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Southwest Washington's Community News Service

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

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Cooling centers open in Clark County

Hot enough for ya'?

Emergency service agencies in Clark County are responding to the heat advisory issued by the Weather Service today and Thursday. The Clark County Regional Emergency Services Agency recommends visiting areas with air conditioning, including shopping malls, movie theaters, libraries and community center.

There are also several cooling centers opening this week.

Cooling Centers for the week of July 4 to July 10:

Battle Ground Community Center
912 E. Main St.
Battle Ground, WA 98604
Wednesday to Friday, July 9, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information, call Battle Ground Parks & Recreation at 360-342-5380.

Camas Public Library
625 NE Fourth Ave
Camas, WA 98607
Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information, call 360-834-4692.

The Washougal Fire Department is setting up sprinklers.
Hamllik Park
City of Washougal
4285 Addy St.
Washougal, WA 98671
Thursday - 1 to 4 p.m.

Clark County Fire District 6 will open a cooling center, at noon today at its Felida Fire Station, 11600 N.W. Lakeshore Ave., Vancouver. Today's cooling center will close at 8 p.m. and reopen at noon tomorrow and again on Friday.

Seniors, people with heart conditions and high blood pressure are most at risk in the extreme heat. For more information, contact Dawn Johnson 360-356-6040.

CRESA recommends staying out of the sun, wearing sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, and a hat. The agency also recommends drinking a lot of water and avoiding beverages containing alcohol, caffeine, or high amounts of sugar.

Never leave children, pets, or those who require special care in a parked car during periods of intense summer heat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers information on its Extreme Heat website with tips on preventing heat injuries.

State offices to close Monday

The first widespread shutdown of state agencies as a result of budget shortfalls will take place Monday, July 12, 2010.

In April 2010, the state Legislature passed and Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6503. Designed to reduce state government spending for employees, the law requires that state agencies close on the 10 days specified in the bill or submit an alternate compensation reduction plan for approval by the Office of Financial Management.

Some Department of Licensing offices will be closed for business on Monday, July 12, and some will be closed on Tuesday, July 13. Licensing offices that are normally open Monday through Friday will be closed on July 12, and offices that are normally open Tuesday through Saturday will be closed on July 13. DOL headquarter operations, including the customer service center, will be closed July 12. The department encourages customers to check the DOL website to see if they can complete their transaction online, and to be prepared for higher-than-normal wait times if they visit an office immediately following a closure.

"While our offices are closed on these days, many of our services are available online 24 hours a day, seven days a week," says DOL Director Liz Luce. "You may be able to renew or replace your driver's license or ID card, obtain a copy of your driving record, and renew your vehicle tabs from the comfort of your home."

State temporary layoff days do not affect county or private vehicle licensing offices. A list of vehicle licensing offices is available on the department’s website.

Additional closures will take place:

· 2010: Aug. 6, Sept. 7, Oct. 11, Dec. 27.

· 2011: Jan. 28, Feb. 22, March 11, April 22, June 10.

The closures will save more than $70 million in all funds in 2010–11. The temporary layoff law was passed as part of a series of measures to address an almost $12 billion shortfall during the 2009–11 budget period. For more information on state agency closures, visit http://ofm.wa.gov/layoff/.

Clark County Democrats plan picnic

The Clark County Democrats are hosting a summer picnic from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 11 at Leverich Park. There will be candidate speeches at 3:30 p.m. Those attending are asked to bring a salad, side dish or dessert. Hamburgers, Gardenburgers, hot dogs, soft drinks, utensils and plates will be provided. There will also be live music, games and softball. Canned food will be collected for Share.

For more information and a map to the park, visit www.BlueDonkeys.com.

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Campaign Events

Campaign kickoff: David Horowitz will launch a campaign for the position of Clark County Assessor with a fundraiser at Java House, 210 W. Evergreen Boulevard, on Thursday, July 8. His campaign will provide a wine tasting, coffee or cappuccino and light appetizers.

3rd District candidate forum: Leadership Clark County will host a candidate forum at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 8, at Clark College's Gaiser Hall, featuring candidates running for the open seat in the U.S. 3rd Congressional District. The event is free and open to the public.

Prosecuting attorney candidate forum: The Forum at the Library and League of Women Voters are offering a forum featuring the candidates for Clark County Prosecuting Attorney at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 15 in the community room at Clark Public Utilities, 1200 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver. For more information, call 360-695-1566.

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News Briefs

Hazel Dell redevelopment: Clark County's commissioners will consider development incentives and design standards for the Highway 99 area at a public hearing Tuesday, July 13 at 10 a.m. in the in the sixth-floor hearing room of the county Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. The county might decide to reduce development fees, speed up permit review and offer credits for bicycle, pedestrian and public transit amenities.
192nd Avenue signals: A new fiber optics communication system will better coordinate traffic signals along Southeast 192nd Avenue. Drivers along the road should experience smoother traffic, but motorists approaching from side streets may notice slightly longer signal delays.
Voter deadline: Monday, July 19, is the last day to register by mail or online for the primary and special election on Aug. 17. This applies to anyone who has changed addresses since his or her last vote. Visit the county elections office at http://clarkvotes.org for more information.
CRESA Book Club: The Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA) will be hosting a lunchtime book club downtown to discuss the Amanda Ripley book The Unthinkable beginning Monday, July 12. Registration is available at http://www.cresa911.org/emergency/training-register.php or via phone at 360-992-6270. People may also participate in the book club discussion virtually, off-site, through Twitter by following www.twitter.com/CRESA_Presents.

Calendar

July 7: Young Professionals of Vancouver will hold its monthly networking event tonight from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Tigers Garden in downtown Vancouver, 312 W. 8th St. Admission is free. For more information, contact Phoebe Krueger at 360-567-2721 or phoebe.krueger@eocfwa.org.
July 8: The City of Battle Ground is planning to improve Southeast Grace Avenue between Rasmussen and Eaton Boulevards, with construction starting in late 2011 or early 2012. The city will host an open house on the design plans from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 8 at the Battle Ground Community Center, 912 E. Main St.
July 19 and Sept. 16: The Port of Vancouver is offering two more "V.I.P. family tours" this summer of its site on 3103 NW Lower River Road. The events are 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 17, and 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16. To reserve a spot, call Andrew Ness at 360-992-1137 or amness@portvanusa.com.
July 20: The next Face to Face with Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt and the Vancouver City Council will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20, at Fort Vancouver High School, 5700 E. 18th St., Vancouver.
July 23: The Columbia River Economic Development Council's 20th Annual Golf Classic is coming up Friday, July 23. Hole sponsorships and player slots are on sale. For details, visit www.credc.org.