Police are looking for additional information about last week's abduction and safe recovery of a 4-month-old baby.

The baby's cousin, Kabriana Harper, 17, was arrested on an allegation of second-degree kidnapping for allegedly taking the baby from his home in the 200 block of Southeast 148th Avenue early Monday, March 5. Nearly five hours later, a woman found the baby in her front yard in the 400 block of Northeast 139th Avenue.

Detectives are asking anyone who may have been a witness, or who may have additional information about the case, to contact Detective Mike Weinstein, with the Portland Police Bureau's Missing Persons Unit, at 503-823-0446 or at Mike.Weinstein@PortlandOregon.gov.

The baby's mother called police from her apartment at 2 a.m. after getting out of the shower to find that her baby and her cousin, who'd been staying with her, were gone. The woman called Harper to see if she had the baby, but Harper denied having him. Police began an extensive search of the area, located in the Hazelwood neighborhood, and questioned Harper later when she returned to the apartment.

Then, at around 7 a.m., a woman about six blocks away found the baby — wearing only a onesie and a loosely wrapped blanket — in her front yard. He was cold but uninjured and was evaluated at a Portland hospital.

Harper reportedly told police she took the baby because she feared for his welfare and safety. She admitted to police that she left the baby in the stranger's yard when relatives called to see if she had him.

According to the National Weather Service, temperatures dipped as low as 29 degrees in Portland while the baby was missing.

The state body charged with investigating ethics complaints against public officials has agreed to conduct a formal inquiry into a controversial building constructed by former Troutdale Mayor Jim Kight.

Based on a complaint filed by Troutdale business owner Andy Gainer, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission voted March 1 to investigate Kight’s possible violations.

Gainer, owner of the Shaken Martini Lounge in Troutdale, filed his compliant last summer when Kight was still in office, alleging that Kight violated four state statutes including official misconduct and obstruction of government administration.

An independent investigation released last August also determined that Kight’s property on Jackson Park Road is zoned as single-family residential.

However, the city approved construction of a 2,032-square-foot building with a full basement next to Kight’s existing house on that same property near the Sandy River.

Troutdale city councilors said the investigation shows that Kight misled city staff and took advantage of the city’s permitting process to get the building approved even though it violates city codes by being a house, which is prohibited on his property.

Kight has emphatically insisted the building is a legal accessory structure that does not qualify as a house, noting that he uses it as office space to manage his rental properties.

Residents have since voted Kight out of office. He lost his re-election bid for mayor in November to fellow councilor Doug Daoust.

Kight did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission — a seven-member citizen commission that enforces government ethics laws — is scheduled to hold a meeting about its investigation on Aug. 23.

Penalties could range from a letter of education to a maximum civil penalty of up to $5,000.

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office is trying to identify a man who robbed a local market last year.

At about 3:30 p.m. Nov. 3, 2012, a white man wearing blue jeans, a heavy purple coat with an attached hood and an orange bandana as a mask covering his face entered the Pleasant Valley Market at 16880 S.E Foster Road and demanded money from the store clerk, said Lt. Steve Alexander, sheriff's office spokesman.

The clerk gave him the money from the cash register, and told police the robber did not display a weapon.

The suspect is described as 5-feet-10-inches tall and 185 pounds. He drove a sport utility vehicle similar to a 2000 Ford Explorer, possibly silver or light tan over a darker brown.

"At this time, there have been no significant leads in the case," Alexander said. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 503-251-2515.

The following students were named to the Gresham High School first semester honor roll:

Freshmen

4.0 — Juliana Brown, Adam Conrad, Claire Corbett, Savannah Dalby, Michael Danyuk, Josie Field, Jordynn Figueroa, Yasmin Flores-Lopez, Austin Gardner, Cobe Greene, Madisen Hallberg, Sophia Hanefeld, Hannah Hohbach, Sandi Johnsen, Makrina Kamel, Becky Kim, Brooke Laakso, Minh Le Ngoc, Denise Lopez, Zachery Mahan, Brenna McBride, Elizabeth McKnight, Chloe Melton, Emma Mohr, Mikayla Moss, Delaney Parmenter, Diana Peinado, Orion Poptean, Merit Roshdy, Sahher Saradi, Peter Strohmaier, Emma Triplett, Hannah Triplett, Alina Villa, Justyne Williams, Kathleen Williamson and Rebekah Wilson.

3.5-3.99 — Ieremia Buliga, Mariah Bussard, Jacob Cleverley,Yasmin Damian, Elijah Dickinson, Hunter Doving, Nikolas Dritsas, Sara Eakman, Sarah Ernst, Katlin Farris, Vanessa Ford, Rozet Ghaly, Lyndie Gholston, Aaron Green, Nathaniel Green, Amanda Gribionkin, Brooke Grover, Jamie Grovom, Nina Hanset, Satori Heffner, Lance Hering, Gabe Hoffman, Tin Huynh, Hanna Jordan, Kseniya Karpenko, Carolle Kassab, Jasmine Kleiboeker, Allison Klym, Martin Lemon, Emma Liebertz, Maddy Lindhorst, LaBreeyha Lovan, Carlos Lua-Pineda, Donivon McCord, Rylee McGowan, Kaylee McGuire, Maria Meier, Ashley Mills, Monikka Padilla, Heather Pearson, Gheric Pendley, Pony Boy Peterman, Brianna Pond, Noah Rehmke,Dylan Reisen, Colton Rice, Emma Robinson, Guillermo Rojas-Felipe, Megan Romeike, Vannessa Saetern, Jailine Saldana, Iraiza Sanchez, Hayley Schlueter, Lexa Scott, Denis Snegur, Vladimir Sokol, Sarah Sprauer, Sarah Stinson, Bailey Supan-Curry, Payton Taylor, Lucas Thompson, Andrey Titukh, Min Tungkongnuc, Giovanna Williams, Ashleigh Wills, Wix Vashti and Lauren Wright.

