1) The Santas are coming! (Dec. 6)
2) Take a ride on the Holiday Express
3) Some local grocers to cease bottle redemption
4) Fourth annual adopt-a-neighbor program
5) Street fund, Residential income tax and business fee (Dec. 3 and 10)
6) Overlook Neighborhood Association Board meeting (Dec. 2)
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1) The Santas are coming! (Dec. 6)
The Santacon in North Portland, otherwise known as the NoPdx Anticon, takes place on Saturday, Dec. 6. As always, the starting point will be the Paul Bunyan statue at 12:30 p.m.
Hundreds of Santas will descend on our neighborhood. For more details, visit NoPdx Anticon website.
Santacon
Saturday, Dec. 6, 12:30 p.m.
Paul Bunyan Statue in Kenton
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2) Take a ride on the Holiday Express
Need to enjoy some family holiday fund? Maybe escape from rampaging Santas? Start off the holiday season with an adventure on board a holiday train!
The Holiday Express is a wonderful vintage steam engine. It takes passengers on a holiday excursion, along the beautiful Oregon Pacific Railroad.
The family-friendly ride starts at Oaks Park Station, and is about 45 minutes long. During the ride, Santa and his helpful elves make an appearance and visit passengers!
The Holiday Express is put on by the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation. The foundation preserves Portland’s historic locomotives and railroad artifacts. It provides education to the public about Oregon’s railroad history.
The Holiday Express train rides begin the day after Thanksgiving! Visit the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation’s website for more information.
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3) Some local grocers to cease bottle redemption
A whole new system for redeeming bottles and cans is coming to the Overlook Neighborhood. The new BottleDrop Redemption Center, located at 1176 N Hayden Meadows Dr., will open in mid-December. Several of the grocery store bottle rooms in our area will close due to participation in this new project.
For more information, visit the BottleDrop website.
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4) Fourth annual adopt-a-neighbor program
Overlook neighbors have shown amazingly selfless spirits the past three years, and REACH Resident Services is anxious to get the ball rolling for 2014. Families like those living at Patton Park Apartments (5272 N Interstate) often are left out of gift-giving and receiving due to the hardships of primarily focusing on meeting basic needs.
Through your donations of a new toy, clothing item or basic necessity (food, diapers, bus tickets), a sense of community and hope is restored. REACH Community Development’s Patton Park Apartments is home to more than 90 residents living below median income. We seek Overlook interested in adopting a neighbor for the holidays should contact Patricia Haggerty, REACH Resident Services Coordinator, at (503)546-1662, phaggerty@reachcdc.org.
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5) Street fund, Residential income tax and business fee (Dec. 3 and 10)
Portland City Council will consider amendments to the proposed Portland Street Fund at 10 a.m. Dec. 3. Council is expected to vote on the amended proposal on Dec. 10.
Commissioner Steve Novick will offer an amendment that would have the fund expire or “sunset” after six years without council action. Under the amendment, the residential income tax and non-residential fee would be charged for tax years 2015 through 2020. It would not be continued after tax year 2020 without action by city council or a vote of the public to extend it.
Another amendment will be offered to ensure that city funding for pavement maintenance in future years from non-Street Fund sources shall be no less than the amount of such funding from non-Street Fund sources currently allocated for fiscal 2014-15 if the street fund is approved by council. It would add to the city’s annual pavement maintenance budget relative to current spending, more than doubling the total amount spent each year.
Council invites public testimony on the amendments on Dec. 3. Testimony will be limited to the proposed amendments, however testimony on the entirety of the income tax, business fee and overall street fund proposal is welcomed in writing. Comments and questions may be sent to mailto:ourstreetspdx@portlandoregon.gov.
Learn more about the street fund and find updates at OurStreetsPDX.com and on Twitter at @PBOTinfo, and #ourstreetspdx.
Portland City Council Meeting
Wednesday, Dec.3, 10 a.m.
City Hall (1221 SW Fourth Ave.)
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6) Overlook Neighborhood Association Board meeting (Dec. 2)
Overlook Neighborhood Association regular board meeting
Tuesday, Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m.
Overlook House