Page 4 The Skanner January 4, 2017
News
Events & Announcements
Community
Calendar 2016
brought to you by
Portland Metro
FRIDAY, JANUARY 6
WAKE OF VANPORT SERIES: “The Wake of Vanport” series will be
showing on Comcast channel 23 at 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 7
GIFFORD PINCHOT OPEN HOUSE: Join us for an open house at
the new Gifford Pinchot National Head Quarters. There will be
a short program followed by tours of the renovated historic
building. Open to everyone! 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., 987 McClellan Rd.
Vancouver, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 8
THE WAKE OF VANPORT: “The Wake of Vanport” series will be
showing on Comcast channel 11 at 12:30 p.m.
LUTHERAN CHORAL ASSOCIATION CONCERT: The Lutheran Choral
Association presents its 8th Christmas/Epiphany concert. Enjoy
this large ecumenical choir, which has sung continually since
1938. 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Peace Lutheran Church, 2201 N. Rose
Parks Way.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11
15 YEARS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AT GUANTANAMO – “SHUT IT
DOWN”: Portlanders are once again planning to mark the sordid
anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo Bay Prison with a
visibility action at the East end of the Hawthorne Bridge. (SE
Hawthorne & Grand). 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. The event will include
the 12-foot tall “Tower of Power.”
THURSDAY – SATURDAY, JAN. 12 – 14
BOOKAPALOOZA 2017: Fort Vancouver Regional Library Founda-
tion is hosting a used book sale. Thousands of books will be
available to purchase for 50 cents to $1. 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Fort
Vancouver Regional Library Headquarters, Library Hall, 1007 E.
Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 14
PORTLAND DAY OF SERVICE: Need a smoke alarm? As part of our
Centennial celebration, the Red Cross Cascades Region will hold
a MLK Day of Service of Fire Campaign Event. The goal: to in-
stall 1,000 smoke alarms in homes that need them in the Boise/
Eliot neighborhood of Northeast Portland. If you are in those
areas and in need of a smoke alarm please call (503) 528-5783
to schedule an appointment. Also please review the fire safety
information and help create a fire plan. 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Vol-
unteers are also needed for this day of service. Red Cross Fixed
Site, 3131 N. Vancouver Ave.
Seattle Metro
THURSDAY, JANUARY 5
FREE FIRST THURSDAY AT FLYING HERITAGE COLLECTION: There’s
always something going on at the Flying Heritage Collection. If
you’ve been looking for an affordable opportunity to bring the
family to visit the museum. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Flying Heritage Col-
lection, 3407 109th St. SW, Everett.
DAVE ZIRIN WITH MICHAEL BENNETT: THE COLLISION: SPORTS
AND POLITUCS IN THE U.S. Dave Zirin has written several articles
focused on NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s controversial
refusal to stand for the National Anthem. Zirin will discuss the
effects and implications of this kind of social protest and how
it will impact our culture, in sports and beyond. 7:30 p.m. $5
See Community Calendar on page 5
View the Community Calendar and
regularly updated News Briefs
for Seattle and Portland at
PHOTO COURTESY OF PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION
Visit us at a store near you
PP&R Issues Wedding Permits
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) began issuing wedding permits for ceremonies at PP&R sites beginning on at 8 a.m. Tuesday
for walk-in registration only. Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is the proud steward of more than 200 parks, gardens, and natural
settings that can be reserved for weddings and/or receptions. For more info on weddings in a PP&R park, please visit the info page at
http://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/38300. Portland Parks & Recreation typically handles nearly 100 wedding permits on the first
business day of the year.
Portland News Briefs
cy (503) 823-3333 and request a welfare check for that
person. To assist someone in locating shelter and
transportation to shelter, please call 2-1-1.
Severe Weather Warming Centers
Open
Public Buildings
People seeking to get warm, especially during day-
time hours, are encouraged to utilize public build-
ings that are open to the public, including, for exam-
ple, libraries and community centers. Library hours
are listed on Multnomah County Library’s website.
