Being Thankful

Posted on April 6, 2025 by Thebeerchaser

The beautiful Columbia River Gorge

Welcome to Thebeerchaser. If you’re seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos (especially the family photos at the end) and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post – #1.)

In this time of turmoil – not only in the US, but throughout the world – we have to work to gain perspective at times and reflect on our many blessings. One of my blessings is my wife, Janet – we had our 45th anniversary on March 29th.

Janet and I met in early 1979 at an evening Oregon City Planning Commission meeting when I was Chair of the Commission and she was a newly-hired Planning Department staffer. We started dating and got engaged at the Top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco in September.

Shortly after getting married, we even decided to attend graduate school together – my last two classes and her first two – Data Analysis for the Masters in Public Administration program at Portland State University.

It was in the early days of PCs so we had to drive in to Portland and wait with other students (sometime for 45 – 60 minutes) to have our punch cards run on the mainframe to produce a printout which we analyzed.

It was our first negotiation of the marriage – the winner would clean our bathrooms and the loser would go down and stand in line at Shattuck Hall….

I’m always thankful for the courage Duane (FDW) and Frannie (my parents) had in 1961. After visiting Oregon on a vacation the summer before, they decided we would move to Oregon with four kids – ages 8 to 14 – and without FDW having a job – to have a better life than in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Whenever I drive up the Columbia Gorge past Multnomah Falls and see majestic Mount Hood, I think of the sacrifices they made to make that move as well as remember the first time my family viewed those sights driving west on Interstate 84 to Portland when I was twelve.

So, on our anniversary, Janet and I decided to take a trip up the Gorge to the picturesque burg of Hood River – population of about 9,000 right on the banks of the Columbia River and with grand views of Mt. Hood in the background. Of course, on the way, there was a short stop for a beer and a tasty order of sweet potato fries at Thunder Island Brewing in Cascade Locks.

Thunder Island Brewing Co.

We’ d been to Thunder Island several years ago, when it was in a rather ramshackle structure with a few picnic tables adjacent to the parking lot and the offerings were sparse. Oh, has that changed, although unfortunately, their website doesn’t really relate the history except through several news articles in The Oregonian and Brew Public in 2021 – 2.

The owners’ account is almost always more meaningful and personal – especially when it’s the journey of former homebrewers who followed their dream such as Thunder Island’s husband and wife ownership team of Dave and Caroline Lipps Park.

That said, the 2021 Oregonian article by former Beer Writer, Andre Meunier – updated in 2023 – does a superb job of relating the 2013 origin, the relocation and their current operations.

Similarly, the September 2020 Columbia Gorge News story by its Editor and my friend, Kirby Neuman-Rhea provides great perspective:

“Owners Dave and Caroline Lipp embarked on a new building project and started a family all within the same year, operating their popular riverside brewery and pub under COVID-19 conditions as they prepared in late August to move from the original riverfront location 100 yards up to 601 N.W. WaNaPa Ave.”

The Lipps had to deal with high winds and the wildfires that swept the Gorge and caused the closure of all establishments relying on outdoor seating. But the new facility is very impressive – two stories with multiple bars, several dining areas and an expansive patio. (Right after the relocation, the patio was the only area open but was well received.)

Thunder Island takes its beer seriously as documented in Andre Meunier’s aforementioned article:

“Of all the changes, the most important might be the hiring of head brewer Jen House in February of 2021. Formerly of heralded Russian River Brewing, the California maker of popular Pliny the Younger and Pliny the Elder beers, House most recently brewed at Hood River’s Double Mountain Brewery.

She also holds a master’s degree from University of California at Davis fermentation program, and she has brought that expertise to Cascade Locks, along with consistent quality to Thunder Island’s beers.” (#2 – #3)

How’s that for a resume!

I’m sure the Brewery has won multiple beer awards, but again, their website surprisingly doesn’t mention these. I did find this after a search on the web – from 2022:

“We are thrilled to announce that we took home our first Oregon Beer Award with a bronze medal for our Mrs. Pierce’s Porter. We’re honored to be amongst so many amazing breweries and medal winners. Shout out to Jen for brewing such stellar beers.”

Our server, Helmit, was great and we tasted several beers and decided to go with a sampler with these four:

(YaYa Juicy IPA, Hatchery Hazy IPA, 140 IPA and Vertical Limit Amber Ale)

All were good, but the YaYa – their flagship – was our favorite. Thunder Island also has a great pub menu. We ate a shared order of delicious sweet potato waffle fries for $9 and we took a good part of it to go.

On to Hood River

We’ve made a number of trips to Hood River previously and always enjoy the quaint, but bustling, downtown area with great shops, two breweries (Pfriem and Ferment) and especially the walk along the Columbia River. It is outstanding – especially on a warm sunny day when the forecast had been cold and cloudy. (#4)

We love both of these breweries, but with time constraints, chose Ferment on this trip. It’s a multi-storied building with a large deck on the second-floor sporting plenty of tables. The expansive open area with a nice lawn in back of the brewery, also with picnic tables, provides additional space including an area for dogs (and kids) to roam, play frisbee, etc.

And the interior is spacious and classy with great views of the River and exposed brewing equipment. We just had time to split a beer and chose the Nelson IPA which rivaled the Thunder Island IPA. (# 5 – #6)

We had ninety minutes before our dinner reservations, so we parked a few blocks from Celilo Restuarant and strolled through downtown Hood River – a bunch of small shops – cycling, windsurfing, outdoor gear, galleries and a classic bookstore. (Janet persuaded me – with some effort – to avoid the temptation to hit the Oak Street Pub based on the Yelp review):

“While walking around Hood River I was looking for a local beer and something to snack on. I stumbled upon this place and decided to drop in. I was surprised to see they had fried Cheese Curds on the menu which was awesome! I was torn between those curds and the nachos.

