Federal grant to help improve Northeast 99th Street, support jobs

Clark County Public Works will improve Northeast 99th Street in the Orchards area starting this fall, after receiving a $2.5 million economic stimulus grant from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Clark County will also invest $2.6 million from the county road fund to complete the construction.

The construction contract is currently out for bids, with work expected to begin in October 2009. The project will widen Northeast 99th Street, between State Route 503 and 137th Avenue, to one travel lane in each direction plus a center left-turn lane, bike lanes and sidewalks. Construction will take about nine months.

This project will support more than 40 private-sector jobs for several months.

For more information about the Northeast 99th Street improvement project, visit the Web site http://www.clark.wa.gov/public-works/NE99th.html or contact Project Manager Matt Griswold at 397-6118 ext. 4372.

Campfires and Candlelight

Fort Vancouver event featuring Campfires and Candlelight, one of its largest re-enactments during the year and community event, is from 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12.

The event begins at Pearson Air Museum, which will focus on pre-World War II aircraft and a dramatic lighting scheme to accentuate the candlelight at the fort. A re-enactment of  U.S. Army soldiers, Oregon Trail immigrants, and the residents of Fort Vancouver providing relief for an American naval ship, the U.S.S. Shark which wrecked on a sandbar at the mouth of the Columbia River will also take place. Other events include drills, vintage baseball, black powder demonstrations, Howitzer Firing in the 1st Oregon Camp, and much more.

For more information, visit www.fortvan.org.

Clark County residents are encouraged to bring their block foam to free recycling event

Residents throughout Clark County can recycle block foam for free from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at Clark College's Yellow No. 1 parking lot, on the west side of Fort Vancouver Way. Only Washington-licensed cars may participate.

Polystyrene and polypropylene block foam will be accepted and can be any color, but must be clean and bagged or boxed. No plastic-wrapped yellow urethane foam, hot tub covers or packing peanuts can be accepted. Unacceptable material will be returned to participants for their own disposal.

Since the monthly block foam collections began in September 2008, 2,059 Clark County and City of Vancouver residents have recycled 11,350 pounds of block foam. The collected foam is taken to Total Reclaim, a Portland recycling business, which grinds it to powder, mixes and melts it with special additives, and churns out pellets that maintain the same quality as virgin plastic.

The program also allows businesses to bring in small loads, no bigger than what will fit into a passenger or cargo van, at no charge. Larger business loads should be taken to Total Reclaim's site at 5805 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, during that company's regular weekday business hours.

Continuation of the block foam program depends upon the level of public participation and quality of materials collected.

Contact the City of Vancouver Solid Waste Services at 619-4120 or Clark County Solid Waste at 397-6118 ext. 4352 for more information.

WSU Vancouver welcomes new community members and celebrates diversity

Washington State University Vancouver will host Connections, the third annual event which welcomes new members of the WSU Vancouver community and celebrates diversity, from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, in the Firstenburg Student Commons.

A short program will take place at 4:30 p.m. with speakers from Student Affairs and the Diversity Council. An original, large-scale graffiti artwork by graffiti artists Denario Jenkins, Jeremy Nichols and Josue Rodriguez will be on display. There will also be turntablism by DJ FlipFlop, who will be spinning a variety of hip-hop and R&B music, and a variety of multicultural appetizers will be served.

Resources to get involved with diversity activities on campus and in the community will be available.

Cost to this event is free. Parking is available at meters throughout campus or in the Daily Blue lot for $3. For more information, visit www.vancouver.wsu.edu/studentdiversity.

Register now for “Hallowood,” YWCA Fall FUNdraiser

Registration is now open for “Hallowood,” the YWCA Fall FUNdraiser presented by First Independent, which will be held from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Hilton Vancouver Washington. Tickets are $75 per person, with an event capacity of 800 guests.

“Hallowood” is a Halloween costume party with a gothic-glam theme. Attendees will enjoy food, drinks, dancing, a “phantom” photo booth, raffles, and more.

Register online at ywcaclarkcounty.org, by calling 906-4301, or in person at the YWCA, 3609 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98663.

News Briefs

There are a few more days to register for the Strive to Survive Business Disaster Resilience Workshop. This is a free workshop for businesses in Southwest Washington that will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 21, at the Vancouver Hilton. Registration is required. The Strive to Survive Workshop presents an opportunity for businesses to start the process to protect employees from natural disasters and pandemics by connecting with geologists, public health and public safety officials, and disaster planners. To register, visit http://www.cresa911.org/strive2survive.html. <> Mayor Royce Pollard and Tim Leavitt go head to head addressing issues important to Vancouver's citizens starting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at Esther Short Park, 8th and Columbia Streets. The public can meet the candidates for City Council and enjoy food, and fun for the whole family. Bring lawn chairs and blankets for seating. Cost: Free. <> A benefit Concert for Evergreen Habitat for Humanity with popular local pianist Jim Fischer and Friends will be held at First Presbyterian Church, at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, 4300 Main Street. Tickets are $15 or $20 at the door. For information, call the Habitat office at 737-1759, First Presbyterian Church – 694-3363, or Mike Gaston at 574-0984 for tickets or information.

Calendar

City of Battle Ground is having an Old Town Revitalization Open House from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight, in Battle Ground Community Center, Lewis River Reception Hall. For more information, call 342-5047 or visit www.cityofbg.org.

 

  Tuesday on the air

 

Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners (8-11)—4:15 p.m. CVTV

Clark County Focus (8-27)—5 p.m. CVTV

Portland Beavers at Colorado (live)—5 p.m. KKAD

Clark County Board of Commissioners (live)—6 p.m. CVTV

LA Angels at Seattle (live)—7 p.m. 710 FSN

Clark County Planning Commission (8-20)—9 p.m. CVTV

 

Community Calendar Links

• Southwest Washington Center for the Arts

• Greater Vancouver Chamber

• City of Vancouver Calendar

Tuesday, September 1, 2009 Headlines

 

Links to news of local & national significance

Worries about banks drag stock market lower--Columbian, Sara Lepro and Tim Paradis AP Business Writers

Burgerville gets national exposure--Columbian, Julia Anderson

Baird cancels 'living room meeting' with GOP chairwoman--Columbian, Michael Andersen

Natural gas rates may drop--Columbian, Libby Tucker

Friends rally to help injured boy's family--Columbian, John Branton

August sales vary among auto makers--Washington Post, Dana Hedgpeth