Doris Groth Troxel takes home
Clark College Alumni Award

Doris Groth Troxel graciously illuminated last evening’s Alumni-Student dinner in Gaiser Hall in Clark College as she modestly accepted the 2007 Outstanding Alumni Award from college Alumni Board president Will Pollard.

As much as anyone, Troxel personified the 74-year-old college, from which she graduated in the closing years of World War II. A junior college, founded in 1933 the school was all but closed until it began taking returning veterans and then-current high school graduates in 1946.

Troxel’s graduating class consistes of fewer than a dozen persons. She went on to Washington State University, graduating in 1946, in time to be hired by the dean of the school, Lewis D. Cannell.

Troxel and Cannell shared the administrative office. He was dean. Troxel held every other administrative office.

When the Clark County native retired as assistant registrar in 1976, the college was at its current location on Fort Vancouver Way and had become the largest institution of higher learning in southern Washington.

Troxel was revered by students, administrators and instructors alike for the easy, precise way she worked with students.

Troxel has continued supporting Clark College through an endowed scholarship for business students and the Groth Nature Preserve in north Clark County, which has been set aside for public use as an education resource.

Troxel is a member of the American Association of University Women and the Association of Retired School Employees, and is active in numerous community organizations.

Virginia Tech Memorial Friday
in Esther Short Park

Gov. Chris Gregoire has asked everyone to observe a minute of silence to remember those who died at Virginia Tech and their families at 9 a.m. Friday, April 20.

In addition, Virginia Tech family members have declared tomorrow "Orange and Maroon Effect" day to honor those killed in the tragic events at the college and show support for Virginia Tech students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni and friends, reports Clark College’s Barbara Kerr.

The Portland VT Alumni Chapter will hold a memorial Friday from 5 to 5:30 p.m. in Esther Short Park. For further information, call Heidi Yewman, 281-6980.

Yewman is also a Columbine High School alum, and we believe the memorial will honor their dead as well, Kerr said.

Clark County people like Clark County

Eighty-four percent of Clark County residents polled in a survey published this week by Clark County auditor Greg Kimsey believe that the quality of life in the county is good to excellent. The survey, serving to give county a report card on how well it is serving the citizens, showed that the percentage of those giving the county good marks increased from 80 percent in 2003 to 82 percent in 2005, and to 84 percent this year.

The quality of life is reported to be improving for both urban and rural citizens; 87 percent of those living in incorporated cities think their quality of life is better, while 82 percent, than those living outside cities think this of their own quality of life..

Respondents said the top five issues in the county are growth and sprawl, crime, county taxes, education and health care.

Reporting on travel times, those surveyed showed travel time to work increasing slightly over the past four years and travel time to shopping decreasing slightly.

One-fourth of the total working population of Clark County travels over 30 minutes to work, according to the survey. Only two percent travel over 30 minutes to shopping.

Forty percent of those living in cities reported "a lot" of confidence in county government. Only 26 percent of those living outside cities reported "a lot" of confidence in county government. There was little change in confidence data over the past three surveys.

Provision in a bill before Gov. Gregoire would
halt Columbia River deepening, proponent says

The bi-state Columbia River Channel Coalition, proponent of the Columbia River channel deepening project now about three-quarters of the way complete, says a provision in a bill before Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire could imperil the project by eliminating the right of eminent domain in acquisition of agricultural land for mitigation.

David Hunt, executive director of the coalition, urges channel deepening proponents to ask the governor to veto section 6 of Senate Bill 5108. For further information, call (503) 285-6343.

Insider errs again and again, and again

Three times the Insider misreported news in the Wednesday, April 18, edition. The wife of Kim Capeloto, Bank of Clark County COO, was misidentified as Karen. Mrs. Capeloto is Lisa Capeloto. She is the daughter of Karen Spridgeon, who died of cancer at the age of 47, and for whom, along with Deborah Oester, the reception area in the new Cancer Center at Southwest Washington Medical Center will be named, a result of a $100,000 contribution by the bank to the medical center Foundation.

Clark County is one of the prime sponsors, along with Clark Public Utilities, of the countywide family tree planting event in observation of Earth Day from 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Saturday, April 20, in the Salmon Creek watershed. The Insider regrets not having given the county its due in sponsoring the family-oriented event. A careful review of the story also revealed the item did not specifically state the date of the event. For further Earth Day information, call 992-8585.

Calendar

The Clark County Planning Commission will review the proposed Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation Comprehensive Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan during a regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. this evening in the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street. n Eugene O’Neill’s Long Voyage Home, directed Llewellyn Rhoe, is being presented at 7:30 p.m. this evening and Friday, April 10, and Saturday, April 21, in the Main Street Theatre, 606 Main Street. The production closes with a 2 p.m. Sunday, April 22, matinee. Tickets range from $8 to $24. A dinner-theater package with The Restaurant at the Historic Reserve is available for $55 per person. For further information, call 695-3770. n The fifth in a week-long series of Earth Week forums sponsored by Friends of Clark County is at 7 p.m. this evening in the 6th floor hearing room in the Public Service Building, 1300 Franklin Street. Alternative energy and alternative transportation will be discussed. For further information, call 695-5570. n The final program in a series of Earth Week forums sponsored by Friends of Clark County is at noon Friday, April 20, in the 6th floor hearing room in the Public Service Center. Washington state earth friendly programs will be discussed.

Thursday, April 19 Headlines