Wilsonville Lifestyle Magazine April 2024

Foundation

info@ActiveMediaUSA.com

503.825.2111

ADMINISTRATION

Matthew Nelson, Publisher

Catrina Nelson, CFO

Tara Weidman, Executive Assistant

PRODUCTION

Jeremy Okai Davis, Art Director

Donovan Darling, Content Manager

Kate Astle, Copyeditor

Kaity VanHoose, Social Media Manager

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Hilary Berg Sean Carver

Dani DeGraw Brittany Jungenberg

Morgan King Justin Nelson

Shawn Schmidt

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Patti Jo Brooks Olive Gallagher

Angie Helvey Lucas Holmgren

Robert Matsumura Dennis McNabb

Edward Novak Kelly Romo

Gretchen Van Lente Ty Walker

Alice Williams Kerry Yu

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Laurel Bice Carly Carpenter

Tyler Francke Angie Helvey

Brittany Jungenberg Malaina Kinne

Lisa Kuhlman Kara Langley

Andrew Sambuceto Henry Schifter

Hayley Starkey

ADVERTISING SPECIALISTS

Don Ormsby Bill Kistler

Stephanie Baker Peggy Jacobs

David Long Chris O’Brien

John Zobrist Brad Marti

Shelley Zeman Tina Toney

Darren Dwyer Lynnette Scott

Looking to reach local consumers?

We Specialize in direct-mail products:

magazine advertising, mailing inserts, postcards and more. For more information, call 503.825.2111 or email info@ActiveMediaUSA.com

Lovely Sherwood Condo!

Located in the the lovely Woodhaven Crossing community near all of the neighborhood recreational trails, this adorable dual-suite condominium is just what you’re looking for. You enter into the comfortable living room that features a gas fireplace and the character to make the space your own. The kitchen comes with plenty of upgrades, including granite countertops, an extra wide island, new backsplash, painted cabinets, and the addition of a hidden lazy susan. The spacious primary suite includes a ceiling fan, with a second suite providing additional privacy, with both suites having vaulted ceilings. HOA includes a swimming pool, gym, and water and garbage. Central to all the shopping, trails, and restaurants that Sherwood has to offer, this home won’t last long!

Wilsonville Stats Corner

Regular Renewal

Traditional facial vs. Hydrafacial

First off, what is your goal for getting your facial? Have you had a facial before? Before I continue, I should say not all facials are created equal. Also, not all estheticians are trained the same. So if you’ve had a facial in the past and didn’t enjoy it or had a bad reaction to it, please know you can have an amazing experience and come out a believer.

What is a facial? Simply put, it is maintenance for your complexion. If you want a tighter body, you workout. If you want better, glowing skin, you get a facial.

Traditional

Facial

A traditional facial is typically a 60- to 90-minute appointment — we call it our Divine Valmont Facial. First, you get cozy in a facial bed. Your esthetician — a licensed skincare professional whose passion is probably just this — will ask you questions about what skin concerns you have. You might say things like “fine lines, dark spots, blackheads, dryness, breakouts...” All these concerns can be addressed during a facial. Ususally there are many options for the type of facial, so calling ahead is a good idea or discuss with your esthetician once you get there. During this hour-long facial, it is typically very relaxing. I like to say it’s like a massage but with good skin. My clients often fall asleep — it Christine

always feels like we get a gold star when this happens. Clients leave relaxed, rejuvenated and glowing.

Hydrafacial

Hydrafacial is a shorter appointment, between 30 to 60 minutes. While some say it is relaxing, this treatment is more to the point and does not include any massage of neck, shoulder and arms. This facial treatment has a patented vortex technology that infuses while also painlessly pulling everything out of your pores and putting it into the gunk jar — you can see everything that came out of your skin, including all those stubborn blackheads. You leave glowing, instantly hydrated and smooth. These are also great for teens! Some people alternate between hydrafacial and a traditional version.

How Often Should I Get a Facial?

The answer is once a month. We can tell a difference in clients’ complexions who get facials regularly vs. those who do not. It takes on average 30 days for the new skin cells to come to the surface, and if you are getting a facial once a month, you will have your best skin. I guarantee it.

