Police arrested what a witness calls a “madman” from the Oregon City area on Wednesday morning after he allegedly assaulted the witness to a traffic crash on Highway 213 near Beavercreek Road.

After a brief discussion of the crash, Kelly Lewallen, 50, is alleged to have physically attacked Jim Ferguson, 40, also of Oregon City, and they went down on the ground struggling with one another. The two men separated as Clackamas Fire District No. 1 firefighters arrived on scene.

“I’m lucky to be alive,” Ferguson said.

The incident started when Ferguson was driving from Beavercreek Road heading downhill on Highway 213 and he saw someone “coming like a bat out of hell” from behind. Ferguson pulled to the right to let the Jeep by and saw Lewallen careen past and crash into the back of a pickup further down the road.

After finding he couldn’t drive his Jeep out of the ditch to escape, Lewallen tried to blame the pickup-truck driver, Ferguson said. When Ferguson then attempted to correct Lewallen, the situation got a whole lot uglier.

“He got me in a headlock and just started hitting me in the face,” Ferguson said. “It happened so quick that I didn’t know what was happening.”

Ferguson noted that he couldn’t defend himself because of his recent shoulder surgery.

“It freaked me out and was really scary, and I was just lucky that he didn’t have a gun or a knife because there was so much rage in him,” he said.

Neither man was taken to the hospital, but Ferguson, who expects to develop a black eye, had various injuries on his hands and face.

According to Senior Trooper Dan Swift, on April 10 at approximately 8:15 a.m., a 1994 Ford Ranger pickup driven by Angel Aranda, 41, from Orange, Calif., was northbound on Highway 213 near milepost 2 in the right-hand lane when it was struck from behind by Lewallen in a 2006 Jeep Liberty SUV reportedly driving at a high rate of speed. The impact pushed the pickup off the highway, and both vehicles had major damage.

OSP troopers, CCSO deputies and Oregon City police responded to the scene. Subsequent to the investigation, Lewallen was arrested by OSP and lodged in the Clackamas County Jail for assault in the fourth degree with $7,500 bail. Additional charges are pending related to the traffic-crash investigation.

Aranada was transported to Meridian Park Hospital with a minor injury.

On Monday, April 15, Clackamas Fire will be presenting 7-year-old Alexus Osburn with a "Citizen Life Saving Award," for her actions on March 17, when she calmly woke her father in the middle of the night to tell him that the house was filling with smoke as a result of a dryer fire.

Fire-district officials credit her quick thinking and calm demeanor as enabling her entire family, including her dog, to escape unharmed.

Firefighters quickly contained and extinguished the relatively small fire that started at at 2590 S.E. Walnut St., and ventilated the two-story home that was charged with poisonous smoke.

Although there were no working smoke alarms in the residence, smart actions and decisions allowed this incident to have a happy ending, said Jed Walker, spokesman for the firefighters on scene.

The award will be presented at Clackamas Fire’s regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting at 7 p.m. at Mt. Scott Station #5, 9339 S.E. Causey Ave., Happy Valley.

Since November of last year, administrators, faculty, staff and students from community colleges and universities throughout Oregon have been busy meeting with legislators regarding the state’s investment in higher education.

Gov. John Kitzhaber has put forth a budget that earmarks $428 million for Oregon’s 17 community colleges for the 2013-2015 biennium. Those of us associated with the state’s community colleges have appreciated the positive direction of this budget — up from $395 million in the 2011-2013 biennium.

That said, our full-time enrollment over the past few years has skyrocketed: At Portland Community College alone, we’ve witnessed a 44 percent spike. The reality is that $428 million is insufficient to meet the needs of community college students across the state. As such, we were disappointed with the recent announcement from the co-chairs of the Ways and Means Committee that they had not recommended an increase to the governor’s budget for community colleges.

To prevent cuts to services and classes for our students, community colleges are continuing to lobby for a $510 million investment level from the state. At PCC, this funding level will enable the college to ensure student access and success, as well as improve our student outcomes and completions. Funding below this level will necessitate tuition increases, significant reductions in staffing and services, and cuts to programs that respond to business needs for a trained workforce.

Research indicates that communities that invest in higher education are more likely to have a prosperous economy, in part because those with higher education are more able to support themselves financially. The majority of family wage jobs require education beyond high school. Community colleges provide that pathway for many students, with career technical training for such workforce jobs as nursing, machine manufacturing and welding. Additionally, community colleges also offer transfer programs that serve as the gateway to universities and four-year institutions for thousands of our students.

For the past several years Oregon’s investment in higher education has declined significantly, in terms of the ratio of the budget to the number of students served. In fact, only four states — Colorado, New Hampshire, Vermont and Ohio — provide less taxpayer support per college student than Oregon, according to a recent report from the Association of State Higher Education Executive Officers.

As a means to make ends meet, several of Oregon’s community colleges have reluctantly approved tuition increases. This includes PCC. But we can’t continue to do this; we’ll be pricing students out of higher education if we continue down this path — and without community colleges, many of our students wouldn’t be able to attain education beyond high school or the careers that result from this education and training.

Furthermore, this will impede our ability to meet the governor’s “40-40-20” objective: That by 2025, 40 percent of the state’s adults have four-year college degrees, 40 percent have two-year degrees, and the remaining 20 percent have high school diplomas.

It is an ambitious target that will demand rethinking how we help students succeed at all levels along Oregon’s educational continuum. To meet the 40-40-20 goal, community colleges must increase the number of its students who earn associate’s degrees and also the number that transfer to universities and four-year institutions. That requires keeping tuition rates affordable and maintaining investments and initiatives that improve student outcomes and ensure a quality education.

Now is the time to remind our legislators of the important role community colleges play in the state’s future and the negative impact a community college budget of $428 million will have on our students and our region. Portland Community College and representatives from Oregon’s 16 other community colleges will continue to advocate for a $510 million investment level — and we need your support.

To get involved, I encourage you to visit PCC’s newly launched microsite — opportunity.pcc.edu/ — for more information about the legislative session under way in Salem and to share your view about increased state investment in higher education.