I went with the curds because, when will I find curds again.The curds were just perfect. The beer selection could’ve been a bit more diverse but it was ok. Support local!”

Janet didn’t accept my contention that dining on cheese curds would significantly reduce our dinner expense. While she looked at some boutiques, I spent almost thirty minutes browsing in the Waucoma Book Store – also on Oak Street – and a very pleasurable experience.

And I was glad, although not surprised, when viewing the Staff Recommendations section to see nine of the ten novels (all of which I’ve devoured) written by my Beerchasing friend, author Warren Easley – the most recent Beerchasing Notable. (Only Matters of Doubt was missing – the first in the Cal Claxton series and a great read.) (#7 – #10)

Dinner

As we were waiting for Celilo to open at 5:00, I was preparing to get a photo of Janet in front of the restaurant and then a nice couple offered to take our picture. The manager was just opening the door and heard me say that it was our 45th anniversary.

And what a classy establishment – sparkling interior, great bar, friendly and knowledgeable servers and outstanding food based on our one visit. Janet wasn’t extremely hungry and wanted the salmon burger and I gave her a few bites of my New York Strip Steak – perfectly cooked medium rare with “Rosemary and garlic roasted red potatoes, Oak Rose kale, radish and blue cheese salad, horseradish cream, red wine sauce.”

My yearning for cheese curds was quickly forgotten and we took enough home for dinner the next night (we supplemented with our remaining waffle fries from Thunder Island). (#11 – #13)

And as I suspected, the establishment, opened in 1995, is locally owned and operated – the chef and managing partner, is Ben Stenn (photo above) and they have a great philosophy:

“…..the foundation of Celilo Restaurant when it opened in 2005 (is) Ben’s philosophy, ‘Know the source, Know your people, Know your food.’”

We waited to order our drinks until after the server took our menu choices and I was ready to order a dry gin martini (up with olives) when the bar manager appeared with two flutes of champagne and said, “Happy Anniversary.” Our experience at Celilo was a superb way to end a wonderful trip.

Thanks Celilo!

And to Close on the Thankful Theme….

On March 29, 1980, Janet and I were married in the Oregon City First Presbyterian Church. It’s been a whirlwind forty-five years and I thank God every day for Janet who has been a wonderful wife, mom to our two daughters and grandmother to our four wonderful granddaughters. And she’s also a wonderful Beerchasing companion (except to dive bars!)

Blessings and Cheers

Internal Photo Attribution

#1. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons File:Cape Horn, Columbia River Gorge NSA.jpg – Wikimedia Commons. This image is a work of the Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain. Author:
Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region – 9 September 1992.

#2, Wikimedia Commons (File:Panorama of Columbia River Shore – Hood River – Oregon – USA.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Adam Jone Ph.D. – 29 September 2012.

#3. Thunder Island Brewing Facebook Page.(https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1935141349959870&set=a.260315430775812).

#4. Thunder Island Brewing Facebook Page. (https://www.facebook.com/ThunderIslandBrewing/posts/%EF%B8%8Fhead-brewer-jen-house-says-come-grab-a-pint-of-brave-noise-pale-ale-this-4-abv-/2203374693136533/).

#5. Ferment Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1212973380836468&set=pb.100063714512945.-2207520000&type=3).

#6. Ferment Brewing Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1078275794306228&set=pb.100063714512945.-2207520000&type=3).

#7. Waucoma Bookstore Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1059900462830808&set=pb.100064325935808.-2207520000&type=3).

#8. Waucoma Bookstore Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/HoodRiverChamber/photos/t.100064325935808/1372035909517338/?type=3).

#9 – #10. Warren Easley Website ((https://www.warreneasley.com/).

#11 – #13. Celilo Restaurant Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=490672409735957&set=a.490672376402627).

Court(s) are in Session – Part I

Posted on October 17, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Moda Center – Home of the Portland Trailblazers

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please click on the title to bring up the post so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1 – #2)

Well, it’s time for the NBA Season to “kickoff” and the Portland Trailblazers – rebuilding since their NBA Championship in 1977 – evoke a lot of good memories as well as frustrations.

The zenith was the 1977 victory over the Dr. J (Julius Erving – led Philadelphia ’76ers) where the underdog Blazers, coached by the legendary, Jack Ramsey, lost the first two games and then won four straight to win the series.

The late Bill Walton was named the MVP which led Philadelphia Coach, Gene Shue to comment, “Bill Walton is the best player for a big man who ever played the game of basketball.” (Wikipedia) (#3 – #5)

But there have been bad times as well for our pro hoopers. For example, the Portland Jail Blazer era:

“One of the most infamous periods in Trail Blazers history is the era of the ‘Jail Blazers.’ Though the team had experienced its fair share of controversy and issues in prior seasons, many consider the ‘Jail Blazers’ saga starting during the 2000–2001 season.”

Fortunately, the players with questionable character during that era, were eventually traded and another rebuilding started in 2006 with better citizens running the floor.

A fascinating Willamette Week article in 2018 gave an update on six of the most “notorious” and some of them at least turned the corner. https://www.wweek.com/sports/2018/01/17/a-look-at-where-six-of-the-best-known-jail-blazers-ended-up/

For example, Isaiah (JR) Rider who “….gave us a basketball gift to remember — the most unlikely shot in NBA history.” (Yahoo Sports.com)

“His life fell apart after his forced retirement from the league in 2001, but he seems to be picking up the pieces. He started a kids’ basketball training program in Arizona called Sky Rider. According to his Twitter account, he’s a ‘current family man’ and his 6-year-old son is a spelling bee champion.