Hoaxes & Hilaria

April Fools’ Day through the ages

By Donovan Darling, Staff Writer

Gregorian Calendar

April Fools’ Day is often credited to the calendar reform of 1582 in France, during the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Before this change, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1, consistent with traditions in other cultures such as the Hindu calendar.

However, with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar and the shifting of New Year’s Day to January 1, the observance of the new year got complicated. Some people were unaware or just refused to change and continued to celebrate the new year in late March through April 1, and these people were subjected to jests and pranks and mockingly called “April fools.”

A popular prank played back then involved placing paper fish on the backs of unsuspecting victims and referring to them as “poisson d’avril” (April fish), a term which supposedly symbolized both the innocence of a young, easily caught fish and that person’s gullibility. From there, a tradition of good-humored tricks, pranks and mischief began.

Hilaria in Rome

April Fools’ Day’s origins have also been credited to festivals like Hilaria in ancient Rome, celebrated by followers of the cult of Cybele. Hilaria, “joyful” in Latin, involved disguises and mockery, possibly inspired by Egyptian mythology. Another theory suggests a tie to the vernal equinox, with nature’s unpredictable weather fooling people.

The tradition spread in Britain during the 18th century, with Scotland adding a two day celebration. The first day, “hunting

the gowk,” sent people on fake errands (gowk meaning cuckoo bird, a symbol for a fool). This was followed by Tailie Day, featuring pranks on people’s butts such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them.

Modern Day

Nowadays April Fools’ Day has become a playground for elaborate hoaxes. Newspapers, TV stations and websites will often create outrageous fictional claims to fool their audiences. In 1957, the BBC reported a record spaghetti crop in Switzerland, complete with footage of noodles being harvested from trees. In 1985, Sports Illustrated published a fake article about a pitcher named Sidd Finch throwing over 168 mph.

In 1992, NPR had a Richard Nixon impersonator announce a presidential run. In 1996, Taco Bell announced the purchase of Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell, renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. And lastly, in 1998, Burger King advertised a “Left-Handed Whopper.” Google, on the other hand, has now become known for its annual pranks, from a “telepathic search” to turning Google Maps into Pac Man.

Exploring the New Ford Ranger

Classic pickup gets a serious redesign

The 2024 model year sees a complete redesign of Ford’s mid-size Ranger pickup, drawing inspiration from the larger F-150 for its more assertive front-end styling. While the Ranger is available with a turbodiesel V-6 in certain international markets, the American version maintains the reliable turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine from the current model, with the addition of a more potent twin-turbo gasoline-fired V-6 option. Both engine variants offer rear- or four-wheel drive configurations.

In contrast to last year’s Ranger, which came in two body styles, the 2024 model is exclusively offered as a crew cab with four full-size doors. The interior has undergone significant changes, featuring a large, vertically oriented infotainment system akin to higher-end Edge SUV models.

Upon its release, the 2024 Ranger faces competition from the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, and Toyota Tacoma, all of which have undergone recent redesigns. Pricing ranges from $34,265 to $45,225 depending on trim and optional features.

The mid-range XLT trim is recommended for its enhanced appearance and desirable amenities, including LED exterior lighting, 17-inch aluminum wheels, and Ford’s Co-Pilot360 suite. Optional packages such as the Technology Package add advanced features like adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system.

Performance-wise, the Ranger maintains its capability with the turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine

producing 270 horsepower, while higher trims offer a twinturbocharged 2.7-liter V-6 with 315 horsepower. Both engines are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and can be equipped with rear- or four-wheel drive.

The Ranger’s towing capacity is rated at up to 7,500 pounds, although the truck’s maximum payload rating drops slightly with the four-wheel drive system. Fuel economy varies depending on the engine and drive configuration.

Inside, the cabin boasts a modern aesthetic, with available digital gauge displays and advanced infotainment options. Ford has incorporated numerous interior storage solutions, including hidden compartments and larger door pocket cubbies.

Standard safety features include forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking, with optional upgrades such as blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control.

Ford offers competitive warranty coverage for the Ranger, with a limited warranty covering three years or 36,000 miles and a powertrain warranty covering five years or 60,000 miles.

Complimentary scheduled maintenance is not included.

