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Toxic algae bloom prompts closure of Vancouver Lake to
all but boating and fishing
Swimming, wind surfing, and sail boarding are
prohibited at Vancouver Lake, the Clark County Health Department and
Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation decreed today.
Direct contact with the water in the lake should be avoided
because of blue-green algae that produces toxins that can potentially affect
human health and can be deadly to small pets that drink the water.
While boating and fishing are allowed, officials say it is
best to avoid contact with the lake water.
According to acting county health officer Dave Cundiff,
drinking or accidentally swallowing lake water with algae-produced toxins can
result in liver injury, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some toxins can also
damage the nervous system and lead to muscle tremors, paralysis, and respiratory
distress.
Anyone who swam in the lake after Thursday, July 15, may be
susceptible, health officials say.
It may take several weeks for the algal bloom to end and
toxins to dissipate, according to Cundiff.
Pets days are numbered
Photographs of local pets are being accepted for
entry in competition for a pet portrait calendar being produced by the Humane
Society of Southwest Washington.
The competition is not free, but the proceeds all go toward
helping orphaned animals.
Here are the facts:
Deadline for submitting horizontal 4x6 photographs is Friday,
Aug. 27. Polaroid or digital prints will not be accepted. Photographs must be of
pets only, but more than one pet in each photograph is acceptable. A $20
donation is required with each entry. There is no limit on the number of
entries.
The photographs will be displayed so that the public may vote
for pets of the month. A $1 fee will be charged for each vote.
For further information, call
Brittany Gosselin, 750-0847.
Eric Fuller's mid-year commercial real
estate update is Friday
The annual mid-year commercial real estate update
by Eric Fuller & Associates is being presented at the 7:30 a.m. Friday, July 23,
Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce networking breakfast in the Red Lion Hotel
at the Quay. The guest speaker is Bart Phillips, president of the
Columbia River Economic Development Council.
For further information on the $25 breakfast, call
694-2588.
People
Clark County Superior Court Judge Barbara
Johnson has been reappointed by Gov Gary Locke to the state Juvenile
Justice Advisory Committee.
News brief
Jimmie Rodgers performs a benefit for the
Southwest Washington Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. tonight in Foster Auditorium
at Clark College. The $50 per-person concert is sold out, but tickets are still
available for the second Rodgers concert at 7 p.m. tomorrow night. For further
information, call 992-2301.
On
the air Wednesday
Vancouver Center
Vision Plan (6/24)--5 p.m. CVTV
Oakland at Seattle Mariners (live)--7 p.m. FSN, KFXX
2004 Leadership Clark County Graduation--7:30 p.m. CVTV
Vancouver Land Use Hearings (7/20)--9 p.m. CVTV
News links (click on the headline to read the
complete
Dennis
Pavilina begins mixed use development on 75 acres in southeast Battle Ground
that could result in as much as $200 million in new construction in the next ten
years--Columbian, Gretchen Fehrenbacher and Julia Anderson
County approves $2 a room hotel fee to raise $800,000 annually to be added to
the local convention and tourism promotion budget--Oregonian, Bill Stewart
Clark County
commissioners loosen strings on local veterans resource committee
funds--Columbian, Dean Baker
Local group
angry over fireworks violations gets meeting with Vancouver fire and police
chiefs at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 22, in the Luepke Center, 1009 E McLoughlin
Boulevard--Columbian, Jeffrey Mize
Camas School
District board going back to voters in September for $2.2 million special levy
for technology--Columbian, Gregg Sherrard Blesch
Republicans
Justin Riley and Mike W. Smith to challenge respectively, 49th
District Democratic State Reps. Bill Fromhold and Jim Moeller--Columbian,
Don Jenkins
Lowlands is
an endangered urban oasis--Columbian, Tom Koenninger
What do
Columbia Sports Wear, Intel, Nike and Callaway Golf all have in common? "They
all started with loans from the Small Business Administration," SBA deputy
administrator Melanie Sabelhaus tells local businesspersons--Columbian,
Jonathan Nelson
Despite complaints, Washougal to keep Cottonwood Beach open after
dark--Oregonian
Stephen Hawking says black holes don't destroy everything they consume;
contents return transformed--USA TODAY, AP, Shawn Pogatchnik
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