Sophomores

4.0 — Hannah Albrecht, Julia Brenner, Alex Carr, Sarah Falvey, Colin Goldberg, John Hanna, Alyce Hiticas, Michelle Kasimi, Spencer Livermore, Olivia Loftin, Tiffany Mosher, Brett Parsons, Estera Pukay, Cassidy Richardson, Emily Schnepp , Justin Sharpe, Christine Sherrell, Emilie Steinblums, Andreea Sterie, Bailee Sveen, Uptain Bailey, Olivia Wix and Nancy Yang.

3.5-3.99 — Amanda Anderson, Valerii Andriichuk, Victoria Barcroft, Parker Blankenship, Kordell Brestel, Olivia Decklar, Joel Diedrich, Mitchell Ford, Ashley Fray, Hannah Held, Ingrid Hernandez, Grace Katzke, Alan Louie, Alyssa Maslen and Daniil Zabrodchenko.

Juniors

4.0 — Kylie Bell, Will Blake, Daniel Eckhardt, Jessica Emoto, Rebekah Fast, Kaitlyn Franklin, Kirollos Kamel, Catrina Kwong, Tran Le Ngoc, Arianne Melton, Mikey Monda, Alicia Nunziato, Amy Salisbury, Madison Statler, Staci Tatum, Tiara Thill, Nguyen Truong, Dmitriy Voloshko and Sarah Walker.

3.5-3.99 — Gabrielle Alfonso, Addie Blanchard, Amanda Brainard, Madison Brown, Sophia Busse, Marissa Buyas, Raena Cabine, Scott Cage, Madison Castellanos, Rafael Castellanos-Wels, Sky Chau, Nickolas Chervinka, Katie Conklin, Jacelyn Davis, Ryne Deyoe, Victoria Diemer, Mikey Downey, Levi Gormley, Anthony Graciano, Jason Green, Alicia Grovom, Angie Hahn, Nicholas Hanset, Devin Hardgrove, Rachel Hohbach, Sabrina Hua, Mariah Jackson, Gabriel Kaufman, Erica Keathley, Hayley Lawer, Abby Lian, Jay Lopez, Amanda McCarthy, Sarah McCaslin, Leslie Medina, Stefani Meier, Ryan Michael, Andrea Monteblanco, Erik Morales, Kristen Morlock, Paige Moss, Oscar Nunez, Amelia Nunez, James Palmiter, Amber Peschka, Diana Pesetskaya, Brittany Petty, Krisham Ray, Grace Ray, Marissa Reisen,Timber Rice, Jacob Saling, Olivia Sheehan, Devon Shields, Emily Smart, Lilibeth Vasquez, Grady Walker, Andrew Wise, and Cason Xerxes.

Seniors

4.0 — Kaylee Aalbers, Jessica Apodaca, Taylor Bauer, Jasmine Beeson, Joshua Beiersdorf, Beau Black,Alex Bump, Lorraina Campos, Danielle Carrithers, Kaleb Crimp, Shannon Ernst, Austin Fleming, Jayde Folsom, Dillon Fornos, Rebecca Fravel, Troy Frediani, Emily Gilson, Jessica Gonzalez-Diaz, Drexel Grimes, George Hanna, Danika Hazard, Zach Hedeen, Katie Howard, Eric Johnsen, Tyler Jordan, Jasmin Kennard, Aminah Khinnarath, Hannah Kim, Eric Louie, Taneesha Lucas,, Delissia Melgarejo, Jordyn Olofson, Brett Olson, Claire Palmiter, Haley Parker, Kylee Pearson and Kais Saradi.

3.5-3.99 — Dalton Boyles, Christina Brown, Maggie Burgess,

Taylor Carbone, Peyton Cartmill, Crystal Chau, Gloryann Chilson, Cheyenne Connell, Haley Crouser, Maria Damian

Chloe Douglas, Jordan Ellis, Tatyana Garcia, Caitlin Gibbs, Andrew Gille, Mikayla Harding, Rebecca Harris, Cynthia Hart, Issac Hinojosa-Diaz, Lara Horine, Ryan Jacobs, Austin Joseph, Brandon Kirby, Aaron Larson, Ryan Leveque, Delaney Lewis, Alex Linstad, Elizabeth Luna, Cory MacKay, Ivan Marquez-Ceja , Alex Mendez, Lindsay Nastav, David Nelson, Molly Mae O’Halloran, Michael O’Shea, Trent Pederson, Anastasia Popova and Claire Rehmke.

Dinner and a murder

The Gresham High School Drama Department will hold a murder mystery dinner theater, “Rest in Pieces,” at 6:30 p.m. March 15-16 in the high school cafeteria, 1200 N. Main St.

Join the drama department as it remembers Giovanni Morietti. The $18 tickets include Godfather’s Pizza, dessert, beverages and the show.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with a 7 p.m. dinner and 7:30 p.m. show. For more information, call 502-674-5516.

‘If I were mayor’

The city of Troutdale is holding an “If I Were Mayor” contest, urging students to offer ideas on what they would like to see in their city if they were mayor.

Submissions are due Friday, April 5. For more information, call 503-674-7237 or email debbie.stickney@troutdaleoregon.gov.

Burgerville event to benefit hula school

Members of the Gresham hula school Ka Pa Hula Makani Kolonahe and the Makani Foundation will serve guests at Burgerville, 2975 S.E. 242nd Drive, Gresham, from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 20.

They will entertain with Hawaiian music and hula. Partial proceeds from in-restaurant and drive-through service will benefit the foundation’s Anuhea Scholarship Fund.

