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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

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Click here to learn more about Clark's future

Click here to learn about the Cowlitz's newest plans

To learn how to pick the right doctor click here

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt

To learn why Schawbe should be your law firm, click here

To learn more about C-TRAN
services click here


To see more Square Deal projects click here

 

 



 


 

 

 

 

To learn more about the Thursday, April 16, forum in the Clark Public Utilities' Community Room, click here

Port’s Terminal 5
taking on cargo

It has been less than a month since the Port of Vancouver USA took ownership of the properties formerly known as the Alcoa/Evergreen Aluminum properties, but the port's new Terminal 5 is already accepting cargo.

Crews from International Longshore & Warehouse Union Local 4 began moving wind energy cargo on to the new terminal, unloading Vestas tower sections from the vessel Makiri Green at Terminal 3 and moving them across Terminal 4, through the TriStar Transload leasehold and onto Terminal 5, where they will be stored until delivery to the wind farm development takes place.

By Thursday, a total of 72 Vestas tower sections will have been discharged from the ship and moved to Terminal 5.

March jobless rate was
double that of a year ago

Clark County’s jobless rate hit 12.5 percent in March, double that of a year ago, reports Scott Bailey, regional economist for the State Dep.artment of Employment Security.

An estimated 27,420 county residents were jobless and looking for work. The number of continued unemployment claimants rose by 11 percent over the month—when it usually drops—and was 158 percent higher than a year ago (that’s two and a half times), more than the state average of 124 percent. The occupational groups that were hardest hit were production workers, construction workers, and clerical workersontupled.

Clark County nonfarm employment rose by 1,000 jobs in March, due in large part to the callback of workers that had been on temporary layoff. On a seasonally-adjusted basis, the county has lost 800 jobs since January. The total of 133,900 jobs was 900 less than a year ago (-0.7 percent). 

Outside of the rehires, public education had the only substantial change over the month, adding 300 jobs.

Bailey declared: “Taxable retail sales numbers are in for the fourth quarter of 2008, and they are ugly. After adjustment for inflation, total sales were 15 percent lower than [in the] fourth quarter of 2007. That marked the ninth consecutive over-the-year decline, and by far the largest. Sales at retail stores were off 13 percent, weighed down by the slump in car sales (-41 percent) and building materials (-25 percent). Sales at hotels/motels dove by 9 percent, and restaurant revenues dropped by 6 percent.”

Collectively, unemployment in our three-county (Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum) region was 12.9 percent, double that of a year ago. The number of unemployed, at 34,550 residents, has also doubled. The number of residents filing unemployment claims usually drops in March, but this time out, it climbed by 11 percent, and now tops 12,000 (and more residents have filed claims over in Oregon).”

Celebrate Earth Day with free pancakes

A can of food per person is your ticket into Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation’s Earth Day activities this Saturday, April 18, at Marshall Community Center, 1009 E McLoughlin Blvd. Things get started with a free pancake breakfast at 10 a.m.

Throughout the day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., there are free Earth-friendly crafts, games and demonstrations available, as well as a range of informative workshops, among them ones pertaining to gardening, growing food in small spaces, cleaning, recycling, even bicycle maintenance.

The event is being hosted by Clark County, The Columbian, Vancouver Watershed Council, Project Service Leadership, Urban Farm School, City of Vancouver Urban Forestry, C-TRAN, Columbia Springs, and Waste Connections.

Free technological training
available throughout state

Yesterday, Gov. Christine Gregoire and Microsoft senior vice president Brad Smith, helped launch its State of Washington component at the WorkSource facility in downtown Seattle.

Partnered with the state’s Employment Security Department and the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County, Microsoft will provide 30,625 vouchers during the next 90 days for workers to receive technological training at WorkSource centers throughout the state.

“This is an example of what we need to emerge stronger from this recession,” Gregoire said.

“When this downturn ends, we will need more skilled workers ready to enter the job market. Microsoft’s generosity will provide thousands of men and women the skills they need to work with the software that runs our businesses. This will help strengthen our economy and increase our state’s global competitiveness.”

Vouchers are available at WorkSource career centers across Washington. Office locations and additional information about obtaining the vouchers are posted online at www.go2worksource.com

To learn more about the Elevate America program, visit www.microsoft.com/elevateamerica.

Calendar

C-TRAN Board of Directors meet at 5:30 p.m. this evening. <> The Vancouver Charter Review Committee meets at 6 p.m. this evening in the Firstenburg Community Center, 700 NE 136th Street <> The Vancouver Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. this evening. <> Clark County commissioners meet in an informal session at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, in conference room B in the Public Service Center.

Community Calendar Links

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, April 14 Headlines
Links to news of local & national significance

Sisters inherit passion for tax preparation--Columbian, Alita Bowder

Columbia Crest offers chance to cook with Bobby Flay--Columbian

Oregon unemployment rockets past 12 percent--Oregonian, Richard Read

Memorial Coliseum advocates weigh their options--Oregonian, Anne Saker

Mayor's spending cuts hit Seattle facilities--Seattle Times, Emily Heffter

You may just have to pay for a free press--Seattle P-I, Joel Connelly

Somali pirates hijack four more ships, take 60 hostages--Seattle Times, AP Elizabeth A. Kennedy

Obama links health care to economic recovery--Washington Post, Michael D. Shear and William Branigin

North Korea to boycott nuclear talks--Washington Post, Blaine Harden

New penny's slow start in circulation increases value--USA TODAY, Laura Petrecca

Google Top News Headlines: http://news.google.com/

Google News Feeds:
Top News RSS | Atom World RSS | Atom

Click here for latest regional news releases
and traffic information!

