The Board of County Commissioners seeks applicants to serve on the Clark County Board of Equalization. There are openings for two full-term board members and one alternate to serve on an on-call basis.

To be considered, submit a letter of interest and resume to Jennifer Clark, P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver, WA, 98666-5000, or e-mail jennifer.clark@clark.wa.gov. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 29.

To learn more, visit http://www.clark.wa.gov/board-of-equalization/index.html.

Vancouver’s Downtown Association partners with the Arts of Clark County for the next First Friday Art Walk, “I’m a Fool for the Arts!” on April Fool’s Day, Friday, April 1, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the courtyard next to Runyan’s Jewelers, 900 Washington St. This First Friday Art Walk will offer refreshments and entertainment, as well as the opportunity to make your own art and participate in an art “happening.”

The event is free, but there is a suggested donation of $15 to benefit Arts of Clark County, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting and supporting arts and artists in Clark County.

For more information about the event and about Arts of Clark County, visit www.ArtsofClarkCounty.org.

Anecdotal Evidence, a Vancouver-based storytelling series, presents its next show on Thursday, March 31, at the Atrium Lounge, 606 Broadway in Vancouver. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door. This month’s theme is “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”

Anecdotal Evidence is a storytelling series committed to bringing humor and hilarity to “North Bank” residents. For more information, contact Elizabeth Holmes at storytellers@anecdotal-evidence.com.

Two London housewives find love, Italian-style

The Magenta Theater, 606 Main St. in Vancouver, presents Enchanted April on April 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m., and with matinees on April 23 and 30 at 2 p.m.

The play follows two London housewives who rent a villa in Italy and recruit two very different English women to share the cost and experience. All four discover renewal and redemption amongst wisteria blossoms and Mediterranean sunshine.

Tickets are $15 for VIP seats and $12 for general seating. All students (any age, with ID) receive a $5 discount on non-VIP seats at any Thursday performance. To reserve your tickets, call 360-635-4358, or order tickets online at www.magentatheater.com.

Bravo! Vancouver has formed an intercontinental partnership with Dubrovnik, Croatia:  the new Dubrovnik International Wine & Jazz Festival, May 27, 28 and 29.

The Dubrovnik Festival will feature 10 local painters, a dozen wineries, and jazz concerts, including the Brubeck Brothers Jazz Quartet and the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. Vancouver pianist Maria Manzo will perform with the Brubeck Brothers on Saturday, May 28. Manzo is the music director at St. Joseph Church in Vancouver, as well as music director for Bravo! Vancouver.

Bravo! Vancouver produces the Bravo! Vancouver Concert Series and the annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival each August, the largest jazz festival in the Northwest and Vancouver’s number one cultural tourism event.

For more information, visit these websites: www.dubrovnikwinejazz.com, www.vancouverwinejazz.com or www.bravoconcerts.com.

Alan Hamilton

First Independent has promoted Alan Hamilton to senior manager for community investment. Hamilton leads the bank’s corporate philanthropy, strategic partnership development and employee volunteer efforts.

Hamilton was most recently a project manager for the bank’s strategy and analysis team. Prior to joining First Independent, he was a project manager for Applied Motion Systems in Vancouver. He also served as executive pastor, teaching pastor and staff leadership development officer at New Heights Church. He was an adjunct faculty member at Multnomah University and Western Seminary. He is a graduate of Biola University, holds a Master of Divinity from the Talbot School of Theology at Biola, and has completed coursework at Denver Seminary to become a doctor of ministry.

Headquartered in Vancouver, First Independent is a full-service community bank, with assets of nearly $1 billion and 15 branches, offering a variety of online and mobile banking services. For more information, visit their website at www.firstindy.com.

The Friends of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra annual luncheon is from 11: 30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 8, at the Hilton Vancouver Washington, 301 W. Sixth St., near Esther Short Park. KGW meteorologist Rod Hill will be the Master of Ceremonies and Maestro Salvador Brotons is the special guest.

Tickets are $40 per person and are available by calling 360-735-7278.

About 10 classrooms at Prairie High School, 11500 N.E. 117th Ave. in Vancouver, plus the commons, faculty lounge and student store will get a makeover Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2, thanks to Ace Hardware and volunteers.

The school has won $2,000 worth of paint from Ace Hardware’s Helping Hands campaign. The local store, Filbin’s Ace Hardware, 809 N.E. Minnehaha St. in Hazel Dell, is donating another $500 worth of rollers and other supplies, although volunteers are welcome to bring their own rollers and brushes.

Principal Jason Perrins said organizers are hoping for at least 25 volunteer painters Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. and twice that many on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pizza and soft drinks will be provided to the Saturday workers.

For more information, or to volunteer, call Prairie High School at 360-885-5000.

The Clark Public Utilities Board of Commissioners has called a special meeting for tomorrow, Tuesday, March 29, at 9 a.m. at the Vancouver Service Center,
1200 Fort Vancouver Way.

