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Despite soaring gas prices, utility
expects to hold line on electric rates
While
purchases of natural gas used to produce electricity at Clark Public Utilities’
River Road Generating plant will climb to an estimated $7.10 per million Btu in
2005, up from an average of $4.80 during 2004, the utility does not expect to
increase retail electric rates.
About half of the utility’s electricity is produced by
its gas-powered turbine plant.
General manager and CEO
Wayne Nelson said this week, “Every possible effort would be made to
avoid an increase in rates next year.”
According to Nelson, the utility will use savings from
the recent Bonneville Power Administration rate decrease and a financial surplus
planned for this year to help offset the higher gas costs.
Nelson says he believes that the natural gas price spike
is probably temporary.
Bigfoot subject of tonight’s
discussion by
authors Molly Gloss and Robert Michael Pyle
Authors Molly Gloss
(The Jump-Off Creek) and nature writer
Robert Michael Pyle (Wintergreen:
Rambles in a Ravaged Land) will discuss the legends and landscape of the
Pacific Northwest at 7 p.m. tonight in the Student Services Building at
Washington State University Vancouver.
WSU Vancouver professor of history and director of the
Center for Columbia River History Sue Armitage
will facilitate the discussion.
The Center for Columbia River History is a consortium of
the Washington State Historical Society, Portland State University and WSU
Vancouver.
There is no charge for the event.
Lewis & Clark Plaza opens doors
with Jefferson peace medal replicas
A crowd of officials, guests and visitors were welcomed
with Jefferson Peace Medals at a ribbon cutting ceremony officially opening
downtown Vancouver’s newest apartment building and “historic site.”
Lewis & Clark Plaza, 621 Broadway, was officially opened
by Elie Kassab, president of Prestige
Development and developer of the 46-unit affordable senior housing project.
It is also a Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center,
featuring life-size bronze sculptures of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark,
Sacagawea and a native American chief by Battle Ground artist
Jim Demetro. Other artists contributing
to the interpretive center are Christina Demetro
and Frank Haddadin.
The foyer of the four-story building is given over to the
story of the Lewis and Clark expedition. In addition to the statues, the story
of the Corps of Discovery is told through art panels. The interpretive center
will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Several Clark County schools have already
booked class tours of the elegantly descriptive center.
The housing development is a partnership among Prestige
Development, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Community Housing
Solutions, PNC MultiFamily Capital, Guardian Management and Key Bank. Emmons
Architects designed the downtown building, which was built by Seabold
Construction.
Cancer Center volunteers sought
Southwest Washington medical Center is seeking volunteers
to participate in teams at its Cancer Center. No previous experience is
necessary, according to spokesperson Karin
Davidson.
A training session will be at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov.
17, at the medical center. For further information, or to register, call
Davidson at 514-3125.
Capt. William Clark Park
construction set to begin
A groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the Capt.
William Clark Park is at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, at Cottonwood Beach,
Washougal. The park, a product of a cooperative effort among Clark County, Port
of Camas/Washougal, and the Cities of Camas and Washougal, is to be completed by
August 2005.
The park was designed with input from the public.
Clark Culinary Arts gets quid pro quo
The Clark College Culinary Arts program is hosting five
interns from the Oregon Health Sciences University dietetic program this fall.
The interns will be learning about volume feeding procedures and retail sales in
the food industry.
In exchange, the OHSU students will make presentations to
culinary arts students on topics of nutrition and careers in the health industry
for nutrition.
News briefs
The Animal Protection & Control Advisory Board meets in
regular session at 6:30 p.m. this evening in the Hazel Dell Sewer District
offices, 8000 NE 52nd Court. g A
potluck retirement lunch celebrating Mike Jendro’s
retirement after 31 years with Clark Public Utilities is at 11:30 a.m. Friday,
Oct. 29, in the community room of the utility operations Center.
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MIRIAM GREEN 
"Working to help you!"
