Love your library? Help make it better!

The Belmont Library is one of the busiest in the country and after an upcoming renovation it will be bigger, too. Plans are underway to renovate the existing building and add an addition for a total of 15,000 square feet, more than doubling the available square footage. After the design phase, construction is expected to begin late next year with a ribbon-cutting in late 2025. But first, we need to hear from you. Library director Vailey Oehlke and the project architect Jeanie Lai will be at our General Meeting Thursday, November 9th to provide an update and hear your thoughts on the most important features for the renovated building. We hope to see you there.

Getting to Know Your Neighbors

Q&A with Jeremy FiveCrows

Jeremy FiveCrows is the Communications Director for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and an enrolled member of the Nez Perce Tribe. He moved to Sunnyside in 1999, and now lives here with his wife and two kids. He spoke to us about the history of the local tribes’ fishing rights, the health of the salmon fisheries, and the importance of native peoples’ “First Foods.” 

What do you love about Sunnyside?

Jeremy: I love that it feels like a real neighborhood – the walkability of it. We have so many independent shops. My favorite place is probably The Bagdad. I love the décor, the themed cocktails, the community feeling it has; it’s such a little treasure. I also love that you can go to this big grocery store, Fred Meyer, and yet it feels more like a local store. You recognize all the staff, because they have been there for years. 

You are a science communicator, helping tell stories about salmon and river science for the Columbia Intertribal Fish Commission. What do you love about that work? 

Jeremy: I love telling stories. I want everyone to feel at home here, and that feeling requires making deeper connections to this place, including emotional and spiritual connections. Tribal people have made a home here for thousands of years; part of my work is helping explain how they have done it. We can take their example of how to put down deeper roots in this place. We can all put our roots down a little deeper. 

Can you talk more about the work of the Inter-Tribal Fish Commission? 

Jeremy: The Commission is made up of four member tribes: the Nez Perce, Umatilla, Warm Springs, and Yakama, each with treaty fishing rights. Our broad scope is restoring watersheds, especially for the benefit of salmon, Pacific lamprey, and sturgeon. The Commission was formed in 1977 at a time when salmon were highly threatened with extinction. The tribes saw this decline and knew that their right to fish is meaningless if there is no salmon to catch. They came together to unify their voice in the management and coordination of the fishery. 

Can you share more about the history of treaty rights and salmon? 

Jeremy: All four tribes signed treaties with the U.S. government in 1855. Importantly, in the treaties fishing rights were “reserved”—they were not part of the negotiation, and therefore can never be taken away. The four member tribes have a specific treaty right to fish not only on their reservations, but in all their “usual and accustomed places.” For example, the Nez Perce, who live primarily in Idaho, can fish at Willamette Falls as we traditionally did. Subsequent court cases also determined that the fishing right includes the right to co-manage the fisheries in partnership with the states and federal government. Today, of all the areas the salmon are physically able to return to, most are located in lands that used to belong to these tribes but were ceded to the U.S. government when the 1855 treaties were signed. These lands are the salmon’s last interior stronghold. 

What is the health of salmon fisheries today? 

Jeremy: At the time of treaty (1855), estimates were that between 17-30 million salmon would return upriver annually. Today those numbers have been reduced by over 90%. It’s a common misconception that dams are the main cause. Even before the first dam (Bonneville) was built on the Columbia in 1938, the number had already dropped to 2 million a year due to clearcutting, gold mining, fish wheels and overharvesting. As more and more dams went in, it really kicked the salmon while they were down. One year in the late 1970s had fewer than 1 million salmon returning – across all species. But, that low point led to many things coming together to help salmon: the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the tribal self-determination push. These all combined to bring awareness and political will to change. 

But now, with climate change, we are very alarmed. In 2018/2019, the Nez Perce completed a run count in Idaho and they predict that by 2025—in just two years—77% of the spring Chinook salmon streams in Idaho will reach the quasi-extinction threshold. [A quasi-extinction threshold reflects the fact that a population may be doomed to extinction, even if there are still individuals alive, because it is so small it is unable to sustain itself.]

That’s terrifying. What can be done?

Jeremy: We need to pull out all the stops. It is especially important to focus on habitat restoration covering the entire lifecycle of the salmon—from the estuary to the rivers and creeks. Salmon habitats touch every facet of life in the NW—our hydrosystem, our energy system and our agriculture. We are doing more policy work in the Columbia Basin than we used to. We just completed a Tribal Energy Vision—how to prepare to make sure that the energy transition to wind and solar isn’t built on the backs of salmon. It would be a disaster to power our energy grid using the river as a reserve battery, turning the river on and off when needed. 

Tribes have done really good work but the reservations are small and most of the areas salmon return to are not on reservation land. Our organization works together with local landowners, local governments, and states. We work with so many people you might think of as adversaries—power companies, ranchers, farmers, county governments. We have to find our common priorities. Most ranchers love their land, and love to see salmon in their creeks again. 

