Author Archives: Nick Wichman

Blueprint-style architectural line drawing of the Moda Center arena in Portland, Oregon
Community Posts, Local Issues

ECNA November 11th

TL;DR:
ECNA meets Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. at Columbia Community Bible Church to talk Moda Center funding and land use, and a casual cookie exchange 🍪

Hi neighbors! Our next East Columbia Neighborhood Association general meeting is Wednesday, November 11 at 7:00 p.m. at Columbia Community Bible Church on NE Marine Drive. All neighbors are welcome, so come hear what’s happening and connect with your community.

On the agenda

Here’s the agenda from ECNA Chair Patrick Henry. The meeting starts promptly at 7:00 p.m.

  • 6:30 p.m. – Cookie Exchange: hosted by Barbara Neidig, Committee Chair (details below)
  • 7:00 p.m. – Taxpayer support for the Moda Center? Jonathan Tasini, Eliot Neighborhood Association (15 min)
  • 7:15 p.m. – Land use updates: Alice Walker (15 min)
  • 7:30 p.m. – Other business: volunteers for vacant Board and Committee positions, and Block Captains for Meadow Dr, South Shore Rd, Lija Loop and Mariners Loop
A hand holding a fresh chocolate chip cookie

Bonus: Cookie Exchange

Who doesn’t like cookies? To kick off the holiday season, neighbor Barbara Neidig is hosting a Cookie Exchange to start the evening. Grab a seat, a cookie and a neighbor to chat with before the meeting gets going at 7. Come taste homemade favorites from kitchens all around East Columbia, discover a new go-to recipe, and chat with the bakers behind them. Not much of a baker? No problem. Everyone is welcome to sample and enjoy, so just come hungry!

Feel like baking? It’s easy to join in:

  • Bake: a dozen or more homemade cookies, any kind you love
  • Recipes welcome: bring a copy to share with neighbors if you can
  • Take some home: Barbara will have containers on hand, so everyone leaves with a mix of cookies to enjoy later
  • Let Barbara know by Monday, November 2: a quick email to barbaran@windermere.com is the best way to reach her ✉️

ECNA General Meeting
When: Wednesday, November 11 at 7 p.m.
Where: Columbia Community Bible Church, 420 NE Marine Dr, Portland, OR 97211

A smiling girl holds up a toy from her Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift

Give a Child a Christmas Gift

Our hosts at Columbia Community Bible Church are again filling Samaritan’s Purse Christmas shoeboxes (Operation Christmas Child) for kids ages 5 to 9 in need around the world, and neighbors are invited to help. Drop off new gifts that fit in a shoebox, like small toys, puzzles, crayons and coloring books, toothbrushes, soap, gloves or scarves, or a check to help cover shipping. Bring them on Sundays between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. through November 15, and leave them in the tub with the yellow sign just inside the church’s front door. You’re welcome to join the 11 a.m. worship service while you’re there, too.

Download the shoebox flyer with gift ideas (PDF)Download

Questions before the meeting? Contact ECNA at ecnaboard@gmail.com.

See you on November 11, neighbors! 🍪

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Illustration of delivery-drone blueprints on a drafting table, surrounded by handwritten notes representing community discussion.
Education & Events, Local Issues, Community Posts

Commercial Drone Deliveries: Community Conversation on October 18

East Columbia residents are invited to a community briefing and conversation about Amazon’s proposed Prime Air drone delivery sites and their potential impacts across North and Northeast Portland.

Join neighbors for an update on the City’s permitting and legislative process, hear different perspectives, and share your questions and concerns.

When and where

Sunday, October 18, 2026 · 3–5 p.m. Pacific
Attend in person or online.

In person: Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN) Building
4815 NE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97211

Online: Join the community conversation on Zoom

About the gathering

This event is independently hosted by members of North and Northeast Portland Neighborhood Associations. NECN is providing the venue only.

District Councilors and members of the press are also welcome to attend and listen to neighbors’ perspectives.

Questions? Contact the organizers’ Public Relations Team at pdxdroneconcerns@googlegroups.com.

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Illustration of neighbors planting a conifer and raking leaves beside an autumn arboretum path.
Community Posts, Education & Events, Environmental Issues

Honor Veterans with VetREST at the Columbia Children’s Arboretum

Join VetREST on Wednesday, November 11, from 1:00–3:00 p.m. for an afternoon of clean up, planting, and honoring our Veterans at the Columbia Children’s Arboretum.

