Downtown Vancouver's new community library

Six projects will be honored for their innovative approach to historic restoration, sustainability, community enhancement, public facilities and commercial development during the 2011 Community Pride Design Awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 10. Two honorable mentions also will be presented. The free public event will be held in the sixth-floor hearing room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver. Refreshments will be served at 2:30 p.m. The ceremony will start at 3 p.m.

The Community Pride Design Awards were established in 1996 by several local public and private organizations as a way to recognize buildings, development and civic improvements that have had a positive impact on the community. The program honors developers, builders and the community for helping make Clark County a great place to live and work, both now and in the future. More information is available at www.clark.wa.gov/development/about/cpda.html.

2011 award winners are as follows: The Artillery Barracks at Fort Vancouver, 600 E. Hatheway Rd., Vancouver; Hayes Freedom High School, 1919 N.E. Ione St., Camas; McCallister Village, 2155 W. Firestone Ln., Vancouver; Oliva Family Early Learning Center, 1933 Ft. Vancouver Way, Vancouver; Sigma Design, 1714 Broadway St., Vancouver; and the Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St., Vancouver. Honorable mentions include Columbia Springs Cordwood Classroom, 12208 S.E. Evergreen Hwy., Vancouver; and Gateway Garden Apartments, 4300 Addy St., Washougal.

Tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Fire District 6 firefighters will hand out candy and 690 glow bracelets, donated by the Hazel Dell Target, to kids who do not have flashlights or reflective clothing. The following three stations are participating: Hazel Dell Fire Station, 8800 N.E. Hazel Dell Ave.; Salmon Creek Fire Station, 1200 NE 134th St.; and Felida Fire Station, 11600 N.W. Lakeshore Ave. For more information, contact Dawn Johnson at 360-356-6040 or dawn.johnson@ccfd6.org.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of deaths among pedestrians ages five to 12 is four times higher on Halloween night than any other night of the year. Fire District 6 offers the following Halloween safety tips: children should carry flashlights, glow sticks, or bags; children should go trick-or-treating accompanied by a responsible adult; children should be instructed not to eat any treats until examined by a parent; walkways should be cleared of obstacles and lit pumpkins; and costumes should be free of long, dangling items that could pose a tripping hazard.

The Magenta Theater Improv troupe

Magenta Theater Company is a family-friendly community theater in Vancouver committed to promoting contemporary new works by local playwrights and musicians, in addition to known comedies and mysteries. Productions are volunteer-driven, and opportunities are currently available in the following areas: assistant director, stage management, stagehands, lights and sound technicians, makeup, costumes, props, set design, set construction, house management, ushering, concessions, publicity and clean-up crew. To learn more, visit www.magentatheater.com.

The National Weather Service is conducting “Skywarn” training for volunteer weather spotters in Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington. The training session will be held this Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Clark County Fire & Rescue’s Dollar Corner Station #26, 21609 N.E. 72nd Ave. in Battle Ground. No registration is necessary if you plan to attend in person. The training will also be conducted as a Webinar from 7 to 8 p.m.; click here to register for the Webinar.

The training is for people who want to become part of the National Weather Service’s network of volunteer weather spotters, as well as refresher training for existing weather spotters. Participants will be trained how to recognize cloud features and other weather phenomena that can produce severe weather as well as the criteria for reporting these elements to the National Weather Service. This information is directly used in our warning program to help protect lives and property of our citizens. The training is free and open to the general public.

To learn more, click here to see a flyer. Volunteering to be a weather spotter is an excellent way to explore your interests while helping your local community. For more information about Skywarn, see www.skywarn.org, or visit the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency site by clicking here.

Tomorrow, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 415 W. 6th St. in Vancouver, the City Planning Commission will offer a free presentation, “Neighborhood Electric Vehicles: A New Paradigm for Urban Transport.” The Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) serve families, small business, institutions, and more. Under Washington law, NEVs may be operated on any public street with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less. What is the future of neighborhood electric vehicles in Vancouver? How will their adoption and use change the way we think about getting around in our community? To attend, RSVP to Tina Picchioni at 360-487-7813 or tina.picchioni@cityofvancouver.us.

