Aging in Place: January 2021

Susan Noack
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Aging in Place: January 2021

Welcome to 2021! We made it to a new year, traveling through months of unknowns and uncertainty, health risks, economic risks, isolation, becoming tech-savvy and even making sure we combed our hair before going to a Zoom meeting – all while navigating the ‘new normal.’ There is an upside to all the downsides of 2020 and the following, in quotes, is part of an article from the Villages NW January newsletter (VillagesNW.org) which offers a different perspective on this past year:

“We’ve all said it: as much as we’d like to forget, the year 2020 will be remembered for a multitude of reasons. There were (still are) masks to ward-off flying germs. And masks to ameliorate the effect of horrible smoke from devastating forest fires… And masks that became symbols of our solidarity against the reality of the pandemic.  

We’ve tried to stay connected by phone, Google Chats, Zoom, FaceTime and webinars. Notes and cards arrive via regular postal service. We’ve had chats with neighbors at safe social distance, meeting friends for coffee at outside cafés, and carefully spaced our chairs in the garden to allow us to meet until the weather drove us all indoors. 

Throughout the troubled and troubling times, one thing has stood out: the importance of KINDNESS.

The little kindnesses of everyday encounters have buoyed our outlook. The smiles mostly hidden behind masks can be seen in the sparkle of the eye. Patience and humor have been found in long lines. There have been encouraging words and offers to run errands for those who may be at higher risk of danger. 

When, at times, it felt as if the whole world was going nuts, a softer, gentler tone, a smile in the voice, kind words and deeds have saved the day.

Kindness is an attitude that will be repaid many times over. And there is no better place to find kindness and thoughtfulness than in our Villages. The effort to continue the good works of Villages bears out the notion that a good attitude, genuine concern for others, generosity of spirit, and creativity will carry us over the high tide of despair. The tide is changing. As the old tide flows out, the promise of better days flows in. Our Villages are there to support and nourish interests and ideas and offer assistance to those in need. And we hold a collective hope that being there for one another will keep us afloat.

Go ahead; wear your heart on your sleeve! Demonstrate your care and concern for others. Seek connections. And use your Village as a vehicle for the kindness and good will that leads to good deeds. Your year will be off to a better start as we say goodbye to the old and embrace the New Year with hope and plans for sharing our vision of being neighbors that help neighbors stay neighbors. Remember to smile and be kind!” 

As has been said many times in this column, Tualatin is a community of neighbors helping neighbors with a hand up, a hand out if needed, and kindness. Let’s all make sure we continue this spirit in 2021. Happy New Year.

Options for Medical Fat Reduction

Dr. Roberta Huang
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Options for Medical Fat Reduction

With proper diet, exercise, and the increasingly popular practice of intermittent fasting, a person may hone in closer to their ideal weight. Still, sometimes stubborn fat pockets can resist a person’s best efforts and are one of the most commonly treated concerns in modern aesthetic medicine. 

Aesthetic body sculpting falls into four main procedure types: Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), Liposuction, Cryolipolysis® (Coolsculpting) and most recently, Heating/Muscle Stimulation (Emsculpt Neo®).

Before the advent of body sculpting devices, abdominoplasty and liposuction were the mainstay treatments for body contouring. Abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure where excess skin and fat from the abdominal area are removed, and the abdominal wall muscles are tightened. Though complete recovery from a full abdominoplasty procedure can take up to a few months and leave a visible scar, this may be the most appropriate option for those who have lost a lot of weight and have an abundance of loose hanging skin. 

Liposuction is another cosmetic surgery procedure that reshapes and contours parts of the body by removing excess fat deposits. A small incision is made in the area to be treated through which a cannula (long hollow needle) is used to suction fat cells. Full recovery can take up to three months, depending on the extent of the procedure. Innovations have introduced laser energy to break down the fat more precisely and efficiently with less recovery time due to the use of a smaller cannula and may even use additional laser frequencies to help tighten the skin. 

Emsculpt Neo.

Coolsculpting® (cryoliposis or fat freezing) is a noninvasive procedure which uses freezing temperatures to damage and kill fat cells. Different size applicators can be used to target different parts of the body, including smaller areas such as under the chin and other difficult to target areas. Patients may need multiple treatments spaced at monthly intervals, and up to 25% of fat cells can be eliminated in the areas being treated. Treatment time can vary from 30-60 minutes, depending on the size of the area being treated, and full results can be seen in about three months upon completing treatment. Coolsculpting does not treat or tighten any loose skin overlying the area treated. Temporary effects include bruising, swelling, redness, tingling and numbness for up to 4 weeks. 

The newest arrival to the body sculpting scene is the Emsculpt Neo®, which uses HIFEM (High-Intensity Focused Electro-Magnetic) technology combined with Radiofrequency (RF) energy to achieve both up to 30% fat loss and 25% muscle gain in specific areas of the body. The treatment is delivered through paddles that are applied to the area being targeted. HIFEM causes muscles to contract in an ultra-intense way that is not possible through exercise alone, leading to increased muscle volume, resulting in increased muscle strength and tone. The RF energy, which delivers comfortable but penetrating heat, works synergistically with HIFEM to stress the fat cells and ultimately cause fat reduction. RF energy can also help to tighten some of the slack and improve the appearance of the skin. A treatment series consists of 4 sessions, each lasting about 30 minutes, given once to twice a week. Despite the intensity of the workout, there is minimal if any muscle soreness and no downtime. Results can be seen as soon as a month, but full results take about three months to be fully apparent.

You can find out more information about this treatment:

https://www.lumeramedical.com/emsculpt-neo


Food & Drink: Aloha Grill

Brandon Epland
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Food & Drink: Aloha Grill

It’s become entirely cliché to say, but… these are unprecedented times. We face a statewide restaurant shutdown due to spiking COVID-19 numbers in Oregon that puts in peril many businesses’ futures, but more so threatens the lives of so many people nationwide. This column was born of this pandemic- to revitalize and reenergize local restaurants affected during this trying time. As a 25+ year veteran of the industry, I ask for your continued support for these restaurants. But, more importantly, I ask that you take care when you patronize these establishments whether for “pick-up” or, maybe by printing, “dine-in” service by wearing a mask upon arrival, while away from your table and in the presence of your server- for their safety and yours! 

Aloha Grill

My affinity for Hawaii started at an early age. Growing up in NYC made me pine for that tropical paradise. Sadly, I’ve never been. My love for Hawaiian food, however, started at a Portland food cart on a visit before we moved here. And, I’ve enjoyed the amazing cuisine on numerous occasions around the country ever since. Which is exactly why I was so pleased to find Aloha Grill, where they proudly do Hawaiian Food right! 

Garlic Shrimp.

The menu, at first, can be daunting, with an array of unique and traditional names. Relax- with this island fare, seamlessly blending simplicity and hardiness, Asian influences and the flair of “tropicality,” you cannot go wrong- especially at Aloha Grill. My “go-to” is and always has been the Loco Moco- originally created as a workingman’s lunch, starts on a bed of rice, topped with two burger patties, two fried eggs, then a slathering of sumptuous brown gravy. A fantastic melding of flavors- beefy, savory, starchy and rich- made even more so by popping the delicate yolk into the gravy.  

