NW “Digging deep, p. 5 p. 8 p. 11 Rules bend for Shining a light” Wilhelms’ story Only stone comes out Café Nell wall remains INSIDE INSIDE APRIL 2021/ VOLUME 34, NO. 8 FREE SERVING PORTLAND’S NORTHWEST NEIGHBORHOODS SINCE 1986 nwexaminer The coverup of a ‘harmless’ prank churns through the city for three years without consequence The illustration includes the actual spring from the glitter bomb sent to the NW Examiner in 2018. BY ALLAN CLASSEN had indications that someone from glitter bomb was. The dearth of records was puz- lthough my home was the Office of Community and Civic In mid-2020, I filed a public zling. How do two bureaus coordi- Life had sent it. nate an investigation without leav- ground zero in a glitter bomb records request with the city, receiv- ing some trace of communication? Aattack, I was slow to realize Civic Life includes the Noise ing for my $187 a raft of redacted anything memorable had happened. Control Program, whose manag- pages, a regurgitation of my conver- Jim Redden of the Portland Tri- I supposed someone was peeved er had been notoriously hostile sation with Williams and the name bune took a stab at the story, writing enough by my critical coverage of toward restrictions on pile driving, of Katherine Couch, a Noise Control last October that Montoya was over- impact-hammer pile driving—and so that made sense. Still, evidence employee under Williams’ supervi- seeing an investigation of the glitter advocacy for the quieter auger- was scarce and Jaquiss eventually sion, as the alleged glitter bomber. bomb incident but had no estimate drilled method—to send a glitter-en- let it go. I learned that by March 4 of that of when it would be completed. The fact that the investigation was more hanced “auger this” message. Later, I got phone calls from Civic year, Couch had been interviewed than two years old could have been The glitter bomb mailing tube Life employees who had heard by Michael Montoya of Civic Life a story in itself. arrived at our home office in mid- rumors about the glitter bomb. In and Shane Davis of the city Bureau 2018. I had no clue of its origin until early 2020, I asked the supervisor of of Human Resources. However, the “It’s truly absurd how long this has the following year, when Willamette the Noise Control Program, Kenya transcript of the interview was fully been dragging on,” city Ombudsman Week reporter Nigel Jaquiss asked Williams, if he had sent it. He denied redacted on grounds of employee Margie Sollinger wrote. “In retro- if I had received such a package. He any knowledge, even asking what a confidentiality. Cont’d on page 6 Interim Northwest District Asso- ciation President Parker McNulty Storied neighborhood association takes walks with his young family on Northwest 23rd Avenue every Saturday morning. Photo by Wesley Mahan looks to history for reboot BY ALLAN CLASSEN birthed a notable neighbor- public safety/livability com- he Northwest District hood newspaper*. Its leaders mittees in the Pearl, Down- Association used to went on to become pillars in town, Goose Hollow and Old Tbe the Portland neigh- city and state politics. Town come together in an borhood association, the one Lately, NWDA has become unprecedented call to action, most studied by national the weak link among a clus- it is not even clear if the scholars and held up as a bea- ter of five adjacent neighbor- Northwest District Associa- con to grass-roots progressiv- hood associations coalescing tion has such a committee ism. NWDA stopped a free- to address Portland’s home- and who might be its chair. way, killed a slum-clearance lessness and trash crisis now urban renewal project and driving the city’s agenda. As Cont’d on page 12 “We feel so fortunate to have found you DEAR NEIGHBOR, Check out four homes we and your capable, efficient and professional marketed last year and what your neighbors said team. There were so many factors that made about us. While we make every attempt at smooth this a seemingly difficult listing, a pandemic, sailing, there’s a lot of navigating in the background out-of-state clients, and a house with many to steer the ship safely into home port!! ‘quirks.’ We can’t imagine how we would — We love what we do. — have managed without you! The Volkmer team’s expertise in the NW neighborhood was apparent throughout. We will be sure to recommend you to everyone we know that is looking to buy or sell in Portland.” — Kimberly and Christian Buss “I’ve been meaning to send back this feedback for some time. I want to thank you all again for helping with the sale of our house during what was an incredibly stressful time. I realize this could not have been very easy for you despite all of your experience doing this. I chose your team originally based on your reputation, and was not disappointed with all of the effort and expertise.” — Matt Brodsky “We had a great experience selling with the Volkmer team. Our house needed a little work to get ready to sell and they did an amazing job at finding people to do the work and get them scheduled. It was a huge relief to have someone doing this so we could focus on moving. Once the house was ready we put in on the market and had several offers within a week. They helped guide us through all the negotiations and paperwork to close the sale. If you want a true full-service realtor, The Dan Volkmer Team is a great choice.” — Matt Keogh & Jessica Hubbs “...what a ride it’s been. Helmets and seat belts were needed. It was empowering working with you the whole way. Couldn’t have done it without you four. Truth.” “I’m certain our paths will cross again. Until then I know you are on to all the others in your care now and going forward. If I’ve ever met a can-do with buoyancy and precision team better than yours I’ll drop and give them 50. Stay strong and healthy.” — Lynn Jennings Specializing in Historic & Architecturally Significant Homes THE DAN VOLKMER TEAM DAN VOLKMER PRINCIPAL BROKER BURDEAN BARTLEM, KISHRA OTT, MARDI DAVIS & FRITZ BENZ BROKERS LICENSED IN THE STATE OF OREGON 503-781-3366 See our website at www.danvolkmer.com 2 Northwest Examiner, APRIL 2021 / nwexaminer.com Editor’s Turn BY ALLAN CLASSEN | EDITOR & PUBLISHER Old bomb still damaging years later After a thorough investigation, we have he Watergate break- bers of the public, in has been called a found no misconduct. multiple employees Tthird-rate burglary that and public records would not have seriously dam- requests—all aged the presidency of Richard requiring staff time Nixon had he not tried to cover including attorney it up. There is something to that reviews. Addition- summary, but the greater truth ally, your report to is that the break-in was part of coworkers damaged a broad crusade to punish per- your credibility, ceived enemies and sabotage the reputation of political rivals. Any thorough the Noise Office, investigation would have shown the bureau and the Nixon’s crimes, abuses of power city.” and intimidation in pursuit of “Needless to say, political power. it is unacceptable An anonymous package for a city employee mailed to my home office three to send a member years ago could be called a of the media any- harmless prank. I learned later thing as a form of I was the recipient of a glitter retaliation for an bomb, a commercial product unfavorable story.” composed of a spring-loaded Now we come to projectile spewing glitter and a which includes the city noise pro- lic records requests to the city, I the really amazing pithy message. gram. That made sense. The head of finally know who sent the glitter part: Civic Life Director Suk Rhee My wife opened the mailing tube the noise program, Kenya Williams, bomb in 2018. It was not Williams. wrote City Commissioner Jo Ann and got a surprise. Had it been had been singularly disdainful to Katherine Couch, the Noise Pro- Hardesty an email this year stating pointed toward her eyes it could Pearl residents and others seeking gram coordinator, ordered the glit- “an investigation was thoroughly have caused injury. We had no to limit impact-hammer pile driv- ter bomb, a fact she confessed last conducted by our office and con- idea who sent it, although the note, ing. fall in a recorded interview with cluded with no evidence of involve- ment of any city employee.” “auger this,” suggested someone Williams went out of his way to Shane Davis of the city’s Office who disagreed with my coverage mock citizens and their concerns. of Human Resources and Michael This despite Rhee’s name on of impact-hammer pile driving, an Before a Pearl forum on safety and Montoya, a manager with Civic dozens of emails about the glitter extraordinarily loud construction livability issues attended by about Life. bomb, including one in October practice largely replaced in cities 400 people two years ago, he pro- By then it was old news to Davis in which she praised her bureau’s today by drilling shafts for the piling. claimed that sounds are just a mat- and Montoya. Last July, Davis wrote spokesperson for his efforts to keep I get angry messages about cov- ter of personal preference—just as in an email that Williams told his the story out of the press.