Dear EarthTalk:
Why do rooftop
solar panels have
to be so big and
unsightly?
– Page 7
What it feels like
to swim across the
Willamette River in
the summertime
– Page 2
MULTNOMAH
NOTEBOOK: Small
drone flies over
neighborhood
members during
presentation
– Page 3
The Southwest Portland Post
Volume No. 25 Issue No. 8
www.swportlandpost.com
Portland, Oregon
Complimentary
June 2017
Hillsdale volunteer organizes 25th Avenue trail restoration project
By Jack Rubinger
The Southwest Portland Post
Andrea Wall is on a one-woman
crusade to restore, revitalize and
reconnect people and plants along
25th Avenue in Southwest Portland.
Wall lives near this community
trail in a hybrid solar house she
helped to build in 1980. She said
that the trail is choked with invasive
bushes and trees and has storm water
issues with an upslope parking lot
flooding a home down below along
the trail.
Wall contacted the city, met with
three women working for city
agencies who assured her that there
was help available including grant
monies to help solve the problems
and encouraged her to try.
Wall applied for and received a
Bureau of Environmental Services
mini-grant of $500 to plant native
flowers, shrubs and trees.
(Continued on Page 6)
Volunteers gather for a photograph while working to restore the 25th Avenue trail on April 30. (Photo courtesy of Andrea Wall)
Local legislative representatives hold town hall at Multnomah Center
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
On one of the sunniest days of the
year, over a hundred constituents
packed a small classroom to hear
the latest news from local legislators.
They were also there to voice their
concerns on a full range of livability
issues such as affordable housing,
demolitions, and density.
Held at the Multnomah Arts
Center on April 29, the town hall
featured Rep. Margaret Doherty (D-
35), House Majority Leader Jennifer
Williamson (D-36), and Rep. Ann
Lininger (D-38) The 79th Legislative
Session has been meeting since
February.
Audience members donned lapel
pins, buttons, and T-shirts with
various slogans like Moms Demand
Action (for Gun Sense in America).
D o h e r t y, a f o r m e r t e a c h e r,
represents portions of Tigard,
Garden Home and Multnomah
Village. Doherty is pushing a bill for
more mental health professionals to
be assigned to lower school grades.
Williamson represents parts of
downtown Portland and Southwest
to the Washington County border.
She discussed the budget deficit of
over $1.6 billion.
“Approximately 350,000
Oregonians may lose their health
insurance,” Williamson said. “We’re
looking at cost containment to retain
public safety funds.”
“We’re looking at a business tax
rolling out as well,” Williamson said.
Rep. Lininger, who represents parts
of Southwest including Hillsdale,
and most of Lake Oswego, spoke
about growing the economy with
beer-wine-cider incentives and
streamlining regulations.
“I want to increase penalties for
some types of crimes,” Lininger
said. “I also want to address gun
safety including a bill that has
bipartisan support keeping guns out
of the hands of people who have had
suicidal tendencies.”
The Oregon Senate has approved
a bill that would require a person
to surrender his or her firearms if a
judge rules that an individual poses
a threat to themselves or the people
they live with.
Suicide is the eighth leading cause
of death among Oregonians and is
one of the state’s “most persistent
public health problems,” according
to a 2012 report from the Oregon
Health Authority.
After each of the representatives
completed their short speeches, it
was the audiences turn.
The issue discussed the most was
House Bill 2007, a bill sponsored
by House Speaker Tina Kotek.
According to 1000 Friends of Oregon,
this bill takes significant steps by
making abundant, diverse, and
more affordable housing available
to more people of all ages, ability,
income, and backgrounds in every
neighborhood.
According to the 1000 Friends
website, “Recognizing that ‘families’
come in all sizes, ages, and socio-
economic backgrounds, the notion
of a ‘single family zone’ as a
neighborhood with only larger
detached homes on larger lots must
catch up with today’s families.”
House Bill 2007, with an
(Continued on Page 6)
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The Southwest Portland Post
4207 SE Woodstock Blvd #509
Portland, OR 97206
Oregon legislative representatives Ann Lininger, Jennifer Williamson, and Margaret
Doherty address town hall constituents on April 29. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)