9-11 victims remembered in ceremony
Brandy Slagle
Staff reporter
In every generation there are defining moments, said Fire District 11 Chief Denis Mason. Watching the twin towers collapse on Sept. 11, 2001, was one of those moments.
“We all remember where we were or what we were doing,” he said. “The generation before us had Pearl Harbor. We have this.”
Honoring the lives of 343 firefighters and 69 police officers who perished in service following the terrorist attack is an important tradition to staff at Fire District 11 and the Battle Ground Police Department, said Mason.
Members from both departments gathered on the morning of Sept. 11 to read the names of the police officers and firefighters who died that day.
Mason said the flag was raised and lowered to half mast by members of the honor guard from Vancouver, and prayer was led by Chaplain Landis Epp.
Battle Ground Police Chief James McDaniel and Battle Ground Mayor John Idsinga also addressed the crowd at the remembrance ceremony.
A ceremonial bell was rung to recognize the lives lost in the attack. A minute of silence was observed.
“Anytime you read the names of these people, there is a pretty strong response,” said Mason. It hits pretty close to home for a lot of these people.”
About 50 firefighters and police officers were in attendance at the early morning ceremony that began at 6:25 a.m. in front of Station 11-3 in downtown Battle Ground.
The north tower of the World Trade Center was struck at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, and the south was struck at 9:03 a.m.

State board to mull creek name
The state Board on Geographic Names will meet Fri., Sept. 21, to consider two competing names for a creek in Clark County.
The meeting is set for 1-5 p.m., at the Department of Natural Resources, 1111 Washington St. SE, Olympia.
Caleb Maki, administrative assistant to the state Board, said two separate proposals have been submitted for the creek which is located in the Hayes area of northwest Clark County and flows into the North Fork of the Lewis River.
Robert Zumstein Sr. proposed the name “Heritage Creek” in an October 2006 application with the Board. The creek flows through the Zumstein property.
In March 2007, area resident Walter Hansen Sr. also submitted an application with the Board, suggesting the creek be named “Hayes Creek.”
Zumstein described the creek as about three miles in length and an average of four inches deep. He said it runs year-round. Zumstein said water from the creek has been used for both livestock and irrigation.
“I believe the word “Heritage” will better serve all the neighborhood people living in this valley that is drained by the creek,” wrote Zumstein. “The tributaries of this creek touch almost everyone in this valley. They are proud of the little stream or spring that originates on their piece of land to feed the creek. It is part of their heritage.”
“My sibling and neighbor children spent our growing up years in the 40s playing in this creek and it's part of our heritage,” added Zumstein. “The farm is in trust to be passed from generation to generation and never broken up. My five children and 25 grandchildren all love the farm and creek, and it will be part of their heritage.”
Zumstein’s application listed others who supported the name “Heritage Creek,” including Bill Schurman, Norman Carlson and Gene Derry.
The name “Heritage Creek” was endorsed by the Clark County commissioners.
Hansen argued in his application that the area in which the creek flows bears the historic name “Hayes.” He said the area previously had the Hayes post office, Hayes church and Hayes school. A cemetery in the area is named Hayes Cemetery, he said.
The main stem of the creek, wrote Hansen, runs through the Hansen property. He said that the creek has been referred to as Hayes Creek since 1853. He said the “Hayes Bridge” was removed more than 70 years ago and replaced with a culvert where the creek flows into the North Fork of the Lewis River. The general area, said Hansen, was named after Pres. Hayes.
Joining Hansen in supporting the name “Hayes Creek” were Margaret Colf Hepola, Norman and Joyce Carlson and Frank Hansen, all residents of the Hayes area.
The Woodland city council voted 4-1 in favor of the name Hayes Creek. City council documents indicate that the name “Heritage Creek” is associated with only several properties rather than the area in general. The documents state that the name “Hayes Creek” is more closely associated with the area, given the existing Hayes Road that runs south of the creek and the existing community named Hayes on Hayes Road.
The public is invited to attend the Sept. 21 meeting of the state Board on Geographic Names. More information is available from Caleb Maki, (360) 902-1280.