Additionally, you can contact your legislative representative directly. If you’re unsure as to your representative, visit leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/, input your street address, and you’ll be able to find out who your representative is.

We understand the importance of a trained, well-educated workforce to the prosperity and growth of our region’s businesses. Community colleges are uniquely poised to educate students, equipping them with skills to meet industry need and connecting-the-dots between secondary and post-secondary levels of education.

By sharing your voice and participating in the discussion, you’re enabling community colleges to continue creating an educated and trained workforce — one that will build a brighter future for Oregon.

Preston Pulliams serves as president of Portland Community College.

Frank Milton Dionne

Aug. 30, 1941- April 10, 2013

Frank Milton Dionne passed away at home in Molalla on April 10, surrounded by his family.

He was born on Aug. 30, 1941, in Belcourt, N. D.

He is survived by: his wife, Penny; daughter, Debbie Cannon; son, Duane Dionne; sisters, Theresa Ball and Darlene Johnson; and grandchildren, Kiki Dohman and Jabin and Jarren Dionne.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, at Hillside Chapel in Oregon City. Visit hillsidechapelfh.com for more information and to leave a memory of Frank for the family.

Arrangements: Hillside Chapel.

Susan Marie Harding

February 2, 1952 - April 6, 2013

Surrounded by the love of her family, longtime Portland resident, Susan Marie Harding died peacefully on April 6, 2013. She was 61.

Susan was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, to parents Jack and Marie Churchill, and is survived by her two brothers, Mike and Pat Churchill. She spent her career working for Norel Forest Products and North Pacific Lumber, and then spent the last 19 years working for the State of Oregon Public Health Division.

She married Patrick Harding in 1979, and together they enjoyed early pre-family days water skiing and taking in everything the outdoors could offer.

Two daughters, Megan and Lindsey Harding, and stepson, Troy Harding, survive her, as well as her beloved grandchildren, Ashlin, Sean, Nick, Andraya and step-grandchildren, Adrienne and Tanner.

Susan loved the simple pleasures of life including reading and gardening, but especially loved spending time with her daughters and grandchildren. She could often be found shopping with the girls or spending fun social hours with friends and family.

A celebration of life will be held on April 21, 2013, 2-4 p.m at the Milwaukie Center, 5440 S.E. Kellogg Creek Drive in Milwaukie, Oregon.

John Joy

December 17, 1929 – March 23, 2013

Milwaukie resident John Joy died on March 23, at age 83.

He was born on Dec. 17, 1929, in Emmett, Idaho, to parents Frank and Alta Joy. He was raised in Emmett, attending Emmett High School.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army on Oct. 11, 1948, and was discharged on Feb. 28, 1971. He served during the Korean and Vietnam wars, but not in-country.

He had been employed as an office manager, retiring in 1994.

He married Helen Joy on Dec. 25, 1952.

Mr. Joy is survived by: daughter, Judy Fast; son, Jack Joy; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

His parents preceded him in death.

A memorial service was held on April 13 at Willamette View Manor – Terrace Auditorium.

Arrangements: Cascadia Cremation & Burial Services.

Betty J. Kleinmark

Dec. 19, 1923 - March 26, 2013

Former Milwaukie resident Betty J. Kleinmark died on March 26, in Tuba City, Ariz., at age 89.

She was born on Dec. 19, 1923, in Salt Lake City, to Deborah and Corneilus Dalabout. She was a school teacher, before she retired in 1984 and moved to Troutdale.

She was also known for packing lunches, which she claimed was her hobby, for her daughters that were so large they shared them with their co-workers.

She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and tutored children in the community until 2005.

She is survived by: daughters, Barbara Cole and Kate Kleinmark Schneider; son, Rick Kleinmark; sister, Dorothy Daily; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by: husband, Richard T. Kleinmark; brother, Casey Dalabaout; and sisters, Gertrude Nesbit and Janet Dalabaout.

A service was held on April 11 at Willamette National Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be sent to: Haiti Foundation of Hope, P.O. Box 61941, Vancouver, Wash., 98666, and/or Heifer International, 1 World Ave., Little Rock, Ark., 72202.

Cynthia Leatherberry

April 3, 1953 - March 26, 2013

Cindy Leatherberry of West Linn died at her home on March 26 at the age of 59 with family present. She had bravely fought cancer and will be missed by a multitude of family and friends.

She was born April 3, 1953, in Portland, to Henry and Lois Clemo. Growing up she attended Jason Lee Elementary School, and Madison and Cleveland high schools.

She met the love of her lifeJoseph “Joel,” in 1974 and was later married at the Agnes Flanagan Chapel at Lewis and Clark College in 1976. She worked at Niedermeyer Martin Company for over 20 years. While her children were enrolled in the West Linn School District, she worked at Bolton Elementary School and later Rosemont Ridge Middle School.

She was involved with Portland Volleyball Club in various roles, most recently as parent coordinator and board member. She enjoyed spending time and entertaining family and friends at their beach house in Gearhart. She also loved to travel, especially to Maui.

She is also survived by daughters Kimberly Leatherberry, Kelly Bay, Kendall Steffens (Jeff); father, Henry Clemo; mother, Lois Barber (Alf); sisters, Sherri Peterson, Kathy Schoenkopf (Greg), Teresa Barber; brothers, Randy Clemo, Alf Barber, Scott Clemo, Robert Clemo; four grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and her constant companion “Lexi.”

The Leatherberry family prefers that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cindy (Clemo) Leatherberry Volleyball Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o CEL VMS Fund, PMB 232, 19363 Willamette Drive, West Linn OR 97068.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, April 21, at 4:30 p.m. at The Oregon Golf Club, 25700 S.W. Pete’s Mountain Road, West Linn.

Myrle L. Lewis 

Dec. 25, 1925 -April 8, 2013 

Myrle L. Lewis died on April 8, at age 87. 

She was born on Dec. 25, 1925, in the Oregon City area to parents Wesley and Gertrude Brockart, and lived her whole life in the Oregon City/West Linn area. 

She married Neal R. Lewis on Jan. 14, 1945. She was mostly a homemaker and mother of four children. 

