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About St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 25, 2015)
Email: reviewnewspaper@gmail.com * Mail: PO Box 83068, Port. OR 97283 * Web: www.stjohnsreview.com * Phone: 503-283-5086 The St. Johns Review * #26 DEC. 25, 2015 * Page 3 COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS New Nature’s Pet Store now opened Nature’s Pet Market, which opened in November at 8169 N Lombard, was a year in the mak- ing. Celeste Richards, owner, says her drive to open the store comes from her personal love of animals and her very fi rst dog, a pug named Bridgett Barkdot. “My sweet Bridgett developed severe allergies that affected her ability to breath when she was seven years old,” Richards ex- plains. “Through a holistic ap- proach of diet and natural sup- plements, she lived to 15 years old without the continual use of steroids. I’ve seen fi rst hand what a difference these products can make.” Richards’ mission is to ensure everyone has access to chemi- cally safe products and organic food items. “In the past, these types of items were hard to fi nd,” she says. “Now they are more accessible but you still have to carefully read the labels and check for harmful chemicals or processed food. When you shop in our store, you don’t have to worry about any of that. Every- thing we carry is 100% natural and holistic. That takes a lot of pressure off animal owners and lovers who put a ton of energy into treating their animals and the environment with that care and respect.” The store will also be hosting several rescue events this winter and spring, and encourage the public to check their website or Facebook page for updates. Sending: Letters To The Editor & Obituaries Letters To The Editor are en- couraged and welcome. They must contain a name. Unsigned letters will be disgarded. Letters may be slightly edited for space or grammar but their content will not be altered. Letters can be mailed or emailed. Obituaries are $50 each which includes a photo. They may be written by a family member or the funeral home. Payment can be made with a credit card over the phone by calling 503-283- 5086. Email address: reviewnewspaper@gmail. com Mailing address: PO Box 83068, Port. 97283 Overlook Neighborhood left out of conversation about encampment for houseless The city of Portland recent- ly issued permits for the grow- ing Hazelnut Grove camp for the houseless near N. Greeley and N. Interstate at the base of the bluff. The camp leaders have agreed to police themselves, keep the camp to 25 residents, and abide by a code of conduct that doesn’t allow needles, open drug or alcohol use, violence, discrimination or theft. A representative of the Mayor’s offi ce said the permit for the camp could be revoked if self-regula- tion at the camp doesn’t work. A second encampment nearby faces eviction, though the city is asking for Hazelnut Grove’s 25-resident rule to be stretched to add camp- ers from the second camp to those who agree to the code of conduct. The city’s vagueness around the second encampment’s eviction and about the size of the Hazel- nut Grove camp are examples of general vagueness that has created concern in the Overlook Neighbor- hood Association (OKNA). Board member Chris Trejbal said the plan for the city’s declared state of emergency for the homeless has not been well defi ned nor has it been discussed with the neigh- borhood. The state of emergency allows city agencies and local non-profi ts to work together to enact a plan that would help Portland protect the 1800 residents who sleep with- By Barbara Quinn The Review out shelter. The plan would waive zoning codes; it could convert city-owned properties into shel- ters, and build permanent housing. Nonetheless, the neighborhood’s “wait-and-see” attitude is being tested due to what is seen by neigh- bors as a break down in commu- nication with city representatives. The neighbors’ inquiries over the last two months have gone mostly unanswered. They are concerned about safety and health with the crude structures and siting of the camp where there is no access to water, laundry facilities or ser- vices like other permanent house- less camps. They would also like assurances that the camp, located near Overlook Park, will not house sex offenders or violent criminals. Promises the City has refused to make. Residents would also like to see city enforcement of the camp’s code of conduct. Neighborhood reps had high hopes for better communication in a recent meeting with the city, but were discouraged by what they say was a one-way presentation. St Johns Review will hold another Bridge Photo Contest for 2016 By Gayla Patton Editor The St. Johns Bridge photo con- test turned out to be a huge suc- cess so there will be another one starting with the January 16, 2016 issue!! I wanted to get reader feedback to see how much it was received and/or enjoyed before making my decision, and people said over and over they enjoyed seeing all the pictures of our beautiful bridge and what a treasure we have here in North Portland. There are so many talented people and all the beautiful photos show that. So, start sending your pictures of the bridge ASAP. I will ask that photographers try and send unique, new pictures and angles of the bridge, and not send pictures already entered from last year, but I’m not going to say they won’t be accepted. However, new photos stand a better chance. Try to keep your entries to no more than three at a time in your emails and make sure you send them in high resolution, it helps their clar- ity when printed on newsprint. The same rules will apply in 2016 as 2015, which seemed to work out pretty well. Photos may be altered slightly when printed in the paper but this will be to fi t them into the Mast- head of the paper, which generally measures to 10.25” across and 2 to 4” tall. For Photos of the Week, they can be any size. Congratulations to Paulette Por- ter for winning this year’s contest. Paulette was thrilled and men- tioned her $100 prize was coming at a good time. Her winning photo is on this issue’s Masthead. On your mark, get set......GO. Start taking those pictures!!!! I can’t wait to see them....Gayla Walking with Ghosts By Jim Speirs Recently, I took several hours to walk the streets of St. Johns. It’s the Christmas season and as such I had much incentive to stroll the area of my youth. It’s not the fi rst time I’ve done this, for as most folks know, I’m a familiar face in North Portland. The changes taking place in St. Johns are breath taking. For those who live there, it might not seem quite as apparent, but if you’ve not taken the time to really look, or if you’re not living in the area, the changes you see are stark and revealing. It’s not bad, but there’s a “Ying and a Yang” feel to the setting; one that’s been a part of my historical coverage of St. Johns for decades. The transformation is clearly the evolutionary “tug-of-war” that was in- evitable and it pits two forces against each other. There are many who lament the changing face of St. Johns. They remember and revere the unique past that was North Portland. They resent the new and continuous press coverage of the area and when the media extols the many benefi ts of this “hidden jewel” and brags of its liva- bility. In short, they want the old St. Johns back. Their opposing ranks cor- rectly say what’s inescapable; change is here and it will accelerate. St. Johns/ North Portland has been “discovered” and the momentum of revolution is unstoppable. The mixed emotions on both sides are real and the intentions honorable. Still, the lingering resent- ment of youth and change verses gen- erational older resistance is apparent throughout the community. Depend- ing on where and when you stop for a drink, the conversation can and does quickly turn to the evolution of St. Johns, or the devolution, the discus- sion formulated by who’s speaking. As I stood on the corner across from Continued on Page 8 “Walking with Ghosts” Neighborhood reps feel that the city is not listening to resident’s concerns. “It is weird and frustrat- ing to be observers in your own neighborhood,” said Chris. On Wednesday, December 16, the Overlook Neighborhood Asso- ciation is hosting a special meet- ing to hear from residents. Board members will then deliberate and decide what to do going forward. Chris Trejbal said, “The city’s job is to engage with us, but they are not. This really needs to be a city-wide conversation because city-imposed homeless camps could come to all neighborhoods.”
