MONDAY, Jan. 31, 2005

Clark College, YWCA pick 
women of achievement

Eight Clark County women have been named Clark College and the YWCA of Clark County women of achievement for 2005. In addition, the YWCA named Alaina Green, Ridgefield High School, as the Clark County Young Woman of Achievement and selected seven high school students for community service awards.

The Women of Achievement awards will be presented at 11:30 p.m. Friday, March 18, in the Red Lion Hotel at the Quay.

Women of Achievement are as follows: Becky Archibald, Launda Carroll, Susan Courtney, Becky Merritt, Betty Sue Morris, Mary Robinson, Joan Wolverton and Dorothy Wright.

Community service award winners are the following: Katie Allen, Battle Ground High School, Kate Castenson and Jill Yuzuriha, both of Mountain View High School, Amber Cruz, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Simone McAlonen and Whitney Pollock, both of Camas High School, and Natalya Skiba, Skyview High School.

Elected officials form roundtable,
weigh casino impact on county

An informal group of elected officials, called together by state Rep. Richard Curtis, became an intergovernmental roundtable last week, with the objective of researching and analyzing the pros and cons of the proposed Cowlitz Casino Resort near La Center.

During an hour-and-a-half meeting Saturday, attended by council members, commissioners, state representatives, and an audience of another 60 persons, the group of elected officials agreed to maintain an informal status under the name of Intergovernmental Roundtable and restrict membership to official governmental representatives.

The group heard David Barnet, Cowlitz Tribal manager, outline what the tribe hoped to achieve when its 152-acre site west of Interstate 5 at the La Center Junction was fully built: 160,000 square feet of gaming, 210 square feet of restaurant and retail facilities, 150,000 square feet of convention and entertainment facilities, a 250-room hotel, and a tribal cultural center and government offices.

Before that can happen, an environmental impact statement must be completed and, following that, the U.S. government must provide tribal trust status for the land.

Participating in Saturday’s meeting, in addition to Curtis, who is also a member of the La Center City Council, were State Sen. Don Benton (R-17), Cowlitz County commissioner Kathleen Johnson, Vancouver City Council members Larry Smith and Tim Leavitt, Battle Ground mayor John Idsigna and deputy mayor Sandra Barnes, Clark County commissioners Steve Stuart  and  Marc Boldt, State Rep. Deb Wallace (D-17th), La Center mayor Jim Irish, Ridgefield City Council member Gladys Doriot, Port of Ridgefield commissioner Joe Melroy, and Cowlitz Tribal Council member Philip Harju. .

The next meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, in the Clark County Public Service Center.

Jeanne Lawson, Portland is the facilitator for the roundtable.

Planning Commission to talk
neighborhood traffic planning

The Vancouver Planning Commission will discuss neighborhood traffic planning at its informal First Thursday Presentation at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1, in City Hall.

Planning commissioner Michael Heywood will moderate a panel consisting of Todd Boulanger, Jim Etzkorn, Tim Shauer, and traffic consultant Bruce Appleyard.

People

Amanda Mayoral, a sophomore at Ridgefield High School, has returned from a week in Olympia as a page for state Rep. Ed Orcutt (R-18th). Pages perform many official duties on behalf of their respective legislators.

News briefs

The Vancouver City Council does not meet this evening. g Clark Public Utilities commissioners meet in regular session at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1. g Clark County commissioners meet in regular session at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1. g The Southwest Washington Regional transportation Council meets in regular session at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1.
 

Headlines at home and from around the world:
(Click on the headlines below for the rest of the story)

Clark County is a radon 'hot zone'--Columbian, Kathie Durbin

Capital Views: On balance, gubernatorial vote issue nearly over--Columbian, Don Jenkins

Feds cutting VHA funding--Columbian, Scott Hewitt

Clark County Historical Museum ready to show its stuff--Columbian, Dean Baker

Prom dress exchange back big time--Oregonian, Holley Gilbert

Iraqis defy insurgents in huge voter turnout--Seattle Times, Knight Ridder, Hannah Allam and Tom Lasseter

Students say First Amendment no big deal--Seattle P-I, AP, Ben Feller

Mount St. Helens VolcanoCam [updates every five minutes]--USDA Forest Service, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

Monday on the air

Vancouver City Council Workshop (1/24)—4 p.m. CVTV
Vancouver City Council (1/24)—7 p.m. CVTV

Town tabloids and the weather 

Jon Thrift explains how Don Quxiote got in a corner. g Anita Elliot gets A+ for social directing. g Cris Kelley demonstrates paella recipe to die for. g Pat Kelley suave and debonair sans black tie. g Colleen Thrift scoring two hits in one weekend. g Monday, gray day in the morning, sun later, 52. Tuesday, looks like more sunshine, 56. Wednseday, maybe a little gray in the morning followed by more sun, 56.