City community center information is listed here.
For additional information on the dangers of cold
including: hypothermia, carbon monoxide hazards
and important information on the use of alternative
sources of heat click here.
Contact: Jessica Morkert-Shibley at (971) 563-3735
for more information.
With forecast overnight wind chills in the low sin-
gle digits and severe weather expected to persist
through the weekend, severe weather shelters re-
main open and City and County leaders continue to
ask for the community’s help watching out for those
in need and donating sleeping bags, blankets and oth-
er durable cold weather gear to non-profit outreach
providers.
Warming Shelters
Severe weather night and day warming centers
are open in Gresham and Portland tonight. Anyone
seeking shelter should call 211info by dialing 211, toll
free, from any phone. 211 will help identify the closest
available shelter and transportation options. A list of
all shelters is also available here: http://211info.org/
emergency/#multnomah.
Severe weather warming centers will accommodate
individuals and couples, pets and belongings, and do
not require identification or any other documenta-
tion. 211 has information on which groups are served
at specific shelters. Families with children seeking
shelter should call 211 and will be directed to shelter
that can accommodate children. Calls are answered
in over 150 languages. You can also visit 211’s website
at www.211info.org for updated information and sign
up for emails or texts about updated warming center
locations.
No one will be turned away from shelter. If a shelter
reaches capacity, other shelters and transportation
will be identified to accommodate anyone in need.
The forecast calls for temperatures well below freez-
ing. At these low temperatures there is increased risk
of exposure-related injuries for unsheltered home-
less people who do not have sufficient gear, such as
coats, hats, gloves, footwear, tarps, sleeping bags and
blankets.
Donations Needed
Homeless service organizations are in need of cold
weather gear, especially sleeping bags, blankets, tents
and tarps. Other useful items include hats, coats,
gloves, and socks. Agencies welcome all donations,
but are particularly in need of items in good condi-
tion made from warmer and more durable materials
designed for outdoor use. For information about
what and where to donate, please contact 211info by
dialing 211 or by visiting their website, 211info.org.
Persons in Need of Assistance
If you see someone outside unsheltered whose life
appears to be in danger or is in an apparent medical
crisis, call 9-1-1. Otherwise, if you see someone about
whom you are concerned, such as not being dressed
for the weather conditions, call police non-emergen-
SBA to Launch $1.2 Million Aspire
Challenge for Entrepreneurship
Training and Microloans to Help
Previously Incarcerated Citizens
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today
announced the Aspire Challenge, a prize competition
of up to $1.2 million to expand access to entrepre-
neurial education and microloans for formerly in-
carcerated individuals. The competition will make
up to 16 awards of $75,000 to organizations across the
nation to assist in delivering entrepreneurial train-
ing and microloan assistance to formerly incarcerat-
ed individuals.
The Aspire Challenge will build on the momentum
of the Aspire Entrepreneurship Initiative, a pub-
lic-private partnership announced in August 2016
between the SBA, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and mi-
crolender Justine PETERSEN. The pilot initiative
connects formerly incarcerated individuals to entre-
preneurial training, education and microloans, with
a specific focus on those who are parents. The pilot
was rolled out in Detroit, Mich., Chicago, Ill., Louis-
ville, Ky. and St. Louis, Mo.
With approximately 60 percent of formerly incar-
cerated individuals remaining unemployed one year
after release, self-employment must be seen as a via-
ble alternative.
The Aspire Challenge will leverage entrepreneur-
ship as a tool to increase economic mobility for re-
turning citizens through intensive entrepreneurial
training and counseling and increased access to mi-
cro-loans. The competition will award prizes to en-
trepreneurial support organizations that propose
innovative solutions to equipping returning citizens
with the tools they need to succeed in entrepreneur-
ship.
Components by which the submissions will be as-
sessed include recruitment methods, education/
training delivery, provision of mentoring services,
See Briefs on page 5
