Community Features SEE THE HELPFUL LIST OF COMMUNITY HOTLINKS--YOUR PERSONAL INTERNET TOOLKIT--AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE! The "Events and Activities" for the month are beneath these featured stories! Faces of Pioneers: George and Sarah Wills, shown here in an early photographic portrait, arrived from Oskaloosa, Iowa, in 1848, via the Oregon Trail. George platted the town of Willsburg in 1870, with his son Jacob Wills. George died in 1888 at age 86. Willsburg as a town ceased to exist with its annexation into Portland in July of 1911. (Photo courtesy of Oregon Historical Society) SOUTHEAST HISTORY Willsburg, Oregon – built, and thriving, well before nearby Sellwood By DANA BECK Special to THE BEE   It wasn’t nearly as famous as Atlantis, or Pompeii, or Machu Picchu – nor was it the victim of catastrophe, as were some of these – but the Southeast Portland town of Willsburg once played an important role, as one of Portland’s largest manufacturing sites.   Today, over the past few months, the Johnson Creek Watershed Council has held a series of meetings about the proposed construction of a MAX light rail parking garage just south of Tacoma Street, on the east side of McLoughlin Boulevard.   Discussions have revolved around the design of the station, and many ideas have been offered about best use of the surrounding grounds near Johnson Creek.   Few if any of the participants knew that a small town named Willsburg existed for over 50 years in the same vicinity. Nor did they know of the area’s earliest pioneers – George and Sarah Wills – who established that thriving community, which supported a sawmill, furniture and brick factory, dairy farm, railroad stop, Post Office, school, church, and several homes. Here’s the story….   The town of Willsburg was laid out by George and his son Jacob in 1870 – about twelve years before that rising community to the west, Sellwood, was established.   Arriving from Oskaloosa, Iowa, via the Oregon Trail in 1847, the Wills family laid claim to 641 acres of land, which included much of today’s Eastmoreland neighborhood, southward past Johnson Creek and today’s Tacoma Street, into parts of today’s City of Milwaukie.   Father and son built a dam 10 feet high on the headwaters of Johnson Creek. Partnering with Edward Long (son-in-law to George), they erected a sawmill, securing an iron planer that was shipped around the cape of South America.   By 1849 the Mill was supplying lumber for the thousands of gold-miners camped in Northern California – shipped to them aboard vessels tied up at the wharf near the town of Sellwood, according to Seth Wills’ interview with Fred Lockley, noted columnist of the now-defunct Oregon Journal newspaper.   The industrious pair persuaded the Oregon-California Railway, Portland’s first railroad connecting to San Francisco, to pass through Willsburg in 1868. Once Willsburg became a regular stop on the railroad, its importance escalated, as companies like the Shindler Furnishings Factory could transport their wares cheaply to the west side of the river.   Lumber from The Wills’ sawmill, and bricks from their brick factory, could also now be hauled along the rails instead of by boat or wagon. That factory, built in 1889, provided many of the bricks used in the construction of homes on the west side of Portland – and the raising of Park High School, downtown Portland’s first high school. The brick factory operated for about nine years.   When the great fire in August of 1873 swept through downtown Portland, Gabriel Shindler’s furniture store was among those buildings reduced to ashes. Gabriel purchased a small furniture factory managed by Lewelling and Beard near Willsburg, close to the knitting mills, which were probably part of the Multnomah Mohair Mills.   The Shindler factory produced chairs, tables, and bedroom furniture that customers could buy at their showroom on S.W. First Street and Salmon. They also supplied furnishings for schools, hotels, and offices, made from Oregon ash and maple trees – sending them to purchasers in The Dalles, Lewiston, and as far away as San Francisco.   A Post Office was established in Willsburg on January 15th, 1883, run by Postmaster Jacob F. Rhodes. It operated in the community for 17 years, until it was deemed no longer feasible to be kept open. Willsburg also supported one of the Northwest’s largest textile industries – the Oregon Worsted Company – beginning in 1917. Approached by local business supporters, Roy T. Bishop converted the vacant Willis Mohair Mills’ buildings into Oregon Worsted, which provided work for over 300 employees.   