Mrs. Lewis is survived by: her four children, Marilyn Freimuth, Marlene Lewis, Wallace Lewis and Patty Kalafate; grandchildren, Earl Freimuth, Marlene Duval, Steven Davis, Michelle Hazard, Nicole Gornick, Holly Holloway, Gregory Abel, Amber Abel and Vanessa Fatheree; 10 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grand-children.

She was preceded in death by: her husband, Neal R. Lewis; her parents, Wesley Brockart and Gertrude Oliver; and stepfather, Victor Oliver. 

A funeral took place on April 15.

Arrangements: Holman-Hankins Funeral Home in Oregon City.

Wilma Jane Oatman

April 12, 1933 – April 6, 2013

Wilma Jane Oatman of Sierra Vista, Ariz. died at home on April 6 with family at her side. She was 79. The cause of death was complications of pneumonia and heart failure.

Wilma, who preferred to be called Mique by all who knew her, had moved from Oregon to Sierra Vista in 2001. Mique and her husband Bill spent most of their married life in the Northwest, bringing up their children on a farm in Clackamas.

Mique was born in Maxwell, New Mexico on April 12, 1933. She was eight years old when adopted by Blanch Slack and grew up under her new mother’s care in Colorado. She attended school in Wheat Ridge. After graduation, Mique worked as a file clerk, did housekeeping, and continued to develop her talents as an artist and a writer. She found beauty in everything, and her kind-hearted, generous ways attracted many to her.

Mique first met Bill when she accompanied her friend on a visit to another friend’s house. Bill had been working on his convertible and noticed Mique’s trim figure from under the car. He decided to come out to see the girl whose legs caught his attention. When he fell upon the gaze of her beautiful blue eyes, he was smitten and asked his friend to arrange a blind date. Mique and Bill found love and were married in 1951.

After their wedding, she and Bill stayed in Colorado for a time, living in Lakewood, Englewood, and Denver. They also started a family.

At home one day, Mique was visited by one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She was intrigued by what she heard and accepted a Bible study. Mique was delighted to learn that God has a name, and Psalm 83:18 became one of her favorite scriptures. Her study of the scriptures convinced her of the benefits of applying Bible principles in daily life and became the basis of her hope, a wonderful future by means of God’s kingdom. She was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1962.

As parents of a growing family, Mique and Bill were resourceful and determined in providing for their children, assisting family members and neighbors along the way. Eventually the family settled in Oregon, moving first to Portland, then to Gladstone, then to the Clackamas farm.

Throughout the years, Mique wrote about her life and raising her family. She continued her artwork and painting. Her lovely voice could be heard whenever she felt like singing, often with Bill at family gatherings and around campfires. Together they journeyed in their RV across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Most of all, Mique’s faith was her life, and her hope, a treasure. She shared what she cherished with so many, extending herself in her ministry as much as her circumstances permitted. She felt blessed to have helped others come to learn and appreciate God’s word.

She is survived by her husband William (Bill) Oatman; her seven children, Rebecca Williams of Oregon City, Michael Oatman of Denver, Colo., Tanya J. Oatman of Cascade Locks, Susan Ash of Milwaukee, Lisa Kitz of Gladstone, Victoria Miller of Clackamas, and Virginia Talbot of Vancouver, Wash.; 16 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; a sister, Pat Cooper of Benson, Ariz.; sister-in-law, Helen Tipton of Benson, Ariz., and a brother-in-law, Lloyd Oatman of Benson, Ariz.; and their families.

Her adopted mother Blanch Slack predeceased her.

A memorial service was held on April 14 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Sierra Vista, Ariz.

Anita Clair Ostrander

May 25, 1935 - March 29, 2013

Anita Clair Ostrander died on March 29, in Oregon City.

She was born on May 25, 1935, in Helena, Mont., the daughter of Aaron and Florence King.

She married Leonard Roy Ostrander on July 4, 1953. They had two children: Steven Leonard and Joanna Marie.

She loved the beach, fishing, black powder shoots and her church; she brought up her two children and three grandkids to believe in and depend on the Lord.

She is survived by her two children, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, at Evergreen Community Church, 16940 S. Beckman Road, Oregon City, by Steve Rief, pastor; bring or send your stories of Anita to share.

The family has asked that donations be given to the church in lieu of flowers.

There will be a reception immediately following the services.

Arrangements: Hillside Chapel.

All of us at the Clackamas Review and Oregon City News take accuracy very seriously, so I was disappointed and embarrassed to discover two serious errors in the eighth-annual Clackamas County Answer Guide inserted in last week's paper and available in city halls, nonprofits and businesses countywide.

Because outdated text from last year's Answer Guide sneaked in, we mistakenly omitted noting new North Clackamas Chamber CEO David Kelly and the OC Chamber's new headquarters at 2895 Beavercreek Road No. 103. We apologize for the errors and any negative effects they may have caused these important organizations.

I am planning to implement procedures to ensure that we don't repeat errors such as these, but we humbly request our readers' help in letting us know about other necessary changes or possible omissions for next year's Answer Guide.

Please let us know by contacting me or someone in my newsroom staff.

Students at Milwaukie High School who have a passion for the language arts are invited to apply for the Nancy Matich Scholarship; deadline for the application is May 1.

Matich died May 14, 2012, at age 59, and her mother, Virginia, decided she wanted to set up a special scholarship through the North Clackamas Education Foundation.

Because Matich “loved Milwaukie and was devoted to improving Milwaukie,” there are some specific requirements for the scholarship, noted Ami Margolin Rome, the executive director of the foundation.

Students must be seniors at MHS with above a B average, must have attended Rowe Junior High School and must be interested in the language arts.

“The scholarship is something special, because it is for $3,000; our traditional scholarships are usually $1,250,” Margolin Rome said.

Virginia Matich is endowing the scholarship for five years.

Students who qualify for the scholarship must fill out the full application on the NCEF website at nc-foundation.org, and click on college scholarships to find the form. Students must also write an extra essay on the importance of the language arts.

