Committed to Cultural Diversity
www.portlandobserver.com
August 16, 2000
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Mt. Hood Huckleberry
Festival & Barlow Trail
Days
T h e 16,h A n n u al M o u n t H ood
Huckleberry Festival & Barlow Trail
Days will be held on August 25,26 and
27 at the Mt. Hood Village (6500 East
U.S. H ighw ay 26 in Brightw ood,
Oregon). The events are free. There will
be live entertainment, Salmon Bakes,
C a m p fire c o n c e rts, h u c k le b e rry
pancakes served, W atermelon seed
launch contest, and more. For more
information, call 503/998-7813 or
information on camping/cabins, call
503/622-4011.
V olunteers N eeded at
B lind S lough Swam p
Preserve
The Nature Conservancy o f Oregon
invites anyone interested in preserving
Blind Slough Sw am p, located in
Brownsmead 12 miles east o f Astoria,
to participate in a volunteer work party
on Saturday, August 26. Blind Slough
Swamp Preserve is the best example o f
tidal Sitka spruce swamp remaining in
Oregon, and provides habitat along
the Columbia River for bald eagle,
o sp re y , riv e r o tte r an d beav er.
Registration required. Call 230-1221.
Oregon Tradeswomen
August Meeting
T he n e x t m e e tin g o f O regon
Tradeswomen, Inc. is scheduled for
Thursday, August 17. The meeting will
be held at 6 pm. at the State Office
Building, 800NE Oregon St., room 120.
The topic will be: gender roles and the
trades - How does doing a “m an's job”
affect our perception o f ourselves as
women? Monthly meetings are held
the third Thursday o f the month and
provide information, network resources
and fun for all. Childcare is provided at
no cost and everyone is welcome. Call
503/943-2228.
Free Acupuncture Clinic
on Stress Reduction
If you want to maintain the feeling o f
peace and relaxation you achieved
during summer vacation, plan to attend
the free stress reduction clinic at the
Oregon College o f Oriental Medicine
on Wednesday, August 23, at 7 pm
There will also be information about
other m ethods used in traditional
C hinese m edicine for prom oting
relaxation and reducing the stress and
strain o f modem life through use o f
natural herbs and gentle meditative
exercise. Call the college at 253-3443 to
reserve a place. The college is located
at 10525 SE. Cherry Blossom Dr. in East
Portland, next to Mall 205.
City Garden Fair
A City Garden Fair will be held on
Saturday, September9, from 8 am. to 1
pm. at the Portland Farmers Market at
South Park Blocks by Portland State
University. There will be produce and
flower judging. Bring produce and
flowers forjudging between 8 to 10am.
Judging will begin at 10 am. Kids
welcome with activities for them. For
more information, call Community
Gardens at 823-1612.
Volunteer for the 2000
Komen Portland Race
for the Cure
Volunteer to help make the 2000 Komen
Race for the Cure, one o f the largest 5K
run/walk events in the nation, another
great success! The 2000 Race, to benefit
the Oregon & Southwest Washington
A ffiliateoftheSusanG . KomenBreast
Cancer Foundation, needs more than
1,000 v o lu n te e rs d u rin g R ace
Weekend, September 15 and 16 with
Race Day on September 17. Distribute
food, register participants, help set up,
work at the Health Expo and the NEW
Post-Event Party, and other tasks. Call
503/553-3680 or visit their website at
www.raceforthecure-pdx.org.
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Albina Community Bank, American State
seek merger
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We are very pleased to announce an alliance
between northeast Portland’s two landmark
community banks.
A m erican State Bank, “The Bank that
integration built” and Albina Community
bank, a certified “Community Development
F in a n c ia l In s titu tio n ” to d ay filed an
a p p lic a tio n w ith the F ederal D ep o sit
Insurance Corporation FDIC) and the State o f
Oregon, requesting approval o f an agreement
whereby Albina Community bank has agreed
to purchase a majority o f the loans, and
assume a majority o f the deposits o f American
State Bank.
American State Bank sought an alliance during
this period o f transition with an institution
that met its expectation o f com m unity
investment and focus on small, minority and
women owned businesses and individuals.
Albina community bank, which is nearly 43%
minority owned, has as it’s mission a goal o f
helping to accelerate the redevelopment o f
north and northeast Portland, while also
ensuring that low to m oderate incom e
individuals and small business owners share
in that economic upturn.