The school’s mission promotes the perpetuation of Hawaiian language and culture through educational hula classes, which are open to the community.

For more information about the school, visit makanikolonahe.com or call 503-492-4159.

Carnegie Library celebrates centennial

The Gresham Historical Society is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Carnegie Library Building at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 16, with an open house, oral presentation and “1913 Exhibit.” Light refreshments will be served.

For more information, call 503-661-0347 or visit greshamhistoricalsociety.org.

Chamber CEO set to be keynote speaker

The East County League of Women Voters will host Alison Hart, CEO of the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, at its noon meeting Tuesday, March 12, at the MetroEast Building, 829 N.E. Eighth St., Gresham.

Hart will talk about new chamber developments and the services it provides.

Hart has spent 19 years as a business and community leader in a career that includes designing, developing, marketing and facilitating membership and community-building programs for private sector and nonprofit organizations. She joined the chamber in January 2011.

Outsmart your smartphone

The Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center will host Nicole Memmott with Frontier Communications at their March Learn at Lunch Program from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, at Greater Gresham Baptist Church.

Memmott will offer tips on getting the most out of your smartphone by consolidating your contacts and calendar, utilizing paperless navigation, back-up basics and more.

The brown-bag seminar will be held in the church’s Rock Room, Building A, 3848 N.E. Division St. There is no charge for chamber members. Tickets are $15 for future members. Registration is required.

For more information, or to register, call 503-665-1131 or visit gacc@greshamchamber.org.

Program about Tom McCall airs on OPB

Oregon Public Broadcasting next week will premiere the new one-hour episode of “Oregon Experience,” which profiles Tom McCall and explores how he helped shape Oregon.

“Tom McCall” will air at 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, on OPB. It is produced by Eric Cain and edited by Lisa Suinn Kallem. The program also will be available online anytime after the broadcast at watch.opb.org/program/oregon-experience.

For more information, visit opb.org/programs/oregonexperience.

Wednesday, March 13

Gresham Redevelopment Commission Advisory Committee — 7 p.m., Rockwood Community Office, 18709 S.E. Stark St. For more information, call 503-618-2640.

Mt. Hood Community College District Board — 6:30 p.m., Mt. Hood Community College Board Room, 26000 S.E. Stark St.

Troutdale Parks Advisory Committee — 7 p.m., City Conference Building, 223 Buxton Ave., Troutdale. For information, call Rooney Barker at 503-674-7262.

Centennial School District Board — 7 p.m., Board Room, 18135 S.E. Brooklyn St.

East Portland Land Use and Transportation Committee — 6:30 p.m., East Portland Neighborhood Office, 1017 N.E. 117th Ave., Portland. Examines land use planning, zoning and transportation issues that impact the East Portland area. Call Linda Bauer at 503-761-2941 for information.

Reynolds School District Board — 7 p.m., Fairview City Hall, Council Chambers, 1300 N.E. Village St.

Multnomah County Rural Fire Protection District No. 14 Board — 7:30 p.m., Corbett Fire Hall, 36930 E. Historic Columbia River Highway. Call 503-695-2272 for information.

Thursday, March 14

Fairview Parks Advisory Committee — 6 p.m., City Hall, Park View Conference Room, 1300 N.E. Village St. For information, call Devree Leymaster at 503-674-6202.

Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation — 7:30 a.m., Metro Regional Center, Council Chamber, 600 N.E. Grand Ave., Portland. For more information, call Kelsey Newell at 503-797-1916.

Transit-oriented Development Steering Committee — 10 a.m., Metro Regional Center, Council Chamber, 600 N.E. Grand Ave., Portland. For more information, call Pamela Blackhorse at 503-797-1757.

Metro Council — 2 p.m., Metro Regional Center, Council Chamber, 600 N.E. Grand Ave., Portland. For more information, visit oregonmetro.gov or call 503-797-1793.

Marcos Ugarte, 15, gets national notice for rescuing child from burning house

A Troutdale teen has become the first minor to be named a citizen hero after rescuing his 8-year-old neighbor from the second story of a burning house last fall.

“I was shocked,” said Marcos Ugarte, a 15-year-old Gresham High School freshman. “There were lots of good nominees, and I liked all of their stories online.”

Ugarte was among four recipients of the Citizen Service Before Self award. They were selected from among 23 award finalists through the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. Medal of Honor recipients chose the four winners.

Ugarte will be awarded at a ceremony on National Medal of Honor Day — Monday, March 25, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Besides a visit to Florida, this will mark his first East Coast visit.

The event will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Medal of Honor Day, with special events and dinners planned for honorees.

The foundation released a statement that Ugarte stood out for taking action without regard for his own life at such a young age. He was one of three minors named as finalists.

“It’s been a really humbling experience,” Ugarte, said. “I’m very thankful for the nomination.”

The three other honorees were Father Joe Carroll, who developed and ran a homeless support center in San Diego that is now modeled throughout the United States; and Jesse Shaffer III and Jesse Shaffer IV of Braithwaite, La., a father-son team who used their boat to rescue 120 people from their flood-ravaged town after official rescues were called off.

One of the purposes of the foundation is to honor the courage, valor and sacrifice of Americans, along with carrying on the values of the nation’s 80 remaining greatest war heroes.

For more information, visit csbsh.org.

Alison Hart can attest to the fact that college internships frequently predict the future.

More than 20 years ago, Hart was studying English and French at the University of San Francisco. She landed an internship with the French-American Chamber of Commerce as a student and after receiving her bachelor’s degree went on to spend six years in membership services with the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau. During her tenure, she oversaw retention of the bureau’s 2,000 member organizations and produced 46 annual events that drew from 15 to 1,200 attendees.

