Page 4 The Skanne Portland December 13, 2017
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FRIDAY – SUNDAY DECEMBER 15 – 31
COME SEE THE LIGHTS ON PEACOCK LANE: This is a very pop-
ular Portland tradition. Each house in this quaint SE Portland
neighborhood has been decorating for Christmas for decades.
Dec. 15,16, and 17 will be for-pedestrians-only nights. 6 p.m. – 11
p.m., SE Stark St. and SE Belmont St. and one block off SE Cesar
Chavez Blvd.
Nikki Brown
Clown Hosts
Kwanzaa Party
Nikki Brown Clown is teaming up with Sabin CDC &
Black Parent initiative to host an interactive show
that’s fit for all ages from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 21 at Matt
Dishman Community Center, 77 NE Knott St. The event
will feature a special Kwanzaa story time with Nikki
Brown Clown, special appearances by Sadie the Housing
Hippo (sponsored by Sabin Community Development
Corporation), Leon the Literacy Lion (sponsored by Black
Parent Initiative), a marketplace featuring Black-owned
businesses and music by Chata Addy, the Music Man.
There will also be prizes, refreshments, arts and crafts.
For more information email pdxbrownclown@gmail.
com or call (503) 954-9519 or visit www.facebook.com/
events/2112722312291019/.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16
“SANTA CUTS” IS TRIMMING KIDS HAIR NOT TREES AT THE SALVA-
TION ARMY IN N. PORTLAND: The Salvation Army and Hands of
Favor are providing free haircuts to underprivileged youth ages
0 – 18. There will also be free hair products, hair care educa-
tion and a visit from Santa. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., The Salvation Army,
Moore Street Community & Workshop Center, 5325 N. Williams
Ave.
KWANZAA CELEBRATION: Join us for a free community Kwanzaa
celebration and a ticketed Karamu feast. The celebration is free.
The Karamu feast is $20 for 7 years and older, $6 for children
4 to 6, free for children 3 and under. To purchase tickets call
(360) 991-7389. 3 p.m. New Direction Community Church, 5300
MacArthur Blvd., Vancouver.
COOKIES WITH SANTA: This is an event where the members of
our chapter come together to ensure the children of our com-
munity enjoy the Christmas holiday. This year we are serving
the Rosa Parks Elementary Community in N. Portland. Free. 10
a.m. – noon, June Key Delta Community Center, 5940 N. Albina
St.
NAACP MONTHLY MEETING: After a short potluck, the business
meeting will begin and guest will speak. All are welcome. 10
a.m., Vancouver Housing Authority, 2500 Main St., Vancouver.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 18
HOLIDAY CONCERT: CASCADE HOLIDAY CHORUS: Cascade Holiday
Chorus an all women a cappella group, invites the community
members to this free concert of holiday favorites, snacks and
mingling. Free. 7 p.m., Willow Room, Clark Commons, Maryl-
hurst University, 17600 Pacific Highway, Marylhurst.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23
THE BEAT GOES ON MARCHING BAND HOLIDAY PERFORMANCE:
Join The Beat Goes On Marching Band with their high-energy
brass, rock and roll style for this performance in the square. 11
a.m. – noon, Pioneer Courthouse Square.
See Community Calendar on page 5
Portland News Briefs
Former Mayor Vera Katz Dead at 84
Vera Katz, former
mayor of Porland,
passed away Mon-
day. She was 84.
The German-born
Katz moved from
New York City to
Portland in 1962
and became the first
Vera Katz
woman to serve as
Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives in
1985. Later, she campaigned for mayor of Portland
on a platform that included reducing crime rates and
promoting public transporation.
She was elected the 49th Mayor of Portland in 1993
and served three terms until 2005.
During her first term, Katz endorsed the Yellow
Bike Project, which drew national attention to Port-
land’s artistic and bike-friendly culture.
“Vera Katz was larger than life. She made an indel-
ible impact on Oregon and Portland over four de-
cades, from the early 1970s to after the turn of the new
millennium,” said Mayor Ted Wheeler in a statement.
“All of us in public service can aspire to her boldness,
her candor, and her humanity.”
“On a personal level, I attended school with her son,
Jesse, and cannot separate Mayor Katz from Vera Katz
the mother,” continued Wheeler. “My heart goes out
to her family and friends during this difficult time.
It’s rare that someone as accomplished in public life
makes a similar impact in their personal life. Vera
did. Our community will miss her tremendously.”
A visionary urban planner with the ability to reach
across the aisle, May-
or Katz oversaw plans
for the internationally
known Pearl District and
neighborhoods along the
Willamette River that
changed the city into a
hipster haven and inter-
national tourist destina-
tion.
A champion of the arts,
Katz also presided over
construction plans of
Lan Su Yuan, an intricate
Suzhou-style
Chinese
garden in the heart of the
city’s old town that draws
visitors from around the
world.
In June 2003, a statue of
Katz was erected on the
Eastbank Esplanade. The
following year, the bicy-
cle and pedestrian trail
was officially renamed
the Vera Katz Eastbank
Esplanade in her honor.
Katz endured a long
battle of cancer that be-
PHOTO COURTESY OF NIKKI BROWN CLOWN LIBRARY
Community
Calendar 2017
gan in 2000 with her diagnosis of early stage breast
cancer. Four years later she was diagnosed with a
more serious cancer. This month, she developed
acute leukemia after undergoing dialysis for more
than a dozen years following cancer treatment.
Joint Office of Homeless Services
Announces Severe Weather Strategy
On Dec. 10 the Joint Office of Homeless Services
opened its first severe-weather warming shelter of
the year and released the following information on
its severe-weather strategy for 2017-2018.
The Joint Office declares a severe weather event
whenever any of the following conditions are met:
• Temperatures forecast at 25°F or below
• Forecasts predict at least an inch of snow in most
areas
• Overnight temperatures forecast at 32°F or below,
with at least an inch of driving rain · Other condi-
tions, including severe wind chills or extreme tem-
perature fluctuations
The Joint Office continuously monitors National
Weather Service forecasts for downtown Portland
(97204), Portland International Airport (97218) and
Troutdale (97060). If any meet the thresholds for se-
vere weather, the Joint Office notifies Multnomah
County’s communications office and 211info, which
alerts service providers, first responders and com-
munity members who’ve requested notice.
The alerts list available night and day shelters,
alongside details on transportation. On days that fall
short of the thresholds for emergency response, the
Joint Office may still send alerts about services.
For those interested in volunteering, Transition
Projects is providing special 90-minute training ses-
sions for adults 18 and older interested in volunteer-
ing at a severe weather warming center. Go to 211info.
org to sign up.
Volunteers will do hands-on work and should be
comfortable working with people experiencing
homelessness. These active shifts take place on the
coldest nights of the year, so having reliable transpor-
tation in inclement weather is important.
Outreach providers need winter gear they can pass
out now, so folks outside are ready for the cold, and
to have in reserve during an emergency. Having the
right gear staged in the right places before a crisis
will help providers better focus on direct services
and life-saving efforts in the moment.
Needed items include warm socks, waterproof
gloves or mittens, waterproof winter coats, sleep-
ing bags and warm blankets, fleece hats, tarps, hand
warmers, and rain ponchos.
For drop-off locations and other tips, call 211 or go
to 211info.org.
Genealogical Forum of Oregon Seeks
Stories about the Spanish Flu
Bulletin, the Genealogical Forum of Oregon’s quar-
terly publication, is seeking stories, essays or re-
search articles focused on the 1918 Spanish flu — one
of the worst pandemics in history, resulting in the
See Briefs on page 5