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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2016)
Dr. Kirsten Carr is interviewed by Erik Vidstrand in a followup story about west side school boundaries. – Page 7 Who was this famous woman driving a horse- drawn carriage at the Hunt Club in Garden Home? Find out in “Community Life.” – Page 8 Wilson alum strives to revive dance teams at Jackson and Gray middle schools. – Page 5 The Southwest Portland Post Volume No. 24 Issue No. 5 www.swportlandpost.com Portland, Oregon Complimentary March 2016 New bridge over Fanno Creek key segment for Red Electric Trail By Erik Vidstrand The Southwest Portland Post The city of Portland Bureau of Transportation held an open house on Feb. 1 in Hillsdale to unveil several draft concepts of a key segment of the Red Electric Trail. City and federal transportation monies are committed for a new bridge which will cross the Fanno Creek headwaters from Southwest Capitol Highway (near Bertha Station) west to Bertha Boulevard. “The area is owned by Portland Parks & Recreation,” explained Portland Bureau of Transportation project manager, Elizabeth Mahon, “and is designed to be multi-use and will comply with Americans with Disabilities Act statutes.” The planned Red Electric Trail would start at Parkhill Drive (east of Terwilliger Boulevard) then travel west under Interstate 5. The trail climbs up to Wilson High School, past Rieke Elementary, and along Florida Street to THE COUNTRY STORE By Erik Vidstrand The Southwest Portland Post Multnomah Village restaurant Acapulco’s Southwest Gold closes After 31 years in business, Acapulco’s Southwest Gold Mexican restaurant has closed. Located in the iconic building on the corner of Southwest 35th Avenue and Capitol Highway in Multnomah Village, owners, Mick and Jolene, are calling it quits. They took over the business Bertha Station. After crossing Fanno Creek, the trail continues west along Bertha Boulevard. SW Trails PDX founder Don Baack said the planned trail will follow much of its original rail alignment. “Our goal is to connect this new segment with a future trail which parallels Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway,” Baack said. “It intends to pass behind Hayhurst elementary school and connect with the eastern Fanno Creek Trail at Alpenrose Dairy.” According to Baack, much of the trail still needs funding while some funding is already in place. Artist renderings were prepared by KPFF, the engineering firm who designed the Portland Esplanade among other infrastructure projects. The construction will include a bike and pedestrian bridge plus improvements to Southwest Nebraska Street. GreenWorks, a landscape architectural firm, has been hired for the additional features. Residents and community leaders met with planning team members from family members back in 1991. “I don’t have anything to say except, ‘I’m retiring’,” Mick said uncomfortably when asked to make a comment for The Post. “We’ve put in 25 years and time to move on.” He pointed to the announcement on the window which thanked his loyal customers remembering the many conversations and experiences. Then he continued serving his customers. Long-time customer Stuart Ellis has been going there since 1989. He’s eaten there at least once a month for the last 15 years. “I’ve always enjoyed the food and drinks,” Ellis reminisced, “and the staff have always been great. They will be missed.” Another Mexican restaurant from Southeast Portland is scheduled to open later this year in the same location. Sacred Money Studios and Prosperity Pie Shoppe almost ready to open A new business is close to opening in the former Le Meitour Gallery space in Multnomah Village. Luna Jaffe, who owns Lunaria Financial, has founded the community-based business, Sacred Money Studios and Prosperity Pie Shoppe. She envisions it as a place to gather community, eat pie, and if people want to, be exposed to Mexican restaurant Acapulco’s Southwest Gold financial literacy. “It’s a whole separate closed Feb. 25 after 31 years in business. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand) business,” Jaffe replied from a n d p ro v i d e d feedback on the three proposed designs. From 1914 to 1929, the S o u t h e r n Pacific Railroad operated an interurban passenger train (the Red Electrics) in the Willamette Va l l e y w h i c h included stops at Union Station, Bertha Station, and travelled as far south as Multnomah neighbor Kim Isaacson (left) discusses plans for a new Red Electric Trail bridge with Shawn Kummer of GreenWorks, the Corvallis. landscape architect for the project. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand) The trail has been a long time transportation bureau will present the project of SW Trails PDX, a local selected design and explain next steps community group which promotes for construction. walking and biking in southwest For more information, contact Elizabeth. Portland. Mahon@portlandoregon.gov or http:// A second open house is yet to be swtrails.org. scheduled sometime in April. The Luna Jaffe paints an inspirational message on the wall during construction of Sacred Money Studios. (Photo courtesy of Sacred Money Studios) her office above the Umpqua Bank. When asked if she would be moonlighting after her day job focusing on her client’s financial matters, Jaffe said that she plans to be an occasional instructor and help with some of the events in the making. “I have two partners: Amy Dier and Jennifer Paauwe-Riffe. They will be the chief operators.” Modeled after Next Door, a Chicago community-based financial institute sponsored by State Farm Insurance Company, the pie shop will be first, and foremost, a community gathering spot that will stay open until the late evening. “I imagine different speakers, both local and national on a variety of financial matters like how to get your relationship [with money] in alignment and navigating financial literacy.” “Many people who need financial guidance cannot afford my services,” Jaffe confessed. “That’s what this concept will be for.” There will be a membership, some classes will be free or low-cost, and teens and young adults will be targeted for basic skills. “There will be art supplies, storytelling, journaling opportunities, and books available,” Jaffe said. “It will be approachable and affordable with a creative flair. And there will be pie!” Jaffe is a past-president of the Multnomah Village Business Association and founded Lunaria Financial in 2010 after a distinguished career at Edward Jones. A soft opening for Sacred Money Studios, if construction goes as planned, will be at the end of March with a grand opening soon after. Visit https://www. facebook.com/sacredmoneystudios/ for more information.