Evergreen High School invites the public to “We the People” Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 5 p.m. in the Evergreen High School student center, 14300 N.E. 18th St. The cost is $5 for adults and $2 for students and children. For more information, contact Patti McMaster at 360-604-3700.

Construction on State Route 14 is bringing some changes to the way drivers access the highway at Sixth St. in Washougal. Starting today, drivers will no longer be able to cross or make left turns onto or off of SR 14 at Sixth St. Right turns at this location will not be affected. Drivers wishing to cross SR 14, or make left turns onto or off of the highway, should use the traffic signal at Second St., less than one-half mile to the west. Since crews are still working on the frontage road and roundabouts on the south side of SR 14, drivers there will use a temporary gravel road to reach Second St. until crews resume paving in the spring. This work is part of the SR 14, Camas-Washougal Widening and Interchange project. Learn more at www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/SR14/CamasWashougal.

On Thursday, Nov. 3, from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., the Gardner School of Arts and Sciences will host its annual “Partner with Gardner Breakfast” at Vancouver’s Pearson Air Museum, 1115 E. 5th St., near Fort Vancouver. The annual fundraising event serves the dual purpose of building awareness for The Gardner School of Arts & Sciences and supporting Gardner’s ability to offer its education to a broader, more diverse student demographic through financial aid. Guests will include Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt, Battle Ground Mayor Michael Ciraulo, Commissioner Steve Stuart, Commissioner Tom Mielke and Rep. Sharon Wylie. For more details about the event, contact Jennifer Quinn Conkey at 360-320-6872 or jconkey@gardnerschool.org, or visit www.gardnerschool.org.

Scott Horenstein celebrates a haunted 60th birthday today.

Shanan Pickett loves coffee.

Steve Waddle wows new customers with his pancakes.

Sofia Higginbotham wonders witch way is best.

Urban Entrepreneurs’ Network will hold its next meeting on Friday, Nov. 18, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at 705 S.E. Parkcrest, Suite C340, in Vancouver. The keynote speaker will be Carmen Voilleque of Strategic Arts & Sciences. She will be speaking on “Evoluntionary Entrepreneurs.” EUN members pay $5 to attend, and non-members pay $15. Click here to RSVP.

Pubtalk, the highly regarded Vancouver networking event in which up-and-coming companies pitch their ideas to the business community, will hold its Alumni Night on Thursday, Nov. 10, when attendees will hear how six former presenting companies have progressed since their first Pubtalk appearances. The following Pubtalk alumni will appear next Thursday:

Redpoint International, a medical device company that has developed innovative primary tubing stabilization devices; Bowserwear, makers of Healers Pet Medical Dog Boots for pet allergies and injured paws; Helidyne LLC, makers of a positive-displacement rotary TFC expander for use in geothermal power-generation applications; Oasis Diagnostics, developers of high-quality tools for non-invasive diagnosis and detection of diseases; Hydrovolts, which has developed technology to use renewable energy from water currents in canals; and GroEasy, which designs and manufactures grow bags, soft-sided garden containers, soil amendments, and accessories.

Pubtalk is attended by around 150 local entrepreneurs, investors and service providers, and networking is encouraged. Pubtalk will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Artillery Barracks, 600 E. Hatheway Rd. Free on-street and public lot parking are available. The cost is $25 general admission or $20 for Oregon Entrepreneurs’ Network members. To register now, click here. For more information, visit the Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council at www.swwdc.org.

On Friday, Nov. 4, from 5 to 10 p.m., Clark College will welcome the community as it hosts “Educating for the Seventh Generation,” a celebration of indigenous cultures. The event will begin at 5 p.m. with a welcome address and a performance by Native American flutist and flute maker Isaac Trimble. Indian tacos will be served during the performance. Opening ceremonies for a powwow will begin at 6 p.m. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the Gaiser Student Center on Clark College’s main campus at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way. Driving directions and parking maps are available at www.clark.edu/maps.

The Port of Camas-Washougal will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 1, starting with an executive session at 4 p.m., and continuing with an open session at 5 p.m. The meeting will take place at the port offices at 24 S. A St. in Washougal. For more information, call Mary Murphy at 360.835.2196, ext. 102.

