News Briefs

• U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved legislation expressing concern with the CRC’s proposed height

  Today the full U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved legislation expressing concern with the CRC’s proposed height, and directing the U.S. Coast Guard to ensure that the CRC does not block river commerce. In its proposed fiscal year 2014 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations bill, the Appropriations Committee included report language submitted by Jaime Herrera Beutler that cites the “significant obstruction” the CRC poses to Columbia River navigation. In addition to directing the Coast Guard to protect the region’s economic interests, the bill outlines the severe impact the CRC’s current bridge height would have on area employers – including the livelihoods of local men and women. Members of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved the bill unanimously. Click here and scroll to page 68 to see the language regarding the CRC.

• Xeriscaping for Homeowners workshop May 30

  WSU Clark County Extension and Clark County Department of Environmental Services will host a xeriscaping workshop Thursday, May 30, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the WSU Extension offices, 1919 NE 78th Street. Xeriscaping, a concept for saving water in landscaped areas, involves planting with slow-growing, drought tolerant plants to conserve water and reduce maintenance costs for your yard or garden. This workshop includes a discussion of native plants adapted to endure drought. Learn about choosing appropriate plants for your garden, grouping them together with other plants with the same watering needs, and planting them in areas that are favorable to their growth. The event is free, but pre-registration is required at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/374680. For more information, call 360-397-6060 ext. 5712 or email watershed.stewads@clark.wa.gov.

• City of Vancouver approves citizen-led Horn Quiet Zone in east Vancouver

  Vancouver City Council unanimously approved the formation of a Local Improvement District (LID) to fund approved safety improvements at four railroad crossings and establish a quiet zone in East Vancouver. Championed by citizens, the LID allows 467 property owners who will directly benefit from the quiet zone to pay for the necessary safety enhancements at the crossings of Southeast 139th, 144th, 147th and 164th avenues. Property owners will be charged a LID assessment fee based on a three-tiered system developed from a sound study showing those areas that would benefit most from the silencing of train horns. A LID is a tool that allows property owners to fund a public improvement that benefits them all and share the cost. For further details, visit  www.cityofvancouver.us/trainhorns/east

• Tall ships visit Vancouver May 23 through 27

  Lady Washington, the Official Ship of the State of Washington, and Hawaiian Chieftain have scheduled a seven-week tour of the Columbia River that will include 11 ports in Washington and Oregon. The ships are marking the 225th anniversary of the first landfall by a U.S.-flagged vessel on the shores of what would later become Oregon. Both ships will stop at Vancouver this Thursday, May 23 through Sunday, May 27. The ships will offer public tours and excursions, including Battle Sails, which are recreations of a typical 18th-century naval skirmish, and Adventure Sails, which are family-oriented experiences with an opportunity to take the helm of a real tall ship. Prices range from $29 to $60 per person.For further information, visit www.historicalseaport.org.
• Seven local financial institutions answer challenge to match donation to Share’s Brick Campaign

  Seven local financial institutions answered a recent challenge issued by Nancy Olmsted, Columbia Credit Union Vice President of Marketing and Board Director at Share, to match (or beat) the credit union’s $1,000 Brick Campaign donation at the new Share Fromhold Service Center. Participating institutions include: Regents Bank, Umpqua Bank, iQ Credit Union,Riverview Community Bank,West Coast Bank, Columbia Credit Union, and HomeStreet Bank. The challenge raised more than $8,000. For the full article, click here.

• Free Clinic of Southwest Washington hires new clinic director

  Praneeti Parjan has accepted the Clinic Director position at the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington. She will direct the medical operations of the Free Clinic and will supervise six full time employees, and around 600 active volunteers, including 150 physician providers in urgent care. The position is being vacated by Patrick Callahan, who has been Clinic Director for the past five years. He is leaving the Free Clinic to attend the University of Washington, where he has been accepted to medical school. For the full article, click here.

• Journey Theater Arts Group presents “Annie Get Your Gun” this Friday

  The Journey Theater Arts Group will present Annie Get Your Gun, this Friday, May 24, at the Washburn Performing Arts Center, at Washougal High School. Pre-sale adult tickets are $12; youth, senior and group tickets are $9. All tickets for the Saturday, May 25 performance are $9, and all tickets are $2 more at the door. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.. There will also be a 3 p.m. performance on Saturday, June 1. Click here for the original article.
• Image Elementary School is first in state to achieve Level 4 Green School Certification

  Image Elementary School in Vancouver is the first school in the state to achieve the Level 4 Washington Green Schools certification. Last Friday, Mayor Timothy D. Leavitt presented Image Elementary School with the Level 4 status certification award. Leavitt spoke about how the actions of students in schools like Image Elementary fit with the sustainability goals of the City of Vancouver. The Image Elementary Green Team has completed environmental action projects in their school related to energy, water, waste and recycling, and now healthy school buildings. Washington Green Schools is a non-profit that provides K-12 schools across Washington with a certification system, education resources, and tools for students, teachers and communities to create greener, healthier schools. To learn more, visit www.wagreenschools.org.

• Fundraiser for Washington School for the Deaf at Paper Tiger Coffee Roasters this Thursday

  Paper Tiger Coffee Roasters will hold a fundraiser for Washington School for the Deaf (WSD) PE and Art Departments this Thursday, May 23, between 6:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. WSD is an educational community and statewide resource committed to ensuring all deaf and hard of hearing students in Washington reach their full potential. For every purchase made, Paper Tiger will donate 15 percent to the school for PE equipment and art supplies. Paper Tiger is located at 703 Grand Ave. in Vancouver. For more information, visit www.papertigercoffee.com. Support them on Facebook here.