Worried that her children had to walk miles to attend school in Milwaukie, Jacob’s wife, Lorana Wills, donated land on which a new school could be built. The first meeting for Willsburg School was held at Jacob Wills’ cabin in 1877, where community leaders gathered to decide on the conditions and taxes appropriate to support a school.   Located on 1¾ acres, on a hill overlooking Johnson Creek, the schoolhouse was built with lumber cut at the Wills’ sawmill. It opened with fifteen students attending classes taught by Miss Amy Kerns.   Students attended Willsburg School until 1911 – at which time, according to documents collected at the Milwaukie Museum, all the “land, buildings, furniture and records were turned over to the City of Portland”. Portland agreed to take over the teachers’ contracts, and also permitted Willsburg students to attend school free of tuition.   By the 1920’s students of the closing Willsburg School were absorbed into the classrooms at Ardenwald and Duniway Elementary Schools.   Willsburg lost much of its support when George Wills died in 1888. His son Jacob soon followed him to the grave, meeting his demise on April 27th, 1891. Half of their property was sold to private investors, and the remaining land was divided among family members.   Sellwood resident Whitfield A. Smith, a retired minister and researcher of Willsburg history, wrote in THE BEE on February 24th, 1994: “The people living in that portion [of] … Multnomah County voted to be annexed into Portland on November 8, 1910, and officially became part of the city July 1st, 1911.”   As a result, gone are the streets of Wills and Willsburg – replaced by Sherrett and 32nd Streets, respectively. Forgotten are the Shindler Factory, the Willsburg School, and the people and merchants who lived and did business in the pioneering and important town of Willsburg.   With the arrival of the MAX light rail line in the near future, what remains of the original Oregon Worsted warehouses will soon be gone.   As students of local history, let’s not forget the contributions these manufacturers and the Wills family made in the formation of today’s Ardenwald and Sellwood communities.   Perhaps the Portland City Planners, Tri-Met Light Rail Officials, and interested residents of our own communities, will choose to dedicate some lasting interpretive signs in the new TriMet parking facility to the vanishing history of Willsburg.   Scoopers from the Southeast Portland Rotary Club dished up over 1,500 sundaes and cones for guests in Sellwood Park this year. (Photo by David F. Ashton) Sundaes bring smiles to Sellwood Park – in the event’s 31st year   By DAVID F. ASHTON for THE BEE   An annual event that brings families to Sellwood Park from far and wide – “Sundae in the Park” – filled the “park on the bluff” with guests sporting smiling faces. They consumed 50-cent ice cream desserts, played games, participated in drawings, enjoyed entertainment, and tapped their toes to live music.   Nancy Walsh, a longtime SMILE Board member, is the current Chair of the neighborhood association’s Sundae in the Park committee, aided by SMILE Board member Dana Beck, the well-known and popular counterperson at the Sellwood Post Office, and the Chair of the SMILE History Committee.   Nancy said that the August 1st event drew an estimated attendance of about 3,000 people to the 11-hour long event – the 31st annual. Once again this year it ended with a Portland Parks’ Movie in the Park – “Avatar”.   “About 60 volunteers work to put it on,” she added. “Because of their efforts, we’re able to offer a wide variety of activities throughout the day.”   The event, which centers around an old-fashioned ice cream social, with the sundaes and cones scooped by the Southeast Portland Rotary Club, helps neighbors have a “small town celebration”. “It brings neighbors together from all geographic points of our large neighborhood, and is welcoming to all age, ethnic and interest groups,” smiled Nancy.   Thanks to Sellwood and Westmoreland firms that donate gifts and prizes, neighbors also learn more about their local business community, she observed. And, it provides people the opportunity to learn more about civic and nonprofit groups in the area.   In addition to the festivities the event provides, it’s also an important fundraiser for Brooklyn’s Thelma Skelton Loaves & Fishes Center, reminded its Manager, Lynn Chowning. “We really love and appreciate our long tradition of being included; it’s our biggest fundraiser of the year.”   The proceeds from vendor booths go to support their program, Chowning said, as do all proceeds from the ice cream sales. “And the need is greater than ever. We are feeding about a thousand people a day through our Center; about a 6% increase over last year.”   Thinking back over the past 31 years, Walsh commented, “In a way, Sundae in the Park is like a thread that runs through the neighborhood, and ties us all together as a community.” It has been sponsored by SMILE, the Sellwood-Moreland Improvement League neighborhood association, since it began.   