Southwest Washington Medical Center's $146 million expansion information

Is the proposed project at our Daybreak property in the public interest? You decide.

After reclamation, the property will be turned over to a conservation organization with a one million dollar endowment to assure its care in perpetuity.

Call 397-2232 and let the commissioners know that
solid science and not politics must guide their decision regarding the project.
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New organization takes
on Cowlitz Casino claims

A group of business and community activists, calling itself Citizens Against Reservation Shopping, today announced it would actively fight to prevent the Cowlitz Indian Tribe from creating a casino on 152 acres of land at the I-5 La Center junction owned by Cowlitz tribal chair David Barnett.

Ed Lynch, chair of the new organization, announced at the first news conference held in the new Hilton Vancouver Washington Hotel, that CARS does not believe that the Cowlitz Indian Tribe is indigenous to Clark County and therefore their property in the county should not be considered as a reservation site for the tribe.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is charged with determining whether the land can be held in trust for the tribe, which under law would allow the tribe to build a casino and resort that would be the largest in the Pacific Northwest. The BIA is expected to make its ruling within a year. Currently an environmental assessment is being conducted.

Lynch said Thursday, “It’s time for some straight talk about the hardships such a casino would visit on the people and communities in our county. All we’ve heard so far is ‘public relations’ about new jobs, tourism and what a good neighbor the tribe will be. There’s another very sinister side to this story, including the fallout from problem-gambling as well as troubling community and socio-economic impacts. We mean to talk about it, and we’re not going to stop talking until the job is done.”

Members of the CARS steering group are as follows: Scott Campbell, publisher, The Columbian, Dave Christensen, chairman, Christensen Shipyard Ltd., Paul Christensen, president, Realvest Corporation, State Rep. Bill Fromhold (D-49th), Kent Landerholm, president, Landerholm and Associates, State Sen. Craig Pridemore, (D-49th), Newt Rumble, Peterson and Associates, Pat Schaefer, president and CEO, Riverview Community Bank, and former Clark County commissioner, Judie Stanton, owner of J. S. Webworks.

Lynch said anyone is welcome to join the organization’s efforts. For further information, go to edlynch@pacifier.com.

James Swanger will be named to
the Clark County District Court

James Swanger, who has served as Clark County District Court commissioner since 1999, and who recently was a finalist for an appointment to the court won by Camas attorney John Hagensen, will be appointed as a district court judge Tuesday, June 21, reports county commissioner Betty Sue Morris.

Morris said the commissioners discussed the vacancy created by the recent resignation of Scott Anders, and informally agreed that Swanger was eminently suited for the position.

Morris said the county had gone through an elaborate process to select Hagensen and that Swanger had also emerged as a top contender.

Swanger earned his law degree from Willamette University after being awarded a bachelors degree from Brigham Young University. Swanger recently was presented the 2004 Judge William Nevins Award in recognition of his distinguished service in public legal education. He has also served as a pro-tem judge in various courts in Clark County.

Clark Public Utilities gets
high marks for reliability

When compared in four areas of reliability with 12 other major electric utilities in the West, Clark Public Utilities came out on top in one category, came in second in two categories and was judged average in the fourth category, in the 2004 Western U.S. Reliability Survey, conducted by the Salt River Project, Phoenix.

Clark Public Utilities had the lowest duration of outages. The utility had next to the lowest frequency of interruptions in power, and the next to the lowest number of momentary interruptions in power. The utility was average in terms of the length of time it took to restore power to customers.

Clark was compared to such utilities as Portland General Electric, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Seattle City Light and Arizona Public Service.

Board of Equalization has vacancy

Clark County commissioners are seeking applications for a three-year-term on the county Board of Equalization. The board hears citizen complaints about local property tax assessments. Members of the board receive $75 a day when they are in session.

Qualifications include knowledge of Clark County, real and personal appraisal techniques, property tax law, and experience and understanding of the building trades.

Applications must be completed by Thursday, June 30. For further information, call Darren Wertz, 397-2337.

People

Thirteen new $1,000 college scholarships have been granted to students from Clark County Schools by the Vancouver Methodist Foundation from bequests from Garnet P. Allen and Dorothy Camets. Scholarship winners are Ethan Boyles, Ridgefield High School; Samantha Carter and Jessica Wells, both of Prairie High School; Sydney Clos, Heather Ellertson, Jenna Yang, Tristan McDaniel and Ben Perry; all of Skyview High School; Katrina Kennedy, River Home Link; Kelsey Scanlan, La Center High School; Grace Steele, Vancouver School for Arts and Academics; Brian Suchy, Battle Ground High School; and Blair Warner, Washougal High School.

Calendar

The Port of Vancouver holds its second public briefing on long-range industrial and environmental mitigation plans at 6 p.m. this evening in the port commissioners hearing room, 3103 NW Lower River Road. g The Forum at the Library presents a fresh economic look at local farm products and markets at 7 p.m. this evening in the Vancouver Community Library Hall, 1007 E. Mill Plain Boulevard. Moderator is Vance Corum, co-author of The New Farmers’ Market. Panelists include George Brown, executive chef, Burgerville Corporation , and Aaron Fliess, executive director of the Vancouver Farmers Market. There is no admission charge.

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

Vancouver woman's father freed from Iraqi kidnappers--Columbian, John Branton

Commissioners will hear proposed all-mail voting plan proposal next Tuesday--Columbian, Erin Middlewood

University of Washington proposal could double tuition--Seattle Times, Andrew Garber and Sharon Pian Chan

Construction boom fuels state revenue forecast jump of $450 million--Seattle P-I, AP, David Ammons

Another quake hits southern California--KGW-TV, AP

Iraqi deadlock ends as Sunnis accept deal on Charter Panel--New York Times, Sabrina Tavernise

U.S. Open Leaderboard--Fox Network

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

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