West Linn Girl Scout Troop 42682 packed 9,477 pounds of onions at the Oregon Food Bank before the holidays. Seven Girl Scouts along with friends, family and leaders brought the total of volunteers to 21. The group's organizer, Becky Burkeen, said they packed plastic potato sacks with five-pound batches of red onions donated by a local farmer. "They quickly...

West Linn Girl Scout Troop 42682 packed 9,477 pounds of onions at the Oregon Food Bank before the holidays. Seven Girl Scouts along with friends, family and leaders brought the total of volunteers to 21.

The group's organizer, Becky Burkeen, said they packed plastic potato sacks with five-pound batches of red onions donated by a local farmer.

"They quickly discovered that about eight onions equaled the five pounds," she said, noting that they worked for an hour and 20 minutes. "Once the giant bins were filled, the girls got to ring a bell and everyone hooted and hollered with excitement."

In addition, they received a tour of the facility.

"The girls were surprised to hear that the entire warehouse of food could be easily emptied by all of the hungry people in Oregon in just two weeks," Burkeen said. "They were also surprised to hear that the majority of people who go to local food pantries for emergency food supplies are families with one working parent."

West Linn Cub Scout Pack 149 is hosting its annual Pancake Breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday Jan. 28, 2012. The annual tasty fundraiser returns to Willamette Christian Church which is located at 3153 S Brandywine Drive in West Linn. Tickets are $ 3.50 at the door. The all you can eat meal includes pancakes, sausage, orange...

West Linn Cub Scout Pack 149 is hosting its annual Pancake Breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday Jan. 28, 2012.

The annual tasty fundraiser returns to Willamette Christian Church which is located at
3153 S Brandywine Drive in West Linn.


Tickets are $ 3.50 at the door. The all you can eat meal includes pancakes, sausage, orange juice, coffee.

For questions, contact Pack Leader Dave Neumeier at davidneumeier@gmail.com
CORNELIA SEIGNEUR Website

The West Linn Chamber of Commerce hosted its grand opening last week to celebrate moving into the Willamette area of West Linn. About 50 people walked in to enjoy refreshments and network while admiring the new office space, at 1745 Willamette Falls Drive. The chamber staff have been slowly settling in from their December move from the Bolton area....

The West Linn Chamber of Commerce hosted its grand opening last week to celebrate moving into the Willamette area of West Linn.

About 50 people walked in to enjoy refreshments and network while admiring the new office space, at 1745 Willamette Falls Drive. The chamber staff have been slowly settling in from their December move from the Bolton area.

"It is wonderful to be here," said Christina Romaniuk, office co-manager, who has been with the chamber through three moves. She says the historic Willamette location is "bright and cheery and visible. It is great to see people walking in front of us. I am occasionally tempted to wave at people to come in." 

New office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 503-655-6744 or visit westlinnchamber.com. 

Hailey Niswanger, a 2004 graduate of Rosemont Ridge Middle School, recently returned to her alma mater to teach Jazz Band One, which she was a part of as a student. Teacher Ronnie LaGrone, who started the jazz band while Niswanger was at Rosemont, said of past students who have continued with their music, "I consider them to be professional...

Hailey Niswanger, a 2004 graduate of Rosemont Ridge Middle School, recently returned to her alma mater to teach Jazz Band One, which she was a part of as a student.

Teacher Ronnie LaGrone, who started the jazz band while Niswanger was at Rosemont, said of past students who have continued with their music, "I consider them to be professional and it's a great opportunity for them to give back."

"For students, they can see that, 'Wow, this is someone who walked through my shoes.' It lets them know that it is achievable, that they can have that if they want it," LaGrone said.

Niswanger, 21, graduated in December from Berklee College of Music in Boston with a bachelor's degree in jazz performance and moves to New York this month to perform and teach. She released her first album, "Confeddie," in 2009 and has another one due out in March.

Niswanger has fond memories of LaGrone, recalling, "He was excited to be there and got us excited as well."

On the day of her visit, she said to students, "You have to have some feelings behind the notes you play. There is so much beyond the page."

She also believes in the value of mentorships. Since 2005, Niswanger has been mentored by Portland jazz trumpeter Thara Memory, with whom she did a concert this month at Jimmy Mak's.

Name: Branden Brooksby Age: 18 Hometown: West Linn Grade/school: Senior, West Linn High School Team: Varsity swimming Coaches: Katie Wilson, Maclain Marsh Highlights: "For the team, we had a strong showing at Three Rivers League Relays and a recent win over Canby. Individually, I normally swim the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay or 200 medley relay (freestyle)...

