Ted Kotsakis is the new dean of business
 and technology at Clark College

Ted Kotsakis, a veteran educator whose career has been focused on excellence in community college administration, has been named dean of business and technology at Clark College.

As an educator, Kotsakis has worked at Lower Columbia College, where he was division chair, and Columbia Basin College. Working on behalf of Big Bend Community College , Kotsakis went to Germany to evaluate educational opportunities at U.S. military bases and establish and implement new training programs. He also served as an administrator in the mechanical technologies division at Lane Community College. Most recently, Kotsakis was a program manager for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

Kotsakis is a graduate of Columbia Basin College and Central Washington University. He has a masters degree in adult education from Oregon State University. Kotsakis has completed course work in fulfillment of his doctorate degree in college supervision and leadership from Oregon State University.

Construction delays at 99th Street Transit Center
to delay C-TRAN’s sweeping changes in service

C-TRAN is being forced to delay its most significant service changes in the transit agency’s history because of delays in completion of the Stockford Village 99th Street transit center.

The changes, which were to be in place on September 30, including closure of the downtown Vancouver 7th Street transit center, will not be made until the Stockford Village center is operational.

C-TRAN executive director Jeff Hamm says changes will not be made until the new transit center is fully operational and safe.

Changes planned include the following:

New transfer locations throughout downtown Vancouver.

Extended service hours on many routes.

New service to connect to Portland light rail.

Return transfers on all-zone and cash fares.

Safe Stop Program—allowing passengers to request stops  between regular bus stops after 8 p.m.

Self-service kiosk in county jail
credits money to inmate accounts

A self-service kiosk has been placed in the lobby of the Clark County jail where it is being used by family and friends of inmates to deposit money directly into inmate accounts. Receipts are routed to inmates daily.

The kiosk reduces pressure to hire a full-time jail reception person to handle what has become over $800,000 a year in inmate deposits.

The kiosk, operating much like an automated teller machine, accepts cash and deposits from credit and debit cards. There is a $2.50 fee for each transaction.

Money in inmate accounts helps cover costs of providing medical care to inmates, who must pay $10 co-pay changes for medical visits and for prescription and non-prescription drugs.

Inmates also are allowed once a week to buy commissary items and some articles of clothing.

Hough Foundation finances all-day
kindergarten at Hough School

The Hough Foundation and Hough Elementary School and foundation supporter Paul Christensen  have teamed up to finance day-long kindergarten for the Hough School, reports principal T. Sean McMillin.

“Day-long kindergarten gives kids a jump-start,” according to Christensen.

According to Vancouver School District superintendent John Erickson, the foundation is paying the cost of a full-time kindergarten teacher who is an employee of the Vancouver School District.

Two other schools in the Vancouver district, Fruit Valley Elementary and Peter S. Ogden Elementary, also have all-day kindergarten programs. These two are financed through a state trial program.

Calendar

The Vancouver city council will not meet today.<> Following a 3 p.m. executive session, Port of Camas-Washougal commissioners meet in regular session at 4 p.m. today in port offices at 24 S A Street, Washougal. <> Clark Public Utilities’ commissioners meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18. <> The board of Clark County Commissioners meets in regular session at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18.   

Headlines Monday, Sept. 17