 I’m dedicating time to meet with District 4 constituents both virtually and in their own neighborhoods — to hear what’s on your mind and to provide information on a variety of issues. Please save these dates:
-
Bridlemile Neighborhood Association: 7-8:30pm Wednesday, September 9th on Zoom.
-
Maplewood Neighborhood Association: Neighborhood Walk and Talk with Councilor Clark 1-3pm Tuesday, September 15th starting at Maplewood Coffee and Tea, 5206 SW Custer Street.
-
Far Southwest Neighborhood Association: 7-8:30pm Tuesday, October 27th on Zoom.
-
South Burlingame Neighborhood Association: 6:30-7:30pm Thursday, November 19th on Google Meet.
 This week I joined parents and neighborhood leaders in celebrating a safer route to the International School of Portland in South Portland!
Last year my Transportation and Infrastructure Committee heard from a coalition concerned about an unsafe stretch of South Sheridan Street that includes incomplete sidewalks, missing bike lane connections, and limited safety features. My office proudly invested $70,000 to the Portland Bureau of Transportation in support of street safety projects like this one.
Special thanks to the Downtown and South Portland Neighborhood Associations, Better Block PDX, PSU’s Transportation Research and Education Center, and OHSU for their tireless advocacy!
 Last month I attended the latest Portland Police Bureau hiring ceremony, where 4 officers were promoted to lieutenant and 11 new officers were sworn in — including (from left) Brenda Padilla Cervantes, Arina Conners, and Tiffany Parker. It’s so important for our sworn officers to reflect the community they serve, and I especially appreciate these women for stepping forward to serve!
Did you know that in 1908, Portland Women’s Protective Division Superintendent Lola Baldwin became the first woman hired by a U.S. municipality to carry out regular enforcement duties? And in 1985, Portland Police Chief Penny Harrington became the first woman to head a major U.S. police department?
 I had fun last month at Multnomah Days: My team marched in the parade with Councilor Zimmerman’s team, I ran into friends old and new, and I bought some affordable creations at Multnomah Arts Center!
This year’s Multnomah Days featured the first-ever auto show on the historic Capitol Highway Viaduct. Congratulations to the Multnomah Village Business Association for organizing another fantastic community celebration!
 Last week I attended Marshall Park Neighborhood Association’s annual ice cream social in the park that bears its name.
This stunning natural area includes a 400-foot-wide canyon formed by Tryon Creek, which runs through it, and a waterfall framed by rock boulders. I also met Lynn Takata, the talented artist whose creature mosaics beautify the children’s playground, including several new ones completed this summer.
Last year my office provided a $2,000 grant to the neighborhood association, which supported the ice cream social, administrative expenses, and supplies for their Neighborhood Emergency Team.
The event was part of “Two Can Tuesday,” a weekly program that collects food, hygiene products, and household essentials for Neighborhood House. For a list of most-needed items, email TwoCanTuesday@gmail.com.
 Last month my staff joined Councilor Zimmerman for Forest Park Neighborhood Association’s 50th Anniversary Celebration at Skyline Tavern.
This unique neighborhood, which sits at the edge of one of the nation’s largest urban forests, is part of a wildlife corridor that connects into Oregon’s Coast Range. Since 1976, the neighborhood association has advocated to protect its valuable natural resources, regionally important wildlife habitat, and headwater streams.
 Last week I enjoyed live music by The Bon Ton Rulers, lawn games, ice cream, and more during the Linnton Taco Block Party at Kingsley Park!
This isolated neighborhood, nestled along the Willamette River and Forest Park between downtown and Sauvie Island, combines industrial land and 300 homes tucked into ancient basalt flows. Nancy Hiser (left), who chairs the Linnton Neighborhood Association’s Tank Farm Safety Committee, and Shawn Looney have been leading voices to address the seismic risks at the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub.
 This week I celebrated the centennial of the iconic Vista Bridge as part of Goose Hollow Days! The afternoon featured horticultural displays, historic streetcar tours, vintage cars, soapbox derby races, and history talks.
Designed by architect Fred T. Fowler, the 120-foot-high Vista Bridge connects the King’s Hill area with Vista Ridge and the rest of Portland Heights. Streetcars ran on the bridge until 1950. In 1984, the neighborhood raised money for historic streetlights.
The Vista Bridge is a shining example of why we need to invest in lasting infrastructure!
 Great news: After a year delay, the Washington Park Reservoir plaza and upper reflecting pool has officially opened to the public!
In 2021 the Portland Water Bureau replaced its original 1894 reservoirs with a 12.4 million-gallon, seismically reinforced underground reservoir — which supplies water to our west side and serves 360,000+ people. This huge infrastructure investment is built to last the next 100 years!
Since last year’s soft opening, crews have worked through complex engineering, operations, and construction challenges to make the public area of the reservoir site safe, accessible, and welcoming for the public. This presented more challenges than expected due to the topography of the area and the size and complex nature of the cascading water feature.
