Category: Services

Community, Event, Services

Midland Library to Reopen Saturday

The Midland Public Library at 805 SE 122nd Avenue will reopen on October 26th after nearly two years of renovations. The expanded and modernized building features many unique qualities that support community needs beyond book lending. New amenities include ten meeting spaces, new checkout technology, and dedicated youth-focused areas with indoor-outdoor play spaces. To celebrate the project’s completion, library staff will host a grand opening weekend full of music and engaging activities.

Before its temporary closures in 2022, the Midland branch was one of the most used locations in the Multnomah County Library system. As a centrally located branch in East Portland, it serves one of the most culturally diverse areas in the region. Ahead of redevelopment, project leaders conducted extensive community engagement to ensure the building would reflect the people it serves. “We have folks from Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish communities, and we are making sure that they feel welcomed and represented when they come in,” said Liz Sauer, the Communications Manager with Multnomah County Library. During that preliminary work, outreach coordinators collected over 6,000 comments from engagement event participants, allowing community members to shape the project in many areas, down to the colors used. They asked people to bring in culturally significant images that artists incorporated into designs etched on panels that crews attached to the building’s exterior. Those images also guided the artist team HYBYCOZO in designing an illuminated outdoor sculpture series. They created geometric shapes with perforated metal panels that reference the etched pattern. The sculpture stacks descend in height from SE 122nd Avenue, providing a visual marker of the library’s location and replacing the iconic clock tower removed during the renovation.

Ceiling mural by Lillyanne Pham and Paola De La Cruz, next to HYBYCOZO designed sculpture series

Crews expanded the Midland library by nearly 6,000 square feet, pushing the front of the building south and repositioning the entrance at the center of the bar-shaped single-story building. A long covered walkway guides pedestrians to the front doors from the sidewalk under a ceiling mural created by Lillyanne Pham and Paola De La Cruz. Long-time visitors to this branch will recognize elements of the original space, including the large painting at the east end of the main room. However, lower bookshelves now let visitors see across the expansive stacks, changing the perceived scale of the facility. New lower-hung lighting and an updated color palette make the space both bright and warm. Rooms of various sizes and uses surround the building’s towering core, letting people move to semi-secluded spaces when the central section becomes too active.

The updated branch is more inclusive of the varied needs of its guests than before and aims to support all age groups. Young children have an educational play area off the main stacks with age-appropriate books and play equipment. A nearby exit leads to an outdoor fenced play space with a soft rubber surface. If people need to transition out of an over-stimulating space, Midland offers the library system’s first sensory room that provides a calm, quiet area. Users can adjust room lighting and other interactive elements to meet their needs. The room features a mirrored bubble tube, tactile panels, and a fiber optic tunnel.

  • Tactile panels and marble light board in sensory room
  • Tactile board and mirrored bubble tube in sensory room
  • Young reader’s area
  • Educational play area
  • Outdoor play area

Midland has a quiet room across from the young reader’s area where people can sit in chairs or at tables away from the active main room. Teenage visitors also have a dedicated and fully enclosed space with access to video games and media resources, including computers geared towards digital creators. Library visitors can use a computer at a fixed workstation or check out a laptop from a kiosk for use throughout the building. The Multnomah County Library system is pairing these building renovations with a broader effort to adapt their services to the modern needs of the community. Just as public libraries provided equitable access to written knowledge for 200 years, these expansions intend to provide equitable access to technology and digital tools. Access can take many forms, from printing documents to participating in a video interview or creating an animated video. The spaces and equipment available after this renovation should keep the library relevant as a community resource hub for decades.

  • Shorter bookcases with integrated LED lighting
  • Outdoor gathering circle
  • Indoor gathering circle
  • Teen room
  • Quiet room

In response to the community’s desire for gathering space, Midland features ten meeting rooms that people can reserve for free. Designers configured the entrance with a retractible separator that allows meeting room access even when the staff closes the library portion of the building, facilitating later meeting times. A panel system designed for art exhibits lines the meeting room hallway across from display cases ready to show art created at the library. The larger meeting rooms at the front of the building have assistive hearing equipment integrated into the presentation system, and conference equipment aids groups holding hybrid meetings. With designed insights from Indigenous communities, Midland contains several gathering circle areas inside and outside the library, geared towards conversations without a central speaker. A core component of this update, and a large percentage of new square footage added to the building, focuses on supporting community groups and creating opportunities for connections.