However, do not miss their Spam Musubi- an umami bomb of grilled Spam, rice, a dash of soy, wrapped in Nori- the original protein bar. Or, Manapua, literally “pork cake,” an ode to Bao filled with Char-sui style pork, inspired by Hawaii’s large Chinese population. Or any, and I mean any, of their Combo Plates featuring: tender Kalua pork, salty/sweet Teri beef, and tempura fried Chicken Katsu, to name a few, in numerous mouth-watering iterations.  

I am steadily working my way through the entire menu- Garlic Shrimp catching my eye for next time- as they stay open seven days a week for take-out, during these trying times. I hope to complete it by yearend. So, stop by to see the great staff at Aloha Grill, and experience the amazing (local) taste of the islands they’ve been cooking up for over 30 years…it just may make you long for a Hawaiian getaway.

Aloha Grill is open seven days a week. Monday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sunday 12 – 6 p.m. Open for carryout, delivery and small catering orders as of press time. (503) 612-9091. Call ahead and they’ll have it ready. 19267 SW Martinazzi Ave – www.alohagrillor.com.

Educators Adapt to Teaching in a Pandemic

Henry Kaus
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Educators Adapt to Teaching in a Pandemic

Nobody could’ve expected the events that ensued this year and the COVID-19 pandemic that took hold of the world. As the landscape forced businesses and individuals to adapt, schools became a point of question. Would students and educators alike be expected to return to normalcy soon?

Of course, this has not been the case, and teachers have had to grow accustomed to an online teaching environment.

Last spring, just after students finished their first semester, the Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD) made a sudden switch to distance learning. Students had no other choice but to learn from home and teachers to educate in a haphazard environment.

“Last spring, I felt as though many teachers and students were surviving to the end of the school year,” said Hazelbrook Middle School band teacher Melissa Ruiz. “Distance learning was brand new and many students and families were dealing with the shock of everything.”

“It was like the house was on fire, but we were still painting the back of it,” said Hazelbrook PE teacher Gavin Harrison. “The focus became relationship building and fulfilling the immediate needs of families in our community. But that came at the expense of, we don’t know how to do online school.”

Still, the 2019-2020 school year finished out, and the district put a plan in motion for the upcoming online academic year.

As part of TTSD’s middle school plan, core-subject educators were expected to shift from teaching their primary subject to teaching two subjects across one group of students. Because of this, Aubrey Hill, a middle school math teacher for more than 21 years, had a first-time experience teaching eighth-grade science.

“It was similar to feeling like a brand-new teacher all over again,” Hill said. “Through this, I have relied on my amazing colleagues who shared their expertise and pedagogy with me.”

In many of these core classes and through most grade levels, educators have utilized the new curriculum purchased by the district – Florida Virtual School – as a way to standardize material and testing throughout the district. Students attend up to four daily live classes through the video conferencing app, Google Meets, and teachers have come across many difficulties with the system.

“I think the biggest difference is that you just don’t have as much productive discussion in your classes,” said Tigard High School English teacher Jodi Mello. “Because students just aren’t in a space where they feel comfortable to do that, some students will unmute and talk, but you have a lot more of ‘It’s me sharing information.’”

Another hurdle was experienced by many teachers with larger group-based classes, such as band or physical education (PE).

At Hazelbrook, the PE faculty needed to cut out the games and have more fitness-related workouts.

“We still have a large group of students, and we’re still exercising together, the difference now is … we would do more of a fitness workout targeting cardio. or muscular strength and endurance,” Harrison said. “So, all the fun kind of game stuff is now gone because of the equipment issue.”

Band students, on the other hand, are turning in much more individual work by submitting performance videos, and critiques are offered by the instructor.

“In order for us to play synchronously together, I ask students to keep their microphones muted while they’re listening to my playing and then they play along with what they hear,” Ruiz said.

School bands typically hold concerts throughout the year, that is now not the case. Instead, Ruiz continues to work with her students individually.

“With concerts not taking place, I’ve been able to shift my instruction to be even more focused on each individual student and less focused on how we as an ensemble sound,” she said. “I’m excited to see how this will continue to benefit my students throughout this school year and in years to come.”

Despite widespread changes, it hasn’t been all bad. Through the grade levels, many teachers now have set office hours where students can receive help.

Teachers are also finding that some students are thriving in the online environment. Ruiz said that social pressure is relieved for many students and the fast pace of a typical school day just isn’t present.

Still, one huge component of an educator’s job was missing through the past few months: the connection with students.

“I think for most of us [teachers], we [teach] because we really appreciate those relationships with students,” Mello said. “It’s rewarding for us. So to not have that, it just makes it a little harder.”

Hill even visited each household of her students to get to know them.

“At the start of the year, my teaching partner and I drove all through Tualatin visiting each student at their home and meeting their families, with masks on and six feet apart,” Hill said. “Talking with families and seeing students in their home environments helped me begin to identify some of our shared needs.”

Although the Oregon Department of Education revised its guidelines to allow more students to return to school across the state, Washington County is not close to meeting the required metrics. TTSD Superintendent Sue Rieke-Smith has said that online-learning will stay for the remainder of semester one. There have been talks of plans to return elementary students to in-person in some form come second semester, but nothing has been finalized.

Living Legends: Larry McClure

Barbara Sherman
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Living Legends: Larry McClure

Larry McClure is still a small-town boy at heart so he and his wife Ellie hit the jackpot when they decided to settle in Tualatin in May 1972.

Larry McClure.

Born in Tennessee and living in several states before getting a teaching job in Portland Public Schools, McClure was accustomed to living in smaller cities. After graduate school in Eugene, “we were looking for a place between Portland and Salem that had handy freeway access,” said McClure, who worked 30 years for an education research firm in downtown Portland.

The McClures bought a one-story house in the first subdivision in Tualatin when it had a population of some 900 people, and they still live in the same house today. They moved here with a 1-year-old son who was followed by twins; all attended the only elementary school in town and later Twality Junior High and Tigard High School.

Having lived in Tualatin nearly 50 years, McClure has many fond memories of life in a small, close-knit town where neighbors help their neighbors, a trait still embraced today. “We soon joined the Methodist Church on Boones Ferry Road, which is now Tualatin Heritage Center on Sweek Drive,” said McClure, noting that much of their family life was centered there. 

Tualatin has dealt with wintertime high water for decades, “and after a heavy rain period, water would seep into the old church basement,” McClure said. “The Nyberg family had a filbert (hazelnut) orchard and would invite friends to glean after the harvest. We also U-picked walnuts from a farm on 65th (called Meridian Road then). I would dry our family’s basketfuls on the warm floor near the church furnace. One day after high water and the sump pump didn’t work, I found them all floating!” 

The congregation gradually outgrew the small 1926 country church and built the current building “up the hill” on Martinazzi. “I remember that July Sunday in 1982 when we moved,” McClure said. “We started the service in the old church and then people picked up the hymnals, offering plates and everything else they could carry, and we paraded up the hill, choir robes waving, to finish the service.”

Tualatin Methodist Church, built in 1926.

In the McClure family’s early days in town, Century Market was the only grocery store besides a food co-op until Ferguson’s IGA opened. “This was well before Fred Meyer, and there was no bank until First Interstate set up a trailer where Nyberg Rivers is now,” McClure said.

