Southwest Washington Medical Center's $146 million expansion information

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

All water rights will be donated to the state in trust for in-stream flow enhancement (an estimated total of 5% of the groundwater rights in the EFLR basin).

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

Dissidents sweep Columbia
Credit Union board positions

Members of a dissident group, who called themselves Save Columbia Credit Union, last night swept every position that was up for election on the board of directors and the supervisory committee at the annual meeting of the county’s largest credit union.

Cathryn Chudy, Kathryn Edgecomb, and John Cheek, a member of the supervisory committee, were elected to the board. Elected last September to a one-year term, Emmy Winterburn was reelected to the board.

They join successful Save Columbia Credit Union candidates elected to the board last September, Mark Ail, Bob Byrd, Ralph Erdmann and Steve Straub.

Robert Winterburn and Gene Yarnell were elected to the supervisory committee, joining Cheek, Lloyd Marbet and LeRoy Wilkerson.

All voting was done by mail, with 5,819 of 69,208 members voting. The vote tabulation was revealed at last night’s annual credit union meeting.

Clark County is expected to get federal aid
because of shortage of primary care providers

Shortages of primary health care providers are so critical that Camas, La Center, Ridgefield, Washougal, Yacolt, and the Hazel Dell area are in line for federal support, health care officials were told at a special meeting today.

A recently completed report, “Access to Primary Providers in Clark County,” reveals a shortage of primary care practitioners in Clark County that continues to grow as the county’s population increases.

Countywide, for every 2,208 residents there is one doctor.

While this is better than federal standards for a serious shortage (3,000 to 1), it is worse than the ideal capacity level of 1,200 to 1.

Access to medical care is generally worse for low-income residents, and for those living in rural areas in Clark County. For low-income residents the ratio is 2,691 to 1. the ratio for Camas and Battle Ground is in excess of 5,000 to 1, and for the low-income population in Salmon Creek, the ratio is 6,121 to 1, according to the report.

Federal Health Professional Shortage Area designations pending would bring relief through such incentives as making payments toward physician student loans in exchange for three-year service commitments, increased Medicare bonus payments, and visa waivers for international medical graduates.

The report is based on the results of a primary care provider survey administered in 2003 by the state Department of Health, Southwest Washington Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Clark County Health Department and a large number of medical clinics.

Eric Fuller presenting mid-year
commercial real estate update

A mid-year commercial real estate update, sponsored by the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and presented by Eric Fuller & Associates, is at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, July 14, in the Heritage Ballroom of the Hilton Vancouver Washington.

Clark County commissioner Steve Stuart will lead a discussion of the county’s Comprehensive Growth Management Plan, currently under review by the three-member board of commissioners and challenged by environmental appeals.

Real estate presenters, in addition to Fuller, are Deborah Ewing, Bill Connelly and Byron Roselli.

Registration for the $30 breakfast presentation can be obtained by calling 694-2588.

People

Running Start student Steven Gresswell, who graduated simultaneously from Camas High School and Clark College this month, has earned the Clark College President’s Award, which includes a two-year, full-time tuition waiver to attend Washington State University Vancouver. Gresswell also won the national Junior Honor Society President’s Leadership Award and a letter in the Varsity Knowledge Bowl. In addition, Gresswell lettered in varsity tennis at Clark and is close to earning Eagle rank in the Boy Scouts of America. After graduation from WSU Vancouver, Gresswell says he intends to enter the University of Washington School of Medicine.

 Calendar

The Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board meets in Vancouver at 9 a.m. Friday, July 1, in room 680 in the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street. The board is considering appeals brought before it concerning the Comprehensive Growth Management Plan adopted by Clark County Commissioners in 2004.

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

Melching passes the torch--Columbian, Howard Buck

Evergreen Schools teachers approve contract--Howard Buck

Healthcare for the poor lacking, report says--Oregonian, Dee Anne Finken

Vancouver 143rd-argest city in America--Columbian, Jeffrey Mize

Fireworks offenders get big fines--Columbian, John Branton

View spots fewer, parking shrinking for Fourth of July at the Historic Reserve--Oregonian, Holley Gilbert

Owners of Portland hotels convicted of federal tax evasion--Columbian, John Branton

Court ruling has impact on future of state's two largest newspapers--Seattle Times, Bill Richards

Mysterious 'stealth' boat plying Columbia River--KATU

Portland, Ore., and Portland Maine both on Best Cities list--KATU

Fed raises interest rates for the 9th time this year, stock markets go south--USA TODAY, Barbara Hagenbaugh

Time to surrender reporter's notes--USA TODAY, AP

U.S. sees fighting rekindled in Afghanistan--USA TODAY, Matt Kelley

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

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