Name: Curtis Klein Age: 16 Grade/school: Junior at West Linn High School Teams: West Linn High varsity swim team and Tigard Tualatin Swim Club Coaches: Katie Wilson, West Linn High, and Jeanine Serrano, Tigard Tualatin Swim Club Highlights: "I competed at the Winter Junior National Championships in Austin, Texas, the second weekend in December representing Tigard Tualatin Swim Club. I...

Name: Curtis Klein

Age: 16

Grade/school: Junior at West Linn High School

Teams: West Linn High varsity swim team and Tigard Tualatin Swim Club

Coaches: Katie Wilson, West Linn High, and Jeanine Serrano, Tigard Tualatin Swim Club

Highlights: "I competed at the Winter Junior National Championships in Austin, Texas, the second weekend in December representing Tigard Tualatin Swim Club. I achieved personal best times in all my events and finished 18th in the 100-yard backstroke and the 200-yard freestyle. And, competing for the West Linn High swim team, I won the 100-yard backstroke and the 200-yard freestyle in a meet against Canby High, and I was also on the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-freestyle relay and we won both of those against Canby."

How he got started: "My parents threw me in the water and I've been swimming ever since."

Coaches' advice: "Swim fast."

Favorite part of sport: "Hanging with friends at swim meets."

Favorite meal the night before the big event: "Fish, cheeseburgers or burritos."

Off-season? "Swimming has no 'off-season.' "

Rules to live by: "Make a big splash!"

On his iPod: "AC/DC and Def Leppard."

On his nightstand: "The Complete Sherlock Holmes."

One thing someone may not know about him: "I like to take things apart, even though I can't always put them back together."

Cornelia Seigneur
Email: Cornelia Seigneur

The Friends of Robinwood Station celebrates the New Year with the announcement that they have received $ 7,660 from Clackamas County's "Healthy Eating Active Living" grants program for its "Robinwood Station Community Center Edible Landscaping" project. A Kickoff informational meeting is set for 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Station, located at 3706 Cedaroak Drive in West Linn....

The Friends of Robinwood Station celebrates the New Year with the announcement that they have received $ 7,660 from Clackamas County's "Healthy Eating Active Living" grants program for its "Robinwood Station Community Center Edible Landscaping" project.

A Kickoff informational meeting is set for 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Station, located at 3706 Cedaroak Drive in West Linn.

Lisa Clifton and Randall Fastabend were the grant writers while Lorie Griffith and Anthony Bracco acted as consultants for the project; and Liz Hayes has been an active volunteer.

"The vision for the garden is to be a place where community members can gather to be outside and socialize with their neighbors, and grow and harvest organic food," said Clifton, program coordinator.

Fastabend added that they also hope "to provide a showcase for healthy eating and active living for all of West Linn."

Clifton is involved with Oregon City Local Harvest 2020, an organization working towards encouraging both individual and groups to grow and eat locally produced foods. When she heard the discussion regarding how to landscape the Robinwood Station property, she thought, "what if we could put in food?'

"I believe we need to produce more food locally that's available right here," said Clifton, who lives minutes away from the Station.

The Robinwood Station project will plant and harvest seven raised beds with a variety of vegetables as well as two handicapped accessible plots. They will also have fruit trees and berries.

And, part of the grant is to create garden beds at local apartment complexes.

"Having activities for high density apartment complexes is what sets our project apart," said Fastabend.

The West Linn non-profit was one of 15 county groups to receive part of $ 102,482 in the HEAL grants program, which is offered through the Clackamas County Health, Housing and Human Services (H3S) department, said Kirsten Ingersoll, Community Engagement Coordinator, Clackamas County Community Health Division.

West Linn's Hailey Niswanger, a 2008 West Linn High graduate and standout saxophone player who recently graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, will  be performing at Jimmy Mak’s on January 6th with Thara Memory. The evening of Soul Jazz, highlighting the music of Cannonball Adderley, Eddie Harris, and Lou Donaldson, begins at 8 pm Friday. Jimmy Mak's is...

West Linn's Hailey Niswanger, a 2008 West Linn High graduate and standout saxophone player who recently graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, will  be performing at Jimmy Mak’s on January 6th with Thara Memory.

The evening of Soul Jazz, highlighting the music of Cannonball Adderley, Eddie Harris, and Lou Donaldson, begins at 8 pm Friday. Jimmy Mak's is located at 221 NW 10th in Portland, and can be reached at 503-295-6542.
Hailey Niswanger

Cornelia Seigneur