It turned out to be a fortuitous experience, since Hart is CEO of the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. She took the reins in January 2011, when former executive director Carol Nielsen-Hood retired after 13 years with the organization.

Hart, 44, might no longer keep tabs on a membership the size of a small city, but she does have her finger on the pulse of the business needs and climate in Oregon’s fourth largest city. Her responsibility, she said, is to act as a navigator for the chamber’s 500 members, helping them network, succeed and grow. Hart also acts as a resource on key issues by educating and informing business owners and community members in how those issues impact the region’s livability.

The Outlook sat down with Hart recently to see how the chamber has progressed over the past two years and her vision for the future.

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What was your biggest challenge after taking the helm of the chamber?

“I think the first was being an ‘outsider.’ I wasn’t from Gresham, so that was both a blessing and a challenge.

“The blessing was I was able to look at things objectively because I didn’t have any history here. I had a fresh set of eyes. But the downside was I didn’t have those established relationships with people. I had to work a little harder to create them. And credibility. I had to establish trust the with chamber members, the board, community leaders and businesses, to enroll them in the directions of the chamber.”

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The chamber has several active committees, which have energized the business climate in creative ways. What would you consider the biggest change the chamber has made in the past two years?

“We redefined our mission statement to read, ‘Bringing together and serving the business community.’ There are four areas where we want to lead, and we call them our vision. They are: advancing a vibrant and prosperous local economy; representing business to government; promoting the community; and connecting business and people.

“Everything we do has to align with the vision statement to advance both the organization and the region. We’re thinking more regionally so we can include Fairview, Troutdale and Wood Village. It behooves this area to work together because when we combine collaboratively, we have a bigger voice. That’s important.

“We also redefined our government affairs policies to be a more proactive liaison between business and government officials. For example, with the redistricting issue last year, we worked to educate the community and businesses so they could understand the issue. Healthy communities need businesses, but owners are busy people. They don’t have a lot of time to be in front of the issues, even though those issues could impact their business. The purpose of a chamber is to be the voice for business — to promote a prosperous local economy and growth. If it’s a healthy environment, business will grow.”

n n n

How does the chamber successfully serve a diverse membership of 500 businesses?

“Our members range from sole proprietor to a company like Boeing, so we’ve really diversified our programs to meet our members’ needs. For example, the governor spoke at our Economic Summit last year. Most of the large businesses attend that because it gives them a bigger picture from the 30,000-foot level for regional development. But that bigger picture may not be easy to grasp for a small business. So we utilize our AM meeting as a great place for smaller businesses, with maybe four employees or those that are service oriented, to get their name out there and network.”

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You mentioned collaborating with neighboring chambers of commerce to promote the region. Are there any efforts to achieve that goal currently in the works?

“We asked ourselves, ‘How do we capitalize on the assets we have?’ One of my new and exciting projects is an initiative to create economic development through bicycle tourism. If we have all the hiking trails and bike paths here connected throughout the region, it’s going to affect everyone by bringing people in who will support local businesses and encourage business growth. We want to bring all the players together to put this area on the map as a bicycle destination, by capitalizing on the assets that are already in place.”

n n n

Would you say the chamber is more than just a stop for tourist information?

“We are a resource. I like to think we’re the spoke in the wheel — we connect people. We are meant to be the hub to help people access businesses, community groups, nonprofits, government leaders. We touch all of those to help our region grow and prosper.”

Board members likely to take action on proposal April 4

The Gresham-Barlow School Board has agreed to seek voter approval of a $210 million bond measure that would fund school renovations plus security and technology upgrades throughout the district.

On Thursday, March 7, the board accepted the recommendation by an advisory committee to proceed with a bond election.

While the advisory committee recommended taking the measure before voters in May 2013, the board favors waiting until the November 2013 ballot.

School board members voted to direct staff to craft the language and an explanatory statement for the November ballot.

“We recognize that our community is still struggling with the effects of this recession, but we have an opportunity — historically low interest rates and low construction costs — to ask our community to make this investment in our schools,” Matt O’Connell, school board vice chairman, said in a press release. “A school bond could also boost Gresham’s economy by generating construction jobs.”

If approved, the $210 million measure would increase the district’s school bond rate to $2.50 per $1,000, or an additional $1.41 per $1,000. For a property assessed at $200,000 the increase would be approximately $23 a month.

The district’s current $1.09 per $1,000 school bond rate is made up of more than one school bond. If the school bond under consideration was not approved by the voters, some of the $1.09 school bonds would mature in 2017, while the rest would mature in 2021.

The bond would rebuild the almost 100-year-old Gresham High School, repurpose West Gresham Elementary School and consolidate Deep Creek Elementary School and Damascus Middle School into a kindergarten through eighth-grade model.

Additionally, all schools would receive safety and security improvements, upgrade buildings that average 40 years old, improve career technical education and STEM classes (science technology, engineering and mathematics) and allow for increased enrollment and full-day kindergarten.

The school board is expected to take action on the bond measure proposal at its Thursday, April 4, meeting.

While the committee had recommended placing the bond on the May ballot, school board members discussed placing the measure on the November ballot instead to give ample time to inform the public about the proposed projects.

The district has posted the Bond Measure Planning Committee’s recommendation on its website at Gresham.k12.or.us.

Marveina “Annie” Graham

June 12, 1954-March 5, 2013

Fairview resident Marveina “Annie” Graham died Tuesday, March 5. She was 58.

Private family services are planned.

Annie was born June 12, 1954, in Portland to Mick Perez and Vi Blankenship. She was raised in the Parkrose area of Portland and graduated from Parkrose High School. Annie was a nurse before retiring in 2005.

She moved to Fairview in 1998 and was especially fond of her dog, Pepper, and late cat, Salty.

