Dave Knows Portland

Archives for January 2011

January 24, 1917: Trolley Crosses Columbia on Rails for First Time

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Trolley Car on Bridge (excerpt from The Oregonian 25-January-1917)The first span of the Interstate Bridge opened in 1917. It was the first automobile bridge between Oregon and Washington. Much later, in 1958, the second span was built. The original span now serves to convey traffic north into Vancouver. The bridge was designed by J.A.L. Waddell who also designed Portland’s Steel and Hawthorne bridges.

But the bridge was not designed just for automobiles. Streetcar tracks and five foot sidewalks were installed as well.

The bridge opened to the general public on February 15, 1917, but on January 24, 1917 a streetcar made a trial run across the bridge, making it the first trolley car to cross the Columbia River on rails.

Streetcars traveled regularly between Vancouver and Portland, across the Interstate Bridge, until 1940.

Mochitsuki Portland (30-January-2011)

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Update: 2012 Mochitsuki HERE!

MochitsukiPortland’s 15th annual Mochitsuki takes place Sunday, January 30, 2011 at the Scottish Rite Center (1512 SW Morrison), from 11am until 4pm.

Welcoming the New Year is the major celebration in the Japanese community: a time of special foods rich with symbolic meaning and gathering with family and friends. Mochi is a sticky rice cake that symbolizes starting the New Year with a full belly in hopes of abundance in the year ahead. Visitors to Mochitsuki 2011 will see steamed rice pounded into mochi with huge mallets and taste samples made from the humming electric machines popular in Japan today.

Three stages will feature everything from classical Japanese dance to hip hop and J-pop.

Food and drink options include bento, sushi, Hawaiian fare, green tea, sake, and more!

Advance tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors (62+) and students (with ID), and $3 for kids 2-12. (Visit the website for advance ticket purchase options).

At the door admission is $9 for adults, $7 for seniors and students, and $5 for kids.

Portland Timbers Roundup (21-January-2011)

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Timbers

Team News

2011 Portland Timbers Pre-Season Schedule by mao at the Portland Timbers Blog at The Offside

Exactly two months ahead of their inaugural MLS game, Portland Timbers have released their plans for pre-season training and training camps. [more]

Scot Spencer relishes MLS pressure via Reuters

With a large and knowledgeable fan base already in place, former Scotland and Chelsea striker John Spencer is expecting to enjoy his new challenge as head coach of Major League Soccer (MLS) debutants the Portland Timbers. [more]

Player News

Kenny Cooper starts new chapter by Jeff Carlisle at ESPN.com

Late Monday night, as Kenny Cooper was packing up his belongings in preparation for his return to the U.S., he marveled at the metamorphosis his abode in Munich had undergone. [more]

Adin Brown Signed by Timbers by mao at the Portland Timbers Blog at The Offside

Adin Brown has signed with the Major League Soccer version of Portland Timbers, according to manager John Spencer today. [more]

Four More Added in Supplemental Draft by mao at the Portland Timbers Blog at The Offside

Portland Timbers added four more players to their burgeoning roster through the MLS Supplemental Draft on Tuesday. [more]

Taylor “elated” about going to Portland by Doug Binder at MLSsoccer.com

After an injury hampered his senior season at the University of Tulsa, Chris Taylor knew his play in the 2011 MLS Combine would be crucial to realizing his dreams of playing in MLS. [more]

Timbers’ roster coming together by Geoffrey C. Arnold at The Oregonian

The Portland Timbers start training camp Monday after spending much of the past two months acquiring players for their first Major League Soccer roster. [more]

Business News

Portland Timbers billboards send the right message by John Canzano at The Oregonian

There’s a giant billboard on Sandy Blvd. that features a Portland State basketball player. The poor guy has his arms spread wide, and the billboard announces that the Vikings program are Portland’s team. [more]

Portland Timbers Show No Pity at The Hangline

At first, the billboards appear to advertise a fashion brand a la American Apparel but with more clothes on. Then you noticed the well-worn axe in the model’s hand. This campaign for the Portland Timbers Major League Soccer team, created by Jelly Helm Studio, is centered around the statement “No Pity in Rose City.” [more]

Stadium Update

PGE Park Renovation Update — 1.17.11 at The Nerd is the Word

With most of the new construction now taking place indoors, there’s a little new demolition to report from outside. [more]

Supporter News

Portland Timbers launch year of volunteering by planting with Friends of Trees by TR at Growth Rings

About 40 Portland Timbers staffers, including owner and president Merritt Paulson, head coach John Spencer, chief operating officer Mike Golub, and new Timbers community ambassador Scot Thompson, joined Friends of Trees today to plant 50 native trees along the I-205 Multi-Use Path near SE 92nd Avenue and Division Street. [more]

Timbers ArmyTimbers Army/Bitter End “Beer for Gear”

Join the Timbers Army at the Bitter End Pub (1981 W Burnside) this Friday, January 21, 2011 at 7pm for the Timbers Army/Bitter End “Beer for Gear” event!

“The Bitter End has been a home to us all. We drink there. We sing there. We see friends there. Hell, some of us have our mail forwarded there. As the New Year kicks off, the time has come for us to make our home more, well, homey.” [more]