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When A Natural Emergency Strikes Will You and Your Family Be Ready?

Experts Warn Cascadia Is Overdue For A 9.0 Earthquake

When A Natural Emergency Strikes Will You and Your Family Be Ready? Here's some great tips and valuable resources to help you be prepared for a disaster. Info here!

Be informed.
Build a kit.
Make a plan.

Everyday you hear the warnings.
Have you made a kit?
Do you have a plan?

If you're like most of us - you're not ready.

If that's you, we've got some great tips and valuable resources below to help you be prepared for whenever a disaster strikes.

CONTENTS

TICK. TOCK.
Think of Oregon geology as a clock, measuring time in earthquakes. Tick: a magnitude 8 quake. (Bigger than 1989 Bay Area quake that killed 63 people.) Tock: a magnitude 9 quake. (Same as the 2011 Japan quake that killed almost 16,000 people.) On average, a major quake happens in our area every 243 years, the last one was January 26, 1700 — 316 years ago. Yes. We are overdue.

When the next Big One does happen, a 700-mile long section of the tectonic plate known as the Juan de Fuca, stretching from British Columbia to Northern California, will slide beneath the North American plate, causing the entire Northwest coast-line to sink up to 6.6 feet. This won’t be a California-style short burst of energy quake in the earth’s upper crust. The Big One will be bigger, deeper, and last longer: 3–4 minutes, with dozens of after-shocks, some very powerful, for days, months, or later.

The Cascadia Subduction Zone is 700 miles long, located 100-150 miles off shore of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and northern California. Info here!
Cascadia Subduction Zone. Pacific Northwest. Click to Enlarge.

Hillsides will slide. Buildings will collapse. Roads will buckle. High-rises will sway. Bridges will crack. Some will fall. Pipes will snap. Within 20 minutes, the first of several 40-foot tsunami waves will wash away the Oregon Coast’s low-lying towns.

If our next “subduction zone” quake unleashes its full potential, it will be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.

Download the Wilkes East Neighborhood Fall 2019 Newsletter here!

Download the Wilkes East Neighborhood Fall 2019 Newsletter here! Wilkes East Neighborhood, Gresham Oregon USA. Diversity, Harmony, Community- Together 'WE' can make a difference.

2019 Fall Newsletter

"Diversity, Harmony, Community -
Together 'WE' can make a difference!”


alt=
Read it now!

Fall 2019 Newsletter

Inside This Issue:

  • Albertina Kerr Workforce Housing
  • WENA Board Elections Nov 11th
  • Extreme Weather In Our Region
  • Nadaka Happenings & Changes
  • Update: A Playground For Kirk Park

Download your copy here. (includes active web links)

Newsletters are a regular publication of the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association. They are hand-delivered to over 1,500 residences and businesses in our area 3 times per year, timed to correspond with our regular meetings.

View archive   |   Policy & Ad Rates

Got a story or tip to share?
Wilkes East residents are encouraged to submit articles and tips for the newsletter. Articles should be limited to 300-500 words and may be subject to editing Include a related photo. Send by email to chair@wilkeseastna.org, or by postal mail to: 17104 NE Oregon St • Portland OR 97230.

Volunteers Needed
Newsletters are hand-delivered to Wilkes East residents and businesses by neighborhood volunteers. There are always routes that need delivery people. Routes are small and many. We can always use your help.
To volunteer contact chair@wilkeseastna.org.

Download the Wilkes East Neighborhood Summer 2019 Newsletter here!

Download the Wilkes East Neighborhood Summer 2019 Newsletter here! Wilkes East Neighborhood, Gresham Oregon USA. Diversity, Harmony, Community- Together 'WE' can make a difference.

2019 Summer Newsletter

"Diversity, Harmony, Community -
Together 'WE' can make a difference!”


alt=
Read it now!

Summer 2019 Newsletter

Inside This Issue:

  • Columbia View Park improvements
  • National Night Out, Tuesday Aug 6th
  • Back to School, Movies in the Park
  • Nadaka Happenings & Changes
  • WENA Meeting Mon, Aug 12, 6:30PM

Download your copy here. (includes active web links)

Newsletters are a regular publication of the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association. They are hand-delivered to over 1,500 residences and businesses in our area 3 times per year, timed to correspond with our regular meetings.

