Portland’s recently restored Hung Far Low Sign will be re-revealed tonight, Thursday September 2 2010, at Ping (at the corner of NW 4th and Couch).

From the Portland Development Commission press release:

The sign was removed during the 2008-09 renovation of the Hung Far Low building, which now houses Ping Restaurant. Portland citizens rallied to restore the 2000-pound landmark, raising more than $8,600 through commemorative t-shirt sales, a website and special events. PDC closed the remaining gap with approximately $45,000 in grant funding. The total cost of the project – which includes removal of the sign, design and restoration work, and its re-attachment to the building, is estimated at $77,461.

The celebration begins at 5pm, and the official unveiling occurs at 7pm.

Photo credit: This tweet from @PingPDX

Meanwhile, down on Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Oregon Symphony Waterfront Concert, with Fireworks!

At 5pm the Portland Youth Philharmonic performs, followed by the Oregon Symphony at 7pm. The performance includes a scene from The Sleeping Beauty featuring dancers from the Oregon Ballet Theatre.

The traditional grand finale is a performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture with a fireworks show, which includes shots from military canons from the Oregon Army National Guard 218th Field Artillery. [more]

Up in Northwest Portland

Chapman Vaux’s Swift Watch 2010

So here’s the deal. Every September thousands of Vaux’s Swifts come to Northwest Portland, eat lots of bugs, swirl and dive and circle the chimney at Chapman School (off NW 25th between Pettygrove and Raleigh).

Right around sunset they then all together start swirling into the chimney, tens of thousands of them, where they roost for the evening. Meanwhile on the lawn below, hundreds of Portlanders gather with their lawn chairs and blankets and unruly children and stare at the sky, mesmerized by the swirling black pepper tornado. The crowd boos when a falcon gets lucky, and cheers when he’s thwarted. [more]

And over at PGE Park

Portland Timbers vs Puerto Rico Islanders

The Portland Timbers host the Puerto Rico Islanders tonight in what will be the final USL Timbers game at PGE Park. The Timbers go on the road after Thursday for the last four matches of the season to allow renovation work on the park to prepare it for 2011 and the MLS. Home playoff games will be played elsewhere this year (Hillsboro Stadium and Merlo Field have been mentioned). [more]

Portland and Puerto Rico are third and fourth in the USL Standings (fourth and sixth, respectively, in USSF D-2). The Islanders arrive Thursday in decent form, only having lost once in the past six matches (3-2 to the Railhawks), drawing four times (1-1 each time), and beating Austin 2-0. Meanwhile the Timbers are in fine form, undefeated in the past six matches with three wins and three draws.

Timber Jim asks that you bring a sunflower to the match!

Match previews

Game 26: Portland Timbers v. Puerto Rico Islanders by mao at Portland Timbers USL Blog at The Offside

Game Preview: The Last Home Game by Kevin at Dropping Timber

Timbers face Islanders on Fan Appreciation Night Thursday at PortlandTimbers.com

Portland Timbers look to maintain momentum against Puerto Rico by Geoffrey C. Arnold at The Oregonian

How about some highlights?

The Timbers’ next opponent is Puerto Rico, who they face on Thursday, September 2 2010 at 7pm, in the last ever USL Portland Timbers match at PGE Park – you won’t want to miss it. Timber Jim’s has a special request to fans:

Please bring a large Sunflower to this historic event.

At the 80th minute we will sing “You are my Sunshine” and display these tokens of our affection until the end of the match.

Sunflowers will be collected and given to players and coaches as the Timbers pass the Timbers Army.

In player news, Futty Danso has been called up by his national side – Gambia. Better know a Timber – Kevin Goldthwaite, at Dropping Timber. And also read Michael Orr’s Return of Goldthwaite at FC Media – Kevin Goldthwaite is one of several players in Portland Timber history to have played more than once for the Portland Timbers over his career. And Matt Pyzdrowski gives us a Clean Sheet update.

And a project, spearheaded by volunteers, to create Google map Footie Fan Guide to Portland, OR, is making progress. Check out the map to find the places and businesses that matter most to the fans and the teams of professional and college soccer in and around Portland, Oregon.

Dropping Timber has write ups on a few of the Old Legends in the Jimmy Conway Testimonial Match, and images from the match. Visit Timbers Throw Ins for a collection of articles about Jimmy Conway from his Timbers days.

