Jack Burkman’s re-election campaign kickoff will take place at the Firstenburg Community Center Community Room A, 700 NE 136 Ave, Wednesday, June 5 from 5:30 to  7 p.m.. All are welcome to join Burkman as he launches his campaign for re-election to Vancouver City Council position 1. For further information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/665932786756417/, or call Jack Burkman directly at 360-931-4919.

CenturyLink awarded Tylor Hankins, a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher at View Ridge Middle School, a $5,000 grant through the company’s Teachers & Technology grant program at a regular school board meeting this week. Hankins intends to use the grant funds to purchase three-dimensional printers for use in the middle school’s STEM classes. “The students could use the printers to create their parts for class projects,” says Hankins. “For instance, students could print their own gears for our recent dragster-racing project.” Since 2007, CenturyLink’s grant program awarded a total of $550,000 in grant funds across to 92 recipients; $110,000 in grants awarded to 22 teachers this year alone.

The results of the 2013 Seattle Wine Awards have been announced. Among the winners are local Vancouver winery Burnt Bridge Cellars, garnering 4 Gold and 2 Bronze medals. Burnt Bridge Cellars won gold at the Seattle Wine Awards for their first wine they released, the 2010 Les Collines Viognier. This year, all 6 of their spring release wines were recognized as some of the best wines that Washington state produced. The Gold medal winners are the 2012 Les Collines Viognier, the 2012 Les Collines Semillon, the 2011 Les Collines Syrah and the 2011 Columbia Valley Tempranillo. Burnt Bridge Cellars is located at 1500 Broadway, downtown Vancouver. For further details, visit www.burntbridgecellars.com.

Elder abuse is the fastest growing crime in America and the first step to prevention is awareness. The community is asked to wear purple, or pick up a purple ribbon to wear this Thursday, June 6, to recognize and bring attention to World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

Interested parties are also welcome to attend a “Turn the Town Purple- World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Dance,” June 6, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Leupke Senior Center. Presented by Friends of the Elder Justice Center and the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office the afternoon will feature music, door prizes and the opportunity for some very special seniors to dance with some local dignitaries.

Spearheading this event is 2013 Iris Award recipient Dianna Kretzschmar, a strong community leader and passionate advocate for the protection of elderly and vulnerable adults in Clark County. Details about the event and purple ribbons can be found at the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, 1101 Broadway, in downtown Vancouver. Find the event on facebook here.