Shannon Walker says healing is just a woof away.

John and Susy Hoefer get the book thrown at their Stone.

Derek Fechtner drives the dozer.

Dorothy Dunegan pus on a happy face.

Jaime Herrera Beutler will host another jobs fair on Wednesday, May 23. This free event will be open to all Southwest Washington residents. This event will bring together employers across multiple industries that are currently looking for qualified candidates. The fair will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel at the Quay, 100 Columbia St., Vancouver. Employers who are interested in participating should contact Pam Peiper at 360-695-6292. Free résumé review and interview coaching assistance will also be available.

Herrera Beutler’s 2011 jobs fair was attended by more than 1,700 job seekers and 70 employers. Hundreds of job interviews and dozens of hires resulted within only a few weeks of the event, and feedback from participating employers and job seekers was overwhelmingly positive.

The campaign team for Liz Pike has announced a series of “meet-ups” to be held over the next few weeks in Camas, Washougal, Battle Ground, La Center and Ridgefield. Pike is a candidate in the 18th Legislative District for State Representative, Position 2. If elected, she hopes to form a partnership with city leaders to help all the communities in the 18th District grow and prosper. Washington apples and bottled spring water will be served to residents who attend. For more information, contact Susan Page at 360-360-253-6941 or sznpage1@yahoo.com. The meet-ups are free and open to the public. Following is a schedule for all five town-hall-style meetings:

• Saturday, May 26, 10 to 11 a.m., Camas Police Department Community Room, 2100 N.E. Third Ave., Camas
• Saturday, May 26, noon to 1 p.m., City of Washougal Community Room, 1681 C St., Washougal
• Thursday, June 2, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Battle Ground Community Center, Moulton Falls Room, 912 E. Main St., Battle Ground
• Saturday, June 9, 11 a.m. to noon, La Center Community Center, 1000 E. 14th St., La Center
• Saturday, June 9, 1 to 2 p.m., Ridgefield Starliner Food Mart, 320 Pioneer St., Ridgefield

On Tuesday, May 22, the Vancouver Watersheds Alliance will host a free screening of No Impact Man. Author Colin Beavan began the No Impact Project in Nov. 2006 while researching a book. Beavan vows to make as little environmental impact as possible for one year. No more automated transportation, no more electricity, no more non-local food, no more material consumption…no problem. That is, until his wife, Michelle, and their two year-old daughter are pulled along for the ride.

The screening will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St. in downtown Vancouver. There will be free food and a lively discussion following the movie with a panel of local experts. This is a family-friendly event, and children are welcome. To watch the No Impact Man trailer, click here.

Left to right: Kyuri Kim, Lillie Meyer, Jisu Park

Last Friday, Jaime Herrera Beutler announced the winners of the Southwest Washington Congressional Art Competition. The top three high school artists joined Herrera Beutler at her Vancouver office to receive their awards and celebrate their artistic achievements. The first place winner, Kyuri Kim of Mountain View High School, will fly to Washington, D.C., in June, when her painting, “Importance of Memories,” will be hung in the U.S. Capitol building for one year. The second and third place finishers, Lillie Meyer and Jisu Park, have the option of displaying their art in the congresswoman’s office for the year.

Sen. Joseph Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, has decided not to seek re-election to the state Senate. Zarelli says he will give up the 18th Legislative District position feeling optimistic that the incoming Legislature and governor will build on the reforms he has advocated. The Navy veteran and small-business owner, who became a senator in 1995 and won election to his first full term the following year, did not speculate about whether he will seek office again. Among other legislation, Zarelli helped to pass the following three reforms: one that will reduce the cost of public pensions, another aimed at making health coverage more affordable for K-12 education employees and a third requiring the state’s budget to be balanced across four years instead of two.

On Tuesday, May 22, East County Fire & Rescue (ECFR) will hold its second volunteer recruitment open house. ECFR serves the Camas/Washougal area of East Clark County, covering over 60 square miles. The event will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at station 91, 600 N.E. 267 Ave. in Camas. This will be an informal event where ECFR will give potential recruits the opportunity to learn more about ECF&R and hear from current volunteers about their experiences. Contact Danny Burch with questions at 360-834-4908 or dburch@ecfrR.us.