View archive   |   Policy & Ad Rates

Got a story or tip to share?
Wilkes East residents are encouraged to submit articles and tips for the newsletter. Articles should be limited to 300-500 words and may be subject to editing Include a related photo. Send by email to chair@wilkeseastna.org, or by postal mail to: 17104 NE Oregon St • Portland OR 97230.

Volunteers Needed
Newsletters are hand-delivered to Wilkes East residents and businesses by neighborhood volunteers. There are always routes that need delivery people. Routes are small and many. We can always use your help.
To volunteer contact chair@wilkeseastna.org.

What is the Dog Days of Summer?

Tagged:  

The “dog days of summer” occur during the hottest and muggiest part of summer

It's a dogs life, especially during summer. Learn the origin of 'dog days of summer' here!
Dog Days of Summer?  Click to enlarge

The dictionary defines “dog days” as:

1:  the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere
2:  a period of stagnation or inactivity

But where does the term come from? Why do we call the hot, sultry days of summer “dog days?” Here's the answer!

In ancient times, when the night sky was free from artificial lights people in different parts of the world drew images in the sky by “connecting the dots” of stars. These star pictures are called constellations, and the constellations as we know them came from our European ancestors.

Ancient star gazer's saw images in the stars of bears (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor), twins (Gemini), a bull (Taurus), and others objects, including dogs (Canis Major and Canis Minor). Click 'Read more' for the answer!

The Tale of Two Wilkes Neighborhoods

The Tale of Two Wilkes Neighborhoods. William C Wilkes Donation Land Grant 1846, Portland Oregon. Info here!
Click to enlarge

Love, Heartbreak, and Renewal

Local history says un the summer of 1845 Payton & Anna Wilkes and their seven children left Independence Missouri in a two-yolk oxen-drawn covered wagon and headed west on the Oregon Trail for Oregon.

They arrived by late fall after crossing the Cascade Mountains during a particularly strong snow storm and settled into their new life style in Oregon City. More than 3,000 wagons arrived in Oregon that year.

In 1850 their son William Wilkes took a Donation Land Claim on Sandy Road east of Portland.

The Donation Land Claim Act (DLC) became law on September 27, 1850 as a means to promote homestead settlements in the Oregon Territory (comprising the resent-day states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and part of Wyoming).

The Act granted 320 acres of designated areas free-of-charge to every unmarried male citizen eighteen or older, and 640 acres to every married couple arriving in the Oregon Territory before December 1, 1850. A total of 7,437 land claims were issued under the Act which expired in late 1855.

Soon after receiving his land, William gave up his claim after his wife died and headed to California to mine gold.

Rich with cash, William Wilkes returned to east Portland and purchased the Milton Frazer DLC (see photo above), which was located immediately to the east of his original claim. And that's why there are two Wilkes neighborhoods.

Wilkes, the original land claim. And, Wilkes East, the purchased land to the east of William Wilkes original claim.

William C Wilkes, east Portland pioneer 1850's. Click to enlarge
William C Wilkes
Click to enlarge
William C Wilkes, east Portland pioneer 1850's. Click to enlarge
William C Wilkes grave
Click to enlarge
Sarah A Wilkes, wife of William C Wilkes, east Portland pioneer 1850's. Click to enlarge
Sarah A Wilkes
Click to enlarge

To learn more about local history, read "Gresham, Stories of our Past". Available from the Gresham Historical Society, area book stores, and Amazon.com

.

Uptick in Crime Affecting Gresham businesses along Sandy Blvd

Uptick in Crime Affecting Gresham businesses along Sandy Blvd. Gresham police can do very little as jurisdiction ends along Gresham’s northern border. Read more!

Vandalism, theft, broken windows, fights and stolen vehicles

By Greg Hartung

Gresham area businesses along a stretch of NE Sandy Blvd had recently experienced an alarming uptick in criminal activities.

From NE 162th to NE 181st, reports of vandalism, theft, breaking of glass windows and doors, fences cut, harassment of employees, fights and stolen vehicles now have businesses on high alert. Many of these activities are thought to be contributed by the increased population of campers within the Big Four Corners wetlands area.

