Photo Tiffany Owens North Portland’s Community Newspaper - Founded in 1904 [email protected] www.stjohnsreview.com 503-283-5086 Four North St. Johns Mainstreet plans island improvements Portland The St. Johns Main Street Coalition is working with schools to Burgerville and DeSantis Landscaping to re-land- receive scape the welcome island, or “gateway greenspace” improvements located next to Burgerville On January 30 Portland Public at the intersection of Ivan- Schools announced that twelve hoe St. and Philadelphia. schools will receive Bond related The island, owned and un- improvements during the sum- maintained by PBOT, is mer of 2014. In North Portland currently home to invasive the schools include: Chief Joseph, ivy, laurel, and is made James John, Beach, and Boise-El- iot/Humboldt. The others are: Ar- unsightly and unsanitary leta (K-8), Creston (K-8), Grout through trash and pests. (K-5), Hosford (6-8), King (PK- The Vision 8), Lane (6-8), Vernon (K-8), and St. Johns Mainstreet en- Woodlawn (PK-8). PPS reports visions transforming the that most of the schools on the list space into an attractive, were built over 65 years ago with active, welcoming island more than half built before 1940. at the entrance of St. Johns. The work will begin in June 2014 and PPS said they plan to fix The space will encour- leaking and deteriorating roofs, age auto and foot traffic make the schools seismic safety, to continue their journey into the events. the project and the Mainstreet big volunteer planting day at 9:00 and make accessibility and sci- downtown area, and will demon- The draft plan (pictured) pro- group is interested in other ideas am. The group anticipates the need ence classroom improvements. strate the pride St. Johns takes poses to remove a bulk of the ivy about how to further enliven the for two more volunteer days in This is the second year of the in the community. The paths and and laurel and replace them with a space through art, historic dis- March to help clear debris and in- eight-year School Building Im- benches will provide a space for mixture of landscaping, paths, and plays, information signs, or other stall the hardscaping. If interested provement Bond where up to community members to eat lunch benches. The plants are primarily additions. They are soliciting feed- in volunteering, contact them at eventually 63 schools will re- on a sunny day, and expand the native plants, and will receive on- back and suggestions both on the [email protected]. ceive upgrades and improve- ments over consecutive summers. space available during community going maintenance by DeSantis current design and for ideas for a This project has been made pos- Landscaping through a donation future phase 2. Send your com- sible with donations from Burger- from Burgerville. The paths will ments and ideas to info@stjohns- ville, DeSantis Landscaping, and a be made out of Decomposed Grav- mainstreet.org. District Improvement Grant from New shelter opens doors in el, an attractive and permeable If interested in helping, on the Portland Development Com- North Portland to homeless surface that requires little mainte- March 22, in partnership with the mission. nance. University of Portland and Re- families The re-landscaping is phase I of building Together, there will be a By: Linda Jo Devlaeminck Portland Public Schools has the Community of Hope, families The Stills in the Hills identified more than 150 fami- can get the help they need while lies in North Portland, which are staying close to their neighbor- It’s impossible to understand a slaughterhouse on the West Coast homeless, or at risk of becoming hood schools and relationships. Jim Speirs fraction of North Portland with- insured that Portland’s reputation, homeless. For years these fami- On Wednesday, Feb. 12, (as this out recognizing the huge influ- as a “wide open city” was secure. lies have had to travel to down- paper was on the printing press,) Historical ence Henry Kaiser had on the Portland also earned the well-de- town Portland or East County to City Commissioners Amanda Fritz Editor area. Much has been written served status as “sin city” of the receive services. Now, thanks to and Mult. County Commissioner about the times and the huge West Coast during that period and Loretta Smith spoke at the Grand number of events that happened well beyond. Names such as Ben- Opening, which was held at 8911 as a result of the influx of peo- son, Autzen, Swift, Elkins, and Ar- European problems and having N. Leonard Street. As did David ple who cascaded into the area mor were becoming synonymous to pick sides of countries on the Brewer, Executive Director for when WWII broke out. Every- with the city. Shipbuilding and re- continent. On the other side of AllOne Community Services and thing about the town of Portland pair also became a mainstay of the the world, we knew of the atroc- Linda Jo Devlaeminck, Program changed; much the same can be area; the Willamette