The Whole Tooth

New Tooth Taxi christened for Wilsonville community

By The Dental Foundation of Oregon

Photos by Lori Ackerman Photography

It was a festive atmosphere as The Dental Foundation of Oregon welcomed more than 100 guests to the Oregon Dental Association office on a sunny Friday, February 2, 2024 as everyone welcomed the new Tooth Taxi into official service!

Guests enjoyed a tour of the new Taxi, heard brief remarks from a variety of special guests, and honored Ed Spradlin as the DFO’s 2023 Volunteer of the Year. Guests delighted in small bites and light refreshments from Wilsonville’s own Gather and Give, took selfies at the custom step & repeat banner decorated with balloons from Magic Balloons Portland, adorned with a large swath of authentic

Portland Airport carpet from PDX Carpet Rental. The celebration ended with an official “mouthwash“ christening, and a champagne toast!

Proud to call Wilsonville its home, The Dental Foundation of Oregon is the charitable arm to the Oregon Dental Association whose 40+ year mission and dedication to advance oral health education, provide charitable care, and coordinate resources for Oregon’s children and vulnerable communities is legendary. The Tooth Taxi is staffed by dental professionals who are Moda Health employees and for the past sixteen years, The Dental Foundation of Oregon and Tooth Taxi program have steadfastly

adhered to their mission and as a result, the positive impact of the Tooth Taxi program can be demonstrated by the numbers:

25,613 Patients Screened

25,785 Students received classroom and hygiene education

15,455 Unique appointments on the van

$8,816,047 Value of FREE Services

Those interested in having the Tooth Taxi visit your school may contact Carrie Peterson, Tooth Taxi Program Manager via email carrie.peterson@modahealth.com or cell: 503-329-8877.

On February 2nd The Dental Foundation of Oregon & Wilsonville welcomed the new Tooth Taxi

Ed Spradlin

2023 DFO Volunteer of the Year

The DFO is delighted to share with readers that Ed Spradlin was honored as the 2023 Volunteer of the Year award recipient at the February 2, 2024 Tooth Taxi Launch Event. His inspiring leadership in starting the DFO’s very own Oregon Bottle Drop Charitable Donation program has raised nearly $4,000 in support for The Dental Foundation of Oregon’s Tooth Taxi program over a five month period!

Ed Spradlin had this to say: “A few years ago, I looked for an organization to contribute a little extra money to, and then I stumbled onto The Dental Foundation of Oregon’s Tooth Taxi program. Being a child of the 1940s, for me, going to the dentist was emotionally and physically a challenge at times. It made sense to me that the mission of the Tooth Taxi is to educate children and families of the importance of dental care and help give treatment to those in need.”

“What began in 2023 as an individual effort on my part to gather recyclable cans and plastic bottles as part of the Oregon Bottle

Drop charitable donation program has grown to include others who are just as eager to be a part of my mission to help the DFO and the Tooth Taxi! As luck would have it, I was talking to some of my friends at the local Fred Meyer store, who also happen to be employees, about how I fundraise for the Tooth Taxi and how I save loose pocket change along with help generate money from the Bottle Drop Charitable donation program that I donate to Tooth Taxi. Several of the employees loved the idea and have joined me in the cause. So now every day when I show up at Fred Meyer, they give me the bottles and cans they have collected so I can redeem them through the Bottle Drop!”

“Now, with my wonderful team of helpers, I estimate our donation will generate about 10 bags of cans per week with the average bag bringing in about $7.10 each.

Together, it is an honor and a pleasure for all of us to be part of such a wonderful program that helps Oregon’s children receive dental care.

Thank you to The Dental Foundation for the opportunity to help and for all that you do to help make the world a better place.”

“April rains transform fields from plain to lovely wildflower-filled terrain.”

— Unknown

April Fool’s Day

Atheist Day

Dyngus Day*

International Fun at Work Day

International Tatting Day

Caramel Popcorn Day

International Beaver Day

National Beer Day

No Housework Day World Health Day

Ex Spouse Day

Int. Moment of Laughter Day

Look up at the Sky Day

National Dolphin Day

National Pecan Day

Kindergarten Day

International Astronomy Day

Great Poetry Reading Day

Kiss Your Mate Day

All is Ours Day

Draw a Picture of a Bird Day

Zoo Lover’s Day

Income Taxes Due

Patriot’s Day *

Rubber Eraser Day

Take a Wild Guess Day

Titanic Remembrance Day

Earth Day (U.S.)

