March 21, 2001 Page A5 <£he ìjlorthuiò (0beeruer (iu rtin u ò (Observer Family Home Brings Business Opportunity A northeast Portland housing agency will offer a low-income resident the opportunity to operate an in-home childcare business as a way to m eet the neighborhood’s child care needs. Portland Com munity Reinvest­ ment Initiatives, Inc., a nonprofit housing developer and property m anagem ent company, renovated a hom e at 5817 N. Michigan where ’Iowan Anderson checks out the new digs (left) as other members o f the community get the grand tour o f a renovated house that will Junction as both a childcare business and living quarters at 5817 N. Michigan. (P hotos by M ichael L eighton /P ortland O bserver the first floor o f the residence is specifically designed forachildcare business. The second floor o f the home is living space for the family. The home has childcare furni­ ture and equipment that PCRI pur­ chased. “It’s wonderful to think that children will be learning here and it will be quality child care,” said Valerie Garrett, PCRI ’ s project manager. I( * * £ tfH Menamins EDY SCH o vt qi Office Puts New Focus on Neighborhoods Portland City C om m issioner Dan Saltzm an is announcing a new focus for Portland’s netw ork o f neighborhood associations and coalitions. “To retain our leader­ ship and to have the best access fo rn eig h b o rsto th eircity govern­ m ent, we need to periodically take a hard look at our system . W e have to look at how our resources are spent and ask w hat can w e do to m ak e o u r sy stem b e tte r,” Saltzm an said. C alled “ R e-Ex­ am ine and R econnect,” the effort will focus on three key areas. First, the city ’s O ffice o f N eigh­ borhood Involvement will investi­ gate how best to support neigh­ borhood associations and their connection to the coalitions. Second, Saltzm an w ants to in­ crease the num ber and represen­ tation o f neighbors in our neigh­ borhood associations. “ R e-Exam ine and Reconnect is about building for future that su p p o rts and stren g th en s our neighborhood associations-be- cause good people m ake good neighborhoods and good neigh­ b o rh o o d m ak e good p eo p le,” Saltzm an said. r iiB ii m I o I M m l i k lllll KENNEDY III H I m in SKI 111 E L E M E N T A R Y S C HOOL PGE Employees Contribute 75,000 Hours Portland General Electric em ­ ployees contributed m ore than 75,000 hours o f volunteer service to non-profit agencies,schools, and service and government organiza­ tions in 2000 - 28,000 hours more than 1999. “Com munity involvem ent is an integral part o f our corporate cul­ ture,” says PGE chief executive o ffic e r and p re s id e n t P eg g y Fowler. “And what drives our com ­ munity investments is the volun­ teer energy o f our employees, re­ tirees and their fam ilies.” PGE employees are well known for their enthusiastic support o f PGE-sponsored volunteer activi­ ties such as "Friends o f Trees” Seed the Future campaign, SOLV IT and m ost recently, a huge effort with C om m unity Energy Project, where m ore than 250 employees weatherized 23 homes for low- income, disabled and elderly citi­ zens. “Our em ployees are doing great things to enhance their communi­ ties. This is one way our company can s u p p o rt th e ir e ffo rts , strengthen our communities, and instill a sense o f pride in our com­ munity at the same time,” Fowler says. PG E’s corporate contribu­ tions focus on preserving and en­ hancing our natural environment, educating and supportinga healthy, stable work force ànd enhancing and protecting safe, involved neigh­ borhoods. Computer and Internet Help for Adults th ro u g h new c o m p u te r lab s A S IS , an e d u c a ­ an d e d u c a tio n a l p ro g ra m s . tio n a l p ro g ra m fo r O A S IS h a s lo c a l m e m b e r­ a d u lts o v e r 55, h as o . f o v e r 12,000 s e n io rs , w o n a g ra n t fro m th sh e ip U .S m an y o f w h o m a re e a g e r fo r D e p t. o f C o m m e rc e to h e lp a c c e s s to th e In te rn e t, b e tte r c lo s e th e d ig ita l d iv id e th a t eq u ip m e n t a n d m o re c o m p u te r e x is ts a m o n g th e s e n io r p o p u ­ ed u catio n , a c co rd in g to a m em ­ lation. b e rs h ip su rv e y c o n d u c te d lo ­ T h e g ro u p is m ak in g In tern et c a lly la s t sp rin g . a c c e s s a n d tra in in g a v a ila b le O Barking Dogs Are A Year-Round Problem Barking dogs are a year-round prob­ lem in Portland, but worsen in the spring and summer when pets are left outdoors. Although there are no quick fixes, many barking dog situations can be resolved with neighbors speaking to neighbors, according to John Rowton o f the Multnomah County Animal Control. “Take some time now to assess your dog’s behavior, to see if your pet is a good neighbor or a neighborhood nuisance,” Rowton