The application is due to Margolin Rome by May 1 and it may be mailed to her at P.O. Box 595, Clackamas 97015, in care of scholarships, or it may be emailed to her at ncfoundation@nclack.k12.or.us.

Matich grew up in Milwaukie, attending Ardenwald Elementary School, in addition to Rowe and MHS.

She attended Lewis and Clark College and Portland State University after high school.

Although she had been ill much of her adult life, she was active with the Ardenwald-Johnson Creek Neighborhood Association, especially with the Summer Music in the Park Program, and was a member of the New Century Players and the Milwaukie ArtMob.

North Clackamas School District students’ creativity in artistic and written work produced a surprising number of winners in the Oregon Humane Society’s 64th-annual Be Kind to Animals Poster and Story Contest.

Carlie Hughes, a junior at Milwaukie High School, won first place for her poster with intricately drafted drawings to show each hair on six cats and encouraging people to spay or neuter their pet. As a top grade winner, she’s eligible for the grand-prize award to be announced during a special ceremony, “the A’Cat’emy Awards,” on Sunday, April 21.

Sophie Gingrich, a first grader at View Acres Elementary, won second place for her poster; Kora Wietrzynska, a senior at Milwaukie High School, won third for her poster; Kristin Connelly, a seventh grader at Rock Creek Middle School, won third for her story; Josie Christensen, a senior at Milwaukie Academy of the Arts, won the contest’s only special award; and Amanda Owren and Dana Barbee, juniors at New Urban High School, got a second-place award and an honorable mention respectfully, for their stories.

Owren’s story, “A hopeful dream,” illustrated that cats and dogs with owners generally live longer and healthier lives than strays with the opening paragraph:

‘Twas a dark and stormy night, and the dogs and cats alike huddle in their cages and pens, preparing for the imminent and terrifying thunderstorm. Amber eyes glint in the darkness, shining from beneath the tattered ears of a lanky, lean dog with straw coloured fur. With a brave, slightly gruff voice, he asks: “Have you ever walked through your neighborhood, and truly taken a look around? Have you even realized that we’re there?”

Youth from Gladstone and Oregon City High School’s Junior ROTC program will work alongside adults for the 10th annual Gladstone Cleanup and Enhancement Day on Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Students will plant of flowers, install bird’s-nest boxes and generally clean up nearly 1/2 mile of McLoughlin Boulevard in Gladstone — just as they did recently in downtown Oregon City.

Cleanup coordinator Jerry Herrmann said they expect a good turnout since it is the city’s 102nd anniversary. SOLVE, the city of Gladstone and U.S. Bank (with a $400 grant) sponsored the event.

Noah Brown, an OCHS senior in the JROTC program, said that he got involved with the program for opportunities to better himself, a chance he’s getting with the cleanup projects he has been involved with. Herrmann was looking for a youth group he could count on and feels he has definitely found that with Major Doug Thomas’ program.

“It’s amazing, the amount of service they do,” said Herrmann, who is hoping that members of the public will come and help with the cleanup.

Market of Choice recently announced that Clackamas County Arts Alliance was selected by the company to be a recipient of proceeds generated by the sale of its new 100 percent recyclable, non-woven, polypropylene reusable art bags. 

The bags feature an original painting by Corvallis artist Licia Basille-Jelten; the bags sell for $3.99 each at the West Linn Market of Choice, and of that, $1.50 will go to support the Clackamas County Arts Alliance, a nonprofit organization working to keep art central to life in Clackamas County. 

“The company contacted me out of the blue, and said they had selected us” to be the recipient of one of their arts grants, said Cheryl Snow, executive director of the arts alliance, based in Oregon City.

“It was a delightful surprise, and has an even deeper meaning for us, because we have used the community room in the West Linn Market of Choice for meetings. It is a nice way to close the loop,” Snow added.

The company will collect funds generated by the sale of the art bags, and will then distribute checks quarterly to the beneficiary organization, she said.

CCAA does not have a dedicated program to raise funds, so it will be helpful to have an ongoing fund source, Snow said, adding that the money will go into the organization’s general operating fund.

Market of Choice is based in Eugene, and expanded into West Linn in 2006; the company has always had a program to give back to the community and to the arts.

“We understand that the arts alliance was created to support, develop and promote access to arts and culture in Clackamas County. And it’s a mission we’re excited to help support,” said Lyn Ryse, marketing director for Market of Choice.

“We are always pleased to work with any business person who understands art and culture, and we are particularly grateful to partner with a locally owned business,” Snow said.

“We share many values with Market of Choice, and we are thrilled to engage in this partnership.”

Portland State University’s College of Urban and Public Affairs will honor Happy Valley residents Keren Brown Wilson and Michael DeShane for their work in helping people age with dignity.

The married couple will receive the 2013 Nohad A. Toulan Urban Pioneer Award for Public Service at the college’s hooding ceremony at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 14, in the Stott Center, 930 S.W. Hall St.

Wilson, who founded the Clackamas-based Jessie F. Richardson Foundation, which advocates for quality housing and long-term care, is known as a pioneer in the model of assisted living that started in Oregon and spread across the nation.

DeShane is president of Concepts in Community Living — also based in Clackamas — a consulting, development and management firm that provides technical assistance for states and organizations and manages assisted living communities with a goal of maximizing independence for elders.

“Keren and Michael are exceptional people who have made an extraordinary difference,” said College Dean Larry Wallack. “Their generosity has helped us build buildings, extend more opportunity to more students and create bigger and better ideas about aging in the 21st century. Their intelligence, commitment and generosity combine to benefit our university and community.”

Wilson and DeShane donated $1 million to fund the Aging Matters Locally and Globally initiative in PSU’s Institute on Aging, which works to change the ways communities plan for and address quality-of-life issues for older adults. The initiative’s projects include Dr. Paula Carder and Jenny Weinstein’s 2012 report on older adults who live in public housing. Their findings revealed an immediate need for affordable housing for older adults in the greater Portland region, as well as the need for Portland’s public-housing agency, Home Forward, to improve their provision of supportive services for older adults.