But my best memory of the Blazers was from 1979. I had one-third of a season ticket – two tickets to about twelve games that I split with some work colleagues. I asked Janet Dancer, who I met at a night meeting, for a date when she was working for the City of Oregon City and I was the Chair of the Planning Commission and our first date was to a Trailblazer game.

After being married for forty-four years this year, she still kids me about not taking her out to dinner before the game. I have always responded, “Two Blazer tickets cost enough for one date!”

Mug Shots…

These days, I don’t go to many Blazer games; however, I always watch them on TV notwithstanding the fact that they haven’t gone to the playoffs in the last three years and in 2019-20 lost in the first round.

The team still offers some good basketball to watch and having a beer while “spectating” in my Lazy Boy Recliner while watching on a big screen is almost better than being at the game.

Photo Oct 16 2024, 8 39 41 PM

Now given my Beerchasing hobby, I have a lot of mugs and beer glasses. Shown below are just a few of my favorites from my exploits over the last thirteen years.

But to enhance the experience for the coming season, I decided to visit the NBA Store which offers a good selection of mugs including this one for the Trailblazers. You can use this link to procure some discounts. https://capitaloneshopping.com/s/store.nba.com/coupon (#6)

Rip City!

A Collaboration

And based on an announcement this week, the first beer in my new Blazer mug will be a Rip City IPA:

“Whether at the game or watching from home, this beer is the perfect game-time drink. ‘We wanted to create an IPA that embodied the taste of Oregon,’ says Rogue Brewmaster Joel Shields. ‘It’s piney, crisp, and perfect for cheering on the Trail Blazers!'” (#7)

Perfect game-time drink

Players in the Other Court

I worked with lawyers for over thirty years during my career – first as the Business Manager at the Oregon State Bar and then retiring after twenty-five years at the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt law firm – the last twelve as the Chief Operating Officer. I therefore have a keen interest in legal issues and also love the lawyer mentality.

On the whole, the many lawyers with whom I worked, were dedicated and collegial professionals who worked diligently for their clients and to uphold the Rule of Law.

My employment at the Bar and the firm as well as knowing so many lawyers, however, meant my service as a juror was, in all likelihood, not going to happen. And jury duty was something I always wanted to experience.

One time in a criminal trial, I didn’t survive voir-dire because I answered the prosecutor’s question with another question. I was the victim of her first preemptory challenge. The other times when I was a member of a jury pool, I knew either one or both of the trial lawyers and was excused.

As a result of my long-term friendship with outstanding Portland lawyer and mediator, the late Susan Hammer, who was also a colleague on the City Club of Portland Board of Governers, I met and had lunch with Multnomah County Judge Jerome Labarre in 2013. (#8)

We became friends and after I related my tale of woe of never serving on a jury, he said:

“Well Don, it’s not serving on a jury, but I have some interesting trials on my docket, and you are welcome to sit in my courtroom and observe.”

Jerry, a Georgetown Law grad, was appointed to the bench in 1999, after serving for a number of years as an assistant district attorney and then in private practice specializing in complex litigation.

He is a Past President of the Multnomah Bar Association and an adjunct professor at Lewis and Clark Law School. He retired in 2017 and now has a mediation practice.

And in 2013 I subsequently observed a one-week murder trial (interestingly enough the victim was shot in an east Portland dive bar) and then a fascinating month-long trial which resulted in the largest verdict for a plaintiff in Oregon history – a class action suit against British Petroleum – described as “Oregon’s Landmark Class-Action Suit.”

But alas, Beerchaser.com followers, you will have to await the story of that experience and some other court-related tales in Part II of this post – stay tuned…. (#9)

And Vote on November 5th!

External File Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (File:Rose Garden Arena Interior.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Subject to disclaimers. Author: Tv145033 at English Wikipedia – 22 March 2006.

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:Clackamas County Courthouse, Oregon City – DPLA – 13cd2d986b77594222b11d38c0491c08.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Author: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives – 6 August 2013.

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Portland-Trail-Blazers-Logo-1990.png – Wikimedia Commons) This logo image consists only of simple geometric shapes or text. It does not meet the threshold of originality needed for copyright protection, and is therefore in the public domain. Author: Portland Trailblazers – 1 January 1990.

#4. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Bill walton blazers photo.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1929 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Author: Portland Trailblazers – 1977-78.

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Bill Walton and Jack Ramsay – Portland Trail Blazers – Wikipedia) By Unknown author – Sporting News, Public Domain, (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31110876) – 1977.

#6. NBA Store Website (Portland Trail Blazers 32oz. Macho Mug with Handle (nba.com))

#7. Rogue Ale Website (Oregon rocks at GABF; Oregon City Brewing gets bookish – dwilliams2951@gmail.com – Gmail (google.com)). Andre’ Meunier column The Oregonian 10/17/2024.

#8. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Jury box in the courtroom of the Van Buren County Courthouse in Clinton, Arkansas.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide under copyright law. Author : Brandonrush -19 August 2020.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Balanced scale of Justice (blue).svg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide under copyright law. Author: User:Perhelion, color edited by User:Deu – 12 March 2015.

March Gladness

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos at the end of the post and so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. External photo attribution at the end of the post.

Since I periodically swerve from this blog’s main focus – review of a particular bar or brewery – you might expect a few comments about both the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four Basketball spectacle, but that’s not the case except for a minor observation or two below.

No, my title is because notwithstanding many regional, national and international concerns and challenges which are vexing and depressing, I’m going to end the month chiefly focusing on the positive.