***

Reds and yellow all around, Timbers and Aztex draw 1-1 in hard fought match by Allison Andrews at The Timber Mill

In a match that would feature two ejections, eight yellow cards, and a lot of physical play, it would be the Timbers that would take an early lead on a goal by Bright Dike, but Sullivan Silva would tie it for Austin 22 minutes later. Though the Timbers would play much of the second half with a man advantage, they could not capitalize, and would end the night with a disappointing 1-1 draw in front of 14,985 at PGE Park. [more]

More recaps:

• Game 24: Timbers 1 – Austin 1 by mao at the Timbers USL Blog at The offside
• Timbers battle Aztex to hard-fought draw at PGE Park at PortlandTimbers.com
• Portland 1, Austin 1: Timbers get opportunities, fail to take advantage at The Oregonian
• Post Match interviews PTFC v Austin Aztex at Dropping Timber

Looking ahead

Timbers gear up for stretch run, playoffs by Paul Danzer at The Columbian

After hosting Austin today, Portland plays Crystal Palace Baltimore on Sunday and Peurto Rico on Sept. 2 to close out its PGE Park schedule. The Timbers play their final four regular-season matches on the road. Any home playoff matches will be played at either the University of Portland or Hillsboro Stadium because of renovation work at PGE Park in advance of the club’s move to Major League Soccer in 2011. [more]

In the this-is-not-new-news department

PGE Park will have a new name as Portland Timbers move to MLS by Aaron Fentress at The Oregonian

PGE Park will have a new moniker next season. What exactly remains up for negotiations. But the chance to sell the naming rights for Portland Beavers/Timbers owner Merritt Paulson couldn’t have come at a better time.

The stadium’s 10-year agreement with Portland General Electric is up after this year when the Portland Beavers are being displaced by renovations to turn the stadium into a suitable venue for the Timbers’ move to Major League Soccer. [more]

In player news

Timbers Sign Kevin Goldthwaite by mao at the Timbers USL Blog at The Offside

Q&A with Ian Joy at soccer365.com

S365 – How are you enjoying Portland?

IJ – I am absolutely loving life in Portland. After missing almost a whole year last year with injuries I needed to play games and try to stay healthy, I have been very fortunate that I have managed to do that here. A little help from Head Coach Gavin Wilkinson giving me the odd rest now and again goes a long way into giving my body the right time to recover and stay in good condition. [more]

Pore Is Money in the Bank for the Timbers by Oakley Brooks at EnzymePDX

Call him the Iceman.

Ryan Pore has taken six penalty kicks in USSF Division-2 Pro League games this season and hit all six. That’s nearly half of his league-leading 13 goals, and more important for the Timbers, the successful penalties have meant the difference in points-earning wins or ties four times. The midfielder’s latest secured a 1-0 victory over Minnesota in the 68th minute Saturday night and left Portland in fourth place in the league, five points shy of regional rival Vancouver. [more]

Ongoing – Friday through Labor Day

Oregon State Fair 2010

The 2010 Oregon State Fair extends from Friday, August 27 through September 6, at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem.

Competitions at the fair include 4-H of course, along with categories such as fine art, farm and garden, photography, floral, creative living, and grill offs. Competitions also include horse shows, and exhibits of livestock and the best part: small animals. [more]

Friday-Saturday

Festa Italiana

This is one of my favorite Portland festivals, and not just because of the strolling accordionists. I recommend arriving early to secure a table in the beer and wine garden at the top of the bowl on the SE side of the square. You’ll have an excellent view of the stage in the middle of the square. Wine is available by the bottle or the glass; and you’ll find the Festa Italiana drink prices to be more reasonable than at most festivals. Beer is available too. [more]

Saturday

Old Town Block Party 2010

The 2nd Annual Old Town Block Party takes place Saturday, August 28 2010 in Old Town between NW 4th and 5th and Couch and Davis from noon until 10pm.

DJs entertaining the masses all day long (i.e. noon until 10pm) include The Mighty Fix DJs, Matt Nelkin, and DJ Nature. In addition there will be food, beverages, local business sponsored booths, and bands: Deelay Ceelay, The Joggers, Mean Jeans, and The Lovers. [more]

Biketobeerfest 2010

The 2010 Biketobeerfest takes place Saturday, August 28 at Hopworks Urban Brewery (2944 SE Powell), from noon until 10pm.