Girl Scout Leader Day

National Jelly Bean Day

Passover begins at sundown *

Greenery Day

International Dance Day

National Shrimp Scampi Day

National Zipper Day

Don’tGotoWorkUnless Find

National Children’s Book Day

Nat. Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

Reconciliation Day

Int. Be Kind to Lawyers Day*

Name Yourself Day

National Library Workers Day –Tuesday of Library Week in April

Winston Churchill Day

Mushroom Day

National Eggs Benedict Day

National Librarian Day

National Stress Awareness Day

Save the Elephant Day

Lover’s Day

English Muffin Day

National Picnic Day

National Zucchini Bread Day

Take a Chance Day

World Laboratory Day

Hairstyle Appreciation Day

International Jazz Day

National Honesty Day

National Raisin Day

National Mahjong Day

National Bookmobile National Farm National

Bat Appreciation Blah, International Haiku National

Administrative Day (Executive Secretary’s Pig

Unlessit’sFunDay*

Find a Rainbow Day

National Walking Day*

3

Tweed Day

World Party Day

Golfer’s Day

Bookmobile Day*

Farm Animals Day

National Siblings Day

Safety Pin Day

Hug a Newsman Day

School Librarian Day

Tell a Lie Day

Walk Around Things Day

World Rat Day

Barbershop Quartet Day

Eight Track Tape Day

National Pet Day

National Submarine Day

Deep Dish Pizza Day

Go for Broke Day

National Dandelion Day

National Walk to Work Day *

Read a Road Map Day

Big Wind Day

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day

International Day of Human Space Flight / Russian Cosmonaut Day

California Poppy Day

National Tartan Day

New Beer’s Eve

Int. Plant Appreciation Day

National Peach Cobbler Day Scrabble Day

Appreciation Day

Blah, Blah, Blah Day

Herbalist Day

Haiku Poetry Day

17

National Cheeseball Day

Administrative Professionals (Executive Admin’s Day, Secretary’s Day) *

in a Blanket Day

International Juggler’s Day –also applies to multi-tasking office workers

National High Five Day*

Newspaper Columnists Day Pet Owners’ Independence Day

East Meets West Day

National DNA Day

Take Your Daughter to Work 4th

Thursday in April

World Penguin Day

Global Astronomy Month

International Guitar Month

Keep America Beautiful Month

Lawn and Garden Month

National Card and Letter Writing Month

National Frog Month

National Humor Month

National Garlic Day

National Hanging Out Day

Arbor Day *

Hug an Australian Day

National Pretzel Day

Richter Scale Day

National Kite Month

National Pecan Month

National Poetry Month

National Welding Month

Chinese Language Day

Husband Appreciation Day *

Look Alike Day

Volunteer Recognition Day World Circus Day*

Babe Ruth Day

Morse Code Day

National Prime Rib Day

Nat. Teach Children to Save Day *

Tell a Story Day

* Denotes that the date changes each year

“April was just beginning, and after the warm spring day it turned cooler, slightly frosty, and a breath of spring could be felt in the soft, cold air.”

– Anton Chekov

Records and Information Management Month

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Stress Awareness Month

OUR VISION: To create and promote economic prosperity for businesses and citizens in the south metro area.

2024-2026 Strategic Plan

CHAMPION FOR THE WILSONVILLE AREA

Ensure the long-term viability of Wilsonville and surrounding communities.

Objective A: Business growth and retention.

Strategies:

• Engage current businesses.

• Increase visibility of businesses in the area.

Objective B: Business supportive environment.

Strategies:

• Be a conduit between business and policymakers.

• Advocate for pro-business policies.

Objective C: Wilsonville is the place to work, live and play.

Strategies:

• Partner with key stakeholders to promote the City, amenities, and businesses.

• Bring awareness to local organizations.

ENHANCE REGIONAL VITALITY

Encourage partnerships that support the success of businesses and communities.

Objective A: Pipeline for talent development.

Strategies:

• Explore the Future of Work.

• Support educational institutions.

Objective B: Workforce availability.

Strategies:

• Facilitate business-education partnerships.