Big Four Corners is an area of about 165 acres of fragile wetlands located north of Gresham that is owned and managed by Portland Parks and Recreation. Some sources say as many as 250 people are currently camping in this area. It is an important habitat for deer, coyote, river otter as well as a variety of birds and amphibians.

Gresham police can do very little as jurisdiction ends along Gresham’s northern border. The Union Pacific rail line divides Gresham from East Portland and the Big Four Corners wetlands. It is just beyond the reach of Gresham Police where many of these campers reside, however they are still within yards of the businesses on the south side of the border. While Union Pacific does conduct its own law enforcement patrols, they are limited to about 50 feet on each side of the tracks. Portland Parks and Recreation has park rangers who patrol the area.

On April 5th, 2019, a meeting at Gresham City Hall was conducted by the City of Gresham’s Economic Development, Gresham Police and Gresham’s Homeless Services departments and was well attended by many of those businesses affected by these recent activities. Representatives from SEKO Logistics, Cedar Source, Royal Bearing, Northwest Handling, Teeny Foods, Portland Bakery as well as Wilkes East and North Gresham neighborhood associations expressed very similar concerns to the City of Gresham. The crime has been costly to these businesses. Some businesses have gone to great expense to shore up security, such as replacing windows with reinforced glass, fences and hiring security patrol at night.

City of Gresham will be working more closely with the City of Portland and other agencies, but it is feared to get worse before it gets better. Word of mouth and sweeps of campers from other areas are bringing more campers to the Big Four Corners wetlands.

Download the Wilkes East Neighborhood Spring 2019 Newsletter here!

Download the Wilkes East Neighborhood Spring 2019 Newsletter here! Wilkes East Neighborhood, Gresham Oregon USA. Diversity, Harmony, Community- Together 'WE' can make a difference.

2019 Spring Newsletter

"Diversity, Harmony, Community -
Together 'WE' can make a difference!”


Read it now!

Inside This Issue:

 

  • Rockwood Rising, A New Urban Hub
  • Migration Brewing Opens New Pub
  • Earth Day Recycling Event, April 20
  • Nadaka Happenings & Changes
  • WENA Spring Meeting March 11, 7PM

Download your copy here. (includes active web links)

Newsletters are a regular publication of the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association. They are hand-delivered to over 1,500 residences and businesses in our area 3 times per year, timed to correspond with our regular meetings.

View archive   |   Policy & Ad Rates

Got a story or tip to share?
Wilkes East residents are encouraged to submit articles and tips for the newsletter. Articles should be limited to 300-350 words and may be subject to editing. Send by email to info@wilkeseastna.org, or by postal mail to: PO Box 536 • Fairview, OR 97024.

Volunteers Needed
Newsletters are hand-delivered to Wilkes East residents and businesses by neighborhood volunteers. There are always routes that need delivery people. Routes are small and many. We can always use your help.
To volunteer contact info@wilkeseastna.org.

UPDATED: Rockwood Rising, one of Gresham’s urban renewal projects, prepares to break ground

Rockwood Rising, one of Gresham’s urban renewal projects, prepares to break ground. Info here.
Rockwood Rising, Gresham. Click to enlarge

A New Urban Hub

By Robyn Stower
Sr. Urban Renewal Project
Coordinator, City of Gresham

Rockwood Rising is a Gresham urban renewal project that will transform a 5.8 acre dilapidated lot into a thriving community hub. The development will include four buildings surrounding a public plaza that will focus on workforce development, job training, healthcare, education, food accessibility, small business development, and housing.

Rockwood Rising is located at 18535 SE Stark Street, in the heart of the Rockwood neighborhood. Rockwood has the youngest median age, greatest diversity, and highest concentration of poverty of any town center in the Portland metropolitan region. For decades the community struggled with disinvestment, lack of public infrastructure and limited access of community services.

In 2003, a citywide vote established the Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal Area, which is governed by the Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC), to empower the disadvantaged community. Urban renewal plan goals emphasized community engagement, the creation of a town center to provide a mix of high-quality housing, jobs, shopping and community services, the development of parks, and the creation and retention of family-wage jobs.

