THURSDAY, April 21, 2005

Community Foundation doles
out record $383,000 in grants

The Vancouver Historic Reserve Trust, represented by president Elson Strahan, left, this morning received one of the largest grants from the Community Foundation: $15,000 from a record distribution of $383,000. Across from Strahan are the Community Foundation’s Jo Marie Hansen, board member, Anne Digenis, program officer, and Jan Oliva, secretary of the foundation board.

Southwest Washington’s Community Foundation’s Community Giving Fund this morning presented a record $383,000 to 62 nonprofit organizations in Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania Counties.

One of the largest awards was $15,000, which went to the Vancouver Historic Reserve Trust. Share and the Confluence Project each received $10,000.

The grants, presented at a breakfast in the E.B. Hamilton Hall in Vancouver Barracks, were generated from gifts to the foundation’s Community Giving Fund, composed of the Children’s Trust Fund, the La Center Casinos Charitable Fund, and the Amphitheater Fund for Music Appreciation.

The Community Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation, serving philanthropic individuals and families since 1984. Current assets are $45 million. The foundation awards about $4.5 million in grants and scholarships annually. Since 1984, the foundation has awarded over $75 million.

Home and Garden Idea Fair
opens at 9 a.m. tomorrow

Clark Public Utilities’ biggest ever Home and Garden Idea Fair opens a three-day run at 9 a.m. Friday, April 22, in the brand new 100,000-square-foot exhibition hall at the fairgrounds.

Admission is free, although fairgoers may make cash contributions to the utility’s Operation Warm Heart, or cash and canned goods donations for local food banks. Parking, however, is $3 a car, but there is a way around that. During the fair free C-TRAN buses are running once an hour to and from the Vancouver Mall Transit Center and the Salmon Creek Park and Ride.

The fair features the largest plant sale of its kind in the northwest.

Displays and exhibits include an energy efficient home that generates more power than it uses for non-heating uses, Toyota and Honda hybrid automobiles, and other energy efficient systems.

The Friday show closes at 8 p.m. The fair continues from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 23, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 24. For further information, click on the Clark Public Utilities ad in the left column of the Daily Insider.

Matt Lewis to succeed Theresa
Wagner as chamber vice president

Matt Lewis, governmental affairs director for the Building Industry Association of Clark County for the past four years, is leaving that position to become vice president of the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce.

Lewis will succeed Theresa Wagner when he assumes the new job on May 9.

Lewis is a 1999 graduate of Washington State university and served as U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton’s field representative for Southwest Washington. He also served as chair of the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign for Clark County. Lewis is a member of Evergreen Habitat for Humanity, and the Vancouver Charter Review Committee.

In addition to being vice president, Lewis will be responsible for the chamber’s public affairs department.

News briefs

The Clark County Planning Commission opens a workshop session at 5 p.m. today in the Public Services Center, 1300 Franklin Street, to discuss amendments to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. During its regular session that begins at 6:30 p.m., the commission will consider amending the gorge plan. g A free lecture on how to raise chickens in the backyard for fun and eggs, sponsored by the Clark County Solid Waste Division, is at 6:30 p.m. this evening in Borders Books Music, Movies and Café, 811 SE 160th Avenue. g Mass honoring Pope Benedict XVI is at 7 p.m. this evening in St. Joseph Catholic Church, 400 S. Andresen Road. g All southbound lanes on I-5 from the I-205 split to NE 99th Street will be closed from 10 p.m. tonight until 5 a.m. tomorrow..

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

Fuel costs for buses pinching school budgets--Columbian, Howard Buck

Meth users can get help in Clark County--Columbian, Kathie Durbin

Battle over county's Growth Management Plan update simmering down as commissioners reassess the document--Columbian, Erin  Middlewood

State Senate approves gasoline tax hike of 9.5 cents--Columbian, Don Jenkins

Vancouver's Armor Systems International gets $11 million federal contract to provide spray-on protection for military vehicles--Columbian, Jonathan Nelson

State Senate turns down gay civil rights bill by one vote--Seattle Times, AP, Rebecca Cook

DOW ends slump with 206-point surge--USA TODAY, AP, Meg Richards

Pope gets email address--benedictxvi@vatican.va --USA TODAY, AP

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

Thursday on the air

SWIFT 30th Anniversary Gala—5 p.m. CVTV
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra: Young Artists—7 p.m. CVTV
Oakland at the Seattle Mariners (live)—7 p.m. FSN, KFXX
Fresno at the Portland Beavers (live)—7 p.m. KKAD
Mt. St. Helens 25th Anniversary Seminar: Part 2—9 p.m. CVTV
 

Town tabloids and the weather 

Angie Laughlin making an appearance. g Pat Stryker arriving in official capacity. g Elie Kassab taking friends to the Battle Ground movies. g Chris Crowley making presentations. g  g Giny Olmsted saying hello at 5 p.m. g Thursday, partly cloudy, 69. Friday, mostly sunny, 70. Saturday, mixed, light showers, 72.