Tim Leavitt makes announcement official

First-term Vancouver city council member Tim Leavitt has made official his announcement to be a candidate for re-election for a four-year term for position number 4 on the council.

Prior to serving on the council, Leavitt was a member of the Vancouver Planning Commission. Currently he is chairman of the C-TRAN board of directors and a member of the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board, the Clark College Alumni Association and Safe Community Coalition.

To kick off Leavitt's re-election campaign, the Committee to Re-elect Tim Leavitt and the Al Kirkwood family are hosting a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, in Big Al's Bowling and Billiards, 16615 SE 18th Street.

Newsweek Magazine puts Mountain
View High School in top school list

Newsweek Magazine has named the Evergreen School District’s Mountain View High School one of the top 1,200 U.S. high schools.

The national index was developed using advance placement scores and showing which schools are most demanding and supportive of students, according to Jay Matthews, a Washington Post education writer who devised the rating system.

Mountain View is one of 20 schools in the state of Washington and the only school in Clark County to make the 2007 Newsweek list.

Clark Public Utilities’ appliance
repair rate schedule to increase

Rates for Clark Public Utilities’ appliance repair service will change Friday, June 1, the utility’s board of commissioners decided today.

Under the new rate schedule, customers will pay $100 for the first hour, with a one-hour minimum charge. The cost for each additional 30-minute period will be $50. Currently the utility charges $66 for the first half-hour and $17 for each additional 15 minutes. The new rate schedule is competitive within Clark County. Rates were last changed in May 2004.

A financial review showed that the service would lose money this year without a change in rates. “The appliance repair service is required to operate in a financially independent manner and not be subsidized by other operations,” said Commissioner Nancy Barnes. “It was appropriate to adjust the rates so that those who use the service pay for it.”

In addition to the rate change, the utility will make changes to improve the efficiency of the repair service and begin enhanced marketing activities to increase business during slower times of the year, Barnes said.

The monthly fee for the utility’s popular Guaranteed Hot Water program will not change. This program, which provides repair or replacement of defective electric water heaters, costs $2.95 a month, plus tax.

Columbia Non-Profit Housing announces
56-unit low-income senior housing project

Ground has been broken on Highland Park Apartments, 56-unit low-income senior housing project on a 2.6-acre location west of the Vancouver Mall at 5015 NE 66th Avenue, reports Christine Hermann, executive director of the sponsoring Columbia Non-Profit Housing.

Applications for the mostly one-bedroom complex are being accepted by the Vancouver Housing Authority, according to Hermann.

The $5.6 million project is being financed by $5.7 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, $812,000 from the Washington Housing Trust Fund and a $380,000 contribution from Clark County for land purchase.

To open in April 2008, Highland Park Apartments will provide a community room, library-computer center, exercise room and garden space. In addition, a service coordinator will be on staff to offer residents access to community services.

The apartment complex will be offered to people 62 and over who are earning no more than 50 percent of the area median income, currently $23,750 for a single person, $27,150 for two people. For further information, call the Vancouver Housing Authority, 694-2501.

Calendar

Clark County commissioners meet in informal session at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, in conference room B in the Public Service Center.

Tuesday, May 29 Headlines

City, nation salute soldiers, vets--Columbian, Dave Olson

Retail center planned near new WinCo--Columbian, Cami Joner

All eyes focused on I-5, 219th Street interchange--Columbian, Jose Paul Corona

County considering easing traffic rules--Columbian, Michael Andersen

$100 million jobs fund was mistake, lawmakers say--Seattle Times, Andrew Garber

Zarelli invited Netanyahu to Vancouver--Columbian

Robert B. Zoellick top choice for president of World Bank--New York Times, Steven R. Weisman

Ten U.S. soldiers killed on Memorial Day--Washington Post, John Ward Anderson and Kevin Sullivan

Gasoline prices dip slightly last week--USA TODAY, Reuters, Tom Doggett

Iraq Coalition Casualties