To loyal readers of the Sentinel site and consistent users of our community calendar:

The Sentinel site is scheduled to lock-down this coming August 3. Staff content production ceased earlier this month but the site continues to be actively used by the community. However, after some effort on my part, I have been unable find a sustainable business model or partnership that would allow continued service.

Last month The Sentinel and the Oregon News Incubator ceased their publishing and office share arrangement. The partnership produced a significant amount of coverage throughout the spring. However, by June it was clear that taking on news assignments was more demanding for ONI members than the rewards yielded by relatively free workspace in North Portland. The ONI continues to meet and conduct its work of supporting freelancer reporters. I wish them well.

Despite the fact that no partnership or staff reporting has occurred recently, some 8,000 users still traffic and post to this site. I believe this proves that both the publication and the online model we created here turned out to be a useful resource to the community.

After August 3, the site and it’s data will continue to be publicly available through search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo. However, all dynamic features will cease to publish. No new comments, events, or other new material may be added after July 31.

The site’s files will be transfered to the non-profit group North Portland Community Works. The NPCW will maintain the files so that they can still be accessible through the web. A set of the Sentinel’s paper editions will be donated to the City of Portland's archives and another set will go to the St Johns Heritage Society.

The weather is mild, but relatively dry and all ready crime seems to be picking up in North Portland. Yesterday's homicide represents the second such shooting in New Columbia, the state's largest public housing community, and the second homicide in recent weeks. Police worry that there may be a connection.

The following is the latest update from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. There are two briefs here. The first one details a new fund established with Bank of America to accept donations to the search efforts.  A drop site has been established at the Wapato Jail in St Johns. The second is from Captain Monte Reiser updating the media on the general state of search efforts to date.

Law enforcement and rescue officials are stepping up their efforts to find a boy who disappeared yesterday from Skyline Elementary School. Seven-year-old Kyron Horman (photo from yesterday on the right) was last seen at 9 a.m. at his school science fair. Residents of Forest Park, Linnton and St Johns have been involved in the search for a boy that one resident described as "part of the community." Please read the following article for more information. If you have details about Hornman's whereabouts call 503-261-2847. 

Well it's day two of the big Open Source conference known as Open Source Bridge, happening here, at the Portland Art Museum all week long. What is "Open Source" well that's basically the technology that makes websites like the Sentinel possible. Open Source is a catch all for IT platforms, tools, and systems that are essentially freeware.

This just in from Video reporter Dave Hunter; Sam Adams and Alberta Arts exotica from yesterday's 11th annual Alberta Art Hop.

- A Public Safety Activist with over 20 years experience in NoPo gives her views on Rosie “The Down” Sizer

- Is the PPB Chief’s office cursed?

- What are folks in NoPo more concerned about: police misconduct or lack of cops? 

- Is Adams up for running the Police Bureau?

Chris Duffy is a native Portlander who’s lived in NoPo for over 20 years. She’s been Chair of the Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association since 2006. She is currently involved with North Portland’s ‘go to’ gathering for all things community policing, the Peninsula’s Public Safety Action Committee or (PSAC). I called her to find out what she thought of the Mayor’s swift toppling of the Police Bureau Leadership this morning.

Do you think it was a good idea to fire Rosie Sizer?

Yes, I do.

Why?

She’s had four years. She’s had a tough time with threats of precinct closures from the very beginning, then budget crisis in recent years, along with continued problems between citizens and police. Now she’s been dealing with rising crime rates along with complaints with how police handled situations...Perhaps it’s time for someone with a different perspective to pick up the challenge.

This "90 second video" has 200 seconds in it.  It ran a little longer than I thought.

As reported by the Sentinel March, the Portland Police Bureau has been wrestling with overspending. Promised savings from last year's closure of North and Southeast Precincts have not stemmed the bureau's financial woes. Yesterday, Police Chief Rosie Sizer announced that budget cuts suggested by the Mayor's Office would mean cutting 25 officers from the police force.  The mayor reacted with incredulity. Mayor Adams stated did not understand why his cuts would result in layoffs. The public sparring may reflect growing frustration between the Mayor's office and the Chief's office. In recent months, the besieged Police Bureau has had to battle misconduct charges, no confidence accusations and flagging support at City Hall. 

PHOTO BY JASON E. KAPLAN FROM JANUARY PSAC MEETING REGARDING THE AFFECTS OF NORTH PRECINCT CLOSURE

FROM THE OREGONIAN

Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer went on the offensive Monday, questioning Mayor Sam Adams' pledge that "no one will be walking out the door at the Police Bureau" under his proposed budget.

Actually, Sizer said, his proposal would result in layoffs of 25 sworn officers and 12 nonsworn bureau staff; reduced public access to two precincts at night; the scrapping of the Cold Case Homicide Unit, Mounted Patrol and Portland's regional narcotics investigators; and four fewer neighborhood response officers.

Sizer, surrounded by her command staff at a news conference, expressed frustration that now that the Police Bureau has hired up to full strength, at the council's direction, it's being asked to cut street officers.