For more information, contact Ruth Waite at rwaite@clarkpud.com.

Maya Muller showing goodwill toward the technically challenged

Mark Gaither testing your cultural competence

Kelly Adams heading for the sticks

The Fourth Plain Business Coalition presents “Bus Rapid Transit: What’s Best for Our Community?” tomorrow, Wednesday, March 30, at 5:30 p.m. at the City of Vancouver West Police Precinct, 2800 N.E. Stapleton Road, Vancouver. The event is free and open to the public, and the community is encouraged to attend in order to give input on the addition of rapid transit services to the Fourth Plain business corridor.

For more information, contact Melisa Murguia at 360-699-4298 or melisa.murgia@firstindy.com.

Governor Chris Gregoire has directed that flags at all Washington state agency buildings be lowered to half-staff Tuesday, March 29, in memory of U.S. Army Corporal Brandon S. Hocking of Seattle, who died March 21 in Iraq.

Flags should remain at half-staff until close of business Tuesday, or until the early morning of Wednesday, March 30. Other government entities, citizens and businesses are encouraged to join in this recognition.

To register, contact Stephanie Weldy at 360-694-5006 or sweldy@credc.org.

A widespread shutdown of state agencies as a result of budget shortfalls is taking place today, March 28. Public safety and public health offices will be open as usual.

Last year, Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6503. Designed to reduce state government spending for employees, the law requires that certain state agencies close on the 10 days specified in the bill in order to address an almost $12 billion shortfall. The closures will save more than $70 million. The next temporary layoff will occur April 22.

For more information about state agency closures, as well as a complete list of affected agencies, visit http://ofm.wa.gov/layoff/, or contact Ralph Thomas at 360-902-7607.

The City of Vancouver has been awarded a $2.3 million federal grant, funding trained firefighters and allowing the Burton Fire Station to reopen.

The Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant, awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provides funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter organizations in order to help increase the number of trained firefighters available in their communities and enhance their ability to comply with staffing, response and operational standards.

Burton Fire Station, also known as Fire Station 6, was closed last year due to budget cuts, increasing emergency response times. Grant funds will improve response times by two and a half minutes in the Burton service area, and 30 seconds citywide.

Fire District 6 will receive an additional grant for $126,929 to purchase high-visibility uniform jackets, reflective cones, replace portable radios, and support officer training programs.

For more information, contact Joseph Molina, Vancouver fire chief, at 360-418-5429, or joe.molina@cityofvancouver.us.

John Kamm, human rights activist and executive director of the Dui Ha Foundation

The College of Business at Washington State University Vancouver welcomes John Kamm, founder and chairman of the Dui Hua Foundation, at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 4, in the Administration Building, room 129, to discuss the “Ethical Challenges of Doing Business in China.” The event is free and open to the public.

WSU Vancouver is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave. east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205. Parking is available at meters and in the Blue Daily Pay lot for $3.

For more information, contact Jane Cote at 360-546-9756 or janecote@vancouver.wsu.edu. To learn more about WSU, visit their website at www.vancouver.wsu.edu. 

Tracie Siegel

Vancouver’s Downtown Association recently voted unanimously to add First Independent Bank’s Tracie Seigel to its board of directors. Seigel has long been a supporter of Downtown Vancouver’s business district, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs.

Vancouver’s Downtown Association is a nonprofit with the goal of uplifting and uniting our downtown’s core. VDA sponsors several popular downtown programs such as the flower basket program and First Friday Artwalks. It blends the perspectives of property owners, businesses, residents, and anyone with a love of a traditional downtown.

For more information about Vancouver’s Downtown Association, contact Lee Rafferty at 360-258-1129 or director@vdausa.org, or visit their website, www.vdausa.org.

Niche Wine and Art Bar, 1013 Main St. in Vancouver, will host a Multilingual Poetry Night with local poet Christopher Luna on Saturday, April 23, at 7 p.m., featuring poetry from around the world. The evening honors National Poetry Month and the diversity of Pacific Northwesterners. For more information, contact Luna at 360-910-1066 or christopherjluna@gmail.com, or visit Luna’s blog at
http://christopherluna-poetry.blogspot.com.

Rotary Clubs of Clark County, along with District 5100 and The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, are offering an Ambassadorial Scholarship for travel and study abroad for vocational, graduate or post-graduate endeavors in 2012-2013.

The scholarship, which is valued up to $25,000 and is available in more than 80 nations, is designed to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries and geographical areas.

For more information or applications, contact Laurie Doering at 360-723-0183 or Lauriejd0503@comcast.net, or visit www.district5100.org. Applications are due Friday, April 1.

The Vancouver Planning Commission’s First Tuesday presentation is planned from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5, at  Vancouver City Hall, Council Chambers, 210 E. 13th Street. The focus will be on residential landscapes.

It is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tina Picchioni, 360-487-7813 or Tina.Picchioni@cityofvanouver.us.