He recalled how the Nyberg family helped out their neighbors from their farm where Nyberg Woods (shopping center) is now. “They had dairy cows and would give away all the raw milk,” McClure said. “Clayton Nyberg and his son Arne would put big jars in the milk-house refrigerators for friends to take. Since the milk was not homogenized, cream floated on the top. At the grocery store, our kids would say, ‘Can we please get real milk, Mom?’”

After Larry’s retirement in 2001, the McClures joined the Tualatin Historical Society “because of a persistent lady named Loyce Martinazzi,” McClure said. In 2003 the original Methodist church’s then-owner asked the society if it wanted the building, which sparked a communitywide petition to move the sturdy wood building.

“We had to prove to the city there was support,” McClure said. “We went to work to raise money, and with generous help from the city, we were able to move and update it in 2006 to become the Tualatin Heritage Center, which is now owned by the city.”

Besides being a member of the society, McClure is active in the Oregon chapter of the National Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. “I joined in 1997,” he said. “We work to preserve and interpret significant places along the Columbia River which they described in their journals.” 

History is not McClure’s only priority. “I’m also proud to be a board member for Willowbrook Arts Camp for some 10 years now,” he said. “Hopefully, we will be able to open again in 2021 for a re-boot of the 38th season.” The day camp was founded by Althea Pratt-Broome and began at the Sweek House, where she still lives today.

McClure is also active in Winona Grange. An annual grange project is giving away seeds to other granges and community gardens around the state. The Methodist Church, in fact, plants many of these seeds in its huge community garden, which produced 3,700 pounds this season for the Tualatin Schoolhouse Food Pantry.

Larry and Ellie McClure recently drove to Eugene to fill their van with free 2020 seed packets donated by Bi-Mart headquarters that will be donated to area non-profits. BARBARA SHERMAN/TUALATIN LIFE

The McClures recently drove to Eugene and filled their van with still-viable 2020 seeds, a donation from Bi-Mart headquarters. The seed packets will be shared with area non-profits, including Neighbors Nourishing Communities, a Tualatin nonprofit that encourages residents to grow their own food and share some with those in need.

“What pleases me is that more volunteers are involved in giving food boxes and supporting programs like Family Promise for homeless families in our area,” McClure said.

Many of the buildings and sites standing when the McClures moved here have now vanished, but one constant remains: Neighbors are still helping neighbors.

Interstate 205 Tolling Plan Moves Forward

Josh Kulla
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Interstate 205 Tolling Plan Moves Forward

The Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) plan to toll sections of Interstate 205 gained further momentum in September, when the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) agreed to invest toll revenue in the same areas from which it is collected. 

Despite widespread public opposition, transportation commissioners gave the plan the go ahead to ODOT staff at a Sept. 17 meeting. It calls for tolling a section of I-205 in both directions at the Abernethy Bridge at Oregon City. 

The City of Tualatin and other local jurisdictions have also been asking plenty of questions.  

“We and a lot of other cities had been asking what is going to be funded by tolling and what isn’t,” Garet Prior, policy analyst with the City of Tualatin, told the City Council at its Oct. 12 meeting. “The sooner we know, the sooner we can discern what will be improved with this.” 

ODOT had originally been considering applying toll revenue to highway and bridge improvements along the entire Oregon section of I-205 from Interstate 5 to the Columbia River. But public feedback overwhelmingly demanded that fee revenue be spent in communities where it is collected.

If this opinion prevails, it means that I-205 tolls would pay for improvements to a stretch of the highway from the Willamette River south to Stafford Road. This would include a seismic upgrade to the Abernethy Bridge, freeway improvements between 10th Street and Stafford Road, bus service involving Wilsonville’s South Metro Area Regional Transit system and other projects potentially benefitting Tualatin residents. 

“If there are things missing that are not on this list,” Prior said. “That’s something we’d want to advocate for throughout this study process.” 

Planning for tolling is set to take place over the next few years, with toll rates finalized by the end of 2022. Tolling is expected to start in the last half of 2024. 

Councilor Robert Kellogg asked Prior whether or not tolling west of Stafford Road is being explored. He also asked about the expected duration of the tolling infrastructure, including booths and payment equipment. 

“Is the idea that tolling from Abernethy back to Stafford is going to stay there forever?” he asked. “Or would they move the tolling infrastructure after the Abernethy bridge is improved?” 

Prior said that remains up in the air. 

“I haven’t heard the proposition that the tolling infrastructure would be moved,” he said. “Once the improvements are made, does the tolling continue? I think that’s still to be determined.” 

“Well, remind them that their own numbers show that congestion will increase 90 percent on local roads if they toll that,” Kellogg said. “It will be a disaster.” 

New Development Proposed for Basalt Creek

Josh Kulla
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New Development Proposed for Basalt Creek

The way is now clear for a range of new residential development in the Basalt Creek area. 

The Tualatin City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the City zoning code at their Oct. 12 meeting that will allow developers to build more homes on a 62-acre swath of Basalt Creek. The land in question is zoned for medium-low density residential construction (RML), and sits between Boones Ferry Road and Interstate 5 south of SW Norwood Road. 

The zone amendment will allow smaller lot sizes in that area and increase the amount of space on those lots taken up by single-family detached homes. In addition, 20 percent of any homes developed in that area would need to be attached single-family structures such as townhomes. Existing code requirements allowing no fewer than 10 residences per acre would not change. Together, the changes would potentially allow well over 500 new homes to be built on the land covered by the amendment.

Property owners P3 Properties and Autumn Sunrise LLC, and contractors Venture Properties and Lennar Northwest, formed a group that collectively sought the amendments. 

Councilors pointed to the City’s 2019 Housing Needs Analysis as the reason to their support. The Analysis calls for the construction of over 1,000 new homes in Tualatin by 2040. 

“A lot of residents are concerned about the future of housing in Tualatin,” Councilor Robert Kellogg said. “The developer came in and made concessions they didn’t have to, to help us meet our policy goals.” 

Opposition to the amendment was limited but loud. 

“500 homes would be completely ballistic,” said Dan Cobb, who lives just north of Norwood Road. “It’s not quite enough land in our opinion.” 

Cobb also criticized the intent of the applicants to build relatively affordable homes in any new development in the area. He said “building to the bottom of the market” means using low-quality materials and turning out homes that people ultimately will not want. 

“My concern is this complex that is in this area across Norwood road is going to become over time a rental slum,” Cobb said. “We’re trying to build to the absolute bottom of the market, and if you add a HOA, which you will want to, these homes will be rather expensive, and yet not something anybody is going to want to stay in long term.” 

Attorney Michael Robinson of Portland firm Schwabe, Williamson and Wyatt represented the applicants at the Oct. 12 public hearing. He told councilors such claims are simply not true. 

“With or without this text amendment the density is not being changed,” Robinson said. “Much of what Mr. Cobb concluded is just pure speculation, it’s simply not true.” 

Robinson said Venture Properties and Lennar are reputable builders with long experience in the Portland market. 

“Building housing that doesn’t fare well in the market is counterproductive to them because they are here in the market,” Robinson said, “It’s certainly not the way these builders behave, because I’ve known them for years.”

Council to Consider New Parks Funding Sources

Josh Kulla
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Council to Consider New Parks Funding Sources

Tualatin residents could be paying more in parks fees in 2021 to help improve the city’s aging parks system. 

The Tualatin City Council voted at its Oct. 26 meeting to consider adding a parks fee of between $2 and $5 per month to City utility bills to pay for upgrades and maintenance. The Council is also considering asking voters to approve a larger capital bond measure or a local option levy sometime in 2021 that would pay for improvements to some of the City’s oldest and most worn-down parks. 

