Longview Daily News from Longview, Washington • 9

Tiie Daily News Online: wwwtdncom Sunday December 2 2001 Section School News Page B3 MORE Obituaries Viewpoint B2 D4 PORT WESTWARD jusTcbm Question: I heard that there was another town designated to be the nation's capital if something happened to Washington DC and that it was in Washington state Is this true? FN Toledo Answer: The city of Port Angeles' Web site has this explanation: "Port Angeles was established as a townsite by Abraham Lincoln in 1862 by executive order which led the Board of Trade in 1890 to call it the 'Second National City' Washington DC being the first" The Daily News Most ethanol plants are located in the Midwest close to the grain supplies Ethanol prices have been weak according to the Washington DC-based Renewable Fuels Association There have been doubts about whether the federal government would continue tax incentives for the ethanol industry Despite these problems the Port of St Helens continues to include the ethanol plant in infrastructure plans for Port Westward It will use $58 million in state grants and loans for a water discharge system and rail profitable and increasing the chance that the Port Westward project will take place Fagen based in Granite Falls Minn is an ethanol engineering firm and is building six of the 16 ethanol plants under construction nationwide designing the Port Westward plant in partnership with Cascade and Fagen would build it once Cascade obtains financing Delays have frustrated officials in a county that needs the 85 jobs the plant would create north of Clatskanie people of Clatskanie need said State Rep Betsy Johnson D-Scappoose peo By Ruby Murray THE DAILY NEWS Work on a $230 million ethanol plant was supposed to start at Port Westward six months ago but Cascade Grain LLC has yet to finance the project and the top official has moved to Australia The lack of progress makes Columbia County Commissioner Joe Corsiglia doubt the plant will be built a of hope but about he said But Rich Potter the chief engineer at Fagen Inc says demand for ethanol is getting stronger on the West Coast making ethanol plants ple have been dressed up like a jilted bride so many Richard Wells Cascade Chief Executive Officer moved to Australia about a month ago but Potter said Wells still has some involvement with the project Two men involved with Cascade Grain early on John Pena and Mike Schnepp are no longer associated with it Potter said The plant would remove the starch from wheat and com to produce ethanol and other byproducts Ethanol is a gasoline additive Several factors may explain why Cascade Grain a startup company has had trouble financing the plant: See Plant Page B6 CHRISTMAS PARADE front of lit storefronts in downtown Longview Cathy and Tim Todd of Longview going to let the weather ruin the surprise visit to the parade planned for their two children pretty much decided come Cathy Todd said Her 4-year-old daughter Brittney was enjoying her second visit to the parade as she anticipated her favorite attraction Santa Her dad said he want to let the weather interfere with a holiday tradition why standing out here in the he said Brittney was surprised when a camel marching in the parade interrupted a long line of tractor trailers I go pet she asked Her dad smiled as he replied I think For Ryan Degraffenreid of Longview the best part was the colored lights that lined the trees in front of the Monticello Hotel and Hot chocolate gloves a requirement at Twilight Parade By Amy McFall THE DAILY NEWS Altrusa members were possibly the most popular act at the Twilight Parade Saturday night More popular than the camel the trucks or even the Grinch On the cold rainy night they had hot chocolate and it was free of the weather surprised we had this good a said Altrusa member Janet Rubash From a tent in the Civic Circle members of the service group said they served about 300 cups of hot chocolate and coffee to people decked out in hooded coats gloves and hats Despite high winds periodic showers and chilly temperatures hundreds of children and adults lined the streets and watched the parade Some even pitched lawn chairs in the mud to ride out the night in a damp seat Others jumped in puddles to catch candy thrown by parade participants And some huddled under awnings in BRIEFS Network accepting applications for drug violence grants The Cowlitz County Community Network will provide seed money for local programs aimed at reducing teen substance abuse and violence The grants which come from the state Department of Social and Health Services through taxes on soft drink syrup must be used by June 30 For more information and applications call Kayrene Gilbertsen at 425-3430 Ext 206 Watershed planning meeting will be held Wednesday at Kelso depot The health of local rivers important to local communities economies agriculture and