ICYDK – Junior Parade, Gordon’s Fireplace Building, & Fleet Week Begins

The Fred Meyer Junior Parade is today, kicks off at 1:00 and goes to 3:00, mostly down Sandy Blvd.  Largely a way for kids to have fun putting on their own show, elementary & middle school marching bands participate, lots of dance teams, lots of pets, lots of makeshift floats, and get a spot early in the route, because lots of kids who don’t realize how far 20 blocks is.

Coming in on 84, it’s hard to miss the Gordon’s Fireplace Shop building.  Broken windows, crumbling brick… which can only crumble so much, because it’s being held together by graffiti.  Portland Fire has already said they’re not going in if catches fire.  Today, the city has foreclosed on the building, and are working to get it into the hands of somebody who’ll fix it.

And finally, the Willamette will be extra safe today as the warships come into town for Fleet Week!  The US Navy, the Coast Guard, and the Royal Canadian Navy all send boats for this, and they’ll be here until Sunday.  Tours are available, highly recommend that, and highly recommend patience, as bridgelifts will be happening from 2:00 – 6:00 this afternoon.