All candidates for state Legislative office have been invited to a job issues forum from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 11 at the BIA of Clark County, 103 E. 29th Street in Vancouver. RSVPS are requested via e-mail at gopep2010@gmail.com.

Tim and Lee Welch

For the next two weeks, Tim Welch and his wife, Lee Hutton-Welch of Woodland, are offering to match donations to the Longview-based Lower Columbia Community Action Program Foundation, up to $35,000. The goal is to help the nonprofit organization build its endowment.

Also known as CAP, the charity provides safety net services, such as food assistance, as well as self-sufficiency programs such as job training.

Last year, the Welch family made a $350,000 bequest to the CAP Foundation, the largest single contribution CAP or its Foundation had ever received in the organization’s 46-year history.

The bequest was to be delivered at the time of their deaths. Rather than waiting, the Welches wanted their gift to be working for CAP and the community now.  They have pledged $35,000 for the CAP Foundation to be matched by the community, each year for the next ten years.

“This is a gift for the here and now instead of the hereafter,” says Tim Welch. “We want to see our money having an impact now. We want to be part of the dream.”

Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 15, any gift to the CAP Foundation will be matched by the Welch family.

Donations can be sent to 1526 Commerce Avenue, Longview, WA 98632, or  online at www.lowercolumbiacap.org.

Piano school graduate Lisa Quackenbush and Director of Instruction Don Mitchell.

The School of Piano Technology for the Blind, also known as the Piano Hospital,  has been named a School of Distinction by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). A recognition event is planned for Oct. 25 at the ACCSC Professional Development Conference in Philadelphia, PA.

The school completed a rigorous re-accreditation process in June 2010. During the process, the ACCSC on-site evaluation team noted the high levels of student-teacher interactions as “exemplary.”

The School of Piano Technology for the Blind is a private, nonprofit, accredited vocational school providing specialized training in piano technology to blind and visually impaired individuals. The school, the only one of its kind in the world, has attracted students from 36 states and 14 countries to Vancouver.

Tours are offered at 2 p.m. every Tuesday at the school. More information is available at www.pianotuningschool.org.

Through Nov. 19, DuckTales Kitchen, 612 N. Devine Road, Vancouver, is featuring the glass artwork of Bob Meyer and the paintings of the late Trudy Loveall. Food is the theme of the exhibit and also features the work of artists Leslie Blount, Glennda Field, Bobby Forbes, Judith Howard, Sue Moore, Catherine Post and Joan Turley. A reception is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14. Light appetizers and a no-host bar will be available. More information about the restaurant is available at http://ducktaleskitchen.com.

Due to above-average rainfall and mild temperatures, the Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office is lifting the countywide burn ban, effective immediately.

Typically, the annual burn ban begins July 15 and stays in place through Sept. 30.  However, because of the recent wet weather and decreased wildfire threat, the fire marshal has shortened the burn ban by one week.

For more information, call 800-323-BURN or go to www.clark.wa.gov/commdev/firemarshal/fireservices/burningN.html.

On July 30, The Columbia River Crossing Independent Review Panel delivered its final report to Washington Governor Chris Gregoire and Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski. As a result of the panel’s report, the governors directed the two state transportation departments to develop a workplan to implement the panel’s recommendations. The co-chairs of the Columbia River Crossing Project Sponsors Council will meet again on  Friday, Nov. 12. More information is available at www.columbiarivercrossing.org.

Seton Catholic High School will be hosting its annual fundraising dinner on Sunday, Nov. 7, beginning at 5 p.m. at The Heathman Lodge in Vancouver.  “Building Our School” is this year’s theme.  Tickets will be $1,000 per table or $100 per person.  Seton Catholic High School is beginning its second year of classes and is the only Catholic high school serving the communities of Southwest Washington.  To learn more, please visit www.SetonHigh.org or call Andy Geisler at 360-258-1932.

Clark College’s dental hygiene program celebrates its 40th anniversary by hosting an alumni reunion on Saturday, Oct. 2. Starting with a breakfast at 7:30 a.m., the event will be held in the Gaiser Student Center on Clark’s main campus, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver.

From noon to 2 p.m., boxed lunches and tours of Clark‘s dental hygiene clinic and classrooms will be offered. An evening reception will be held from 5 to 10 p.m.

Registration for the full conference is $170 per person. Cost to attend the reception only is $50 per person. To register, call the Clark College Foundation at 360-992-2301.

Budget cuts ordered by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire impact Vancouver Public Schools in four areas not protected by the state’s constitution, according to information released Tuesday by Tom Hagley, executive director, Community & Government Relations,Vancouver Public Schools

On September 16, Gregoire issued an executive order directing all state agencies and departments to implement across-the-board cuts of 6.3 percent, effective October 1. This action was taken to address a projected revenue shortfall of $700-800 million in the state’s 2010-11 supplemental budget.

The anticipated mid-year cuts for Vancouver Public Schools add up to nearly $750,000. If revenue forecasts continue to worsen, some are projecting a mid-year cut of 10 percent. In the Vancouver district, the total reduction would be $1.1 million.