  • Large meeting room
  • Computer workstations
  • Projector and conferencing system for meetings
  • Laptop checkout kiosk

The Multnomah County Library invites people to the grand opening weekend celebration, starting with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 26th. The White Lotus Dragon & Lion Dance Team will start off the entertainment at 9:45 a.m., followed by a day filled with family-friendly activities and music. The first day wraps up at 5 p.m. but continues at noon on the following Sunday, October 27th. Those activities extend through 5:30 p.m. with Hawaiian Hula, ​​Bollywood Dance, Hoop Dance, and other culturally rich activities. After the grand reopening, the Midland branch will serve the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Sundays, they open from noon to 6 p.m. The schedule shifts two hours later on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from noon to 8 p.m.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

New Business, Services

ZenTech Auto Repair Opens on SE 82nd

ZenTech Auto Repair opened on August 3rd at 145 SE 82nd Avenue in the former auto spa location next to Hong Phat Food Center. This three-bay repair shop services all vehicle types, and the staff speaks Vietnamese and several Southern Chinese dialects in addition to English. Their fluency in people’s native languages sets this shop apart from other service centers, and the owner hopes it will allow his family-run business to support local residents and the broader Asian American community.

Wayne Zhen operates ZenTech with his father and mother. His father developed decades of experience servicing vehicles in China before moving to the United States 30 years ago and passed along his knowledge to Wayne. The family, with another employee, works on all makes and models. They specialize in full engine replacements and transmission work but pride themselves on fast, affordable work for whatever vehicle people bring in. They welcome walk-ins and offer a free check engine light diagnostic.

Trust and communication are vital to vehicle service work, which is why ZenTech Auto Repair considers its multi-lingual staff a great asset. “We mostly serve the Asian populations because [some] Chinese and Vietnamese people don’t speak English well. Then they’re afraid to go to dealerships and other shops. They find us more convenient, language-wise,” said Wayne Zhen. He also explained that understanding a variety of Chinese dialects like Taishanese is essential to supporting Portland’s diverse Asian community.

Finding a location for his first shop, Zhen looked for a place central to his prospective customers and equipped with a turnkey auto shop space. “This is a great location. It’s on the main road with lots of traffic, and people shopping next door [at Hong Phat] see the sign and come over,” explained Zhen. The only obstacle to opening was the road construction at SE 82nd Avenue and Ash Street. During their first month of operation, crews rebuilt their sidewalk corner and blocked off entrances to the property as workers reconstructed the intersection with new left turn controls.

ZenTech Auto Repair from August during the now completed sidewalk corner reconstruction

ZenTech Auto Repair is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. They welcome all car owners to bring their vehicles and hope to support the community as a local repair shop. They already have many customers but can often complete repairs in one or two days. In the future, ZenTech hopes to offer auto bodywork to its list of services. People can call them at 503-265-8778 or message them on the business’s Instagram account.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event, New Business, Services

Way Home Studio Opens to the Community

On August 18th, the Way Home Studio will open next door to the Way Home Shop as a rentable event space for classes and gatherings. The four studio co-owners came together based on a common need for flexible space to host their sessions. The group’s community-building approach to business includes making the space rentable at an affordable rate to other educators or people needing room for gatherings. The storefront at 8435 SE Stark Street offers a long multi-purpose room and a back area for smaller groups.

The space formally housed an alarm company that relocated to a larger storefront next door. The Way Home Studio team replaced the flooring with a shock-absorbing base layer and a durable laminate surface. One wall will offer a 20-foot wide full-length mirror with a ballet bar for those needing dance space. Groups renting the studio can also use 30 company-provided chairs and five folding tables in various configurations to meet their particular needs. People will have access to coffee, tea, and free wireless internet. The rooms rent together by the hour on a sliding scale based on the time of day. Weekday rates range from $10 to $25 per hour or $15 to $30 per hour on weekends. Full-day pricing is available, and they offer a 10% discount for elders 65 and older, first responders, veterans, and people from the BIPOC community. The current rate card and calendar are available on the company’s website, thewayhomestudio.com.

