The special council meeting was announced Wednesday in accordance with a state law requiring 24-hour public notice. It was meant to head off plans by NuStar Energy L.P. of San Antonio to apply to start storing crude oil at its two bulk tank terminals in Vancouver, one at the port and one at 5420 Fruit Valley Road.
At 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, a preliminary application was filed by NuStar with the city, said Brent Boger, an assistant city attorney.
Boger said he doesn’t know whether a pre-application qualifies the project as vested, and therefore exempt from the moratorium.
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On the 13th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks Thursday, Vancouver city officials recalled the events and sacrifices of that day. Remembrance ceremonies around the country came on the heels of President Barack Obama’s announcement to the nation Wednesday night that he’ll authorize direct attacks against the Islamic State.
“We can no longer continue with the status quo,” Vancouver’s Larry Smith said about the counterterrorism strategy. The city councilor and mayor pro tem addressed a crowd gathered next to Vancouver City Hall around noon Thursday, and led the group through the Pledge of Allegiance.
As the Vancouver Police Department’s honor guard posted the colors, the national and state flags flapped fiercely in the strong wind.
Emergency dispatch traffic softly murmured from the radios of firefighters attending the event — a reminder that the area’s emergency responders are always on watch.
Smith spoke about the terrorist attacks, where 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaida hijacked four commercial airliners and intentionally crashed into U.S. targets.
Two of the planes were flown into the north and south towers of the World Trade Center in New York City; a third plane hit the west side of the Pentagon outside Washington. The fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. It’s believed that crew members and passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 learned what was happening and revolted against the hijackers, leading the plane to crash short of its target.
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The man who died Sunday when an Amtrak passenger train struck his SUV has been identified as Charles Kellogg of Ridgefield, a prominent business owner and steadfast supporter of maritime history.
Kellogg, 80, was behind the wheel of a 2014 GMC Yukon on a private driveway near the 12200 block of Southeast Evergreen Highway at about 11 a.m. Sunday when the vehicle and train collided. No one on the train was injured.
News of Kellogg’s sudden death spread to the organizations in which he was involved — and it’s a long list.
After serving in the Army during the Korean War, Kellogg moved back to the Clark County area in the late 1950s and went to work in the private sector. At the time of his death, he owned Northwest Copper Works in Portland and Corrosion Controllers in Washougal. He also previously owned Orbit Industries in Washougal.
But what he is really known for is what he did in his spare time.
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Mall mum on future of Nordstrom space
Vancouver Westfield mall patrons will get their last chance this holiday season to shop at the mall’s Nordstrom store, which is set to close in January. Yet, seven months after that closure was announced, Westfield executives haven’t disclosed their plans for the 71,000 square-foot mall anchor space that Nordstrom has occupied since 1977.
In response to a query last week by The Columbian, Chris Yates, marketing director for Westfield Vancouver mall, issued the following statement from Australia-based Westfield Group:
“Westfield has a strong record of recovering former department store real estate and introducing new elements, energy, choices and conveniences for our customers — and while we’re seeing quite a bit of interest from potential new arrivals, there are no announcements to make today.”
The company’s lease at Westfield Vancouver mall runs through January. Nordstrom spokeswoman Naomi Tobis said Monday the high-end apparel retailer will close the store on Jan. 10.
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Eva Jensen of Ridgefield is a sweet, fun-loving 2-year-old.
She’s patient and friendly. She can get angry easily, but she forgets quickly. She’s unsteady as she walks. She’s learning new words.
Her twin brother, Gus, tends to irritate her from time to time. Her big sister, Lilly, 9, and big brother, Gunnar, 5, are her biggest supporters.
In the next couple years, Eva will begin to face the reality of the genetic disorder she was diagnosed with as a newborn.
Eva will begin to experience uncontrollable hunger. The lack of satiety, even after eating meals, will likely lead to behavior problems when Eva isn’t allowed unlimited access to food.
She’ll have scheduled meal and snack times to provide stability. She’ll get smaller portions since her metabolism will be slower than that of most children. She may also face a variety of other developmental and mental problems.
But her family is full of hope for Eva.
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