News Briefs

BY VBJ STAFF

Regional job losses continue

Washington continues to lose jobs to the sluggish economy. While the state’s unemployment hit 7.1 percent in December, Clark County’s rose to 8.7 percent, up from 8 percent in November.

The health care industry continues to thrive, while nearly every other sector posted job losses – construction remains one of the hardest hit, losing 1,700 jobs in December, according to Regional Economist Scott Bailey.

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YWCA, Clark College name Women of Achievement

The YWCA Clark County and Clark College will celebrate 25 years of Women of Achievement March 23, including the 2009 honorees: Bobbi Casanova of the Human Services Council; Jane Cote of the WSU Vancouver Business School; Jeanne Firstenburg of First Independent; Addison Jacobs of the Port of Vancouver; Debra Jenkins of Clark College; Terry Murphy of Design Showroom; Carol Parker Walsh of ParkerWalsh Consulting; and State Rep. Deb Wallace.

Tidewater donates to local Red Cross

Vancouver-based Tidewater Holdings donated more than $20,000 to the American Red Cross Southwest Washington Chapter. The gift will fund an emergency shelter supply trailer to supply food and other health items to disaster victims.

C-Tran use gets a boost

Despite gas prices plummeting at the end of 2008, use of C-Tran’s services rose 18 percent compared to the same period in 2007. It is the highest estimated use of public transportation use in 25 years nationally, experts say.