A primary factor is that on March 29th, I celebrate our 44th anniversary with my wonderful spouse, Janet. From the time I first laid eyes on her at a 1979 meeting of the Oregon City Planning Commission. I chaired that body, she served as the City’s Neighborhood Involvement Coordinator, and ever since, I’ve been blessed by her companionship, patience and affection.

Busier than a Urologist in March

A slight alternation of the term for the annual March tournament was coined several years ago. “Vas Madness” refers to the demand for appointments for vasectomies right before the Final Four so the male patient can cite doctor’s orders that:

“During the (recovery period) patients are under strict medical orders to rest and avoid strenuous activity while periodically icing the groin area. With all that free time to lounge around, men are likely to want to have something planned.”

It’s explained very well in a USA Today article “Vasectomies and March Madness: How marketing led the ‘vas madness’ myth to become reality.” And it’s fascinating to do a Google search on “vas madness.” Numerous urological clinics cheerfully (and aggressively) advertise. Look at this one by the Central Indiana Urological Group:

“Ready for some exciting basketball? We’ve got your assist: Vas Madness”

And the Oregon Urology Institute, in my own state, helpfully offers:

“5 Reasons to Plan Your Vasectomy During March Madness”

The most gripping – “Score a free T-shirt” – with a slogan “Lower your seed…Snip City 2024” (#1 – #2)

Permanent birth control is a slam dunk…..

If you are a Bloody Mary fan, you might also want to stock up on ice as it becomes a “groin concern” and might be in limited supply.

And Just in Case

Those who might need it, but understandably are somewhat reluctant to have the procedure, could well take the admonition of this sign recently posted on the wonderful Facebook page of the group American Saloons, Bars & Taverns: (#3)

Reaffirming Optimism in Portland’s Old Town

In my last blog post entitled Optimism in Old Town, I enthusiastically set forth the positive steps that owner, Adam Milne has recently taken to demonstrate his commitment to a Portland recovery.

His “Believe in Portland” campaign has gained traction and there are more indications that Portland businesses and leaders are working to regain the City’s reputation as a wonderful place to both live and visit.

I was therefore glad (remember the theme of this post) to see a headline in yesterday’s local news: “$2 million to go to transforming Portland’s Old Town vacant buildings into fashion manufacturing facility.” KGW.com

“If approved by the governor, the money will go to the Old Town Community Association, part of a group that wants to bring manufacturing, housing, and office and retail space to the district on the northern edge of downtown.” Oregon Live (#4 – #6)

There are multiple issues for Portland to overcome, however, as an article just today, in the Oregonian reports:

“Portland’s central city had the highest office vacancy rate of the 50 largest downtown office markets in the country by the end of last year, according to a report by real estate firm Colliers.” (#7)

The Pacwest Center where I spent twenty-five years.

And the homeless quandary seems staggering although Portland voters and the various levels of government have approved substantial financial resources to address the problem.

Why Can’t We Just Get Along and Get Something Done??

The City of Portland, after a successful ballot measure, is restructuring its governing and management organization. It’s a massive transition that would be a challenge for any entity, but the efforts have not been smooth to date.

And notwithstanding the available funds, the homeless plight continues with improvements at what many consider to be a glacial pace.

We watch the City of Portland and the Multnomah County fighting over policy and jurisdiction with a multitude of non-profits gumming up the works and adding to the acrimony. (#8 – #9)

Voters have approved money and changes to restore Portland, but that sinking feeling of despair returns when reviewing the recent announcement of the Joint City of Portland – Multnomah Homeless Response Action Plan – chronicled as a major step forward.

An Astute Reaction

Jack Bogdanski, is a professor of tax law at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland. He graduated from Stanford Law School as a member of the distinguished Order of the Coif.

“He is a five-time winner of Lewis & Clark’s Leo Levenson Award for excellence in law teaching. He supervises the school’s tax moot court team, which has won national honors, and he founded and runs a volunteer clinic to assist international students with U.S. tax issues.” (#10)

Now taxation may sound rather boring, but the erstwhile academician is also an inveterate blogger and one of the most prolific and entertaining in the Northwest.

Check out the insightful excerpt from his post “It’s Hopeless,” below and you’ll understand why the announcement from the City/County group should be met with disdain.

“I see that the lame duck mayor of Portland and the queen of the Multnomah County commission held another one of their bizarre press conferences about the city’s street crisis yesterday. They’re very big on the media photo ops. They had an almost identical one in December.

At that point, they were bragging about a framework for a draft of a plan for some programs. Yesterday they had moved from the framework to the draft. So now we’ve made it all the way to the draft of the plan for some programs. It took only three months. You wonder how many junkies, and small businesses, died in that span of time.

And if you think the wait was bad, you probably don’t want to look at what we were waiting for. Forty-seven pages of bureaucratic word salad. The content is so bad, it’s almost a parody. Turn any page and you find stuff like: (#11)

“Word Salad” is too genteel to describe this BS….

‘The Homelessness Response Action Plan creates new governance and accountability structures to allow decision-makers to set goals, objectives and the budgets needed to achieve outcomes. It creates a co-governance model in the Steering and Oversight Committee to identify responsibilities, coordination and goals.

Under that committee, it calls for an Implementation Sub-Committee to track progress, identify challenges, collaborate and hold one another accountable to solutions.

And it assembles a robust Community Advisory Sub-Committee to elevate the issues of those across the spectrum of providers, partners and impacted stakeholders to offer their input on goals and solutions and other kinds of feedback…..”

Edwin Newman and Schu Would be Appalled.

The last two years of my seven-year tenure for Clackamas County, I was an Administrative Analyst for the three-member County Commission. My job was to write memos, press releases and various missives as well as financial analysis.

