Ailing amphitheater gets revised lease
The struggling Amphitheater at Clark County received a revised lease from Clark County in an attempt to make its operations more sustainable.
The Board of Clark County Commissioners approved a new lease July 29 for Quincunx of Washington, which operates the venue. The amphitheater's rent rate was reduced from $700,000 to $300,000 until 2010, when it will be increased incrementally.
Quincunx agreed to invest $2 million to retrofit the amphitheater for concerts with less than 7,000 guests. Its current capacity is 18,000 people.
Quincunx will present designs to the county by Oct. 30, including a movable wall and other features to make the venue more flexible. Completed improvements are expected by Oct. 31, 2010.
Under the venue's original lease in 2002, it was expected to host as many as 45 events each year, but has only drawn about 12 events annually, according to a county press release.
Quincunx has seen operating losses between $1 million and $3 million each year, according to the county, with no return on its investment in construction and other improvements worth at least $30 million.
The venue has struggled amidst changes in the national concert market including shrinking audiences, rising ticket prices, a sluggish economy and competition from other entertainment forms, the county reported.
Located at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Ridgefield, the amphitheater opened in 2003. Its activity brings an estimated $9.1 million to the area annually, including $1.2 million in payroll for about 100 employees.
Bullivant forms alliance with Chinese firm
Portland-based law firm Bullivant Houser Bailey, which has a firm in Vancouver, formed a strategic alliance with Beijing-based Lenman, Lee and Xu.
Lenman, Lee and Xu is a top-three licensed Chinese law firm with specialties including foreign direct investment, mergers and acquisitions and international trade. The firm was established in 1992 and has more than 300 attorneys and 22 offices in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Bullivant.
The allied firms will keep separate identities and serve as co-counsel in certain cases, according to Bullivant. The alliance is intended to give corporate clients in China access to foreign capital markets and to expand the global reach of both firms.
Bullivant also has offices in Seattle, Sacramento, San Francisco and Las Vegas and more than 160 attorneys in the United States and on the Pacific Rim.
Open house set for Minnehaha road plan
Possible road improvements in the Minnehaha area will be discussed at an open house Aug. 12.
The Minnehaha area spans north of state Route 500, east of St. John's Road, south of Minnehaha Street and west of Andreson Road in Vancouver. A traffic circulation plan is proposed, which could become part of the county's comprehensive growth management plan.
The gathering will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Clark County Operations Center, 4700 N.E. 78th St. in Vancouver.
The event is coordinated by planning departments of Clark County and the city of Vancouver and staff from the Washington State Department of Transportation will be present.
Nonprofit receives grant
Program expansion grants awarded to two local nonprofits this month by the KMR Group Foundation and Nutrition Now.
Vancouver-based Share House received $10,000 to help expand its backpack and summer lunch programs under Share's children's hunger initiative.
The Vancouver-based Free Clinic of Southwest Washington received a grant to help expand its free children's immunization services from two nights per month to four nights per month.
Academy renews accreditation
The Vancouver-based International Air and Hospitality Academy has renewed its three-year accreditation.
The renewal came from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, which accredits hundreds of vocational schools nationally. The designation applies to all of the academy's courses including airline, culinary and hospitality management studies.
Woodland businesses give $16K
Students received scholarships totaling $16,000 from two Woodland businesses.
Columbia River Carbonates and Hamilton Drywall Products partnered this year on a scholarship program benefitting three college students.
Amber Olinger received $10,000 toward her pursuit of a bachelor's degree, while Kayla McCauley and Katie Wodaege each received $3,000 toward studies for their associates' degrees.
Columbia River Carbonates has funded 34 scholarships since 1999.
INNOVATION + TECHNOLOGY
nLight awards scholarships
Vancouver-based nLight Corp. awarded its third Mentoring Advanced Programs for Students scholarship in July.
The MAPS program provides business and workforce mentorship to high school students taking advanced courses. Its mentors are active in the Vancouver, Evergreeen, Camas, Washougal, La Center and Ridgefield school districts.
An award of $1,500 went to Erica Ellingson, a recent Skyview High School graduate who plans to study chemistry and bioengineering and ultimately become a reconstructive surgeon.
Micro Nano event registration opens
Registration is open for the fifth annual Micro Nano Breakthrough conference Sept. 8 through Sept. 10 at the Hilton Vancouver.
The event will highlight ways the economy is affected by microtechnologies and nanosciences through the work of scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and government officials. The conference is hosted by the Corvallis-based Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute and Seattle-based Washington Technology Center.
More information is available at oregonstate.edu/conferences/MNBC.
Image Access West partners with Interwoven
Image Access West has partnered with California-based Interwoven Inc. on software offerings for law firms. Image Access West has offices in Vancouver and San Rafael, Calif.
Interwoven's WorkSite software is designed to help law firms with document and workflow management control, integrating multiple types of data into a single protected and searchable desktop program.
HEALTH CARE + HOSPITALS
Local business grant expands free clinic program
The Vancouver-based KRM Group Foundation/Nutrition Now granted more than $9,100 to the Free Clinic of SW Washington to help expand its free children's immunization program.
The grant allowed the addition of a medical assistant to manage the program and expand it from two to four nights per month. However, because of volunteer shortages, the program is serving children three nights per month, said Development Director Shirley Gross.
Local pharmacy collaborates with Microsoft
Vancouver-based Hi-School Pharmacy has joined 11 other regional drug chain retailers across the country to form the Chain Drug Consortium, which has collaborated with Microsoft and allow consumers to sore their medication history online. Medical histories will be stored and shared using Microsoft Health Vault, a web-based platform.
The goal is to allow consumers an efficient way to manage their medications, which advocates said is critical as the number of prescriptions per person rises.
Seattle-based Bartell Drugs also is a consortium member; the other 10 participating retailers are located in the eastern United States.
BANKING + FINANCE
BOCC takes awards
Vancouver-based Bank of Clark County received awards from two industry publications in July. CITY-based Washington CEO magazine named BOCC one of the best companies to work for in Washington State. It was the bank's sixth year in a row on the list, which evaluates leadership and communication, corporate culture and employee benefits.
For the fifth year in a row, the Portland Business Journal named the bank one of the area's fastest growing private 100 companies. With that distinction BOCC received the PBJ's Lighthouse award for growth in revenue, employee numbers and community engagement.
The bank was established in 1997 and has two branches in Vancouver.
