FRIDAY, March 4, 2005

These cats in hats this morning

Michele Craig, Evergreen Public Schools, literacy coordinator, Steve Stuart, Clark County commissioner and John McDonagh Vancouver Business Journal  publisher put on Dr. Seuss hats today to serve students at Marrion Elementary School green eggs and ham as part of Evergreen's celebration of books and reading
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International businessman Nawzad Othman
to keynote Vancouver Business Journal dinner

International businessman and entrepreneur Nawzad Othman will keynote the Vancouver Business Journal’s Business Growth Awards Dinner at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, in the Heathman Lodge.

Othman is the developer of Vancouvercenter. His company, OTAK, employs nearly 300 people in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, United Emirates and Iraq. OTAK is one of the largest architecture, design and engineering firms in Oregon. The Vancouver office opened in 1996.

Born in Baghdad, Othman left Iraq at the age of 17 to study civil engineering in the United States. He holds a masters degree in urban and regional studies from Minnesota State University. He became a U.S. citizen in 1981, when he founded OTAK.

Last May OTAK became one of the first U.S. companies to open satellite offices in Baghdad and Erbil, where native Iraqis are being trained and employed as engineers and planners. Othman is also consulting with western companies who are interested in investing in Iraq’s infrastructure.

OTAK is a sponsor of the Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival and supporter of the Farmers Market, SWIFT and the Junior Symphony of Vancouver.

The Vancouver Business Journal’s Growth Awards Program honors companies that demonstrated significant growth in 2004. Admission is $65 per person. For further information, call Jessica Swanson, 695-2442, extension 23.

Penny Harris new assistant vice president,
controller at Columbia Credit Union

Penny Harris has been appointed assistant vice president and controller for Columbia Credit Union, reports chief financial officer Daniel Merciante.

Harris, who has 14 years’ financial experience and most recently was with First Independent Bank, is a graduate of Washington State University.

Columbia Credit Union has 60,000 members and $670 million in assets.

Vancouver Community Theater
one-act play festival is next week

The Vancouver Community Theater is producing a one-act play festival beginning Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12, in Fisher’s Grange, 814 NE 162nd Avenue. The plays, all comedies, are Pair of Lunatics, directed by Vicki Nabors, Mystery of Theresa, directed by Bill Peace, and Sit Down to Supper, directed by Joyce Brown.

Evening performances are at 7 p.m. Saturday matinee is at 2 p.m. The plays will be repeated Saturday, March 19. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and children under 12.

News briefs

The Slob Sisters headline the third annual Women’s Resource Fair presented by the YMCA between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, March 5, in Heritage High School. Admission is $3 in advance at the YMCA, $5 at the door. g Billed as “an exciting afternoon of continuous Native American competition and entertainment,” the Title VII Native American Pow Wow opens at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 4, and continues through 10:30 p.m. in the Covington Middle School, 11200 NE Rosewood Road. The event is free. For further information, call Gary Wallace, 604-4013. g Sponsored by the Greater Vancouver Interfaith Association, an open forum and town hall meeting at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 5, in the Luepke Senior Center, 1009 E McLoughlin Boulevard, is expected to bring together Christians, Jews and members of the Islamic faith. There is no charge.
 

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

Martha Stewart returns from prison--MSNBC, AP (includes video)

Vancouver's Retired Emanuel Tanne making a difference at Oregon Health Science University-- Oregonian, Dee Anne Finken

Salmon Creek HOV lane use increasing--Oregonian, Bill Stewart

Financial markets hit 3 1/2-year highs--KGW-TV, AP, Michael J. Martinez

Gas getting pricier, oil demand rising--Seattle P-I, AP, Brad Foss

Just released by insurgents, Italian journalist wounded by Americans--USA TODAY, AP

Columbian's best bets for entertainment

Columbia River Chieftains in the final four--Columbian, Paul Valencia

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

Friday on the air

City Minutes—4 p.m. CVTV
Clark County close Up—4:30 p.m. CVTV
Rotary Club’s 100th Anniversary—5 p.m. CVTV
Animal Control Hearings—7 p.m. CVTV
Indiana at Portland Blazers (live)—7 p.m. FSN, KXL, KXMG
Portland Winter Hawks at Vancouver (live)—7:30 p.m. KCMD
Telecommunications Commission (3/2)—9 p.m. CVTV
Bravo! Vancouver: The Best of Baroque—11:30 p.m. CVTV
 

Town tabloids and the weather 

Mark Matthias giving green eggs a good name. g Julie Dawson enhances marathon and vice versa. g Jon Josephson examining rate card. g Elizabeth Sato making connections. g Janelle Ward says nickel is working just fine. g Jessica Van Wyk making the rounds. g Friday, possible showers, some sunbreaks, 59. Saturday, can’t keep out of the yard day, 63. Sunday, make-up day, mostly sunny, 64.