fish recovery will be the focus of a Kelso public meeting on the 1998 Watershed Planning Act The meeting will be at 7 pm Wednesday at the Kelso Train Station Jeff Breckel executive director of the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board will discuss what has been learned so far and provide an overview of the process to develop a long-range watershed management plan for the Cowlitz Grays and Elochoman river watersheds Sponsors including the recovery board and local cities are seeking public comments about water use and quality and streamflow State Department of Ecology officials and the consultant also will participate For details call the fish recovery Longview office at 414-4186 Longview Police arrest forgery suspect after he tries to cash check A 33-year-old Longview man was arrested on suspicion of forgery Friday Dean Allen Franklin reportedly attempted to cash a $300 check at Cash Go at 1059 14th Ave An employee called to verify the check and found it was reported stolen earlier from the 1300 block of Commerce Avenue Franklin told police he was cashing the check for a friend and he did not steal the check Longview Police are still looking into the incident Police arrest 45-year-old Longview man on suspicion of hit and run A 45-year-old Longview man has been arrested on suspicion of a hit and run accident involving a boy on a bike James Scott Shepard 45 is being held on $5000 bail at the Cowlitz County Jail where he was booked Friday evening Shepard is suspected of leaving the scene of an accident in which he allegedly struck a boy crossing the street on a bike Thursday evening The 11-year-old Longview boy told police he was riding his bike north on 30th Avenue crossmg Ocean Beach Highway when he was hit by a pickup and knocked off his bike He said the man paused long enough to ask if he was OK then left without giving his name A witness gave police a license plate number Shepard told police he think the accident was severe enough for him to stop The boy wrent to a nearby gas station where he waited for police He was treated and released from St John Medical Center for bruises and scrapes He may have further minor injuries The Daily News See Parade Page B6 Sammantha Bienapfl 3 (left to right) her brother Cody Byrum 2 and her sister Cassandra Bienapfl 6 were dressed for the cold wet weather Saturday night at the annual Twilight Parade Photos by Bill Wagner The Daily News Katie Starnes and Eric Robbins youth pastor help brighten the Columbia Heights Assembly of God float before starting down Commerce Avenue with the parade WALK KNOCK Donations down 10000 pounds from last year pounds of food about 10000 pounds less than last drive when weather like this we do as said Lois Shelton who manages the Help Warehouse on Commerce Avenue in Longview people that are going door-to-door going to get tired because cold and wet and just miserable out Alan Rose director of community sendees for the Community Action Council said job layoffs in the economy would be another factor This is a very generous community This tells us about the hard times collecting food bags from porches gathering it at satellite collection sites or sorting it at the warehouse She said donations are needed more than ever this year due to the faltering economy local layoffs and expensive electricity bills She said she heard that food banks have been running out of food since Thanksgiving because demand is 35 percent higher than normal the holidays haven't even she said it is a giving community and it just keeps coming and she said pointing to a fresh heap of food that people are going Rose noted however that collections over the past two years were their highest ever and year was not bad But quite a drop from last Donors are encouraged to continue bringing food to the warehouse hich is located at 1526 Commerce Ave and is open weekdays from 8 am to 7 pm At the warehouse volunteers swarmed around giant crates of food They sorted stacked and packed the donated supplies which will go to eight area food banks Shelton guessed that well over 100 volunteers spent time Saturday By Bonnie Yocum THE DAILY NEWS Walk Knock was more like bundle trundle Saturday as wind and rain whipped volunteers hopping from cars to grab food donations from porches all over Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties think this is the worst had done this for a number of said a volunteer wrapped in a raincoat as rain pelted him on Nichols Boulevard in Longview The man didn't give his name The 14th annual food drive organized by the Longview Lions Club brought in an estimated 80000 EVERY TUESDAY Community News Extra People to Know area calendars and special stories from your neck of the woods Inside Area News on Tuesdays CITY EDITOR: Andre Stepankowsky (360) 577-2520 andretdncom REGION EDITOR: Cheryll A Borgaard (360) 577-2586 cborgaardtdncom.