New, safer driveway to Prairie H.S. via 119th is open

Thanks to the new Winco store nearing completion in Brush Prairie, drivers of 23 school buses serving Prairie High no longer wait for a break in the traffic to get in and out of the school parking lot off Northeast 119th Street.

A new driveway into the school grounds opened this week. Unlike the former 119th Street driveway farther west, this one has a traffic signal, making it a safer intersection. PHS is just south of 119th on state Highway 503 between Orchards and Battle Ground. Winco paid for the traffic signal at the new intersection, where Winco has an entry to the north and the Prairie High entry is to the south.

The old egress had two lanes total; the new driveway has three, one for entry and two for exiting. One exit lane is for left turns onto westbound 119th Street.

The project was done in conjunction with the need for a traffic light at the 119th Street entry to the new Winco store on the north side of 119th, the site of the former Bowyer’s Par 3 golf course.

Instant Imprints, one-stop logo shop, moves to a new location

Entering its sixth year, Instant Imprints, a company specializing in screen printing, embroidery, heat transfers and signs and banners for area residents, businesses and schools, has moved to a new location: 13521 SE 3rd Way, the northwest corner of 136th Avenue and Mill Plain. Neighbors include Rite Aid, Papa Johns, Subway, and the Northwest Cancer Institute.

Formerly, the shop was in Cascade Park Plaza. “Deciding to relocate a business is a tough choice to make,” says Daniel Garrison, co-owner of Instant Imprints. “We have an established business where people come see us year after year. There is a huge risk that people may think we have gone out of business. However, amid this tough economy lies a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Our new location is a huge improvement from our previous one. The street exposure is an enormous advantage in bringing in more customers. More importantly, our huge savings in rent will enable us to pass on the savings to our customers, and it puts us in a position where we can hire additional staff as the economy improves.”

With the new location, more customers will be able to discover Instant Imprints’ wide range of services. Unlike most promotional product businesses, Instant Imprints caters to both the retail and business-to-businesses customer base by offering quality products in any quantity. Customers have the convenience of not dealing with multiple vendors for questions or changes to their products. They can also bring product directly to Instant Imprints, which actually produces items on-site. Instant Imprints also provides on-site consulting and logo design. For more information, call 694-9711 or visit www.instantimprints.biz.

Judge holds Legislature to the promise of education-funding reform

A King County Superior Court judge ruled that the state does not provide ample funding for basic education, then directed the State Legislature to establish the cost of providing all Washington children with a basic education and a process for fully funding such education with stable and dependable state sources.

In his oral ruling yesterday morning in McCleary v. State, also known as the “Basic Education case,” King County Superior Court Judge John Erlick also indicated that the state’s 2009 education funding measure (HB 2261) could be a means to satisfy his direction. The court e-mailed the entire 73-page ruling to counsel immediately following the hearing.

“Judge Erlick rightly recognizes in his ruling the Legislature’s authority to set education funding policy,” said Attorney General Rob McKenna. “The Legislature took positive steps with its 2009 education funding reform efforts, and we understand the decision to suggest those reforms could be the basis for progress in this case.

"My legal team will review the specifics of this complex decision with our state clients to determine appropriate next steps,” McKenna said.

The case brought by a coalition of Washington teachers, school districts, community groups and parents in January 2007 alleged Washington had not fulfilled its Constitutional obligation to fund fully basic education and relied too heavily on local levy funding assistance.

The deadline for appeal will be 30 days after the entry of the judgment.

Rotary Clubs of Clark County announce opportunity for a $25,000 ambassadorial scholarship

The Rotary Clubs of Clark County, along with the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, are offering “ambassadorial scholarships,” for 2011-2012, for applicants to travel and study abroad for vocational, graduate or post-graduate endeavors. The scholarships valued at $25,000, are available in more than 160 countries and designed to further international understanding and goodwill.

A previous recipient states: “Rotary showed me the way to build a bridge, and I am infinitely better for having accepted the challenge. My year abroad with Rotary has shown me how to approach everything with passion and humility because I am always acting on behalf of the experience that others have given me.”

Candidates for the Rotary Foundation Education Award should be the following: outstanding students, technicians, or teachers and potential “Ambassadors of Goodwill”; those who demonstrate personal qualities of leadership, initiative, enthusiasm, adaptability, maturity and seriousness; students who have completed at least two years of college, university or equivalent at the time the scholarship starts, 2011; individuals who are sponsored by a local Rotary Club; those having knowledge of the language of their chosen country of study; those available for personal interviews as part of the application process and, if accepted, those willing to share highlights of their experience abroad once they return; and those who are not Rotarians themselves or the relative or dependent of a Rotarian.

For more information or applications, visit www.rotary.org, or contact Cheryl Delamarter at Cheryl@vancouverchristian.com. Application deadline is April 1, 2010.

News Briefs

Volunteers are needed to assist patients and staff in the Cancer Center and Kearney Breast Center outpatient clinics on weekdays during business hours. Licensed massage therapists and certified pet therapy teams wishing to volunteer their skills with cancer patients are also needed. An orientation for new volunteers will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, at Southwest Washington Medical Center. Registration is required. For more information, contact Sherilyn Brown, Cancer Center coordinator of volunteers at 514-3125 or email at sdbrown@swmedicalcenter.org. <> Join Dr. Steven Webb, superintendent of Vancouver Public Schools, at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19, for his fourth patron tour of this school year. Patrons will be invited to stay for a lunch following the tour. The lunch, prepared by culinary arts students, costs only $4. RSVP with your name, address, phone number and whether you would like to stay for lunch to Gary Yarne, 313-4720. For more information about Vancouver Public Schools, visit www.vansd.org.

Calendar

Slocum House Theatre auditions for Jake’s Women will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Sunday and Monday, Feb. 7-8, 605 Esther Street. Call 696-2427 for more information. <> Loaves and Fishes will be serving hot meals to senior citizens from noon to 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, in the La Center Community Center, 1000 E 4th Street. <> Vancouver City Council meets for workshops from 3 to 6 p.m., followed by a consent agenda meeting at 6 p.m., in Council chambers. <> Washougal City Council meets for a workshop at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, in Council chambers. <> Fort Vancouver Regional Library District Board of Trustees meets for a board workshop at 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, followed by a regular meeting at 6 p.m., in the Three Creeks Community Library, 800-C NE Tenney Road. <> Neighborhood Associations Council of Clark County meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, in the Public Works Conference Room, 4700 NE 78 Street.

    Friday on the air

State of the County - 2010 (2-4)--5 p.m. CVTV
Clark County Animal Control Hearings (1-13)--7 p.m. CVTV
Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners (1-26)--8:30 p.m. CVTV
Columbia River Crossing Project Sponsors Council (1-22)--9 p.m. CVTV
The National Football Foundation & College Scholarship Hall of Fame Clark County Chapter (1-20)--11:30 p.m. CVTV

      Community Calendar Links

• Southwest Washington Center for the Arts

• Greater Vancouver Chamber

• City of Vancouver Calendar

 

Friday, February 05, 2010 Headlines

 

Links to news of local & national significance

Columbian is out of bankruptcy--Columbian, Julia Anderson

Clark County Fire District 3 awarded FEMA grant--Columbian, AP

Report: US commits to recover all bodies from Haiti hotel--Columbian, Bob Albrecht

Bridge woes brushed off at 'state of the county'--Columbian, Michael Andersen

Goldman Chief's $9 million bonus falls below expectations--New York Times, Graham Bowley