How does the Fish Commission marry indigenous knowledge with Western science?

Jeremy: We can use the tools of Western science to look at salmon and the ecosystem in granular ways, such as through genetic research. For example, previously it was thought that Pacific lamprey spent 3-4 years in rivers before migrating to the ocean. Now, because of genetic testing, we know it can be a decade or more. But to learn that, we also needed traditional ecological knowledge, such as where to look for the lamprey, historical areas of abundance, etc. Coupling the two perspectives broadens our view. 

How can individuals support the local salmon economy? 

Jeremy: At various times from spring through fall, tribal fishers sell fresh salmon at many Portland farmers’ markets. You can also stop at the Bridge of the Gods exit on I-84 and buy from tribes who have stands and sell fish directly. 

What do salmon mean to you?

Jeremy: Tribes talk about First Foods— salmon, deer, camas roots, huckleberries. They are the foods of this place. When you eat these foods, your body becomes literally made of this place. Eating salmon from the Columbia carries on a thousands-of-years-long tradition of participating in the salmon economy. I’m not a fan of farmed salmon—it turns salmon into a crop instead of allowing us to see it as the gift it is.

News from the President

Hi neighbors and welcome to the spooky season! Time for pumpkin spice, kids dressed as superheroes & zombies, and the looming dread of the coming rains.

September was a busy month for the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association. We had a great time at the Belmont Street Fair seeing old friends and welcoming new ones to the neighborhood. A big shout out to everyone who volunteered to set up and staff the Sunnyside table!

September also saw the first SNA General Meeting of the season. We welcomed State Rep. Rob Nosse who spoke about transportation safety and funding, improving the operation and administration of the organizations tasked with providing detox and rehabilitation services under Measure 110, as well as other public safety & livability issues. Thank you Rep. Nosse for taking the time to join us.

We also discussed traffic safety and what SNA’s advocacy should be with PBOT. The conversation focused on César Chavez Blvd. People came with some great ideas including:

● Adding bus/bike-only lanes;

● Improving the timing of the lights at Belmont and Taylor;

● Painting crosswalks to better highlight them for drivers;

● Removing potentially unnecessary bus stops between Belmont and Hawthorne. [There are currently four on each side on this stretch.];

● Working with organizations like MADD and/or our local business associations to create banners to hang across César Chavez to disrupt the visual field and reduce speeds; and

● Widening the sidewalks by engaging with property owners whose retaining walls encroach on the public right-of-way.

Please keep your ideas coming! It was noted that, currently, PBOT’s resources are stretched extremely thin, and there are, possibly, equity issues in spending a lot of money to improve César Chavez through Sunnyside when so many neighborhoods in Portland lack basic infrastructure like sidewalks and marked crosswalks. In the meantime, members of the SNA Land Use & Transportation Committee are reaching out to PBOT leadership to ensure they have our community’s input as they move forward with near and long term upgrades to our roads.

During the Board Meeting we agreed that we need to update the SNA’s branding. We are looking for help designing a new logo and creating signage for events such as street fairs and movie nights. If you are interested in helping, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Finally, SE Uplift has opened up its grant applications for the year. They have two opportunities – Community Small Grants and IDEA Communication Grants. The Community Small Grants program awards up to $5,000 for projects that increase the number and diversity of people engaged in the broader community; that strengthen the community’s capacity to build leadership, identity, skills, and relationships; and that increase the ability for the community to impact public decisions and community life. The IDEA Communications Grants program awards up to $1,000 for eligible communications-related projects that focus on increasing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) within the SE Uplift area. Applications are due October 31st. For more details visit www.seuplift.org/grants.

The SNA will not have a General Meeting in October; our next General Meeting is on November 9th. We hope to have a representative from one of our local police precincts to discuss public safety. We are also reaching out to Multnomah County to learn more about the upcoming renovation to the Belmont Library branch. In the meantime, be careful out there and watch out for little goblins and ghouls on the streets!

Sunnyside Neighborhood: Getting to Know Your Neighbors

Q&A with Joseph Nazir of Tov Coffee

Have you enjoyed a latte on the big red bus? That would be Tov Coffee, Portland’s utterly unique Egyptian coffee bar, housed inside a mid-century double-decker bus imported from Britain. This Sunnyside staple has been parked at 32nd and Hawthorne since 2015, serving delicious coffees flavored with cardamom and rosewater alongside baklava, mango black tea, and cold brew with fragrant mint.

Tov is the work of Joe Nazir, an Egyptian immigrant with a deep background in coffee, including a half-decade working for Starbucks. Now Nazir’s singular and instantly memorable coffee bar is preparing to make a great next step – taking over an abandoned café space across from the Bagdad Theater at 3639 SE Hawthorne. “I want this to be the neighborhood’s living room again,” says Nazir. “This part of the city has become like home to me, and I want this cafe to feel that way, too.”