MAYOR WEIGHS IN
Adams, the first mayor in a generation not to serve as police commissioner, appeared blindsided by what he called Sizer's "staged" news conference, saying he crafted his budget under the impression that the Police Bureau cuts would be reached by not filling vacancies. 

READ THE ARTICLE 

This Saturday the 48th Annual St Johns Parade and the Fourth Annual St Johns Bizarre will kick off once again. The Parade, which begins at noon and goes until 2 p.m., is the first official event of the Rose Festival and is the third largest in the city.  It usually draws some 2,000 entrants from Vancouver to Salem.  Middle school bands, cowgirls, classic cars and local families on flatbed pickup trucks are the mainstay.

UPDATED 9:10pm

Carole Smith's presentation began ahead of schedule. Smith got a little choked up when she began to talk about the proposal to restructure schools.  

She has stated the both Jefferson and Roosevelt are going to stay as neighborhood schools.  Marshall and Benson will become a special focus schools. Marshall will be closed and its students divided between Portland and David Douglas school districts. 

“Roosevelt High will survive the cuts”

Sources inside Portland Public Schools say they believe Roosevelt High School will survive the chopping block tonight when School Superintendent Carole Smith presents a plan consolidate and redesign North Portland’s troubled high schools.

For the last two years, North Portland alumni, families and businesses have rallied around the flagging school that sits in both the literal and metaphorical heart of the St. Johns neighborhood.

Over the last three years, a new alumni association has formed, theater program has returned to the school, private investment has brought the school within striking distance of new track and field facilities, and big names in local sports have come to the aid of its football team. 

Sentinel's fancy new website welcomes you (REFRESH YOUR BROWSER AH-LOT!)

What's been going on since the March Street Edition said, "I'm hitting the road!"

The quest for sustainable service model

Welcome to the Sentinel’s new website.
Over the last 6 months we’ve been working hard on launching this new design and platform. All those involved are delighted with how well it’s turned out. Forage around. I hope you find it easier to use and more pleasing to the eye than ever. News and information should flow better, and as always you can post your own news and events by hitting the big blue speech bubble. The user login, though, is now discretely tucked up in the upper right hand corner of the site. Community users, should know that their post will still publish instantly. But it might take a few hours or a day for editors to review the content before a posting them the home page. Go to the RECENT POST page (button on the main navigation bar) for an unfiltered view of all public access and news service postings. Last but not least, if you have problems with site features, remember to refresh your web browser. Refreshing your browser will help your computer to 'learn' how to see the new website design and functions.  It sounds strange, but...yes..it's technical, trust me.

Have you heard a coyote’s call in your neighborhood? [today's O article]

Folks in St Johns say they have.

Lecture on Urban ‘cay-yotes’ coming next Tuesday, April 27th

Where’s the Roadrunner when you need him?
Many of know about or have seen “urban” coyotes in or around Portland International Airport. At about 6am, I once saw one scampering through the high grass in the vacant lots off Airport Way. The little fellar pictured here, hoped on the Airport MAX back in 2009. It was almost like he did it in obedience to the song Light-Rail Coyote by Portland’s own Sleater-Kinney, released the year before. (see video below).?“They’ve been seen on occasion along Baltimore Woods and heard! There is also coyote scat in Pier Park on the trail on the east side of the Park all the time. Apparently they come over from Chimney Park to hunt at night,” wrote Barbara Quin, of the Friends of Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association in an email today. “One of our FOBW members saw one trotting down Decatur in daylight and the neighbors at the deadend of Edison have lots of stories.”

The hatchet finally seems to be buried after months of protracted hissy fitting between the St Johns Boosters and the organizers of the St Johns Farmer’s Market.

“The boosters, never intended the shut the farmer’s market down,” said St Johns Boosters Sarah Anderson. “I could not be more happy that its all worked out.”

Representatives of the Farmer’s Market could not be reached by phone at the time of this posting.

Last year’s launch of the St Johns Farmer’s Market was a huge success. But downtown businesses had some concerns about scheduling, and the vendor mix.

Last night the Farmer’s Market, St Johns Boosters issued a joint press release:

The Board of Directors from the St. Johns Business Boosters and the Friends of the St. Johns Farmers Market met on Tuesday, March 31st to discuss solutions on a handful of issues and to determine how to best work together in their common missions of further building and supporting the St. Johns community. The groups agreed to meet to mediate issues around communications, scheduling of the St. Johns Plaza, and products and services offered by market vendors.

The Plaza, which was for decades more eye sore and hang out for street drinks appears to be getting ‘over booked’ with family oriented events. It’s not a bad problem to have.

Managing Editor Rebecca Robinson officially left her position here at the Sentinel on April 1. She will now be covering North Portland as a freelancer for the Oregonian. 

Robinson came to the Sentinel through its internship program in 2007. She continued on as a freelancer and became news and online editor in 2008. This year, she was promoted to managing editor and had final edit on all Sentinel print and online coverage. 

Robinson was one of four editors at the Sentinel that reviewed assigned and edited content. Those include myself, Will Crow and Roger Anthony. 

 From Facebook posting- From Copy Pilot- 

There is a down Fir tree on Polk between Lombard & Leonard Police and fire have the area taped off... Watch trafic in that area near the St. Jophn's Honda