And the late Commissioner Robert Schumacher, as Chair of the Commission, was my primary boss. Schu, went out on a political limb to hire two young guys to help formulate budgets and perform a variety of organizational tasks for a county that was sorely lacking in best practices.

Mike Bateson and I promptly became known as “The Whiz Kids” – I like to think with a certain amount of bemused affection from our colleagues in County Counsel and various Departments.

Bob “Schu” Schumacher graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School and had a better grasp of the Oregon land-use system implemented in 1973 with passage of Senate Bill 100, than almost any elected official in Oregon. Having served several terms as Clackamas County Clerk, he was also an expert at Oregon Election Law.

Besides that, Schu had a remarkable and acerbic sense of humor that helped mitigate the stress of local government work. He was a superb and gifted elected official.

Although he was my boss, we became good friends and he served as an usher in our 1980 wedding. After several terms on the Commission, he left to work on the Oregon Governor’s staff. He passed away far too young.

Now before you think I’m straying too far afield, the preceding narrative is appropriate because consistent with the theme of this post, I will be forever glad that I spent two years working for this consummate elected official.

Schu was also a student of the language and we used to have shots of bourbon in his office after hours and laugh at the brilliant books of Edwin Newman, American newscaster, journalist, and author. He wrote both Strictly Speaking: Will America be the Death of English? and a Civil Tongue. (#12)

Journalist, author and newscaster

I still remember during budget hearings averting my gaze from Schu to avoid laughing when a Department Head would use a redundancy such as “free gratis” or state in a subdued tone, “Just between you and I,” use the term “hopefully” or end a sentence with a preposition.

And Newman would go nuts if he saw the quote from the Homeless Action Plan release above. As he once asked rhetorically:

“Is the design and implementation of pragmatic interfaces’ something we want to happen? I’m not sure.” Washington Post

(I should note that I’m leaving myself as a target, because I’m sure I’ve committed some linguistic or grammatical gaffes in this post. My friend, lawyer and legal consultant, R.W.(Hap) Ziegler, who scrutinizes (nitpicks?) each one for errors and will e-mail me within ten minutes after it is published. Since I don’t want to be a hypocrite, I also welcome his inspection.)

And Finally – Don’t Forget Dr. Harry Frankfurt

I have written several posts including “BS Revisited – If Only I had Known in 2012!” about the brilliant book On Bullshit by the late Harry Frankfurt, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Princeton University. (#13)

The good professor would use the “BS” label to describe both the written and the spoken word and this excerpt seems fitting to describe the author of the above press release:

“When we characterize talk as hot air, we mean that what comes out of the speaker’s mouth is only that. It is mere vapor. His speech is empty, without substance or content. His use of language accordingly does not contribute to the purpose it purports to serve.

No more information is communicated than if the speaker had merely exhaled. There are similarities between hot air and excrement, incidentally, which make hot air seem an especially suitable equivalent for bullshit.

Just as hot air is speech that has been emptied of all informative content, so excrement is matter from which everything nutritive has been removed.”

Enough said!

Farewell Malachy McCourt

I wrote about Malachy’s Bar in New York City in my February post “Don’t Jump When You Can Dive – Part III”. I had also recently featured former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Jay Waldron who after he saw the post commented:

“Was Malachy’s named after Malachy McCourt? He was a full-of-shit Irishman who played rugby and drank with me in NYC in the late 60’s and I also had a pint with his more famous author/brother Frank in McSorleys , my then favorite NYC bar. Jay”

The answer to Jay’s question was affirmative. McCourt was, indeed, a rugby player who owned Malachy’s Irish Pub on West 72nd Street. (#14 – #15)

Well, thirty-one days after I wrote about McCourt and Malachy’s Irish Pub, Jay sent me this link to the Washington Post obituaries:

“Malachy McCourt, raconteur of the Irish experience in America, dies at 92”

Cheers! (#16)

Pam 13

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (File:Kansas Jayhawks Open Practice at the 2016 March Madness Opening Rounds (25817826036).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Phil Roeder from Des Moines, IA – 16 March 2016.

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:Rtu.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Ramonduran – 28 June 2001.

#3. Facebook Page of Amercian Saloon, Bars and Taverns (https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmericanSaloons).

$4 #5. Old Town Brewing Web Site (https://www.otbrewing.com/shop)

#6. Wikimedia Commons (File:Portland, Oregon sign + Old Town tower, 2012.JPG – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Another_Believer – 8 January 2012.

#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons – PacWest Center (icensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Cacophony 18 June 2006.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (File:Ted Speech.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Hcraddock – 5 December 2015.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:Jessica Vega Pederson.png – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: MetroEast Community Media – 30 October 2017.

#10. Lewis and Clark Law School Website (https://law.lclark.edu/live/profiles/295-john-bogdanski).

#11. City of Portland Website (Portland, Multnomah County announce Homelessness Response Action Plan | Portland.gov).

#12. Wikimedia Commons (File:Edwin Newman in 1975.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1929 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Author: NBC -12 December 1975.

#13. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harry_Frankfurt_at_2017_ACLS_Annual_Meeting.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) 20 October 2018.

#14. Wikimedia Commons (Malachy_McCourt_3_by_David_Shankbone.jpg (2265×1913) (wikimedia.org) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: David Shankbone – 30 March 2007.

#15. Malachy Irish Pub Website Photo Gallery (https://www.malachysirishpub.com/gallery).

#16. Illustration courtesy of Pam Williams.

Standing on the Corner…..Corner 14 That Is!

Posted on June 27, 2021 by Thebeerchaser

(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. Since this is a long post, if you are seeing it through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)

Corner 14 is a great “new” family-oriented venue in Oregon City where one can get “great food, spirits and brew,” in both an expansive outdoor environment, or now that restrictions are lifted, in a nice indoor space as well.