Activities include a group ride, Huffy toss competitions, kid’s bike games, a handbuilt bike showcase, and BMX trick ride demonstrations. [more]

Saturday-Sunday

Nano Beer Festival 2010

The Nano Beer Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, August 28 2010 on SE 9th between Belmont and Yamhill, in front of the Green Dragon (928 SE 9th).

From 11am until 9pm on Saturday, and 11am until 7pm on Sunday, sample the offerings from over thirty local nano breweries, including Natian, Upright, Captured by Porches, Heater Allen, and Brewers Union Local 180. To be considered nano, a brewery must produce fewer than 1000 barrels of beer a year. [more]

Sunday

Portland Timbers vs Crystal Palace Baltimore

The NASL Conference’s Crystal Palace Baltimore makes its second and final trip to PGE Park during the regular season. Baltimore has suffered back-to-back losses, including a 5-0 defeat against the Montreal Impact on Aug. 21 at home. In the month of August, Crystal Palace Baltimore has a 1-3-1 record and has been shut out in four of its five matches. The team’s lone win in August was a 2-1 victory over the RailHawks on Aug. 14. [more]

And visit PDX Pipeline and Around the Sun for more!

Festa Italiana, my favorite downtown festival, kicks off at noon at Pioneer Courthouse Square:

This is one of my favorite Portland festivals, and not just because of the strolling accordionists. I recommend arriving early to secure a table in the beer and wine garden at the top of the bowl on the SE side of the square. You’ll have an excellent view of the stage in the middle of the square. Wine is available by the bottle or the glass; and you’ll find the Festa Italiana drink prices to be more reasonable than at most festivals. Beer is available too. [more]

7th Planet Picture Show presents Megaforce at the Mount Tabor Theater (4811 SE Hawthorne) at 7pm.

Portland’s weekly answer to MST3K, the 7th Planet Picture Show, takes place at 7pm this Thursday, August 26 2010 at Mount Tabor Theater (4811 SE Hawthorne).

Host Will Radik and guests Robert Wagner, Jay Mackin, and Twazu present Megaforce! [more]

Portland Timbers vs Austin Aztex

The Austin Aztex and their league leading offense visit PGE Park to take on the Portland Timbers – kickoff is at 7pm.

Preceding the game at 5pm is the Jimmy Conway testimonial match. Gates open at 4:30pm. [more]

Preceding the game at 5pm is the Jimmy Conway testimonial match. Gates open at 4:30pm.

In June the Timbers and Aztex played to a 0-0 draw – an impressive result for Portland’s defense, as Austin average almost 2 goals a match. The Aztex have only lost twice since that match. The Timbers continue to struggle to score goals, but are riding a two game winning streak into the match.

Match previews:

Game 24: Portland Timbers v. Austin Aztex by mao at the Timbers USL Blog at The Offside

Game Preview: The Last Home Stretch by Kevin at Dropping Timber

Game day: Portland Timbers vs. Austin Aztex at The Oregonian

Timbers play host to Austin, Baltimore at PGE Park at PortlandTimbers.com

Timbers Aim To Keep Rolling Thursday Night Against Austin by Ben Golliver at PDX Pipeline

The Timbers (9-7-7) are currently in third place in the USL Conference and fourth place over all. The second place Austin Aztex make their first visit to Portland on Thursday, August 26. They have the best offense in the league, averaging almost two goals a game. Join the Oregon soccer community at PGE Park early on Thursday for the Jimmy Conway testimonial match at 5pm. Timbers and Aztex go at it at 7:30pm.

In MLS related news, Monday the Portland Timbers were awarded the first pick in the MLS Expansion Draft. The Vancouver Whitecaps get the first pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft.

Will the Timbers secure a Designated Player in 2011? That’s an open question, but Merritt Paulson has expressed the desire to acquire a US National Team player, if he decides to sign a DP, who can help the team in a fundamental way, not just as a ticket selling draw (because obviously, in 2011 every match will be sold out anyway). How about Jay Demerit?

Local talent Brent Richards could also end up with the Timbers.

And don’t forget, the auction to raise money for the Timbers Army Van ends Saturday!

Among the several events honoring Conway, who has been diagnosed with trauma-induced dementia, the testimonial match will pit a team of Timbers alumni against the Oregon Select XI, which is comprised of players Conway coached at the youth and collegiate levels. Conway is expected to play for both sides during the match.

