Weather was the big news of last week
Schools were closed, transportation systems disrupted, and one person killed in a snow accident last week as southwest Washington got a taste of winter weather.
Snowfall began Tuesday morning, Jan. 16, and continued throughout the day. Estimates of the amount of snow that fell last week ranged from three inches in the Glenwood area, to four inches in Venersborg, to 5 1/2 inches on Kelly Hill in Yacolt, to six inches in La Center.
In Ariel, Jerry Olson measured three inches of snow on Jan. 10, two inches of which remained when another five inches fell Jan. 16.
Most area schools were closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, bringing to five the number of missed days so far this year. Several area school districts opened two hours late on Friday, Jan. 19.
One death was attributed to the snow. Madison Gecho, 9, was killed when she collided with a brick bench while riding on a tube being pulled by her father, Peter Gecho, 3000 NE 132nd Circle, Vancouver.
According to the Clark County sheriff’s office, Peter Gecho was pulling the inner tube with his pickup on the property at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 3000 NW 119th St., in the Felida area. An 18-year-old male was also on the tube.
As the pickup made a tight turn near a playground area, inertia forced the tube outward where it struck the bench. Officials believe alcohol contributed to the mishap.
Peter Gecho transported his daughter to Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital. She was transferred to Legacy Emanuel Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
Officials reported several sledding accidents that sent people to hospitals. On Jan. 16, nine sledders were taken to the several Legacy hospitals in Portland and Vancouver, including two to Salmon Creek.
In Vancouver, a 14-year-old boy slid into the street from his driveway where he was struck by a passing mini van. The boy was trapped and dragged underneath the vehicle before it came to a stop. The boy suffered head, neck, spinal and internal injuries.
The snow also disrupted C-TRAN bus service around Clark County. C-TRAN spokesman Scott Patterson said urban Vancouver routes ran on snow routes Tuesday and Wednesday to avoid hills. Service in those areas was restored late Wednesday. Bus service to downtown Portland was changed to service to light rail stations early Tuesday, a pattern that continued through much of Wednesday. While C-TRAN buses in Clark County were chained Tuesday and Wednesday, buses to Portland were not chained, said Patterson, because freeways were bare and wet. Bus service to Yacolt did not take place Tuesday or Wednesday, or Thursday morning.
Branches of the Fort Vancouver Regional curtailed their hours due to the snow. All branches closed at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Ridgefield Community Library was closed all day on those two days.
Legacy Health System invoked their Storm Management Plan, canceling community health education events and closing certain specialty clinics. Some Legacy programs were delayed.

Artwork suffers further damage
Outdoor artwork installed at Battle Ground High School following remodeling work in the late 1990s has been damaged.
The event is at least the second time in a year that damage has been done to the structure.
The artwork, called “Reach for the Sky,” is located on the high school campus near N Parkway Ave. It has a round base, inverted pyramid middle, a tall pipe with gloves, and a circular, tube-shaped top.
Sometime on Sunday morning, Jan. 14, according to observer and area resident Tom Croley, the upper portion of the artwork was bent down. He suspects vandals hung from the upper portion and had enough weight and leverage to bend the structure.
The art was damaged in January 2006, when the upper portion was bent and slightly rotated. The latest damage has bent the art in more than one place.
The artwork cost about $25,000, according to school district public information officer Kelly O’Brien. It was created by Tom Askman, an artist from eastern Washington.
The artwork is part of the state Art in Public Places program, handled by the Washington State Arts Commission. Under state law, one-half of one percent of state funding for certain construction projects, including schools, is to be dedicated to public art.
Arts Commission spokesperson Alice Taylor said “Reach for the Sky,” like other Art in Public Places projects, is owned by the state. “It is part of the state collection,” she said, hosted by the Battle Ground School District.
In the case of damage to public art, said Taylor, a conservator could examine the artwork and, in consultation with others, determine whether repairs are needed. The original artist could be consulted, said Taylor, to determine whether the piece still makes the originally-intended statement.
The Battle Ground School District entered into an agreement with the state Arts Commission in 1997, dealing with the placement, maintenance, ownership and other responsibilities regarding the “Reach for the Sky” art.