Forzano concedes race to Ostrander
With only five votes separating two La Center City Council candidates, Chris Forzano has conceded defeat to Ron Ostrander.
In the Aug. 21 primary election, Ostrander received 129 votes to Forzano’s 124 votes. Candidate Mike Nolan was a clear winner with 176 votes.
“With only 400 votes, I don’t think a recount would accomplish anything,” Forzano said. “I was disappointed in the voter turnout.”
Forzano said he was also disappointed in the primary results.
“I thought I’d do a lot better,” he said. “I did a lot of door-knocking, I learned a lot and I met a lot of great people.”
Forzano, who was the La Center float committee chairman, said he plans to stay involved in the La Center community.
“I’ll be looking for other things,” he said. “For me, this election was a way to be part of the community.”
Nolan and Ostrander will face each other in the November general election for the seat vacated by Dale Smith, who is running against Jim Irish for La Center mayor.
In the only other La Center council race on the November ballot, Jim Miller will challenge incumbent Linda Tracy.

Utility board approves LUD near Woodland
Bill Myers
staff reporter
For 14 residents east of Woodland who own 27 properties, relief can be spelled “LUD.”
The formation of a Limited Utility District (LUD), complete with a new well, reservoir and water main by Clark Public Utilities will bring arsenic-free water to 27 properties near Hayes and Bridge roads east of Woodland.
Utility commissioners meeting Aug. 14 approved the formation of LUD 15, Bridge Road, to replace a district previously-formed as LUD 12. The re-formation was necessary when changes of the original LUD boundary became necessary to accommodate requests for inclusion by three additional area property owners.
Commissioners awarded a bid for construction of the new reservoir and water mains in the amount of $634,219.50 to Integrity Excavating & Construction Co. of Battle Ground.
Total cost of the entire LUD project is projected at slightly more than $1.3 million. Utility officials requested and received a state grant of $473,000. Property owners will pay the balance of about $853,000 through a low-interest (2 percent) state loan, at a cost of about $32,000 per property paid over 30 years with $1,428 annual payments.
Residents near Hayes and Bridge roads began to discuss the potential for a LUD with utility officials after water tests of private wells in 2003 along Hayes and Cedar Creek roads began to show levels of arsenic at over 500 parts per billion (ppb). A federal Environmental Protection Agency standard for arsenic levels in drinking water is not more than 10 ppb.
Public Health officials continue to urge periodic tests of private wells in Clark and Cowlitz counties for arsenic levels. Prolonged exposure to arsenic can cause cancer and other maladies. Test kits may be obtained from Addy Lab, 2517 E Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver, 750-0055, Ace Hardware Store, 720 W Main St., Battle Ground, 702-0123, and Hi-School Pharmacy, 1365 Lewis River Rd., Woodland.

