Malt plant may build $100 million
ethanol plant at Port of Vancouver

In a special meeting last night, Port of Vancouver commissioners, approved a tentative agreement that would lease the vacant part of the former Fort Vancouver Plywood site adjacent to Great Western Malting Co., which proposes to build what would be the largest ethanol plant in the west.

Great Western Malting, a port tenant since the 1930s, has a competitive edge in this emerging industry because it could integrate its current malting process with an ethanol facility, and because it is owned by agricultural giant ConAgra.

The proposed $100 million ethanol plant would create 42 new direct family-wage jobs and inject over $200 millions annually into the local economy, according to port officials. They say that the ethanol plant also would have the potential to create business for other port tenants to handle the grain movement, and storage and shipment of the ethanol. The agreement, pending final project approval, would provide $250,000 to fund rail improvements necessary for the ethanol plant and would support the port’s south rail project, which will add freight rail capacity for port tenants and the mainline rail network.

“This is a truly synergistic project that combines our existing operations with cutting edge technology,” said Ann Rivers, Great Western Malting’s corporate spokesperson. Rivers cited these examples: heat from the ethanol plant that could be used in the malting process, existing grain offloading handling capabilities, and the access to on-site rail and shipping traffic.

Another advantage for Great Western Malting is that its supply chain there is already equipped to handle agricultural products, and the Port of Vancouver is conveniently located at the crossroads of rail, road and river access.

“Great Western Malting has a long history in Vancouver, and we are pleased to be a partner in promoting the environment and the economy,” said Nancy Baker, port commission president.

Ethanol, an agricultural-based fuel product, is used as a motor fuel substitute or additive and is part of the country’s strategy to reduce oil dependence.

Website has complete
4th of July information

The Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust has set up an extensive website covering just about all the questions anyone could have about Vancouver’s commemoration of the Fourth of July: www.official4thofjuly.org. A link to the website is also displayed following the daily headline links in the Daily Insider.

Now called Comcast Presents 4th of July at the Historic Reserve, the community celebration is in its 44th year.

According to Elson Strahan, president of the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust, "We are getting the word out about this all over the region and we anticipate having a very large crowd this year.” In the past the celebration had drawn crowds of up to 60,000 people.

Activities begin Saturday, July 1, which includes free admission to Pearson Air Museum and other activities at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site,

Fred Meyer Foundation Grants
help Share provide meal

Share has received from the Fred Meyer Foundation two community grants totaling $7,350 for Share's Backpack and Hot Meals Programs, which will help provide backpacks of food to feed hungry children and their families during the weekends and provide daily meals for the homeless and low-income members of our community. Share's Hot Meals Program serves over 125,000 meals each year.

Much of the food used in the program is donated by area grocery stores and food drives sponsored through our community and by local farmers, and meals are prepared daily by volunteers and staff.

Share was founded in 1977 with the goal of caring for the homeless and hungry in the greater Vancouver area. Share operates four shelters for the homeless, a transitional housing program, case management programs, and a street outreach program, and provides daily meals for the homeless and low-income members of the community. For more information on Share, go to www.sharevancouver.org.

Dodo alive and well
in Vancouver, Wash.

The most recent error in this newsletter appeared in yesterday’s piece about Amitava Chowdhury’s presentation in the Pearson Air Museum’s auditorium at 7 p.m. this evening.

During his lecture on behalf of the Northwest Cultural Resources Institute at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site archaeologist, Chowdbury will suggest that dodo birds became extinct after being devoured by runaway slaves on the island of Mauritius.

The Insider incorrectly located the island of Mauritius in the Caribbean Sea. It is not, as Dick Dobrow quickly pointed out. It is an independent island nation in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar.

The dumb dodo editor of the Daily Insider regrets this error.

People

Stacey Johnson has been named legislative assistant for the Vancouver district office of State Rep. Deb Wallace (D-17th). Johnson is the founder of the College Democrats Club at Washington State University Vancouver, where she is pursuing a master of public affairs degree. Johnson, a former director of legislative affairs for the Associated Students at WSU Vancouver, currently is chair of the Women's Political Caucus of Clark County and a member of the 2006 Library Bond Steering Committee. She is the founder and former president of the Fishers Creek Neighborhood Association. n Concluding a 40-year career in banking, the last 14 of which were as trust officer for the Bank of America in Vancouver, Jack Robson last night was feted by the bank and fellow employees with a dinner and retirement party at the Heathman Lodge. One of Robson’s retirement gifts, a G. Loomis fishing rod, is expected to get serious use.

Calendar

Portland’s Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, largest blues festival west of the Mississippi, opens at noon, Friday, June 30, for five days. Celebrating the blues-based music rooted in the bayous of Louisiana and southeast Texas, The festival helps support Oregon and Southwest Washington food banks. A contribution of $8 and two cans of food is expected for admission. 

Headlines at home and from around the world: (Click on the headlines below for the rest of the story)

Thursday on the air     Clark County Land Use Hearings (live)—6 p.m. CVTV    Seattle Mariners at Arizona (live)—6:30 p.m. FSN, KFXX    Tucson at Portland Beavers (live)—7 p.m. KKAD    City Minutes (6/11)—11:15 p.m. CVTV

Town Tabloids and the weather Jeanette Burckhard doing stringer duty. n Bobbi Cussins getting ball rolling. n Jamie Weiss issuing 60-day warning. n Celinda Rupert reporting the food rocked. n Bill Roller commemorating the nation’s first holiday electronically. n Jessica Lightheart sharing good news. n Thursday, mostly sunny, 82. Friday, mostly sunny, 84. Saturday, mostly sunny, 80.

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