Get ready for increased air traffic as PDX extends their runways
North Runway Extension project underway
Wilkes East residents may notice a change in aircraft flight activity as Portland International Airport begins major runway improvements starting May 1st through October 31st 2009.
During the six-month closure of the north parallel runway jet aircraft will use the south runway and will follow noise abatement procedures that direct them over the Columbia River corridor to minimize overflights of residential areas.
The south runway’s east takeoff and approach path will increase air traffic directly over the Wilkes East neighborhood -- particularly in the Sandstone area.
Pacific Drive group shown
'mapping' project. Positive real estate news presented.
Spring meeting well attended
Pacific Drive Neighborhood Watch group held a Pot Luck luncheon for their Spring meeting on Saturday the 25th of April with 10 households represented.
Meetings are open to all neighbors in the vicinity of: NE 168th Ave (between NE Pacific Dr and NE Oregon St), and NE 169th Pl (between NE Hassalo St and NE Pacific Dr). Get map!.
Member presentations
Art Abbott showed his neighborhood 'mapping' project to the group and asked the group for additional information in order to complete it.
Jim Kunkle, realtor, spoke to the group regarding real estate values in the Wilkes East area. Jim described some of the creative ideas brokers and contractors are using in our area to sell homes. He also mentioned there were no foreclosures recorded for our area.
Multnomah County Commissioner Diane McKeel told a crowd gathered to fight for a East County justice center in Rockwood that there's not enough board support to build the long-delayed courthouse project anywhere in Gresham because of the economy. The community should stop fighting for location and push commissioners to support building it at all, she said. Editor: Contact the commissioners here.
McKeel, County Chairman Ted Wheeler, Sheriff Bob Skipper, Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis and District Attorney Mike Schrunk sat with a panel of other government officials at a forum Tuesday night where community members were to urge the county board to reconsider building the beleagured project in Rockwood.
Original plans called for a justice center to be built in Rockwood, which has been plagued by crime and disinvestment. But Wheeler proposed the project, which has been stalled for decades, be moved to downtown Gresham because it would save about $7 million.
Wilkes East Neighborhood Clean-Up
Saturday June 27, 2009 9AM
HB Lee Middle School parking lot
When: Sat June 27, 2008 9:00AM - 12:00PM Where: HB Lee Middle School
1121 NE 172nd Ave (between Glisan & Halsey) Get map!
Cost per load:
$15.00 -- auto, standard pick-up truck $25.00 -- trailer load, large truck
Clean-up Info
"Spring Clean-Up" usually means you discover a lot of things you wish you could take to the dump! Well, now you don't have to take your junk very far! The dumpsters are coming to you!
Bring all your general debris to the dumpsters located in the parking lot at HB Lee Middle School, 1121 NE 172nd Ave (between NE Glisan & NE Halsey), Saturday June 27th from 9AM to 12PM.
Items Accepted
yard debris, wood scraps, general clean-up items
bulky waste, mattresses, furniture
scrap metal, cardboard
Items Not Accepted
hazardous waste, chemicals, paint
construction and demolition waste, tires, concrete or rocks, dirt
City of Gresham
News, Community Activities, Workshops & More
Neighborhood Connections is a publication from the City of Gresham Communications & Community Outreach offering City of Gresham news, Public Safety information, Community Activities & Events, Training & Workshops, Volunteer Opportunities, and more.
Everyone's invited!
Wilkes East Neighborhood
Quarterly Public Meeting
Monday May 4th 7PM
HB Lee Middle School
Join Your Neighbors -- Get involved. Make a difference!
When: Monday, May 4, 2009 7:00PM Where: H B Lee Middle School
1121 NE 172nd Ave Click here for map
Be sure to save Monday, May 4th at 7:00 PM for WENA’s Quarterly Public Meeting. This quarter's meeting will be held at H B Lee Middle School, 1121 NE 172nd Ave (between Glisan & Halsey), Portland, Oregon.
Meeting Topics
Halsey Project
(Bike lane and light 172nd & NE Halsey St)
Jonathon David, Gresham Transportation Division
Is There Hope For Our Parks?