DeShane and Wilson support a scholarship program for students who complete their first two years of education at Clackamas Community College then transfer to Portland State University to complete a bachelor’s degree. Wilson also helped start a service-learning program that takes students to Nicaragua each year. She will help lead the next group in June.

An interesting local option became available for buyers and sellers of produce last month.

Gladstone Country Market opened an online farmers market similar to Aurora Local Foods, which recently closed its cyber doors.

Owner Andy McBride said it will open up new options for local farmers for whom the current farmers market system is not an option. Mcbride explained that most farmers markets require sellers to haul their product to the market, sit at a competitive booth all day and maybe not even sell what’s necessary.

“You can spend the whole day doing that, and it may take up your whole weekend,” said McBride, who has a seperate job outside of his farm that takes up his time during the week. “Or you have to pay someone else to do it.”

Gladstone Country Market works in a completely different way, especially targeting those small farmers that have other careers like McBride. But the Country Market is not your typical produce stand: it’s completely online.

“Unfortunately, it’s all computerized,” said McBride. “So we can’t meet every shopper’s need. But we are not in direct competition with the farmers market, and we are open year round.”

Despite operating 12 months out of the year instead of the four of a farmers market, Gladstone Country Market follows the same regulations.

Farmers put their products on an online catalog, and the business marks up each farmer’s price by 10 percent. The customer then orders their wanted products online; ordering is open all week and closes on Friday at 8 p.m. The farmers get their orders and have all weekend to prepare boxes for customers.

Gladstone Country Market has two “crop drop” sites where the products can be picked up. One in Canby, at Canby Wholesale Feed, 1420 S. Township Road, which is operational on Mondays, and one in Gladstone, at Two Girls Catering, 125 E. Dartmouth St., in business on Tuesdays.

Farmers drop off their products before noon, and customers are able to pick them up after 1 p.m. This system also allows for the recognition of local businesses such as Two Girls Catering, which gets a shout-out on the Country Market’s website, and in turn uses as much local product in its business as possible.

Since its start, Gladstone Country Market has been growing pretty rapidly according to McBride. In two weeks, their business has grown to reach about 40 customers.

The cities of Gladstone, Milwaukie and Oregon City will hold work parties on Saturday, April 20, as part of statewide Earth Day activities.

SOLVE, a nonprofit organization that brings together individuals, business groups and service and conservation groups through volunteering and education to restore natural spaces, will host the work parties listed below.

Another event, a tour of the Three Creeks Natural Area, will take place on Sunday, April 21, as part of Bike Milwaukie. Those who wish to bike to the tour will meet at 9:30 a.m. at Milwaukie City Hall; those who wish to just take part in the tour may assemble near the North Clackamas Aquatic Park at 10:15 a.m. The aquatic park is located at 7300 S.E. Harmony Road in Clackamas. Features of the natural area include a stand of huge, historic oak trees and wildflowers in bloom, including camas lilies. For more information, visit facebook.com/BikeMilwaukie.

Earth Day work parties:

Gladstone

Gladstone’s centennial cleanup will celebrate the city’s 102nd year. Clean up litter, remove invasive vegetation and plant and mulch native trees at four sites.

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Gladstone City Hall, 525 Portland Ave., Gladstone. Meet at Gladstone City Hall, look for SOLVE signs.

Coordinator: Jerry Herrmann; call 503-260-3432

Registration questions: Call Morgan Parks, 503-844-9571, ext. 332, or 800-333-7658, ext. 332, or email: morgan@solv.org

Milwaukie

Volunteers will clean up trash and remove invasive plants at multiple areas — all within a half-mile radius of downtown Milwaukie. Sites will include Kellogg Lake, throughout downtown and at the riverfront. The Milwaukie Presbyterian Church will host the before and after events. Before the event there will be a short orientation highlighting the city's sustainability efforts and the planned restoration around Kellogg Lake. After the cleanup, treats will be provided by such local businesses as Bob's Red Mill, Starbucks and Dave's Killer Bread.

When: 9 a.m. to noon

Where: Milwaukie Presbyterian Church, 2416 S.E. Lake Road, Milwaukie

Safety issues: Steep slopes, water body, hazardous materials; minimum age is 12

Coordinator: Beth Ragel; call 503-786-7568, or email: ragelb@ci.milwaukie.or.us

Oak Grove

Volunteers may join the second annual Earth Day Beautification at Oak Grove Elementary. Activities include tree planting, courtyard weeding/sprucing and a light litter pick-up. Pizza party to follow.

When: 10 a.m. to noon

Where: Oak Grove Elementary, 2150 S.E. Torbank Road, Milwaukie

Coordinator: Chelsea Lamb; call 503-232-0007, ext. 400, or email: chelseal@metfamily.org

Oregon City

Annual Earth Day activities include invasive plant removal, litter cleanup, native planting.

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Clackamette Park, 1955 Clackamette Drive, Oregon City

Safety issues: traffic, steep slopes; minimum age is 12

Coordinator: Nancy Busch; call 503-496-1571, or email: nbusch@orcity.org

Oregon City

Volunteers will work on restoration of the Newell Creek Natural Area. Activities include weed pulling, debris and trash removal and drainage enhancement.

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Newell Creek, 500 Hilda St., Oregon City. Project site is located just after Mt. View Cemetery entrance.

Safety issues: Slope is gradual, flat to steep, and hazards include overhead branches, insect bites and thorns; minimum age is 18.

Coordinator: Bonnie Shoffner, call 971-404-9184, or email: Bonnie.Shoffner@oregonmetro.gov

Danger and intrigue will swirl through the air during “Dead Double Trouble,” the latest murder-mystery dinner theater offering from the New Century Players on April 20 — and the audience will be responsible for much of the drama.

“So much of what the play is about has to do with the audience that comes to see it. The audience becomes part of the show, and what the audience says and does helps the actors,” said Donna Sellman-Pilorget, NCP custom show coordinator.

Much of the play is improvised by the actors, so the two performances will be different.

“I’ve worked hard to assemble a group of amazingly talented improv actors who are exceptional at creating a character and living in that character for hours at a time. They will sit at your table and make you laugh until your sides ache, using just their own wit,” Sellman-Pilorget said.

