The Port of Ridgefield meets from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4, in the Port of Kalama meeting room, 380 West Marine Drive, Kalama.

The Port of Ridgefield plans a special meeting at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 3, at the Oak Tree Restaurant, 1020 Atlantic Ave., Woodland.

John Gentry, assistant fire marshal instructs volunteers with Young Marines on smoke alarm installation.

On Saturday, Sept. 17, the Vancouver Fire Department organized a home safety survey and smoke alarm installation campaign in the Sifton neighborhood in partnerships with Vancouver Fire Cadets, Police NOW volunteers, and the Young Marines.

Trained volunteers installed 190 smoke alarms and completed fire and crime prevention checks. Funding for the smoke alarms came from a federal grant for community risk reduction.

The Women Entrepreneurs Organization of Vancouver presents,”Discussing the Undiscussables, or How to Hold That Uncomfortable Conversation Without Getting in Your Own Way,” with keynote speaker Dr. Sarah Stebbins.

The event begins at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at Heathman Lodge, 7801 N.E. Greenwood Dr. Admission is $35 for members or $40 for visitors and includes dinner.

For reservations, e-mail reserve@weowa.org, or call 360-907-4407. For more information, visit www.WEOwa.org.

Washington State University Vancouver has named the new members of its 2011-12 Advisory Council, a team of appointed community leaders and representatives of both public and private organizations. The council advises WSU Vancouver’s chancellor regarding the community’s needs and preferences for university activities and programs.

The new members are: KC Hsu, president of WaferTech; Heidi Piper-Schultz, human resources and government affairs manager at Corwin Beverage Company; and Roger Qualman, chief operating officer for Norris Beggs and Simpson.

The Vancouver Farmers Market is offering the annual Harvest Dinner and Silent Auction at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Red Cross Building At The Historic Reserve, 605 Barnes St. Vancouver.

Proceeds from the auction and dinner will provide scholarships to local students and programs. Tickets are $50 and are available at www.vancouverfarmersmarket.com.

Quinn Driscoll

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center and the Quinn Driscoll Foundation will offer a fall “Young Champions” screening event, providing advanced heart screenings for student athletes in Clark County on Saturday, Oct. 8, at PeaceHealth Southwest’s Heart & Vascular Center.

The Quinn Driscoll Foundation is named for 13-year-old Quinn Driscoll, a student athlete at Wy’ East Middle School who died in 2009 after suffering cardiac arrest while running on the track during gym class. Driscoll had an undiagnosed heart condition.

Any Clark County middle or high school athlete, band member or cheerleader from 13 to 18 years old is eligible for a “Young Champions” screening. This screening does not take the place of the pre-performance examination requirement for all student athletes who wish to participate in a school sport. To register, call 360-514-1707 or register online at www.swHeartCheck.org.

A suggested $25 donation to the Quinn Driscoll Foundation will be accepted to support future screening events. Students must have a signed parental waiver and completed health history questionnaire in order to receive the heart screening.

Poetry in Russian and English with A. Molotkov will be offered at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, at Niche Wine and Art Bar, 1013 Main St., Vancouver.

Ann Rivers, Lisa Schmidt, Greg Gulliford, Patsy Eby, Bill Barron, Penny Fillhouer, Craig Pridemore, Kelly Parker, Ron Keil, Nancy Miller, Al Schlotfeldt, John White, Laurel Buchanan, Jim Tangeman, Walter Grebe, Nick Daschel and Greg Kimsey donating.

The Fort Vancouver National Trust is staging an original interactive dinner theater, Murder in the Barracks at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, in the Artillery Barracks, 600 E. Hatheway Rd. at the Fort Vancouver National Site. Tickets are $30 per person and include a buffet dinner.

Purchase tickets online at www.fortvan.org/mystery. For information, contact Alishia Topper, 360-992-1801.

The Vancouver Dance Theatre will hold a second audition for The Nutcracker at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, at Dance Works, 6511 N.E. 137th Ave. For details, contact Charlyn Reed at 360-798- 0670 or hulamamacomcast.net.

