Page 8 * The St. Johns Review * #16 - Aug. 7, 2015
Email: reviewnewspaper@gmail.com * Mail: PO Box 83068, Port. OR 97283 * Web: www.stjohnsreview.com * Phone: 503-283-5086
NORTH PORTLAND
then left with him and took him to
Portland Adventist Medical Center.
Gang Enforcement Team (GET) de-
tectives responded to investigate the
shooting. The Tactical Operations
Division is continuing to investigate
several incidents of gun violence city-
wide. Anyone with information about
gun crimes in the City of Portland is
encouraged to provide information to
the Portland Police Bureau’s Tactical
Operations Division at 503-823-4106
or email information to gangs@port-
landoregon.gov. Information learned
from social media sites such as Face-
book, Twitter or YouTube should be
shared with investigators as these tips
may lead to the identification of a sus-
pect or suspects. Tips on gun crimes
can be emailed to GunTaskForce@
portlandoregon.gov.
more gunshots to the southeast of their
location, off in the distance. Callers to
9-1-1 reported seeing a vehicle drive
by Javier’s Tacos, located at N Van-
couver Ave and Lombard Street.
Officers responded to Javier’s and lo-
cated evidence of gunfire and damage
to a window at Javier’s. No gunshot
victims were located at either location
nor arrived at any Portland area hos-
pitals. The Gang Enforcement Team
(GET) responded to conduct an inves-
tigation into both incidents, which are
believed to be related.
The Tactical Operations Division is
continuing to investigate several inci-
dents of gun violence citywide.
GANG ENFORCEMENT INVES-
TIGATES TWO REPORTS OF
GUNFIRE IN NORTH
Angela Milender was arrested this past
Thursday, July 16 following a fire at
Budget Hotel located on N Interstate
Ave in Portland. The call came in as a
“cold fire” due the owners of the Ho-
tel having suppressed the fire on their
own. The subsequent investigation by
Portland Arson Investigation Unit led
to Milender.
Milender was previously arrested on
Feb 26th 2014 for a fire on Feb. 11th,
2014 at the Sixth Avenue Motel at
2221 S.W. Sixth Ave. At the time of
her Feb. 2014 arrest Milender open-
ly admitted to having started a resi-
dential fire on May 23, 2012 at 8105
News Release from Portland Police
FlashAlert: July 25th, 2015 10:24 AM
On Saturday July 25, 2015, at approx-
imately 4:10 a.m., North Precinct offi-
cers responded to the report of gunfire
in the area of N Kerby Avenue and
Willis Blvd.
As officers were responding to the
area, witnesses reported seeing a
crowd of 10 to 15 gang members
wearing red in a parking lot and sev-
eral cars leaving the area. Shortly after
officers arrived, police heard several
FEMALE ARRESTED FOR AR-
SON IN 3 SEPARATE FIRES
News Release from Portland Fire & Rescue
FlashAlert: July 20th, 2015 11:15 AM
POLICE & FIRE REPORTS
Continued from Page 7
S.E. Francis. The residential fire had
been an unsolved case prior to that.
Milender, 26, is now facing 3 counts
of Arson 1.
IMPROPERLY DISCARDED
SMOKING MATERIALS IGNITE
THREE UNRELATED STRUC-
TURE FIRES WITHIN AN HOUR
IN NORTH PORTLAND
News Release from Portland Fire & Rescue
FlashAlert: July 18th, 2015 9:05 PM
At 4:17 PM PF&R was dispatched to
a report of a house on fire at 9134 N.
Polk that was possibly extending to
a neighboring house. When the first
crews arrived, they reported heavy
fire from the back of a house that was
extending into the neighbors yard
and shed, and threatening the second
home. Crews aggressively attacked
the fire and searched the home for
occupants. The fire’s spread and mul-
tiple structure involvement prompted
the upgrade to a 2nd-Alarm at 4:22
PM. The additional crews were added
to the effort and the fire was quickly
brought under control. In all, approxi-
mately 50 fire personnel were on scene
to extinguish this fire. Fire Investiga-
tors determined that an improperly
discarded cigarette ignited the deck,
which quickly spread to the house,
adjacent arborvitae and the neighbor’s
shed. The neighbor’s yard also burned
quickly due to the low humidity of the
grass and ground cover. Additionally,
spot fires from flying embers were
reported in several other yards and
extinguished by firefighters. The dry
foliage, high temperatures and light
winds provided a prime environment
for fires to grow rapidly.
While this fire incident was pro-
gressing, dispatchers were shuffling
unassigned firefighting resources
around the city in a procedure called a
“Move-up”. This process ensures that
response times are geographically bal-
anced according to available appara-
tus by filling in the blank spots on the
map. “Emergencies don’t stop just be-
cause there’s a house fire in the area.”
said Lt. Justin de Ruyter.