She and her group of actors have been doing custom murder-mystery shows for more than four years, for various organizations and corporations.

“We’ve been doing it for other nonprofits to raise money, so we decided to do it for New Century as a fundraiser,” Sellman-Pilorget said.

Celeb impersonators

The plot of the play revolves around a group of celebrity impersonators who have agreed to do a fundraiser for New Century Players.

“But the impressive impersonators don’t show up, so emergency substitutes are called in. There will be a little bit of entertainment, a little bit of dialogue and a mystery will slowly be revealed as the audience members question the performers,” Sellman-Pilorget said.

In the course of the show, Erika Sandberg will perform as Adele; Sara Benner will sing a Dolly Parton song; and Sellman-Pilorget, as Lucille Ball, will present a comic skit.

Other impersonators include Terry Lybecker as David Bowie, Brad Bolchunos as Andy Warhol and Ray Armstrong as Al Pacino.

NCP Artistic Director Kelley Marchant and Arlene Daugherty, the group’s secretary, will play themselves, and Elisabeth Goebel, managing director, will sing with the band, the Second Wind All-Stars.

Historic setting

Two showings of “Dead Double Trouble” will take place at the historic Ainsworth House and Gardens in Oregon City. Sellman-Pilorget advises audience members to arrive early and stroll through the gardens before the show begins.

Chef du Jour Catering will provide the food, and there will be a no-host bar with beer, wine and inexpensive cocktails.

What will audiences like best?

“The chance to be a part of the show, the camaraderie of solving a mystery with the actors, and the food, which will be stellar,” Sellman-Pilorget said.

New Century Players encourages people to support the group by purchasing 2013-14 season tickets. The lineup of plays will be announced at the event.

Sellman-Pilorget said: “This is our 10th year and, like any theater group, we are struggling. We’ve done a wide variety of shows, from ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ to ‘The Laramie Project’ to ‘Hairspray,’ and we want to continue doing a good job providing Clackamas County residents with entertainment close to home.”

Fast Facts

New Century Players presents “Dead Double Trouble,” an interactive, murder-mystery dinner theater and fundraiser.

When: Saturday, April 20; the first sitting is at 4:30 p.m., the second at 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Ainsworth House and Gardens, 19130 Lot Whitcomb Drive, Oregon City

Tickets: $45 for dinner and show; $80 per couple. They are available online at newcenturyplayers.org.

For more information, call 503-367-2620.

Chef du Jour Catering will provide the dinner. A Northwest salad with wine-poached pears, crumbled blue cheese and nuts, dressed with hazelnut balsamic vinaigrette will make up the first course. Dinner buffet choices are beef brisket, braised with tomatoes, carrots and mushrooms in white wine, or pasta primavera with fresh garden vegetables, with optional grilled chicken. Side dishes include roasted-garlic mashed potatoes, a sautéed vegetable medley and rolls and butter. Diva-licious cupcakes and Death-By-Chocolate brownies will be served for dessert.

Oregon City natural foods store Spicer Brothers Produce is celebrating 25 years in the fruit and vegetable business with a free party to thank the community for their quarter century of loyalty and support.

Owner Keith Spicer opened Spicer Brothers Produce, 508 14th St., on April 28, 1988, and has nurtured the business’ growth as an integral part of Oregon City ever since. He now runs the business in downtown Oregon City with his two sons, “the Spicer Brothers” — Andy and Chris — who were 4 and 2 when the store opened. Spicer was the first business in the neighborhood to reopen after the flood of 1996, and was able to bounce back thanks to the support of their customers.

“The three of us have a great time together running this business,” said Keith Spicer. “It’s more than work; it’s quality family time.”

To celebrate this anniversary on April 27, a Koi Fusion truck will be selling food in the parking lot, with deals on produce inside the store. Ants In The Kitchen, a Portland blues, soul and rock band, will play live music between 1 and 3 p.m. There will be a bounce house for kids and free popcorn for customers. A free raffle will feature drawings for gift cards, fruit baskets, T-shirts and other prizes. Info and samples will be available from other local companies, including Gladstone coffee roaster Happy Rock Coffee, Bob’s Red Mill, Pacific Coast Fruit and more.

“We realized this is a milestone, and our loyal customers should be part of the celebration,” said Chris Spicer. “I’m looking forward to a great crowd, live music at the market, and spending time with customers who have become friends.”

Spicer Brothers Produce is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find more information at spicerbrothersproduce.com or by calling 503-656-7061.

“Downtown Oregon City is home to a mix of business and entrepreneurs,” said Lloyd Purdy, director of the nonprofit Main Street Oregon City. “Spicer Brothers Produce is a local icon and a great example of a family-run business that continues to grow based upon 25 years of success.”

City Manager Bill Monahan promoted Rina Byrne to Milwaukie’s finance director, effective April 9, after she had served as assistant finance director since February 2011.

“We spoke with some very qualified candidates,” Monahan said. “After considering our options for moving ahead building our financial team, we felt that Rina had the best combination of personal and professional skills to lead our Finance Department.”

The city will advertise for an assistant finance director immediately and will continue to have West Linn’s finance staff available on a modified basis to assist during the transition and through the budget cycle next year. The city has been sharing West Linn’s Finance Director services since February 2011. With the assistance of West Linn’s Richard Seals and Casey Camors, the city converted to a biennial budget. Milwaukie is currently within the first year of its biennial budget process.

Byrne is credited with a major role in streamlining the city’s accounting practices and improving the budget process. Before coming to Milwaukie, she was a senior manager at Talbot, Korvola & Warwick in Portland for about six years, where she supervised staff in the performance of audits and other financial reviews for small to medium-sized governmental and not-for-profit organizations. She is a certified public accountant, a licensed municipal auditor, and a certified fraud examiner, and has a higher national diploma in accounting from Glasgow Caledonian in Scotland.

Clackamas Community College students Pamela Kedev and Jeffrey Kesterson will be honored April 17 at the 2013 All Oregon Academic Team event in Salem with Gov. John Kitzhaber.