This space grew out of the success next door at the Way Home Shop. “I had a dream back in February when this space became available next door to my shop,” explained Gergana Kirilova, who owns the shop and is a partner in the studio. Her limited meeting space in the back of the Way Home Shop was often reaching capacity, but expanding to the vacant adjoining shopfront on her own would not have kept it as active as she knew it could be. “I sent an e-mail to all my folks saying, ‘Who’s in? Let’s build this healing center where we have more space for our gatherings.’ Little by little, I connected with these wonderful women,” said Kirilova. Her visions resonated with Amanda Cheer, Ida Cavewoman, and Lindsey Peck, who she knew from the community that formed around her shop. “I think we all came together because we see the need for a true community space that brings people together for a healing center. We’re all practitioners, artists, or healing folk in some capacity, and we were looking for a place for ourselves while also making sure that other practitioners in the area have a space to do the same that’s reasonably priced,” remarked studio partner Ida Cavewoman.

The Way Home Studio owners. (from left to right) Lindsey Peck, Amanda Cheer, Ida Cavewoman, and Gergana Kirilova

Based on the group’s shared interests and expertise, the Way Home Studio will focus on renting to people fostering healing for individuals and the community. These uses include community gatherings, educational workshops, health and wellness classes, cultural events, support groups, healing circles, seasonal celebrations, crafting groups, and offering self-care resources. However, they are open to hearing about other potential uses as long as renters follow their principles regarding equitable access and respect for people in attendance. Public events in this space are viewable on the Way Home Studio’s website or via a calendar link. The Studio team invites interested community members to view event descriptions and follow the signup links available in most listings.

In addition to the core group of partners, other practitioners have shown interest in this space, with several securing time slots. Co-owner Amanda Cheer noted that the early interest is already rounding out the types of activities planned for the studio. “We already have quite a few [people] that are excited. I know we have a couple of yoga and Reiki practitioners. So we have some stuff already on the calendar.” They also have people interested in using the space for book signings and other one-time events. Because the rental rate includes the back room with padded armchairs, a couch, and an under-counter refrigerator, they expect some people will reserve the studio for counseling and small groups needing a private room. Eventually, the Way Home Shop and Studio will connect through an existing door so eventgoers can transition between the storefronts without going outside and give people a place to move to after the scheduled session.

People interested in seeing the space and learning more about the group running it can attend the grand opening event on Sunday, August 18th, from 1 to 5 p.m. It is free to attend without prior registration, and they will provide light refreshments.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Services

Curbside Recycle Your Batteries

Starting June 10th, Portland trash haulers will collect appropriately contained batteries with curbside glass recycling. City residents with trash service at a house, duplex, triplex, or fourplex should place used batteries in a clear, sealed one-quart bag and set it on top of glass recyclables. Labeled alkaline batteries can go straight into the bag, while all others need the positive and negative terminals covered by tape to prevent fires.

Photo courtesy BPS

Used battery collection is a significant addition to the roster of curbside collectible waste. It can potentially reduce Battery-caused fires in garbage trucks and waste-processing facilities. Those dangerous conditions have increased dramatically in recent years due to expanded battery use, costing millions of dollars in damage and putting workers’ lives in danger.

Devices containing batteries and loose power cells should never go into the trash. Local nonprofits like Free Geek and some retailers make battery-containing e-recycling possible. However, many people have needed a low-barrier way to dispose of loose batteries at home. The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability’s (BPS) new service provides a convenient method for residential trash collection customers. People in apartments and businesses will need to find a drop-off battery recycling option by contacting Metro’s Recycling Information Center Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 503-234-3000, or by visiting their website: www.oregonmetro.gov/askmetro.

Article and title photo by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, New Business, Services

Affordable Community Mental Health Clinic

In offices above Vino Veritas Wine Bar, Liberation Institute offers affordable therapy on a sliding scale that often costs between $20 and $30 per session. Most sessions are conducted by training therapists working on their practicum hours. The Institute’s Portland clinic serves people throughout Oregon via online sessions and from two offices at 7831 SE Stark Street. They specialize in making mental healthcare accessible for people without insurance coverage, even offering free group sessions for people who can not afford their already discounted rates.