“I do think we need to have a multilayered approach to funding,” Councilor Nancy Grimes said. “So I think it would be appropriate to look at adding a small amount for a utility fee every month in addition to these other solutions.” 

The Council’s move came after a lengthy discussion surrounding the current state of City parks, many of which are up to 30 years old and are in relatively poor condition. 

Tualatin Parks and Recreation Director Ross Hoover presented councilors with a report card for existing parks that has been compiled over the past year. It shows 19 percent of the 739 City-owned parks and recreation assets fall into the lowest scoring category because of age and poor condition. Another 23 percent were rated ‘4’ on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being then newest and best-kept facilities. 

A new local option levy or capital bond measure in 2021 could help pay for some of Tualatin’s most worn-down parks.

“Those assets that really need attention, these range in scale from small scale to large scale projects,” Hoover said. “Some of these are park benches or part of a fence that is falling apart. Some are like the [Tualatin Commons] boat launch that are a significant investment.” 

Rich Mueller, the City’s Parks Planning and Development Manager, said the cost to repair facilities in the two lowest ranked categories is significant. 

“With the 4s and 5s together, the total is just under $15 million,” he said. 

Parks in better condition also will need refurbishing to the tune of almost $20 million in coming years, he added. 

At the same time, a utility fee would also fall short of raising the kind of money needed to overhaul existing facilities. Hoover estimated a $2 per month fee would raise $271,000 per year, while a $5 per month fee would bring in around $678,000. This, he said, would not be enough to pay for the type of work needed to replace ball fields, bridges and parking surfaces that need replacement. 

“Those are the types and the scale of projects that would probably need some type of bond or a levy mechanism,” he said. 

Those cost estimates also do not include design or engineering costs, operations or maintenance, or replacing or renovating any parks buildings. Those costs would roughly double current estimates. 

A new City Parks Master Plan is currently in the works and would provide a more precise estimate of the costs involved. Yet, councilors are hesitant to wait much longer to act. 

“Maybe there should be more than one source to take care of this,” Councilor Valerie Pratt said. “I think we need to be open to more than one funding source so we can get ahead of this and not play catch up and not be closing facilities and our parks just because they’re not maintained.” 

City staff will now bring further analysis of a possible parks fee to the council before the end of the year, along with options for a possible future bond or levy. 

Holiday Happenings at Bridgeport Village

Tualatin Life
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Holiday Happenings at Bridgeport Village

Could you use a little extra holiday cheer this year? We invite you to leave your cares (and 2020!) behind and travel to Santa’s Workshop for some timeless family fun.   

There’s been a flurry of activity at Bridgeport Village and you never know when or where you might catch a glimpse of your favorite holiday character or the Jolly one himself.

“We are celebrating a little differently this year,” states Kimberly Blue, Regional Marketing Director. “We have re-imagined some traditional favorites, as well as introduced some new programs so that we can share holiday cheer safely and responsibly.”

Holidays Re-Imagined 

November 27 – December 24

  • Virtual Visits with Santa
  • Selfie Character Stations
  • Paw-liday Pet Photos
  • Peppermint Paparazzi
  • Holiday Bedtime Stories
  • …and much more!

Virtual Visits with Santa

Ever wish you could skip the long lines, and maybe a few tears for this favorite holiday tradition? Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, this year skip the lines and reserve a 5-minute video call with Santa. The video keepsake can be instantly downloaded and shared with family and friends.

November 27 – December 24                                                                                                              

Monday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Cost: $24.95 • Visit Bridgeport-Village.com to make your reservation!

Happy Paw-liday Photos

Santa has asked his elves over at Charlo Training to provide some fun and festive holiday pet photos. Bring your dog-gone good canine, purr-fect feline or feathered friend to capture a great moment in a winter wonderland setting. The keepsake photos can be downloaded and shared with family and friends. You can also feel good as 100 percent of the proceeds benefit Golden Bond Rescue. Now that’s something that’ll get your tail wagging!

December 6, 13 & 20

Sunday: 12 – 4 p.m.

  • Donation: $5 minimum
  • Location: Next to Regal

Paws at Bridgeport-Village.com for details.

Holiday Hours

Bridgeport Village is open for holiday cheer! Visit Bridgeport-Village.com for a directory and hours. Store hours may vary, please check with individual stores directly. We have great shops for everyone on your holiday list. More than 70 Shops, Restaurants & Services are open, including newest additions, LUSH, Happy Lemon, Straightaway Cocktails and Pendleton.

Storytime with Snowflake (the Elf) 

Enjoy a holiday bedtime story from the comfort of your home! Be sure to pre-purchase and pick up your copy* of the featured book from Barnes & Noble to join in on the fun. Snowflake will need your help! 

Virtual Video begins at 7:05 pm on Facebook

  • December 3 – I Got The Christmas Spirit 
  • December 10 – The Tree 
  • December 11 – The Little Reindeer 
  • December 17 – Rudolph 
  • December 18 – Eight Knights of Hanukkah 
  • December 24 – The Night Before Christmas 

*Barnes & Noble in-store shopping or curbside pick-up available.

Follow @BridgeportVillage on Facebook for event details.

Peppermint Paparazzi 

Lights. Camera. Candy Canes! Be on the lookout because the Peppermint Paparazzi will be on-site to snap photos with your favorite characters, family and friends. Guests can easily upload to share and print.  

Visit Bridgeport-Village.com for Peppermint Paparazzi schedule. You can also ask any of our character handlers to take your photo and get the same experience!

Local Churches Provide Sanctuary from the Cold

Tualatin Life
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Local Churches Provide Sanctuary from the Cold

The winter season is always hard on our neighbors who do not have shelter. Being outside during cold, rainy, nasty weather is hard on the health and the spirit. And this year, the dangers of coronavirus are added to the mix.

As the coronavirus let us know it was sticking around, Washington County’s Homeless Program Manager, Annette Evans, pulled winter shelter managers together and presented a new vision for the 2020-2021 season. She proposed 3 – 5 shelter “hubs” operating 7 days a week to replace the model of multiple single-night drop-in shelters throughout Washington County. Individuals enroll in one of these shelter hubs and have the same space every night at a facility that is set up to follow social distancing and health precautions. This model provides more stability and health safety for the most vulnerable members of our community.

Overnight shelter managers from Rise Church (formerly Calvin Presbyterian Church) in Tigard, Rolling Hills Community Church in Tualatin, St. Anthony Catholic Church in Tigard, and St. Francis Catholic Church in Sherwood worked together to establish a South County Shelter Hub. The shelter is located in Rise Church and Good Neighbor Center has taken on the responsibility for staffing and managing the shelter.

Cubicle partitions donated by Intel help facilitate social distancing between guests.

The result is a wonderful example of government, non-profit organizations, churches, businesses, and volunteers working together to meet a pressing need in the community. Washington County received a grant to fund shelter operations. Good Neighbor Center is applying their expertise to run the shelter, utilize donations and connect individuals with resources. The churches listed above plus Crossridge Church in Sherwood signed up to provide a hot, healthy dinner for a designated day of the week. Intel donated cubicle partitions to help ensure social distancing. Sherwood YMCA is allowing use of their facilities for showers once a week. All these pieces came together on Nov. 15 when the shelter opened its doors, providing warm meals and a bed to 30 individuals in need.  

