The Killer iPad and iPhone App: Flipboard

Don A. Kruse
Information Technology Manager

If you love news and information Flipboard is the killer app for your iPad and iPhone. It gathers up news feeds known as RSS along with Twitter feeds to give you all the things you are interested in. What sets this app apart is that it presents articles, tweets, and feeds to you in a pleasing, familiar magazine style format while retaining the interactivity and interconnectivity we expect when using the web.

Flipboard takes a plain-Jane boring Twitter feed, as shown on the left, and turn it into a interesting online magazine, as shown below.

Organic and Gluten Free Shopping in Bend

Shana Sellers
Office Manager, Bend

Here in Bend, it’s autumn and the local vendors and summer farmer’s markets, with their fresh, organic produce, have closed up shop until warmer weather returns. So where do you find those delicious organic and gluten free products during the rest of the year? Bend is overflowing with merchants who sell fresh, organic and gluten-free products.

Westside: Visit Newport Avenue Market or Devore’s Good Food Store, both located on Newport Avenue. Newport Market is the ultimate stop for hard-to-find all natural and organic products. You can find whatever you’re looking for here, from fresh halibut and scallops, to an entire section devoted to products for those living gluten-free. Across the street from Newport Market is Devore’s Good Food Store. This mom-and-pop store has been around for over 35 years and is one of Central Oregon’s first natural food stores. Focusing on local organically grown products at good prices, they also stock a wide variety of locally raised meats and bulk herbs and spices.

North Bend:  Trader Joe’s located off Hwy 97 in the Cascade Village Shopping Center.  If you’re looking for innovative and great-tasting natural foods for less, look no further! Trader Joe’s, although corporate, is also known for bringing in products from local merchants.

East Bend:  Another corporate option is the Whole Foods Market off Hwy 20 near Costco.  This natural food store has it all from produce, meats and fish to all natural supplements and household cleaning supplies.

South/Central Bend:  Check out Strictly Organic Coffee Company at one of their two locations: off Powerhouse Drive and in the Old Mill District. Known for their certified organic and fair trade coffee, Strictly Organic also offers breakfast and lunch. All meals are prepared using as many organic ingredients as possible with many gluten-free choices.

Tumalo:  Farmer John’s Produce. Offering fresh produce from local farmers, Farmer John’s is a unique locals market located in the downtown Tumalo area. What many people don’t know is that they also bake amazing cakes and deserts and can even make them gluten-free if you just ask!

Buses, Trains, and Tram

Portland has a lot of new options when choosing to take public transportation. New Max light-rail and Portland Streetcar lines mean that there are more choices than ever. Even if you live across the Columbia river, public transportation is a option. C-Tran, the Clark County public transportation service has frequent service to and from downtown Portland.

If you commute or frequently take public transportation there are apps for your smartphone to help you plan your trip as well as the online services from Tri-Met. Visit the Tri-Met website at trimet.org for more info.

During the holiday season, taking a train or bus can make a big difference in reducing your shopping related stress. Just imagine having no traffic or parking headaches to deal with. You’ll still have to manage the long lines and other stressed out shoppers, but at least someone else will do the driving. And if you have out-of-town relatives visiting during the holidays, don’t forget to show off downtown Portland by taking them for a ride up to OHSU on the tram.

Image courtesy of www.theenvironmentalblog.org.

Atomic Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

• A store bought 9 inch frozen pie crust
• 2 cups pumpkin (see preparation notes for making from fresh pumpkin)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
• 2 tbs of your favorite whiskey
• 2 tbs of white rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• pinch ginger
• pinch nutmeg (fresh ground is best)
• pinch allspice
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375º. Cut pumpkin in half, scoop out innards, and place cut sides down on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 45 – 60 minutes or until meaty party is soft. Scoop out meat and use.

Whisk eggs thoroughly. 2 eggs will bring out the pumpkin flavor and give a more firm texture.

Whisk in remaining ingredients. Use an electric mixer on low if necessary. Pour into a 9 pie crust. Bake 35 – 45 minutes or until pie is firm. Cool completely on the rack. The pie can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Serve cold or at room temp.

Don’t forget to whip up some fresh whip cream when you’re ready to serve. Use heavy whipping cream and two tablespoons sugar. Mix on medium with an electric mixer.

Serves 6 – 8

This recipe appears courtesy of Don A. Kruse.

How Cohabitation Before Marriage Affects A Divorce

Joseph Crowell
Associate Attorney

Over the past half century, premarital cohabitation has increasingly become a preferred—some might even argue necessary—step along the way to tying the knot.  In 1960, roughly 450,000 unmarried couples lived together; now that number exceeds 7.5 million.  A 2001 survey from the National Marriage Project showed that nearly half of twenty-somethings agreed with the statement “You would only marry someone if he or she agreed to live together with you first, so that you could find out whether you really get along.”  What was once considered debauched now appears to be approaching norm status.

The decision to cohabit before marriage may carry with it unintended consequences in the unfortunate event of divorce. Many cohabiters assume that not being married means their respective property remains separate. They may further assume that property that improves or grows in value during cohabitation won’t be considered at all when it comes time to for a divorce court to divide marital assets.  It’s important to know that these assumptions may not prove to be true.

A common example of growth in property during cohabitation is a retirement account, like a 401(k) or IRA, that a party contributes to while cohabiting. The 2010 Oregon Court of Appeals case Carlson and Carlson squarely addressed how divorce courts should treat premarital property that grew in value during the cohabitation period. Since the growth took place outside of the duration of the marriage, courts may not account for the growth during the dissolution process at all. Courts will look to the express or implied intent of the parties during the cohabitation period. If the evidence shows that the cohabiting parties intended to pool their resources for a common benefit with respect to the property, the court will divide the property accordingly.  If, however, there is no evidence that the parties intended to pool their resources during the cohabitation, the court may decline to divide the property in question.

But there’s a catch—and it’s a big catch. Even after making all of these determinations, a divorce court is ultimately charged with ensuring that the division of property is “just and proper in all the circumstances.” This is a broad standard, and it allows courts a significant amount of latitude in determining which facts to consider under what is “just and proper.” This can include considering the growth of property during the cohabitation period, even though it is by definition not “marital.” So while a spouse may not be entitled to half of that huge spike in value of your 401(k) during the cohabitation years, the court might still consider that huge spike when deciding how divide property in a “just and proper” fashion.

If the foregoing seems complicated or confusing, don’t lose heart. The professionals at Stahancyk, Kent & Hook P.C. are ready to speak with you about this and any other matter relating to divorce and estate planning.