Steven Dallmann founded Liberation Institute in San Francisco to provide easily accessible professional support for issues related to mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit works independently from insurance providers and public funding, instead relying on donated time and charitable contributions. The first clients were people living on the street, but the demand for mental healthcare access spans all socio-economic situations, and the program grew to treat a wide range of people.

Elizabeth Hoke, Portland Clinical Director Liberation Institute, courtesy Liberation Institute

Elizabeth Hoke took a practicum position at the Liberation Institute’s San Francisco location in 2011 as she worked towards a master’s in counseling psychology. Hoke continued to work with the organization as she grew her private practice, even after she relocated to Portland in 2016. Her husband’s work transferred him to Oregon, and they made a temporary move to the region that became permanent. “Originally, we were going to come here and then maybe go back, but we totally fell in love with Portland,” explained Hoke. At the time, the Liberation Institute only supported clients in California. However, COVID-19 changed how people sought counseling and where students could receive practicum hours.

“In 2020, when the pandemic hit, we noticed that a bunch of clinics shut their doors. We’ve never had any kind of government funding, and we’ve never had an organizational structure that relied on anybody else telling us what to do. So we just went online and kept seeing all of our clients,” said Hoke. The organization could transition to online services faster than other clinics waiting for insurance and government guidance. New patients seeking care and students looking to complete their training found the Liberation Institute, substantially expanding the nonprofit. “People were calling us from different places in San Francisco and all over California, saying ‘our clinic shut. We need to get our hours so we can graduate. We don’t know what to do.’ So we got bigger and bigger,” remembers Hoke.

Seeing the same demand in Oregon that the Liberation Institute experienced in San Francisco, Elizabeth Hoke worked with Dallmann to create a Portland clinic. It started slowly with three Oregon-based therapists in 2020. She has grown operations to 15 therapists in the last three years, with four supervisors guiding the students. They have also expanded to offer a half-dozen support groups alongside the one-on-one sessions.

Clients always meet with the same person each week. Some therapists will take their clients to their other practice if insurance becomes available or therapists move on. All the supervisors have private practices that provide financial support, allowing them to donate their time to the Liberation Institute. Students work towards graduation and eventually leave the organization, although some return as supervisors. Continuity of care is part of the profession’s ethics, but students cannot always support every client post-graduation. In those cases, clients can transfer to another therapist at the Institute.

The Liberation Institute takes an approach to therapy that is less focused on diagnosis. Not having to bill an insurance provider gives them leeway to focus on people. “It’s not about what your diagnosis is. There are two ways to do therapy. There’s a scientific way that’s evidence-based. It’s all about following these protocols and checking these boxes. Then there’s more of an art to therapy that’s more relational,” explained Hoke. Although they may take a less clinical approach, they are trained therapists who can work with people on medications prescribed by a doctor or come from another treatment, coordinating with other care providers as appropriate.

Elizabeth Hoke explained that the holidays are hard for people, but often, they only reach out for help in January. She expects to see an increase in need next month but wants people to know that the Liberation Institute is always an option for people with limited resources looking for care and community. To schedule an appointment, people can email info.pdx@liberationinstitute.org or call 503-836-7350 Ext 3.

Article and Photos by

Jacob Loeb

Liberation Institute groups
Business Relocating, Community, Services

Rahab’s Sisters Path to a Dedicated Facility

On December 6th, the non-profit Rahab’s Sisters will relocate all functions from St. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church to the Montavilla United Methodist Church at 232 SE 80th Avenue. Their move one block west allows the day services provider to maintain operations as it seeks Multnomah County funds to create a dedicated facility. The group serving women and gender-diverse individuals will keep the same operating hours while embedded in its temporary location. The organization’s leadership hopes to offer an expanded schedule after they set it up in a long-term space.