and Columbia ities and barbaric behavior of Director, Community of Hope. said about most of America, but Rivers providing ideal avenues for the Japanese in China, Manchu- Sponsored by AllOne Commu- the location of Portland to ship- transport and logistics design. ria, (which the Japanese had re- nity Services and the Church of building made us the bulls-eye of Shipbuilding and dry-dock ac- named Manchukuo) and Korea; North Portland, the Community transformation. In the past, many tivities did not start with the war, but America saw the vast Pacific of Hope provides shelter, classes, of my writings/articles have in- they had always been a part of the Ocean as a buffer to the conflict mentoring and support to home- cluded multiple references to region, but the approach of war in Southeast Asia and wanted no less single mothers and their chil- Kaiser and his impact on North ushered in a new dynamic; facto- part of sending troops to either dren. It gives them an opportuni- Portland. That influence cannot ries and plants across the country theater of war. ty to recover from the trauma of be over-stated. began gearing up for battle. The Still, the shadows of battle grew homelessness, build new skills, Portland already had industry, Roosevelt administration was well by the month. Roosevelt felt and work toward providing stable and North Portland had a con- aware of the isolationist feeling in America would have to become homes for their families. centration of heavy production the country; after all the “War to involved. At some point, he knew Funded by donations and staffed that set it apart from other parts End all Wars” (WWI) was bare- Continued on Page 3 of the area. Timber, railroads, ly twenty years old, and America Continued on Page 4 & 5 “Shelter” waterways, and the largest was tired of being dragged into “Stills in the Hills” St. Johns Review -PO Box 83068-Port OR 97283 #2 Feb. 14, 2014 515-840 Page 2 * St. Johns Review * #3 February 14, 2014 [email protected] * 503-283-5086 * www.stjohnsreview.com General Review Publishing info / Organization Meetings North Portland Meetings 2014 REVIEW ISSUES The following free listings are meetings for North Portland organizations. Feb. 14..............Deadline Feb. 5 Valentines Day Issue Feb. 28..............Deadline Feb. 19 Updated information is the responsibility of each organizations. Mar. 14.............Deadline Mar. 5 St. Patrick’s Day Issue ====================================================================== Mar. 28.............Deadline Mar. 19 Apr. 11.............Deadline Apr 2 Easter Issue ARBOR LODGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSN: Apr. 25.............Deadline Apr 16 May 9...............Deadline Apr 30 St Johns Parade & Mothers Day Quarterly Meetings: 6:30-8pm, Kenton Firehouse, 2209 N. Schofield May 23.............Deadline May 14 Memorial Day Issue BOY SCOUT TROUPE 52: June 6...............Deadline May 28 Father’s Day Issue June 20.............Deadline June 11 Meets Tuesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. at St. Johns Christian Church, 8044 N. Richmond. We welcome boys July 4................Deadline June 25 Independence Day Issue ages 11-17. For membership info, contact Anthony at 503-913-7085. July 18..............Deadline July 9 Aug 1................Deadline July 23 BRIDGETON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Aug 15..............Deadline Aug. 6 General Meeting: 3rd Mondays at 8pm, Port Yacht Club, 1241 NE Marine Dr. Aug 29..............Deadline Aug 20 Labor Day Issue CUB SCOUT PACK 52: Sept 12..............Deadline Sept 3 Sept 26..............Deadline Sept 17 Meets Mondays at St. Johns Christian Church, 8044 N. Richmond. Oct 10...............Deadline Oct 1 EAST COLUMBIA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSN: Oct. 24..............Deadline Oct 14 Halloween Issue Nov 7.................Deadline Oct 29 Veteran’s Day Issue Meets the second Tuesday of each month from 7-8:30pm at the Columbia River RV Park Community Nov 21...............Deadline Nov 12 Thanksgiving Issue Room, 10649 NE 13th. Dec 5..................Deadline Nov 26 Dec 19................Deadline Dec 10 Christmas Issue FRIENDS OF CATHEDRAL PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSN: General Meeting: odd months at BES Water Lab; 7pm. Board Meetings on even months at St Johns Mc- more duty. Menamins, 7:30. All meetings on 2nd Tuesdays of the month. Letters To But enough for now --call or E-mail FRIENDS OF BALTIMORE WOODS: me if you want to discuss, or need more info or comment. General meeting: 2nd Tuesdays, 6:30pm at the BES Water Lab, 6543 N. Burlington. The Editor Regards, FRIENDS OF PIER PARK: MEETING: Ray Guimary Third Tuesday, 6:30pm at St. Johns Community Ctr., 8427 N Central Subject: Vet’s Day reflections RHS ‘47 & U.S. ARMY (Infantry) HAYDEN ISLAND NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK: Dear Editor, 1950-1952 Meetings: 2nd Thursday, 7pm, at former HIYC, 12050 N.