For the third consecutive year, Superintendent Steve Webb is directing central and building administrators to implement the following cost-saving measures:

• Freeze hiring of personnel that are not mission-critical.
• Limit travel.
• Reduce school and department budgets for non-employee related costs by five percent, where feasible.

All candidates for Washington State Representative from District 17, 18, and 49 have been invited to join a candidate forum on neighborhood issues from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 12 in the community room of Clark Public Utilities, 1200 Fort Vancouver Way. This event is sponsored by the Neighborhood Association Council of Clark County and the Vancouver Neighborhood Alliance , the umbrella organizations for city and county neighborhoods. For more information, contact: Bridget Schwarz at 360-573-5873 or Anne McEnerny-Ogle 360-695-5124.

Denise Smith

Denise Smith has joined Rebound Orthopedics and Neurosurgery as Chief Operating Office after 22 years at Longview Surgical Group and three years with PeaceHealth Medical Group. Smith will work with Rebound providers and staff to help increase efficiency and professional productivity, as well as patient, staff and physician satisfaction.

Rebound provides orthopedics, neurosurgery, sports medicine and physical therapy. There are offices at the Southwest Washington Medical Center, Legacy Slam Salmon Creek and in Portland’s Rose Quarter.  For more information, visit www.reboundmd.com.

October’s First Friday Artwalk will start in the Seventh Street Courtyard, a European-inspired outdoor open air market at 108 E. Seventh Street.  The event begins at 5 p.m.tonight, Oct. 1 with the participating galleries open until 9 p.m.

The Dream Big Community Center will host  its “Evening of Dreams” at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov 13, at the Hilton Vancouver Washington, 301 West Sixth Street, Vancouver.

The guest speaker is writer Kevin Carroll. Tickets are available at http://www.dreambigcc.org and includes dinner. Founded in 2004, Dream Big Community Center is a 501c3, private nonprofit organization focused on youth development.

Erik Selden, an assistant vice president in charge of Commercial Banking for Columbia Bank, has joined the board of directors for the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes.

The mission of the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes is to provide opportunities for blind and visually impaired persons to become engaged in physical activity and sports. For more information, visit http://www.nwaba.org.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has directed that flags at all Washington state agency buildings be lowered to half-staff today Wednesday, Sept. 29, in memory of U. S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Two Jonah D. McClellan, 26, of Battle Ground.  McClellan died last week when his helicopter crashed in Qalat, Afghanistan. Flags should remain at half-staff until close of business Wednesday, or first thing Thursday morning, Sept. 30. Congress amended the U.S. Flag Code to give governors the authority to lower flags when a state resident in the military is killed in the line of duty.  Other government entities, citizens and businesses are encouraged to join in this recognition.

The Committee to Elect Dennis Kampe (D) for Washington State Representative in the 18th Legislative District will sponsor a fundraising dinner Saturday, Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m. at the Clark County Skills Center, 12200 N.E. 28th Street, Vancouver
Cost is $50 per person with all proceeds going to the campaign. For more information, contact Robbin McColley at 360-901-5189.

Mike Appel, a candidate for Clark County Treasurer, is holding a fundraiser from 6 to 7:30 p.m. tonight,  Wednesday, Sept. 29 at the Clark County Republican Headquarters, 7736 N.E. Hazel Dell Avenue in Vancouver. Call 360-695-1609 for more information.

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt recently received a National Tier 1 ranking in the Timber Law category for the 2010 Best Law Firms rankings, which are released by U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers.

These rankings, which are presented in tiers both nationally and by state or metropolitan area, showcase 8,782 different law firms ranked in one or more of 81 major practice areas.

Additionally, Schwabe was honored with a National Tier 2 ranking for Admiralty & Maritime Law and a National Tier 3 ranking for Tax Law. The 2010 Best Law Firms rankings were based on national surveys.  Survey respondents were asked to rate the law firms they consider best in their practice area.

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt is a multiservice law firm serving the needs of businesses in the Pacific Northwest, as well as U.S. and international clients.  The firm has more than 170 attorneys in Portland, Bend, and Salem, Ore., Seattle and Vancouver, Wash., and in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.schwabe.com

Peter Senchyna

Peter Senchyna, an aspiring astrophysicist, has been named a National Merit semifinalist.

Senchyna is among some 16,000 semifinalists in the nation out of approximately 1.5 million students who took the combined PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). Next spring, approximately 8,400 of the 16,000 semifinalists will be awarded scholarships in the program. Peter is one of 15 semifinalists in Clark County from six high schools. According to the National Merit Scholarship Corp., the other 14 include students from Camas, Union, Columbia River, Mountain View and Washougal High Schools.  For more information, visit  www.nationalmerit.org.

Peter hopes to attend the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, majoring in astrophysics.

He is among about 10 high school students – most from Prairie – who have created what they call the Vancouver Burrito Project. They make burritos every Friday afternoon and distribute them to people who are homeless and hungry at Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver.

SafeChoice, the program that serves domestic violence survivors at the YWCA Clark County, is hosting several events in October in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For a full schedule of events, visit the organization’s web site at www.ywcaclarkcounty.org.