Libby Sturtevant named SWMC
director of human resources

Libby Sturtevant has been appointed director of human resources at Southwest Washington Medical Center. Sturtevant succeeds Chris Shepherd, who has taken employment out of state.

Sturtevant is a registered nurse and has been with SWMC for the past 20 years. Most recently she was director of recruitment and retention.

Sturtevant will be responsible for programs related to compensation, benefits, employee health and human resources data systems.

Sturtevant earned her nursing degree at the University of Utah Medical Center and is a graduate of Kent State University. She is a member of the National Association of Health Care Recruiters, the Oregon and Southwest Washington Association of Health Care Recruiters, and the Nurse Week Mountain West Executive Advisory Board.

With nearly 3,300 employees, the medical center is one of the largest employers in the region.

Biofuels company wants to
lease from Port of Vancouver

Rappaport Energy Consulting has asked the Port of Vancouver for a lease of 30 acres in the port’s Columbia Gateway project to build a biodiesel processing plant capable of producing 60 million gallons a year.

Port commissioners will consider the request at a 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 11, meeting.

The 30-acre site is part of the port’s first 75 acres now ready for industrial use in the new Columbia Gateway project.

The plant, which would make biodiesel from vegetable oils, animal fats or palm oil, is expected to employ 40 persons and will cost $60 million to build.

Vancouver I Have A Dream students
beginning to graduate from colleges

In 1995 the class of fourth-graders at Washington Elementary School in the Rosemere neighborhood were chosen as the first of what would become four grade school classes from low-income neighborhoods chosen to participate in “I Have a Dream” program bankrolled by a group of southern Washington philanthropists and activists.

This spring the first four students have graduated from college. The “I Have a Dream” program guarantees participating students who successfully participate in mentoring and tutoring activities and graduate from high school a free college education, reports Mary Granger, president of I Have A Dream of Southwest Washington.

The first graduates are as follows:

Daniel Limonchenko earned a bachelor of arts degree in theological studies, Valley Forge Christian College. Limonchenko is a native of Ukraine.

Ken Nguyen earned a bachelor of fine arts in communication from Pacific Northwest College of Art. His family emigrated from Vietnam.

Catherine Tahirovic earned a bachelor of science degree from the School of Nursing, Oregon Health Sciences University. Tahirovic was born in Botswana, South Africa.

Han Tran is a bachelor of arts, law and criminal justice & women studies graduate of the University of Washington. His family is from Vietnam.

More than 300 students are participating in the program, Granger says. She says that of the first two classes graduating from high school, the graduation rate is 85 percent, compared to the national and statewide average for low-income students of under 50 percent.

News brief

The American Red Cross Southwest Washington Chapter is the recipient of $84.06 from inmates of the Larch Mountain Corrections Center, reports Red Cross spokesperson Shirley Morgan. Inmates, who earn about 25cents an hour for work they do at the corrections center, make quarterly contributions to worthwhile causes. The gift to the Red Cross this quarter came from 77 inmates.

Calendar

Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile, directed by Llewellyn Rhoe, has been extended through August 11. Performances are 8 p.m. this evening, Saturday, July 7, and Sunday, July 8, in the Main Street Theatre, 606 Main Street. Tickets are $10 to $24. Dinner-theater packages, which include a three-course dinner in The Restaurant in the Historic Reserve, are $55 each. For further information, call 695-3770. <> Conducted by the Vancouver Heritage Ambassadors, walking tours on Officers Row in the Vancouver National Historic Reserve continue on the first Friday of each month through August. The next departs from the O.O. Howard House, at the Fort Vancouver Way traffic circle, at 6:30 p.m. this evening. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 children 11 through 16. Children 10 and younger are admitted free. For further information, call 992-1800. <> The free movie in Esther Short Park at sundown (about 9 p.m.) Friday, July 6, is How to Eat Fried Worms. <> The two-day Clark County Recycled Arts Festival is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 7, and Sunday, July 8, in Esther Short Park. More than 50 artists dealing in recycled items will be on hand. Local bands will be providing live music. There is no charge. <> Open House Ministries’ 4th annual Bike & Car Show is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 7, in Open House Ministries, 900 W 12th Street. Food vendors will be on hand. Portland radio personality Scott Tom is master of ceremonies. Tours of Open House Ministries will be offered.

Headlines Friday, July 6

Clark County commissioners conclude marathon session, agree on growth plan--Columbian, Michael Andersen

County jail official does not want any more inmates--Columbian, Kathie Durbin

Swift Reservoir feeling the effects of low water--Columbian

Tentative agreement may end Freightliner strike by Monday--Oregonian

Sen. Domenici breaks with Bush on Iraq War--Washington Post, Shailagh Murray and Paul Kane

China sentences official to death for corruption--New York Times, David Barboza

Iraq Coalition Casualties