That agreement specifies that the Arts Commission is responsible for conservation of the artwork, contingent on adequate funding. The school district is responsible for protecting the artwork against theft, mutilation and vandalism.
O’Brien was uncertain what district officials might choose to do about the damaged artwork. At press time, Taylor had not received official notification of the damage.
Janae Huber of the state Arts Commission said artist Tom Askman was consulted when damaged was reported in January 2006 and decided the damage did not warrant repair.
Funding for Art in Public Places includes state-funded buildings that will be inhabited by people, including state agency buildings, schools and universities.
More artwork coming
Taylor noted that new schools are under construction in Battle Ground, and public art will be included in those projects.
Taylor said that a committee of 5-7 people would be formed in the spring, with members including school staff, teachers, parents, a professional artist and others. The committee would establish criteria for public art at the new schools, select an artist, and approve a proposal.
The committee would do its work over a six to nine month period, said Taylor. The chosen artist would then have one year to complete the project.
“Local decisionmaking is very valued,” said Taylor. “It could be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, indoors or outdoors.
O’Brien can be reached at 904-1233.

Blood supply
low; new blood center opens

Heavy snow and ice have adversely affected blood supplies, according to officials of the Southwest Washington Blood Program and the Red Cross.
Tom Butterworth of the Southwest Washington Blood Program said supplies are at “critical levels,” with a current supply that will last 2-3 days.
A number of drives have been canceled, said Butterworth, and some donors have had difficulty traveling to blood drive locations.
The Southwest Washington Blood Program, part of the Puget Sound Blood Center, opened a new, state-of-the-art donor center Jan. 17 at 9320 NE Vancouver Mall Dr., Suite 100, Vancouver.
The new center has about 3,500 square feet of space on the first floor of a two-story building, with eight beds for donors and space for 12 employees. Donors will find refreshments served by volunteers. Hours of operation are Tues.-Wed., 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Thurs., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Fri.-Sat., 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome; appointments may be made by calling (800) 398-7888..
` The Blood Program is the main supplier of blood to hospitals in Clark and Cowlitz counties, including Southwest Washington Medical Center and Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital.
Butterworth said the amount of blood needed in southwest Washington exceeds the amount donated in the area. Information is also available from Jeff Carrick, 254-3708.
Red Cross affirms low supplies
Clare Matthias of the American Red Cross said there is an urgent need for blood and platelet donors.
Matthias said inclement weather and driving conditions forced cancellation of Red Cross blood drives, resulting in some 1,000 blood products not collected.
Matthias said several blood types are now at half-day or lower supplies, including types O-, A- and B-. Type O+ is at a one-day supply level, said Matthias. A minimum of a three-day supply is adequate, she said.
“We’re asking that all eligible blood and platelet donors call to schedule an appointment as soon as possible,” said Eric Brown, CEO of Red Cross Blood Services for the Pacific Northwest. “Because of drive closures, we’re anticipating we could see a significant drop in the community blood inventory. We need the public’s help to maintain a safe, stable blood supply.”
To donate blood, individuals must be 16 years old or older with parental consent, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be generally in good health. People can donate whole blood every eight weeks and platelets every three days.
The Red Cross may be reached at (800) 448-3543.

Quality rods bring 25 years
of success to Woodland firm
Alice Perry Linker
staff reporter
The G.Loomis Company in Woodland has been making fishing rods for 25 years, and according to the executive director, they don’t plan to change their successful way of doing business anytime soon.
Bruce Holt, executive director of G.Loomis, remembers his early days on the job with Woodland’s Gary Loomis, company founder and developer of flexible fishing rods. Holt has been with the company 22 years.
“My very first day in the office, Gary said, ‘Write me a business plan.’ I was an art major. I had no idea what he meant,” Holt said. “But I was an avid angler, and I knew you had to produce what anglers wanted at the time. If you give an angler what he wants, he’ll be a customer for life.”
Holt and Loomis’s business plan apparently was successful, because the company did $800,000 worth of business the first year. “From there, it catapulted,” Holt said.
G.Loomis was bought by the Shimano Corporation of Osaka, Japan, 10 years ago, and the company is part of the Shimano America operation. The Woodland plant at 1359 Down River Road is the only plant that manufactures the G.Loomis rods.
