portland Greenway Trail.  This means you have a rare opportunity to support the development of a regional, 10-mile trail corridor!  The North Portland Greenway trail will offer incredible outdoor recreation to walkers, runners, and cyclists, and will further the Portland Parks & Recreation mission.

Community members, stakeholder and agency representatives have formed an advisory committee for planning this development.  Over the next 14 months, the committee will help develop a technically feasible and user-friendly trail plan.  Committee members will collaborate with the community, stakeholders and property owners to understand and address various needs and concerns going forward.

The North Portland Greenway Trail project will:

  Create an accurate aerial and terrain base map of the alignment corridor.
  Recommend a preferred alignment for the entire trail corridor.
  Provide trail cross sections and design features. 
  Identify trail segments and create implementation checklists.
  Clarify private property impacts and right of way needs.
  Provide preliminary cost estimates for identified trail segments.

The following dates have been scheduled for Project Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings and open house events. The public is welcome to attend the PAC meetings, and we highly encourage participation in open houses.

All meetings will take place at the University of Portland, Chiles Center, Hall of Fame room, from 6:30-8:30. 
Wednesday, January 25 PAC meeting- this will be an introductory meeting

(more meetings coming)

Your Weekly Overlook Email- On the Web

This is the weekly email sent to all the subscribers to the Overlook email list. You too could have this delivered to your inbox weekly; just add your email address in the Yahoo! box over there in the right hand margin.
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Here's your weekly does of Overlook news. Please remember to join us for the monthly general meeting this (third) Tuesday of the month, January 17 at 7:00 pm.

1) OKNA Meeting This Week (1/17)
2) Public Safety Alert - Stay Tuned with Facebook
3) Tree Planting Event Volunteers Needed (1/28)
4) The Storyteller at the historic Overlook House Community Center (Mondays)
5) It's Fix It Fair Time - Learn How To @ Home
6) Trillium Charter School Auction Approaches (2/11)

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1) OKNA Meeting This Week (1/17)

This Tuesday is the OKNA general membership meeting. A representative from Portland Public Schools will attend and give us a short update on what's new with them, then open the floor for your questions.

PPS will be talking about dealing with growing enrollment, aging school buildings needing repairs and delivering strong results for students in every neighborhood. We'd love to see lots of folks from Beach School at the meeting so Beach parents, please represent!

The agenda is not yet final, but it looks like we have a few interesting items to discuss. See you there!

OKNA General Meeting
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Kaiser Town Hall
3704 N Interstate Ave
(at N Overlook Blvd)

Everyone is Welcome!

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2) Public Safety Alert - Stay Tuned with Facebook

On the OKNA Facebook page (facebook.com/OKNAinPDX) this week, several public safety alerts from your neighbors. In the past week, there were several reports of strangers entering back yards, garages & sheds with thefts of everything from returnable cans to a bike.

Please take this gentle reminder to

1) Keep your valuables inside your (locked) home or outbuilding

2) Keep your backyard gates locked if possible; use safety lighting

3) Keep your eyes & ears open for people who don't belong in your yard or your neighbors'

4) Call 911 for a crime in progress, 503.823.3333 to report an unwanted person or anything suspicious and file a police report if you are the victim of a crime!

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3) Tree Planting Event Volunteers Needed (1/28)

Come out on Saturday January 28th for Overlook and Arbor Lodge neighborhoods' 13th annual tree planting event. Last year over one hundred people came and we planted over 120 trees.   We want you to join us this year! Bring your kids or anyone else you want too.  We will meet at Kaiser Permanente Town Hall (3704 N Interstate Ave - at N Overlook Blvd) at 8:30 am for hot drinks and some breakfast items. Then we will go out in small groups and plant trees. 

Volunteer roles that we seek are

- Pickup truck owners/drivers (I will help you remove and re-install your topper before and after the event, or we can just do it at the event).

- Cooks to bring some lunch dishes from home.

- Tree planters who will go out in groups with experienced tree planters to install the trees.

- Greeters to welcome people in the morning as they arrive

- General operations assistance.