Historic building ready for occupants
Alice Perry Linker
staff reporter
A new look for old town Woodland has begun with the completion of the 1910 Centennial Building, 147 Davidson Ave.
“I’m pleased with what we did,” said building owner Frank Ellis who shares his time between Woodland and Las Vegas, NV. “I feel I’ve done my job.”
Ellis bought a wreck of a building more than a year ago. He hired contractor Jim Kupfer, and with a team of engineers and builders, turned it into a showplace for the main downtown center.
“It was a total mess,” Ellis said. “Stuff had been in here for years and years.”
Realtor Art Lessard said that over the years, the building housed a hardware store, tavern, butcher and a beauty shop, and others. When Ellis bought the building, windows were broken or completely gone, the roof leaked, the floors were damaged and the exterior needed a face-lift.
The contractor gutted the building, down to the concrete walls.
“I said, ‘We’re going to do this right. It’s been here for 100 years and we want it to be here another 100,’” Ellis said.
The exterior almost matches the nearly 100-year-old original, although Ellis said the light beiges and grays are probably brighter than the original paint. Inside, the 7,500-square-foot, two-story building will be remodeled to suit renters.
Lessard envisions the second story with two staircases as apartments or condominiums. The view from the rear of the second story is of Horseshoe Lake and from the front, low hills to the north can be seen over the town.
When the building was nearly half completed, Ellis learned that because of its size, a sprinkler system would be required to meet the city’s fire code.
“When I originally applied, nothing was said about sprinklers,” Ellis said.
To help keep the building safe from fire, windows on the east side next door to the Moose Lodge were closed and covered and extra sheetrock will be required.
Ellis said he had originally thought the water source came into the rear of the building where the other utilities are located. He learned there was no water at the back and in order to hook up to a four-inch water main, he must dig under Davidson Avenue.
“I said, ‘I don’t need any surprises. I want this to be fun,’” Ellis said. “I wanted to give the city something nice. So we quit.”
For a time, the building stood silent and empty.
Then, Ellis said, he, the building engineers and city public works director Elaine Huber met.
“She said that possibly the city could bring water to the back,” Ellis said. “Elaine and Bob Jones (city building inspector) were very helpful.”
Eventually Ellis was permitted to use the one-inch water main already connected to the building for a four-unit sprinkler system, and he agreed to hook up to a larger main that will be laid to the south of Davidson Avenue.
“My insurance company says that sprinklers don’t change my insurance premiums,” Ellis said. “I have the fire department right across the street and Horseshoe Lake in the back.”
With the sprinkler problem solved, the exterior complete, and plans to lease the building for offices or apartments, Ellis and Mary, his wife of 53 years, sat outside the Centennial Building to watch the Planters Day parade.
“I felt very good,” he said.
Information about the Centennial Building is available through Lessard, 360-225-6553.

Fire department squelches blaze
The Woodland Fire Department put out a dumpster fire Sept. 6 behind Sunlight Supply Inc. on Downriver Dr., Woodland.
The 3:15 p.m. fire was spotted by Woodland police officer Terry Casey. The business was occupied but employees were not aware of the fire.
The dumpster was about 10 feet away from the rear of the building. A semi-trailer was parked next to the dumpster and a delivery truck was about 20 feet away.
Fire crews controlled the blaze in 11 minutes and extinguished it in 48 minutes. Damage to the dumpster and semi-trailer was estimated at $10,000.
Woodland fire chief Tony Bentin said his department had inspected the building a few months earlier when the dumpsters were located next to the building. The dumpsters were moved away from the building as a result of that inspection, noted Brentin.
Officials said the cause of the fire was undetermined, but could possibly have been discarded smoking materials.

Utility offers discount to disabled
The Cowlitz Public Utility District now offers a discounted electric rate for low-income, disabled citizens.
The discounted rate program was adopted Sept. 11 by the commissioners of the Utility District.
To be eligible for the new discounted rate, Utility customers will have been signed up for residential electric service for the past 12 consecutive months, have documentation of a disability, earn a disability income, and meet a low-income standard.
The program is similar to the Low-Income Senior Discount Rate program offered by the Utility since 2004.
The program offers two discount levels based on a customer’s annual income. A 10 percent rate discount is available to qualified customers with a gross annual household income of $13,691 to $20,535. A 20 percent discount is available to customers with a gross annual household income of $13,690 or less.
These income levels match the 2007 poverty guidelines, and 150 percent of poverty, as set by the federal government for a two-person household.
The Utility will contract with the Lower Columbia Community Action Council (CAP) to administer the program. CAP will meet with each applicant to review all necessary documentation and determine eligibility.
CAP is now making appointments to meet with Utility customers who wish to apply for the new program. Appointments may be scheduled for October 2007 through March 2008. The CAP office phone number is (360) 425-3430. More information is available by calling the Utility, (360) 423-2210, or (800) 631-1131.