Local briefs for Aug. 15

The Gresham Outlook, Aug 14, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

East County pioneer group to meet

Planners of the 94th annual East Multnomah County Pioneer meeting on Sept. 13 will celebrate Oregon’s 150th birthday and the state’s pioneers at their gathering, beginning at 10 a.m. in the multipurpose room of the Corbett school complex, 35800 E. Historic Columbia River Highway.

Local historian and author Clarence Mershon will present the program. George Knieriem is president of the association this year, and both men descended from early families in the area.

“But that doesn’t mean that others aren’t pioneers,” says board member Helen Wand, whose family name is on a local road sign. “Our concern is that many people don’t come because they feel they are not pioneers … We would like them to come and meet the pioneer families and find out about the history. Someone else suggested that anyone who lives in the community is a modern pioneer. We want everyone to feel welcome.”

The organization, which is nearing its own centennial, meets once a year on the Sunday after Labor Day. In addition to the program, there is a time to visit, an election of the oldest man and woman present as king and queen, the role call of local residents who have died in the last year and a luncheon. Price for the lunch is $6.

Powell Butte reservoir ceremony moved to Tuesday

The Portland Water Bureau rescheduled its groundbreaking ceremony for Powell Butte Nature Park’s second underground drinking water reservoir to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the park, Southeast 162nd Avenue and Powell Boulevard.

Portland Mayor Sam Adams, City Commissioner Randy Leonard, Portland Water Bureau Administrator David Shaff, Water Bureau Chief Engineer Michael Stuhr and Zari Santner, director of Portland Parks and Recreation, will speak. Representatives of local neighborhood associations, the Friends of Powell Butte Nature Park, the Johnson Creek Watershed Council and other interest groups have been invited to the ceremony. The public is also welcome.

The first phase of the $137 million project – the excavation – is scheduled to start in about two to three weeks and will take an expected six months. The second phase – the concrete construction of the reservoir – is scheduled to start in summer 2010.

Infant mortality focus of grant

The Multnomah County Health Department’s Healthy Birth Initiative (HBI) received a $4.25 million five-year federal grant to continue its work for African-American women within the county.

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