Port of Kalama adding over 100,000
square feet of industrial shelter

Having just completed a 33,000-square-foot industrial/office building in its industrial park, the Port of Kalama has begun construction on a similarly sized, $1.8 million facility, expected to be completed early in 2007, and has announced it is working on design of a 40,000 square-foot industrial/office building for the industrial park.

The building under design will be the fifth built at the Port of Kalama in the past two years.

Port officials credit rapid expansion at the Port of Kalama to its immediate access to Interstate Highway 5, on-site access to Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific mainline railroad service, its deep draft shipping terminal and dual access fiber optic telecommunications service.

Muslim, Jewish and Christians
preparing conflict resolution lunch

Muslim, Jewish and Christian members of the Greater Vancouver Interfaith Association will be making lunch for those attending the day-long 2nd annual Vancouver/Clark County Conflict Resolution Make a Difference Day event Saturday, Oct. 28, in the first Congregational Church, 1220 NE 68th Street.

Creative Peacemaker awards will be presented after the lunch. Workshops are scheduled throughout the day.

Reservations are requested and can be had by calling 619-1153, or by going to www.cityofvancouver.us/mediation. There is no charge for the event, although donations will be accepted to cover the cost of the lunch.

Extreme piano makeover
stars Mayor Royce Pollard

Headline entertainment at the Emil Fries School of Piano Technology for the Blind’s annual fundraising dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Red Lion Hotel at the Quay, is a piano-tuning demonstration by the mayor of America’s Vancouver, Royce Pollard, reports Len Leger, executive director of the 57-year-old school.

The school, founded in 1949 by Emil Fries at 2510 E Evergreen Boulevard, trains blind and visually impaired people in piano technology. Graduates have formed over 200 small businesses related to piano tuning and sales. The school is a recent recipient of a $100,000 grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust.

A silent auction is being conducted during the evening. Admission is $50 per person. For reservations, call Leger at 693-1511.

Legacy offering teddy bear triage

Children are invited to bring teddy bears and stuffed animals Saturday to Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital’s “Teddy Bear Hospital,” an event giving youngsters a chance to see how the hospital works, and to pretend to be doctors and nurses, for admitting their stuffed animals.

Kids are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes for the 10 a.m.-to-2 p.m. program in the hospital’s front entrance area. Kids and parents will get to tour the hospital’s dedicated pediatric emergency department and radiology unit, according to hospital spokesperson Maggie Huffman.

News brief

Volunteers are being sought for a massive English ivy pulling and graffiti removing event at two locations on Burnt Bridge Creek, Saturday, Oct. 21, according to Eric Himelfarb, AmeriCorps volunteer coordinator. Further information is available by calling  Himelfarb at 619-1124. n Following a relatively long period of days with no egregious errors, dailyinsider.info goofed out loud yesterday by putting the Port of Vancouver’s proposed Gateway Industrial Park north of the Vancouver Lake flushing channel. We were close, though. The 500-acre industrial site will be south of the flushing channel, port staffer Sue Groth reminded us.

Calendar

Clark County Skills Center’s restaurant is offering a four-course Northwest theme dinner at 6:30 p.m. this evening. Reservations for the $24 dinner can be obtained by calling Robbin McColley, 604-1050, extension 2176.  n Arts Equity Theatre is presenting Harold Pinter’s Birthday Party at 7:30 p.m. this evening and again at Saturday, Oct. 21, in the Main Street Theatre, 606 Main Street. Tickets are $8 to $24. n The Battle Ground Community Library’s Mad Science program for kids is at 3 p.m. Saturday in the library at 12 W Main Street. n Clark County Historical Society’s annual Heritage Award Luncheon, honoring this year Margaret Colf-Hepola, is at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, in the Lewis River Golf Course, 3209 Lewis River Road. Call 993-5679 for tickets to the $22 buffet luncheon.

Friday headlines

Big county election race: Stuart and Hagensen--Columbian

Heritage High School gets huge federal grant--Columbian, Howard Buck

Academy proposal stunted by rules?--Columbian, Cami Joner

Portland Center State opens with West Side Story--Columbian, Brett Oppegaard

Costco execs reject annual bonuses--Seattle P-I, Craig Harris

Bush consulting with brass over Iraq strategy--USA TODAY

Democrats urge Bush to change course on war--Washington Post, Bill Brubaker

Attack on Iraqi city shows militia's power--New York Times, Kirk Semple

Oil prices fall despite OPEC decision to cut production, USA TODAY, AP