This year we are in special need of neighbors who own pick up trucks.  Pick up truck owners bring their trucks to the event, and have them loaded with trees (you can help with the loading if you want, but its not necessary).  Then the truck owners drive the trees and a volunteer planting team to locations around the neighborhood where the trees will be planted.  Your assistance is critical and greatly appreciated.   

Usually people come alone or in pairs, so you will be getting to know some neighbors while out planting trees.   If you want to contribute but can’t plant trees, please consider contributing some breakfast item or a dish for the big lunch we will have after all the trees are planted.   Every year we also need people to help organize the meeting places, and to drive other volunteers and trees in your pickup truck.   This year we might have close to 200 trees to plant, and will really need volunteers and pickup trucks.

Last year was a huge success and we’re going to make it even better this year.  Call Garrett with any questions about how the day will go down, or if you'd like to give a heads up that you are coming with some food or your truck.   503 422 5070.  Thanks!

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4) The Storyteller at the historic Overlook House Community Center (Mondays)

The Storyteller will be at the historic Overlook House Community Center at 3839 N. Melrose Drive, every Monday afternoon from 3:30 to 4:30 PM for a free hour of children’s stories, songs and games around a make believe campfire in an imaginary northwest forest.

Jerry Cowan (The Storyteller) is a long time Overlook resident and has a current approval by the State of Oregon Child Care Division background registry to work with children. The stories involve imaginary forest animals based on Native American legends and myths. Some stories are “story-songs” that are crafted to be more compatible with younger children. The Storyteller's intent is to host a story hour where families can meet get to know each other and share some quality time with their children. There will be a full sized electronic keyboard and an extra full sized acoustic guitar available (with some music books for each) for any adults or older children who want to practice or share their talent and entertain the group. As always, guest storytellers and entertainers are welcome to perform anytime.

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5) It's Fix It Fair Time - Learn How To @ Home

Fix-It Fair
Saturday, January 21st, 2012
8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.Rosa Parks Elementary School
8960 N Woolsey Ave

What you'll find at a Fix-It Fair

Ongoing exhibits and hourly workshops on such topics as:
    Water and energy savings
    Safe and healthy home
    Food and nutrition
    Neighborhood and community resources
    Recycling
    Weatherizing your home
    Gardening and growing your own food
    Yard care and composting
    Transportation

Plus
    Free lead blood testing
    Free giveaways
    Hourly door prizes
    Free professional childcare    
    Free lunch
    Free minor bike tune-ups and flat tire repair for students and families

For more information or to receive email notification for future Fairs: 503-823-4309, fixitfair@portlandoregon.gov.
Website:  www.portlandonline.com/bps/fif

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6) Trillium Charter School Auction Approaches (2/11)

Trillium Charter School's annual auction is happening on February 11th, 2012. This year’s auction will be a formal event hosted downtown, near PSU and the Crystal Ballroom, at the Eliot Center, 1011 SW 13th Avenue, the weekend preceding Valentine’s Day, and it’s all about feeling the love:

“For The Love of Trillium" is about advisors who creatively nurture learning through dynamic and emergent processes at all levels of education, meeting challenges, and remaining adaptable.

"For the Love of Trillium" is about the administrative staff who work tirelessly to cultivate a platform from which Trillium can meet or exceed the needs, expectations, and goals of our uniquely diverse community, internally, as well as in our relationships to the neighborhood, the city, the school district, and the state.

"For The Love of Trillium" is about parents contributing money, time, and skill, often teaming up with faculty-members to coordinate an array of services and happenings, in addition to staying involved with their children’s learning. It’s about students sharing their stories of learning and growth, through art, experimentation, music, journaling, and more, in an unrestricted setting which encourages critical-thinking, self-inventory and accountability.

Please save the date and support one of the neighborhood schools.

Get tickets, pledge and donate here:

http://trilliumcharterschool.tofinoauctions.com/auction2012/homepages/show

OKNA email: OKNA Potluck, Holiday Bazaars, Beach School News & More

Bundle up, Overlook, it's a chilly weekend to get you in the holiday spirit. If that doesn't do it, there are some fun events for you to check out.

Remember, we post all this and much more on our Facebook page , please click through and 'like' us to get OKNA in your feed.