The rods and rod blanks are based on products developed by Loomis who began making rods in the mid 1970s.
G.Loomis rods are made with carbon fiber and other materials. IMX and GLX are exclusive to G. Loomis. The materials are light weight and flexible, and “designed to last a lifetime,” Holt said.
“We don’t make inexpensive rods,” he said. “We make high quality rods, very serious fishing tools for serious anglers.”
A G.Loomis rod will cost anywhere from $100 to $900, Holt said.
The company sells to 1,000 retailers in the United States and 400 internationally, he said. The 135 Woodland employees manufacture some 150,000 rods each year, or about 625 rods each day.
“Our goal is to double our sales in 10 years,” Holt said. “Our growth will come from the international market--we’ve just scratched the surface there.
“Running one shift, we can make up to 750 rods a day; we’re not there yet, so we have room to expand and grow,” he said.
The company has made changes over the years, Holt said. For a period of time, G.Loomis manufactured golf clubs, but gave up that side of manufacturing to return to making fishing rods exclusively. In a Japanese plant, Shimano manufactures reels for the G. Loomis rods.
The G.Loomis logo of a skeleton fish has spread far beyond the rods and reels, Holt said. Hats, shirts and accessories now sport the unique skeleton.
“We expect to do $2 million in clothing and accessories next year,” he said. “I saw guys bow-hunting in Idaho wearing the hats.”
Gary Loomis is no longer directly involved in the operation of the company that bears his name, but he does promotions and operates the non-profit Fish First office in space donated by the firm.
“With Gary, there was no way this company could have ever failed,” Holt said. “He pushed, he got production out of people. He never gives up.”
G.Loomis will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Fri., Jan. 26. The celebration will be private, with Shimano President Yozo Shimano and Shimano America Corporation President Dave Pfeiffer of Irvine, CA, visiting the plant.
“Twenty-five years is a big thing,” Holt said.

Five named Citizens of the Year
Five graduates from the Woodland High School class of 1934 were named 2006 Citizens of the Year in Woodland and were honored during the annual Woodland Chamber of Commerce dinner Jan. 20.
Those honored were Adeline Jones Thomas, Ansgar Schei, Margaret Colf Hepola, Charles Ferguson and Abe Martin.
Thomas and Hepola accepted their awards in person. Martin and Schei were unable to attend because of poor health, and Ferguson was out of town.
Peter George, Woodland’s Citizen of the Year for 2004, introduced the honorees by saying that they “collectively represent approximately 300 years of commitment as adults... to the well-being and health of the expanding Woodland community.”
George praised the five for their “donations of countless hours of volunteer time to many public services and local and area organizations.” He said they have contributed to “a legacy for others to follow.”
“The contributions to the quality of life in the Woodland community from all of the nominees are already enduring,” George said. “They have simply lived their lives as they felt and thought they should. They stand as role models for current and future generations.”
Schei became a partner in Lewis River Motor Company in 1956 and continues to work there. He was Chamber of Commerce president in 1966, and a member of the board of directors of Southwest Washington Medical Center. He has been involved with the Northwest Medical Teams, organizing an annual fundraising banquet in Woodland.
Ferguson, an owner of Ferguson Dairy, has been a member of the Presbyterian Church, as has Thomas, who owned Thomas Logging with her husband Ben.
Martin, who founded Abe Martin Real Estate and Insurance in 1946, served on the Woodland City Council for 20 years and was a member of the Board of Trustees of Lower Columbia Community College.
Hepola is a historian who worked to restore the grist mill and covered bridge. She has written a history of Woodland and was active on the centennial committee.
Chamber officers for 2007 were installed during the dinner. They are Bill Behrens, president, John Randall, first vice president, Joel Lengyel, second vice president, Cheri Schatz, secretary, and Darlene Johnson, treasurer.
Members of the board are Mike Golik, Carol Rounds, Kathie Griffin, Saundra Tone, Debbie Kennell, Joy Snead and Barbara Harsh.
The dinner was attended by 145 people, making it the largest annual dinner in Chamber history, said Executive Director Sharon Knight.

Decision delayed on subdivision request
Alice Perry Linker
staff reporter
Differences between the developer and the Woodland Planning Commission have delayed approval of a plan for a 171-home subdivision on 55 acres between Old Pacific Highway and Insel Road.