Get out your 2011 calendar and set aside August 7 right now. “We’ve already started talking about the 32nd Annual Sundae in the Park,” Walsh said. “We’re always looking to bring new entertainment, different kinds of music, and fun surprises every year.” And next year’s event will have an informational webpage of its own – online at: www.SundaeInThePark.com.   In the center of the festival area, Portland Taiko drummers entertained. (Photo by David F. Ashton) Buddhist traditions in S.E. – with dance, drums, and food   By DAVID F. ASHTON for THE BEE   Despite the occasional sprinkle from unseasonably cloudy skies, people from all walks of life filled the parking lot of the Oregon Buddhist Temple on S.E. 34th Street, just south of S.E. Powell Boulevard, on Saturday, August 7 – “Obonfest 2010” was underway.   An event in the Buddhist annual calendar, “Obon” is an annual celebration of one’s ancestors, explained this year’s event chair, Joe Wahl. “It is an opportunity for people to show appreciation to our ancestors, and to the loved ones who have passed away. But it’s also a very positive and celebratory festival.”   In addition to being a colorful and entertaining event, as well as the temple’s main annual fundraiser, Obonfest “is a great way to get the word out to individuals who are in interested in learning more about our sect of Buddhism, Jodo Shinshu (or Shin), in a welcoming environment,” Wahl added.   In Japan, Shin is characterized as “blue-collar” Buddhism, revealed Wahl. “Our denominational leader takes Buddhism to the masses. As it came to the United States – to Portland in 1903 – it became very westernized, and appeals to a very broad spectrum of people.”   While some visitors attended the “temple talks” – the majority of this year’s guests were in the festival area – watching martial arts demonstrations, visiting, and eating. The menu could best be described as “Asian eclectic”: Yakisoba, yakiniku, yakitori, shave ice, manju, chirashi sushi – and, yes, Hormel Spam® musubi.   A sound of thunder rolled through the festival, as the Portland Taiko drummers arose to beat out infectious rhythms. And, the day concluded with Bon Odori, a style of line-dancing performed in concentric circles.   “These dances are traditional, and we try to incorporate some modern ones as well,” Wahl told THE BEE. “Some of them really hearken back to traditional Japanese agriculture and industry. The last performance of the evening is the ‘coal miners’ dance’, in which is symbolized digging for coal and pushing coal carts.”   Providing hospitality for the 750 some guests that attended the annual fest thisyear, Wahl said that about 150 volunteers worked to set up, operate, and then dismantle the celebration.   To learn more about this organization, go online to their website: www.oregonbuddhisttemple.com.   In a return engagement, The Dry County Crooks again rock out with their original music. (Photo by David F. Ashton) Family fun abounds at annual Woodstock Picnic   By DAVID F. ASHTON for THE BEE   One of the most anticipated summertime family outings in Inner Southeast Portland has become the annual Woodstock Family Picnic.   Again this year, on August 14th, volunteers from the Woodstock Neighborhood Association set up a “village” in Woodstock Park – featuring live music, a cakewalk, and other games and activities sponsored by local organizations, churches, and civic groups.   “This is a good thing, because it gets people together,” said Tom Vice of Lifehouse Church, a Board member at WNA, and the event’s organizer. “Families from Woodstock and all over Southeast come together to have fun and eat. It helps build friendships and a sense of community.”   At the same time, Vice added, it gives businesses and community service organizations the opportunity to meet neighbors, as well. “It’s worth the work because the Family Picnic helps make our neighborhood a better place to live.”   A core of five volunteers, and a total of about 20 at the event, made this, the 6th annual Woodstock Family Picnic possible, observed Vice. “We appreciate all of the community groups here, and the great food being served by ‘Toast’ and by Otto’s Sausage Kitchen.”   Vice had special kudos for volunteers Chris Davis, who designed Picnic’s poster; Ted Yeigh; Virginia Peterson; Haley Brown; Wendy Turner; and Katy Rogers.   Helping out at its booth was the Woodstock Neighborhood Association Chair, Kathryn King of KJK Properties, who talked about the importance of neighborhood volunteers.   “I am repeatedly impressed by the group of dedicated neighborhood volunteers who put on the picnic annually,” King commended. “Their efforts on this event, the Easter Egg Hunt, and the Hallowe’en Party, have made Woodstock a fun place for all of the residents. Anyone who wants to see this sort of fun activity sustained should visit the WNA meetings and get involved. We'd love to meet more neighbors!”   This year’s sponsors were SEUL Neighborhood Small Grants Program, the Woodstock Neighborhood Association, the Woodstock Community Business Association, Lifehouse Church, the Southeast Portland Rotary Club, and THE BEE.   Dr. Jeffrey Pentecost, an Eastmoreland resident, established the “Music for the Heart” concert series to raise public awareness about, and funding for, heart disease research. (Photo by Rita A. Leonard) Eastmoreland Doctor turns to music to fund heart research   By RITA A. LEONARD for THE BEE   Eastmoreland osteopathic physician and surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Pentecost has combined two of his passions into a unique concert program to help support heart cardiovascular research.    His “Music for the Heart” concert series was founded in 2005, to fund heart disease research, a leading cause of death in the United States.   To date, "Music for the Heart" has donated over $100,000 to the OHSU Heart Research Center. The program has presented concerts featuring such musical greats as Dave Brubeck and The New Christy Minstrels.   On Friday evening, September 17, the organization will feature the Chick Corea Freedom Band at The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in downtown Portland, with the proceeds earmarked for the OHSU Heart Research Center’s research and equipment needs.   The Eastmoreland doctor’s focus is on cardiovascular development in the embryonic heart. He is internationally recognized for his work in this area, and has been a guest speaker at many medical conferences around the world.   He has contributed significantly to the field of fetal origins of adult heart disease, and has published over a dozen papers on the subject. Evidence shows that maternal nutrition and health during pregnancy strongly influences fetal heart development and consequent heart health.   His organization’s goal is to donate $250,000 to heart research annually. “Music for the Heart” is expanding its horizons to involve an educational program for school-age children, to enhance heart health awareness. Dr. Pentecost is also working to develop a service to provide funds for children undergoing heart surgery. He hopes eventually to extend donations to other programs.   The doctor had a college piano scholarship in 1974, but turned to science and medicine after a hang-gliding accident the following year. He became a registered nurse, then secured his doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine in 1988. He has received research fellowships to OHSU and Stanford University, but feels there is more important work to be done in cardiovascular research.   Dr. Pentecost is eager to help fund cardiovascular research through Music for the Heart. "I come from a very musical family," he says. "I think music teaches you how to learn different patterns, and is a great benefit to children's education. I had a lifelong dream to own a Bosendorfer piano, which is made in Vienna. When I finally purchased the piano, I had a chance to visit the factory and see how it was made. My contacts there led me to create the first Music for the Heart concert, setting the non-profit in motion. We are currently seeking grant funds to expand the program."     In 2006 Dr. Pentecost founded The Struble Foundation, named in honor of Glenn and Juanita Struble, an Oregon couple who supported music and heart research. Consequently, “Music for the Heart” is now a project of the Struble Foundation, which currently organizes the concert performances. For more information, visit the Internet website: www.musicfortheheart.org – or call 503/635-4088.   Happy playing at Ardenwald Park, recording artist Tom Grant turns and gives us his radiant smile. (Photo by David F. Ashton) Tom Grant Trio kicks off Ardenwald’s summer concerts   By DAVID F. ASHTON for THE BEE   Residents of Ardenwald, a unique neighborhood which straddles two cities and two counties, say they were glad to see the signs promoting another season of Thursday night August concerts at Ardenwald Park.   “We look at it as a good community-building event,” said this year’s concert organizer, Jeff Davis. “It helps people feel they’re more a part of their community, when they come out to the park and meet their neighbors. Especially, since we have many residents with young families, it’s a good place for people to get to meet people, and get to know one another.”   We visited on August 5th, opening night – and as concert time drew closer, folks filtered into the park, many of them carrying picnic baskets. Others stopped at the food vendors and picked up a bite to eat or cold refreshments.   “The first concert is also our ‘National Night Out Against Crime’ event, since it’s held in the first week of August,” Davis pointed out. “And bringing neighbors together to listen to great live music certainly fulfills that intent, as people get to know other residents in the neighborhood.”   Then, the Northwest’s own nationally-known jazz recording artist, Tom Grant, and his trio, took the outdoor stage to fill the park with their easy-going melodies.   “It’s a great way to spend a summer’s evening,” Davis observed.                    EVENTS & ACTIVITIES SEPTEMBER 1 Sustainability activists to appear at Sellwood meeting. Dick and Jeanne Roy, founders of Oregon Natural Step, Northwest Earth Institute, and Center for Earth Leadership, will appear at the independent Sustainable Sellwood committee’s monthly “Green Drinks” meeting, open free to the public, at 6 pm this evening at The Muddy Rudder Pub, 8105 S.E. 7th Avenue.   Trees a focus of WNA meeting. Tonight at the Woodstock Neighborhood Association meeting there will be the opportunity to learn what is going on in the neighborhood and to sign up for an end of the year neighborhood tree planting. A coordinator is needed to make the planting happen. Anyone with a few hours of time and some organizing skills will find this to be a rewarding experience. 7 pm at the Woodstock Community Center, 5905 S.E. 43rd Avenue.   SEPTEMBER 4 Reptiles at OMSI, today thru Monday. OMSI, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, presents its Reptile and Amphibian Show, all Labor Day weekend. Nearly 100 exotic animals will be on display at this popular event, including a large variety of captive-bred snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, and more. Experts will be available throughout the weekend to answer questions about these amazing and often misunderstood creatures. Scheduled activities include “Ask the Vet” today, the popular pancake tortoise drawing demonstrations on Sunday, and a feature presentation about venomous reptiles on Monday. Visitors will also have the opportunity to touch reptilian skin in a special hands-on area where several dozen non-venomous reptiles will be available for supervised interaction. The show runs each day from 9:30 am to 7 pm in the OMSI auditorium. Entrance to the show is included with paid museum admission.   Reed College gallery opens new exhibition. A new art exhibition entitled “Women, Abstraction, Revolution” opens today at Reed College’s Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Reed College, featuring artists Léonie Guyer, Ruth Laskey, an d Lynne Woods Turner. The gallery is open free to the public on Tuesdays through Sundays, noon to 5 pm, in the Reed College Library, 3203 S.E. Woodstock Boulevard. A public reception for the artists will be on Wednesday evening, September 8th, 6 till 9 pm at the gallery.   SEPTEMBER 5 New location for Lifehouse Church services. Lifehouse Church has been meeting in the evenings, but has just secured a new meeting space and time at the Mt. Scott Community Center, on Sunday mornings at 10:30, beginning today. For more information go online to: www.lifehouseportland.com, or call 503/922-0151.   SEPTEMBER 9 Jewish New Year at Sellwood Riverfront Park. You are invited to join Havurah Shalom Reconstructionist Synagogue (www.havurahshalom.org) to participate in a Tashlich ceremony at Sellwood Riverfront Park along the Willamette River at Spokane Street, on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. This is a service for people of all ages to share, and is followed by a vegetarian potluck at upper Sellwood Park. Call 503/248-4662, or e-mail: info@havurahshalom.org – for more information.   SEPTEMBER 10 “Muddy Boot Festival” returns today through Sunday. The fifth annual “Muddy Boot Organic Festival” takes place today through Sunday, starting with a keynote address tonight at 7 pm. “The festivities continue tomorrow and Sunday in a bustling sustainability-themed outdoor festival featuring live music – and sustainably produced food, beer, and wine; information booths; vendors selling green good; educational workshops. Theme of this year’s festival is ‘Nourishing Spirit: City to Farm”. It all takes place on the grounds of St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 2408 S.E. 16th Avenue, at Division. Starts at noon on Saturday and Sunday. $5 per person at the gate; children under 12 are free. For details visit online: www.muddyboot.org, or call 503/231-4955.   