Three Clark students earn
vocational awards of excellence

    

      Heather Evans                Natalia Mendoz        

       Scott Shirley

Three Clark College students have been named winners of the 2009 Washington Award for Vocational Excellence.

The honorees are Heather Evans, welding, Natalia Mendoza, construction technology, and Scott Shirley, welding.

Evans is a full-time student in Clark’s welding program. She is currently the chair of the Clark College American Welding Society chapter, which she and another student started through the Associated Students of Clark College.

Mendoza is a student in Clark College’s construction technology program, administered by the Clark County Skills Center. She is in the last year of her degree program and has maintained a 3.58 GPA.

Shirley is both a welding student at Clark and an employee, working as an instructional technician in the Welding Department. He is on track to finish his associate’s degree of applied science in welding technology.        

County closes Battle
Ground permit office

Clark County has closed its permit center in Battle Ground in response to the continuing downturn in construction, permit applications and fee revenue associated with the Community Development Department, according to chief building official Jim Muir.

Muir said, “We need to close the office to save money on phones, computers, utilities and related costs.”

Muir said the county will focus on providing efficient services at its main Permit Center at the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street. The permit center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Blind students to conduct
road rally with Slo-Poks

Students at the Washington State School for the Blind will participate in a spring rod rally, Thursday, June 11, hosted by the WSSB and Washington School for the Blind Foundation. The Slo Poks Car Club is heading up the rally with at least 30 classic cars.

WSSB students will be able to showcase their Braille and reading skills while directing the drivers on a rally route to include a trip to the Battle Ground Burgerville, which will provide milkshakes for both the students and drivers.

The state School for the Blind provides specialized quality educational services to over 600 visually impaired youth, ages birth to 21, within the state of Washington. The school also serves as a statewide demonstration and resource center providing direct and indirect services to students both on campus and in the children's local communities.

Fifth graders name
port’s gigantic cranes

With the help of students from 31 fifth grade classes from across the Vancouver and Evergreen school districts, the Port of Vancouver’s huge cranes now have official names. Each of the cranes is capable of lifting 140 metric tons--the equivalent of two space shuttles.

The port’s first crane, bought in 2006, was named Ursa Major which is also known as the “Big Dipper.” That name was submitted by Meredith Gannon’s fifth graders at Sacajawea Elementary School in the Vancouver Public Schools.

The port’s second and identical crane, which went into service in April, has been named Bigfoot. This name was submitted by Toni Johnson’s Endeavour Elementary School in the Evergreen School District.

The two cranes will collectively be known as the “Blues Brothers,”, a name submitted by fifth graders in Audrey Christina’s Crestline Elementary class in the Evergreen School District.

The cranes are the largest mobile harbor cranes in North America. The Port of Vancouver USA is the only port on the continent to have two such cranes.

Red Cross blood donors
eligible for concert tickets

This summer, the Red Cross is encouraging people to donate blood and have some fun by attending the 2009 Vans Warped Tour music festival Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., and Sunday, Aug.16, at the Washington County Fair Grounds in Hillsboro.

Anyone who donates  blood at an American Red Cross "Red Cross Rocks/Music Saves Lives" blood drive will receive a free VIP access voucher to a 2009 Vans Warped Tour concert, while supplies last.

For further information, call (503) 528-5731.

Community Calendar Links

• Southwest Washington Center for the Arts

• Greater Vancouver Chamber

• City of Vancouver Calendar