California-based ALL Student
Loan, a nonprofit student loan
provider, is settling into its Vancouver offices
with 30 employees on board so far.
ALL Student has leased offices at 7710 N.E.
Greenwood Dr. near Heathman Lodge and expects
to have 100 people working there by the end
of 2008. The operation announced plans to come
to Vancouver last May.
As part of its get-to-know-the-community effort,
ALL Student
Loans is hosting an art contest
called The Nature of Knowledge. The nonprofit
will award three scholarships ranging from $500
to $1,250 to graduating seniors in Clark County
who submit art pieces for judging. Submissions
must be received by Feb. 22.
With the U.S. dollar at historic lows against
foreign currencies, the "U.S. economy is
on sale," Bart Phillips, president of the
Columbia River Economic Development Council,
observed recently. That's why Phillips is hopeful
of a renewal of foreign investment here not
unlike the mid-1980s when Sharp Corp., Matsushita
and Kyocera established operations in Vancouver
and Camas. In addition to the stronger buying
power of foreign currencies, there's a strategic
factor for companies seeking West Coast
expansion opportunities, Phillips said. By early
next year, the development council might have
news to share.
Charity care grew by 3.75 percent and bad debt
write-offs increased by a disturbing 26.2 percent
for hospitals across Washington state during
the period from April 2006 to March 2007, reports
the Washington State Hospital Association. A
total of 86 hospitals reported combined charity
and bad debt write-offs of $538.35 million,
up from $426.5 million in 2005-06.
The good news is average hospital operating
profit margins were down only slightly from
4.6 percent in 2005-06 to 4.5 percent 2006-07.
PacificCap Properties Group, Portland, is proposing
construction of a 115-unit rental housing complex
in Four Seasons northeast of Northeast Four
Seasons Lane and Northeast 23rd Circle in the
Orchards area.
|