Annie was preceded in death by her son, Michael L. Henry, and her father. Survivors include her husband, Gary Graham of Fairview; sons, Jamie C. Young and Tim J. Young, both of Troutdale; sisters, Sharon Simmons and Mickey Hillis, both of Portland, and Frankie Stahl of California; and two grandchildren.

Gresham Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.

Arthur Lee Powell

July 24, 1920-March 4, 2013

Longtime Gresham resident Arthur Lee Powell died Monday, March 4. He was 92.

A memorial service was held Monday, March 11, at Trinity Bible Church in Portland.

Arthur was born July 24, 1920, in Juniper Flats to John Melvin and Della Alice (White) Powell. He lived for a short time in Maupin, where he attended school.

Arthur served in the U.S. Navy from Feb. 2, 1942, to Oct. 3, 1945. He married Dorothy May Gantenbien on Sept. 22, 1942, in Southern California. They moved to Gresham in 1962. Arthur was the head custodian at East Gresham Grade School when he retired in 1985.

Arthur was a passionate organic gardener. He was well known for his fruits, vegetables and flowers, particularly his irises. He also taught Bible study through his church for more than 30 years.

He was preceded in death by his wife in 2006. Survivors include his daughters, Dorothy Conklin of Portland, Betty Scothorn of Gresham and Alice Tucker of Cameroon, Africa; eight grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.

Gateway Little Chapel of the Chimes is handling arrangements.

Gallery exhibit

The Fireplace Gallery at Mt. Hood Community College, 26000 S.E. Stark St., hosts a free exhibit by artist Patrick Driscoll through March 28, titled “I offer so much, but commit so little.”

Driscoll describes painting as “an activity of discipline, and I might go so far as to say it is the closest activity I have to a spiritual practice.” He has studied from Portland to France, and won awards from numerous colleges.

The Fireplace Gallery is in the Student Union. Hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. Parking is free.

People requiring accommodations due to a disability should contact the Disability Services office at 503-491-6923 or 503-491-7670 (TDD).

History forum

“East County History Forum: A Panel Discussion About Local History and Resources” will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, in McMenamins Edgefield Power Station Theater, 2126 S.W. Halsey St., Troutdale.

This Oregon Encyclopedia History Night will feature a panel of local historians and experts who will present on, as well as answer questions about, the history of the Troutdale-Corbett-Columbia River Gorge area of east Multnomah County.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit oregonencyclopedia.org.

Live Music

Eastside Bluegrass Series — 7 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at Freedom Foursquare Church, 660 S.E. 160th Ave. If you show up at 5:30 p.m., you can join a jam in the lobby, so bring your instrument. This show will feature Old Circle, a fast-paced group playing traditional bluegrass music with a clever smattering of humor, as well as the Hardshell Harmony Bluegrass Band, which plays foot-tapping, knee-slapping, good time music with harmony vocals that sets it apart from others. Eastside Bluegrass shows take place every third Saturday of the month. Suggested donation is $10 per person, with children admitted free. Plenty of parking is available. For more information, visit eastsidebluegrass.com or email eastsidebluegrass@yahoo.com.

Edgefield Live Music Series — McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 S.W. Halsey St., Troutdale. All shows are free, for ages 21 and older, and are held in the Winery unless noted otherwise. For more information, visit mcmenamins.com/edgefield or call 503-669-8610.

• Panhandler's Union, 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 12.

• Radical Revolution Trio, 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 13.

• Red Light Romeos, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14.

• Muriel Stanton, 7 p.m. Friday, March 15.

• St. Patrick's Day celebrations, all day Saturday, March 16.

• St. Patrick's Day celebrations, all day Sunday, March 17.

• Groovy Wallpaper, Monday, March 18.

Live Music at Celebrities — Celebrities Parkway Grill, 20725 N.E. Sandy Blvd., Fairview. No cover charge. Call 503-666-2027 for information.

• Jimmy Thompson Jam Session, 4 p.m. to midnight Sundays.

Open Mic Jam — Gresham Inn, 117 N. Main Ave. 8 p.m. Sundays. Hosted by Back Alley Jammers. For more information, call 503-661-1403.

Open Mic Jam — M&M Lounge, 137 N. Main Ave., Gresham. 6 p.m. to midnight Sundays. Classic rock, blues, boogie blues, country, alternative, originals, acoustic, electric with live band. Sound system, drums, amplifiers provided. For more information, call 503-665-2626.

Karaoke — 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Midnight Roundup, 345 N.W. Burnside St. For more information, call 503-489-5860.

• Dance instruction, 8 p.m. Thursdays followed by dancing at 9 p.m.

• Carrie Cunningham & The Six Shooters, 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 15-16.

Park Place Coffee — Live Music Saturdays. Free. All ages. For more information, call 503-808-1244 or visit parkplacecoffee.com.

Out & About

Troutdale Open-Air Market — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, Depot Park Rail Museum, 473 E. Historic Columbia River Highway, Troutdale. Shop for organic produce, fine arts and crafts, food and one-of-a-kind items at Troutdale’s farmers’ market, located in downtown Troutdale. Visit windancemarkets.com.

Arts & Culture

“Dreams” — 7 p.m. Monday, March 18, Gresham Chapel & Evening Event Center, 257 S.E. Roberts Ave. Presented by Readers Theatre of Sandy Actors Theatre, this play by Norman Beim is a comedy drama that tells the tale of Archie and Lily Lowe, renowned actors who reluctantly agree to come out of retirement to do a play they think is ugly but brilliant with fascinating roles. When a stroke forces Archie out of the play, both strive to realize their creative potential in spite of life’s unforeseen obstacles. Tickets: $8 general admission (no reservations). Info: Tim Park at 503-869-6183 or visit sandyactorstheatre.org.

