The Yamhill Valley - Facts and Flights of Fancy

Another Treasure In Oregon's Wine Country

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:43:44 -0500

Among the many treasures to be discovered in McMinnville is our Gallery Theater. Saturday evening was the last performance of the current production, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum and I was fortunate to be among a nearly sold-out house that enjoyed every minute of it.

Where do these talented performers come from?

By day they are shop clerks, business owners, high school or college students, or maybe your next-door neighbors whom you greet daily without ever knowing they possess acting talent, trained voices, a knack for comedy timing or once considered a professional dance career. It's even possible that the polite person who carried your groceries to your car today has appeared in over 50 plays.

The theater is a labor of love for the community volunteers who, for the love of theater, devote countless hours and rely on ticket sales, advertising, private donations and Gallery memberships to entertain and enlighten the lucky citizens of Yamhill County and beyond.

Visit the website, pick your favorite shows or order season tickets and get ready for an affordable evening of excellent theater amid the enticing aroma of fresh-baked warm chocolate chip cookies that are ready for you at intermission.

Pardon Our Glow!!!

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:36:49 -0600

We've done it again!! Last year the Yamhill Valley was listed among theNew York Times list of 28 havens for a relaxing escape. While thumbing through the March issue of Sunset magazine yesterday I was delighted to see (drum roll please) McMinnville listed second in the Food and Wine Haven category of the article 20 Best Small Towns in the West.

The selection criteria included "... possesses a sense of connectedness you find only in places so small you can't get lost in the crowd" and dubbed the towns "we-topias" for their blend of self-reinvention and community.

The rest of the intro mentioned that "These towns inspire dreams (and maybe moving plans)" which gives me a natural opening to mention my website, JeanElmore.com for more information about McMinnville and a searchable data base of all property listings in our area.

Thank you, Sunset!

The Fun Has Just Begun! Looking Forward To The 2009 Real Estate Market

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:09:35 -0600

Did you miss it? Your Sweetheart would have remembered getting that new home for Valentine's Day forever. There is still time to create that memory at interest rates, prices and incentives that may not be seen again for years.

The Yamhill Valley is holding its own as the market picks up in light of passage of the Stimulus Bill by Congress. Once the final bill lands on President Obama's desk for signature the race will be on. More and more buyers will be out to take advantage of the tax credits for first-time home buyers, loan supports and many other incentives that will be available.

Buyers who have been unable to qualify for loans recently will soon be able to go forward with the help of the government. Philosophy aside, if you have a home to sell or are looking to buy your opportunity to do either or both is upcoming. The latest word on the tax credit is $8,000 to be applied at closing for homes purchased by first-time homebuyers until November, 2009

Now is the time to start shopping. Your first stop should be a mortgage company to obtain a prequalification letter to have in hand. Most sellers are requiring prequalification before tying up their properties in negotiations. Offers on foreclosure properties are automatically rejected without them.

Your second stop should be with a Realtor® in the area of interest to you. Local Realtors® know their market and can be your best source of information, particularly if they are members of the area Multiple Listing Service and can represent you on listings by any affiliated company. Your agent can also recommend a reliable lender if you happen to miss that first step!

Sellers, put your homes on the market now and help make someone's belated Valentine, St. Patrick's Day, or Just Because Day a special one!

One Last Shot: College Sports vs. Academics

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:16:47 -0600

This is the last you will hear from me on this topic, I promise. The irony of the following two articles appearing in the same issue of The Oregonian this morning was just too good to pass up.

The headline of the first article appears in large bold print on the front page of the Metro Section E: UO raises bar for applicants. Citing an increased enrollment of incoming students that is overwhelming existing classroom space and necessitating the placement of 400 incoming freshman in off-campus housing due to a lack of dormitory space, the University of Oregon has received approval from the Oregon State Board of Higher Education to raise admission requirements. New applicants will now be required to have a 3.4 high school grade point average to qualify for automatic admission rather than the previous requirement of 3.25. This is an effort to reduce the number of new students in future years.

Well-qualified academic students with hopes of attending UO are facing disappointment.

Now move on to the headline in even larger bold print on the front page of the Sports Section C: Knight Arena put on fast track. Today was the ground-breaking ceremony for the $200 million state-of-the-art basketball arena at the University of Oregon and a timetable for completion that shows a sense of urgency that somehow makes no sense in light of the academic program situation.

