Jim Moeller getting diversity leadership award;
Wayne Branch keynoting NAACP banquet

  
             Jim Moeller                       Wayne Branch

State Rep. Jim Moeller (D-49th) will receive the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Vancouver Branch, Diversity Leadership Award at the annual NAACP banquet Saturday, May 12, in Gaiser Hall on the Clark College Campus.

Wayne Branch, former Clark College president, will be the keynote speaker, returning to the college campus for the first time since resigning nearly a year ago.

Moeller is being recognized for his ongoing work on behalf of diversity and fair and equal treatment for all community members, according to local NAACP president Earl Ford.

Moeller’s contributions, according to Ford, are being the first local legislator to actively solicit African American youth to serve as legislative pages, helping to bring a Washington State Human Rights Commission office to Clark County, and working successfully to pass legislation prohibiting discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation. Moeller is a longtime member of the NAACP.

Also being honored as co-recipients of the 2007 Val Joshua Civil Rights Award are James Posey, owner of Work Horse Construction, Portland, and Fred Hansen, general manager of Tri-Met. The pair are being honored for their plan that brought significant minority participation in the Interstate Avenue light-rail construction in Portland. The plan included using both minority employees and minority-owned construction firms.

Branch’s topic will be “Community Participation in the Education of Our Children.” Branch holds a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh, and last year was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the American Association of Community Colleges. Branch is also a former vice president for student affairs at the Community College of Philadelphia, and president of the Community College of Baltimore County Essex.

Shareefah Abdullah, founder of Black Entrepreneurs of Clark County, and president of Hot Ovations Communications Coaching and Training Co., is mistress of ceremonies.

Admission to the dinner that begins at 5:30 p.m. is $25. For further information, call 891-5105.

Northern Clark County
Scenic Drive designated

A 70-mile-long scenic drive in northern Clark County has been designated by Clark County commissioners, reports commissioner Marc Boldt, who added, “We probably should have done this a long time ago to showcase this beautiful area full of interesting historical sites.”

The Northern Clark County Scenic Drive is a loop connecting Battle Ground, Ridgefield, La Center, Yacolt  and back to Battle Ground. For a map of the scenic drive, go to http://www.pdxinfo.net/.

Historic sites along the drive are the Henry Heisson House, Cedar Creek Grist Mill, the Allen House and Cathlapotle Plankhouse. County parks on the route are Lucia Falls, Moulton Falls, Whipple Creek and Daybreak.

Signs designating the scenic drive will be installed later this year.

49th District legislators
call town hall meeting

The 49th District Democratic legislators, Sen. Craig Pridemore, and Reps. Bill Fromhold and Jim Moeller, will report on the just-completed 2007 legislative session at a town hall meeting from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 12, in conference room 226, in the Clark County Clark Elections Department, 1408 Franklin Street.

Esther Short Park summer events set;
vendor information meeting Wednesday

Summer events under the auspices of the City of Vancouver in Esther Short Park, for which food vendors are being sought are as follows: Terry Lee Noon Concerts, Wednesdays at noon, July 11 through Aug. 15; Riverview Six-to-Sunset Concerts, Thursday evenings from July 5 through Aug. 16; The Movie Season, Friday nights, July 6, 13, July 27, Aug. 10, and Aug. 31.

In addition, the city will select food vendors to provide wares in Propstra Square in Esther Short Park Monday through Friday during the summer months.

An informational meeting for prospective food vendors for Vancouver’s summer outdoor events is at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, in the Marshall Conference Room in the Esther Short Building, 610 Esther Street. Deadline for submitting applications is Wednesday, May 9. For further information, call 619-1131.

News brief

Arts Equity Onstage is offering Melinda Pittman’s Wonderbroads, The Babes and Broads Who Broke the Rules two nights only, 8 p.m. Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5, in the Main Street Theatre, 606 Main Street. Tickets $10 to $22. Dinner theater tickets, including a three-course dinner at the Restaurant at the Historic Reserve are $55 each. For further information, call 695-3770.

Calendar

The Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council meets in regular session at 4 p.m. today, in the 6th floor training room in the Public Service Center. n Clark County commissioners will meet in an informal session at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, in conference room B in the Public Service Center.

 Monday, April 30 Headlines

Pollard raps proposed casino--Columbian, Jeffrey Mize

Free Clinic, WSU Vancouver students benefit from pairing--Columbian, Tom Vogt

C-TRAN leading the going green race--Columbian, Michael Andersen

Evergreen opens way for prayer--Columbian, Howard Buck

Ed Little is retiring, other Vancouver School District principals moving around--Columbian, Isolde Raftery

Julie Anderson remembers David Halberstam--Columbian

Gasoline prices on fire in Oregon--Oregonian

King County ranks 10th in the country in millionaire residents--Seattle Times

President will veto Iraq bill tonight--New York Times, David Stout and Sheryl Gay Stolberg

April in Iraq: deadliest month since war began four years ago--Seattle Times, McClatchey Newspapers, Nancy Youssef