Southwest Washington Medical Center's $146 million expansion information

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

Interest from the conservation endowment will be used to fund habitat restoration projects on the East Fork Lewis River.

Call 397-2232 and let the commissioners know that
solid science and not politics must guide their decision regarding the project.

It’s official: county voters
will use mail ballots

Clark county commissioners today unanimously approved a resolution calling for Clark County elections to be conducted entirely by mail-in ballots.

Using all-mail balloting was recommended by Clark County Auditor Gregg Kimsey.

According to Kimsey, the single system of balloting will provide the most accurate election results. Both Kimsey and county commissioners said they were sorry to give up the tradition of allowing voters to go to polling places in person to cast ballots. However, county voters were increasingly eschewing the ballot box and voting machines for ballots that were mailed to their homes.

In addition to potentially being more accurate, the all-mail system will be less costly, saving the county $300,000 initially for the cost of new voting machinery.

Currently, 61 percent of Clark County’s registered voters are on the absentee ballot list. In some elections as many as eight out of ten voters have voted by mail.

All registered voters will receive ballots for the September 20 general election by mail.

Solar power heating up in Clark County

There aren’t many solar power producers in Clark County—you could count them on the fingers of two hands—but Clark Public Utilities is one of the first electric utilities in the state to begin preparing for what is expected to be a steady increase of customers who want to produce their own electric energy.

Utility officials today unveiled Clark’s 2.2-kilowatt solar-voltaic generator at the utility’s operations center, 8600 NE 117th Avenue. It is a demonstration project, designed to show customers what it takes today to put together a system that would generate power for all the electrical needs of an average home, except for heating, cooling and heating water.

The cost of such a system currently is in the range of $14,000 to $16,000. With tax credits and other incentives, such a system would pay back the cost in about ten years, according to utility spokesperson Mick Shutt.

Properly installed (permits are required), the system sends unused generated power back to the utility system, reversing the direction of the electric meter, thus creating a credit for the owner.

According to Shutt, prospective users can look at the utility’s system to get a notion of what the requirements and benefits are.

Similar solar-voltaic systems in operation are at Columbia Vista, Clark County Public Works, and at two private locations. The state School for the Blind has a 25-kilowatt system. Clark Pubic Utilities has one customer augmenting energy with wind power, another utilizing a hydro-power source, and a third customer who has a combination of sources.

Clark Public Utilities, a “Green Lights” utility, encourages alternative environmentally friendly power resources, Shutt says. Clark staff members are working at the state level for regulations that will encourage alternative energy resources.

For further information, call 992-3000, or go to the website, www.clarkpud.com/Community/environmentalProjects/greenLights

Reception for First Citizens Jan and Steve Oliva
is Thursday evening in new convention center

Jan and Steve Oliva, Vancouver’s First Citizens for 2005, are being honored at Thursday, June 23, reception in the Vancouver Convention Center, adjacent to the Hilton Vancouver Washington. The reception begins at 4 p.m. A formal program begins at 5:15 p.m.

“Noted for their broad-based community service work, the Olivas’ contributions flow in tandem,” According to First Citizen Selection chair Bruce Hagensen. “We couldn’t honor one without the other.”

Their company, Hi-School Pharmacy, which they have owned for 35 years, was called a model of corporate citizenship by John White, one of the nominators for the honor. “It’s hard to imagine two people who have better lived the adage of giving back to their community,” White said.

The First Citizen presentation is sponsored by the Community Foundation, Leadership Clark County, The Columbian and The Bank of Clark County.

To register to attend the $30 program, call 737-3433.

People

Brian Loos, grounds maintenance crew chief for Clark County Public Works, has returned from a year’s tour of duty in Iraq. Loos served as a captain in the 181st Support Battalion for which he was in charge of human resource activities. g State Rep. JIm Dunn (R-17th) has been appointed to three statewide committees by speaker of the House Frank Chopp. The appointments are to the Tourism Development Advisory Committee, the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Advisory Committee, and the Family Policy Council.

Calendar

An open house describing the Clark County Trail & Bikeway System Plan 2006 is at 6 p.m. this evening in the Camas Library, 625 NE 4th Avenue. g The NE Hazel Dell Neighborhood Association meets at 7 p.m. this evening in Clark County Public Works community room, 4700 NE 78th Street. g Clark County commissioners meet in informal session at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 22. 

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

Nearing completion, Firstenburg Community Center stirring up imagination--Columbian, Jeffery Mize

State police working overtime blitzing traffic violators, Columbian, John Branton

Ridgefield School Board delays $65 million bond issue to February 2006--Columbian

Ed Pietz to add 200,000-square-feet of office space in Salmon Creek--Columbian, Julia Anderson

Missing Utah boy scout found alive and in good condition--MSNBC News

Senate majority leader Bill Frist reverses his early statement and late today says he will seek another Bolton vote--USA TODAY, AP

Ex-Klansman Edgar Ray Killen found guilty on three counts of manslaughter in the 1964 slayings of three civil rights workers--USA TODAY, Clarion-Ledger, Jerry Mitchell

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

The Daily Insider is published by Tony Bacon P.O. Box 2597, Vancouver, WA 98668. (360) 696-1077. Fax 694-9886.
E-Mail tony@dailyinsider.info. Annual subscription, $315.00. Free to all retired persons.