December 2, 2013

Nick was out and about this weekend showing his support for our neighborhood small business during Little Boxes and Small Business Saturday.

The home-grown Little Boxes campaign showcases the best of Portland’s unique and collaborative small business community. Over 175 locally-owned, independent retailers citywide participated in Little Boxes this year, and a purchase made at one Little Box store qualified you a 10 percent discount at the next Little Box store.

On Saturday morning, Nick joined Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Venture Portland Executive Director Heather Hoell, and betsy & iya owners Betsy Cross and Will Cervarich on a tour of local businesses in Portland’s Pearl neighborhood.

Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy. When you shop locally, 70 percent of what you spend stays in that community.

Saturday night, Nick joined friends at the historic Mississippi Holiday Tree Lighting. Nick met residents in from the Mississippi neighborhood and connected with local business owners.

On Small Business Saturday, welcome to the neighborhood

The Oregonian Editorial Board

Portland small box stores attract new customers

On KGW

'Little box' stores create new holiday shopping tradition

Kerry Tomlinson on KATU

Little Boxes: Small store alternative to Black Friday

Joe Smith on KGW

Black Friday: Little Boxes movement grows, encouraging shoppers to buy local

Rebecca Koffman Special to The Oregonian

Black Friday sales strong at Portland neighborhood stores away from the malls

Richard Read in The Oregonian

Shoppers flock to Little Boxes stores

On KOIN

December 2, 2013

On Thanksgiving Day, Nick and his family were honored to join friends and community members at this year’s Feast for Southeast at the Mt.Scott Community Center.

The feast is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner prepared, served, and enjoyed by the community. However, the day is much more than providing a meal -- it’s a chance for neighbors to meet, gather, laugh, and enjoy each others company.

This year’s Feast for Southeast served 706 Thanksgiving meals!

Once again, Project Warmth joined Feast for Southeast. During the meal, socks, hats, scarves, and gloves were distributed to members of the community who want and need them.

The day was filled with delicious food, joy, and people giving thanks.

Visit their websites to learn more about Feast for Southeast and Project Warmth.

December 3, 2013

After a weekend of giving thanks, finding the best deals around, and supporting local small businesses on Small Business Saturday, it’s time to give back.

#GivingTuesday is a national day of giving, celebrating and encouraging charitable activities that support non-profit organizations nationally.

Last year, more than 50 million people worldwide spread the word about #GivingTuesday, marking a milestone trend on Twitter. Last year, online donations jumped by more than 50% on #GivingTuesday.

There’s no shortage of local organizations working every day to improve our community – why not show your support with a #GivingTuesday donation?

If you’re looking for inspiration, the Willamette Week Give Guide is a great reference, highlighting some of our community’s top mission-driven non-profits.

Over $125,000 in Give!Guide Donations on Giving Tuesday

In Willamette Week

photo courtesy of #GivingTuesday's Facebook page.

December 4, 2013

When the rain falls in Portland, many times the Bull Run Watershed experiences snow!

Our office came across this beautiful photograph of the Bull Run Dam. With the chill in the air, we wanted to share the picturesque beauty of our incredible watershed.

The protected Bull Run Watershed is located 26 miles from downtown Portland, in the Sandy River basin in the Mt. Hood National Forest.

The 102 square-mile watershed collects water from rain and snowmelt that then flows to the Bull Run River and its tributaries. The river drains into two reservoirs, where more than 17 billion gallons are stored.

The Portland Water Bureau treats the water before it enters into the three conduits that transport it to Portland. The water moves through the system by gravity, requiring no fossil fuel consumption to move water from its intake to the main storage reservoir at Powell Butte.

Thanks to the Bull Run Watershed and the hard work of the Portland Water Bureau, Portland is able to boast the best water in the country.

December 4, 2013

With cold days starting up, there is no time like the present to safeguard your home’s plumbing.

Rain, ice, and snow can do real damage to your home, and the Portland Water Bureau encourages you to take preventive steps to keep your home’s pipes in working order.

For your outside plumbing, caulk around pipes where they enter the home, close all foundation vents, and fill vent openings with wood or Styrofoam^TM blocks. Use molded foam-insulating covers (available at hardware stores) or newspaper or rags covered with plastic wrap to wrap outside faucets or hose bibs.

For inside plumbing, insulate pipes in unheated areas, open cupboard doors in the kitchen and bathrooms (allowing pipes to get more heat from inside your home), and let a slight drip of cold water run when temperatures dip below freezing.

These simple steps could make all the difference.

Visit the Water Bureau’s website to learn more about protecting your pipes in freezing temperatures.