The two CCC students are among 39 outstanding scholars from Oregon community colleges honored for both academic and personal achievements. These students were selected from the 380,000 students attending the state’s 17 community colleges.

For the past 21 years, two students from each of the state’s community colleges have been honored as Outstanding Community College Scholars in an event sponsored by the Oregon Community College Association. The student scholars will receive a scholarship valued at $1,000 or more from one of 19 colleges and universities in Oregon.

Kedev, 19, of Clackamas is involved in student government at CCC. Her affiliation with the college started while she was in high school at Clackamas Middle College and began taking college courses at CCC. She earned her associate’s degree while finishing high school. She maintains a 3.4 grade point average and will transfer to Portland State University in the fall to study supply and logistics management.

Kesterson, 44, of Happy Valley, is a veteran who started at Clackamas after losing his job in the down economy. He maintains a 4.0 GPA while studying manufacturing. He is working on a dual degree in CAD/CAM and manufacturing technology. Kesterson plans to transfer to Oregon Tech in the fall to pursue a bachelor’s of applied science. He will be the first person in his family to graduate from college.

Rex Putnam High School’s baseball program will host a golf tournament at Stone Creek Golf Club on Saturday, May 18, as a fundraiser for Putnam baseball.

The Keswick/Chancellor Memorial Tournament will include 18 holes of golf, with golf cart, lunch and a raffle ticket. Check-in is 6:30 a.m.; tee-time is 7:30 a.m., with a shotgun start.

The registration fee is $90 if paid by April 30, and $95 for late registration. Go to the Putnam baseball website to register: www. putnambaseball.com.

Bourne comes to the rescue as the Mustangs earn a 79-66 victory

The Milwaukie Mustangs stunned Sherwood, winning 79-66 in an April 10 Northwest Oregon Conference boys dual track and field meet at Milwaukie.

“It was a little bit of an upset,” said Milwaukie coach Chuck Nott. “Going in I had us, on paper, down by a few points.”

The win left the Mustangs (2-0) tied with Wilsonville (2-0) and Liberty (2-0) in first place in the yet young conference dual standings.

“This win means we’re still in the hunt for the league dual title,” said Milwaukie coach Chuck Nott. “But I think the league’s tougher this year than it has been in some time, so we’ve still got some work to do.”

Nott said he sees Wilsonville and Sandy (1-1), which lost to Wilsonville in its season opener, as his Mustangs’ toughest competition in league. The Mustangs were to battle Sandy on the road this afternoon.

“Hopefully it will come down to us and Wilsonville,” Nott said. “We meet them at Wilsonville in the last meet of the year. They’ve beaten us the last couple of years, but we’re hoping to return the favor this year.”

The Mustangs had a number of heroes in last week’s dual win, but perhaps the biggest was Milwaukie senior Kendrick Bourne.

“My top two hurdlers weren’t available, so Kendrick Bourne, a kid who hurdled for the first time in his life last Monday (April 1), volunteered in the 300 intermediates,” Nott said. “This is a kid who I don’t think had ever run anything longer than 100 meters in competition. He works hard at practices, but I don’t think he ever runs as far as 300 meters, even in practice....

“He tells me, ‘Coach, no problem, I’ve got it.’ He cruises to first place [in the intermediate hurdles], and he looks like he’s run them his entire life.... His form is amazing. It’s almost perfect....”

Bourne also cruised to first place in the 110-meter high hurdles, beating out Sherwood hurdler Austin Tull, 15.77 to 17.94. And he earned second place in the long jump, with a leap of 20-6-1/2, leading a Mustang sweep of that event.

Bourne also ran the first leg in the 4x100-meter relay, as the Mustangs upset Sherwood in that event, 44.33 to 44.43.

Bourne holds the Northwest Oregon Conference’s best time this season for the high hurdles, at 15.74, a time he posted on April 3 during a meet at St. Helens.

The Mustangs’ 4x100 relay win was indeed a huge upset. Sherwood entered the meet with the best time in Class 5A in the event. Competing in the relay with Bourne were Javonte Hughes, Dominique Meade and Richard Ramsey. Meade made up a five-meter deficit during his leg, and Ramsey nosed out Sherwood’s anchorman for the win.

The Mustangs’ relay time was a personal record by over a second, and it’s the fourth best time run by an Oregon Class 5A sprint relay team this season.

The Mustangs were especially tough in the field events, where they outscored the Bowmen 44-19.

“We swept the discus, and I was hoping for five points [out of the nine points possible],” Nott said. “That was probably the turning point in the meet.”

Mustang veteran Jake Leary won both the discus (147-7-1/4) and the shot put (48-5-1/2), as expected.

C.J. Hubbard, a senior out for track for the first time, placed second in the discus with a heave of 129-0, a personal record by some 22 feet. And Milwaukie senior Jake Schroeder placed third, with a toss of 116-0-1/4.

Leary’s mark in the discus is a lifetime PR and it ranks him second in the state in Class 5A.

The Mustangs picked up some unexpected points in the pole vault and javelin early in the meet.

Junior Jordan Stromvig (11-6) and sophomore Griffin Johnson (11-0) both came through with career bests to finish one-two in the pole vault; senior Trevontae Anderson (137-4) and junior Edgar Pantoja (126-5) went two-three in the javelin.

The Mustangs made some noise in the horizontal jumps. Senior Dominique Meade (21-5) and junior Dante Meade (19-5-1/2) teamed up with Bourne (20-6-1/2) for the unexpected sweep of the long jump.

Anderson (41-4-1/4) and Dante Meade (40-11-3/4) went one-two in the triple jump.

Dominique Meade’s winning leap came on his final jump, which moved him up from fourth place. The effort was within an inch off his lifetime PR and it ranks him first in the NWOC.

Dominique Meade also had PR’s in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. He placed second to Ramsey (11.26), with a time of 11.31 in the 100; and second to Sherwood’s Hunter Pfefferkorn (23.29), with a time of 23.49, in the 200.

The marks recorded by Anderson and Dante Meade in the triple jump rank them first and second in the NWOC for that event.