Rahab’s Sisters started serving those marginalized by poverty, houselessness, sex work, violence, and substance use in 2003. They have worked from the church building at 247 SE 82nd Avenue the entire time, making this move a significant event for the organization. “It’s the very first location and only location. So we’ve been there 20 years,” explained Desiree Eden Ocampo, Executive Director of Rahab’s Sisters. The program stemmed from the church’s community but without a religious agenda. “A group of Episcopal women, both lay and clergy, wanted to care for folks working on 82nd at night, giving them a place of safety without any sort of preconceived notions that somebody has to be fixed or saved. It’s harm reduction,” said Ocampo.

Rahab’s Sisters’ move coincides with the closure of St. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church. At the end of 2023, the congregation will turn over the SE 82nd Avenue property to The Episcopal Church in Western Oregon (ECWO), which will begin the site’s transformation into affordable housing. Initially, Rahab’s Sisters hoped to return to the property after crews completed construction, working from a ground-floor commercial space. Early concepts for the housing development included non-residential storefront space on the first floor. However, those plans changed as the church worked to maximize available housing and secure specific funding. Ocampo explained that the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon offered Rahab’s Sisters continued use of the SE 82nd Avenue building until its demolition. However, the cost of operating the old building without other tenants sharing the expenses was not practical for the non-profit’s budget.

Fortunately, the organization was able to expand on an existing relationship to find temporary accommodations. Rahab’s Sisters began renting office space from Montavilla United Methodist Church in May as they were outgrowing St. Peter and Paul’s facilities. When the church announced its closure this year, Ocampo approached the Methodist church leadership about moving all activities into their space. This relocation will double the interior area available to the group while still offering a kitchen space to prepare the meals served at Friday community dinners. It also allows them to bring some previously outside activities inside the building. The Multnomah County’s syringe exchange program van uses the St. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church’s parking lot to distribute harm reduction kits. Ocampo said that with this move, that interaction will now focus on Rahab’s Sisters’ guests within the church building, although those guests can share supplies with people not served by the organization.

Montavilla United Methodist Church

Montavilla United Methodist Church will be a valuable transition space for Rahab’s Sisters. Its proximity to the original location helps alleviate fears of change experienced by some frequent guests. Before the move, Rahab’s Sisters staff will take guests on walks to show them where to go starting on December 6th. They also intend to post signs with directions to the new location. Although the larger facility at the Methodist Church will work well to maintain services, it is not the dedicated location Rahab’s Sisters needs to grow the organization.

On September 28th, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners allocated $62.5 million in one-time-only funding for added shelter capacity. The County set aside $3.3 million within that package to expand daytime support services. Rahab’s Sisters applied for $775,000 of those dedicated funds to cover the buildout costs needed to develop day services within a dedicated facility. Nearly $500,000 would go towards capital improvements to the building, creating a suitable kitchen and constructing interior amenities using trauma-informed design. The remaining funds will add furniture and cover other costs related to starting a new facility. Desiree Eden Ocampo explained they have already looked at locations between 122nd and 70th Avenues, giving the group an idea of what spaces the organization could lease. All potential sites will need work to meet their unique needs. However, with the County’s one-time funds covering the significant startup costs that previously prevented expanded operations, Rahab’s Sisters can finally step towards enhancing services within a reasonable operating budget.

Rahab’s Sisters currently supports over 300 people annually, operating two days a week. A dedicated facility will allow them to grow that number, but more importantly, it would expand support throughout the week. If Rahab’s Sisters receives the Multnomah County support, they will need to move quickly, with the bulk of the work happening in the summer of 2024. Ocampo thinks Rahab’s Sisters’ expansion is precisely what the County is looking for when expanding the provider network. There is a significant gap in day service providers operating in East Portland. Most facilities are concentrated Downtown and on the inner Eastside. 

Ocampo acknowledges that moving the organization twice in less than 12 months is not ideal and would have liked to work from the original location longer. However, Rahab’s Sisters fully supports the SE 82nd Avenue property’s redevelopment and looks forward to the speedy construction of affordable housing. The first half of 2024 will likely feature substantial growth for the day services provider. The staff will have more private space within Montavilla United Methodist Church for community partners to work from, increasing the quality of service. Then, the group will have the substantial task of locating and creating a dedicated site to grow its supportive community. Expect updates on this process in early 2024.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

New Business, Services, View of Montavilla

A New Name for a Classic Barbershop

This month, after nearly a year under new ownership, the barbershop at 6026 NE Glisan Street received a new name. Window lettering and a sign reading Beck’s Barbershop now adorn the easternmost storefront in the 1911-era building. The new name is the first methodically paced change planned for a business that values the stability of a classic profession.