$100 million for the arena was donated by Phil Knight and it will bear the name Matthew Knight Arena in honor of his late son. As a parent whose worst fear is to be predeceased by one of my children I can undertand his motivation. But that still leaves another $100 million to be accounted for and concessions and alumni donations are the goal of making up the shortfall. In this economic climate financial goals are merely goals as opposed to realities.

My point is that the timing is terrible. Soliciting donations for construction of a sports arena when those monies could be better spent on the mission that the University is trusted by the public to do - educate their children in an environment conducive to learning - is completely irresponsible at this time.

Will those players sporting Phil Knight's Nike logo all have a minimum 3.4 GPA before they are allowed on the court? We can only hope.

College Athletics Can Save The Economy

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:24:03 -0600

This may come under the topic heading of Flights of Fancy but I think I've come up with a fix that could turn the economy around immediately! It's so simple it's almost scary.

Unemployment is rising at an alarming rate and reached nearly 10% in Oregon as of yesterday. Economists are concerned about a worsening the recession as more and more Americans curtail spending after one or more household paychecks are lost, and displaced workers are looking for retraining at local universities and community colleges just as schools are cutting academic programs and putting proposed vocational/technical programs on hold.

Here's the idea: (Warning to college sports fans - you may want to stop reading now.)

What if all college athletic programs required the athletic coaches to be licensed and qualified to teach at the college level in the state of their employment? They are, after all, instructing athletes in a public or private institution. Their pay would be on the same scale as professors in academic disciplines and the various auxiliary coaches (special teams, etc.) could be recruited from adjunct instructors. And what if the players were required to major in a related career field such as sports medicine or physical education? Millions and millions of dollars would be made available to fund college housing and retraining programs as well as restoring our nation's status in science and engineering and paying enough to attract quality teachers to primary and secondary education.

After the recovery I see farm clubs and minor leagues for football and basketball emerging to feed talent to the professional scouts much as baseball has traditionally grown teams. Taxpayers would no longer be funding the semi-pros.

So, rabid sports fans and alumni - put on your school colors and break out the pompoms. You can still enjoy the games since the playing field will be leveled when teacher/coaches take to the fields or courts across the country. I'll bet the ticket prices will be cheaper, too.

Shadow or No Shadow Spring Has Arrived

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:41:16 -0600

It's Groundhog Day, the sun is shining brightly in the Yamhill Valley and. according to folklore, this means we are in for six more weeks of winter. We've had enough!! Fortunately, in the world of real estate spring officially begins in February.

Even in this economic climate the phone calls, emails and website inquiries are beginning again right on schedule.

The timing is perfect for buyers and sellers with children in school. The buyers will generally begin a home search in February, casually surfing the internet to see what's available in their target neighborhood or city. By April they have seen or inquired about a number of properties and narrowed choices to a few. Assuming a choice is made and a contract is negotiated by April 15, the sale could close just after Memorial Day since a typical escrow with a new loan takes about six weeks.

For the best chance of making it onto the buyer's short list, sellers should be cleaning those closets, washing those windows and sweeping the sidewalk. And be sure the sign in the yard is with a Realtor who can give you maximum internet exposure for the February web surfers.

And don't forget the primroses on the front porch.

Haiku for Homebuyers

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:22:46 -0600

A GOOD TIME TO BUY

Not ready to buy?
Prices could soon start upward.
Equity to build.

BUYER'S LAMENT

Have we hit bottom?
Can't tell 'til prices go up.
Oops missed it again

IT'S TIME TO START LOOKING

Your credit is great
Solid banks are now lending.
Rates are fantastic.

Author's Note: Now that I have had my fun and no doubt appalled many real haiku writers I can only hope that the message is clear: There won't be a better time than this to invest in real estate. In 1941 my father paid $600 for the home I grew up in and I often heard him say, "I wish I had bought every home on the street."

Waiting to Sell? Some Haiku for You

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:45:20 -0600

A GOOD TIME TO SELL

A bad time to sell?
I have buyers with money.
No good stuff to show.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Prices are holding
is our Valley's big secret.
Print news is all gloom.

MY DILEMMA

Clients are coming
but I can't show your listing.
It's not in the mix.

Do Oregon's Strict Building Restrictions Inhibit Progress? Maybe Not!