• Connect business to workforce partners.

Objective C: Regional connectivity.

Strategies:

• Maximize transportation options.

• Advocate for future infrastructure investment.

CONNECT COMMUNITY

Cultivate meaningful opportunities for businesses to engage and collaborate.

Objective A: The Hub for south metro business.

Strategies:

• Promote available resources for business and connect them to partners.

• Convene businesses and industry leaders to foster peer-to-peer engagement.

Objective B: The innovative Chamber.

Strategies:

• Board and membership reflect the diversity of the business community and serve a variety of members.

• Drive innovative business practices.

• Enhance the value of membership.

Objective C: Strategic alliances and connections.

Strategies:

• Share timely and relevant regional information and best practices.

• Facilitate opportunities for regional leaders to engage and collaborate.

spotlight APRIL

FINES FOR FOOD

ALL APRIL

Fines for Food

All Month!

Lend your neighbor a helping hand, and get a great deal! All April, overdue fines are 50% off at Wilsonville Public Library (for in-person payments only). Every dollar you spend will be donated to Wilsonville Community Sharing, to fill the food bank with fresh, healthy supplies. Get a discount on your fines and support your local community!

Spanish Storytime

Saturday, April 20

Adventures in Spanish will present stories and songs in Spanish for children and their grown-ups. The half hour program is recommended for ages 05 years.

Oak Room

11-11:30am

Repair Fair

Saturday, April 27

This free community event brings volunteers with fixing skills and people with broken items together. Experienced fixers will attempt to repair or mend your items and may teach you how to fix them yourself. There are no guarantees for a repair. Fixers can diagnose an issue and offer their best, unbiased advice.

Rose and Oak Rooms 10am-1pm

The 1990s

The decade that transformed Wilsonville

Emerging From Political Chaos

In January 1991, Lehan attended a City Council meeting to deliver testimony supporting the protection of natural wetlands at Memorial Park. She got more than she bargained for.

By Bill Evans, City of Wilsonville

If you weren’t one of the 7,700 people living in Wilsonville in 1990, it might be hard to imagine our city with no high school, few stoplights and nary a place to buy more than groceries. How rural was Wilsonville in the early ’90s? The City Council still held work sessions at the old Kopper Kitchen restaurant (now the Black Bear Diner).

“We sat in the back room, near a fireplace and a long bar,” recalls former mayor Charlotte Lehan. “It wasn’t closed; people were sitting at the bar and at tables nearby.”

While America was becoming obsessed with the Internet, boy bands and Michael Jordan, Wilsonville was being transformed in the 1990s by a series of decisions that proved fundamental in managing the city’s fast growth and contributing to the high quality of life residents now enjoy.

At the top of the meeting, newly-elected members of the City Council moved to oust the City Manager. The Mayor at the time, appalled by what he deemed a “witch hunt,” tendered his resignation six days later.

In the wake of the chaos, Jerry Krummel — with all of two months experience on the Council — was appointed mayor. Lehan eventually, and quite reluctantly, agreed to fill the vacant seat.

“I said no twice,” Lehan recalls. “The third time, I only agreed to be on City Council if they couldn’t find anybody else.” They didn’t, and a political career was born.

In September of 1991, the City hired City Manager Arlene Loble, who had led the transformation of Park City, Utah, from a small mining town to destination ski resort in the 1980s. Her second act would prove equally transformative.

“Arlene really had a vision about how the city would be. One of her cardinal principles was to maintain livability at all costs,” remembered Wilsonville’s longtime legislative lobbyist, Greg Leo. Loble quickly got the City’s oars rowing in the same direction. “Arlene doesn’t always get enough credit,” said Lehan.

The Year 2000 Plan

One initiative inherited by the city’s new leadership was a stalled plan to finance much-needed new infrastructure. The new Council went to work to modify “The Year 2000 Plan,”

City Councilor Charlotte Lehan and City Manager Arlene Loble were front and center for events that shaped Wilsonville’s destiny in the 1990s.

Dammasch State Hospital was once located where Villebois now sits. The City successfully fended off a State plan to site a prison there.

identifying a list of projects that could be funded with the establishment of an urban renewal district. Voters approved the plan in 1992.

