State of the County address on Feb. 4, input via social media

Commissioner Steve Stuart, chair of the Board of County Commissioners, is scheduled to present the 2010 State of the County address on Thursday, Feb. 4.

The event will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Skyview High School, 1300 N.W. 139th St., Vancouver. It is free and open to the public. Stuart asks those attending to bring a non-perishable food item for the Salvation Army, which will have collection barrels and members on hand.

County commissioners also will present 2010 Spirit of Clark County awards to volunteers who have made extraordinary contributions serving the community.

To open new communications channels prior to Commissioner Stuart’s address, the Clark County Youth Commission has posted on Facebook a survey that seeks input from community members of all ages. The survey and an online conversation can be found at What Clark County (WA) Thinks!.

“This will be another way county residents can keep me informed. I want to hear from them now so I can take their concerns into account in preparing my remarks for State of the County,” Stuart said. “I will also be looking for more input and feedback throughout the year in ways that make it relatively easy for everyone to participate in local issues.”

Three Clark County school districts receive energy grants

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has informed Camas, Hockinson and Green Mountain School Districts that they will receive state funding totaling nearly $600,000 for energy efficiency projects at their schools.

The three Clark County districts were among 59 districts statewide that will split nearly $16.7 million for projects that include upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, repair and upgrade of controls, and replacement of inefficient lighting. Students, teachers, and staff will benefit from better ventilation, more reliable heat, improved temperature controls, and improved lighting.

District superintendents were pleased to receive the news. "For an initial $150,000 investment from our capital projects fund, we will reap about $734,000 in energy savings programs," says Michael Grubbs, Superintendent of the Hockinson School District. In addition to the $240,000 received from the state, Grubbs said his district will also receive $112,000 in rebates from Clark County Public Utilities Districts.

"Thanks to the foresight and support of our voters in passing the last capital projects levy, we are able to leverage and maximize this funding," he added.

Green Mountain was awarded $5,550 and anticipates receiving a projected rebate of $6,100 from Clark Public Utilities District. The school district will contribute $5,700 from its capital projects fund to replace lighting in the school and gymnasium.

Camas was awarded $334,021 and will leverage $200,089 in capital projects funds to cover HVAC systems improvements and controls upgrades at Dorothy Fox Elementary, Lacamas Heights Elementary, Skyridge Middle, and JD Zellerbach Administration, as well as provide lighting replacement for the Dorothy Fox Elementary and Camas High gymnasiums. Camas anticipates $33,300 in utility incentives.

News Briefs

The Vancouver Downtown Association secured $133,000 through the Washington State’s Main Street Tax Incentive Program for the fourth consecutive year. Previous years’ funds have been applied to a variety of events and projects including the construction of Turtle Place, the flower basket program, tree planting on Main Street, Artwalk, and the annual downtown spring clean-up. <> The Port of Vancouver will hold a public tour of its marine terminals from noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, at 3103 NW Lower River Road. RSVP by Friday, Jan. 15, by contacting Andrew Ness at 992-1137 or email amness@portvanusa.com. <> Eight students from Lee Emmert's digital photography class at Heritage High School (HHS) were named winners in the fall 2009 Adobe Youth Voices International Photo Competition. The students were among 19 worldwide that submitted work in the "under 18 category." The HHS winners include Alicia Burgett, Alex Ellinburg, Roberto Fykes, Derek Julian, Lindsey McKim, Emily Myers, Devin Napier and Jamie Winter. The Adobe Youth Voices competition theme was entitled "Crisis and Hope: In Images and Words," and was open to photographers around the world. The winning photos will appear in a traveling exhibit as well as in a book to be published later this year. <> The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce recently wrapped up its “Chamber Cares” holiday giving campaign by donating more than $10,000, raised during the effort, back to its member nonprofits. This year, the effort was launched at the GVCC Annual Dinner & Installation of Officers in September 2009 and culminated with the GVCC Ambassador Holiday Giving Breakfast in December 2009. The breakfast event, sponsored by Umpqua Bank along with supporting sponsors Security Signs, US Digital and JD Fulwiler Insurance, is held annually in early December. 