I’ve been there four times in the last two months and all visits were enjoyable with good beer and delicious food – each time from a different choice in the eclectic food carts on the premises. And I’m delighted that an entrepreneurial family was willing to take a risk in the town in which I spent a good part of my youth.

Find out below, why you should put this on your list of establishments to visit this summer. But first a little context. Why should you want to visit Oregon City?

My family moved to Oregon City, Oregon from Ohio in 1960 when I was twelve. Oregon City is a wonderful community – now with about 38,000 people – about twelve miles south of Portland on the Willamette River. The Oregon City Arch Bridge built in 1922 is an historical landmark.

2016-08-15 16.26.06

History abounds – the city was founded in 1829 by the Hudson Bay Company and in 1844 became the first incorporated city west of the Rocky Mountains. The original plat of San Francisco was filed there. (See end of post for photo attribution *).

Willamette_Falls_(Clackamas_County,_Oregon_scenic_images)_(clacD0069)

For many years, it was a mill town with Publishers Paper at the south end of Main Street and Crown Zellerbach right across the River on Willamette Falls in West Linn. *1 That’s the site of the first multi-level navigational locks in the US.

The Willamette Falls Legacy Project is a public (four government entities) and is owned by the Confederated Tribes of Grande Rhonde who own the site.

It’s also the only city with an outdoor municipal elevator in the US. The Oregon City Municipal Elevator (130-foot vertical lift) was originally constructed in 1915 and was water-powered. (It required riders to navigate a wooden catwalk between the exit and the Promenade at the top.) The current elevator replaced it in 1955.

P1040519

The Elevator took me from the second level and the top of the basalt cliff to downtown where I delivered the The Oregon Journal in junior high.

Our home was on Center Street on the second level – across the street from the historic John McLoughlin House – I also mowed and took care of the McLoughlin House lawn during the summer for $20 per week.*5

250px-john_mcloughlin_house_oregon_city.jpg_3534603314

Living in OC was like taking a continuous class in Oregon History. Our first house at 720 Center Street was built in 1908 and owned and occupied by Captain M.D. Phillips.

Captain Phillips House *6

“He served during the Spanish American War as a member of Company I of the Second Oregon Regiment of Oregon Volunteers. He replaced Captain Pickens while in the Philippines.

Captain Phillips was co-owner of the Riverbank Skating Rink in Downtown Oregon City with G. Olds and later was employed as foreman by Crown Willamette Company.” (City of Oregon City Planning Department)”

Main Street is filled with historic buildings and the Carnegie Library – only about four blocks from our house – was built in 1913. The City’s infrastructure such as the Oregon City-West Linn Bridge and the Elevator are on the National Register of Historic Places.

After Oregon City High School in 1966 and graduation from Oregon State University and Naval Service, I returned to Oregon City. My first “real” job was working for Clackamas County for seven years – first in the Elections Department and then for the County Commissioners – right on Main Street where I used to deliver the paper.

Oregon City also means a lot to me because that’s where I met my wife of forty-one years, Janet. I ultimately served on the Oregon City Planning Commission for almost eight years and was Chair. Janet was hired as the City’s first Citizen Involvement Coordinator – important because we spent over a year developing the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

The first time I laid eyes on her was at a 1979 evening Planning Commission meeting and since the process and decisions could often be controversial with the various constituencies, no one knew we were dating until we got engaged that September. Janet went on to become the Assistant City Manager for both Oregon City and West Linn.

Janet Dancer Williams – Asst. City Manager

In the late ’70’s, we were concerned that downtown Oregon City was slowly withering away with shops, professional offices and restaurants moving away or going out of business and the distinct possibility that the Courthouse and many County buildings would move to the Red Soils area which is about five miles from downtown.

Fortunately, in the last several years, downtown Oregon City has had a revival, of sorts. Although not helped by the pandemic, there are new shops, restaurants and bars and the Courthouse stayed in its original location and expanded to a building across Main Street. Now, it’s difficult to find a parking place and downtown is thriving.

I’m therefore pleased to say that on a busy corner – only two blocks east of the north end of Main Street – at the corner of 14th and Washington Streets – there’s now what I’ll label as a “new community watering hole” named Corner 14. And it’s right across from the Oregon City Brewing Company – also a nice establishment.

Corner 14 is the brainchild of Cherisse Reilly and her father, Dan Fowler, who opened their new venture in February, 2021. Both are long-time Oregon City people, she a 1997 grad of OCHS and her dad from cross-river rival, West Linn HS in 1971, but then moving back to OC where he eventually became Mayor.

Cherise and Dan – daughter and father and fellow entrepreneurs *10

His parents also graduated from OCHS (grandfather Dale Fowler in 1949, grandmother Norma (Schubert) Fowler) in 1950. Both Dan and Cherisse have been involved in businesses and historic restoration in Oregon City for many years. They describe Corner 14 as:

“Founded and operated by a father and daughter with a deep love for the community of Oregon City.”

Corner 14 is not a bar per se’ but a large lot that houses twelve esoteric food carts, an expansive area with numerous picnic tables – many of which are undercover and have small propane burners to keep patrons warm. Oh yes, there’s also an ax throwing cube – more on that later.

There’s an indoor area housing a bar in the structure that for many years was “Spicer Brothers’ Produce Market.” When the Spicers sold it, Dan and Cherisse leased it from the new owner to bring to life a concept they had been thinking about for some time.

