Every year, the Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction (i.e., “Head School Guy”) awards various institutions of learning and knowledge the coveted “School of Distinction” honor.  The acknowledgement is based on exceeding state averages in Math and Reading and only the top 5 percent get the proverbial merit badge.

                For the SECOND year in a row for Woodland Intermediate School and the first time that the TEAM Alternative High School has been tapped.  They credit their success to family involvement and continuously studying and implementing the latest and most effective teaching trends.  A special award ceremony was held locally for those who could not attend the state-wide party in Seattle.

The recognition comes with a plaque for display within the school, but, sadly, no life time supply of Lipton Iced Tea or Fabulous Cruise to the Bahamas.

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Three professors (one each from WSU Vancouver, Willamette, and Gonzaga) are staring at a check for $382K and some change, courtesy of the National Science Foundation.  The trio wants to develop the “Northwest Distributed Computer Science Department.”  Essentially, a network connecting campuses all over the Pacific Northwest in order to share ideas and resources.

                Aside from the practical, work-related applications, the NDCSD will be a great recruiting tool.  Organizers plan to host classes and meetings with kids in K-12 education as a way of introducing them to the field.  You can check out more info on the program online (where else?) at http://ai.vancouver.wsu.edu/nwdcsd

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You know that old bowl in the back of your downstairs cupboard that could be a rare pure silver heirloom, passed down for generations . . . . or could be something made out of tin your grandmother bought with Green Stamps?  Now you can clear up the confusion AND benefit a great cause.

            This weekend is the annual Palmer / Wirfs Antique and Collectible Show at the Expo Center.  In addition to pawing through piles of  jewelry, toys, china, glass and kitchenware, you can also have your own collectibles and antiques evaluated by experts.  There’s a $7 door charge for the Saturday and Sunday event, plus $5 per item you want evaluated.  All the proceeds go to the Sunshine Division, the year-round food and clothing relief agency that partners with the Police Bureau.

            For info on the event go to www.palmerwirfs.com

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Blazermania, Rip City, Greg-Oden-Malaria, whatever you want to call it, as we approach tip off of the new Trail Blazers season, excitement in Portland is reaching a fever pitch in regards to our lone professional sports franchise.  And while fans are usually accused of looking at their home team through a special lens, it is safe to say the people of Portland are NOT necessarily staring through Rose Colored Glasses.

            In a survey of all the NBA GMS, the Blazers are getting a lot of credit for having a decent squad and making incredible moves in the off season.  Notable  in the poll, that Rudy Fernandez is considered one of the most underrated acquisitions all season, that the Blazers will be the most improved team in 2008-09, that Greg Oden is in the running for Rookie of the Year (would be twice in three years for Portland after Brandon Roy got that honor in 2006-2007), AND that, of the rookies this season, Oden will be the best player in five years.

            Read the whole survey here: http://www.nba.com/2008/tipoff/10/21/gmsurvey.rookies/index.html

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After flirting with five-dollar-a-gallon-fill-ups, the price of gas has sunk about as dramatically as a boy band after the release of their third album.  AAA reports that the average price per gallon in Oregon is $3.10 (eighth highest in the USA) with a nationwide average of $2.89, just a few cents from where they were this time last year. 

Gas experts chalk the drop up to the plummeting price of crude, down more than half  (from $147 a barrel in July to $70 a barrel now). 

For reference, if you have a 12-gallon tank and gas costs $4.10 a gallon as it did over the summer, you pay about 50 bucks to fill up.  At $3.10, you only pay 37 bucks to top it off . . . putting an extra $13.00 in your pocket.

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We’ve been dealt a healthy dose of the standard fall Portland weather lately with fog, rain and a biting cold.  But never fear, we should have at least one more healthy dose of warmth and sun before Jack Frost delivers his usual five-knuckle, six-month-long cold, wet smack in the mouth.

The forecast calls for not a drop of rain in the next seven days and temperatures hanging around the mid-60s to low-70s.  In fact, aside from some early morning fog, it should be darn right nice for the weekend.

AND, for those of you with children or those who just enjoy wearing costumes and going up to the homes of random strangers asking for a treat, the trend should continue to Halloween night, making for an excellent evening of trick-or-treating.

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From the “Lock him up good and tight” file, cops have arrested 18-year-old Angel Munoz of Gresham for firing three rifle bullets into a home on Powell, hitting a toddler in the cheek while the little guy slept in his crib.

            Cops aren’t offering any motive as to why Munoz fired off the three rounds, only that he did admit to the shooting.  He took the gun from a friends apartment.  The victim’s parents called the cops when they heard the shots, but didn’t realize their two-year-old was hurt until the next morning when they saw blood on his cheek.  Bullet fragments were found in the little guy’s bedroom.

            At this point, Munoz is sitting in a Multnomah County cell awaiting arraignment on 19 total counts.   

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Make it five straight terms of growth for Portland Community College.  Fall term enrollment figures show the local school has expanded in terms of total headcount AND full-time equivalent students, up 4.6 and 9.5 percent respectively.

            PCC President Preston Pulliams has an idea why we’re seeing such growth:

“Ever since the economy took a turn for the worse, our enrollment has grown term after term,” he says.  The biggest spike is in southeast where the center at 82^nd and Division jumped by 20 percent enrollment wise.

            All not bad, especially considering that PCC is the largest, post-secondary institution in the state and serves close to 87,000 students.  

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West Linn police are putting a bow on close to forty unsolved car break-ins thanks to a vigilant citizen.  The witness in question spotted the suspect car and snapped a photo on his IPhone and called the cops after he found out a neighbor had been victimized.

            An investigation lead cops to a group of four suspects who admitted to the thefts once they were in custody.  The neer-do-wells busted into cars in West Linn, Lake Oswego and Happy Valley, claiming they expected to find better loot in the affluent neighborhoods. 

            Damages top 15 grand and the quartet are looking at seven counts apiece.

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Props to the student body, staff and family members of the Westside Christian High School for pitching in to help 23 area non-profits as part of their annual Get Out Serve-a-thon.  The annual event has generated 22,500 service hours and $260,000 in supplies from the 270-member student body.

            They took on all kinds of tasks, things like painting an weatherizing, construction, yard work, even warehouse tasks. 

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