Barbara Kerr is in the Spotlight.

Jason Albee dreams of double dragons.

Bert Coffman takes the Pops to Mt. Pleasant.

Everything’s coming up rubies for Julie Hanke.

The Clark County Public Utility District No. 1 Board of Commissioners will not meet on Tuesday, Nov. 1. For more information, contact Ruth Waite at rwaite@clarkpud.com.

Clark College’s new Iris Awards will celebrate the lasting and far-reaching contributions of women in Southwest Washington and beyond. The awards, which will be presented on International Women’s Day 2012, will honor the tradition of the regional “Women of Achievement” celebration but embrace a new direction for the future. The announcement of the first Iris Award recipients will be made during the 2012 State of the College Address on Thursday, Jan. 19. The Iris Awards are supported by Clark College, the Clark College Foundation and the Vancouver Business Journal. Award criteria and nomination forms are available at www.clark.edu/cc/irisawards. Nominations must be received by Wednesday, Nov. 30.

Clark College President Robert K. Knight says, “Since 1985, Clark College has been a regional leader in celebrating the contributions of women. When we made the difficult decision to discontinue the Women of Achievement luncheon, we also made a commitment to exploring new ways in which to honor women in our region. Those discussions led to the creation of the Iris Awards.  We’re proud to make this announcement, and we hope that the community will share our excitement.”

What started as a joke between Gary Bock and Jim Mains to see who could get the most mentions in The Daily Insider turned into a campaign that raised thousands of dollars for the Children’s Justice Center and other nonprofit organizations. Bock, executive director of the Vancouver Watersheds Alliance, and Mains, owner of Main Distinction, are at it again with a new “get out the vote” campaign featuring mock campaign videos, tours through downtown Vancouver, and yard signs. The campaign’s goal is to encourage citizens to become familiar with the candidates, understand their platforms, read the voter’s guide, and make educated decisions. “Don’t let negative advertising, fear and conspiracy theories choose for you,” says Mains,“and, for sure, not the person or group with the most signs.” Watch a video by clicking here, or join the campaign by visiting facebook.com/garybockvsjimmains.

On Tuesday, Nov. 1, there will be two opportunities to learn the skills necessary to actively fight floods in Clark County. Les Miller, from the Army Corps of Engineers, will provide classroom and hands-on instruction on how to fill, haul and properly place sandbags. Classes will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Clark County Public Works facility, 4700 N.E. 78th St. in Vancouver. Community members, public volunteers and first responders are encouraged to attend. Attendees should dress appropriately for the weather, including work gloves and good footwear, as they will be outside for portions of this class. Attendees may also bring their own shovels. This event will be held rain or shine, and there is no need to register. For more details, click here.

Battle Ground Schools welcomes the public to a dinner auction fundraiser for the North County Community Food Bank tonight, Oct. 28, at 5 p.m. at Royal Oaks Country Club, 8917 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd. This annual fundraising event is crucial for the health of the North County Community Food Bank. Costumes are encouraged.

By helping to feed local families, the North County Community Food Bank supports children who attend Battle Ground schools. Employees of the Battle Ground School District are strong supporters of the food bank, as are the Battle Ground Education Association and other clubs and organizations, including student groups. If you cannot attend, you can make a donation by clicking here.

Yesterday, Gov. Chris Gregoire presented a list of budget reduction alternatives as a starting point to the conversation lawmakers must engage in to resolve the state’s budget deficit. The following reductions will likely be included in Gregoire’s November budget proposal: eliminating the Basic Health Plan, ending subsidized health care to 35,000 low-income individuals; cutting off medical services to 21,000 people enrolled in the state’s Disability Lifeline and Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Treatment Support Act programs; trimming 15 percent from the support the state provides to colleges and universities; reducing levy equalization, which helps property-poor districts, by 50 percent; or cutting the length of supervision for all offenders, based on severity of offense. For a full list of cut options and a look at the governor’s preferred choices, visit:  http://www.ofm.wa.gov/reductions/alternatives/default.asp.