said. There are a variety o f reasons that cause dogs to bark, including separa­ tion anxiety: This barking (which only occurs in the owner’s absence and is often accompanied by destructive behavior and house soiling) is the dog’s way o f telling you that he is anxious about your leaving. Another cause is fear: Dogs may bark as a response to things that frighten them, often noises such as thunderstorms, firecrackers, garbage trucks, etc. if repeatedly frightened in o f M eier & F ran k , w h ich sp o n ­ “ C o m p u te r c la s s e s , a n d e s ­ s o rs th e g ro u p a lo n g w ith p e c ia lly In te rn e t w o rk sh o p s, L e g a c y H e a lth S y ste m a n d a re so m e o f th e m o st p o p u la r R egency B lu e C ro s s s e rv ic e s w e o ffe r at O A S IS ,” B lu e S h ie ld o f O re gon. sa y s R o b in C o s tic , d ire c to r o f A n y o n e in te re ste d in le a rn ­ th e P o rtla n d p ro g ra m . ing m o re sh o u ld c o n tac t R obin he P o rtla n d O A S IS C o s tic , O A S IS D ire c to r, 5 0 3 - w ill b e e s ta b lis h in g 2 4 1 - 3 0 5 9 o r e - m a i l to : th e n ew c o m p u te r lab o s o tic th is s u m m e r o n th e 10th rc flo r @ lh s .o rg . T Monday through Saturday: 7am to 10:30am Sunday: 7am to 11:30am 5736 NE 53rd • Portland, Oregon (503) 249-3983 • iu n v .m rm cn a m in s.to in Hey, what are you doing Saturday night? the yard, they may bark (usually with ears back and tail down) even in the absence o f the sound because the yard itselfhas become a scaiy place to be. Territorialandprotectivebehavior also cause barking: Dogs may bark to warn away those they consider intrud­ ers in or near their territory, and they keep doing it because it’s so success­ ful - I barked, the other dog left; I barked, the bicyclist left; I barked, the delivery person left; etcetera. With the help o f friends, you can set up a pro­ gram o f gradually turning intruders into friends by rewarding your dog with treats for remaining quiet as the person approaches. Finally, boredom and Lonliness can cause dogs to bark: Dogs are intelli­ gent and social creatures, and barking may be a reaction to being isolated. The best cures are spending more time with your dog and giving her the men­ tal and physical exercise she needs to feel content when you can’t be around. W eekends and evenings after 8 p.m. are the best tim es to do laundry. By w orking together, w e've been able to reduce o u r energy use and keep the p o w er flowing. But the cold w e ath er's not over yet. We still need to be thoughtful about how an d w hen w e use electricity. O ne thing you can do is choose to w ash and d ry your clothes on S aturday or Sunday. W ashing only full loads w ith w arm or cold w ater rath er than hot will also help conserve energy. H ere are som e other tips that you can do to save energy (and in m ost cases, save you money, too!): Peak energy usage time is 4 p.m - 8 p.m., Monday to Friday. So if you wait until after 8 p.m. to run your household appliances (like your dishwasher), you'll make a big difference in preventing power supply problems. Keep your thermostat set between 65°F and 68°F, if your health permits. Each degree you lower your thermostat can save you up to 3 percent on your bill. Booklet on Portland’s Heritage Trees! The long wait is over! Portland’s Heritage Trees is now available to the public. The booklet contains a chronological list o f the heritage trees in Portland and the address for each tree. For easy reference, the city has been divided into four quadrants with 13 easy-to-read maps showing the location o f these great trees. The author, Phyllis Reynolds, has included a section containing a description and interesting facts about each tree species. The booklets are available for $5 at Hoyt Arboretum or at the Portland Parksand Recreation reception desk on the 13th floorofthe Portland Building, 1120S.W. Fifth Ave. CLASS BEGINS W ITH A HEARTY BREAKFAST Let’s all do our part. W ait ’til late to use electricity. Call us at I -800-222-4335, and ask for a copy of our Bright Ideas booklet for more energy-saving tips. Tackle some easy and inexpensive energy-saving projects around your house. Insulating, caulking and weatherstripping can add up to big savings of energy and money. Clean or replace furnace filters once a month during the heating season. Your heat may be going up your chimney. Close the dam per as soon as your fire is safely out. Turn off shower fans after they've done the job (usually a half hour). In just one hour, these fans can empty a house of warm air. On sunny days, take advantage of the sun s free heat by opening shades and drapes. On overcast days and at night, close them to keep heat in. Turn off extra lights, especially between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. PACIFIC POW ER