First Thursday Concerts — Mt. Hood Community College, 26000 S.E. Stark St., continues its free first Thursday of the month shows in the Student Union from noon to 1 p.m. April 4: Chuck Redd Group. With a career that spans more than 30 years and includes touring and recording with jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie, Barney Kessel, Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, The Lionel Hampton Big Band and Mel Torme, vibist/drummer Redd will make a stop at the college while on a West Coast tour. Stalwarts of the Portland jazz music scene will join him on stage.

“Passport to Adventure” — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through April 14. Gresham City Hall, Visual Arts Gallery, 1333 N.W. Eastman Parkway. Presented by the Gresham Art Committee. Info: greshamartcommittee.com.

Government sequester could force hundreds of traffic towers to shut down

The Troutdale Airport is on a Federal Aviation Administration list of air traffic control towers that could close as a result of automatic spending cuts that took effect March 1.

Five small Oregon airports are among more than 100 facilities nationwide also facing closures starting in April.

In a letter to airport managers, the FAA outlined other cuts that would reduce expenditures by about $600 million for the remainder of the 2013 fiscal year.

Those included furloughs for nearly 47,000 FAA employees and eliminating midnight shifts for more than 60 towers nationwide.

The FAA is still finalizing the details of its plan and will decide which towers to close by Monday, March 18.

State Rep. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale, said this closure was preventable, but now the safety of pilots using the airport is in jeopardy.

“I am disheartened by the news that the air traffic control tower at Troutdale Airport could be closed due to automatic spending cuts that Congress could have prevented,” he said. “The people of Oregon are not to blame for the economic gridlock in our federal government, and the closure of this small, local facility is unacceptable. Without tower staff, there could be a real risk of a decrease in safety for the numerous pilots that fly out of the Troutdale Airport.

“A solution is needed, and Congress must end the sequester as soon as possible.”

In 2012, 93,465 planes took off or landed at the Troutdale Airport, and 15 businesses operate on the site.

Gresham police hope the public can help find a car used to flee the scene of a homicide this weekend.

Police are looking for a smaller, light silver four-door, possibly import vehicle leaving the area of the Tee Off Estates at about 6:45 p.m. Sunday, March 10, said Lt. Claudio Grandjean, Gresham police spokesman.

The vehicle may have been driving aggressively or erratically while speeding away from the condominium of Shane Michael Brumbaugh, 23, in the 1400 block of Northeast Paropa Court.

Brumbaugh was working on his van in his driveway behind his home when a man shot him. He died of a gunshot wound to the chest at the scene.

Neighbors reported seeing a man running away from the scene. The suspect and another man serving as a lookout got into a car with a getaway driver behind the wheel parked around the corner on Northeast 16th Street.

The vehicle would have gotten onto Northeast Kane Drive, but from there could have driven to Division to the south or Stark to the north.

The East Multnomah County Major Crimes Team is investigating the shooting. Anyone with information should call the Gresham Police Department at 503-823-3333 or the tip line at 503-618-2719.

Fight to stop human trafficking added to gang enforcement

On Saturday, March 2, just before midnight, Portland Police responded to reports of shots fired at an apartment complex at 16047 E. Burnside St.

Officers from Gresham and Troutdale as well as Portland’s Gang Enforcement Team responded, checked all of the apartments and found evidence of gunfire, but no gunshot victims. According to Portland police spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson, they got no help from witnesses, and made no arrests.

Gang-related incidents in Portland, often like Saturday’s midnight shooting, have fallen into a lull in past months, a relief to public safety officials after an alarming rise in gang activity during the past three years.

Portland police responded to nine gang-related incidents during the first two months of this year (six in January and three in February), compared to 21 during the same period last year (10 in January and 11 in February).

Yet police and youth outreach workers are not about to rest. They’re keeping the vigilance, holding youth anti-violence summits and bracing for spring break, which is the last week of March.

“In all the precincts, the focus is on hot spots where kids will gather when they’re out of school,” Simpson says. “Parks, community centers, underage dance clubs; a lot of it depends on the weather — if there’s better weather, more will be out.”

TriMet officers will also have extra eyes on the bus and light-rail platforms.

And park rangers and street gang outreach workers from the mayor’s Office of Youth Violence Prevention will have extra patrols on identified hot spots as well. Those hot spots, according to those announced at the recent gang task force meeting, include Lloyd Center, Holladay Park, Cully Boulevard, Burnside Street, 82nd Avenue, and 122nd and Stark. Some of those spots are noted for drug trafficking, others for human trafficking.

The two go hand in hand, according to police.

Victim-centered approach

The term “human trafficking” is often misconstrued as applying only to the prostitution of young girls born oversees. The truth is quite the opposite.

Both the city of Portland and Multnomah County have task forces to combat human trafficking after Portland gained a reputation in recent years as having one of the largest sex industries of any U.S. city.

According to the county, human trafficking includes all sex and labor trafficking and is a growing problem in Oregon due in part to the traffic permitted by Interstates 5 and I-84, the Willamette and Columbia rivers and the state’s large seasonal farming community.

The county’s task force is charged with locating victims, connecting them with resources and coordinating with law enforcement to arrest and prosecute the offenders.

The city’s task force includes two victim advocates from the Sexual Assault Resource Center, housed at the Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services.

The city has four shelter beds open for young people caught in human trafficking, and a pilot program provides housing for adult trafficking victims. So far, six women helped through the center are living in their own apartments.

The city is also able to seize items such as cars, cell phones, computers and cash from pimps and johns.

Finally, Portland police have a human trafficking unit of four officers and six detectives who investigate such crimes.

As local officials have tried to wrap their arms around the problem, it’s one that’s inextricably linked to gangs.