Sometimes running, sometimes walking, Justin Fletcher, in front, and 98 other Tukes Valley Middle School students participated in the “Relay for Life” on Thursday, May 17. Officially, the “Relay for Life” walk/run on a quarter-mile lap around the Tukes Valley Middle School grounds was to raise money for the fight against cancer. Unofficially, the participants also honored the memory of Kristi Thiessen, a math intervention specialist who taught in Battle Ground schools for 30 years and died of breast cancer in 2010. The event also encouraged physical activity and combated the growing scourge of childhood obesity. Finally, Relay for Life was a reminder to students that they can play a civic role in the larger community. The students each raised from $5 to the $320 collected by seventh grader Fletcher. The $2,172.25 total goes to the American Cancer Society. Fifth grade teacher Meda Logan organized the event and parent volunteers assisted.

We Are Vancouver, a new, locally produced TV show, showcases a slice of life in our community and shares in-depth information on city programs and facilities. New shows will air monthly on cable TV and online, produced by government cable channel CVTV. We Are Vancouver premiered Sunday, May 20, at 8:15 p.m. on CVTV Channel 23 and will repeat today at 3:30 p.m. on Channel 23, and at 6:30 p.m. today on Channel 21. Portions of the show will also air on the city’s YouTube channel at http://www.cityofvancouver.us. The first segment of the show highlights the return of springtime weather and events to Vancouver. Viewers will visit recreation centers, camps, ball fields, boat launches, parks, trails and other outdoor facilities. The show also features local businesses, and personal vignettes will help viewers get to know city leaders a little better. Watch the show on TV or online at www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv .

At “Evening of Excellence” on Thursday, May 24, students from Evergreen, Heritage, Mountain View, and Union High Schools will be honored for their outstanding academic achievements. District administrators, principals, community members, and parents are invited to attend the event, which recognizes 350 students for their acheivements in 40 different categories. This year’s event, hosted by local television personality Rod Hill, will feature a performance by the Evergreen High School Senior Quartet and keynote speech from Scott Keeney, president and CEO of nLight. The Evening of Excellence will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Evergreen High School, 14300 N.E. 18th St., Vancouver. For more details, contact Carol Fenstermacher, at 360-604-4088.

Clark Public Utilities’ Eradication Nation has declared “open season” on knotweed and invites volunteers to join the hunt. The PUD is launching a coordinated operation to identify, monitor, and control the spread of this invasive plant. Eradication Nation is a collaboration between community and non-profit groups committed to removing non-native plants from the Salmon Creek watershed. Clark Public Utilities spearheads the effort through its ongoing StreamTeam program and will coordinate hundreds of volunteers this summer to remove and suppress Japanese knotweed. In total, more than 900 volunteer hours will be dedicated to this initiative. Volunteers can help by joining the team for surveying events held on Saturdays in June and July, and treatment events from June through September. Opportunities to assist during the week are also available. For more information, call 360-992-8787, e-mail knotweed@clarkpud.com, or visit www.StreamTeam.net.

Starting today, May 21, drivers will see construction on eight miles of I-5 between the East Fork Lewis River Bridge and Todd Road, and on SR 503 in downtown Woodland. Contractor crews with the Washington State Department of Transportation will be replacing aging pavement and guardrail on I-5 and SR 503 and upgrading sidewalk ramps in Woodland. Drivers should expect daytime single-lane closures and nighttime double-lane closures for paving work on both directions of I-5. In addition to paving, crews will replace aging expansion joints on the southbound interstate bridge over Dike Road. Drivers should expect nighttime lane closures on SR 503, also known as Lewis River Road, in early June while crews grind out old pavement and lay fresh asphalt through downtown Woodland. Stay up-to-date on construction-related traffic impacts by visiting WSDOT’s Travel Alerts and Southwest Region Construction Update web pages.

When it comes to volunteering to help communities succeed, Wells Fargo is tops in the nation, according to the United Way. The nonprofit agency presented its national 2012 Summit Award to Wells Fargo in recognition of its record of volunteerism. The honor is part of United Way’s Spirit of America and Summit Awards program, the organization’s highest national honor. Other Summit Award winners this year were Bank of America, Deloitte, Publix Super Markets, Microsoft, General Motors, and ITW. Wells Fargo previously received Summit Awards in 2005, 2009 and 2010.

The Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) recently announced that it received a $4,912.00 grant from the Firstenburg Foundation to support the organization’s capacity building efforts. NWABA recently celebrated the organization’s five-year anniversary. Six students were served in 2007 when the non-profit was founded. This year, over 1,000 individuals of all ages and ability levels will be served through the organization’s five programs. For more information about NWABA, contact Billy Henry at 1-360-448-7254, or visit www.nwaba.org.

The Clark County YMCA will celebrate its second annual Celebrity and Local VIP Basketball Event at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, at Club Green Meadows, 7703 N.E. 72nd Ave. in Vancouver. The game will be a rematch of the RSV Vikings and Bullivant Bulls. Highlights in addition to the basketball game include professional dancers, a performance by Groove Nation, a silent auction, a raffle with prizes from local businesses, a G6 Airpark Stunt Team dunk show, a mascot dance-off, as well as autographs, pictures and time on the court with players and dancers.

The money raised from sponsorships at this event will go to underwrite scholarships for the children and families of Clark County to participate in YMCA programs. These programs include summer camp, classes offered at the recreational facility, where emphasis is placed on the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of each person. For more information, visit www.ymca-clarkcounty.org.

Take a “Green Tour” of Clark County from 8:30 a.m. to noon tomorrow, May 22. Nonprofit Network of Southwest Washington is hosting this half-day biodiesel tour to teach participants about environmental sustainability in our county, and the nonprofit organizations who are working to keep Clark County green. Destinations include the Parks Foundation of Clark County, Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, Empower Up, and the Vancouver Watershed Alliance. The cost is $25 per person, and participants can register by e-mailing together@nonprofitNetworkwa.org.

At a time when more and more people are looking for information online, Clark College is taking “the next step” in sharing information about its programs and classes. A new biannual publication, Clark Today, is replacing Clark College Connections, the quarterly class schedule that the college had been producing. Condensing more than 30 pages of information into a streamlined 16-page booklet, Clark Today provides a fresh overview of programs and other information that students need. It will include links to more in-depth information, including the actual schedule of classes, on the Clark College website. The first issue focuses on summer and fall quarters for 2012. It’s scheduled to arrive by mail within the college’s service district today or within the next few days. Complete information about Clark College is available at www.clark.edu.

American Medical Response (AMR) in Oregon and Southwest Washington is holding its first-ever Clinical and Safety Cup Competition for AMR teams of EMTs (emergency medical technicians) and paramedics in honor of National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week. The event will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Sunday, May 20, on the Brooks Campus of Chemeketa Community College, 4910 Brooklake Rd. N.E., Brooks, Oregon. Seven teams of EMT’s and Paramedics from Josephine, Clackamas, Multnomah, Clark and Cowlitz Counties will showcase their clinical and safety acumen at the event. Teams are scored on teamwork and skills performed during simulated trauma and medical 9-1-1 calls.

Rep. Paul Harris has been named a recipient of the “Guardian of Small Business Award” by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) for his voting record in support of small businesses in Washington. The award recipients are graded on votes they take during the two-year legislative cycle that help or hurt small businesses. A lawmaker must have an 80 percent voting record or higher to receive the award. NFIB Washington State Director Patrick Connor said lawmakers selected for the award took some difficult votes to support small businesses and employers. NFIB is the state’s leading small-business association, with more than 8,000 members in Washington.

The Ridgefield School District will hold an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 31, to receive comments and showcase planning documents for its upcoming capital facilities construction. The open house will be held in the Ridgefield High School Commons, 2724 S. Hillhurst Rd. Representatives from LSW Architects and members of the core project teams who help shape the project’s designs, will be present at the meeting. Ridgefield voters approved a $47 million bond package in February designed to update facilities and address overcrowding and safety concerns at each of the district’s four schools. The construction project ahead is the district’s first in 20 years, officials said. Since the bond’s passage, the district has organized professionals to perform geotechnical testing, survey the construction sites at each campus, and arrange the sale of the bonds. Learn more about the Ridgefield School District’s construction project at www.ridge.k12.wa.us.