SEPTEMBER 11 Portland Chamber Orch. day of music at Reed College. Today there will be a full day of youth events at Kaul Auditorium, on the Reed College campus, open to the public and free of charge. Thirty local young pianists will perform the piano works of Chopin over three recitals throughout the day, and three have the opportunity to study with Mr. Sun in a master class. Piano teacher Dorothy Fahlman has coordinated with other local teachers to identify the performers to take part in this Chopin marathon and to showcase their talent. The festival concludes with a repeat of the concert in the evening. An exhibition of photographs based on Chopin’s life and travels in Poland and Europe, with historical notation, make this a not-to-be-missed event! Reed College is located on Woodstock Boulevard near S.E. 28th.   SEPTEMBER 12 Brooklyn’s “Ice Cream Social In The Park”. This afternoon, 1-4 pm, it’s the 9th annual “Ice Cream Social” in Brooklyn Park, on S.E. Milwaukie Avenue, just south of Powell Boulevard – sponsored by the Brooklyn Action Corps neighborhood association. There will be various activities, including an obstacle course, bouncer, balloon man, banner making, music, face painting, and the Portland Parks’ Rock Climbing Wall for the kids. Ice cream bars for a quarter! Loaves and Fishes will provide Hot and Polish Dogs, potato salad, soft drinks, and bottled water, inexpensively, as a fund raiser for Meals On Wheels. Booths will feature the Brooklyn Historical Society, local artists, plant sales, and more. Plan to attend with family and neighbors. And if you’d like to volunteer to help set up and take down, call 503/241-4540. Website: www.brooklyn-neighborhood.org.   “Focus on Fixed Income” at Woodstock Library. Join financial advisor Theresa Gahagan this afternoon at the Woodstock Branch Library, 3-4:30 pm, to learn about bond features and strategies, as well as how bonds can help investors weather fluctuating markets. Pre-registration required; register in the library, call 503/988-5234. The library is located at S.E. 49th and Woodstock Boulevard. Free.   SEPTEMBER 13 Fall programs at the WCC begin today. Register at Woodstock Community Center, preferably in advance or at time of first class. The Center is located at 5905 SE 43rd Avenue, just west of BiMar, and just north of Woodstock Boulevard. Fall hours are: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9am-noon; Monday, 6-9pm; Friday, 6-7pm. For more information call and leave a message: 503/823-3633. Catalogs with listings are available at all Portland Community Centers and at some library branches. The Center is available for rental for birthday parties and other events on the weekends.   SEPTEMBER 18 Auction at Oaks Park benefits mental health. “FolkTime” hosts auction late this afternoon to support local mental health support services. FolkTime is a program providing support for Portland and Clackamas residents with mental illness. Its annual auction is at the Dance Pavilion at Oaks Amusement Park today from 5 to 9:30 pm. Open to the public. Proceeds will support the 24-year-old nonprofit.   SEPTEMBER 20 Meditation for Beginners. A six-week class in the Buddhist tradition begins this evening, 7 to 9 pm, continuing weekly for the next five Monday evenings. Presented by the Portland Friends of Dhamma, and held at Sellwood Methodist Church, 1422 S.E. Tacoma Street. The class is free. For information, visit the Internet website www.pdxdhamma.org, or call 503/233-6498.   SEPTEMBER 21 Author Visit: “Pageturners” in Sellwood. Read “Lean on Pete” by Willy Vlautin – and then come to the Sellwood Branch Library tonight, 6:30-7:30 pm, to meet the author at the “Pageturners” book group. While there, you can also engage in stimulating conversation about books, exchange perspectives about characters and plot, and get to know your neighbors. Sponsored by the “Friends of the Library”. The library is located at S.E. 13th at Bidwell in Sellwood. Free.   SEPTEMBER 22 “Old Lady in Shoe” onstage at Ladybug Theater. Portland’s famous Ladybug Theater for children presents, as its September play, “The Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe”, starring Baby Bear and crew – today and tomorrow, and September 29 and 30, at 10:30 am each day at SMILE Station, 8210 S.E. 13th in Sellwood – one block south of Tacoma Street. $3.50 admission for all ages; suitable even for very young children, as long as they are ready to be part of an audience. The show lasts about 45 minutes. Call in your reservation to: 503/232-2346 – and then pay at the door, which opens each of these days at 10:15 am.   SEPTEMBER 24 Oktoberfest at Oaks Amusement Park. Today through Sunday, it’s the annual Oktoberfest at Oaks Park. Hours are 3 pm till midnight today; 11 am to midnight tomorrow, and11 am till 7 pm on Sunday. German style fall festival: Authentic food and beer; Kinderplatz for the kids, featuring Radio Disney (1640 AM) Rocktoberfest; many contests and prizes. Gate fees are $5 for age 16 and over, $2 for 15 and younger, and $3 for seniors age 62 and up. Rides are open till 10 pm today and tomorrow, and till 7 pm on Sunday.   