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I live in the Eliot neighborhood in North Portland, and the closest market to me is a Whole Foods just under a mile away.  I bike or walk there a couple of times per week, but I also travel well out of my way to shop at Trader Joe's and Fred Meyer's because I can't find everything I need/want at Whole Foods (nor is that an economically viable option for me).  While all this running around can be inconvenient without a car, I recognize that it is a luxury problem and feel lucky to have so many options, even if they aren't a stone's throw away.  That being said, I would love to see a year-round produce market nearby and think that would be a tremendous asset to the Eliot community.  This a mostly residential neighborhood with half a dozen cafes but not a single food market (not counting the corner stores filled with junk food).  To that end, I'm not sure what the deal is with some of the empty lots around here (SW corner of Fremont and N. Williams being one example), but they seem like prime locations for a grocery co-op, produce market or even something bigger like New Seasons.  

posted 1 year, 2 months ago
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I was offered a Pell Grant worth $3660 when I applied to Portland Community College in 2007 with plans to earn an Associates degree.  I was unable to attend at the time, and I applied again this year hoping/expecting to be awarded some grant money, but there is nothing left!  I work retail and cannot afford to get into debt by taking out school loans, especially when a college degree is no guarantee of finding a decent job.  I'm in my early thirties and know plenty of smart, over-educated people my age who work menial low-paying jobs, and it's not for a lack of trying.  Portland has a very competitive job market.  It's next to impossible to get a coffee shop job in this town, let alone something that matches your skill set or college degree(s).  There are simply too many people clamoring for the same jobs, and now that there are even less of those jobs, the outlook seems bleak.  I'm hoping that the Obama administration will improve things by the creation of green jobs, more funding, etc.  Also, Mayor Sam Adams wants to make Portland the most sustainable city in the country, and that should create a lot of opportunities for work, right?  I'm wondering who will fill these jobs and where/how they will receive the necessary training.  Are there any Portland colleges or universities that offer programs in sustainable industries?  I lived in Denver before, and the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design offers a BA program in Green Design.  I would love to see something like that here! 

posted 3 years, 3 months ago
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