County selects private contractor to improve 99th Street

Federal stimulus dollars will be used to improve a stretch of Northeast 99th Street in Orchards and support more than 40 private-sector construction jobs in 2009 and 2010. The county’s first Green Street project will include rain gardens with vegetation to reduce irrigation and maximize filtration.

Clark County commissioners awarded a $4.5 million contract to Rotschy Inc., of Vancouver, to widen the street from about a block east of Northeast 17th Avenue/SR 503 to the vicinity of Northeast 137th Avenue.

The project will use low-impact developmental techniques to manage and treat storm runoff. The construction of pervious concrete sidewalks, will allow stormwater to soak through the sidewalk; rain gardens will collect and clean stormwater runoff from the roadway.

Work is expected to begin next month and take about 10 months. Two vehicle lanes will be widened, a center left-turn lane created, and bike lanes and sidewalks added. A later project will upgrade the Northeast 99th Street/SR 503 intersection.

In addition to $2.6 million in county road dollars, the project will use a $2.5 million economic stimulus grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

For more information about the Northeast 99th Street improvement project, visit http://www.clark.wa.gov/public-works/NE99th.html.

Dream Big to have launch party and book fair

Dream Big is having a launch party and book fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m Saturday, Oct. 17, at Barnes and Noble, 7700 NE 4th Plain Blvd. Proceeds from the event will help provide required text Rules of the Red Rubber Ball, to children who are enrolled in Evergreen, Hayes Freedom, and Mountain View High Schools, and participate in Dream Big 101, a college-structured class (given in at least 5 sessions) to identify middle-and high school kids’ dreams, and give direction to their ambitions. Everyone is invited to attend.

Dream Big Community Center is a nonprofit organization helping youth discover their dreams and follow them by providing a safe place for youth of all ages to learn life fundamentals through programs, services and resources. Visit www.dreambigcc.org to learn more.

Columbia Springs offers Earth-friendly gardening lectures and workshops

A series of free lectures and workshops on Earth-friendly gardening techniques is offered this fall by the Naturally Beautiful Backyards program of Columbia Springs.

The lectures and workshops will present the benefits of taking a sustainable approach to gardens and landscapes, which include lower costs and time needed for maintenance, lower impact on water quality, and greater safety for children, pets, and wildlife.  Participants can learn how to start a new natural garden or landscape area and how to choose plant varieties that meet human needs while also supporting native wildlife.

Lasagna Gardening is the first workshop to be offered and is being held at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at 78th Street, Community Gardens, Hazel Dell, WA. To find out more about this class and future workshops, click here.

Space is limited, and pre-registration is requested. Call 882-0936 ext. 225, email nbb@columbiasprings.org, or visit www.columbiasprings.org/nbb.

News Briefs

The City of Vancouver is seeking applicants to fill one vacancy on the Parking Advisory Committee. This recruitment is for a full term that will begin January 2010. Members may serve a maximum of two four-year terms. Applications must be received in the City Manager's Office by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. For applications or further information, contact Myk Heidt in the City Manager's Office at City Hall, P.O. Box 1995, Vancouver, WA 98668, or call 487-8612, or email myk.heidt@ci.vancouver.wa.us. To apply online, visit http://www.cityofvancouver.us/boards.

Calendar

Grant historian Robert Pollock, from the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in St. Louis, Missouri, is speaking from 6 to 7:30 p.m. tonight, Oct. 2, at The Fort Vancouver Visitor Center, 1501 E Evergreen Blvd. Period music performed by Whiskey Flats Brass Band will be performing. This is a free event. <> Magenta Theater presents Wait Until Dark, a play by Frederick Knott, with David Roberts directing this performance, starts at 7 p.m. tonight, Oct. 2, Saturday, Oct. 3 and Sunday, Oct. 4, in the Magenta Theater, 606 Main Street. Cost is $10 to $15 per ticket. To purchase tickets or for more information on future dates, visit www.magentatheater.com or call 635-4358. <> Clark County and the City of Vancouver are holding a block foam recycling event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Fisher's Landing Transit Center, 3510 SE 164th Avenue. For questions or more information about this event, contact the City of Vancouver Solid Waste Services at 619-4120 or Clark County Solid Waste at 397-6118 ext. 4352. Information about recycling a variety of materials is also available online at www.cityofvancouver.us/solidwaste and www.clark.wa.gov/recycle. <> Humane Society for Southwest Washington is holding a dinner and auction at 5 p.m. tonight, Oct 2, to help provide well-equipped facilities, medical supplies, high-quality food and a well trained staff to ensure the care of its animals, Hilton Vancouver Washington, 310 W 6th Street. For more information, call 750-0847. <> The Old Apple Tree Festival begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, Old Apple Tree Park, 112 Columbia Way. Call 619-1108 for more information. <> Performance in the Park: A Domestic Violence Awareness Event, is an event to raise awareness about domestic violence in the community, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, on the Pavilion Stage at Esther Short Park, 8th and Esther Streets. For information on this free event, call 695-2655 ext. 233. <> The Vancouver Farmers Market is open from at 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. Visit www.vancouverfarmersmarket.com for additional info. <> Learn more about Vancouver Food Cooperative at its fall harvest event, which will feature live bluegrass music and food from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at Vancouver Marketplace, 210 West Evergreen Blvd. Call 694-8094 or visit www.vancouverfood.coop for more information. <> City Council meets at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, for its regular meeting in the City Council chambers. <> The Southwest Washington Watercolor Society will have its 2009 fall art show, open to juried members, at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5, in Vancouver Mall, 8700 NE Vancouver Mall Drive. Email smartinson57@q.com for more information.

Friday on the air

 

Clark County Planning Commission (9-17)—5 p.m. CVTV

Washington State Jail Industries Board: Working Inside-Out—6:01 p.m. CVTV

Election 2009: Vancouver City Council Mayoral General Candidates—6:30 p.m. CVTV

Clark County Animal Control hearings (9-23)—6:59 p.m. CVTV

Texas Rangers at Seattle (live)—7 p.m. FSN, KFXX

Vancouver Police Department West Precinct Open House (9-26)—8 p.m. CVTV

Vancouver City Council Consent Agenda (9-28)—8:20 p.m. CVTV

Council for the Homeless 10th Annual Recognition Awards Luncheon (9-25)—9 p.m. CVTV

Clark County Animal Control Hearings (9-23)—10:06 p.m. CVTV

Election 2009: Vancouver City Council Position 1 General Candidates—11 p.m. CVTV

Election 2009: Vancouver City Council Position 2 General Candidates—11:29 p.m. CVTV

 

 

Community Calendar Links

• Southwest Washington Center for the Arts

• Greater Vancouver Chamber

• City of Vancouver Calendar

 

Friday, October 2, 2009 Headlines

 

Links to news of local & national significance

Stocks fall on disappointing jobs report; Dow drops 1.8% this week--USA Today, Ieva M. Augstums and Sara Lepro

BG chamber eliminates exec post--Columbian, AP

Attorney who ran for election no longer seeks Harris' job--Columbian, Laura McVicker

Bally members frustrated over closure--Columbian, Cami Joner

GAO suggests leaving more waste in Hanford tanks--Columbian, AP

Rio wins bid for 2016 Olympic games--New York Times, Juliet Macur and Lynn Zinser

CBS producer charged with trying to extort Letterman over affairs--Washington Post, Howard Kurtz