Community Announcements

• Animal House to Our House: A Love Story
• Eight Free Concerts, Two Plays
• Oregon’s Connections to the American Civil War
• Clean Water Survey
• Sustainable Gardening Tour
• One-Stop-Benefits-Shopping
• A Message from Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward

Animal House to Our House: A Love Story

Preservationist and Do-It-Yourself hero, Ron Tanner, is coming to Portland. The Beaverton Historical Society, Friends of Historic Forest Grove and Washington County Museum are partnering to welcome Ron as he performs his comic monologue at The Washington County Museum at 7pm on July 11. Ron’s the guy who bought a wrecked Baltimore Victorian a decade ago because his girlfriend fell in love with the place. Never mind that it was condemned property. And a former frat house.

Neither Ron nor Jill knew anything about fixing houses. And they had been dating for only a few months. Ron has written a book about it: From Animal House to Our House: a Love Story. And now he is touring the country with a breathtaking slide show that takes viewers through the harrowing and hilarious times that he and Jill experienced. 

Not to worry: everything turned out fabulous. Jill and Ron got married in the house. Then, in 2008, This Old House magazine featured their work. Now Ron is a licensed house inspector and he and Jill run a website about old house renovation, called Houselove.org.

If you like love stories, old houses, DIY, and mission impossible tales with inspirational endings, join local history and preservation buffs from the Beaverton Historical Society, Friends of Historic Forest Grove and Washington County Museum at the Washington County Museum at 7pm on July 11; 17677 NW Springville Road.

Admission is free for members of the three hosting historical societies and $3 for the public.

Eight Free Concerts, Two Plays

The Grammy Award-winning band Los Lobos headlines the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District’s 2012 Concert & Theater in the Park series, which runs July 5 through August 23.

The free series features eight concerts and two plays. All of them will be performed in neighborhood parks except the special August 11 “Groovin’ on the Grass” concert with Los Lobos, which will be held at THPRD’s Howard M. Terpenning Recreation Complex, 158th and Walker Road, Beaverton.

As usual, the concert season will showcase a wide variety of styles performed by professional musicians in a casual park setting.

“This will be our ninth summer concert series and it may be our best lineup ever,” said Deb Fife, THPRD’s special events coordinator. “We invite our patrons to bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy high-quality music on a summer evening with family, friends and neighbors in their local park. It’s free, so get there early for the best seats.”

All concerts and plays will begin at 6 pm. THPRD’s Rec Mobile and Nature Mobile will provide face painting, games, and other fun for children at most events.

Formed in East Los Angeles, Los Lobos has entertained audiences for nearly 40 years with a sound influenced by Tex-Mex, country, folk, rhythm and blues, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music. They have recorded 17 albums, and their 1987 single “La Bamba” (from the movie soundtrack of the same name) was a number one hit. Their August 11 concert is geared primarily to adult couples. Food and alcohol will be for sale, but as is the case with all THPRD concerts and plays, no alcohol will be allowed from the outside.

On July 8, the high-energy Bobby Torres Ensemble will bring Latin jazz, salsa, samba and rhythms to Center Street Park, and on July 12 at Arnold Park, Flexor T with lead vocalist Rebecca Brown will perform their blend of country and rock.

The rest of the 2012 concert series:

• The Thad Beckman Band will mix folk, blues and honky tonk at Greenway Park on July 19.
• The Twangshifters will combine rock, soul, swing, country, boogie and the blues at Autumn Ridge Park on August 4.
• The 12-piece, horn-driven party band 5 Guys Named Moe will perform at Cedar Mill Park on August 16.
• The Freak Mountain Ramblers will play their hybrid of rock, bluegrass, alternative country and country blues at Raleigh Park on August 23.

Also on THPRD’s summer schedule are two theatrical performances:

The Beaverton Civic Center will perform “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” a Tony Award-winning musical comedy based on the classic Peanuts comic strip, at Center Street Park on July 14.

The Original Practice Shakespeare Festival will perform Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” at Carolwood Park on July 21. It’s a classic comedy about love, injustice and forgiveness.

For park addresses, directions and other information, go to www.thprd.org or call 503/645-6433.

Oregon’s Connections to the American Civil War

Called “The War of Northern Aggression” and “The War Between the States”, the American Civil War, fought over 140 years ago, continues to be a fascinating topic for research and study.

The Beaverton Historical Society will learn of Oregon’s ties to the Civil War from guest speaker Frank Krone, the current co-founder of the Oregon Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, who will present an informative look into the American Civil War and its connections to the State of Oregon.

Krone is a former Oregon Lincoln Bicentennial Commissioner who has spent the last decade conducting research into the history of America’s wars, with a special emphasis on the post-statehood role Oregonians have played in domestic and international conflicts. Frank’s secondary field of study is the American Civil War and its history, causes, and legacy.

The meeting will be held July 10, 7-8:30 pm. For more information visit www.historicbeaverton.org or call 503-430-0106.

Clean Water Survey

Clean Water Services invites Washington County residents to participate in an online survey. Survey results will help Clean Water Services understand public opinion about infrastructure and environmental management issues, and measure customer satisfaction.

Please take a few minutes to complete the short, eight-minute, online survey by clicking the link below. Your individual responses are confidential. We will share the combined results of this and future surveys with you and other members of our community.

To participate, go to surveynetwork.com/29713097/main.php?projectpin=bt3vf843w2&pin=20624648.

Sustainable Gardening Tour

Washington County Master Gardeners will hold their “Dog Days of Summer Garden Tour” July 21, 10 am-4 pm. Visit seven unique gardens featuring food production and sustainable gardening practices. Free, rain or shine. View descriptions and locations at www.metromastergardeners.org/washington/washgardentour2012.php.

One-Stop-Benefits-Shopping

One-Stop-Benefits-Shopping is now available for Washington County Seniors and Veterans. Program coordinator Linda Sneddon says, “Most of the time people don’t know what benefits are available to them or they can’t make it to an office. Paperwork and documentation can be difficult. This program removes barriers for many of these people.”

View a new media release on the Washington County Web site: co.washington.or.us/HHS/News/benefits-enrollment-center.cfm.

A Message from Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward

Oregon State Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward was appointed to complete the term of Suzanne Bonamici after she was elected to the US House of Representatives, She was sworn into office in January and serves District 17, which includes Cedar Mill and Bethany and parts of NW Portland.

In her latest newsletter, she writes, “Senate President Courtney recently assigned me to the Oregon Educator Benefit Board Task Force, which will evaluate the efficacy of OEBB in improving health care delivery and reducing costs for its members. I look forward to utilizing my experience as a primary care physician in this new role. Additionally, I am a member of STEM, a new Task Force established for the purpose of encouraging students to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”

“In the coming months, I will be developing my legislative agenda for the 2013 session. If you have ideas about possible legislation, please send them to me at sen.elizabethsteinerhayward@state.or.us. I always welcome your input, questions, and concerns.” Visit her state web page to sign up for updates: leg.state.or.us/steinerhayward/home.htm

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