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:59:38 -0600

I've just returned from a week of enjoying the beaches and relaxed atmosphere of South Padre Island, Texas. Each year we are able to book the same room with the same view at our favorite hotel and have been watching with interest the progress of a highly-touted luxury resort condominium project in full view of our hotel balcony. Last year we noted that many of the units had been presold and expected the resort to be up and running this year and were thinking of enduring a sales pitch just to get a tour of the facilities.

We found that construction had been halted last year and is not expected to resume. The skeletal structure is now known locally as "The Leaning Tower of Padre" because the entire 26-story building has shifted at it's supports and leaning toward the northwest. Check out the photo. For reference, there is a construction crane visible to the right of the building that is perpendicular. Can you see the tilt? Articles I was able to find in the local media indicated that the structure would stay where it is until a $125 million dollar lawsuit had been settled. The beautiful landscape of the island will be blighted for some time, it seems.

Unlike Oregon where building codes are in place and subject to inspection at nearly every level of government, Texas, at least in this area, has no building codes that apply outside the city limits of each municipality. Zoning seems to be nonexistent.

While I still may be among those who occasionally grumble about the paperwork and research needed in Oregon to help clients determine if their building and development plans can be realized, I'll now have a new appreciation for those rules and regulations that prevent eyesores and unsafe building practices from being a part of our own landscape.

A State of Suspended Animation

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:02:56 -0600

When I was a child I always looked forward to Saturdays. The old State Theater in Oregon City ran a Saturday Afternoon Matinee for kids, and we could have our cards punched so we could get in free every twelfth time. The program format was always the same - a full length feature, no less than four cartoons, and a serial to be continued the next week that always ended with a cliffhanger. The motion would stop with the cattle herd about to stampede over the cliff, our hero backing to the edge of a gangplank with pirates in pursuit, or the heroine tied to the railroad track . Anything to make sure we wouldn't stay home the next Saturday.

The anticipation I remember feeling then is not so different from our business clilmate now.

We seem to be waiting in some kind of suspended state for WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. Will the market go up? Down? Will the U.S. auto makers survive? Will housing prices stabilize? Will a band of friendly Indians swoop down from the hills and stop the stampeding herd? Will our hero swing to safety on a halyard or will he meet a watery end? Just like waitiing for Saturday to see the outcome we in real estate and other industries are holding our collectitve breaths in anticipation of future developments that will determine our personal and financial success or failure. The new year will bring a new President, a new congressional makeup and a fresh cabinet of experts. Things will change in one way or another for most of us over the next several months.

I find it comforting to remember those Saturday matinee serials. Of course the hero, heroine, or herd would be rescued and there would be a happy ending. We knew everything would be alright as soon as the action started again.

Our Roots Are Showing!!

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:50:33 -0600

We in Yamhill County like to think we've achieved a degree of sophistication with our vineyards in the hills, world-famous pinot noir, fine dining and local artists. After all, the area was recently written up in the "Havens" series in The New York Times. The article entitiled
Rural Vistas, Natural Healing and Pinot Noir is a testimony to our arrival on the national scene as "a place to be".

That article was published on November 28, the same day as the McMinnville Santa Parade, and the irony was inescapable. There were thirty-seven entries in the parade and each was a reminder of our real selves - an agricultural area of small towns full of residents with a sense of fun.

The mounted Sheriff's posse with the lead horse sporting antlers and a red nose started things off, followed by children in a home-made miniature Christmas train, and always the "Rakettes" of the Garden Club with their decorated rakes and creative hats performing choreographed routines along the route that would make a Rockette hang up her tap shoes for good.

We'll welcome the New Yorkers who may come to visit or relocate as a result of the Times article, but we'll always be secure in the knowledge that deep in our roots there's a little bit of Mayberry.

Is it May Yet? A Lament on the Closing of the Farmer's Market

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:02:35 -0600

I meant to move on. Really I did. It's December now - the comforting Oregon rains, the welcome sunbreaks and the occasional chill wind that makes Oregonians hustle to the nearest coffee bar are beginning for real. I usually cherish this time of year, but this time I find myself counting the days until until the McMinnville Farmer's Market opens again.

It's more than just an opportunity to browse the stalls for the abundant fruits and vegetables grown in our ownYamhill Valley, it's the total experience of the sights, sounds and aromas of colorful displays, a local musician, fresh herbs and mouthwatering barbecue.

