The Columbian

Clark County Business

The Port of Ridgefield's waterfront property stretches along Lake River.

Port of Ridgefield considers tax increment financing to fund infrastructure projects

January 10, 2024, 6:14pm Business

The Port of Ridgefield could become the latest Clark County jurisdiction to turn to tax increment financing to fund its infrastructure projects, including along its Lake River waterfront. Read story

Courtney and Ryan Self pass their toddler son, Hudson, between them at their Vancouver area home, where they run the small business HuddyBearCo. It sells clothing and toys for babies and toddlers. Hudson’s premature birth inspired their give-back venture.

After son born prematurely, Vancouver parents start online store HuddyBearCo and donate to NICU

January 9, 2024, 6:08am Business

Courtney Self and her husband were shocked when their son was born seven weeks early. Hudson, now 2½, required an extensive stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. Their experience with a preemie led them to launch an online children’s store, HuddyBearCo. Read story

Construction workers move a piece of siding up a ladder on Northeast 138th Avenue in east Vancouver. The construction industry locally and nationally is seeing huge labor shortages, delaying projects and making them more expensive.

Labor shortages in construction cause delays, drive up costs in Clark County

January 9, 2024, 6:08am Business Subscriber Exclusive

For years, the local construction industry has seen labor shortages. Experts say the trend is driving up the cost of building and causing delays. Read story

A welder works in a Seattle warehouse. More than a third of the health and safety penalties that the state’s Department of Labor & Industries issued on violations between 2017 and 2021 were later reduced during appeal, voiding roughly $15 million in safety fines.

WA’s job safety fines reduced on appeal; Clark County company negotiated a $1.3M reduction after worker’s hand was crushed

January 8, 2024, 6:04am Business

After a worker’s hand was crushed in 2019 — the 10th serious injury in six years at Green Willow Trucking— Washington state safety regulators slapped the dairy and bottling distribution company with $1.8 million in fines and 22 willful citations. Read story

A group of executives and engineers from Probat Inc., visited the roaster at Pull Caffe in Yacolt.

Pull Caffe’s coffee roaster in Yacolt is officially the oldest of its kind

January 6, 2024, 6:10am Business Subscriber Exclusive

An old German coffee roaster machine in Yacolt was acknowledged in December as the oldest of its kind by world-renowned manufacturer Probat. Read story

18th District Rep. Greg Cheney answers a question Wednesday during a candidate forum at Columbia River High School in 2023.

Battle Ground lawmaker proposes bill that would pay landlords who reduce rent or keep it the same

January 6, 2024, 6:02am Business

Rep. Greg Cheney, R-Battle Ground, is proposing a bill this upcoming legislative session to pay back Washington landlords who reduce rents or keep them the same. Read story

Amanda Cowan/The Columbian
Volunteer Steve Bader takes part in a big reupholstery project Friday at the Kiggins Theater. The Kiggins has shut down for two weeks and rounded up local volunteers to refurbish more than 100 worn and damaged seats.

Kiggins Theatre gets a little help from its friends

January 5, 2024, 3:09pm Business Subscriber Exclusive

Who knew that a chair could turn out to be such a complicated, costly machine? Not even retired Hewlett-Packard engineer Joe Barbera, flipping over a disassembled cinema seat to reveal the array of complicated parts that are usually hidden below a moviegoer’s bottom. Read story

Tyler Malek, co-founder of Salt & Straw, serves up a scoop of Chocolate Gooey Brownie at the Waterfront Vancouver on Thursday morning.

Salt & Straw ready to dig in on Vancouver’s waterfront at chain’s 40th store

January 4, 2024, 2:28pm Business

Salt & Straw opened in 2011 with a food cart and four $16 used ice cream makers. Read story