Snow causes cancellations,
brings out snow plows

Today's snowfall has made street conditions slick and driving difficult on Vancouver's 1,650 lane miles of streets. Only a handful of streets, among them Devine Road, and 39th Street between Fruit Valley Road and Lincoln Avenue, were closed today.

Vancouver's 14 snowplows, 12 of which are combined units with sanders, and two of which also have de icing capabilities, are currently at work clearing and maintaining main arterials. The city's primary focus is to clear and maintain those primary streets that provide a network connecting hospitals, police and fire stations. Remaining arterials, selected corridors, snow bus routes around schools and hills, are handled next.

Vancouver's de-icers are water soluble and not well suited to freezing rain. Should freezing rain occur, Buck says avoid travel on icy streets, if at all possible. Buck advises motorists to maintain a safe distance behind snow plows, sanders and de-icing trucks.

Currently, all roads maintained by Clark County are snow packed. Plowing and sanding should improve conditions somewhat by the evening commute. Motorists should use caution as even roads that appear clear may have black ice.

All available Clark County road maintenance crews are at work today clearing snow from major urban streets and main roads in the rural part of the county. All Clark County offices remain open today, observing regular working hours.

Similarly, state highway crews are busy with snow plows and de-icing equipment.

Although chains or traction devices are required in the Portland metro area, they are not required in southwest Washington, except on Highway 14, east of Washougal.

County employment numbers
were good in December

Clark County ended 2006 with 197,000 persons employed, according to the state Department of Employment Security, an increase of 1,400 over December 2006. The December figure also represented an increase of 1,200 employed persons over November 2006. The county’s unadjusted employment rate for December was 4.7 percent.

Statewide, the unadjusted employment rate was 5 percent.

Gov. Chris Gregoire reports that the job picture in Washington continues to shine. She said, “Our steady growth in industries such as aerospace and software helps us reach out nationally and globally and create a strong job market that benefits Washingtonians.”

Over the year, 79,200 net new jobs were created in the state.

Columnists to bare their souls

The Forum at the Library brings three news columnists together to discuss what they do at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, in Library Hall in the Vancouver Community Library, 1007 E Mill Plain Boulevard.

The columnists will share where they get their ideas, who influences them and how they write. They are as follows: Gregg Herrington, Columbian editorial writer and columnist; Susan Nielsen, associate editor The Oregonian; and Greg Jayne, Columbian sports editor and columnist.

The forum, which is free, is moderated by Clark College journalism professor, Christina Kapinski.

Applications being accepted for Sheriff’s
Citizens’ Academy beginning in March

Applications are being accepted for 30 slots open for the Clark County Sheriff’s Citizens’ Academy, that starts a two-and-a-half-month weekly schedule of classes Thursday, March 1, reports sheriff Garry Lucas.

Trainees are given an overview of the major functions and responsibilities of the sheriff’s office and the law and justice system.

Applicants are subject to a background criminal history check. For further information, call Fred Neiman, 397-2276.

Calendar

Most scheduled meetings for this evening have been canceled. Vancouver Land Use Hearings have been canceled. Martin Luther King Jr. events scheduled for this evening and tomorrow at Clark College have been canceled. n It is advisable to call ahead to confirm whether any scheduled meetings will be held. n Clark County commissioners have scheduled an informal session at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17.

Tuesday, Jan. 16, headlines

Surprise snowstorm sucker-punches region--Columbian (update)

Home solar panels are energy saver--Columbian, Erik Robinson

Blood donation center to open--Columbian, Tom Vogt

Backers go to Olympia to argue for simple majority--Columbian, Kathie Durbin

Moeller proposes sales tax holiday, Columbian, Jonathan Nelson

Band students trying to raise $640,000 for trip to China, Columbian, Howard Buck

Vancouver could get new police chief this week--Oregonian, Allan Brettman

Obama takes first step toward running in '08--New York Times, Jeff Zeleny

34,000 Iraqi civilians killed in '06--USA Today, AP