Margaret Weil - Gresham's First Female Mayor

1982 marked a historic year in Gresham that saw the victory of Gresham's first female mayor Margaret Weil over incumbent mayor Al Myers. Coverage of the mayoral race first appears in the Outlook on May 1st, 1982 with a report on each candidate's fundraising progress. Outlook writer Richard Seven continues following the race, including how Weil was regularly leading in funds and fundraising over Myers, until May 29th, 1982 when he authors the story about Weil's victory. On June 19th, the Outlook followed up on the results of the race by reporting on how much more money Weil raised compared to Myers.

[photo to the right: A portrait of former Gresham Mayor Margaret Weil]

Difficult Job Market and High Unemployment

In a reflection of the fluctuating American economy, jobs were scarce and unemployment rates were high during the 1982 recession as a result of rising inflation. Outlook writer Carol Mason followed the problems of the job market and on April 13 she reported on the stark lack of job prospects for recent graduates of Mt. Hood Community College and other schools. On May 1, Mason also reported that the continuing unemployment as well as fears of the "pink slip" were negatively affecting workers mental health. The recession even effected local government employees, as staff writer Richard Seven reported on May 13 that Gresham's City Hall was considering layoffs and undergoing difficult union negotiations. All was not entirely lost, however, as Carol Mason reported on May 18 that Multnomah County was planning on giving around 300 area kids summer jobs.

Multnomah County Poor Farm - Edgefield Manor

McMenamins Edgefield is now an iconic Portland-area location known for its gorgeous grounds, outdoor live music, restaurants, and spa. But long before Edgefield was even a twinkle in McMenamins' eye, that location was the site of the Multnomah County Poor Farm - Edgefield Manor. On April 1, 1982 Outlook writer Sharon Nesbit authored a story about the gradual progress of the closing of Edgefield Manor and how its residents were slowly being moved to other care facilities. Several weeks later on April 20, 1982, Nesbit wrote another article on how the final residents of the poor farm - Agnes Tachibana, Roger Calnek, and Albert Chaker - had left Edgefield for the last time.

Keep an eye out for more stories on Edgefield!