Understanding the Math
Kathy Minden, People For Parks
Nadaka Park Master Plan
Ric Catron, Gresham Parks and Recreation
Neighborhood Update
Nadaka Park
Lee Dayfield, Friends of Nadaka
Updates & Earth Day
Nature in Neighborhoods
Capital Grants program
Neighborhood Watch
Groups in your neighborhood
And more!
Everyone's Invited to Attend!
This meeting is open to all residents and businesses in the Wilkes East Neighborhood! Be A Part Of Your Community, Plan To Attend.
The Wilkes East Neighborhood is located in the Northwest corner of the City of Gresham, Oregon, and is one of Gresham's sixteen neighborhoods. Wilkes East Neighborhood borders are roughly NE Sandy Boulevard to the north, NE 181st Ave to the east, NE Glisan Street to the south, and NE 162nd Ave to the west. Click here for a map of the Wilkes East Neighborhood.
Mark your calendar and plan to attend this important meeting.
When: Saturday Apr 18, 2009 9:00AM - 2:00PM Where: Gresham City Hall
1333 NW Eastman Pkwy Click here for directions
Expanded Recycling
The City is offering an expanded recycling collection event in honor of Earth Day from 9:00AM to 2:00PM Saturday, April 18 (rain or shine). The recycling event is free to Gresham and Wood Village residents and will be held in the City Hall parking lots, 1333 NW Eastman Parkway.
Collection Items
Computer Electronics and TVs
Block Styrofoam
Paper Shredding
Fluorescent Tubes and Lights
Cell Phones
Compost Bins For Sale
Interested in composting? Purchase The Earth Machine compost bin for $35 at the recycling event. Cash or check made out to City of Gresham. Normal retail price is $80.
There is a lot going on at Nadaka Nature Park, NE 176th Ave & NE Pacific St (Click here for a map). In addition to removing invasives at WENA's March 8th park cleanup, the entire front along NE Pacific St was cleaned up outside the fence. Also 130 native plants and trees were planted along the NE Pacific St side of the park.
Here's a list of what was planted:
Big Leaf Maple
Western Red Cedar
Western Hemlock
Cherry Trees
Vine Maple
Cascara
Indian Plum
Blue Elderberry
Red Elderberry
Serviceberry
Salmonberry
New sign, barbed wire removed
The new Nadaka Park sign should be installed within a month. WENA was able to purchase the new sign along with removing the barbed wire on NE Pacific St with a grant obtained last year. This year WENA's Friends of Nadaka group has applied for a Metro Nature in Neighborhood grant for improvements to Nadaka which we should find out about in May. This is a matching grant 1:1 so we will need volunteer help as well as in-kind donations. Interested parties should contact Lee Dayfield by email at leedayfield@wilkeseastna.org.
Luncheon has 99.9% turnout.
Near-zero crime reported
Great turnout, great entertainment
99.9% of the Capri Terrace Watch Group along with 2 new households gathered for their first quarterly meeting of 2009. 2 families had phoned indicating they were ill and couldn't make it (they missed a good time). Billy & Laurie Simmon's along with their twin daughters Alex & Andie hosted a lovely Shamrock & Springtime luncheon/dinner. 13.5 lbs of stew meat (none was left-over) was prepared for the occasion along with lots of desserts and salads. A huge display of Easter Egg cupcakes fit for an Easter Bunny King were seen brightening up a very windy, but sunny day. We also were entertained with some Irish Violin music by Laurie & Alex Simmon's.
The state ethics commission will investigate one current and two former Reynolds School District employees for allegedly using district money to pay for unnecessary medical procedures that included cosmetic surgery and Viagra prescriptions.
The commission is responding to complaints filed by Reynolds Superintendent Robert Fisher against former Superintendent Terry Kneisler, former Human Resources Director Wayne Travillion and current Salish Ponds Elementary Principal Ed Smith.
The complaints allege that Kneisler's bills, totaling $15,000, included massages, cosmetic dental work, Viagra prescriptions and laser eye surgery for himself and his daughter.
Thank You!
Wilkes East Neighborhood would like express our gratitude to the following for their generous contributions & continued support:
• Jazzy Bagels, Main St & Powell
• Parkrose Hardware, 106th & Sandy
• Growers Outlet, 162nd & Glisan
• SOLV, Bringing Oregon together
• Albertsons, 181st & Glisan
• And, all the many volunteers!
