West Gresham

New MAX Station, 188th & Burnside Click to enlarge

Defining Rockwood's Town Center Change is on the horizon!

Let the projects begin!

Look for big changes starting this summer, as the Gresham Redevelopment Commission begins transforming the face of Central Rockwood with a distinctive urban design.

"Rockwood in Motion" projects will benefit residents and businesses alike by providing a fresh new look for the area, improving safety and access to MAX, and jump-starting investment in the Rockwood Triangle. All while reinforcing the message that Rockwood is a special part of Gresham.

Expect Traffic Delays

Infrastructure improvement projects have already started in some Central Rockwood areas with all projects expected to be underway by June 1.

Click here for Construction Updates.

Burnside widening New Rockwood MAX stations 188th/187th Avenue Realignment SE Stark Boulevard Phase II Former Fred Meyer Site (See project details below)

Construction Map. Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Just Say No! Then, quickly close your door Don't let these pushy salespeople take "Advanage" of you

Aggressive and rude!

Several Capri Terrace residents in West Gresham's Wilkes East Neighborhood have reported being confronted by "pretty darn aggressive" and somewhat rude salespeople going door-to-door selling ADVANAGE cleaning sprays for Georgia based T&B Sales. This company has a sketchy reputation and many complaints for its over-the-top high-pressure sales tactics - dating back to their beginning in 2000.

One neighbor said "I had to be aggressive right back in order to shoo him away, I thought his tactics were a bit peculiar. His foot-in-the door antics was a bit unnerving to me".

Reports of T&B Sales representatives going doot-to-door selling Advanage cleaner without a permit or license have appeared recently in local newspapers from Portland to Longview and on several television stations warning area residents -- including this May 21st story on KGW TV's website.

"Don't even engage them in conversation," said one local sheriff's community policing office. "Just explain to them that you're not interested and close the door."

T&B sales has a troubled history in Oregon. In 2008, the attorney general's office issued a consumer alert after sales reps were charged with fraud, theft and illegal drug activity.

If a T&B Sales representative comes to your door you should contact your local police non-emergency telephone number. In Gresham the non-emergency number is 503-823-3333.

Joyce Henstrand

Board appoints interim leader for one year beginning July 1 The Reynolds School Board voted unanimously Thursday, May 13, to appoint Joyce Henstrand – currently the interim superintendent – the district’s permanent superintendent until June 30, 2011.

Source: The Gresham Outlook (May 14, 2010)

The board has been searching for a permanent superintendent for the past five months, and Henstrand had not applied for the position. However, Theresa Delaney Davis, the board chairwoman, said the board did not believe any of the candidates it had interviewed “was a perfect match,” and added the board was impressed with Henstrand’s work as interim superintendent.

“Since January 2010, we’ve seen remarkable progress toward our goals,” Davis said. “The district is operating within an improved organizational structure, there was increased transparency in the budget process, staff morale is improving and additional resources and supports for the students are being actively sought.

“We are pleased that Dr. Henstrand will continue the exceptional job she has been doing,” Davis said, noting, for example, that the district expects “significant” improved state test results this year.

Join us to remove invasives and find a 'little' treasure! Nadaka clean-up starts at 9AM, CITO Geocache begins at noon

When: Sunday May 16, 2010 9:00AM - 2:00PM
Where: Nadaka Nature Park
17500 NE Pacific St
Gresham, Oregon
Get Map!

Clean-up Event

The Wilkes East Neighborhood Association continues to restore Nadaka's 10 acre natural area. This event will include removing invasive underbrush such as ivy, holly & blackberries. A CITO geocaching event by Nogs & Devil Hunter will be held around Noon. (To participate in the geocaching come prepared to work first.)

Geocache Event

Nogs and Devil Hunter would like invite you to participate in a CITO and nature park restoration at Nadaka Nature Park in Gresham, Sunday May 16th. Clean-up starts at 9:00AM. Geocache begins at 12:00PM with a geocoin raffle! Bring our CITO kit, gloves, water, snacks and or lunch.

CITO -- "Cache In, Trash Out" is an ongoing environmental initiative supported by the worldwide geocaching community. Since 2002, geocachers have been dedicated to cleaning up parks and other cache-friendly places around the world. Through these volunteer efforts, we help preserve the natural beauty of our outdoor resources!

Video: KPTV Fox12 Oregon. Click to view

Earth Day 2010 comes early to Nadaka Nature Park Invasives removed, new trees added to the meadow

Earth Day wasn't until April 22nd, but SOLV volunteers got an early start Saturday April 19th by cleaning up 200 sites throughout Oregon -- including Nadaka Nature Park in West Gresham. Check-out this video.