The planning commission decided to postpone any decision on Meriwether Hilltop until Feb. 13, after the city’s planning and public works staff said they needed more time to analyze proposals made by developer Pacific Lifestyle Homes.
The city has approved the first three phases of the 295-home subdivision, including a 20-home planned unit development. The Hilltop portion of Meriwether will be the final phase.
Construction has not begun on any Meriwether phase, although the developer has received preliminary plat approval and a fill and grade permit to begin work on infrastructure in phases one and two, adjacent to Insel Road. Final plat approval will be required before building permits are granted. Matt Lewis of Pacific Lifestyle Homes said construction on phases one and two are expected to begin in late summer or early fall.
Residents along Insel Road have objected to the large subdivision, but only five people spoke in opposition to the Hilltop portion during the public hearing Jan. 9. Opposition centered around traffic issues.
Kathy Kirby asked that the planning commission delay any approval until a state transportation study is finished. “If we continue, we can’t maintain safe (traffic) standards,” she said. “Those of us on the east side can’t get through now.”
Doug Richmond of La Center, who said he drives through Woodland frequently, asked the city to “get the traffic under control and then proceed.”
A traffic study done for the developer by Lancaster Engineering recommends future traffic signals at SR-503 and E. Scott Road, as well as widening SR 503 to include left-turn lanes.
LeAnne Bremer of Miller Nash Attorneys, representing Pacific Lifestyle Homes, said that legally, approval of the subdivision plan cannot be put on hold until the transportation study is complete.
Pacific Lifestyle Homes has agreed to give $242,000 to the city to help pay the costs of improving SR-503. The city does not have a traffic impact fee.
Sharon Watt said that the Meriwether project will “put a strain on our services. It will put a strain on our schools.”
A proposed 15 percent road grade required to access the top of the Hilltop phase has been questioned by Woodland Fire Chief Tony Brentin, who wrote that fire apparatus would have difficulty accessing the hilltop during icy weather. The city is asking Pacific Lifestyle Homes to contribute $75,000 to buy equipment for spreading sand.
The planning commission indicated that if the developer provides funds to buy a truck and sanding equipment, the 15 percent road grade would be allowed. According to the developer, environmental restrictions limit the location of the proposed road.
Lewis said after the hearing that the original price of the truck and spreader “was closer to $55,000.” He said the developer is willing to help provide support for the Meriwether residents, but “it needs to be proportional with state law. We shouldn’t have to pay for equipment used 95 percent for the rest of the city and 5 percent for Meriwether.”
The issue of open space was also discussed during the hearing. The developer has said that nearly 13 acres will be maintained as open space in the Hilltop phase, but all 13 acres will be ineligible for buildings, according to testimony during the hearing. Three acres are wetlands, seven are steep slopes, and three are required as buffer between wetlands and the developed area. Lewis said that trails will be built within the buffer area.
None of the open space lands will be open to the public, Lewis said, but will be reserved for use by the home owners within the subdivision. Additional open space will be provided in phases one and two, he said.
A proposed clubhouse and outdoor, unheated swimming pool will be built as part of the first phase for subdivision residents, Lewis said.
“We want to allow the early residents use of the clubhouse and pool,” he said, “but we also want to use it as a marketing tool.”
Because the developer will provide open space and recreational areas for the subdivision residents, Pacific Lifestyle Homes will not be required to contribute to the city’s park impact fee.
Most staff concerns about the plan involved storm water detention, drainage, setbacks and fences. A drainage ditch that city planning assistant Nancy Malone said will be 10-feet deep in some places will require setbacks and slopes. The ditch will be fenced for safety.
The city staff has asked that each lot on the perimeter of the Meriwether subdivision be fenced, but Bremer said that fencing the entire area would not be feasible and the developer suggests setting standards for fencing height and materials.
When the subdivsion is complete, the developer will establish covenants and restrictions for homeowners and require that a homeowners association be established.
Malone said that under the Pacific Lifestyle proposal, “until people create a homeowners’ association there will be no way to enforce fencing.”
“In my experience, once a developer sells the lots, they’re gone,” she said. “The homeowner doesn’t know where the fence will go.”