The Plan helped the City establish its high-tech industrial footprint. The Mentor Graphics campus was one of the first developments made possible through urban renewal-funded investment in new roads, sewer and water systems. This and subsequent investment from other major employers and developers greatly contributed to the 1165% (11x) growth in assessed value during the district’s life cycle.

The Year 2000 Plan funded the development of Town Center Park and City Hall, purchased land and built

what is now Murase Plaza, contributed to the construction cost of Wilsonville High School, expanded the wastewater treatment plant and advanced projects to bring Wilsonville Rd. and other streets to modern standards.

The City That Doesn’t Back Down

A hallmark of Wilsonville’s success throughout the decade was its uncanny ability to emerge victorious in fights to protect the City’s livability.

One of Loble’s first strategic insights was to recognize that if the City didn’t ramp up its local transit system within five years, TriMet could absorb Wilsonville into its service boundary. The city’s South Metro Area Regional Transit (a.k.a. SMART) has since flourished as one of the few independent providers in the Portland-metro area, providing fare-free rides throughout Wilsonville.

The City also engaged in a long battle with the State to protect land that is now the site of Villebois. The acreage on which the neighborhood sits was previously the site of the Dammasch State Hospital. After Dammasch closed in 1995, the land was targeted by the Department of Corrections to site a new womens’ prison. When the State came calling, the city was armed for battle because Loble had the foresight to have staff develop a residential master plan for the area.

The City took its fight all the way to the governor’s office, with Lehan successfully persuading Governor John Kitzhaber to site the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility at its current site on Day Rd.

That potential death blow to Wilsonville’s future led to curtailment notices and a two-year moratorium on new building for lack of an adequate water supply. In response, city leadership zeroed in on its most consequential –and controversial – political decision of the decade.

Its plan to draw water from the Willamette River drew wavering support and some extreme opposition. Lehan and her fellow Councilors rolled up their sleeves to persuade voters.

“I remember sitting in the governor’s office preparing to testify on the prison issue,” recalled Lehan, “and I’m on the phone with Greg Leo making decisions on the water campaign, and setting up phone banks to talk to voters.”

The push was successful, and the measure to tap the Willamette narrowly passed in 1999. The City’s water treatment plant opened in 2002, securing a reliable long-term water source.

“What we have today, in almost every case, we had to fight for,” Leo said.

While the battle for the Dammasch property raged on, the city was also dealing with an even bigger issue. Its wells were running dry, and the city was on the verge of being without a permanent water source.

By the decade’s end, the population had nearly doubled to more than 13,500, and the city was nevertheless able to move forward.

“That was probably one of the three or four most important turning points in the city’s history,” Leo said. “It was the time when we really made Wilsonville into Wilsonville.”

Before Argyle Square came along, the Elligsen Rd. exit was home to the Burns Brothers truck stop.

John Kitzhaber and Charlotte Lehan were on opposite sides of the prison siting issue, but together to celebrate Graham Oaks Nature Park.

Developing local transit service in the 1990s still provides benefits today for “fare-free” passengers in Wilsonville.

We Sell Trust

Professional auto care getting you road ready

By Olive Gallagher, Contributing Writer Photos by Carly Carpenter

Don’t let the name Mr. Transmission fool you. Bob Bauer, the owner of Mr. Transmission, does a lot more than transmissions. Bob, along with some of the best technicians in the Portland area, does it all, from bumper to bumper (except for tires). “We do things that are hard, like build engines and transmissions, as well as handle and tame rough diagnostics. We also take care of the everyday stuff that’s essential, too, like oil changes, brakes, and tune-ups.” His team is so skilled, in fact, that one of the largest used-car dealerships in the country brings him their work, knowing if anyone can sort out what is needed, it’s Mr. Milex-Transmission.

We’ve all been there, when a sudden noise, rattle or whirring sound captures our attention and we have no idea where it’s coming from or what it could be; we just want it to stop! Bob’s

the guy you want on that challenge. From his earliest years, he was fascinated with what was “under the hood.” While his dad, a pilot, appreciated how things worked, Bob says it was his mom with her uncanny aptitude for mechanical things who inspired him.

