Vancouver, WA  ̶  Councilors-elect John Blom and Eileen Quiring are scheduled to be sworn in as members of the Board of County Councilors at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 29.

The swearing-in ceremony will be in the sixth-floor hearing room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. Presiding Superior Court Judge James E. Rulli is scheduled to administer the oath.

The ceremony is open to the public.

Quiring will succeed retiring Councilor Tom Mielke and represent District 4, which covers north Clark County.

Vancouver, WA – During the holidays, Americans will generate about 1 million extra tons of garbage each week. This waste is often gift packaging, wrapping paper and leftover food.

Fortunately, you can reduce, reuse and recycle during the holiday season without cutting back on holiday cheer, according to Sally Fisher, Environmental Outreach Specialist with Clark County Public Health.

Follow these tips if you dream of a green Christmas:

Vancouver, WA – Clark County’s Green Business program will host a free Morning Blend networking event from 8-9 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at the Habitat for Humanity Store, 10811 S.E. 2nd St.

The Clark County Habitat for Humanity Store is a discount home-improvement outlet that sells donated building material, appliances, furniture and other products. The store is a source of financing for local Habitat for Humanity home-building projects and functions as a local hub for reuse and recycling.

Vancouver, WA ‒ Battle Ground artist Jim Demetro has been named winner of the Clark County Arts Commission’s 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award.

He will be honored by the commission at the Jan. 3 meeting of the Board of County Councilors. Presentation of the award will be at 5:45 p.m. in the sixth-floor hearing room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. The council will meet at 6 p.m.

Vancouver, WA  ̶  The Southwest Washington Regional Health Care Advisory Committee will meet for the first time Friday, Jan. 6, in the sixth-floor hearing room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St.

The meeting originally was scheduled for early December but was canceled because of inclement weather.

The committee will meet 9-11 a.m. The meeting is open to the public.

Vancouver, WA ‒ The Public Service Center’s second-floor joint lobby, which provides services for the Assessor, Auditor and Treasurer’s offices, will adjust its walk-in business hours beginning in January.

The new hours will be 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The new hours also will apply to the GIS Storefront adjacent to the joint lobby.

Marriage license applications will be processed 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Crews spray anti-icer on major roads, gear up for early start before morning commute

Vancouver, WA – Road crews have been busy the past two days spraying anti-icer on thoroughfares in preparation for a major snow and ice storm forecasted for Thursday.

The National Weather Service forecasts snow will begin falling at 9-10 a.m. Thursday, followed by freezing rain later Thursday and rain by midnight. The storm could bring 2-4 inches of snow and ¼ inch of accumulated ice.

Vancouver, WA ‒ A farewell reception for out-going county councilors Tom Mielke and David Madore will immediately follow the Tuesday, Dec. 13, meeting of the Board of County Councilors.

The council meeting begins at 10 a.m. The reception will be held in the sixth-floor Hearing Room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. The event is open to the public. Light refreshments will be offered.

Vancouver, WA – The county manager is seeking applications to fill three positions on the Railroad Advisory Board.

The terms begin Jan. 1, 2017 and conclude Dec. 31, 2019.

The Railroad Advisory Board advises the county about its 33-mile railroad typically known as the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad. The 15-member board considers how to best achieve long-term return on investment in the railroad, leverage it as an economic development asset, and address concerns of stakeholders and constituents.

Vancouver, WA – Flu season is in full swing in Clark County. According to Public Health’s Influenza Surveillance Update for Nov. 13-19, laboratories testing for flu report a 25 percent positive rate countywide, a rate well above Public Health’s 10 percent baseline for high flu activity.

The report indicates an earlier start to the flu season than in previous years. Also, as people visit family and friends during the holidays, flu viruses will have more opportunities to spread.