Twyla Barnes gets national educational
organization's highest national honor

Twyla Barnes, superintendent of Vancouver-based Educational Service District 112, is the recipient of the Association of Educational Service Agencies’ most prestigious national honor, the Justice A. Prentice Award. The award will be presented in Tampa, Fla., in December.

Barnes was nominated for the award by eight EDS superintendents in the state of Washington. In a letter supporting the nomination, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson said: "The state counts on guidance and leadership from Dr. Barnes in a number of areas. She is called upon to provide testimony, participate on committees, and act as a sounding board on numerous programs, projects and initiatives. I consider her an exceptional colleague and devoted friend of education."

As superintendent of ESD 112 for the past 13 years, Barnes has led educational innovation at the local, state and national levels. Her career spans more than three decades as a teacher, administrator and educational leader in school districts and agencies in Montana, Alaska, and Washington. She is a long-time champion of service delivery at the regional level, publicly advocating that the system of regional delivery of services dramatically strengthens a state's ability to provide effective, comprehensive and economical education programs, and most importantly, equal education opportunities for all children, in districts large or small, urban or rural.

According to ESD 112 board chairman Richard Graham, Barnes’s leadership and direction have helped build sustainable, cost-saving cooperatives in special education, public relations, transportation, risk insurance and more. By implementing her ideas, and through the invention of new programs and services, ESD 112 has grown revenues by 110 per cent and has procured federal grants totaling more than $22 million. Graham credits Barnes’s innovative Construction Services Group, unique in the United States for managing design and construction of more than 6 million square feet of school construction, valued at over $1 billion for the benefit of 100,000 students in the region.

Barnes was elected president of the AESA in 2002, and currently is a member of the AESA Foundation board.

Barnes chairs the Southwest Washington Medical Center Board of Directors and is a trustee for the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust. In her 14 years in southwest Washington, she has also been involved with numerous community groups and organizations and has been honored by many, including having been named a 2001 Women of Achievement by the YWCA of Clark County.

East County candidates forum tonight

The League of Women Voters of Clark County's first candidates forum is at 6:30 p.m. this evening in the Washburn Performing Arts Center, Washougal High School, 1201 39th Street, Washougal, during which time candidates for the following positions will be presented: Camas mayor and city council, Washougal city council, Washougal School Board, Mt. Pleasant School Board, and Port of Camas-Washougal. The moderator is Tammy MacKey.

This forum will be followed up by one at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, in the 6th floor hearing room in the Public Service Center, 13000 Franklin Street, during which time Vancouver candidates will be presented. Carol Keljo will be the moderator.

The final forum is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, in the Maple Grove Middle School, 12500 NE 199th Street, Battle Ground. Candidates for positions on the Battle Ground School Board, Battle Ground City Council, Ridgefield City Council, La Center Mayor, La Center City Council and for Yacolt mayor have been invited to attend. Anne McEnerny-Ogle will moderate the forum.

The final forum is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, in the Maple Grove Middle School, 12500 NE 199th Street, Battle Ground. Candidates for positions on the Battle Ground School Board, Battle Ground City Council, Ridgefield City Council, La Center Mayor, La Center City Council and for Yacolt mayor have been invited to attend. Anne McEnerny-Ogle will moderate the forum.

20th century composers showcased in
Vancouver Symphony weekend concerts

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents the works of four 20th century composers in two concerts this weekend in the concert hall of Skyview High School, 1300 NW 139th Street. The concerts begin at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, and at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14.

Symphony artistic director Salvador Brotons will conduct English composer Ralph Vaughn Williams’s, Overture to the Wasps and The Lark Ascending during the first half of the program. Featured violin soloist is Ron Blessinger.

During the second half of the concert Brotons will conduct a suite from Gian Carlo Menotti’s ballet Sebastian and will conclude with Samuel Barber’s one-movement Symphony No. 1.

One hour prior to each concert Travis Hatton leads a discussion about the music about to be performed.

Adult admission begins at $22. Student admission is $7. Season ticket packages are still available. For further information, call 735-7278.

New traffic impact fees expected to raise
an additional $4 to $9 million annually

Increased traffic impact fees, mandated when Clark County commissioners adopted updates for the county’s growth management plan, are expected to increase current traffic fee revenues by $4 to $9 million annually, according to county Public Works spokesperson Steve Schulte.

Currently traffic impact fees raise about $6 million a year. The new fees, which become effective Monday, Oct. 15, are expected to bring in from $10 to $15 million annually.

Calendar

“Start Talking Before They Start Drinking” is the theme of three presentations dealing with the impact and prevention of underage drinking. The first is at 7 pm. this evening in the Battle Ground High School media center, 300 Main Street. <> The Fairgrounds Neighborhood Association meets at 7 p.m. this evening in the Community Church, 400 NE 179th Street. <> This evening The final three performances of Edward Albee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Seascape are being presented by Arts Equity in the Main Street Theatre, 606 Main Street, at 8 p.m. this evening, tomorrow, Oct. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 13. Ticket prices range from $10 to $24. For further information, call 695-3770.

Headlines Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007