Around the Area November 14

PORTLAND

Meteorologists to review Vancouver twister of ’08

The Oregon chapter of the American Meteorological Society will dedicate its regular Nov. 20 meeting to reviewing the tornado that lit across Clark County’s midsection in January.

The meeting, which is open to the public, begins at 7 p.m. Thursday in Portland at the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission’s Celilo Room, 729 N.E. Oregon St., near the Lloyd Center.

Dave Elson, of the National Weather Service in Portland, and Steve Pierce, a weather specialist and storm chaser in Vancouver, will talk about the tornado that touched down near Vancouver Lake on Jan. 10.

Vancouver’s tornado rated a 1 on the enhanced Fujita scale.

After emerging near Vancouver Lake, the twister raked roofs, shredded trees, downed power lines and jumbled traffic as it bounced along 10 miles from Hazel Dell to Hockinson. From start to finish, the tornado lasted 8 minutes and caused an estimated $500,000damage.

BATTLE GROUND

Blood donors’ reward: Vampire movie tickets

Give a little blood, earn a free pass to the special opening of the hot new teen vampire movie “Twilight.”

At midnight, no less.

That’s the lure of a special visit today by the Bloodmobile operated by the Southwest Washington Blood Program.

From 12:30 to 6:30 p.m., the Bloodmobile will be parked next to the IQ Credit Union branch at 109 S.W. First St. in downtown Battle Ground.

Anyone who donates blood (must be age 16 or older and weigh 110 pounds or more) gets a free ticket to a special 12:01 a.m. showing of “Twilight” at the Battle Ground Cinema next Friday, Nov. 21.

More than half the movie proceeds will go to the Friends of the Battle Ground Library.

Tickets also may be purchased for $9 each at the Battle Ground Library branch, 360-687-2322, or through the library Friends group, at 360-666-5865.

BATTLE GROUND

Highly capable program referral forms offered

Referral forms are now available for the Battle Ground Public Schools’ highly capable program, grades three through seven.

The deadline for returning the forms is Jan. 9.

Parents of students currently in grades two through six who are interested in the program, called Aspire, may pick up forms at their school office.

Students will be tested to determine whether they qualify; those selected may attend a magnet program at Captain Strong Primary or Chief Umtuch Middle School near downtown Battle Ground, or stay among a cluster of students in a regular classroom at their home-area school.

Those attending Captain Strong or Chief Umtuch will receive free bus transportation.

For more information, call Amy Blankenship, Aspire program assistant, 360-885-6447.