It has truly been a community effort, but more support is needed. The shelter needs two more groups to provide dinners for a specified weeknight. For individuals, the shelter needs overnight volunteers to join shelter staff from 12 a.m. – 7 a.m. If you are interested in either opportunity, please contact Pedro Oliveira at poliveira@goodneighborcenter.org.

Tualatin Allows Greater Leeway for Cannabis Businesses

Josh Kulla
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Tualatin Allows Greater Leeway for Cannabis Businesses

Cannabis businesses now have a friendlier climate in which to grow in Tualatin. 

The Tualatin City Council voted 5-2 at its Nov. 9 meeting to approve new development code rules that will allow new cannabis businesses of all types to locate in larger section of the city’s industrial and commercially zoned areas. The new rules reduce existing “buffers” that formerly prevented such businesses from locating anywhere outside a small patch of industrial property at the western edge of the city. 

“This is going to just open up some of our land in commercial and industrial areas for development of a store or two,” Mayor Frank Bubenik said. “I do not envision our city overrun by pot shops like the City of Portland. Our buffers are big, and we are going to be sure these do not locate where children congregate.” 

The new rules reduce previous buffers around residential areas from 3,000 to 1,000 feet and repeal a previous ban on cannabis businesses being allowed in commercially zoned areas. The new rules are essentially identical to the minimum buffers allowed by state law. They will allow cannabis businesses in a much larger portion of the City’s industrial area on the west side, as well as in small area of commercial land straddling Interstate 5 around the Bridgeport Village shopping center. 

Councilors declined to follow recommendations of the City’s planning commission, which called for 2,000-foot buffers and a continued ban on cannabis businesses in commercial areas. 

“There were some of us who were willing to approve the PTA (planned text amendment) as written, and there were some that didn’t want to approve it at all,” said planning commission chair Bill Beers, who spoke to the council at the Nov. 9 meeting. “So that was the compromise we had; keep it away from the general downtown and residential parts of Tualatin.” 

Maps showing areas where marijuana facilities were allowed under the City of Tualatin’s 3,000-foot buffer from libraries, parks, schools and residential districts (top) vs the new 1,000 feet buffer approved on Nov. 9 (bottom).

The new rules do not permit cannabis businesses in the city’s central commercial district in downtown Tualatin. This is an area where state mandated buffers around libraries and parks would have had largely the same effect anyway. 

Several Tualatin residents spoke in opposition to the rule changes, each of them expressing concern about making access to cannabis easier for children, as well as the perceived negative effects of permitting easier “coping mechanisms” during a stressful global pandemic. 

“If you give them an inch they’re going to take a mile,” Tualatin resident Julie Welborn said.

Anthony Stewart, an attorney representing Western Oregon Dispensary, again testified in favor of the rule changes. He said strict state advertising restrictions make obnoxious signs and banners impossible, and stressed that the cannabis industry provides high paying STEM jobs. 

“Specifically if you’re setting aside the retail industry, a lot of people don’t realize the other licensees, the manufacturers, the labs, wholesalers, these are high paying, high quality STEM jobs, and jobs the community can be proud of.” 

Councilor Maria Reyes said that despite the vocal minority of the community that spoke out against the changes on social media, she wishes to respect Tualatin voters who originally chose to allow cannabis businesses to operate in the city back in 2015. 

“They have already spoken through their vote,” Reyes said. “It was based on the vote of people; that’s where my main drive for saying ‘yes’ to this is from.”

Councilors went on to approve the ordinance without debate at a second reading held at their Nov. 23 meeting. 

Local Businesses Hiring in Tualatin

Jonathan Crane
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Local Businesses Hiring in Tualatin

We’ve all seen the signs around town of businesses large and small trying to attract employees, while at the same time reading reports about high unemployment. Why the disconnect? It really boils down to people who have been displaced in certain sectors, think restaurants and retail, apparently waiting for the end of the virus to return to their previous jobs, leaving the larger employers in Tualatin still just as high and dry as they were pre-pandemic, when record low unemployment was the issue of the day.  

Tualatin has hundreds if not thousands of local job opportunities available right now. Many are in the world of production, manufacturing, shipping/receiving, CNC operation and programming, and a host of others. These local companies have strong sales and demand, yet they are often hampered by not being able to get the staff they need to get their product out the door. The increasing wages for local production jobs reflects this, going from the average of $13/hour for entry-level positions just a year or two ago to $15-$18/hour now. Yet even that is still not working, and they remain needy for help. Many of the companies we work with will train, so candidates can earn while they learn, yet still so few bites.  

The CCIO will be offering opportunities to connect job seekers with local companies in the coming months. Many currently unemployed who are holding out for their industry to come back might want to consider the possibility of exploring a new vocation that might be more sustainable as we move forward with a new and vibrant economy. For more information, email tualatincommercialcio@gmail.com.

Aging in Place: December 2020

Susan Noack
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Aging in Place: December 2020

The holiday season has arrived and social isolation is magnified more than ever for all of us. While we are all coping with the pandemic in our own ways with our families, friends and work, let’s not forget about our senior citizens and neighbors who may be struggling. Be aware of your neighbors, especially if they are alone or elderly. If anything looks amiss, it’s not interfering to knock on the door to check on someone (always with your mask on). It’s a show of kindness and it only takes a minute to keep your eyes open. If you have concerns, you can always call the Police Department at (503) 691-4800 and ask for a wellness check. Our officers are trained and prepared to do this. On the flip side, if you are that neighbor in need, it is really okay to ask for assistance. We all try to be good neighbors but sometimes we miss things and we wouldn’t know your need if you don’t ask.

There are other resources available for seniors:

  • Tualatin Police Department Prescription Delivery Service: call (503) 691-4800
  • Meals on Wheels People for home delivery of meals: call (503) 736-6325
  • Ride Connection for free transportation in Tualatin: call (503) 226-0700
  • Senior Connection Calls for a weekly friendly check-in: call (833) 736-4676
  • Senior Loneliness Line, another way to connect: call (503) 200-1633
  • Aging and Disability Resource Connection for available services to seniors: call (855) 673-2372
  • Tualatin School House Pantry will deliver food boxes: call (503) 783-0731
  • Instacart/Fred Meyer will deliver your groceries to you (there is a fee): call (844) 981-3433
  • Borland Free Clinic at Rolling Hills Church: call (503) 974-8887

If you are looking for something to do while staying home and staying safe, take advantage of all the on line programs offered by the City of Tualatin Library and the Parks and Recreation Department. Log on to www.tualatinoregon.gov and on the face page click on Our Community and then select Library and Parks and Recreation. Click on the links to discover all the programming available to you right in your home. The links for opportunities to explore is full of activities and creative ideas to have some fun, be active indoors and stay healthy:

  • do you want to take a Silver Sneakers or Yoga or Tai Chi exercise class; 
  • belong to a book club; 
  • take a health and wellness class; 
  • join a letter exchange group with the Dear Stranger Project; 
  • join an online nature and outdoor activity group; 
  • take a virtual trip somewhere across the US; 
  • a virtual tour of museums around the world; 
  • the Oregon Field Guide to enjoy the great outdoors of Oregon; 
  • check out a book or video from the library; 
  • experience the Oregon Symphony or the Oregon Zoo; 
  • tour the hidden Worlds of National Parks? 