“We’re not unlike many cities seeing gang members involved in human trafficking,” Simpson says.

When Simpson worked in the gang unit several years ago, there were pimps and johns, he says. The new terminology change signals a different perspective on the crime.

“When people think of prostitution, their first instinct is a girl walking on the street,” Simpson says. “They’re not thinking about the fact that she’s being traded as a commodity, sold as a product,” often moving from city to city up and down the I-5 corridor.

The change humanizes the victims, Simpson adds. “We have a very victim-centered approach” to the crime.

In Oregon, a few recent human trafficking cases have brought lengthy and even life sentences for the offenders.

Gang task force work continues

Police and youth outreach workers are still doing as much proactive work as they can, especially as spring break approaches, the last week of March.

The mayor-led meetings, held at North Precinct, began during the height of Portland gang activity in the 1990s.

Dozens of juvenile justice and crime prevention stakeholders from the city, county, state and Portland school districts as well as local churches and other organizations participate, sharing updates about the latest problems and efforts to keep kids off the streets.

The meetings are open to the public, and even former gang members have showed up. At every meeting, task force participants make announcements about new programs or community events related to public safety and youth gang outreach.

The largest upcoming event is the 2nd Annual Rob Ingram Youth Summit Against Violence on Saturday, March 16.

It’s being organized by the Multnomah Youth Commission, the official youth policy body for the city of Portland and Multnomah County.

The all-day event is set for the Ambridge Event Center, 1333 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., and includes workshops on topics including anti-gay and gender bullying, cyberbullying, gangs, home and school bullying, police harassment and sexual and dating violence. There will also be free meals, a raffle and a youth panel leading discussions.

About 500 youth and adults are expected to attend.

“Our hope is that policymakers who attend the summit will authentically engage with youth in dialogue around issues of violence in our community,” says Umulkher Abdullahi, a student speaking on behalf of the youth commission. “Our goal with this workshop is to have adults listen to youth stories and projects, and to build youth-adult partnerships around issues of violence in our community.”

The outrageous Ken Ludwig comedy opens Wednesday

Grab your seat and prepare for a wild show.

On a night when everything is supposed to go right, madness ensues with an accidental drugging, mistaken identities, grape throwing and door slamming.

Ken Ludwig’s comedy “Lend Me a Tenor” opens at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at Sam Barlow High School with a cast of eight students.

“It’s a lot more racy for a high school play,” said Trevor Fonvergne, a senior. “It’s definitely rated PG-13.”

The night a famed tenor is to sing the lead in “Otello” for the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, a comedy of mishaps erupts, leading him to accidentally take a double dosage of tranquilizers.

Insistent that the show must go on, the general manager enlists the help of an impersonator, spurring laughable mistaken identities, mixed signals and misunderstandings.

“It’s a lot more relatable than our other plays,” said Natalie Bettelyoun, a junior. “I think this will keep students’ attention.”

Bettelyoun plays Maria, a crazy Italian wife, and has channeled inspiration from Gloria Pritchett in the TV series “Modern Family.”

“I get to blow up and not worry about going crazy because that’s pretty much what I do,” Bettelyoun said. “I’ve always been better at being a caricature than a serious role, so it’s a natural fit.”

As Max, assistant to the opera producer, Fonvergne gets caught up in all sorts of chaos.

“I had to find a balance between him being really nerdy and annoying and a person the audience would want to root for,” Fonvergne said.

“Lend Me a Tenor” was produced on London’s West End in 1986 and Broadway in 1989, receiving nine Tony Award nominations and winning for best actor and director. The Broadway revival opened in 2010.

The Barlow production is directed by Ronda McBeth and also features sophomores Ellie Leach and Megan Espinoza, and juniors Erik Scott, Dalton Flynn, Lucas Buchanan and Katie Lor. All of the actors have previous stage experience.

“The production plays to everyone’s strength,” Fonvergne said. “It’s the best play we could be doing with the people we have.”

If You Go

What: "Lend Me a Tenor," a comedy by Ken Ludwig.

When: 7:30 p.m. March 13, 14, 15 and 16 and 3 p.m. March 17.

Where: Sam Barlow High School's auditorium, 5105 S.E. 302nd Ave., Gresham.

Tickets: $8 for adults and $6 for students and senior citizens.

Reservations and info: Call 503-258-4898 or mcbeth@gresham.k12.or.us.

St. Paddys Day fest features music, dancers, brews

McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale will turn into Irish Central this weekend as pipers, players, dancers and painters converge on the resort site to mark St. Patrick’s Day.

Admission is free to the celebration, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17. Patrons of all ages are welcome everywhere except the Winery, which caters to the 21 and older crowd.

The Edgefield fest features Irish dancers each day, as well as balloon benders and face painters roving the grounds from 3-6 p.m. daily. Leprechauns, those mythical characters of Celtic lore, may be spotted doling out candy.

Performers include the River City Pipe Band, mandolinists Jack Dwyer & Tim Connell and The Pine Hearts, an alternative bluegrass trio.

