The Port of Vancouver USA is launching a lecture series featuring industry experts who will share knowledge, personal experiences and fascinating facts about how railroads and the maritime industry work, how products move by road, river and rail, and how ports connect us to the global marketplace.

The series kicks off on Monday, Feb. 13, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Terminal 1 Gulls Nest Conference Room, 100 Columbia St. The lecture features Columbia River pilot Capt. Paul Amos and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association Executive Director Kristin Meira. Capt. Amos will share his knowledge and firsthand experiences in the tug and barge industry, and towing vessels on the Columbia, Snake and Willamette rivers. Meira will discuss the importance of a reliable, efficient and sustainable river system to the way of life in the Pacific Northwest.

A second lecture is slated for Thursday, Feb. 23. These are just the first of several lectures the port plans in 2017 on a variety of topics. Seats are limited, and those interested in attending are encouraged to sign up early. To register, call 360-693-3611 or email rsvp@portvanusa.com.

Dutch Bros. Vancouver’s 10417 Mill Plain location hosted “Mochas for Murrays” and raised $1,850 to support a local family. The Murray’s lost their home to a devastating house fire on Jan. 7. Hanson Murray and his family frequent this Mill Plain location, so much so, that when the crew heard what happened, they wanted to help. “We are overwhelmed with the amount of love and positivity poured in and out of our windows, Wednesday,” says Vancouver Regional Manager, Sabrina Santoyo-Mendez. Last Wednesday, Dutch Bros. Vancouver’s Mill Plain location donated $1 from every mocha sold, and had donation buckets for community members to have the option to support the local family further.

Einstein famously said, “God does not play dice with the universe.” But could games have anything to do with the origins of life on the Earth? In the next installment of Science on Tap,  Dr. Niles Lehman, professor of chemistry at Portland State University, will introduce the concept of game theory and make a connection between game theory’s principles and how life may have arisen on the Earth some four billion years ago.

Surprisingly, there may be a link between strategies that “players” use when in competitions, and the strategies that molecules use to behave in a life-like fashion. Science on Tap is a science lecture series where family and friends can sit back, enjoy a pint, and laugh while learning. Listen to experts talk about the science in your neighborhood and around the world.

The next Science on Tap is at 7 p.m., tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 1, at Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main St. Tickets are $8 online for advance tickets, $10 at the door. Beer, wine, popcorn, pizza slices, and snacks are available for purchase. For more information, visit Via Productions.

The Washington State Arts Alliance will hold the annual Arts & Heritage Day in Olympia on Wednesday, Feb. 8, in cooperation with the Washington State Arts Commission, the Washington Museum Association, ArtsWA, Artist Trust and Arts Ed Washington. This is an all-day event that brings together artists, arts, humanities and heritage leaders, and cultural professionals from across the state. A reception with legislators will be held the evening prior, on Feb. 7, at the State Capital Museum in Olympia. For more information and to RSVP for the reception, visit www.washingtonmuseumassociation.org/arts-heritage-day.