Former Gov. Gary Locke and Allen Clark
to discuss China trade opportunities

    
                  Gary Locke                            Allen D. Clark

Former Gov. Gary Locke and Allen D. Clark, both specializing in China practice and partners in the Seattle-based law firm Davis Wright Tremain, will present their perspectives on trade with China at a special meeting of the Columbia River Economic Development Council and the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce during a meeting that begins at 11:30 a.m. Friday, March 23, in the Red Lion Hotel at the Quay.

Representatives from the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development will be in attendance.

Space is limited to 100 persons. The cost of the lunch and program is $25 for members of both organizations and $35 for non-members. To pre-register, call 694-2588, or go to www.vancouverusa.com.

Fairy Godmother prom dress
exchange is Saturday in the mall

In time for the high school prom season, more than 2,000 slightly used formal and semi-formal dresses have been cleaned and made ready for the 2007 Operation Fairy Godmother prom dress exchange from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 17, in Westfield Vancouver Mall.

Sponsored by the Vancouver School District Foundation, the event offers high school girls the chance to acquire a new prom dress for $10; or, they can donate a prom dress for another at no charge. In addition, the exchange includes shoes and accessories.

Operation Fairy Godmother is the largest prom dress collection in the northwest, according to Jan Redding, spokeswoman for the school district foundation. More than 100 volunteers will be on hand to make selections easy. However, Redding advises girls to arrive early because the waiting lines will already be long much earlier than 10 a.m.

The event is open to all Clark County school students. But girls need to have their associated student body cards with them, Redding says.

Eastsiders to provide input
for their new public library

Conceptual sketches for Vancouver’s 25,000-square foot Cascade Park public library will be presented during a 7-to-9 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, public planning session in the Rose Besserman Room in the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center.

Construction of the new library is expected to begin early next year. The building will be adjacent to the Firstenburg Community Center on NE 136th Avenue.

Preliminary sketches prepared by Opsis Architecture and Johnston Architects will be shown. Members of the public will be asked for input on the library site orientation, interior space allocations, services, and appearance.

Voters in the Vancouver area last September approved bonds for the Cascade Park Library, improvements to the Vancouver Mall Library and a new downtown library. For further information, call Sue Vanlaanen, 699-8815.

News briefs

State Rep. Deb Wallace (D-17th) is holding a community meeting to discuss the 2007 state legislative session at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 17, in the Washington Grange, 7701 Ward Road. For further information, call Autumn Shafer, 786-7976. n State Rep. Jim Dunn (R-17th) is holding a legislative town hall meeting at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 17, in conference room C/D, 3rd floor, in Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital, 2211 NE 139th Street. For further information, call Dunn at 786-7994.

Calendar

Port of Vancouver commissioner Brian Wolfe presents the case for the Port of Vancouver’s $78 million, six-year tax levy to buy the former Columbia River Alcoa industrial site for future marine cargo and industrialoperations at 5:30 p.m. this evening in the Cascade Middle School commons, 13900 NE 18th Street. n Clark County Republican auditor Greg Kimsey’s annual pre-St. Paddy’s Day Celebration, a party and fundraiser, is at 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. this evening in Club Green Meadows, 7703 NE 72nd Avenue. For further information, call 521-6685.

Wednesday, March 13 Headlines