Clark County Business

Volunteer Harley Fowler, with bucket, pours a layer of rocks into a Grattix box at the Port of Vancouver last week. The boxes will be given for free to some businesses along the Columbia River.

Port of Vancouver’s Grattix boxes provided gratis

January 30, 2023, 6:05am Business Subscriber Exclusive

What began as a project to filter stormwater at the Port of Vancouver has evolved into an innovation now being spread to businesses up and down the Columbia River. Read story

Michael Perozzo of Vice Beer lends a hand as cans of "Not Getting Any Younger" are packaged on Wednesday morning. Grocery store sales can be risky for craft brewers, since locked in prices leave no opportunity to make adjustments for increasing costs, eating into an already small profit margin.

Clark County’s craft brewers adjust to keep beer, profits flowing

January 28, 2023, 6:05am Business Subscriber Exclusive

Clark County’s craft brewers are bucking a nationwide trend of increasing costs and declining sales, but they’re still being forced to rethink their business plans and are taking a cue from coffee shops as a possible future path. Read story

One of Horizon Air's last Bombardier Q400 planes loads Portland-bound passengers Monday at Spokane International Airport. The final flight for customers is Thursday as the airline completes its transition to an all-E175 jet fleet.

Horizon Air phasing out its Bombardier Q400 turboprop airplane fleet

January 25, 2023, 6:35pm Business

For two decades Horizon Air’s Bombardier Q400 turboprop fleet was the way passengers reached small airports around the Pacific Northwest. Now, the ubiquitous plane will take one last spin for customers Thursday as the airline phases out the plane and completes a transition to an all-E175 jet fleet. Read story

An ambulance passes PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center on in September 2021.

Clark County, regional hiring appears to slow

January 24, 2023, 5:38pm Business

Hiring in Clark County appeared to be slowing in December, according to preliminary estimates from the Washington Employment Security Department. It was the same situation in each of Southwest Washington’s counties. Read story

Construction is underway on Broadstone Apartments Block 19 near the Claro Building, background center, and The Columbia on the Waterfront Vancouver on Tuesday.

Vancouver approves property tax exemption on waterfront apartment complex

January 24, 2023, 12:32pm Business

The Vancouver City Council unanimously approved a multifamily property tax exemption Monday night for an under-construction apartment complex on the Waterfront Vancouver’s Block 19. Read story

Users push Port of Ridgefield to expand, add boat ramps, make other improvements

Some boaters and anglers using the Ridgefield boat launch on Mill Street, left, want to see the launch either expanded or a new launch built.

January 24, 2023, 6:04am Business Subscriber Exclusive

When the Port of Ridgefield began looking at options for developing its 40-acre waterfront property last year, expanding or improving its two boat launches wasn’t among them. The popular launches — a two-lane facility for boats, and a separate concrete put-in area for kayaks — provide access to Lake River,… Read story

Working in Clark County: Robyn Lowy, Mindtaker Miniatures

What started as a hobby turned into a business for Robyn Lowy, co-owner of Mindtaker Miniatures hobby and tabletop gaming shop.

January 23, 2023, 6:05am Business

The 2020s are shaping up to be the decade of the geek, as classically niche and nerdy culture becomes more mainstream and beloved by all. Whether more recently inspired by franchises like “Stranger Things,” or longtime lovers of all things gaming since the 1980s, local game store Mindtaker Miniatures has… Read story

Clark County’s high-tech ecosystem takes a network

Kevin Syverson, left, and Chase Kleinschmidt of Silicon Forest Electronics demonstrate a pick-and-place machine.

January 22, 2023, 6:05am Business

When the Columbia River Economic Development Council was formed in 1982, the three largest employers in Clark County were the Boise Cascade paper mill downtown, the Alcoa aluminum smelter near the Port of Vancouver and the Crown Zellerbach paper mill in Camas. Read story