All you have to do is log on and bring the outside world inside to enjoy whenever you like.

Thank you all for caring for each other and wishes for a healthy and safe holiday season. Let’s welcome 2021 with the hope that better things are coming and we can leave 2020’s “new normal” behind.

City COVID-19 Relief Grant Funding Still Open to Local Businesses

Josh Kulla
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City COVID-19 Relief Grant Funding Still Open to Local Businesses

The City of Tualatin has found itself this fall in the strange position of having trouble giving away no-strings-attached aid money to local residents and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Since last spring the City has directed roughly $1.2 million in federal funding to locally owned businesses and parents with school-age children. These programs also set aside money for future use. But despite handing out hundreds of thousands of dollars to local small businesses and residents for business recovery, city officials still have just under $100,000 left for that purpose. 

City Economic Development Manager Jonathan Taylor told the council at its Nov. 23 meeting that Tualatin is unique in still having money from the federal Coronavirus Assistance, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act left to distribute. 

“We are the only city that is in this position to help our local small businesses because of how we planned and distributed those funds since March,” Taylor said. 

Since that time, the City has directed $808,000 toward small business relief by combining City and State funds with federal CARES money. The resulting Tualatin Economic Stabilization Fund Program has provided grants to qualifying businesses through its Business Rental Assistance Program and the Business Oregon Small Business Fund.   

As of Nov. 23, however, around $95,000 remained available to Tualatin-based small businesses. This money must be spent by Dec. 31. 

As a result, Councilors directed City staff to not only make the $95,000 in business grants available to small businesses impacted by the pandemic, but also to expand an existing childcare scholarship program to people who work in Tualatin but who are not residents. Previously the latter program was limited to those living in the city. It remains open because the $250,000 approved by the City in August for this purpose has gone largely unspent. As of Nov. 23, just 11 children were benefiting from that assistance. 

When it comes to business grants, even businesses that have already received City assistance are still eligible for further funding. This includes, restaurants, service and retail establishments, elective health care providers and more. 

“If we can get the word out, businesses have a chance for this money,” Mayor Frank Bubenik said. “I heard a lot about the Business Oregon window closing in 17 minutes. A lot of folks didn’t realize they couldn’t qualify until the last second, but this is a lot easier. We need to get the word out this money is here. If you got this money before, you can come back again.” 

The City’s business aid has come in three rounds since March and has resulted in 102 local businesses receiving assistance. The average grant has been $7,500, Taylor said, with the largest amount distributed being $20,000 and the smallest $884. 

31 percent of grant recipients have been restaurants, with another 27 percent of grants given to service sector business like nail salons or recreation providers. 14 percent of businesses receiving aid are elective health care providers such as dentists or physical therapists. Eight percent are retail businesses, and two percent are motels.  

For more information, please visit tualatinoregon.gov/economicdevelopment.

Rotary Dictionaries Go the Distance

Diane Bonica
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Rotary Dictionaries Go the Distance

There are many December traditions. Tree decorating, menorah lighting, festive food sampling and multi celebration singing. For The Tualatin Rotary Club, December has always involved dictionaries.

For years, every third grade student in Tualatin, has been gifted a dictionary by Rotary. The books are ordered and given dedication plates. They are then delivered to each elementary school by members of the club. Students are invited to an interactive dictionary class. Fun challenges are given to help students find words and other information. Giggles overwhelm the students when they are directed to the longest word in the English language. Eight and nine year old students are given a “rite of passage” reward. As experienced readers, they are now ready for the great book that will increase their vocabulary and introduce them to the wide world of words. 

This December is different. Due to COVID, students are not physically in school buildings. The dictionary delivery tradition has been placed on hold until students are back in class. A long time Rotary tradition seemed interrupted until a phone called changed everything.

Carolyn Horne is a travel agent and a member of the Tualatin Chamber of Commerce. The COVID pandemic has been especially devastating to her industry. Like many businesses she has been forced to retool and try new approaches to her business plan. Carolyn and her husband decided to travel to St. Lucia in the Caribbean. They would personally document a safe travel plan and share it with their clients at Time To Travel Tours. They booked a stay at The Sandals Grande St. Lucian Resort and Sandals La Toc. Both locations take part in the charity program called, Pack For a Purpose. 

The Sandals Foundation has adopted schools in St. Lucia. Travelers are asked to reserve space in their luggage for school supplies. In addition to crayons, markers and colored paper, the list included English dictionaries.

One of Tualatin Rotary’s student dictionaries.

Carolyn reached out to Rotary and the December tradition had new life. This time the dictionaries would go the distance and travel to another country. The world of words from Tualatin had the opportunity to delight and enhance the education of children an ocean away. Fifty five books were snugly packed in suitcases and delivered to foreign schools.

Once again, students will be exercising their minds as they locate and learn new words. They will work on many new skills; sequencing, spelling, alphabetization, context and much more. When children go looking for one word, they are introduced to many others. Dictionaries are treasure troves of knowledge and they promote literacy and academic success everywhere in the world. 

The Tualatin Rotary Club has dedicated its fundraising activities to the educational enhancement of children in their community. The club has helped build a track at Bridgeport Elementary, sponsors Books on Wheels to provide books for all kids each summer, supports the mentoring class Intercambio at Tualatin High School, sponsors first generation college students with four year scholarships and much more.

This December dictionaries took an unexpected trip but their mission remained the same, expand opportunities for children to learn.

When the dictionaries arrived in St. Lucia, it was a local Rotary Club member, Judy Deterville, who assisted in their delivery.  The Rotarian motto of service above self is flourishing from coast to coast. The December dictionary tradition lives on even in 2020. 

Tualatin Clinic Offers State-of-the-Art Procedures Available to Patients

Barbara Sherman
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Tualatin Clinic Offers State-of-the-Art Procedures Available to Patients

The proverbial Fountain of Youth may have found a home in Tualatin.

In June Dr. Roberta Huang opened Lumera Regenerative Medicine, which focuses on hormone imbalance in the body that can cause fatigue, weight gain, mood changes and low libido. The medical office/spa offers skincare, including micro-needling with PRP (platelet-rich plasma) that stimulates collagen production, laser treatments, Botox and fillers, and several treatments for sexual wellness.

After spending more than 20 years as an obstetrician/gynecologist, Dr. Huang grew frustrated at the normal 15-minute time limit for patient visits, knowing that wasn’t enough time to get to the heart of her patients’ issues.

“In short visits, you just can’t cover everything,” she said. “People like having extra time to talk about deeper issues. This is our opportunity to do a deeper dive.

“I actually started with sexual enhancement and then fell into the hormone side of medicine. A lot of people don’t realize that there are many options available to help with sexual issues. That’s how we hope to brand ourselves. And hormones are especially helpful with menopause and peri-menopause.”

Dr. Huang is one of two providers in Oregon who used the “diVa™ laser” that rejuvenates the vagina and helps with incontinence, vaginal laxity and lubrication, and she has an Emsella™ chair that uses magnetic energy to exercise the pelvic floor to help with sexual arousal and incontinence.

Another technique to foster more sexual sensitivity involves drawing blood and spinning it in a centrifuge to produce PRP that is re-injected into sexual organs. Wherever PRP is injected into the body, the body starts healing that area.