• Crime Stoppers reward offered for information/return of sculpture’s head

  Local businessman, John Rudi, owner of Thompson Metal Fab, Inc., is offering a reward for information leading to the return of the Wendy Rose sculpture’s head. Rudi’s grandmother was a “Wendy Welder” at Vancouver’s historic Kaiser Shipyards and his business is located on the old shipyards’ land. A thief recently removed the head of the ten foot tall metal Wendy Rose sculpture located on the Columbia River waterfront trail about one mile east of the I-5 bridge. The public sculpture honors the women and men who supported the war through their work at the Kaiser Shipyards during WWII. The mount of the reward will be determined by the quality of the information, but could be as high as $1,000. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Vancouver Police tip line at 360-487-7399 or text Crime Stoppers of Oregon at 823HELP + your tip to 274637 (CRIMES).

• Adventist Health purchases Vancouver’s Fisher’s Landing medical building

  Adventist Health has purchased the 10,550 sf Fisher’s Landing Medical Building, 417 SE 164th Avenue, for $2.38 million. NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpson Vice President Tamara Fuller, CCIM, and Associate Vice President Pam Lindloff represented the
  seller, Allergy, Asthma and Dermatology Associates (AADA). Ted Gilbert and Molly Mink-Liston of Gilbert Brothers represented the buyer, Adventist Health. Adventist Health has occupied the entire building since August 2011, when it signed a lease with a purchase option, bringing the building to full occupancy for the first time since it was built in 2005. AADA had previously occupied about 5,000 sf, and consolidated its employees into another one of its clinics after Adventist Health’s lease.

• Vancouver Symphony May Concerts this weekend

  The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) ends its 34th season with a concert that combines the wonder of three winners of its 19th Annual Young Artists Competition with Prokokiev’s majestic Alexander Nevsky. Performances will be Saturday, May 25, at 3 p.m., and Sunday, May 26, at 7 p.m., at the Skyview Concert Hall, 1300 NW 139th St., Vancouver. Tickets for both concerts are $35 for general admission; $30 for seniors; $10 for students. Reserved seating tickets are available for $50. For further details and to purchase tickets, visit www.vancouversymphony.org. Click here for the full article.

• Parks Foundation annual luncheon June 4; early bird registration ends this friday

  The Parks Foundation of Clark County will have its annual luncheon Tuesday, June 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Hilton Vancouver. Tickets are $30 for Parks Foundation Members; $35 for non-members. Tickets purchased after Friday, May 24 will be an additional $5. Sponsoring a table for 10 is $500. The event will feature the presentation of the Florence B. Wager awards for excellence in service and dedication to parks and recreation programs and projects in Clark County, and the formal presentation of the 2013 Community Grants. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.parksfoundation.us. Click here for the original article.

• Ribbon cutting ceremony at Steamers & Screamers May 31

  Steamers and Screamers, a brand new business in Vancouver, will host their official ribbon cutting event on Friday, May 31, from 9:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. This celebration will feature llamas, face painting, balloon art and time to roam the state-of-the-art playspace.  Steamers and Screamers is located at 8400 NE Van Mall Drive, Suite 105. The first 20 attendees will receive a free latte and free “play” voucher for their children. For more information, visit www.steamersandscreamers.com.

• Job Seekers Conference May 23

  The community is invited to attend the Job Seekers Conference on Thursday, May 23 from 10:00 a.m to 12:30 p.m., located at the iQ Credit Union Conference Center, 305 NE 81st St., Vancouver. This event will feature topics such as understanding the expectations of the hiring manager, using the latest in Social Media, and learning ways to build a powerful network of connections. Past conferences have provided effective tools that assisted over 500 seekers in finding employment. Cost for this event is $39.  For more information and to register, click here.
• Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan to speak at Vancouver’s Memorial Day Observance May 29

  The Community Military Appreciation Committee (CMAC) will present Vancouver’s Memorial Day Observance Monday, May 27, at 11 a.m., at the Vancouver Barracks on the Fort Vancouver Historic Site. The event features keynote speaker Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan. Other speakers include: U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera-Beutler, Vancouver Mayor Timothy Leavitt, National Park Service Superintendent Tracy Fortmann, and Col. Peter F. Norseth. There will be a free hot dog lunch and historical camp reenactments following the observance. For the original article click here.

• Park Hill Cemetery Stewards needed May 24 – 27

  

  Park Hill Cemetery Stewards are needed for the 2013 Memorial Day weekend this Friday,May 24, through Monday, May 27. Cemetery Stewards will rove around the cemetery to help visitors locate and clean markers. Volunteers can help for a full five hour day between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or a shorter two and half hour shift on one or all four days. To participate, contact the city’s Volunteer Coordinator Hailey Heath at 360-487-8316 or complete the online RSVP form.
• Retirement/Anniversary celebration for Vern and Jelene Peterson May 28

  The Southwest Washington community is invited to join local accounting firm, Peterson & Associates, PS Tuesday, May 28, from 3 to 7 p.m., for a party at Bethany Vineyards. This is a chance to celebrate the beginning of a new journey for Vern Peterson upon his retirement — and exactly 58 years of marriage for Vern and his wife, Jelene. RSVP’s are not required but are appreciated. To register, visit http://vancouvercpa.com/invitation, call 360-574-0644, or email peggy@vancouvercpa.com. For the original article, click here.