In the indoor bar area, they have 24 taps (twenty beer, two cider and two wine taps). It includes gluten-free selections. Their most popular beers are two of my favorites – Boneyard RPM IPA and Pfriem Pillsner. If you want a cocktail, they also have a good selection and skilled bartenders.

In the last six weeks, I’ve been to Corner 14 four times and loved it. It had the advantage of being a great place to eat and drink in a covered (also uncovered if desired) outside area before pandemic restrictions were lifted to allow indoor dining. They also have live music several nights each week.

They took a risk in bringing to life a community concept with the same “outdoor vibe” as Bend in such establishments as the Crux Fermentation Project. Bringing it to fruition took patience and perseverance since the City Zoning Code at the time did not provide for food carts.

Clackamas County had no similar concept and, of course, there were the usual hoops to jump through to secure licenses from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission and food permits, etc.

The pandemic-caused lockdowns, which occurred shortly after they opened, undoubtedly caused them to pause, wonder about timing and move forward cautiously; however, they have not altered the original concept.

And upon reflection, since outdoor venues were the only ones that could serve food and beverages for quite some time, there were some advantages because Corner 14 was the venue with the most outdoor seating in the area. (We found that out the first time my wife and I visited it while indoor options were still not available. (They were also good with mask protocols so one could feel safe.)

I had food from three different food carts (Shawarma Express, Adelina’s Mexican Food and Maw Maws Cajun Kitchen). The pricing was very reasonable, the food excellent and portions plentiful. Cherisse said that when they were considering the concept, the food cart vendors came to them and they selected the mix based on having food diversity, but more importantly, “owners that were a good fit and great people.”

My favorite was Mediterranean vendor Shawma Express where I had a scrumptious lamb sandwich on saj bread which was big enough for dinner that night and lunch the next day. The complete list of food carts and their menus are on the Corner 14 website.

An excellent lamb sandwich from Shawarma Express

The “Celtic Ax Throwers” booth is from a company that originated at the now-closed Feckin Brewery just south of Oregon City and one of the first ax vendors in the area. The owners decided to market the concept and now have them in five bars and breweries in the US and even have private parties for this type of competition which is obviously more aggressive than darts!

Cherisse said the activity is very popular and since I worked in a law firm for many years, she responded well when I asked questions about insurance and liability issues, especially since it’s in an area where people are drinking alcoholic beverages.

These two articles from the Daily Nebraskan in 2019 are Point – Counterpoint pieces on the wisdom of this concept with the debate “Do Ax Throwing Bars Provide a Fun, Different Escape from Reality?” or “Are They a Reckless New Fad.” Evidently the State of Nebraska prohibits ax throwers from having more than two beers!

So what’s ahead? Cherisse Reilly when I asked her what has been the biggest surprise since they started, didn’t hesitate and said, “The amount of support we have received from the Community.” As evidence, each time I’ve been there, the place has been bustling with enthusiastic individuals and families.

The aforementioned Oregon City Brewing is expanding across the street and plans food carts, but rather than view it as competition. Cherisse stated positively, “Activity breeds activity.”

I have to mention before ending that my last visit two weeks ago was with a frequent Beerchasing companion and former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Jim Westwood – a fellow OCHS graduate. His mom, Catherine, was my (and his, a few years earlier) Latin teacher for two years in high school. (That is some indication of how old we are….).

This retired appellate lawyer and I were reminiscing about life in Oregon City including the 1964 Christmas Flood that affected the Northwest and Northern California. It was a 100-year flood caused by unique weather conditions that Jim explained – he has a long-time interest in meteorology – even appearing as a weekend weatherman on Portland television in past years.

Also at the corner of 14th and Washington – across the street from Corner 14 is my high school classmate Tony Petrich family’s fish market – founded by his dad, Tony Sr. in 1936. You can see from the two of the pictures, the impact of the 1964 weather event. The Willamette River is over two long blocks from Tony’s Fish Market – also worth a visit and including delicious fish and chips.

Photo Attribution for Photos not taken by Don Williams

*1 Willamette Falls – Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain – Author: Angelus Commercial Studio, Portland, Oregon (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Willamette_Falls_–_at_Oregon_City,_Oregon_(75494).jpg

*2 Willamette Falls – Wikimedia Commons – Author: Garry Halvorson, Oregon State Archives 2006 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Willamette_Falls_(Clackamas_County,_Oregon_scenic_images)_(clacD0069).jpg)

*3 Willamette Falls Locks – Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Willamette_Falls_Locks_1915.jpg)

*4 Original Oregon City Elevator Mural – Wikimedia Commons – Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: EncMstr – 16 Dec 2006 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oregon_City_Municipal_Elevator_mural_original_elevator_P1331.jpeg)

*5 Captain Phillips House – 720 Center Street (https://www.orcity.org/planning/720-center-street-captain-md-phillips-house)

*6 The Dr. John McLoughlin House on Center Street – Wikimedia Commons – Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Mark Goebel from Taos, New Mexico, USA – 28 June 2006 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_McLoughlin_House,_Oregon_City.JPG_(3534603314).jpg)

*7 Carnegie Library Oregon City – Wikimedia Commons – Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Srandjlsims 29 May 2012 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OREGON_CITY_OREGON_CARNEGIE_LIBRARY_copy.jpg)

*8 Main Street Oregon City circa 1920 – Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain – Source: Carey, Charles Henry. (1922). History of Oregon. Pioneer Historical Publishing Co. (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oregon_City_Main_Street_1920.jpg)

*9 Clackamas County Courthouse – Wikimedia Commons – Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Another Believer 22 April 2018 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oregon_City,_Oregon_(2018)_-_008.jpg)

*10 Cherisse Reilly and Dan Fowler – Courtesy of Cherisse Reilly.

