On Thursday, April 12th, Mayor Ted Wheeler will be giving his State of the City address— and he’s chosen Portland Community College Southeast on 82nd as its location.

It’s a nice gesture, but if you follow City politics you’ll notice a trend of facilities being sited in East Portland without respectful notice or even proper process. The shelter on Foster Rd and the bottle drop planned for 82nd Ave are two recent, glaring examples.

Choosing locations for services can be challenging, but starting the process should be very simple: follow your own rules and communicate. The hard work of reaching compromise is made even harder when the City does neither. Wheeler is asking for feedback, and his first question is: “How would you like to see our communities become even stronger?”

Follow your own rules and communicate with neighbors. It would be a good start.

***

I got a good look at the site of the new community garden on Oregon Department of Transportation land this week… 🙂

There’ll be a dedication ceremony for Earth Day, I hear.

FRIDAY

“On Friday, April 6th the Whitenoise Project is thrilled to be able to host Michelle Peñaloza as our first visiting reader as well as the illimitable Samiya Bashir and Stacey Tran for a special reading to celebrate Stacey’s newly released ‘Soap for the Dogs’!

ADA accessible and all ages! No one will be turned away for lack of funds.”

Art Haus at Milepost 5, 8155 NE Oregon St * 7  pm – 9 pm  * $5 – $10 suggested 

SATURDAY

erythronium-hendersonii.jpg
Leach Garden tour (invitation):
“First Saturday of the month: Garden Curator Courtney Vengarick will show you what’s blooming and of seasonal interest, provide useful and engaging information, and share fun stories about the adventurous creators of the Garden, Botanist Lilla Leach and pharmacist/civic leader John Leach.”
Meet in front of the Gift Shop, next to the Manor House. Limit 15, first come first served.

Leach Botanical Garden  * 11 am – noon

***

Image result for montavilla jazz Festival

Tonight is the Montavilla Jazz Festival‘s season reveal fund raiser (tickets):

“Now in its 5th year, Montavilla Jazz Festival is a two-day festival that celebrates the very best in original Portland jazz. This April, don’t miss our Season Reveal Fundraiser, which includes wine and bites from Vino Veritas, a sneak peak performance by our top secret 2018 festival headliner, and a celebration of the Portland jazz community!”
Includes drink ticket, hors d’oeuvres, and limited edition photobook highlighting three years of MJF photography by Kathryn Elsesser.”
The big show is August 18th & 19th this year. The festival is a fund raiser for Montavilla Schools Music Fund. Vino Veritas is also hosting jazz shows several days a week, visit their page for more details.
 Vino Veritas, 7835 SE Stark St * 6:30 pm doors, 7 pm show * $50

SUNDAY

Image may contain: text and food

Green Lents Garden Swap (FB invitation):

“Calling all gardeners and plant lovers! This is the time and place to make something of your spare decorative pot, your extra seeds, your surplus plants, your half-used bag of compost, and well… you get the idea.

Embrace the season and meet us at Zenger Farm with your garden items, and hopefully you’ll find new treasures to swap them with. While you’re here you can enjoy some snacks, take part in our silent auction, and purchase a native plant or two to take home. 

This event is free and open to the public! We are thankful for our sponsors Portland Nursery and Bosky Dell Natives.”

Zenger Farm, 11741 SE Foster Rd * 1 pm – 4 pm 

***

Monarch Tears of Joy

“The migration of the monarch is one of the most inexplicable phenomena in nature. From the tiny caterpillar traversing a world of miniature obstacles to the beautiful and brave butterfly who dares to fly for thousands of miles, Mon the Minnesotan Monarch takes you from Canada to Mexico and back up through the states again on this astonishing journey of determination and wonder, served up with a heapin’ hot dish of Minnesotan hospitality! Performed by Emily Alexander of Tears of Joy Theatre.”

Midland Library, 805 SE 122nd Ave * 3 pm – 3:45 pm

***

Image result for East County Community Orchestra

East County Community Orchestra and Portland Metro Concert Band play a combined concert.

This concert is made possible by a grant received by the Portland Metro Concert Band from the Multnomah County Cultural Coalition, and the Oregon Cultural Trust.

Horner Performing Arts Center, David Douglas High School, 1400 SE 130th Ave * 3 pm * free

***

Lots of goodness going on in East Portland… enjoy your weekend!