The new brick-and-mortar Tov Coffee will open in early October. I chatted with Nazir, who lives with his wife and their new baby in the Foster-Powell neighborhood, to learn a bit more about his story, and what’s planned for the new space.

I know many in the neighborhood are familiar with you already from Tov, but please introduce yourself. 

Joseph: My name is Joseph Nazir and I’ve owned Tov, the double decker coffee bus on Hawthorne and 32nd, for the last eight years. I’m Egyptian, which informs the atmosphere and style of my coffee shop. Portland is famous for craft coffee, but ours is unique. We offer Turkish- and Egyptian-influenced coffee options and play around with flavors like cardamom, pistachio, rosewater and apricot. We also feature pastries that are made by my mom and dad.

I’ve been in the coffee business since 2005—first at a little coffee shop in Corvallis, and then at Starbucks where I worked for five-and-a-half years. Starbucks taught me a little bit about coffee, but also about time management and speed of service. But before long, I realized there was more to coffee and I wanted to do more. This is how I came to open Tov eight years ago. And now we are preparing to open our second location, just up the street, at 3639 SE Hawthorne, in a former Starbucks location!

What a full circle moment for the neighborhood. Since your new cafe is only a few blocks away will the original Tov bus move or will it close?

Joseph: Good question! For the first month or so I plan to focus on getting the new space going and making sure my staff is feeling good about the whole thing. After that, I’d like to resume operation of the bus until the end of the year; then I’ll shut it down for 4-5 months during the cold season. In the meantime, the bus is available for private events, birthdays, whatever parties folks want to host in the neighborhood—perhaps even a New Year’s event! If you’re interested in renting the bus for an event get in touch by email ([email protected]) or Instagram (@TovCoffeeBar).

What do you have planned for the brick-and-mortar space?

Joseph: I can do so much more here than on the bus. This will be Portland’s first Egyptian pastry shop. I’ll be making pastries including baklava and konafa [a type of syrup-soaked spun pastry], and we’ll be serving more food items including breakfast sandwiches and grab-and-go options.

There is much more seating space here and I’ll be able to incorporate a Turkish / Egyptian coffee bar as part of the space. You’ll be able to sit and watch us make coffee in this unique style, watch us brew and pour, ask questions and take photos. It’s going to be really cool.

It’s great that your new cafe is staying in the neighborhood. What is it about this part of the city you’ve come to appreciate?

Joseph: It’s become home to me for almost a decade now. I’ve seen the changes on Hawthorne over the years. I know it has had some rough stretches. I think the neighborhood is bouncing back and I want to be part of helping bring back something special to this community. I remember the first time I visited this neighborhood, all the way back in 2001, and how special the vibe felt. I want to make it feel that way again and to put my heart and soul into beautifying it.

I never thought I would take a corner where a Starbucks used to be, but this is my chance.

Really, like many who work in coffee, I am a Starbucks child. I worked there for so long and that location is worthy of a comeback. It’s been empty for three years now—somebody had a lease on it, and I heard there was going to be a cannabis dispensary there, but it didn’t happen. As soon as the space came up for rent again, I jumped.

I want that corner to be pretty again. I want it to be beautiful. And, I want Tov Coffee to feel like Southeast Portland’s living room. The space is perfectly set up for coffee; all the neighbors are so excited to have a “third place” again to enjoy coffee and people watch. No pressure, but with God’s help I will make that place a good spot to hang out at again.

Sunnyside Neighbor Giving Back

A week ago, I got an email from an unfamiliar name. The woman, Lynn Sims, had been a caretaker for Judy Barnes, a 20-year Sunnyside resident. Barnes, who had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at a young age, had gone blind and needed help with various daily tasks. Sims wrote, “Of course I read her all her mail—and it was a favorite of hers to have me read the Sunnyside News. That’s how we found out about the Shower Program. Judy died June 11th, peacefully, with the help of Providence Hospice & End of Life Choices. As per her wishes I am making her donation and sending thanks for all your good work!” She then informed me that she had just made a $100 donation to the Sunnyside Shower Project.

Barnes, who had a BA in psychology from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, was an excellent cook and gardener who loved classical music and history. Despite being legally blind at age 27, she began work at the Department of Labor in Washington D.C. as a correspondence analyst. After working there ten years, Barnes became disabled due to her RA. She moved to California and then eventually to Portland. In the early 1990s, Judy worked vigorously in support of public power and clean energy futures by promoting Public Utility Districts (PUD) with a broad grassroots coalition. She supported many progressive causes. She is survived by her sisters, Rebecca Shircliff and Cecelia Barnes.

We are so incredibly touched by this generous donation and wanted to publicly acknowledge both Barnes, who loved Sunnyside, and her caretaker, Lynn Sims.