*11 Corner 14 Barroom – (https://www.corner14oc.com/)

*12 Washington Street during 1964 Christmas Food – Photo Courtesy of Clackamas County Archives.

2014 Beerchaser-of-the-Year: Janet Dancer Williams

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Thebeerchaser

2014 Beerchaser of the Year, Janet Williams

2014 Beerchaser-of-the-Year, Janet Dancer Williams

After publishing this blog for over three years and periodically recognizing various individuals or organizations as Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, events dictate the establishment of the first Beerchaser-of-the-Year Award – and it will now be a yearly happening retroactive to 2014.

: Janet (usually a wine drinker) and Thebeerchaser

Author and Editor, Brian Doyle, at The Fulsom Brew Pub

Author and Editor, Brian Doyle, at The Fulton Brew Pub last year

Thebeerchaser blog posts have “honored” individuals who are war heroes such as my good friends, Jud Blakely and Steve Lawrence; authors such as Northwest icon, Brian Doyle, deceased mystery writer James Crumley and the venerable Dr. Harry Frankfurt, author of the marvelous tome On Bullshit.

Lt. Jud Blakely USMC in Viet Nam in 1965

Princeton Professor and author, Dr. Harry Frankfurt

———–

Since I worked with attorneys for many years, some of the Oregon stalwarts in the profession such as Schwabe’s Jack Faust and Stoel Rives’ Jim Westwood have been designated. And then there are some more creative picks such as the Crew of the USS Constitution and retired chemist Charles Schlumberg. For you Seinefeld fans, the venerable Art Vandelay made the list and even former Beaver coach, Mike Riley and his 2012 football team, for their performance — at least after the first six games……

Former Beerchaser of the Quarter – Oregon appellate lawyer, Jim Westwood.

But the omission of any female Beerchaser honoree is glaring, especially since there are many worthy of the recognition. Although this situation will be rectified in 2015, none have made a more lasting and significant contribution to Thebeerchaser Tour of Portland Bars, Taverns and Pubs than my wife of 35 years, Janet Dancer Williams.

A hike in Breckenridge

Although our first date in 1979 after an Oregon City Planning Commission meeting (where we first met) was having a beer, Janet is a wine-drinker. Notwithstanding that, she recently accompanied me to eighteen bars and microbreweries in twelve days on our Colorado trip and was a great companion as we integrated our tour of the wonderful Colorado scenery with Beerchasing in some of the great brewpubs.

In fact, she was responsible for our VIP tour of New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins – arranged after she met Shawn Hines, one of the executives and his wife, Allison, at the Dundee Hills Winery earlier this year.

She tolerates the hours I sit at my computer researching and writing about the watering holes and only once in awhile accuses me of being preoccupied and not listening to her — at least that’s what I think she’s said……

Jamie and Lisa Williams Magnusson, Laura, Don and Janet Williams with Sullivan

And besides her support for Beerchasing, she is a wonderful wife, mom to our two daughters and grandmother (Mimi).

We survived two terms of graduate school Data Analysis in the same class at Portland State University right after we got married in 1980. We still laugh about negotiating who would stand in line on Saturday mornings to run the computer program at Shattuck Hall and who would stay home and clean the bathrooms.

: Memories of Shattuck Hall on the campus at PSU

Janet is a native Oregonian, born in McMinnville where her dad, Joe, was City Manager for 26 years – Joe Dancer Park is named in his honor. She is a Duck, having graduated from the U of O in 1976 and went on to earn her Masters-in-Public Administration at PSU in 1984.

————

She had an outstanding career in local government (Assistant City Manager in both Oregon City and West Linn) and then worked in Human Resources at Nike before becoming the Vice President for Human Resources at Marylhurst University – a position which she held for twenty years. During that time she also served on the boards of a number of non-profit organizations.

Janet with Barb and John Senger at The Sink in Boulder

Now back to her role in Beerchasing. She first accompanied me in 2011 to the Coalition Brew Pub, which she loved, but the enthusiasm was not forthcoming that same night when she returned with me and our son-in-law, Jamie, for my second visit to the first bar I reviewed.

That was the Brooklyn Park Pub, a great neighborhood bar. She asked me afterwards, “Beerchaser (she only calls me that when we are in bars), why do you go to dives like this, when there are so many other good bars?”

She was not agreeable with my response (originally authored by an unknown expert) when I stated, “Janet, these bars are just like hanging out in our own living room —- if our living room were a dingy dive full of strangers.”

On the Mediterranean Sea in Italy

We have had some wonderful retirement travel together to National Parks, European museums and cathedrals, Spring Training in Arizona, an Alaskan cruise and a Rick Steves’ Best of Europe Tour.

On the Rick Steves’ Best of Europe Tour

Hiking in the Colorado aspens

And with cheerful (and sometimes restrained enthusiasm) she has gone with me to a number of bars including the Muddy Rudder, Lutz Tavern, Bazi Bier Brasserie and Saraveza in Portland and to the eighteen aforementioned venues in Colorado.

Don’t forget the Devils’ Forest Pub (Venice) and Café Karpershoeck (Amsterdam) and last summer Humpy’s Ale House in Alaska to Roadhouse 101 and the Snug Harbor Bar and Grill on the Central Oregon Coast.

Beerchasing at Saraveza in Portland with Mary Maxwell and Roy Lambert

—————–

Thank you, Janet, and please accept the bottle of 2011 Penner~Ash Pinot Noir that I bought you. I figured that you would appreciate it more than a case of PBR – a great gift you might consider for me on our next anniversary.

: March 29, 1980

Thebeerchaser

Bars, Breweries and Watering Holes – An Exploration

Tag Archives: Oregon City Planning Commission