Beginning in 2013, the GRDC in partnerships with community-based organizations performed extensive outreach to develop Rockwood Rising. The development site, which was previously home to a Fred Meyer grocery store, had been vacant for almost ten years and despite neighborhood mural and park initiatives was slowly becoming an attractive nuisance where families did not feel safe to bring their children.
 Thousands of local stakeholders participated in the visioning for Rockwood Rising which identified access to healthy, affordable food and economic opportunities as the highest priorities.

The community also participated in the design of Rockwood Rising which consists of four buildings (Building A, B, C, and D) surrounding a public plaza. Building A is a newly constructed four-story structure containing approximately 52,824 square feet of commercial space.

Rockwood Rising, west Gresham Or. Aerial view
Rockwood Rising. Click to enlarge

It will house education, workforce and business development services such as WorkSource Oregon, Mt Hood Community College Small Business Development Center and MetroEast Community Media. Building B is a newly constructed mixed-use structure that will provide approximately 27, 913 square feet of commercial space and 104 workforce housing units, twenty percent of which will be income restricted. Building C is the newly constructed Market Hall which will include two commercial kitchens, eight small restaurants, office space and up to twenty-four vendor booths. Building D is a significant renovation of an existing 7,000 square feet facility which will house a community maker space and construction and manufacturing apprentice program operated by Oregon Tradeswomen and Portland Opportunities and Industrial Center. The public plaza is a place the whole community can come and enjoy. The plaza will feature three age-specific playgrounds, interactive water feature, public art, including the recreation of the iconic Plaza del Sol mural, and will incorporate free Wi-Fi and amenities to support festivals and farmers markets. All these services promote Rockwood Rising’s mission to create an economic engine that will break the generational cycle of poverty and build family and community prosperity.

The GRDC recruited and selected, RKm Development, Inc. (RKm) through a transparent Request for Proposal developer search. RKm’s commitment to community and exceptional track record of equitable and quality management and development, such as Bethany Village, made them the ideal candidate to manage the project. As developer RKm will own and manage all the buildings on the property while the GRDC will own the property. This arrangement gives the GRDC the ability to repossess the property if the development agreements are not met.

Groundbreaking for Rockwood Rising is TBD 2019

UPDATE: Rockwood Rising timeline updated again; groundbreaking could happen in April
The Gresham Outlook, March 26, 2019 (Read more)

The timeline for the Rockwood Rising project has been updated after a Gresham Redevelopment Commission meeting Tuesday afternoon, March 19, meaning the project could break ground in the next month. The project groundbreaking has been delayed several times, at one point being planned in the spring of 2018. Now it is supposed to happen in April, with construction being completed in early 2021.

Migration Brewing Opens Pub in West Gresham

Migration Brewing Opens Pub in West Gresham. Read more here.
Migration Brewing, Gresham. Click to enlarge

Focus on Community

Migration Brewing started as a neighborhood brewpub in NE Portland in 2010. They grew that business with a focus on making a great product and supporting the community and clientele.

After 9 years serving the community with a venue to call home for reunions, birthdays, weddings, baby showers and all life events in between it was time to grow their brand and find a second home.

After searching all the cities surrounding Portland, Gresham proved to be especially attractive. In particular, the City's capacity to get a large project permitted and complete on time, a building that suited their needs, and a location that still maintains the feel and engagement of a small town. "Gresham is one of the friendliest and tight knit communities you could imagine and that is exactly what spoke to our brand" said Colin Rath of Migration Brewing. "For a company that prides itself on being community oriented we felt Gresham was the perfect fit".

The 3,000-square foot pub with plenty of open seating has been host to multiple Gresham high school reunions, fundraiser's supporting Gresham nonprofit's, and community causes. Plus all Gresham teachers get a discount simply by showing their id badge. "We didn't choose Gresham simply because we found a building that suited our needs, we chose Gresham because it's a community we wanted to be a part of." said Rath.

Migration Brewing serves a large selection of house brewed beers, wine, appetizers, soups, salads, pizza and calzone. Open daily. Sun-Thur 11AM-9PM, Fri-Sat 11AM-10PM. 18188 NE Wilkes Rd, Gresham.

Migration Brewing. Open daily. Sun-Thur 11AM-9PM, Fri-Sat 11AM-10PM. 18188 NE Wilkes Rd, Gresham
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