The next Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council board of directors will meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct 4, in the sixth floor training room of the Clark County Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver.

Barbara Kerr treating.

Karen Read encouraging.

Clara Willoughby conquering class.

Melissa Ralston

Melissa Ralston, personal service lines manager with Davidson Insurance, has received the Personal Lines Achievement Award from Safeco Insurance.

The award is given in recognition of dedication, diligence, integrity, commitment to excellence and exemplary representation of Safeco Insurance. Ralston has worked for Davidson Insurance for eight years and in the insurance industry for 32 years.

She is a certified insurance counselor and a certified insurance service Representative.

Davidson Insurance has served local businesses and individuals since 1990. Owned by Bruce Davidson, the firm is located at 501 SE Columbia Shores Blvd., Suite 525, in Vancouver. For more information, call 360-514-9550 or visit www.davidsoninsurance.com.

On Monday, Sept. 26, the Columbia River Economic Development Council named Lisa Nisenfeld as the fourth president of the organization. Nisenfeld was approved for appointment to the position by a unanimous vote of the board of directors after a four-month national search that drew more than 100 applicants.

For the past seven years Nisenfeld has led the SW Washington Workforce Development Council as executive director.

The Vancouver Freight Alliance has endorsed Proposition 1 to save local bus service in Clark County.

Citing the critical role transit plays in Clark County’s economic health, the Vancouver Freight Alliance came forward to endorse a proposal that would save critical bus service that serves thousands of residents, helping people get to jobs and easing congestion at the same time.

The Vancouver Freight Alliance represents more than 80 businesses that move goods and freight throughout the Vancouver-Portland metro region. More than 50 percent of those employed in Clark County work in the freight-generating industry, moving 32 million tons of freight per year.

The proposition would increase the local sales tax two-tenths of one percent to protect existing C-TRAN bus service.

On Monday, Sept. 26, Clark College opened the doors for its 2011-2012 academic year.  The college welcomed nearly 15,000 students on opening day, a continuation of the historically high enrollment the college has experienced since the 2008-2009 academic year. Clark’s Running Start program welcomed 1,765 students, an increase of 75 students from fall 2010.

This year, under new legislation passed by the Washington state Legislature, there is a limit to the combined high school and college credits that the state will fund for each student. Clark College has the largest Running Start program in the state.

For more information, visit www.clark.edu.

The 10th annual Employment Awards ceremony honoring Clark County’s employers and employees is planned for 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Hilton Vancouver Washington, 301 W. Sixth Street, Vancouver. The event is hosted by Clark County’s Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board and Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce.

In recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, this year’s theme is “Employment for All – Believe It, Achieve It!”

Award categories include Service Recognition, Employee of the Year, and Public and Private Employer of the Year. For more information about the ceremony or National Disability Employment Awareness Month, contact Paula Johnson at 360-606-2961.

The SafeChoice Program of YWCA Clark County is hosting a Purple Light Nights campaign and a number of events throughout October to recognize domestic violence awareness month. The core message of the campaign is “domestic violence has NO place in our community.”

Purple Light Nights is a national awareness campaign that asks community members to display a string of purple lights, or a purple light (aka blacklight), on their front porch or window for the month of October.

A lighting ceremony is planned at 7:30 p.m. for Monday, Oct. 3, at 3609 Main St. Survivors and supporters of survivors can share their stories online, anonymously, at ywcaclarkcounty.org/share.

The Vancouver USA Regional Tourism Office Board of Directors announced on Monday that it supports the proposed multi-use stadium at Clark College that would become the home of the Yakima Bears baseball team.

The board is taking a neutral position on the funding and details of the admissions tax, leaving it to the elected officials to work out the specifics.

“The addition of a minor league stadium will be a great asset for the community, will draw in additional visitors and tournaments, and will offer additional recreational activities for folks to enjoy while they are here,” said board chair Carla Rise.