Tickets for the day are $12 in advance and will allow entry into both the testimonial match and Timbers game against Austin; gates open at 4:30 p.m. [more]

And now to the news roundup . . . in player news

Timbers’ Savage Battles Back From Injury by Oakley Brooks at EnzymePDX

How long does it take to show full recovery from a season-threatening knee injury? Exactly 90 minutes.

Keith Savage, a tall, rock-steady midfielder who played every game for the Timbers last season, has made the long road back from a training camp injury to now dressing, seeing action and even logging his first point. But he’s still waiting for that elusive full game played at full tilt, to erase any lingering questions. [more]

Khalif Alhassan Signs with Timbers by mao at Portland Timbers USL Blog at The Offside

Gavin Wilkinson’s scouting trip to Ghana earlier this year has yielded a new signing, Khalif Alhassan. The Ghanian U-20 international has been with Liberty Professionals, the Accra-based club in the Ghana Telecom Premier League since 2007. While he did not make the final squad, Alhassan was in camp with Ghana at the 2009 U-20 World Cup, a tournament won by Ghana. At only 19 years old, Alhassan will debut with the Timbers in early September. . . [more]

Omar Salgado Now Training With Timbers by mao at Portland Timbers USL Blog at The Offside

Omar Salgado, the much ballyhooed American U-20 footballer, has begun training with Portland Timbers after the paperwork for his transfer to Vancouver Whitecaps fell through yesterday afternoon. Salgado has been training with the reserve team at Chivas in Guadalajara for two years, but the 16-year old decided to register with Major League Soccer and join the American league via the SuperDraft. [more]

Cameron is making his mark with Timbers by David Ball at The Gresham Outlook

Most sports fans enjoy the experience of watching a game perched above a stadium in a luxury suite with comfortable sofas, a stocked fridge and glass panels to keep out any foul weather. But this is no place for a player. Josh Cameron, a Centennial graduate, found that out last season as a rookie with the Portland Timbers.

Excited to make the local pro team coming out of college, Cameron emerged out of a preseason camp flooded with college and pro talent. [more]

Some PGE Park renovation updates

PGE Park renovations signal start of something new by Geoffrey C. Arnold at The Oregonian

Walk a few steps down the PGE Park access road that begins at Southwest 18th Avenue and winds down toward the stadium, and it’s easy to notice the signs of change.

The tall hedges that lined the right side of the access road have disappeared, replaced by steel pilings, beams, excavation equipment and large plastic tubes carrying electrical cables. [more]

PGE Park Construction Timeline by Jason Davis at Match Fit USA

I’ve been wondering for some time just how Portland plans to have PGE Park upgraded and ready for MLS play come next spring. The Division II Timbers are still playing there, the city’s minor league baseball team is still playing there, and my admittedly under-educated-when-it-comes-to-construction brain has troubling reconciling the timeline with all that needs to be done. [more]

From Kip
Timbers on the road, facing key matchup for playoff positioning by Kip Kesgard at OregonLive.com

The Portland Timbers continue their quest for a playoff spot, and their efforts on August 14 in St. Louis helped solidify their place in the USSF Division 2 standings. With just eight games left the Timbers own an 8 win, 7 draw and 7 loss record with 31 points, putting them third in the USL Conference and fourth overall in the playoff table. more]

And last, but not least, Baconfest is this Saturday! What exactly does that have to do with the Timbers? Well, the Timbers Army Van will be gracing the fest with its presence; eat some bacon, have a beer, and buy some Timbers Army schwag!

We learned last week that Wayne Rooney’s brother John is on trial with the Timbers, so this isn’t new news, but now the BBC is reporting on our humble burg’s team, so I thought I’d mention it again: Macclesfield’s John Rooney in Portland Timbers trial .

In other potential player news, there is speculation that Thabiso Khumalo could be joining the Timbers as well.

On the MLS front, Kip Kesgard at the OregonLive.com Timbers Blog updates us on the team’s momentum, and tells us more about the new coach.

Newish Portland news website EnzymePDX has a couple stories on the Timbers, one about new MLS coach John Spencer and his efforts to win over the Timbers Army, and another about Dike Bright’s hot foot.

The Portland Mercury is looking for a new Timbers blogger again; Brian Costello has moved on. Anyone Interested?

And Beyond the Beat with Oregon Sports is covering the Timbers now too. Writer Ben Bradea introduces himself here, and meets John Spencer here.

And finally, the Timbers front office is apparently sending out special gifts to media types. I’m still waiting for mine . . .