Volunteers will help clean up the arboretum’s conifer garden, plant new, uncommon species, and spend time together in community to honor our Veterans. It’s a meaningful way to spend Veterans Day right here in our own neighborhood.

Event details

Wednesday, November 11, 2026
1:00–3:00 p.m.
Meet at the North entrance of the Columbia Children’s Arboretum, off of Meadow Drive

About the event

This event is led by residents of Dignity Village and is part of their continued commitment to the East Columbia neighborhood. It builds on their recent landscaping and habitat restoration training.

Thank you to the event’s partners: East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA), and Portland Parks & Recreation.

More information and registration

For more information and to register, visit the VetREST event page.

All neighbors are welcome. Bring a friend, lend a hand, and help us honor the Veterans in our community.

Event flyer

VetREST Veterans Day flyer (PDF)Download
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Digitally edited autumn view of the Children’s Arboretum paved path, with leaves changing from green to yellow and pinkish red.
Community Posts, Local Issues

October 14 ECNA General Meeting: Neighborhood Updates and a Fall Soup Exchange

Join your East Columbia neighbors on Wednesday, October 14, for our next general meeting. We’ll hear updates on local land-use issues, neighborhood cleanup efforts and opportunities to get involved. The evening also includes a Fall Soup Exchange beginning at 6 p.m.

Meeting details

Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Fall Soup Exchange begins at 6 p.m.
Meeting begins promptly at 7 p.m.

Fall Soup Exchange

Autumn illustration of steaming soup and chili bowls, mason jars, bread, and a ladle.

ECNA invites you to bring your favorite fall soup or chili to share and exchange with your neighbors!

Our Fall Soup Exchange begins at 6 p.m. Bring a pot of your favorite homemade soup or chili to share, and ECNA will provide bowls, bread, and crackers to round out the meal.

Be sure to bring a few mason jars or containers, too, so you can take home some of your favorite soups to enjoy later!

No competition and no prizes, just warm bowls, new recipes, and a cozy evening with neighbors.

General meeting to follow immediately afterwards at 7 p.m.

On the agenda

  • 7:00 p.m. – Land-use update: Alice Walker will lead a 45-minute discussion covering the proposed Amazon drone base on Schmeer Road, trucking noise and a proposed environmental zoning change.
  • 7:45 p.m. – November cookie bake-off: Barbara Neidig will share details about the cookie bake-off planned for November 11.
  • 7:50 p.m. – Neighborhood cleanup: Michelle Wickliff will provide an update on cleanup dumpsters.
  • 7:55 p.m. – Get involved with ECNA: Learn about vacant board and committee positions, along with block captain opportunities for Meadow Drive, South Shore Road, Lija Loop and Mariners Loop.

All neighbors are welcome. Come hear what’s happening, ask questions and connect with your community.

Meeting location

Columbia Community Bible Church
420 NE Marine Dr., Portland, OR 97211

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Warm neighborhood meeting room with folding chairs around a table, a local map, and the words Special Meeting.
Uncategorized

ECNA Special Meeting: Wednesday, August 12

The East Columbia Neighborhood Association invites neighbors to a special meeting on Wednesday, August 12, promptly at 7:00 PM.

Location

Columbia Community Bible Church
420 NE Marine Drive
Portland, OR 97211

Discussion topics

  • Transition Projects: Kelsey Stark, Program Manager, will introduce the organization’s program serving people experiencing homelessness at the former Motel 6 site.
  • City zoning proposal: Alice Walker will share the latest updates and discuss potential effects on local property values.
  • Trucking noise near Gertz Road: Alice Walker will provide an update on this ongoing neighborhood concern, and we’ll be joined by special guests, Portland City Councilor (District 2), Elana Pirtle-Guiney, and Portland City Noise Officer, Paul Van Orden, to join the discussion regarding how we can protect our homes where our neighborhood meets industrial areas. (See flyer below & scan QR code to fill out the quetionairre)
  • 2026 ECNA events and volunteer opportunities: We are seeking volunteer nominees for Activities Committee Coordinator, Notifications Committee Coordinator, and Block Captains for Meadow Drive, South Shore Road, Lija Loop, and Mariners Loop.

We’ll also share updates on Movie Night, the Cookie Bakeoff, Halloween on Meadow Drive, and the Chili Cookoff.

We hope you can join the conversation and help shape the year ahead for our neighborhood.

2026-8-7-special-meeting-industrial-noise-flyerDownload

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