“We call it the P-Shot™ for men and O-Shot™ for women, and there is minimal discomfort,” Dr. Huang said. “It works, but insurance doesn’t pay for it. The beauty of these things is that they are minimally invasive and don’t require surgery.”

A different technique involves placing pellets under the skin that slowly release hormones over four months for women and over five months for men. Post-menopausal women who have not had breast cancer receive a mixture of estrogen and testosterone that “can really help through those rough years,” Dr. Huang said. “I have seen women in their 60s and 70s who are still having hot flashes.”

In addition to treating sexual dysfunction, Lumera has two advanced aestheticians whose techniques include using lasers on the skin to rejuvenate it.

And coming in December, Lumera will be the first place in the Portland area to offer the cutting-age and non-invasive Emsculpt Neo™ treatment, which combines magnetic energy and radio frequency to build muscle and reduce fat by up to 30 percent. “It is going to become the new paradigm for body sculpting,” De. Huang said.

She noted that Lumera Regenerative Medicine’s staff is made up of certified practitioners who have been trained in the various procedures and treatments.

“I have so many interests,” Dr. Huang said. “But the pillars of well-being are a good diet, exercise and getting enough sleep plus having a healthy psyche that includes good social interaction.

“I believe in helping the body to heal itself, and there are techniques and advanced procedures that can help. I’m very honest with my patients, and I tell them that change is accumulative and takes place over time.”

The majority of Lumera’s patients are female because in general they are more motivated to do self-care and are up-to-date on check-ups and preventative measures, according to Dr. Huang. She insists that new patients’ medical care is current before she starts treating them.

In the first three months Lumera was open, two women came in who needed to get their mammograms, which Dr. Huang insisted they have. “Both went on to get diagnosed with breast cancer,” she said. “I’m glad we did it by the book.”

Dr. Huang said she ended up opening her office in Tualatin by chance. When she first moved to Portland, she worked at Kaiser Permanente-Sunnyside Medical Center before going out on her own and looking all over the metro area for office space. Through a real estate connection, “we found this office space pretty quickly,” she said. “We are a hybrid spa/medical office. We love our location, and we did extensive remodeling to create a clean and peaceful vibe.”

Dr. Huang was born in New York City and lived in a lot of different places as her family moved around, noting, “I went to five different elementary schools and two different high schools.” Back in New York, she attended Columbia College, went to medical school at New York University and did her OB/GYN residency at Columbia-Presbyterian, graduating in 2000.

She worked in obstetrics/gynecology for 24 years, first in Brooklyn for two years followed by two more years in Manhattan before moving to Seattle to work. She and her husband had visited Portland and really liked the area and the climate, so they moved here in 2016, where Dr. Huang worked at Kaiser until April of this year.

Outside of medicine, she enjoys gardening, painting, listening to and playing music, preparing memorable meals for family and friends, and enjoying the splendor of the Pacific Northwest outdoors with her family.

Hormone Therapy – https://www.lumeramedical.com/bioidentical-hormone-replacement
Diva Vaginal Rejuvenation – https://www.lumeramedical.com/diva
Male P Shot – https://www.lumeramedical.com/p-shot
Female O Shot – https://www.lumeramedical.com/o-shot
Body Sculpting – https://www.lumeramedical.com/emsculpt-neo
Microneedling – https://www.lumeramedical.com/microneedling
Botox – https://www.lumeramedical.com/botox
Fillers – https://www.lumeramedical.com/dermal-fillers
Light Therapy – https://www.lumeramedical.com/ipl
Sexual Health – https://www.lumeramedical.com/sexual-health

Lumera Regenerative Medicine is located at 6464 SW Borland Road, Suite C3, in Tualatin. For more information, visit lumeramedical.com or call (503) 852-9680.

Holiday House Proofing

Sarah Harwood
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Holiday House Proofing

We recently welcomed Hobbes, a five-month-old kitten, into our little pet family. He is everything sugar and spice and so much trouble. No picture frame, plate of food, or anything not nailed down is safe from this adorable orange monster. As someone who counts down the days until it’s acceptable (Can we all agree on the day after Thanksgiving?) to start decking the hall with holiday cheer, I knew that some precautions were going to have to be taken because of Hobbes.

Here are some “Hobbes proof” holiday ideas for the home to keep your pet safe and on Santa’s nice list:

  • A Christmas tree is a wonderland of pet hazards. Specifically, those dangling ornaments and the hooks used to hang them with care. Consider placing keepsake or delicate ornaments that have small parts out of paws reach by displaying them on the upper half of the tree. Keeping more sturdy ornaments towards the bottom, avoid using metal hooks when possible. Also, skipping the tinsel is a good idea. If ingested, tinsel can easily become entangled with organs making it the #1 foreign body surgery of the holiday season. Usage of a baby gate would also work well in keeping pets away from the tree.
  • Next are Christmas lights. With his history of nibbling on phone and laptop chargers, lights are going to be Hobbes’ Achilles heel. Consider purchasing electrical cord covers to keep any low hanging wires from the Christmas tree or window displays inaccessible to pets with a chewing addiction.
  • Tissue paper, bows, and ribbons, oh my! I know I am not the only one who takes great pride in my gift wrapping abilities, but this year I am foregoing the ribbons and bows in favor of decorative tape. Also, consider putting any presents containing food or gift baskets in a safe, secure area to avoid them getting opened early by prying kitties and doggies. Chocolate toxicity emergencies are greatly increased during this time of year.
  • Seasonal plants such as Poinsettia, Ivy, Mistletoe and Holly are a classic part of creating a wintery atmosphere but, unfortunately, are toxic to pets. Symptoms can include; vomiting, internal irritation and even convulsions, not worth the risk to your pet’s health or the bah humbug of spending time at the emergency hospital.

Tualatin Scrutinizes Police Use of Force Policies

Josh Kulla
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Tualatin Scrutinizes Police Use of Force Policies

The killing of George Floyd by four Minneapolis police officers last May caused waves of revulsion throughout American society and has spurred hundreds of cities to examine policing practices and standards. 

In Tualatin, Mayor Frank Bubenik and the City Council have signed the Reimagining Police Pledge created by the Obama Foundation and its offshoot, the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. As part of that pledge, the City is hosting a trio of public conversations to discuss the Tualatin Police Department’s use-of-force policies and make changes, if the Council decides it is needed. 

Tualatin Police Chief Bill Steele, Captain Greg Pickering and Sergeant Chris Turner all took turns explaining their department’s use-of-force standards and practices at the first of those virtual conversations, held on Oct. 14. They also fielded a series of questions from those attending the virtual meeting on topics ranging from racial profiling and deadly force to psychological examinations and mental health checkups for police officers. 

One key fact in the discussion, however, was brought up early when Steele discussed the concept of “reasonable” use of force as embodied in the landmark 1989 U.S. Supreme Court case Graham v. Connor. This case requires courts to consider the facts and circumstances around an officer’s use of force rather than intent. 

“What is reasonable?” Steel asked. “If you’re expecting a bright line rule – I’m afraid you’re going to very disappointed, because there are a lot of facts and circumstances that go into determining what is a reasonable use of force.” 

These can include the severity of the crime being investigated, whether or not a suspect is fleeing or armed, the size and age of a suspect, the number of officers involved, possible drug or alcohol use and many more. 

This, in part, is why there is a five-step use of force policy in place in Tualatin and most other departments that officers use in response to various situations. 