By the way: Did you know that in the 1880s this spot was home to Portland’s first zoo, consisting of a seal, a bear, and 4 deer? The zoo moved in the 1890s and again in the 1920s before settling at its current location in 1959.
 Last month I stopped by the Southwest Portland Tool Library, an all-volunteer operation where tools are like books!
Every Saturday from 9am to 2pm, the tool library opens its doors in the parking lot of Greater Portland Bible Church, located at 2374 SW Vermont Street in the Hillsdale neighborhood. For a one-time suggested donation of $20, Southwest Portland residents can borrow up to seven tools per visit for a week.
Incredibly, the library’s 1,200 tools are squeezed into a 160-square-foot shipping container, where summer temperatures can reach 130 degrees inside! The library would love to find a permanent home, and they are always seeking more volunteers.
We talk a lot about our city’s physical infrastructure, but this community-driven program reminds us to also invest in our “civic infrastructure.” Here is a place that promotes affordability, reduces the need for single-use tools, and helps do-it-yourselfers all at once!
 Last week I joined Councilors Smith and Zimmerman in meeting with Congresswoman Bynum, whose district includes parts of Portland.
We discussed a range of issues including homelessness and behavioral health, infrastructure needs, and more.
 Attention, bird watchers: Follow the Crows is a 30-sculpture public art trail that’s on display across the city until Halloween.
It’s meant to build excitement for the release of Laika’s “Wildwood,” based on the children’s fantasy book written by The Decemberists singer Colin Meloy and illustrated by his wife, Carson Ellis — a truly homegrown achievement that both was created and takes place in Portland. (See if you can spot all of the Portland landmarks in the recently released movie trailer!)
Follow the Crows is also a great excuse to explore District 4. Pictured here are sculptures located at (clockwise from top left) Portland City Hall, Pittock Mansion, Bird Alliance of Oregon, and the International Rose Test Garden.
 With summer winding down, it’s not too late to treat yourself to one last vacation — without leaving the city! That’s the idea behind Portland Staycation, a downtown event that lets you take advantage of deals, hotel packages, special menus, and entertainment experiences from 100+ businesses and attractions.
The weekend of September 11-13 is jam-packed with something for everyone: Ankeny Alley Street Fair, Filipino American Festival, PDX Geek Week, Romancing Portland, a Thorns match, live music, theater, dining, and Downtown Portland Sunday Parkways — when the Portland Bureau of Transportation will open a 2.3-mile route to bike, walk, or roll around the central city. Activation areas include Director Park, Pioneer Courthouse Square, and the recently opened Darcelle XV Plaza.
Downtown foot traffic has been steadily increasing, and cultural activations like Staycation Weekend are a way to support the small businesses, hospitality workers, and creative entrepreneurs who keep our central city thriving. Become a tourist in your own city!
 Whether you are commuting in Portland or planning a trip through the area, the Oregon Department of Transportation would like travelers to be aware of a major closure of all southbound lanes of Interstate 5 in Portland between Interstates 84 and 405 starting September 11th and lasting up to five weeks. During the closure, overdue road repairs will be done as part of the I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project.
 ► Old Town’s Pink Light District is remembering the late Dolly Parton. Paris Theatre, the nation’s oldest burlesque theater, presents “Dolly!” starring Madame Cooper, the owner of nearby Madame Cooper’s Parlor, through September 20th. “She truly used her magical powers to bring love to a cultural landscape full of bigotry,” owner Chris Pink told The Oregonian. “We can think of no better way to honor her than to carry a little of that joy and love forward.”
► Portland Art Museum has found its next director, Michael J. Anderson, who has led Oklahoma City Museum of Art since 2019. His predecessor, Brian Ferriso, left the institution in strong hands: According to OPB, since last fall’s $111 million renovation and expansion, visitor levels have gone up 35%! “The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous Art,” the largest exhibition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art ever presented in North America, opens this weekend and continues through January 3rd.
► Meet the Portland Fire’s official mascot: Rose the Glitter-Breathing Dragon! “Rose represents the Fire’s spirit and relationship with Portland: passionate, unapologetic, and radiant,” the WNBA team’s Kim Veale told The Oregonian. “She’s a living modern force, embodying the vibe and self-assurance of a true Portland individualist…. As we get to know her, it’s clear that she’s got a little edge, a lot of personality, and after two decades waiting for her team to return, plenty of catching up to do.”
► Portland Business Journal reports two big announcements in the hotel dining scene. The Ritz-Carlton has tapped two-time James Beard Award semifinalist Jack Strong as executive chef. An enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, he says he’ll draw inspiration from Indigenous traditions and global culinary influences in overseeing the hotel’s signature Bellpine restaurant and lobby bar Meadowrue. In addition, global restaurateur and chef Michael Mina is taking over the food and beverage program for the Heathman Hotel and opening Bar Sprezzatura this fall.
|