Our common missions, common ownership,
and common markets combined with our close
physical proxim ity will mean that your
accounts will receive the same personal care
that you have come to expect over the many
years you have banked with American State.
Albina Community Bank is just six blocks
south of American State Bank on Martin
Lutherking Jr. Boulevard.
As the date o f the actual conversion o f your
accounts to A lbina C om m unity B ank
approaches, we will provide you with detailed
information about new checks, contact phone
numbers, and account information. In the
meantime, you may call either o f us with any
questions or concerns.
A group o f community activist in northeast
Portland filed suit against a local utility in the
early ‘90’s. As settlement, the utility agreed
to put over $2 million into a community trust
with the objective o f creating a sustainable
financial resource o f north and northeast
Portland. Those funds were used as partial
capitalization for the new bank. Today the
Northeast Portland Community Development
Trust is the bank’s largest shareholder.
ACB has proactively sought out business
among area small businesses, non-profits,
real estate developers involved in affordable
h o u sin g an d in n e r c ity co m m e rc ia l
redevelopment, and those consumers that
are consistent with its mission. In roughly
four years o f existence, ACB has made over
$70 million in loans within its targeted market
area. Approximately 85% o f its loan portfolio
are in real estate loans in a mixture o f single
and multi-family residential and commercial
( Please see 'M e rg e r' page 2 )
AT&T sponsors “Stellar Kids at Stellar Cove”
AT&T Wireless, the sponsor o f the Grand opening o f the
“Stellar Cove " exhibit at the Oregon Zoo, and AT&T
Broadband, are sponsoring “Stellar Kids at Stellar Cove.
These AT&T business units hosted nearly 1,000 children
and their chaperones to the Oregon Zoo fo r a day o f fun,
food, and surprises.
The “Stellar Kids ” are children from various children s
charities and support agencies in the Portland area.
Participating agencies include the Boys & Girls Aid
Society’, Albertina Kerr Centers, Friends o f Children, State
Offices o f Services fo r Children & Families, Waverley
Children s Home, The Christie School, Parry’ Center for
Children, Police Activity League, Campfire Boys & Girls
Hispanic Youth Program, Morrison Center, Janus Youth
Center and Edgefield Child Center.
The children were treated to free admission to the Zoo,
lunch, a free “Zoo Key" to allow them to activate the audio
tape messages to learn all about the Zoo s animals and
exhibits, and other gifts and surprises.
•
More than 100 AT&T employees were on hand as “AT&T
Cares " volunteered to meet, greet, and help these “Stellar
Kids " enjoy their day at the Zoo.
New Concordia grocery advances towards completion
for T he
P ortland O bserver
The Concordia Neighborhood Association
last week used National Night Out to celebrate
completing Phase One o f their effort to bring
a New S easons g ro c e ry sto re to the
neighborhood.
More than 100 people attended a community
celebration at the proposed located, the old
Wilshire Park Sentry Market location at 5322
N.E. 33rd Ave.
Stan Amy, Brian Rohtor, Sarah Fitch and
other former N ature's Fresh Northwest
executives propose to build a 29,000 square
foot market on the site. Rohtor says the market
will emphasize natural and organic foods, but
also conventional brands when they are
significantly cheaper
To do this, they must vacate and relocate a
portion ofNortheast Emerson Street between
33rd and 34th avenues
They have also said the store must be
completed in one year, and street vacations
normally take a year to gain city approval.
Further, residents of Northeast 34th Street,
who have opposed past efforts to replace the
Sentry Market, say they could support this
proposal if the new Emerson Street does not
go through to 34th.
This in turn has produced grumblings from
commissioner Charlie Hales’ office, since it
appears to interfere with the city policy of
providing “connectivity."
Two-thirds ofthe property owners within 400
feet must first approve the vacation o f the old
street, before determining how the new street
will operate At a June meeting Rohtor told
Steve Makinster, one o f the most vocal 34th
»
street residents, “I will pledge you my good
will. 1 w on’t promise you the result you want
because that's not under my control."
Despite the uncertainty, Concordia secured
the necessary signatures, including those of
Makinster and many o f his neighbors, last
month.
Concordia land use chair Hector Roche says
that a hearing on the issue will probably occur
in October or November.
Last w eek's celebration was attended by
Rohtor, Mayor Vera Katz and police chief
MarkKroecker.
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