NECN and Concordia University are co-hosting two forums featuring Mayoral and City Council Candidates. The first will be Tuesday, February 28th, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Concordia University’s Hagen Campus Center (2nd floor), 2800 NE Holman Street, Portland (map).

The first event will focus on community livability issues such as jobs, transportation, safety and other requirements for thriving, healthy communities for all.

For every dollar you save in an Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) you get two extra dollars, to be used for home purchase or repair, college education, and more.  Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives is holding an open house on Tuesday, February 21st, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at their main office at 6329 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland.

Interested residents should bring with them current and complete proof of income for the last two months as well as information about assets (car, house, savings) and liabilities (loans, mortgage, debt or bills). For more information about what to bring, or if you have questions, call (503) 288-2923.

To get an idea if you may be eligible, take the quiz here.

Due to a budget shortfall, bus lines 6 & 8 are being considered for a change in North Portland to one segment that could reduce redundancy by allowing the Line 8/NE 15^th to terminate at approximately NE Dekum Ave. at 9^th Ave., and the Line 6/MLK to continue north on MLK Blvd past Lombard to the Jubitz truck stop, then on to Jantzen Beach via NE Marine Drive. All of the areas currently served by Line 8 under consideration would be served by the Line 6.  C-Tran buses connect PIR/Vanport MAX Station with Jantzen Beach and Vancouver.

TriMet welcomes your feedback on this and other budget options at trimet.org/choices.

Northeast Portland Tool Library is like a traditional library, but with tools instead of books.  It’s great for people who don’t want to buy or rent tools they are only going to use once in a while.

They lend out home-repair and gardening tools to Northeast Portland residents and community groups.  It’s located in the basement of Redeemer Lutheran Church at NE 20th Avenue and Killingsworth (entrance is on Killingsworth).

NEPTL membership is free.  Open for borrowing on Saturdays 9am–2pm and Wednesdays 5:30pm-7:30pm. Click here to for more information.

After nine years of operating an online storefront and taking their show on the road for trunk shows all over the country, Jill Golden and Samantha Becker, the women behind Tinctoria Designs, have opened their first showroom in Portland inside the Alberta Studios complex in the Alberta Arts District. At the new shop, Golden says shoppers can expect the same locally designed and locally manufactured fashion lines to which they’ve grown accustomed. The women’s tops, pants, skirts and dresses are all made with sustainable materials, like hemp, and, once they’ve been manufactured, are hand-dyed (dyes include indigo and madder root) in their nearby studio.

Tinctoria, 1627 NE Alberta St., 503.810.9232

Keep Alive The Dream: 27th Anniversary Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Highland Christian Center, 7600 NE Glisan, 11am to 6pm, donation $5.00 or five non-perishable food items.

Renewal of appreciation for the life and work of one of the world’s most renowned citizens. Simulcast on TV and radio: live on PCM Channel 11, tape-delay on Channel 28, live on KBOO Radio 90.7 FM, and streamed on the web. Features local and regional civic and social speakers, artists’ displays, gospel and jazz performers, vendors’ bazaar, food court, and exhibits. Download the flier here.

The Fix-It Fairs are FREE events designed to save you money and connect you to resources. There are two coming to North Portland soon:

January 21st, Rosa Parks Elementary School, and
February 25th, Jefferson High School, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Workshops and exhibits:

Also:

Check out their official web site and Facebook page.

Effective January 1st, Oregon updated its cell phone law. You must use a hands-free accessory if you use a mobile telecommunications device while driving, or risk citation. For details, look here.

If you weren’t able to attend the meeting but keep informed about what transpired, you can read the minutes here.

Whether you are a first-time home buyer, a homeowner struggling to avoid foreclosure, a senior facing home repair bills, or simply a renter who wants someday to buy, there are programs available to assist you.

For help with first-time home buying, contact PCRI.

These organizations all have programs to help prevent foreclosure:

• Hacienda CDC
• Clearpoint Financial Solutions
• African American Alliance for Homeownership