Oral history interview planned at Glenn Otto Park
East County author and historian Clarence Mershon will be interviewed by Sharon Nesbit at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at Glenn Otto Park in Troutdale.
The interview is part of a Troutdale Historic Society business meeting, at which member-of-the-year and board member nominations will be made for 2013-14.
Raised on a farm in East Multnomah County, Mershon became interested in history at an early age, inspired by his grandmothers. Encouraged by his teachers at Corbett Grade School and Columbian High School, he spent nearly every spare moment reading adventure books.
The event is free and open to the public, with donations accepted.
For more information, call 503-661-2164.
Give blood, get cool treat
The American Red Cross is teaming up with Troutdale's J Gelati to offer a chilled sweet treat to all presenting donors at select East County blood drives.
All donors who come to one of three upcoming blood drives in East Multnomah County and try to donate blood will receive a coupon for one free small Gelati Italian ice or frozen custard.
This special offer is redeemable at the Troutdale location, 2467 S.W. Cherry Park Road.
Participating blood drives are scheduled Wednesday, May 1, at Urgent Care Gresham, 2850 E. Powell Valley Road, Gresham; Thursday, May 9, at the Gresham Library, 385 N.W. Miller Ave.; and Tuesday, June 25, at The Chapel, 27132 S.E. Stark St. in Troutdale.
Blood is used for accident victims, cancer patients, premature babies, burn patients, or friends and neighbors who may need regular blood transfusions in order to live.
J Gelati offers East Coast style Italian Ice, frozen custard, gelati and all-American ice cream.
Councilors hold informal forum
Join Gresham City Councilors Lori Stegmann, Mario Palmero and Josh Fuhrer at the Council Community Forum from 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, Rockwood Human Solutions, 124 N.E. 181St Ave. It's a chance to connect with city councilors in an informal setting to ask questions about public safety, urban renewal and other city services. Spanish translation will be available.
For more information on the forum, visit GreshamOregon.gov/City or contact Laura Shepard at 503-618-2247 or LauraBridges@GreshamOregon.gov.
Process suspended for processing Washington applications for concealed handgun licenses
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office will suspend processing new concealed handgun license applications for Washington state residents received after Wednesday, April 17, but will continue to process renewals for Washington residents.
Applications received after April 17 will be returned to the sender.
This suspension is being implemented to allow the Concealed Handgun Licensing unit time to reduce the current four-month backlog in processing ... applications, said Lt. Steve Alexander, Multnomah County Sheriff's Office spokesman.
With a four-month backlog, the sheriff's office can't process applications within the 45-day window that is required by state law. Until the backlog has been reduced significantly, only applications from Multnomah County residents will be processed.
Check the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office website at www.mcso.us for updates on when it will resume processing Washington state residents' applications.
Brown bag talk presents steps to a better city
Transportation planner and author Jeffrey Tumlin will present Eight Steps to a Walkable, Wealthier, Healthier City from noon to 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, in Council Chambers at Gresham City Hall, 1333 N.W. Eastman Parkway. The public is welcome.
His presentation will break down complex transportation planning concepts and outline how transportation decisions can contribute to healthy, vibrant and resilient communities.
The free brown bag lunch talk is co-sponsored by the city, the Oregon chapter of the American Planning Association and the Oregon Transportation and Growth Management Program. It is part of the 2013 Healthy Communities Speaker Tour.
Police department looking for reserve officers
The Fairview Police Department is accepting applications for volunteer reserve police officers.
Reserve officers are men and women interested in pursuing law enforcement as a career and who are citizens who simply want to donate their time to make the community safer, said Sgt. Gary Kirby. Both types of reserve officers are extremely valuable volunteers, he said.
Applicants must be 21, drug free and have a solid background. Applications are available on line at www.ci.fairview.or.us at the Fairview Police Department, 1300 N.E. Village Street, Fairview. They are due by 5 p.m. May 31, and can be hand delivered or mailed to Fairview Police Department, Attention Reserve Applications, P.O. Box 337, Fairview, 97024.
Successful applicants must pass a written and physical fitness test, an oral interview, a thorough background investigation, drug test, psychological test and a 220-plus hour police academy. Tentative dates for the written exam, physical fitness and oral board interview are as follows:
Written exam, 8 a.m. June 15, Fairview City Hall, 1300 N.E. Village St., Fairview.
Fitness exam, noon June 15, Reynolds Middle School, 1200 N.E. 201st Ave., Fairview.
Oral board interviews are tentatively scheduled for June 24.
The remaining tests will be determined at a later date and time.
Sandy Oktoberfest seeks talent show entries
The Sandy Oktoberfest Committee recently announced that a feature of this years festival will be a talent show from noon to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8, on the main stage in the Biergarten.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three talents, as determined by a panel of judges from the Sandy committee.
All types of amateur or professional talent are welcomed, including singers, dancers, musicians and bands. The performance should be no more than 10 minutes in duration.
To enter, email buda@sandyoktoberfest.net for an application.
City budgeting Tuesday for urban renewal area
The Gresham Redevelopment Commission Budget Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, to approve the Gresham Redevelopment Commission budget for fiscal year 2013-14 for the Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal Area.
The meeting will be held in the Gresham City Hall Conference Center, 1333 N.W. Eastman Parkway, Gresham.
This is a public meeting, and citizens will have an opportunity during the citizen comment period to comment on the proposed budget.
For more information, call 503-618-2545.
Learn about Connections Community
Connections Community Inc. is a nonprofit service organization composed of women in the Portland area who are dedicated to improving their communities and fostering understanding through service.
Meetings are held at 6 pm. the first Tuesday of each month in the Columbia Room of Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center.
For more information, call Ann Duffy at 503-668-3703.
Gardening workshops offered at SnowCap
SnowCap Community Charities is offering a series of no-cost gardening workshops to help "green thumbers" harvest fresh produce and help low-income families reduce food costs.
Leading off the series from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 27, will be a session dealing with basic vegetable gardening. Instructors include Master Gardener Diane Liefeld and Joy Davies, certified organic gardener.
All workshops will take place at the SnowCap Community Garden, which is located adjacent to the SnowCap complex at 17805 S.E. Stark St. (behind Rockwood United Methodist Church).
Additional information and signups are available by calling SnowCap Community Charities at 503-674-8785, ext. 19, or emailing danni@snowcap.org.
Welcome springs arrival
Smith Memorial Presbyterian Church will host its annual Spring Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the church, 2420 N.E. Fairview Ave., Fairview.
In addition to lunch, the event will include a bake, plant and craft sale to benefit local charities and the churchs outreach work.
Tickets are an $8 donation and will be available at the door. Guests are encouraged to wear pretty spring hats.
For more information, call the church at 503-667-6800.