Born in Denver, Colorado into a close, small family, Bob spent his boyhood summers on a ranch in Elkton, Oregon and fell in love with the area. After earning a degree from Northrop University in electrical engineering, he went to work for Hewlett Packard, then an instrument company. Bob went into sales selling the tools to labs that tested new products. By 2010, he had become VP of Sales, taking sales groups and “transforming” them to increase performance.

Following his corporate experience and several mergers, Bob decided to start his own business, something he had always wanted to do. That led him to Wilsonville where he continued to be fascinated with cars. He found it brought him enormous satisfaction when he could diagnose a vehicle and help someone truly in need, ethically and cost-effectively, looking at it sometimes as a ministry. In fact, his tagline on his business card is “We Sell Trust.”

When the opportunity came along to become a franchisee of Milex-Mr. Transmission, a company founded by the Moran family in Chicago in the 1950s, Bob took it and began to build the business along with his wife, Cammy, who handles the accounting.

The fascinating “romance” that folks have had with cars from the beginning continues today, and Bob is there to make certain your vehicles are running great and that you’re always treated like family.

So next time a problem arises and no one else seems to know what it is, what to do or how to fix it, call 971-224-4368, email Bob at milexmrt568@gmail.com, or go to wilsonville.mrt-milex.com to make an appointment or for more information.

Christine Popoff

Making things right in corrections

By Olive Gallagher, Contributing Writer

When we think of people who make things go and “keep the lights on” for us, it’s doubtful we think about prisons as a place where things move forward. Traditionally, incarceration has been perceived as the end of the line for anyone who commits a crime, not a place of restoration or reformation, much less metamorphosis. And yet, for Christine Popoff, Assistant Superintendent for General Services of Coffee Creek, that is exactly what makes going to work every day so challenging and rewarding.

Dubbing herself an “I-5 Corridor Baby,” Christine, the oldest of two girls, grew up in Keizer. A good student who loved history, Christine developed a fascination with the law in third grade. Given that her paternal grandfather was a Coos County Sheriff, her uncle served as a Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy, and her dad taught history and coached the football team, she comes by this fascination through osmosis! She also learned about caring for others from her mom, an RN, who initially worked in the maternity ward but then moved on to pediatrics. She proudly acknowledges her father taught and inspired her to help people find their “best” self. At the start of every season, he’d tell his team, “First, be a good person; second, be a good student; and third, be a good athlete. If you do that, you’ll be successful!” Through setting his expectations high, his students somehow met them.

Christine enrolled in 1988 at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. She was drawn to Carleton’s reputation as a top liberal arts college as well as its small classes. Earning a bachelor’s degree in political science, she spent part of her junior year in Washington interning for Congressman Les Aucoin. While in D.C., she heard Justice Blackmun comment on becoming a lawyer, “Go ahead, join us, and be bored!” That set the wheels turning and encouraged her to consider how to apply her love of the law in different, unexpected ways.

In 1992, Christine returned to Salem and worked full time for the state while attending night classes in criminal justice. After winning a Rotary International Scholarship — an award only given each year to 1,000 individuals worldwide — she chose to earn her master’s degree in criminology at the University of Sydney in Australia. Living in the International House with 235 students from 32 countries, she completed her thesis on juvenile justice.

Returning to the States, Christine took a position for Oregon Corrections, working in different facilities in the Inmate Work Program, which focused on creating as normal an environment for inmates as possible. She added, “Counties run jails for people convicted for less than a year, and prisons house those convicted for one year plus one day more.” She knew approaches were changing and incarceration was now being viewed more as transformative than punitive.

Christine worked as the manager of the Oregon Department of Corrections Leadership Training Program for two years but realized she missed working “inside.” She missed the certainty of the schedule, the routines, the structure and sense of

Looking back on 27 years in corrections to date, Christine is proud that she now spends each day “working for change.” The community is indeed blessed to have her steady hand on the wheel.

community, the problem solving and the diagnosis of everyday issues. “There’s an anchor within all of it that I find satisfying.”

In 2000, she interviewed to be the program services manager at Coffee Creek and became part of the creation of this new facility dedicated to a restorative and rehabilitative program for adults. She often tells her parents how grateful she is for being given a boring childhood free of trauma and drama. Looking back on 27 years in corrections to date, Christine is proud that she now spends each day “working for change.” The community is indeed blessed to have her steady hand on the wheel.