Calendar

State Rep. Deb Wallace will be holding a Town Hall meeting, which will preview the upcoming 2010 legislative session, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, Fishers Landing Transit Center, 3510 SE 164th Avenue, and invites residents from the 17th legislative district to attend. Rep. Wallace is also hosting a Capitol tour and lunch hour on Wednesday, Feb. 3. For more information or to RSVP, residents can contact Wallace’s legislative assistant Meagan Sharp at 786-7976 or email her at sharp.meagan@leg.wa.gov. <> The Washougal City Council is holding its retreat from 5 to 8:30 p.m. tonight, Jan. 8, and at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at the Washougal Community Room located at 1681 C Street. <> Descendants of the first three Board members in Battle Ground School District, G.C. Scotton, William Bramhall and Peter Onsdorff, will be expected guests at the district’s centennial celebration being held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at Battle Ground High School. Everyone is welcome to attend the celebration. <> Clark College will hold Mental Health Monday with a discussion on the topic "Managing Stress with Mindfulness," with guest speaker Yael Schweitzer, LCSW, BC-DMT. The event will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, in Clark’s Penguin Student Lounge, located in the college’s Penguin Union Building, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way. The event is free and open to the public. <> Fort Vancouver Regional Library District board of trustees meet for a board workshop at 3 p.m. followed by a regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, in the Washington Community Library, 1661 C Street, Washougal, WA. <> Lapellah Restaurant is celebrating its first anniversary Sunday through Tuesday, Jan 10-12, with a buy one entree, get one free. A portion of the proceeds from the anniversary celebration will be donated to the Clark County Food Bank. Visit http://www.lapellah.com/ for more information. <> The Neighborhood Association Council of Clark County meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, in Public Works conference room, 4700 NE 78th Street. <> The Vancouver Dance Theatre is holding auditions Saturday, Jan. 9, for its spring show The Wizard of Oz, directed by Patrick Russell. Auditions begin at 1:30 for 5-6 year olds; 2 p.m. for 7-9 year olds; 2:30 p.m. for 10 and older with 3 years’ dance experience; 3:30 p.m. for 11 and older, with 6 months to 2 years’ on pointe experience; and 4 p.m. for 13 and older, with 2 years' on pointe experience. Auditions will take place at Dance Works Dance Center, 6511 N.E 137th Avenue, Vancouver. Rehearsals begin the following weekend, Saturday, Jan. 16. The show will take place at Fort Vancouver High School March 19-21. There are required fees up to $175. For more information, call Margareta Groetsema at 624-8098, email her marg61@juno.com, or call VDT president Charlyn Reed at 798-0670 or email her at hulamama@comcast.net. Visit www.vancouverdancetheater.com for more information. <> Slocum House Theatre will be performing The Complete Works of William Shakespeare-Abridged written by Borgeson, Long and Singer, and directed by Tony Bump, Friday, Jan. 8, through Sunday, January 31. Those interested in seeing the sketch comedy should visit www.slocumhouse.com or call 696-2427. <> Learn about birds, make a bird feeder,and more at the Water Resources Education Center from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, 4600 SE Columbian Way.

Friday on the air

 

Standing Together Against Domestic Violence in Our Community! (12-10)--6 p.m. CVTV

Vancouver Housing Authority: Housing Matters (1-3)--7 p.m. CVTV

Clark County Board of Health (12-16)--7:29 p.m. CVTV

Clark College Orchestra Fall Concert (12-2)--8:59 p.m. CVTV

Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners (12-8)--10:30 p.m. CVTV  

 Community Calendar Links

• Southwest Washington Center for the Arts

• Greater Vancouver Chamber

• City of Vancouver Calendar

 

Friday, January 08, 2010 Headlines

 

Links to news of local & national significance

The Vancouver Clinic to build $12M medical office in B.G.--Columbian, Julia Anderson

Blazers Randolph to 10-day contract--Columbian, Brian T. Smith

Seahawks fire coach Jim Mora--Seattle Times, Danny O'Neil

Quickly shot film brings lasting rewards--Columbian, Matt Wastradowski

Assessing the damage caused by card rewards--New York Times, Ron Lieber