Annual Festival of Trees
opens in the Hilton Friday

One of Vancouver’s top-rated charitable fundraising events, the Vancouver Rotary Foundation’s Festival of Trees, holds sway Friday, Nov. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 26, in the Hilton Vancouver Washington.

Fifty decorated Christmas trees, Christmas scenes and wreaths will be on display. In addition, local vendors and artisans will have holiday gift items available for sale.

Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26. Admission is $5. Seniors will be admitted for $4. Children will be admitted for $3. Those under 6 will be admitted free.

There is no charge for attending the 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24, community Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Esther Short Park. Neither is there a charge for the Vancouver Pops Concert in the Hilton that follows at 8 p.m. However, a $5 donation is suggested for the concert.

The Teddy Bear Tea, for youngsters, is also in the Hilton, is from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Nov. 25. Cost per participating child is $5.

The big event is the $125-per person gala dinner and tree auction in the Hilton from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25.

Concluding the festival is the annual senior luncheon at Clark College, which begins at 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 26. The $10-per person charge includes admission and transportation to the Festival of Trees.

For further information, go to www.festivaloftrees.net.

It’s beginning to look a lot like
Christmas at Fort Vancouver

With a fresh focus this year on hands-on activities and demonstrations, the staff and volunteers at Fort Vancouver are offering new and creative opportunities aimed at attracting a regular cadre of visitors as well as many first-time visitors, according to Greg Shine, the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site’s chief U.S. Park Service ranger.

One of the main events of the year is the Saturday, Dec. 9, annual Christmas at the Fort Vancouver stockade, 1001 E Fifth Street,

Visitors of all ages are encouraged to join in on activities, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., focusing on what the Hudson’s Bay Company employees would have been doing in the 1840s to prepare for Christmas and the New Year.

“From games to craftwork to storytelling, Fort Vancouver’s annual event will give the visitor an opportunity to experience first-hand some of the activities that the Hudson’s Bay Company employees may have been carrying out during the holidays,” according to park ranger Kimm Fox-Middleton, the park’s Special Events program manager.

Visitors will be able to participate in many of the hands-on activities including making holiday toys, playing games of the time, enjoying period music, learning the skills needed to do Victorian handcrafts, listening to holiday stories, and observing a “black powder” program that interprets the tradition of duck hunting.

Admission is $3 per person, $5 per family; children 15 and under, free. For further information, go to www.nps.gov/fova.

Joint hearings will address
growth management plan

Still determined to complete the county’s 20-year Comprehensive Growth Management Plan by the end of 2006, Clark County commissioners have scheduled two combined board of commissioners’/county planning commissioners’ public hearings for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 28, and Wednesday, Nov. 29, in the 6th floor hearing room in the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street.

Amendments to the plan were first proposed in 2004; and, in 2005, the board of commissioners approved amendments, only to rescind the amendments at the beginning of this year.

The new plan looks more aggressively toward business and job growth, and at expanded urban growth areas surrounding most of the cities in the county.

The first hearing in the series will focus on comments from property owners and districts and neighborhood groups. The second hearing will be geared toward comments from representatives of cities, schools, and other public agencies, and associations.

Further information is available at www.clark.w.gov/longrangeplan/review/index.html.

Will Hornyak entertains at
Clark College this evening

Storyteller Will Hornyak this evening will discuss “Our World Today” at the 6 p.m. concluding event in the Clark College World of Education series dinner in the Gaiser Hall Student Center Stage.

Reservations for the $6 dinner are required and may be had by calling 992-2497.

Calendar

The Vancouver Council meets in workshop session at 4 p.m. today. The council also meets in a formal session at 7 p.m. this evening. A scheduled hearing on a proposed business and occupation tax will not be discussed. However, the council will discuss a proposed $50 flat surcharge fee per employee as an add-on to the city’s business license fee requirements. n Port of Vancouver commissioners meet in a special session at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, to consider approval of an agreement settling claims with Granite State Insurance Company. n Clark Public Utilities’ commissioners meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, to discuss the 2007 electric and water utility budgets. n The Vancouver Library Capital Facilities Area Board meeting is at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, in the commissioners hearing room in the Public Service Center. n Clark County commissioners meet in regular session at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21. n The Columbia River Crossing Project Sponsors Council meets at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, in the suite 205 community room at 700 Washington Street.

 

Monday headlines

Burgerville gets another major atta-boy--Columbian

B&O tax nixed for 2nd, maybe last time--Columbian, Jeff Mize

Fred Meyer resurgence kicking in--Columbian, Julia Anderson

State Supreme Court says Boundary Review Boards cannot expand annexation proposals--Columbian, Jeff Mize

Don Benton's legislative prompting led to return of building to Camas School District--Columbian, Brett Oppegaard

Racial harassment sends Vancouver woman packing--Columbian, Kelly Adams

Iraq debate intensifies with news of Pentagon Report--USA TODAY

Syran-Iraq relations to resume after 24 years--USA TODAY, AP

Home prices drop in 45 metro areas, but not Vancouver-Portland; sales fall in 38 states--USA TODAY, Noelle Knox

O.J. Simpson book, TV special canceled--USA TODAY, AP

A sunnier forecast for solar energy--Washington Post, Steven Mufson