Steps range from simple officer presence, with no force used, to verbal commands such as ‘Stop!’ or ‘Don’t move!,’ to empty hand control involving bodily force to gain compliance. After that, so-called “less than lethal” tools such as batons or pepper spray are used, followed by lethal force that normally involves firearms. 

“Unless we know the arrest is unlawful, it allows us to defend ourselves or defend a third person,” Sergeant Chris Turner said.  

One problem, however, is that these policies don’t take into account how to handle the homeless or persons with mental health problems. 

“What’s not captured here,” Steele said, “is how to handle the homeless or people with mental illness situations. It isn’t necessarily coming from the law itself.” 

This is an area where some agencies, such as the Eugene Police Department, have looked to use outside agencies to respond specifically to those types of calls. In Eugene, for instance, the Care and Helping Out on the Streets, or CAHOOTS, program is nationally recognized for using unarmed responders to deal with the homeless and mentally ill. 

In Tualatin in 2020, Steele said, the agency has recorded 87 threshold events, or incidents where use of force could have been justified but was not used. There have been 29 actual use of force incidents. 

Traffic stops are also tracked closely, and data recorded must include the race or ethnicity of the person involved. In 2020, 74.6 percent of traffic stops involved white drivers, 16.3 percent involved Latinos, 3.9 percent involved Black drivers, 3.2 percent were Asian, 1.1 percent were Middle Eastern, 0.7 percent were Pacific Islander and 0.2 percent were Native American. 

The last incident involving use of lethal force by a Tualatin officer was in 2019 when Tualatin Police Detective Kevin Winfield, a 28-year veteran of the department, was among officers from multiple agencies involved in shooting a suspect near Hagg Lake. 

Prior to that, Tualatin officers were involved in two shootings in 2016. 

“It doesn’t happen frequently in our local area,” Steele said. “I’m proud to say the way law enforcement operates in our local area is a higher standard of what you see in the rest of the country.” 

Winter Events to Keep Us Connected

Tualatin Life
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Winter Events to Keep Us Connected

The City of Tualatin’s Parks & Recreation Department has been hard at work to come up with creative ways to bring joy and cheer this winter. Thanks to funding from the Washington County Mental Health & Community Psyche Grant funding, the City of Tualatin is working to respond to the adversity we have faced due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. At a time when we must remain physically distant to keep one another safe, it is equally important for each of us to connect with our communities and share what makes Tualatin so special.

Please join us for one or more of these new community celebrations!

Tualatin Gratitude Wall

Even with all of the challenges that 2020 has brought us, we have so much to be thankful for. Share your thoughts on our community Gratitude Wall! 

Purrfect Holiday Cat Photo Contest

Following up on the fun of our HOWLoween dog photo contest, we’re now sharing the smiles with our feline friends! Snap a picture of your cat getting into the holiday spirit, and enter to win a meow-worthy gift basket!

Holiday Lights Parade

Be a part of a new Tualatin tradition by decorating your car for the Tualatin Holiday Lights Parade! Reserve your spot in one of the three parades, and receive a free auto light starter kit. Not quite ready to deck out your car? Visit the webpage a week prior to each parade to see if the route goes past your home! Saturday, Dec. 5 we will be parading from Atfalati Park to Browns Ferry Park, Dec. 12 is the Ibach Park area, and Dec. 19 will be the north side of Tualatin and the Jurgens Park area. 

Happy Donuts in the Park Day!

Well, the weather outside may be frightful, but free donuts, cocoa, and crafts can help make it delightful! Bundle up and visit a park for a tasty treat and fun crafts kits to take home and enjoy.

  • Wednesday, Dec. 2, 3 – 5 p.m. – Atfalati Park
  • Wednesday, Dec. 9, 3 – 5 p.m. – Ibach Park
  • Wednesday, Dec. 16, 3 – 5 p.m. – Tualatin Community Park

For more information on these events, visit www.tualatinoregon.gov/recreation/winter-and-holiday-activities. These events are made possible by the Washington County Mental Health & Community Psyche grant funding and the Resilience Project Tualatin. Look out for more great community celebrations and activities throughout this winter!

J-Dogg Takes a Break, Hannah Fills-in

Hannah Cashman
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J-Dogg Takes a Break, Hannah Fills-in

It starts out the same as any homework assignment, 700 words due by tomorrow, with the overarching subject being about horticulture. As a highly trained professional student, this task seems quick and easy. Something I was trained to do by hand within an hour preparing for IB exams, and something that continued through college as papers stacked up and seemingly more important studies took precedence. Admittedly, as I sit down to write this, I feel a little rusty. I have watched my father, J-Dogg, struggle for inspiration, procrastinate and constantly seek the right feeling for this very article that I have now been tasked with. Pages of various brain maps attempting to organize the brilliance that becomes this article, yet here I sit with nothing but my laptop and empty cup of coffee. I wonder, how could it be so hard to simply complete the assignment? 

Any returning reader will wonder why J-Dogg has not appeared with his usually scheduled witty yet wholesome article, and why the task has suddenly fallen to his inexperienced daughter. Let me tell you; he has taken up his newest experiment, vlogging (with the intent to eventually become a plant influencer himself). The new task has given him a sense of pride as he claims to finally move into the 21st century *cue the eye roll* he has been playing with the video camera for far longer than just the last week. He has been well trained in the art of quickly capturing the mundane parts of life as each of us four children have at one point in time been his less than well-behaved subjects (maybe the plants will listen better). I believe that my father, just like many of us recently, is suffering from an acute sense of nostalgia. The overwhelming need to return to better times has been plaguing all of the generations. Snacks from our childhoods have magically appeared in the cupboards, age-old recipes have been requested and resurfaced, and questionable clothing trends have yet again returned to threaten the balance of sanity between “cool and uncool.” Yet, there is still the constant urge to move forward and find something new, perhaps something better. New snacks have been introduced from time to time, recipes have been adjusted to include vegetarian diets, and those clothing trends, as always, carry a new twist. 

The same thing can be said for gardening (I knew you were waiting for the connection). In particular for this winter season. Yes, we are still selling trees; yes, we still have winter baskets to replace the lonely post of your summer passion basket. Yet, this year looks just a little bit different for everyone individually. For example, earlier this week, a customer, let us call her Jane, came in. She was looking for a decorated winter basket. Each year, Jane would come for a basket but tended to pick the more traditional red and green combos. This year, however, was different; this year, Jane came in with a car that was already full. See, Jane is a school teacher and has been for the last 30 years. Due to current circumstances, Jane came with a car full of her classroom. Something that had been familiar to her for so long and had brought her happiness every day now was reduced to the contents of her vehicle. She marched right in with purpose; she knew what she wanted. Jane picked a basket that contained snowflakes, glitter, and all things wintery. It happened to be a basket that was just freshly made; it had been hung literally minutes before selection. There was no doubt, this basket was made for Jane. In amongst the turmoil, it was something familiar, something nostalgic, yet something new. This example is just the beginning of the magic that gardening can bring individuals. The landscape can stay the same, but something new, something that makes us happy, can always be added. A touch of color, a sense of responsibility, someone to listen, plants provide all of these things for us. This year, as we set up our trees, write our articles, tend to our gardens, I challenge us to recognize what is familiar, appreciate it, and then choose to add a twist and make this year new.

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