Tuesday on the air

L.A. Angels at Seattle Mariners (live)—3:40 p.m. FSN, KTRO
Vancouver Arbor Day (4/8)—4:03 p.m. CVTV
Clark County Land Use Hearings (4/9)—4:30 p.m. CVTV
Battle Ground State of the City (3/25)—5 p.m. CVTV
Vancouver City Council Workshop (4/13)—6:30 p.m. CVTV
Vancouver City Council (4/6)—9 p.m. CVTV
Optimist Club Oratorical Contest (3/28)—11:15 p.m. CVTV

CVTV programming on demand:
 http://www.cityofvancouver.us
/cvtv/cvtvindex.asp


 

 

 

Town Tabloids and the weather

Sarah Prince surviving Mondayness. <> Andy Shokry’s good work showing. <> Ralph Stevens gearing up for job seekers. <> John Caton chairing a review. <> Heather Allmain back in stride. <>. Tuesday, more April showers, 38-55. Wednesday, dry, partly cloudy, 40-62. Thursday, mostly cloudy, 50-64. Click here for additional local weather information.


 

For weather facts click on Pat Timm's Weather blog below

Accounting
Caley & Associates, James Caley CPA, 695-0065
Peterson & Associates, P.S., Certified Public Accountants, 574-0644
Tax Advisors, PLLC, CPAs Property Tax/Cost Segregation 750-6884
Attorneys
Duggan Schlotfeldt & Welch PLLC, 699-1201
Miller Nash LLP. Steve Horenstein, 699-4771
Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, Lisa Lowe, 694-7551
Architects
LSW Architects PC, Building Stronger Communities Through Design, 694-8571
Banks

Bank of America, 696-5641
First Independent Bank, 699-4200
Riverview Community Bank, 834-6561
West Coast Bank, 695-3439

Beverages
Boyd Coffee Company, Coffee, tea and food service solutions since 1900. (503) 666-4545
Civil Engineers/Landscape Architects/Land Use Planners

HDJ Design Group, PLLC, Gregory P. Jellison P.E. 695-3488

Charitable Gift Planning

Barbara Chen CFP, Clark College Foundation, (360) 992-2659
Sarah Nevue, The Community Foundation, (360) 694-2550
Jean Rahn, SWMC Foundation, (360) 514-3670
Tom Bashwiner, FAHP, Director of Gift Planning, Historic Reserve Trust (360) 992-1815
Cosmetic and Family Dentistry
Earl C. (Duke) Simpson, DDS, PS, 993-0300
Construction Management and Development
Andersen Construction Co., Inc. Bob Durgan, (503) 720-5234
RSV Construction, Ron Frederiksen, 693-8830
Credit Unions
Columbia Credit Union, 891-4000
iQ Credit Union, 992-4242
Development/Investments
Killian Pacific LLC, 567-0625
Prestige Development, Elie Kassab, 993-0010
Engineering, Planning and & Surveying
Mackay & Sposito, Jon M. Yamashita, 695-3411
Human Resources Consultation
O'Neill & Associates, Paula Johnson, 606-2961
Home and Small Business Computer Repair
Ryan Smith, 773-5789
Insurance Services
Keenan Insurance Services, Brandon M. Keenan, 213-1500
Investment and Retirement Planning

First Pacific Associates, Mark Martel, CFP, (360) 254-2585

Land Use, Natural Resources, Public Involvement, Engineering
JD White BERGER/ABAM Engineers, Helen Devery, 823.6100
Malt
Great Western Malting, Jay Hamecheck, director North American Business Development 
Public Involvement and Natural Resources
Normandeau Associates, Karen Ciocia and Kent Snyder, 694-2300
Public Relations

Hunt Communications Tom Hunt, 693-8180
KMac & Associates LLC, Kathy McDonald, 607-8959
Real Estate
Coldwell Banker Commercial Wally Hornberger, 699-4494
NAI Norris Beggs & Simpson, H. Roger Qualman, 360-852-9615
Retirement and Inheritance Planning
Andy Nygard, CFP, (360) 695-6431
Signs
Security Signs, Designed to inform and sell! Carol Keljo, 817-9959
Vancouver Sign Group, lighting up Business since 1923! 693-4773
Speaking and Training
Kathy Condon, Career Communications, 695-4313
Window Washing
Quality Window Washing, Dave Beecher, 256-7370

Click here for Mount St. Helens photographs,
updated every five minutes

 

WSDOT Vancouver-
Portland area traffic cam
eras


The Weather Channel Weather

www.clarkblog.org

Vancouver OnStage
Performing Arts
events

Arts Equity Onstage

Public Playhouse

Christian Youth Theater

 

Ski Reports
Oregon
Washington

Source links
City of Battle Ground
City of Ridgefield
City of Vancouver
Clark County
Clark Public Utilities
NW Natural
Southwest Washington Medical Center
CREDC
Port of Vancouver
Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce

Vancouver's Downtown
Association

Center for
Community Health

lewisriver.com

Click here for Washington Wineries

Click here for
Oregon Wineries


Sports links

Portland Beavers

Portland Lumberjax
Portland Trail Blazers

Portland Timbers
Portland Winter Hawks
Gonzaga University
Seattle Mariners
Seattle Seahawks
WSU Cougars
U of W Huskies
U of O Ducks
OSU Beavers
Pac-10
LPGA
PGA
Nascar
Indy Racing

Champ Cars

Education link

U.S. House Science Committee website

Clark County Recycling Information