Shortly after the “Move-up”, another
fire was dispatched in North Portland
at 2335 N. Marine Drive, just 3 miles
from the N. Polk fire. The dispatch
time was 4:51 PM. This fire was on a
floating home, which can complicate
firefighting efforts due to safety con-
cerns and lack of access. The occupant
was able to suppress the fire while
crews were enroute. An investigation
determined that a cigarette had been
discarded, but fell through a crack in
the wooden floats, igniting them.
The third fire was dispatched at 5:10
PM to 7606 N. Berkeley Ave. Occu-
pants used (4) dry-chem extinguishers
to extinguish the fire. Again, the cause
was determined to be smoking mate-
rials.
Prolonged periods of dry weather,
high temperatures and water conser-
vation practices are leaving plants and
ground cover very dry and flammable.
It is especially important to be careful
when discarding a cigarette or even
flicking ash. The slightest ember can
smolder for hours, and then in an in-
stant ignite and spread to a structure.
It is fortunate that these three fires
happened in the afternoon, when oc-
cupants and passersby were awake and
able to report them. Fires that occur in
the middle of the night can grow to ad-
vanced stages before they are noticed,
and can result in serious injury or even
death. Portland Fire & Rescue urges
citizens to practice extreme caution
when handling or discarding any hot
objects during this period of hot, dry
climates. Maintaining a “defensible
space” around your home and out-
buildings can reduce the risk of burn-
ing foliage igniting your structure.
BRUSH FIRES ADD TO AN AL-
READY BUSY FIRE
News Release from Portland Fire & Rescue
FlashAlert: July 17th, 2015 9:48 PM
Govt. Island Fire:
On July 17 between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Portland Fire and Rescue responded to
13 Grass, Barkdust or Brush fires.
Around 5:30 p.m., a single engine
company responded to reports of
smoke in the area just South of the
Portland Expo Center. Upon arrival
Portland Fire Engine 17 reported ap-
proximately 100’ x 100’ of grass and
brush on fire. The call was upgraded to
a Wild land Fire. This upgrade brought
resources that included two Brush
Units, a Water Tender and 3 additional
companies. The fire grew slightly to
little less than an acre before crews
contained the fire. A tree into an over-
head power line was the likely source
of the fire. Crews also had to contend
with a barbed wire chain link fence.
The fence was cut in one spot while
a gate was used to access the opposite
end of the fire. Shortly after 7 p.m.
crews were then dispatched to just
South of Cathedral park, along the
Willamette River (near N Richmond
Ave). Fire boat 6 was able to hit the
flames from the water using a master
stream turret. Additionally, a brush
unit was able to make access down to
the fire location via a dirt road and use
hand lines to help extinguish the burn-
ing brush. It appears the cause of this
fire is related to a transient camp that
was set up there. An investigator has
been notified and will be looking into
this further.
These calls add to an already ex-
tremely busy week. Here is a brief
recap:
Portland Fire & Rescue responded to
a stump on fire in Forest Park this past
Wednesday morning around 9:30am.
The small fire grew to about 50’ x 100’
and two downed trees before fire crews
were able to get it 100% contained and
finally extinguished around 1pm in the
afternoon. It took about 30 firefight-
ers and 2500’ of hose to put that fire
out. The Portland Parks Bureau Park
Rangers assisted with trail closures
and parking at Pittock Mansion.
Then at approximately 1:30pm that
same day, Portland Fire & Rescue
was called to a grass fire on Govern-
ment Island. This fire grew to about 50
acres before being extinguished by 50
firefighters, or a 2nd Alarm Wildfire.
The challenge with this wind driven
fire was that it was on an island and
all the fire crews and equipment had
to be transported by boats. Besides
PF&R’s Fire boat 17 and Rescue Boat
17, the Port of Portland Rescue Boat
80, Vancouver Fire boat 1 and two
Multnomah County Sheriff’s boats all
assisted with transporting those crews
and equipment to the island and back.
The fire was 100% contained by 5pm.
Upcoming:
Peace & Blessed
Temple Fair
Peace Lutheran Church would like to
welcome the community to once again
attend their annual neighborhood com-
munity fair on Thursday, August 20
from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.
“Come and enjoy all we have to of-
fer,” said organizers. There will be free
hot dogs, face painters, school sup-
plies, a balloon clown, clothes closet
for adults and kids, a car show, music
provided by a DJ, and door prizes.
(Winners must be present to win).
Many area vendors with information
on a variety of subjects will also be
in attendance, and some of the kid’s
favorite folks including the mounted
police horse patrol and the fire depart-
ment with a hook and ladder truck.
Don’t miss out on the fun, the sun,
and the enjoyment of being together.
Peace Lutheran Church is located at
2201 N. Rosa Parks Way.