Rebecca Sweesy began working at this location in April 2021, when the shop was named Lyle’s Barber Shop. She transitioned from working across town and started fresh with a new group of clients. Two years later, Sweesy had found her community and purchased the business from Brian Burt, who opened the barbershop in 2017.

Rebecca “Beck” Sweesy

Burt invested substantial effort into crafting a space honoring the centuries-old barber tradition. It features antique chairs, an iconic barber pole, and wood-paneled stations. Rebecca Sweesy appreciated the aesthetic and bought all the furnishings, keeping the space as it was. Changing the shop’s name to reference her childhood nickname was a leap for Sweesy, and future updates will receive equal consideration. “It’s good to do one thing at a time. I can do the signage and the name change. Let that settle. Then I’m going to paint and let that settle in over the next month, and then maybe I’ll add credit cards in the new year, making one change at a time rather than a billion things at once,” explained Sweesy.

This shop is a cash-only establishment, and although they see the benefits of taking other payment types, accepting credit cards is complicated. Each barber operates as an independent contractor who handles their own money. Consequentially, everyone working there must agree on a unified processor and the added fees before they can start taking cards. “When you run a credit card, it’s a 3% charge. Keeping the economy in mind and how much people struggle right now, I didn’t want to give people a 3% increase just for coming in to get a haircut,” said Sweesy. Client feedback will determine how soon they move to credit cards, but it will likely happen at some point.

The five-chair shop currently has three barbers, including the owner. “I’m still a barber first, and I always will be,” said Sweesy. That craftsman-first approach and the independent nature of the people working at Beck’s Barbershop made the change in ownership easier for customers who saw little change. Feedback over the year of transition has been positive. The next challenge for the shop will come from filling the two empty chairs with experienced people who value strong customer and community relationships. 

The shop survives on barbers paying rent to the business. However, Sweesy knows from experience moving into a new area will require time to build a client base. “With the economy being the way it is, I felt it might be difficult to ask a barber to pay a flat rate every week or every month. So I usually offer a commission [based rate] at first, and then I will move the barber into booth rate over time,” explained Sweesy. This pricing method supports people in the trade and helps attract individuals looking to build a positive reputation within a community over time. 

Beck’s Barbershop is open Monday through Saturday and asks that you make an appointment online. They offer razor shaves and sculpting along with traditional cuts. Although the majority of customers are male identifying, they accept all people over the age of nine. Business is returning to pre-pandemic levels, but they hope more people will try them out. Rebecca “Beck” Sweesy thinks they will win your business because, as the shop’s painted slogan declares, “Pride produces quality work,” and they care about how good you look.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Services

Receiving Critical Alerts in the Mobile Phone Age

Emergency workers occasionally alert people in a specific geographic area to significant police events, expanding fires, or dangerous weather conditions. Since 1993, some municipalities used a system called Reverse 911 to notify residents via phone. However, that system historically relied on landline telephones tied to a physical address, and very few people still use that service. Only a quarter of American homes have a landline, and just 15% of renters use anything other than cell phones. Consequently, during a substantial police response in Montavilla earlier this month, several residents reported being unaware of the shelter-in-place order enacted by the Portland Police Bureau. Although a system exists to notify residents via cell phone, it requires most residents to register at publicalerts.org before receiving texts, emails, or calls about potential danger.

PublicAlerts is a region-wide website for residents to request alerts about situations in their area. It centralizes registration for Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, and Washington counties in Oregon. The site also supports Clark County residents in Washington State. However, alerts do not blanket all registered users. The service uses each account holder’s self-reported address to localize communications based on the warning’s scope. Dozens of local fire departments, public health systems, utility companies, transportation agencies, and law enforcement use this system to notify residents. It is a flexible system that lets users specify a preferred communication type but requires registering to access its features. It also places responsibility for maintaining accurate information on individuals. However, the system allows an account holder to register several addresses, including a work location, making it useful throughout the day.