Rummage sale in Sellwood. Immanuel Lutheran Church, at 7810 S.E. 15th Street, announces that its Dorcas Guild is holding its annual “Treasures from the Attic” rummage sale today, 9 am till 3 pm, and tomorrow, Saturday, from 9 am to 1 pm.   SEPTEMBER 25 “Identity: An Exhibition of You” at OMSI. As the long-running Einstein exhibit comes to an end tomorrow at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, a new exhibit called “Identity: An Exhibition of You” opens today, exploring “why we all think differently; what makes us unique; how much do genes really determine”. Explore physical, psychological, and social factors that add up to…you. Free with regular OMSI admission. The museum is located on S.E. Water Street, on the Willamette River east bank, just north of the Ross Island Bridge. Look for the red tower and the OmniMax dome.   National Psoriasis Foundation Walk at Oaks Park. Fundraiser for psoriasis research, from 8 am till noon today at Oaks Amusement Park, just north of the foot of Spokane Street and the Sellwood Bridge. The event aims to raise awareness about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, a joint condition, and to raise funds for a cure for these devastating diseases, which affect as many as 7.5 million Americans. Registration begins at 8 am, walk begins at 9 am; choose between family-friendly 1K and 5K routes. To pre-register, or for more information, go online to: www.psoriasis.org/portlandwalk, or call toll-free: 1-877/825-9255.   “komedy 4 da kids” at Woodstock Library. Angel Ocasio presents a bilingual and interactive performance for children and families this afternoon – 4 pm till 4:45 – combining physical comedy, juggling, balancing, and magic. It’s free at the Woodstock Branch Library, S.E. 49th at Woodstock Boulevard. Come early to be sure of a good seat,.   OCTOBER 2 First Saturday Music Series resumes at Ledding Library. This acclaimed free concert series begins again for the fall today at 2 pm at the Ledding Library, at the north end of the City of Milwaukie, at 10660 S.E. 21st Avenue. Performing today will be the Portland band “Trashcan Joe”, featuring old-time jazz and folk songs, as well as original tunes. Seating is limited, so be early to be sure of a seat.   Got an activity or event you want to report? Click HERE to e-mail us the information! SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LIST OF COMMUNITY HOTLINKS -- AND USEFUL, AND JUST PLAIN FUN HOTLINKS -- IMMEDIATELY BELOW!      Useful HotLinks:      Your Personal "Internet Toolkit"! THE BEE brings you Charles Schulz's "PEANUTS" comic strip daily (NOT the version in the Oregonian)! Portland area freeway and highway traffic cameras Portland Police Graffiti removal resource page [PDF format] Fear someone will steal your identity? Already a victim? Click here for info! Portland Fire and Rescue Concerned about WEST NILE VIRUS? Here's info from the State of Oregon Portland City INDEX Metro Latest Portland region radar weather map Portland Public Schools Multnomah County's official SELLWOOD BRIDGE website How to obtain a passport Click here for the exact official correct time! Click here to draw a map of anywhere in the United States! 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Note: Since THE BEE is not the operator of any of the websites presented here, we can assume no responsibility for content or consequences of any visit to them; however we, personally, have found all of them helpful.   Local News websites: The news TODAY Local News Daily.com KATU, Channel 2 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 43) KOIN, Channel 6 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 40) KGW, Channel 8 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 8) KPTV, Channel 12 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 12) KPDX, Channel 49 (Digital/HDTV broadcast channel 30) KPAM 860 News Radio Your neighborhood online! SMILE -- The Sellwood-Moreland Improvement League "THE NEIGHBOR", the official monthly newsletter of SMILE, The Sellwood Moreland Improvement League, appears on page 3 of THE BEE each month. For the very latest version of this newsletter, click here! Woodstock Neighborhood Association website Woodstock Business Assn. business directory Southeast Portland Rotary Club website Sellwood-Westmoreland Business Alliance website Eastmoreland neighborhood website Brooklyn Action Corps Neighborhood Association Reed Neighbors From SMILE and Portland Parks: Historic Oaks Pioneer Church--available for weddings and events in Sellwood READY TO MOVE ON TO THE CLASSIFIEDS, AND "BUSINESS BRIEFS"? Click here!