"Majestic Realty, the California-based company behind an $8 million Trader Joe's development in Northeast Portland, said Portland firm Colas Construction will serve as the general contractor firm for the project."

Read the full story in the Oregonian.

Caution, don't visit the Vintage Portland blog unless you want to fall into a black hole of Portland history.
But, if that sounds like fun to you, check out these photos of northeast Portland in the olden days.

Courtesy of Vintage Portland and the City of Portland Archives, here are a locations you may recognize...

Portland Playhouse presents its fifth production from August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle: Jitney, a masterful, tension-filled play about a group of independent taxi drivers in a well-worn livery cab station in the mid-1970s. Regular cabs won’t travel to Pittsburgh’s Hill District, so small businessman Becker and his drivers provide taxi services for the city’s Black community. Now, Becker faces the possible closure of his building, and his son has just returned from prison. Can this community’s bond to one another be enough to help
them weather a series of storms? Through detailed characters and finely wrought language, Wilson turns everyday experiences into poetry.

This play runs January 22 – February 16, 2014. Purchase your tickets now!

This production is presented at the WINNINGSTAD THEATRE rather than the venue on NE 6th and Prescott.

The newly restored Door of Hope church, which occupies the old Zion church building at NE 9th and Fremont, will open for services on February 2. Here's the announcement from pastor Josh White.

Local historian Doug Decker has posted a great article and photos of the church on his Alameda Old House History blog.

"When legal technology firm DTI moved into two floors of the Pittock Building last year, they wanted their
blank walls to hold only the most up-and-coming artists. They chose a group of artists so far off the hoity toity art world radar, they haven’t even graduated from elementary school yet.

DTI’s vice president Donna Peterson reached out to Sabin Elementary School’s art teacher, Chris Lamp, to commission work for the firm’s downtown digs. Peterson’s firm gave a $7,500 stipend to the school, and kids there created four works for the DTI’s new space. The artwork went up earlier this month in the building at 921 SW Washington Street. The firm auctioned off copies of the pieces, raising another $1,700 for
Sabin’s Art Program and Friends of Trees."

Read more at the Oregonian.

SCA is calling a Special Board Meeting to discuss the Sabin School field renovation project and vote on whether or not SCA will write a letter of support for a $20,000 grant request the field committee has made to the Nike Employee Grant Fund.

The SCA Board did not have enough information or enough time on January's board meeting agenda to discuss and vote on a letter of support for the project. With the final project work plan forthcoming early next week, we ask board members and community members alike to review the plan and join the discussion.
 
It seems simple - the field is rutted and muddy and needs fixing. It gets complicated because "tickle bees" live under ground in Sabin's field and Sabin LOVES bees, especially tickle bees for so many ecological and warm-and-fuzzy reasons.  The rub comes in not knowing how the renovation will impact the bees and designing a project work plan that is effective at incrementally evaluating and responding to impacts. If you are interested or passionate about this, please come join the conversation!

SCA Special Board Meeting
Wednesday, January 22
8:00-9:00 PM
3739 NE 16th Ave

Help bring food and hope to hungry schoolchildren in our neighborhood! Invite your friends and family to join us for an afternoon of song, celebration and packing lunches for neighborhood kids.
  
Sing folk & freedom songs with NE Portland musicians Day Old Pastries, and hear a great Gospel singer and saxophonist. There will be special Dr. King-related activities for kids, led by Concordia University student leaders.

WHEN: 1-3 pm, on Monday  JANUARY 20, 2014

WHERE: Maranatha Church, at NE12th Avenue between Skidmore & Mason  

Please bring a can of soup, chili or ravioli to donate.