Registration with PublicAlerts is free, and the service does not use data shared during signup for tracking or advertising. The government-provided service relies on third parties to manage the alert system’s underlying technologies, but those companies are contractually obligated to keep personal information confidential and only use it for the intended purpose. This new program replaces the 1993 style of Reverse 911 service with one better designed for how people communicate 30 years later, but it requires most people to opt-in, potentially limiting its reach. 

Article and photo

Jacob Loeb

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management ran the system for other counties. Each county has its own system just with a unified signup site.

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Construction, Services

Gregory Heights Library Closing July 20th

Update: The library reopened on January 4th, 2024.

Thursday, Gregory Heights Library at 7921 NE Sandy Boulevard will close for several months while crews perform minor renovations. This bond-funded work includes new paint and carpets throughout the building’s interior. Other enhancements include increased book handling efficiency through automation, faster internet, and updated technology. After the crew completes the interior refresh, staff will install more comfortable seating and adjust shelving for better sightlines through the facility.

This temporary closure is one of many recent construction-related disruptions limiting library access for Montavilla residents. Although not the closest location, the Gregory Heights Library has seen increased usage since December 2022, when Multnomah County began significant renovation at the Midland and Holgate Libraries. With this location closing on July 20th, Montavilla residents should now use the Belmont Library at 1038 SE César E. Chávez Boulevard.

Multnomah County Library is expanding and renovating facilities across the system thanks to the voter-approved 2020 Library building bond. This year, contractors are reconstructing or augmenting five libraries and working on ten refresh projects. Crews will use the Gregory Heights closure to patch the roof and repaint the library’s exterior. That general maintenance work is not bond funded but part of regular facilities upkeep. Expect this location to reopen in winter 2023 with many enhancements and a fresh look.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Infrastructure, Montavilla, Services

Montavilla Pool and Free Lunch + Play

On Wednesday, two significant Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) hosted summer programs will return to Montavilla Park and other locations throughout the city. On June 21st, the outdoor public pool at 8219 NE Glisan Street will open to guests daily through August 27th. That same day in June, the Free Lunch + Play program begins its weekday distribution of USDA Federal Lunch Program approved meals from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Group play opportunities run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

As it has for decades, the outdoor pool at Montavilla Park will reopen for seasonal swimming and lessons. Day users of the swimming facility under the age of 18 must pay $3.75 to swim, while adults pay $4.75. Those over the age of 60 receive a $0.25 discount. PP&R sells passes at a discount for repeat visitors and offers a free swim option on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Open swim is available on weekdays from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Weekend swimming starts earlier with Family Swim time from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Then weekend Open Swim runs from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

To fill a gap left by the school system’s summertime closure, the Free Lunch + Play program offers a place for kids to play in groups and have a healthy meal. Program staff distribute free meals to children ages 18 and under. The meals must be consumed at the event by the child. Adults can pay $5.00 cash for a lunch, and children wanting more food can eat items from the “No Thank You Table,” where other children put unwanted parts of lunches. Portland Public Schools, Centennial School District, Parkrose School District, and David Douglas School District provide the free meals distributed during the summer to help feed children who have relied on the Free and Reduced-Price Meals program during the school year. However, the summer program is available to all children. Free Lunch + Play will be unavailable on Tuesday, July 4th but otherwise accessible throughout the summer.

PP&R partnered with over 24 other groups to expand Free Lunch + Play, including Multnomah County Library, Portland Opera, and Rose City Rollers. Those partnerships allow for special programming on certain days. Three of those events take place at Montavilla Park. The Parks Local Option Levy, passed by voters in 2020, funds many of the free summer activities, including the free swimming option on Tuesdays. These park activities ensure that most kids have an opportunity to enjoy a healthy and active summer.

Montavilla Park Special Event Schedule

  • Friday, June 30th 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Portland Opera
  • Friday, August 4th 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. SMART Reading
  • Tuesday, August 15th 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Friends of Baseball

By

Jacob Loeb

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