1) Overlook House Holiday Bazaar (12/3 & 12/4)

2) Overlook Livability Team Clean Up this weekend! (12/4)

3) OKNA Potluck Dinner - This Week (12/9)

4) Join the Beach School/Escuela Beach PTA

5) Dine Out for Beach School (12/15)

6) Public Safety Alert

7) Overlook Village Holiday Bazaar (12/3)

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1) Overlook House Holiday Bazaar (12/3 & 12/4)

Overlook House, 3839 North Melrose Drive

Saturday, December 3rd -- 9 AM to 5 PM
Sunday, December 4th – 9 AM to 3 PM

Shop local!! Crafts, home baked goods, raffle.

Vendors include Overlook neighbors and others from the Portland area.

All original, homemade items. Soap, spices, cards, crayons, calendars, stained glass. Watercolor, wood burning, sewing, knitting, crocheting. Jewelry, hair accessories, hats, pj’s, baby items, kitchen aprons, towels.

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2) Overlook Livability Team Clean Up this weekend! (12/4)

Join your neighbors for a quick tour of work in small teams, cleaning graffiti, picking up trash and generally looking cool in your OLT t-shirts.

New team members are always welcome; meet up this Sunday at Di Prima Dolci (1936 N Killingsworth) for a 9am start time or email graffiti@Overlook Neighborhood.org for more information. Group meets monthly on Sundays.

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3) OKNA Potluck Dinner - This Week (12/9)

Please join your OKNA neighbors for our annual Holiday Potluck Dinner and socializing! In lieu of our December general meeting, we will gather at Daybreak CoHousing and break bread together while we take a holiday themed break. 

OKNA Holiday Potluck

Friday December 9 6:30—9:00 PM 
Daybreak Cohousing 
2525 N. Killingsworth Street

Please make something to share (and bring a serving utensil!) if you can and join us for merry company! OKNA & Daybreak will provide dishes, flatware and cups.

Invite a neighbor and come do something different.. it's fun!

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4) Join the Beach School/Escuela Beach PTA

In effort to strengthen the relationship between Beach School and the community we would like to encourage people to join our PTA. You can now do it easily and quickly online.

Please click here to join now. Our goal is to have 200 members by the end of January and we are currently at 110. Please pass the word and join now.

Beach is also selling some nice new t-shirts which you can at our home page www.beachpta.org . where you can order as well using Paypal. You can also use this form to specialize your order.

Bryn Dearborn
Beach PTA President

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5) Dine Out for Beach School (12/15)

Come support Beach Elementary School, your neighborhood school, on Thursday, December 15th at Burgerville (1135 NE MLK Blvd.) from 5-8PM. Burgerville will be donating 10% of the total sales from all the customers who come in and dine from 5-8PM.  Come by, have a burger, try the sweet potato fries or treat yourself to a milkshake.   Beach School would appreciate all your support.  Spread the word & we hope to see you there!

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6) Public Safety Alert

Elder fraud awareness

Portland Police detectives are investigating three cases of theft in Southeast Portland where unknown males have been posing as Portland General Electric (PGE) employees and seeking to enter residences saying they need to perform inspections.

Elderly victims appear to be targeted. In one case, they forcibly entered an occupied residence and stole property belonging to the homeowner.

The suspects have not displayed credentials nor have they driven PGE vehicles. There may be one or two males attempting to contact residents. The men are only described as "scruffy-looking" white males.

All PGE employees carry official identification badges when contacting customers at their homes or businesses. PGE employees typically do not enter residences.

There may be other attempts that have not been reported. Anyone who has someone claiming to be a PGE employee at their door who does not have a PGE identification badge should immediately call 911. Ask the dispatcher to send an officer to check the area to take a report describing the suspects and any associated vehicles.

Anyone with information about incidents like this is asked to call:

Detective Amber Lewis
Desk: 503-823-0887
Email: Amber.Lewis@portlandoregon.gov

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7) Overlook Village Holiday Bazaar (12/3)

This Saturday December 3rd from 10am until 6pm at Podkrepa (2116 N Killingsworth). There will be hand-made gifts by local vendors.