April 10 turned out to be a long day for Milwaukie girls, as they got out-manned by the Bowgirls 90-44.

“They drove up with four busses and 170 kids,” said Milwaukie coach Barrie Malcolm. “That’s 70 more kids than we have.”

The Bowgirls swept the 800, javelin and pole vault, and they won both relays.

Milwaukie girls made the strongest showing in the jumps, where they outscored the visitors 21-6.

Milwaukie senior Alexis Noren and Tereza Markova, an exchange student from the Czech Republic, both cleared 4-10 and the placed first and second respectively in the high jump.

Noren (32-10-1/2) and Milwaukie senior Mackenzie West (31-7-1/2) went one-two in the triple jump, and West (15-2) won the long jump.

Mustang veteran distance runner Sasha Gonzalez won the 1,500 meters in a season PR of 5:08.75, a mark that ranks her No. 2 in the NWOC.

Milwaukie’s only other win was in the 400, where Becky Ponnay earned first place, with a 1:04.10 clocking. Milwaukie senior Cordaja Ware was clocked in a season’s best of 13.40 in the 100-meter dash.

Robinsons launches the discus 142-7; Streed clears 11-0 in the pole vault

Gladstone High School coeds on Saturday continued to prove themselves one of the top girls track and field programs in the state — at any level, claiming first place at the Barlow Relays.

Competing in a meet that included athletes from six schools with much higher enrollment, the Gladiators scored 157.96, finishing well in front of Heritage, WA, which scored 131.94 and earned runner-up honors. Beaverton, Hood River, Barlow, Sandy and The Dalles also had teams entered in the meet.

Gladstone girls earned first place in five relay events and they garnered runner-up honors in four events.

The Glads won first place in the javelin, pole vault, long jump, triple jump and 4x200-meter relays; and they finished second in the 4x100-meter, 4x400-meter, shot put and discus relays.

The Gladiators received stellar individual performances from two athletes in the field events.

Gladstone senior D’onna Robinson launched the discus 142-7 and Gladstone sophomore McKenna Streed cleared 11-0 in the pole vault.

Robinson’s mark in the discus is a state’s best for all classifications and it betters a school record that she set at 139-4 last year. It also set a meet record.

Robinson also had the second best mark of Saturday’s meet in the shot put, at 38-3-1/2.

Streed, the defending state champion in the pole vault, cleared 11-0 on Saturday, which is a 2013 state’s best for Class 4A. It was the first competition of the season for Streed, who has been out of commission for the past two months while trying to heal a stress fracture.

Gladstone freshman Tieara Norman continued impressive in the hurdles, completing her low hurdles relay leg in a personal best of 48.74. The time ranks Norman second in the state in 4A.

Jumping into a stiff headwind, Gladstone senior Madi Cronin and Norman were impressive in the long jump, where they recorded respective jumps of 16-8 and 16-7.

Cronin also leaped 34-9-1/2 in the triple jump, a season’s best and a state’s best for 4A this season.

Gladstone senior Alisa Bradshaw cleared 5-2 for the second-best mark of the meet in the girls high jump.

Gladstone’s 2x200-meter relay team of Cronin, Taylor Plunkett, Kelsey Hathaway and Mikaela Simac won that event by 50 meters, with a time of 1:48.69.

The Gladiator 4x400-meter relay team of Hathaway, Plunkett, Simac and Norman was clocked at a season’s best of 4:10.77, the fourth best time in the state in 4A this season.

And the Gladiator 4x100-meter relay team of Cronin, Plunkett, Hathaway and Simac was clocked at 50.82, the sixth-best time in 4A this spring.

“We had some good performances,” said Gladstone coach Joan Kintz. “They competed tough, especially considering that it was a cold day, and it was really windy.”

The Gladiators begin Tri-Valley Conference competition this Thursday, when they square off with La Salle and Estacada, at Estacada.

Walks and errors sink La Salle, twice

Last week was a tough week for La Salle Prep’s baseball team.

The Falcons outhit North Marion 20-9 in two games but dropped both games to the Huskies. Walks, errors and a lack of timely hitting cost the Falcons.

La Salle ace Trey Norton (4 strikeouts, 3 hits) walked nine batters (2 intentional) and hit a batter in a 4-3 loss to the Huskies, and his teammates booted the ball around for six errors in that game. Only one North Marion run was earned, and the Falcons left 10 runners on base.

Lefty Sean Hays (6 strikeouts) walked four batters in a 4-2 loss to the Huskies. The Falcons committed three errors in that game and they left nine baserunners stranded.

In their 4-3 win, the Huskies scored the game-winner in the bottom of the sixth. Norton hit the first batter, a second batter reached on an error, and the winning run scored on a line drive that went through the legs of La Salle’s first baseman.

Norton went 3-for-4 at the plate in the 4-3 loss. Hays went 2-for-3, with two RBI; Sam Eichhorn went 2-for-3.

Commenting on the 4-3 loss, La Salle coach Mike Reed said, “I’ve been coaching 41 years and it was the worst strike zone I’ve ever seen....”

North Marion pitcher Wyatt Moore struck out six and walked one, while the Falcons reached him for 10 hits.

North Marion had one big inning in the 4-2 win. The Huskies scored three runs in the top of the third on two walks, three infield hits and a run-scoring sacrifice fly.

“Three of their four runs were lead-off walks,” Reed observed.

Grant Studdard (3-for-3) headed up La Salle’s offense. He hit a two-run home run in the first inning, his second round-tripper of the year. Hays rapped a double.

“We’ve got to stop walking guys,” Reed said. “Walks and errors go hand-in-hand. When you give up a lot of walks, guys get bored, and they make mistakes.”

Reed noted that his Falcons, through their first 14 games, had allowed opponents 38 runs, only 19 of them earned.

With the pair of losses, La Salle slipped to 2-2 in the Tri-Valley Conference and to 9-5 on the season. North Marion (8-5, 4-0) continued unbeaten in league with the wins.

La Salle entertains Molalla (5-9, 2-2) this Thursday, and the Falcons host Seaside in a non-conference game at noon on Saturday.