NW View. Click to enlarge

After years of promises and delays Rockwood will finally get it's courthouse - once the funding is approved

Source: Willamette Week, OPB News (April 22, 2010)

After years of delays and missteps, Multnomah County commissioners unanimously approved the design for a new East County Courthouse in Rockwood.

The state ordered the county during the 1960's to have a courthouse in East Multnomah county. And there is a court -- but it's little more than one room in the old Gresham City Hall that's overcrowded and run down. But that's all going to change with the approval of a new courthouse in Rockwood's town center.

“I know this is a building. But it represents more than the stones, bricks and glass we see on paper,” said Commissioner Diane McKeel, who represents East County on the five-member board. “It represents commitment to an area left behind for too long.”

The plans call for a 40,000-square-foot building with three courtrooms (and space for more in the future) to handle misdemeanors and traffic cases.

Wasco Street Neighborhood Watch Multi-site Garage Sale Cypress Park May 7th-8th, 9AM-4PM

When: May 7-8, 2010 9AM-4PM
Where: NE Wasco Street
(Between NE 172nd - NE 179th)
Get Map!

Mark your calendar

It's that yardsale and garage sale time of year again!

Cypress Park's Wasco Street Neighborhood Watch group is hosting a two-day multi-site Garage Sale, Friday & Saturday, May 7th-8th 2010, from 9AM to 4PM.

Look for signs in the neighborhood directing you to garages full of treasures.

Judging from Commissioner McKeel’s reaction the East County courthouse construction could start in December 2010

Source: The Gresham Outlook (Apr 20, 2010)

Judging from Commissioner Diane McKeel’s smile following Tuesday’s briefing on the East County courthouse project, the embattled building is likely to become a reality.

The five-member board of commissioners will decide on Thursday, April 22, whether to build the structure, more than 25 years in the works.

During its Tuesday meeting, county commissioners considered both two-courtroom and three-courtroom configurations for the building, which is proposed for county-owned land on SE 185th Ave and Stark St in Rockwood. Get Map!

Depending on the number of courtrooms, the project could cost between $17.4 million and $20.7 million. A few million dollars from selling surplus county land south of Edgefield in Troutdale is earmarked for the courthouse. The rest of the money most likely will be financed through bonds.

County commissioners seemed to like the idea of moving ahead with the project now to take advantage of the weak construction market and low interest rates.

If approved, construction could start in December, with the building finished in early 2012.

The long-running effort to obtain decent court facilities for East Multnomah County is once again coming to a critical decision point

Source: The Gresham Outlook (Mar 31, 2010)

And that means East County citizens and leaders must maintain a sense of urgency about finally pushing this project over the top.

On Tuesday night, Multnomah County officials – including Commissioners Diane McKeel and Judy Shiprack – held a meeting in outer East Portland to update the community on the preliminary design for a courthouse that would be built in Rockwood, at Southeast 185th Avenue and Stark Street. That session will be followed on April 22 with a presentation to the full board of county commissioners, who then will decide how to proceed with the courthouse project.

(Everyone in the greater East County area (especially Gresham & West Gresham) is urged to attend the April 22 meeting (501 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214). If you cannot attend please submit written statements by email to the County Commissioners here (http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/cc/) prior to April 22 to be added to the record and show your support for this important project! Ed.)

(UPDATE: View preliminary design photos below. Ed.)

Gresham Fire visits Capri Terrace Click to enlarge

Firemen speak to Watch Group about home safety Neighbors enjoy "Daffodil & Springtime" luncheon

Capri Terrace Spring Meeting

Great turn out for their first quarterly meeting of the year. 41 members, 5 firemen along with 1 new household joined the Capri Terrace Neighborhood Watch Group. Several of our families had phoned indicating they were making an early start on Spring Break and were disappointed to miss the event.

Gresham Fire sent a big beautiful truck with their team to talk to us about home safety and were very gracious in answering many questions. They brought plenty of useful and informative materials to hand out including several new home CO detectors which were raffled during their presentation.

Billy & Laurie Simmon’s along with their twin daughters Alex & Andi hosted a lovely Daffodil & Springtime luncheon/dinner. Irish-Swiss Stew was prepared for the occasion along with a huge offering of salads, Shamrock/Easter cakes, pies and cupcakes by group members. Potluck's are a great way to meet neighbors and a lot of fun too!