Some of the other acts you might want to check out over the weekend include the following:

n Whistlin’ Rufus mixes classical, Irish, folk, bluegrass, rock ‘n’ roll and jazz. They’re known for solid arrangements featuring three- and four-part vocal harmonies (whistlinrufus.com).

n Andrew Calhoun sings original songs as well as Scottish ballads that he has translated from dialect, and poems and songs by such exceptional writers as Dave Carter, Mary Oliver and Robert Frost. A veteran of the Chicago folk scene, he’s an in-demand musical workshop presenter and co-founded Waterbug Records, an artists’ cooperative folk label which has released 70 titles.

n The Old Yellers feature Michael Berly on guitars, bass and vocals; Matt Voth on bass, guitars and vocals; Chester “Dog” Stumps on guitars and vocals; Wayne Waits on washboard; Ned Folkerth on drums; David Lipkind on harmonica; and Tim Connell on mandolin, tenor banjo, tin whistle, melodica, flute, piano and jaw harp. The band has earned a loyal following for both its original songs as well as classic roots tunes (theoldyellers.com).

n Casey Neill fuses country, punk, folk, traditional Irish, rock and bluegrass in his repertoire and has busked with Pete Seeger in Grand Central Station as well as toured with Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra (caseyneill.org).

n Prairie Dog Brain Trust combines “jamgrass” with “hippie-tonk” and should please fans of the Grateful Dead and country music (reverbnation.com/pdbt).

n Chris Marshall and The August Light — Marshall is a Portland songwriter and singer whose band, The August Light, plays rock, folk, and country. Marshall has appeared onstage with notable national acts like Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers and Richmond Fontaine (chrismarshallmusic.com).

n Seattle’s Cody Beebe & The Crooks think they play roots rock, but some have dubbed it progressive Americana, and others have called it “Steve Earle meets Pink Floyd.” The group jams some gritty blues, classic rock, country, and funk (codybeebeandthecrooks.com).

n Triúr Amadán hails from Madras, and although most of their music is of the traditional Irish/Celtic variety, the players add a little American folk and bluegrass songs to their set lists.

Attorney says Tom Klansnic was let go because of his sexuality

A popular Gresham elementary school principal, who last week helped orchestrate a high-profile anti-bullying program, is being let go because of his sexual orientation, his attorney said.

During a Gresham-Barlow School Board meeting Thursday, March 7, the district confirmed its spring 2012 vote against renewing Tom Klansnic’s contract at North Gresham Elementary School beyond this school year.

The district, however, disputes the decision is because of Klansnic’s sexuality. Because the decision is part of a personnel matter, the district said it could not comment.

A statement from Superintendent Jim Schlachter states any accusations the district had discriminated against an employee because of his or her sexual orientation are false.

The statement said the district is “committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination and has school board policy that outlines protected categories such as race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and disability.”

But many parents, teachers and supporters are still looking for the reason behind the district’s decision. Supporters attended the Thursday meeting wearing T-shirts and carrying messages to express their disappointment in the board’s decision.

“This is the man responsible for bringing some 600 students, teachers, staff and parents together to ‘Stand Up Together’ against bullying,” said Denise McCloud, a parent.

“Neglecting to renew the contract of the good man and strong leader who brought us all together in this effort is an egregious error. This is a disservice to the 569 students of North and their families... We are standing up together to say, ‘This is wrong.’ ”

In the aftermath of Thursday’s meeting, Klansnic said people from all over the city and up and down the East and West Coasts contacted him, telling him they were upset by the decision and supported him.

Klansnic’s story made national and international headlines, garnering a Change.org petition, “Do not oust Principal Tom Klansnic for Illegal Reasons.”

Klansnic has spent 10 years as a principal in the Gresham-Barlow School District and spent the previous 15 years in the Parkrose District, nine as a primary teacher and six as an elementary school principal.

During his seventh year as principal, Klansnic and his wife divorced, with him revealing to family and friends he was gay.

Klansnic and his attorney, Judy Snyder, said they are preparing to file a lawsuit against the district for discrimination and retaliation. They said Klansnic’s supervisors changed their treatment of him dramatically in the wake of the revelation.

Snyder said her client’s contract with the district has been renewed twice without performance complaints before.

“He’s been a very successful principal, and he’s continued to be a very successful principal even under close scrutiny of the last two years,” she said.

Klansnic will finish out the year as principal at North Gresham Elementary School, his attorney said.

Because the district chose not to extend Klansnic’s contract at the end of its three years, the district said Klansnic does not have the ability to appeal to the Fair Dismissal Appeals Board under Oregon law.

On Monday, a second-grade student showed up at North Gresham on Monday, March 11, wearing a T-shirt with yellow stars and red letters that read, “I support Mr. K.”

Klansnic and his attorney said kids had stopped him in the hall to express their sadness. Klansnic said he wants staff and students to focus on teaching and learning right now.

A week after the anti-bullying event, McCloud said she was stunned by the district’s decision.

“There’s extreme irony in the fact that the leader who pulled this all together is being removed from his job,” she said. “This is the opposite of the tenets we’re teaching our children. My kids absolutely adore Tom and are crushed to think he won’t be here.”

Brent Weisberg and Kohr Harland from news partner KOIN Local 6 contributed to this report.

Following numerous reports of a man assaulting, menacing and pointing guns at people in Gresham and Portland, police on Thursday, March 7, arrested a man on weapon offenses.

Swann Devon Carmicle, 26, of outer East Portland is being held at the Multnomah County Detention Center on $58,000 bail for 14 counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, fourth-degree domestic violence assault, domestic violence menacing, unlawful use of a weapon and pointing a firearm at another person.

He also is being held without bail on an indictment warrant related to a 2010 gun case.

The Portland Police Bureau's Special Emergency Reaction Team served a warrant at a home in the 17400 block of Southeast Powell Boulevard as part of an investigation being conducted by the Gun Task Force and Gang Enforcement Team into reports of a man assaulting, menacing and pointing guns at people in Gresham and Portland.

After one incident, officers tried to stop a vehicle associated with Carmicle, but the driver didn't stop and officers did not pursue the vehicle. They did, however, find a handgun thrown from the vehicle.

Police at 5:15 a.m. on March 7, arrested Carmicle without incident. During a search of his home, police seized a rifle as well as various calibers of ammunition.

The case will be presented to the U.S. Attorney's Office for possible federal prosecution.