La Vida Local
Irregular Notes on West End Life
By Rosanne Graef
Happy Trails
On the occasion of my hundredth La Vida Local, I’ve decided to take a look back at some of my past commentaries. But first, I want to tell you how I came to write for The West End News.
My History with WEN
If you were in Portland between 2000 and 2012, you may remember Ed King, the original owner of the paper and creator of its Daffy Gull’s-Eye View cartoon map of the city. At some point. while spending an afternoon at St. Louis Church stuffing promotional flyers for WENA’s West Fest, Ed and I discovered we had been together at Hofstra for a year in the late ‘60s. I, of course, was spending hours in the library, while Ed was doing heaven-knows-what. Our paths never crossed until decades later.
When the Reiche branch library closed in 2010, I had written an opinion piece for Ed. By the time Tony Zeli bought The West End News from Ed, I was near the end of my absolutely last year as president of WENA. I wanted to stay involved in the neighborhood and writing La Vida Local would be just the ticket.
In no way would I claim to be a journalist or reporter. However, I do enjoy observing and pondering what’s happened and continues to happen here in the West End and Portland. I draw my conclusions as to why and how and use La Vida Local to proclaim my opinion on the enchantment, brilliance, ineptitude, or utter absurdity of what’s going on.
La Vida Local is about community…
Over the years I’ve tackled the old standby topics of snow, trash, sidewalks, parking, noise. Obviously, my painstaking instructions are not being taking seriously, if they are taken at all. Sidewalks are still too often un-shoveled and slippery. Trash is still put out the night before pickup to serve as the seagulls’ breakfast buffet. Leaves, street sand, and litter are still being shoved from place to place by dueling leaf blowers. Cars are still parked between the No-Parking-Here-To-Corner sign and the corner. But look on the bright side—there’s room for improvement!
The West End News has been a terrific supporter of the West End Neighborhood Association and a real asset in building community in this neighborhood. We’re extremely fortunate to have a booster like Tony to get the hyperlocal news out. Where else would you find out that National Witch Hazel Day is coming up on October 21st? (See La Vida Local from our February 2023 edition for more scintillating tidbits.)
It’s fun to hear from readers, especially when a story has given them a chuckle or touched their heart. Even during the first year of Covid when I added the Words in Words puzzle to my monthly submissions, The West End News helped hold things together and gave folks a diversion when they needed it most.
November will be the end of my truly, absolutely last year as president of WENA and this is my final La Vida Local. Auf Wiedersehen, thanks for reading, and look for the good peanuts (See La Vida Local, December 2021).