It's also a weekly social experience in McMinnville in an ambience of friends greeting old friends and making new ones, and always the laughter and good humor of the local residents so glad to be in such a lovely place.

The holidays will distract me and the usual short winter in the Yamhill Valley will give way to sunny days, warming soils and tender green sprouts before I know it.

May will come soon. Really it will.

Outlook? They should have named it, "Look Out!!"

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:23:06 -0500

That's the way I feel today, anyway. I just switched to Outlook after a long and relatively happy relationship with Outlook Express. Now, I'm no green computer user - I've been bombarding people with my innate wisdom and flawless opinions since it was done on a bulletin board. I will be eternally grateful to the individual in the e-PRO group who, as the only responder to my question, referred me to the Outlook users group that I didn't know existed.

My question is embarrassingly simple: How can I stop all text emails in my inbox from appearing in plain text? I can send in any font of any size in an array of colors, but can't find anywhere how to set HTML as the default on the majority of emails. Some do arrive and stay in HTML, usually those with pictures from a commercial source. Sadly, the spam is totally readable.

Can anyone lead me to the setting that will allow emails to be received in the same format in which they were sent? I was going to promise a bottle of famous Oregon Pinot Noir to the first responder with the solution but found that it is illegal to send such rewards by mail. That being the case, I promise to open a bottle of a very acceptable vintage to drink in your honor. I'm kind of feeling the need anyway.

Outlook issues

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:08:54 -0500

Hello fellow e-Pro's. I'm in the process of setting up Outlook instead of Outlook Express and need some advice. I get it all set up like I want and it changes all my incoming emails to plain text. There seems to be no way to change that, but sometimes they appear in HTML on a whim. Bottom line is, it's very unstable. I see lots of ads on google for OUtlook fixes but if that's what I need I'd sure appreciate some input.

I have Windows XP, IE7, and Outlook 2002.

Thanks!

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-Pro
Coldwell Banker Executive Realty
McMinnville, OR
jean@jeanelmore.com
www.jeanelmore.com

Where on Earth Can You Stroll Through the Solar System?

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:31:52 -0500

In McMinnville, Oregon, of course! The same Evergreen Aviation Museum complex that houses Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose and a state-of-the-art IMAX Theater recently opened a Space Museum. The solar system walkway is just the beginning of a beautifully done display and history of the United States space program as well as the early rocket designers and the great minds that enabled development of the systems and technology required to make space flight possible.

A centerpiece of the museum is a Titan II rocket. Watch a simulated launch sequence from a Mission Control reproduction complete with sound effects. Interactive displays for kids of all ages is another feature.

My husband and I began our married years near Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida just after the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. He was actively engaged in work on the Apollo program and we had the privilege of seeing many launches in person, so our initial tour was a nostalgia trip through one of the most exciting times in our nation's history.

The pathos, humor, disappointments and, yes, the tragedies of accomplishing goals never before attempted is evident throughout the museum and a testimony to the pioneering spirit that allowed these goals to be reached. I hope we're not finished yet.

McMinnville's UFO Festival was Out of this World!

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Sun, 25 May 2008 23:16:56 -0500

Alien invaders were back in town for the ninth year and the UFO Festival in McMinnville was bigger and better than ever!

The first documented sighting of a UFO happened in 1950 on the Trent farm near McMinnville, Oregon. At least we like to think it did. The theme lends itself to unbridled creativity and a great excuse for yet another good time and great parade in a town that is always looking for another source of fun.

For information on events in this dynamic wine country town visit my website at www.jeanelmore.com and click on Local Events.

Find Your Happy Place

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:22:02 -0600

I found mine many years ago, and it's still the place I seek out for a little break from the real world - the place where stress, schedules, appointments and all the cares of the day can melt away, if only for a few hours. I have the good fortune to live an hour from the beach so a little stroll in ankle-deep salt water isn't far out of reach.

Not close enough to the coast? Try an art gallery, quiet park, hiking trail, anyplace that gives you a little quiet time.

The media is forecasting economic gloom and doom about real estate market conditions and creating anxiety and uncertainty among buyers and sellers alike. We Realtors across the nation are finding ourselves in the center of the vortex.

Although the Oregon market, especially in the Willamette and Yamhill Valleys in and around wine country remains steady if not robust, I can still turn on the news now and then and justify an afternoon escape to the beach. Did I mention there is also an outlet mall, wine tasting room and a fabulous chocolate shop at my favorite destination?

