January 2010

The Portland Badminton Club will host the Winter Oregon Open Badminton Tournament from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Portland Badminton Club in Hillsboro (7275 NW Evergreen Parkway in Hillsboro, Bldg. F, No. 250).

Watch some of the top US Indoor competitive players compete for prizes and pride. See the top singles and doubles players from Oregon go head-to-head against the top badminton players from throughout the United States.

Tournament events:

• Junior Beginners (14-and-under co-ed)
• Open event (advanced players
• 40 and older (must be in that age group)

Check the Portland Badminton Club's Web site for more information.

On Jan. 30, the finals of the Hillsboro Teen Idol competition will take place. 

The public is invited (audience entry fee - $2) to the Finals and will be asked to vote for their Hillsboro Teen Idol!

Finals will be held at the Cultural Arts Center (527 E Main St.) and begins at 1 p.m.

When Frank Reimers decided to retire, he wanted his departure from 30 years in the fire service in Hillsboro, to have some meaning.

So Reimers asked his union brothers and sisters to consider a significant donation to brain tumor research, since his niece was undergoing treatment for a cancer known as Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor (PNET).

The niece of Reimers, Nicole Callahan, 19, was first diagnosed at age 12 with the relatively rare disorder when she began suffering seizures. Her first round of treatments involved the surgical removal of the mass in her brain followed by six weeks radiation and nearly a year of chemotherapy. Her life returned to near normal for four years until she was about to graduate from high school in 2008. The day after graduation, she knew something was wrong again and the doctors confirmed the tumor had returned and spread to additional areas of her brain. More chemotherapy was attempted, but she could not complete it because it caused too much damage.

In July 2009, the tumor had spread to the opposite side of the brain, so a new treatment had to be found.

The Jan. 26 Special Election is here and two measures are at stake:

Measure 66 - Raises tax on household income at and above $250,000 (and $125,000 for individual filers). Reduces income taxes on unemployment benefits in 2009. Provides funds currently budgeted for education, health care, public safety, other services. LEARN MORE

Measure 67 - Raises $10 corporate minimum tax, business minimum tax, corporate profits tax. Provides funds currently budgeted for education, health care, public safety, other services. LEARN MORE

It's too late to mail in your ballot (postmarks don't count), but you can still drop it off up until 8 p.m. at many locations throughout town.

• FIND A DROP-OFF LOCATION NEAR YOU