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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2014)
Commissioner Fish and Water Bureau staff discuss surplus property policy – Page 6 Accuracy is important to Multnomah mystery writer April Henry – Page 5 Southwest Portland’s independent neighborhood newspaper since 1992 Volume No. 22, Issue No. 12 www.swportlandpost.com Portland, Oregon Complimentary October 2014 New Wilson HS turf finished in time for varsity football home opener By Janet Goetze The Southwest Portland Post The refurbished Wilson High School field was finished Sept. 19, just in time for the first home foot- ball game of the season. The open- ing festivities planned on the green artificial turf continued on schedule. Principal Brian Chatard, who headed a committee that began rais- Carole Smith, Portland School District superintendent, is whisked away in a motorcycle sidecar on Sept. 19 after festivities marking the opening of Wilson High School's new turf-covered field. (Post photo by Janet Goetze) ing field money last summer, arrived at the festivities in the sidecar of a big motorcycle. Like many students, he had a “W” painted in green on the side of his face. Schools’ Superintendent Carole Smith and three school board mem- bers had arrived earlier, wearing green T-shirts proclaiming “Trojan Turf,” using the school’s team name. Chatard presented game balls to soccer and football captains, and he gave Smith a football in recognition of the district’s efforts to improve fields for Wilson and nine other Portland high schools. Smith acknowledged donors for the Wilson field, including Nike and Marcia Randall, the mother of Wil- son graduates whose family donated $250,000 for the project estimated to cost nearly $1.8 million. Chatard had expected the field to be ready a few days before the Sept. 19 season opener against Franklin High, but it didn’t pass safety tests until the afternoon of the game. Regardless of tests, earlier in the week a couple of neighborhood walkers squeezed through the open- ing of the fence around the field. As other community members are expected to do, they tried out the red track surrounding the oval of bright green turf selected by the school district to keep the field usable in bad weather. In 2008, the school board recog- nized the poor condition of 10 high schools’ tracks and fields, which often included patchwork grass and packed dirt that turned to slippery mud in the rain. Since then, the district has ac- quired Nike, Portland Parks & Recreation, Foothills Soccer Club, the Portland Timbers Army, parent groups and foundations as financial partners in upgrading the athletic fields. The work is in line with the board’s policy for student wellness, which includes nutrition and physical ac- tivity. Obesity rates have doubled among young children in the past 20 years, the board said in develop- ing its wellness policy, and the rates have tripled among adolescents. The school environment, the board said, can help prevent obesity- related diseases in both children (Continued on Page 3) Local marching band goes international with invitation to Shanghai, China By Erik Vidstrand The Southwest Portland Post After ten months of planning, nu- merous rehearsals and two dozen public performances, The Beat Goes On Marching Band flew to China on Sept. 10 to represent the United States at the Shanghai Tourism Festival. You might know them as the Get- a-Life Marching Band (that was their original name), but it’s the band most everyone experiences during the Multnomah Days festival and parade. “Multnomah Village seems like home,” said Patti Waitman-Inge- bretsen, board secretary and twirler captain. “We got some big breaks with coverage that led us to experi- ence some big events.” The Beat Goes On is an all-adult marching band committed to delight- ing northwest and national audiences while reliving the best parts of the high school and college marching band experience. Waitman-Ingebretsen started twirl- ing 65 years ago and is an energetic cheerleader. The band is known for its feel-good attitude, emphasis on audience interaction, and spontaneity on the street and on stage. Though the musical tastes are eclec- tic, the band features a high-energy, brassy, rock ‘n’ roll style. The band members’ ages range from 18-85. The Beat Goes On started out this year in San Francisco for the Chinese New Year Parade. The band recently marched and played in the oldest 4th of July parade in the nation lo- cated in Bristol, Rhode Island. They have also played in the Ba- hamas, the Calgary stampede in Canada, and were invited to Presi- dent Barack Obama’s first inaugura- tion in 2009. But the most exciting news was the invitation from the Shanghai Tour- ism Festival to appear in Shanghai, China at their 2014 Festival, which has “Marching Bands” as its theme. “We are the marching band rep- Don’t forget to renew your subscription. Form on Page 2. The Southwest Portland Post 4207 SE Woodstock Blvd #509 Portland, OR 97206 The Beat Goes On Marching Band performs in mid-September on the Great Wall of China. (Photo courtesy of Ken Kane) resenting the USA,” said Waitman- Ingebretsen. “I’m anxious to see the reaction of the Chinese people,” said Audrey Perino, one of the band members, “to a bunch of old folks marching down the parade route.” Moda Health chose to make a sub- stantial donation to help enable the band’s upcoming trip. So did Intel. The band also received a $50,000 grant from the U.S. Department of State. It’s the band’s most ambitious trip ever: a parade through one of the largest cities in the world, followed by three days of concerts over 5,700 miles from home. Director Steve Tolopka sounds like a football coach when talking about his band. “We’re peaking at just the right time. After a summer full of per- formances, we’re at the top of our game,” said Tolopka. “The Chinese people will get a taste of American culture as it should be experienced—through music performed by ordinary, but inspired, people.” Band member Norm Wachlin add- ed, “The main reason to go to China is to meet the people. I want our band members to learn how to say ‘Ni hao’ which means ‘hello’ and to smile. If you do that, 99 percent of the people will be your friends.” Check out The Beat Goes On Marching Band’s web page for more information or to make a donation of support. The band is also on Face- book and YouTube.