Just When I Thought I knew Everything

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:15:25 -0600

I've been a computer user for so long I once had to haul boxes of punched cards (after I punched data into them and verified it) a couple of miles to a data processing center where they were fed into a processor the size of a camp trailer. I watched while the programmers installed my application-specific wiring board (with real wires) that was the size of a VW Bug door. Eventually, after much ka-chunking, out came a green striped printout that had to be carried back to the office in a cardboard box.

I tried to keep up with computer advances at the consumer/user level and thought I did a pretty good job. I could cut, paste and upload with the best of them. Even had my own website and thought I was way ahead of the game among Realtors.

And then I signed up for e-PRO.

I just finished the course, printed off the certificate received my pin in the mail today. All those things are well and good, but I'm actually dazzled by how much I didn't know. The available applications for real estate professionals and the tools to apply them are something no Realtor of any age should be without.

Regardless of proficiency, there is an "Oh, wow" moment for everyone and endless ways of better serving your clients. To paraphrase Alexander Pope, "Never lose your sense of wonder."

Jean Elmore, GRI, CNS, e-PRO

Pacific Northwest Market Keeps on Keepin' On!

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:21:53 -0600

The media loves gloom and doom predictions and statistics, and this year's reporting on the real estate market nationwide is no exception. Here in the Pacific Northwest, however, it seems any lagging market statistics are primarily media-driven. Sellers ask about holding back "until the market improves" and buyers are expecting sellers to drastically reduce list prices because of the "down market." Sellers are missing a golden opportunity to list during the winter when there is less competition for buyers and buyers are underestimating the staying power of sellers. "Lowball" offers are not well received because the sellers are not desperate. Thought for the Day: Go ahead with your plans, life is good in the Northwest!

Things That Make You Go, "Huh??!"

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:15:19 -0500

I'm sort of a minimalist. I like a lot of white space in my ads, have very few knicknacks in my own space and try to put concepts in a nutshell. This has served me well during my career when it comes to writing addenda, repair requests and other verbiage in offers. Early training resounds with the admonition, "You are not a lawyer so don't try to write like one."

Many states have addendum forms with lots and lots of blank lines that even expand so we agents can write all we want. What a scary concept! These states should also require a minimal English grammar aptitude test and a pledge to proofread everything we write. A notable paragraph I ran across recently included the phrase, "Seller to Pay 3% OF buyer's closing costs." Sounds like a reasonable request, until you realize the loan program allows seller contribution of 3% TOWARD closing costs, which is what the writer meant. Big difference!

In the early part of my career the state I worked in had counteroffer and addendum forms that contained preprinted lines with the words: Page No.______Paragraph No. _____Item No.______is changed to read___________. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged. Now when I'm faced with enough blank lines to rewrite a version of War and Peace I take just a couple of them and state terms with lines similar to those above.

Keeping it simple and concise is a great way to navigate the frequent liability minefields that we encounter on a daily basis in our profession.

Or maybe I just confuse easily, but that's a whole different issue...

Meme's and Blogging and Posting, Oh My!

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:25:35 -0500

I received a Meme from Herb Hamilton and as everyone says, it's tough coming up with five unique items. Gosh, Herb, was it something I said??! OK, here goes....

1. I love cats. I don't think I've ever been without one in the household. Our current cat is 16-year old Molly, raised from a kitten found abandoned by the roadside. We went through middle age together -- we talk.

2. I've been married for 38 years to the same great guy. It's a mixed marriage, of sorts, because he was a dog person when I met him but he was easily converted. We've worked through the issues.

3. I'm a native Oregonian but spent 30 years in the midwest waaaaay too close to Kansas, hence the title. But I clicked my heels and am back in Oregon now.

4. I get goose bumps watching shuttle launches or old Apollo launch footage since I had the privilege of watching many of the Apollo lauches in person and there's nothing quite like it. You feel the sound before you hear it.

5. I have the distinction of taking 15 years to get an Associate in Arts degree. Just because I was raising three kids at the time is the best excuse I've come up with. Probably you don't have to be really smart or really quick to be a Realtor, but I've gotten away with it for over 11 years now so be careful - I could be your next co-op!

