The Skanner News - Portland News and Events Oct. 27

NW Documentary to Host Screening of ‘NorthEast Passage’

Was there ever a time when some Portlanders thought gentrification was a good idea, when neighborhoods said there was too much affordable housing?

The film “NorthEast Passage: The Inner City and the American Dream” documented life in North/Northeast Portland in the late 1990s when crime and abandoned buildings were the neighborhood's number one concern. Rising home prices and outside investors were welcomed by many. A lot has changed for the better and a lot of has changed for the worse as Portland gains a national reputation for the most gentrified city in the country.

Come to a screening of NorthEast Passage and participate in a panel discussion about what the lessons learned in North/Northeast Portland can teach the rest of the city. Discuss the issues with people featured in the film and see clips from the upcoming sequel, Priced Out.

Doors open at 6:15 p.m., discussion at 8 p.m. Seating capacity is limited; advanced ticket purchase is encouraged.

Thursday, Nov. 3, Nov. 10 and Nov. 17.

Screenings are a fundraiser for Priced Out, a nonprofit project in association with Northwest Documentary Arts & Media. Discussion sponsored by Ignorant/Reflections' Gentrification Is Weird project. Tickets $10–$20 sliding scale. Screenings at Northwest Documentary, 6 NE Tillamook St., Portland. For more information, email pricedoutmovie@gmail.com.

To watch a scene from NorthEast Passage, visit https://youtu.be/a-P0q-w-6GA.

Multnomah County Elections Reminds Voters It Only Takes One Stamp to Return Ballot

Multnomah County Elections wants to remind voters that it only takes one first class, or Forever, stamp to return their ballot for the Nov. 8 election.

There is only one stamp required for Multnomah County ballots. Some stories circulating on social media have reported that ballots require two stamps but those stories are about ballots in other states such as California, Washington and Colorado. Multnomah County voters can return their ballot by mail by applying only one stamp.

More than 500,000 ballot were mailed to voters in Multnomah County this week. Another large mailing of ballots for late registrants will go out on Tuesday, Oct. 25. All voters should receive their ballots by Oct. 27.

There is still plenty of time to vote and return ballots by mail so that they can be received in the Multnomah County Elections office by 8 p.m.on Nov. 8.

Voters can also drop off their ballots at 27 official drop sites throughout Multnomah County. All 19 County libraries have official drop sites inside and there are eight 24 drop sites, as well. The list of drop sites can be found here.

If you have questions about your ballot call Multnomah County Elections at 503-988-3720. Visit the Multco Elections website for hours.

Clark College Offering Industry Certification Testing in Welding

Clark College’s highly regarded Welding Technology program is now offering its students certification tests that are approved by the Washington Association of Building Officials and required for welding professionals doing code work in Washington State.

The certifications, called the 3G Limited Certification and the 3G and 4G Unlimited Certification, are normally administered outside of a student’s academic institution at private facilities. Each test generally costs between $350 and $500. However, students and recent graduates now have the option of taking the tests at Clark College for $230 (3G Limited) or $280 (3G and 4G Unlimited), a significant savings. Welding professionals in the community can also take the tests at Clark, but are not eligible for the student pricing.

Anyone interested in taking the certification tests at Clark may contact McVay at bmcvay@clark.edu or (360) 992-2359.

Grow Portland to Host Seed Saving Classes

Grow Portland, a nonprofit organization dedicated to urban gardening, is starting a program to train local gardeners on how to save seeds and to create a seed sharing network.

Seed saving preserves plant diversity and creates plants well-suited to their environment. Grow Portland’s program will preserve and improve local seed variety by increasing seed sharing and knowledge of seeds.

Identifying unique or special seeds cultivated in local gardens, Grow Portland is working to form a new seed library and gather the stories behind these seeds. These seeds will be shared with local nonprofit and educational gardens, and will be shared with the public at an annual seed-sharing event.

Grow Portland is searching for varieties that have links to local history and reflect the ethnic diversity of the community.

Grow Portland’s new program will bring local gardeners together to share and support each other’s seed saving efforts. Local seed saving helps lower the cost of gardening and enhance biodiversity. Grow Portland’s Seed Saving program is affiliated with the national Seed Savers Exchange Community Seed Resource Program and National Seed Swap Day.

FREE SEED SAVING CLASSES— Gardeners can learn more about the art and science of seed saving with free classes delivered by Grow Portland at Multnomah County Library locations. Class dates are:

November 1, 4:30-7:30pm: Woodstock Library
November 6, 1-4pm: Kenton Library
November 12, 2-5pm: Holgate Library
November 13, 1-4pm: Midland Library

Library Writers Project Begins Second Year of Supporting and Promoting Local Authors

Multnomah County Library is accepting submissions of fiction for adults, teens and children by local authors to be considered for inclusion in the library’s e-book collection and promoted to library patrons.

The Library Writers Project showcases and supports local writers and bolsters the library’s collection of self-published e-book titles. Now through Dec. 15, authors who hold a Multnomah County Library card may submit original works of adult, teen and children’s fiction for consideration by panels of library staff readers. The library will accept submissions through Smashwords, a popular electronic self-publishing platform.

Now in its second year, the Library Writers Project earned recognition earlier this month for its innovative approach to enhancing the library’s collection from the Urban Libraries Council. In the program’s inaugural year, the library received 140 submissions and accepted 38 books. Those titles have been checked out nearly 4,000 times (see most popular).

Panels will review submissions and select a limited number of titles to add to Multnomah County Library’s Overdrive e-book portal in 2017. Multnomah County Library will also offer classes for aspiring writers, just in time for National Novel Writing Month and Wordstock: Portland’s Book Festival.

For more Portland and Seattle events, see the Community Calendar.