October 29, 2013

I lost two cherished friends and mentors yesterday -- Dr. Nohad Toulan and his wife Dirce Moroni.

Dr. Toulan was an urban pioneer. In numerous public and private leadership roles over a 40-year career, he shaped the city we call home.  The founding Dean of the College of Urban and Public Affairs at PSU, he built a nationally-recognized program from scratch, inspiring future generations of students to pursue careers in public service. 

My wife Patricia and I express our deepest sympathy to Nohad and Dirce’s family, friends, and colleagues, the Portland State University community, and all those whose lives were touched by their remarkable legacy. 

Photo courtesy of the Muslim Educational Trust

PSU urban planner Nohad Toulan and wife die in Uruguay car crash

Kimberly A.C. Wilson in The Oregonian

Nohad Toulan, PSU's Urban Planner, Dies in Uruguay

Aaron Mesh in the Willamette Week

PSU urban planning visionary Nohad Toulan, wife die in car crash

Suzanne Stevens in the Portland Business Journal

October 30, 2013

The Right Brain Initiative, a Regional Arts & Culture Council program, promotes whole brain learning in our community’s schools.

Launched in 2008, their vision is to give every K-8 student access to the arts regardless of neighborhood, language, or income. With the help of Right Brain, the arts are woven into core curriculum, giving teachers new tools to engage students in a creative process that connects back to other subjects.

To date, over 11,000 students and 44 Portland metro schools in six school districts are expressing, exploring, imagining, creating and using the full measure of their minds.

Right Brain has a new way to reach students and classrooms: Brain Food! Brain Food is a 50-piece deck of creative cards that teachers and parents can use to ignite creative thinking in the classroom or at home. With the Brain Food deck, kids create a choreographed dance out of sports moves, build castles out of blankets, make pop-up museums, imagine their own food carts, and more.

Right Brain wants Brain Food decks in the hands of teachers in all Portland-area schools, so they have launched a Kickstarter Campaign help raise funds through November 7. To learn more about the Brain Food project, visit their campaign website, or visit Right Brain online.

October 30, 2013

Early Tuesday morning, a 24-inch cast iron water main on 4th & Burnside burst -- causing road and flood damage around the main.

Crews are working hard to repair 36 feet of the main and to repave the surrounding roads. Unfortunately, the earth under the street is too wet to complete street repairs right away. We hope to reopen all lanes of Burnside by Sunday.

Neighbors and businesses in the area have been great throughout this challenging water main break, and now is the perfect time to show them our support.

Join Commissioner Steve Novick and me for breakfast at Blue Collar Bakery on SW 3rd & Pine tomorrow morning, October 31, at 7:15am.  Grab some coffee and a pastry, and help a small business. We hope to see you there!

West Burnside's eastbound lanes to remain closed for street repair from water main break

Helen Jung in The Oregonian