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Thanks to Kaila, one of our many loyal readers, for this tip.
The Multnomah County Central Library, is the first library in the state to have a green roof.
No, they did not paint the top of the building like Kermit, it’s green as in eco-friendly. Over 17K plants cover the roof and absorb rain year round while looking mighty pretty. Experts say this is an excellent example of how we can upgrade historic buildings with modern technology without harming the integrity of the facility.
While rivalry games have been known to end in a draw, Longview has never seen a game end like this.
Mark Morris and RA Long (2A high school football rivals) met for their annual game. When the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Mark Morris Monarchs had the W with a score of 53-20.
That lasted about an hour.
Apparently, the Monarchs had competed with a player who was ineligible. That meant, forfeit.
So even though they lost by nearly 5 touchdowns, RA Long celebrated a win.
For one night.
The next morning, RA Long realized that they too had used a player who was ineligible.
Double Forfeit.
The first in the history of the Longview Civil War.
There’s no word on what this means for the HS playoffs.
Editor’s note: Not to be outdone, there are murmurs that two schools in Lane County plan to use ineligible referees, necessitating a triple forfeit, while schools in Pendleton want both bands to use ineligible trombone players which would call for a quadruple forfeit.
Further Editor’s note: Meanwhile, the staff at RA Long are trying to figure out who squealed and cost them the chance to claim victory over their dreaded rivals by NEGATIVE points.
After a disappointing 2007, wine makers all over Oregon are reporting that the grape harvest of 2008 could lead to one of the best vintages in history.
Early frosts like we had last year can damage the fruit, impairing its overall flavor and there was a time when it looked like 2008 would have a similar, chilly fall season, wrecking the crops. But, two key factors came through at the perfect time.
For one, temperatures stayed cool which keeps sugar levels down which allows for full development of the fruit.
Second, because it didn’t rain a lot, pickers could set their own pace instead of having to rush and grab from the vines at the whims of Mother Nature.
All this activity bodes well for wineries statewide which account for about a billion dollars annually. You can read more in this article from The Oregonian.
The Washington County folks are thinking ahead this year, exercising common sense and forethought by asking that voters planning to drop off their ballots in the TV Highway / Murray area do so in the K Mart parking lot, instead of insisting on swinging through the far more easily congested County Elections building directly across the street.
They also warn that drivers avoid that area entirely Tuesday evening as last minute voters should swarm the intersection to make their voice heard.
A collection of stories while you wait for trick or treaters . . . or to savor over your Saturday morning coffee
Funds are there to improve Eugene
Former bank clerk gets prison time and six-figure fine for trying to rip off dead people
Move over Mar-a-lago, Southern oregon may soon be home to a MASSIVE resort
Kiawnis members help bowlers in Ashland
Bum foot or not, Martell Webster will be sticking around the Portland Trail Blazers locker room for a while. The team signed the forward to a $20 million extension (over four years). It’s a sigh of relief for Webster. The league has a contract extension deadline that expires tonight. Without a new contract, Webster would have had to wait until the summer to resign.
Aside from leading the team in 3-pointers last season, Webster is considered to be one of the new “good guys” on the squad. After a few rocky years with players’ antics off the court leading to a negative public image, the team is proud of players like Webster, Brandon Roy and Lamarcus Aldridge who are pillars of the community when they aren’t on the hardwood.
When it comes to helping the less fortunate, food drives and cash donations tend to be the first things that come to mind. Here at GoodNewsPDX, we always love to see someone thinking outside the box. Charities that offer the homeless a hot shower and a clean set of clothes right before setting them down to interview for a job. The local mattress store that gathers children’s shoes for foster children. Things that are a real need, but people don’t usually think about right off the top.
We are thrilled with the efforts of pacific Power and Oregon HEAT. That partnership simply says “the heating bill, we have it covered” for thousands of people living on low income. The duo gather donations year round, and then use that money to pay the heating bills of residents living on a low income. Last year, they raised $400K meaning they should be able to serve even more than the 5,000 helped last year.
We are heading into a SUPERSIZED weekend. If you consider that the average weekend begins at 5 PM on Friday evening and lasts until 11:59 PM Sunday night (because, really, who counts Monday morning in their “weekend?”), the average weekend is 55 hours long. However, due to lunar cycles, the rotation of the earth and . . . well . . . the federal government, we will have a 56 hour weekend with one additional hour sliding in early Sunday morning.
That is an additional 2 percent MORE of weekend. You don’t GET better news than that!
Happy Day Light Savings!
The Portland Rose Festival is venturing into uncharted territory. For nearly 80 years, the Festival court of Princesses has been restricted ONLY to girls in the Portland School District. NO MORE. No longer will those seats of glory be bogarted by Lincoln, Grant and Franklin. No longer will Wilson and Cleveland have a stranglehold on the throne. Oh no! The Rose Festival is opening up one NEW seat (for a total of 15) to 28 area schools including several in Beaverton.
Granted only one girl will be picked from those 28, but the Festival says this move is to reflect the broad reach of the festival. As one spokesperson puts it so eloquently (paraphrased by GoodNewsPDX) “these girls have marched in the parade, played at Waterfront Village . . . why shouldn’t they have a chance to rule Rosaria?”
Additionally, this year the competition is open to Juniors AND Seniors. Potential entrants should log onto the Rose Festival Website.
As part of the Capital Purchase Program (read: $700 Billion Bailout / Rescue / FixIt Solution)Portland Based Umpqua Bank is getting a sizeable deposit. $214 Million dollars to be exact.
The cash is for the bank to make loans as the overall program is geared towards loosening up banking industry that went rigid overall about a month ago.
But it’s not a blank check. The CPP only works with “healthy” banks (sadly those with tonsillitis or athlete’s foot are left to fend for themselves) and each participant has to adhere to standards outlined by the Treasury Department.
Sources wishing to speak on the grounds of anonymity (because we’re totally making them up) suggest that there were plans to brighten spirits at the participating banks by delivering the cash in all loose change.
