Skyline Rural Watch Newsline
Mailbox: newsline [at] srnpdx [dot] org
Urgent: alert [at] srnpdx [dot] org
Phone: (503) 621-3501
September 3, 2011
Summer Gathering Photos:
SRN has posted photos taken by Libby Merwin of the Summer Gathering on August 21. There are some on the SRN website at http://www.srnpdx.org/2011-summer-gathering and lots more on our photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/skylineridge/.
Check 'em out!
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS:
Skyline Grange Woods Restoration Work Party, 9/10/11
After the holiday weekend, the Woods Workers will gather again to address the restoration project. Saturday September 10th, 9AM to noon @ the Skyline Grange. Hoping to chip that drek that's collected on the bank among other duties. Come join in the satisfaction of working together to tidy up those woods & enjoy our neighbors. Everyone is welcome & we won't ask any questions about why you're there. Guilt about illegal dumping will NOT be discussed if you come help us clean it up!
GOVERNMENT:
Multnomah County Land Use News
Multnomah County Land Use & Transportation Program
1600 SE 190TH Ave., Portland, OR 97233
14 Day Opportunity to Comment
Case #: T2-2011-1742
Location: 23421 NW Moreland Rd.
Proposal: Application for Significant Environmental Concern Permit for Wildlife Habitat and County Road Rules Variance in order to replace a single family dwelling with a new single family dwelling in Commercial Forest Use-1 Zone within the Significant Environment Concern for wildlife habitat Overlay. They request a County Road Rules Variance for 2 driveway right-of-way access.
Comment Period: Written comments regarding this application will be accepted if received at Land Use by 4 p.m. on September 14, 2011. Comments should be directed toward approval criteria applicable to the request. For further information regarding this application, contact a Staff Planner at 503-988-3043, x 29129 or email at george [dot] a [dot] plummer [at] multco [dot] us. The Planning Director will render a decision after the comment period.
ENVIRONMENT:
Land Stewardship
Do your blackberry leaves look less healthy? A number of local residents have noticed curling of leaves on Armenian (Himalayan) blackberries and to their raspberries. A blackberry plant specimen, which included a leafhopper insect, was taken to West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District and WMSWCD immediately communicated with Oregon Dept of Agriculture. On Thursday Eric Coombs and Kristen from ODA visited our area to observe and to collect specimens. ODA had not heard of similar sightings from other sections of the Valley. Their concern was that this could be a new disease or insect with potential harm to Oregon caneberry crops. Later that day, Eric sent this email message: "The leaf galling on the blackberry is caused by a tiny gall-forming midge in the Dasineura genus, no species listed and reported only from OR. The leafhopper, was just an opportunist taking advantage of the shelter caused by the gall midge. I suppose when conditions are optimal, they could become a minor pest, but there is no opportunity for them to be a bio-control agent of Armenian blackberry." The good news is that this midge will not significantly affect our caneberry crops. The bad news is that this midge is not the key to developing an effective biological control for our highly invasive, non-native blackberries. The speed in which both WMSWCD and ODA responded to our concern was impressive, and a local demonstration of our tax dollars put to good service.
FARM & FOREST:
Gardening News from OSU Extension Service and the OSU Agricultural
September 2011 (volume 10, no. 9)
MAKE FOOD PRESERVATION AN EXERCISE IN SAFETY
Food safety starts in the garden An outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in fresh strawberries sickened at least 10 people in Oregon in July and reminds us that food safety starts in the garden.
OSU Extension food safety/preservation hotline expects more than 3,000 calls Forty-five volunteers trained as OSU Extension Master Food Preservers answer hotline questions about food safety and preservation. View this article:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1483
Pears can be ripened to perfection Pears must go through a series of changes after harvest before they can deliver their full splendor.
How to avoid and treat tomato problems The OSU Extension Master Gardener program tracks the most common tomato problems and offers advice on what to do about them.
Store winter squash and pumpkins Winter squash won't survive the first frost. Storing techniques, however, can keep winter squash for several months.
Fall webworms arrive in tree branches These caterpillars are considered to be a pest by many people, but are primarily a cosmetic nuisance, according to OSU entomologists.
Prevent water pollution when treating a mossy roof If crops of moss or lichen have sprung up on your roof, it's important to keep chemicals that kill them from polluting the environment.
Check drainage to avoid salt build-up in planters Whitish deposits, composed of salts from hard water and fertilizer, usually indicate insufficient drainage or not enough flow-through of water. View this article:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1480
WHAT'S NEW
After three decades, invasive tansy ragwort once again threatening Oregon This year tansy ragwort has flourished through a combination of weather conditions and a "down cycle" for three insects used to control it.
Online Master Gardener course taking applications Register now for the Option 1 online course Sept. 12 - Dec. 18, 2011. This is the no-volunteer option. Volunteer and no-volunteer options will be Jan. 2 to April 1, 2012.
Community Calendar
SRN Board Meeting: Thursday Sept 8, 7 pm, Brooks Hill Historic Church
Grange Meeting:
Grange Wood Work Party: Sat, 09/10/2011 - 9:00am - 12:00pmVolunteers needed to help continue restoring the Grange Woods and building the new trail. For info, contact Tracy Watersbluewaters [at] pcez [dot] com or 503.285.3530.
Deadline for RidgeRunner submission Thursday Sept 15
Classifieds:
Resource Directory:
As a service to neighbors, SRN publishes a listing of local government agencies and businesses in the Skyline Resource Directory. Follow the links in this section to view its contents and learn how to add a business or agency listing.
Listing of organizations and businesses herein does not imply any endorsement of SRN nor does it imply a lack of endorsement for similar organizations or businesses not included.
About the Newsline:
Skyline Rural Watch Newsline is a part of Skyline Ridge Neighbors (SRN) and has been produced since June 1994 as a means to communicate neighborhood information. The Newsline is produced by Laurel Erhardt (editor) with help from Miles Merwin, Libby Merwin, Sharon Barthmaier, and Sen Speroff.
The Newsline depends on you as a source of accurate information about local crimes, upcoming events, and other news pertinent to the area. If you have information you would like considered for the Newsline, you may do so by e-mailing the information to newsline [at] srnpdx [dot] org, or leaving a message at (503) 621-3501. Urgent, timely items (crimes, lost pets) should be emailed to alert [at] srnpdx [dot] org.
If you would like more detailed information about any item on the Newsline, request that information & SRN will e-mail it to you if available.
You can subscribe to the Newsline at the Skyline Ridge Neighbors Website, SRNPDX.org. Tell your neighbors about this free Newsline service.
About Skyline Ridge Neighbors:
SRN is a neighborhood association serving much of unincorporated northwest Multnomah County and some adjacent areas within the city of Portland. SRN is registered as a neighborhood association within Multnomah County, registered as a non-profit public benefit corporation with the State of Oregon and approved as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under the IRS Code. SRN is operated by volunteers and with donated funds entirely.
If you would like to donate to SRN in support of its activities, such as this free Newsline service and the publication of its quarterly Skyline Ridge Runner, send your donation to “Skyline Ridge Neighbors”, c/o Karen Garber, 16238 NW McNamee Rd., Portland, OR 97231 Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