Interesting Article on Yamhill County and Measure 37

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 18:39:43 -0500

The special Southwest section in the May 31 Oregonian had quite a write-up on the effect of some Measure 37 claims in Yamhill County. If you missed it, here's a link to the OregonLive online version: http://www.oregonlive.com/swweeklytts/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_southwest_news/1180214703173300.xml&coll=7

As pointed out in the article, families, friends and neighbors have had personal relationships changed forever by filing a claim or living next to a property with a claim pending or approved. Since the current claims, according to the article, affect 8% of Yamhill County's agricultural land we are likely to be involved in the fray.

The implications for the real estate community are HUGE. It is possible that a rewrite of the measure is imminent, leaving a lot of questions to be answered and current status to be explored when listing properties in question or assisting buyers with the purchase of agricultural land. Although thorough disclosure and information to the parties to an agricultural property transfer should be made available by Realtors to avoid liability, the article is an excellent reminder to be aware of the raw feelings and strong opinions we are likely to encounter along the way.

McMinnville's Community Garden Needs Help!

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Fri, 11 May 2007 23:57:01 -0500

I was driving down 2nd Street today and something caught my eye -- was I really seeing mules harnessed to a plow on a bare lot in the suburbs? Curiosity got the best of me and I turned around hoping the camera in my purse was fully charged. What I found was an inspiration--the McMinnville Community Garden is constantly being relocated by our rapid development and robust growth and this is the new location for now. Plowing with mules turned out to be an excellent idea, but the larger mule had a much better plan for the day and refused to budge. (Was he a Realtor in a former life?)

I was given a brief update on the Community Garden by the volunteer Master Gardeners who, along with the Salvation Army, sponsor the event. Each person who wants to grow their own vegetables is given two rows. One row to grow fresh vegetables for their own consumption and another to grow produce which they must donate to the local Food Bank which supplies food and household products to the local charities for distribution to low income families. Talk about a win-win situation!

I also heard a plea for help: the Master Gardeners (above left) are trying to create good, arable soil in the new plot and are woefully short on funds and adequate tools. So yes, this is a call for donations to keep this community asset available to our less fortunate citizens. And, if anyone in McMinnville has a bit of land where the Community Garden could locate permanently please let me know. If you can help, don't send donations to me, just send me an email and I'll find out where to best direct your help.

The IMAX Theater at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum is now open and not to be missed!

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Fri, 11 May 2007 02:33:18 -0500

I've had the pleasure of seeing two presentations at the new IMAX Theater in the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum complex in McMinnville and each was an amazing experience. Cirque du Soleil The Journey of Man is an audio/visual delight presented in 3-D. The state-of-the-art sound system, the five story high and seven story wide screen plus the comfort of the theater seem to put you right in the picture.

Last week we took in Tom Hanks' narrated movie Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon, also in 3-D. We had the unforgettable experience of living in the Cape Canaveral area from 1969 to 1972 while my husband was working on the space effort, so the presentation brought back some strong waves of nostalgia for us. It's now been twenty-five years since the last Apollo mission and this presentation is so educational for those who were not even born when that amazing event took place.

Also showing in rotation with the other two movies is Fighter Pilot which I have not seen so far. It's presented in 2-D, which may be all the average viewer with an average-strength stomach can handle!

The theater, in its own building, sits next to the beautifully designed structure that houses The Spruce Goose and is a community asset in its own right.

Kill Measure 37?

Jean Elmore, GRI, e-PRO (Prudential Northwest Properties) — Mon, 07 May 2007 15:45:00 -0500

Hello fellow Oregonians! I don't get political on a regular basis but wanted to make sure all Realtors in Oregon are aware of the current debate in Salem regarding a repeal of Measure 37. Those of us who are signed up with VoterVoice through OAR received a quorum call from them in the past few days regarding this legislation. If you aren't familiar with this process, contact votervoice@oregonrealtors.org votervoice@oregonrealtors.org for more information. This is a wonderful and simple way to let our representatives know how important some issues are to our profession on both state and national levels. Last week a Quorum Call went out regarding legislation allowing banks to broker real estate transactions--how scary is that!!!!

Regardless of how you feel about the effects of Measure 37, a repeal right now, in my opinion, would create a huge mess for transactions already in progress. It definitely does need fixed, but a sudden halt doesn't seem like a viable solution. On VoterVoice the letter is written reflecting the OAR stand on each issue, but it is editable for your own thoughts or positions. When sent it automatically goes to the pertinant legislators. Thanks for listening!