EarthTalk:
Are there ways
to make colleges
more eco-
friendly?
– Page 7
Holiday
Gala in
Multnomah
Village
– Page 5
Sellwood
Bridge
construction
workers lay track
for the trolley line
– Page 3
The Southwest Portland Post
Volume No. 25 Issue No. 2
www.swportlandpost.com
Portland, Oregon
Complimentary
December 2016
Voters by slim margin agree to support extending light rail to Tigard
SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR PLAN
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
Southwest Corridor Steering Committee members listen to project staff and citizens at a
Nov. 14 meeting at Metro headquarters. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
Washington County has officially
certified all ballots from the city of
Tigard’s Measure 34-255 which asked
voters whether or not the city should
support extending future light rail
service from Portland to Tigard.
A c c o rd i n g t o M i c k i e K a w a i ,
Washington County elections manager,
the “Yes” votes were 12,683 and the
“No” votes were 12,534, a difference
of 149 votes in favor of light rail. No
funds were authorized by the measure’s
passage.
Oregon law requires an automatic
recount when elections of candidates
or ballot measures are within one fifth
of one percent.
“There will be no recount since the
vote clearly has a large enough spread,”
Kenny Asher, director of community
development explained.
“The ballot measure won’t obligate
residents to a new tax. A new vote
needs to take place on another measure
authorizing funding of the line,” said
Asher.
W h i l e t h e F e d e r a l Tr a n s i t
Administration is expected to pay
half of the total cost, the final project
would require several additional steps
including an anticipated regional vote
for funding the other half, or local share.
On Nov. 14, the Southwest Corridor
Steering Committee held a meeting
where Metro project staff released their
recommendations based on additional
analysis and public input during the
scoping period.
The recommendations include a
definition of the initial set of investments
proposed to be studied in the draft
environmental impact statement which
will take place in 2017.
Metro staff included proposed
revisions to the light rail project, a
subset of the Southwest Corridor Plan
(Continued on Page 6)
Families respond to election protests with candlelight peace vigil
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
On Nov. 11, a few days after the
general election, a group of local
mothers organized an impromptu
candlelight peace vigil in Multnomah
Village in response to reactions
surrounding the presidential vote.
Erin Gallivan, one of the members
of the group Hillsdale-Multnomah
Village Moms, posted a Facebook
invitation to come together for
community support.
“This week has been one that’s
left many of us feeling divided,
marginalized, and, quite honestly,
sad,” Gallivan said.
Held on the sidewalk outside the
Multnomah Arts Center, the group
numbered around three dozen and
was made up mostly of parents and
their children.
“We wanted to keep it positive,”
Gallivan told The Post. “There has been
a lot of online discussion and social
media about the election. However,
we felt a need to see one another. We
support equality, inclusion, and love.”
Following the election of Donald
Trump, the Republican nominee many
did not think would win, citizens
around Portland and other major
cities, took to the streets to express
their First Amendment rights.
At the candlelight vigil, children
and their parents painted posters
with words like “Love”, “Practice
Kindness”, and “Empathy,” and then
held them up with a look of peaceful
resolve.
With her tiny toddler strapped to her
front, Gallivan waved to cars passing
by slowly. Some honked their horns in
response. Gallivan said she had never
done anything like this before.
Some turned on green “glow sticks.”
Candles were lit. Singing erupted.
Some had safety pins clipped to their
coats and sweaters.
“These pins are both as a way to
protest the vote,” explained Kalin
Lehner, one of the organizers, “and
subtly announces ourselves as allies
to minorities who feel threatened by
the election results.”
Harassment of certain minority
groups has been on the increase since
the election, sending fear throughout
immigrant communities.
The safety pin movement began
following the Brexit vote, a referendum
held in the United Kingdom in which
52 percent of votes were cast in favor
of leaving the European Union.
“We didn’t want the vigil to be
political,” Lehner said. She said she
was surprised by the hate speech
coming from both major parties.
Lehner stated that a “Million Woman
March” is planned for the day after the
presidential inauguration on Saturday,
Jan. 21, from the Lincoln Memorial to
the White House.
According to the website, many
women who can’t make it to
Washington, D.C., will be holding
local marches and include their family
members.
When asked if this group would
have more vigils, Lehner said that
they’re just taking one day at a time.
“We’re just here tonight,” she said.
Members then began singing the
traditional song, “This Little Light of
Mine (I’m Gonna Let it Shine)” and
started marching towards the heart
of Multnomah Village holding their
children, posters and candles.
Community members gathered outside the Multnomah Arts Center on Nov. 11 to share a
peaceful message in response to the presidential election. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
Don’t forget to renew your subscription. Form on Page 2.
The Southwest Portland Post
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Portland, OR 97206