The small Venersborg Cemetery isn’t full, but the plots have long been sold and the idea of expanding the cemetery has been around for years.

My mother, Jean, completed a degree in retailing at New York University, and by the late 1930s was employed as a buyer for Macy’s on 5th Avenue. Tom, whom she’d known in high school in Albany, Ore., where their families still lived, was now writing for the Seattle Times. They had remained friends as each had gone on to college at a different university.

Columbia Way -- A sweet delivery from Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt was awarded to the highest bidder during Loaves & Fishes’ annual Valentine-a-Gram auction. The highest local bidder was Bill Byler, sales and marketing manager at Pedigo Products Inc., a health care equipment manufacturer at 4000 S.E. Columbia Way in Vancouver.

Who’s the Main crane brain? And why? Katelyn Carbajal said she and her supervisor at Beigeblond Hair Salon, 909 Main St. in Vancouver, noticed the evening of Feb. 15 a few paper cranes, folded in the Japanese origami style, tucked here and there around the storefront.

The Battle Ground school board presented certificates of appreciation to Battle Ground High School students Samantha Coates and Kyle Harris on Feb. 13 for the roles they played in the Feb. 4 Walk to Stop benefit for youth suicide prevention.

Back in the late 40s and early ’50s, when the Interstate Highway System was being developed, I vaguely remember being told that it would be a non-toll road system and that construction, improvements and maintenance would be a federal obligation paid for through taxes. Am I mistaken? Has there been legislation to allow tolls on interstate highways? Are there other sections of the national system that have been tolled? Tolls paid for the second bridge across the Columbia but that was when it was still Highway 99. Now that it is a part of the Interstate Highway System, can tolls be justified?--Ray, Salmon CreekRay, your vague memory is pretty sharp -- maybe a little too sharp. Perhaps you’re recalling that classic 1939 report to Congress by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads called “Toll Roads and Free Roads”?

Venersborg -- Ryan and Wendy VanSteenwyk were one of many smiling couples photographed Feb. 11 under an arch at the Venersborg School Sweetheart’s Dance. Proceeds from the fundraising event will go to maintain the former schoolhouse, which is now a community center, and to sponsor public events. Several events have been planned to mark this year’s centennial anniversary of the historic Venersborg School, the last intact one-room schoolhouse in Clark County. For more information, visit <a href=\"http://www.venersborg.blogspot.com\">http://www.venersborg.blogspot.com</a> for the Venersborg Community Club or <a href=\"http://on.fb.me/zMLyun\">http://on.fb.me/zMLyun</a> for the Facebook page of the Historic Venersborg Schoolhouse, a nonprofit group dedicated to the preservation of the building.

Columbia Shores -- The Village at Columbia Shores, a condominium development on the Vancouver waterfront, has won a gold medal from the Community Associations Institute of Oregon -- which covers Southwest Washington, too -- as one of the best homeowner associations of 2011. According to its entry essay, VCS was dogged by a history of poor upkeep, and was preparing a $300,000 inspection and repair program when it was discovered that far more was needed -- closer to $4.4 million. Homeowners “were angry, fighting with each other, and meetings were tense,” the essay says -- but they came through in the end, thanks to exhaustive communications and creative problem solving among the board of directors, Columbia Bank, I&E Construction, managers, attorneys and residents. The required work was completed within 18 months. Residents celebrated with a pool party, according to board president Al Perez.

Hudson’s Bay -- The National Park Service at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site has completed the East and South Barracks Draft Master Plan and Environmental Assessment. It is available for review at <a href=\"http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/fova.\">http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/fova.</a> Public comments, which are accepted until March 19, can be left by clicking on the document name, then on the “Open for Comment” button to the left of the webpage, then on the name of the document again, and finally on the “Comment of Document” button. The National Park Service also is hosting two public meetings from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at E.B. Hamilton Hall, also known as the Red Cross building, 605 Barnes St. in Vancouver. Both meetings will include a site tour. For information, call 360-816-6212.

Fruit Valley -- Fruit Valley Elementary School set the per capita record for fundraising in the Foundation for Vancouver Public Schools annual campaign in January. Fruit Valley raised $5,583, the most generated per person across the whole Vancouver School District. Fruit Valley students and staff members were honored for the effort on Jan. 25 at a school assembly. The whole district set a record, too; students raised $52,013 and staff raised $129,143 for a combined total of $181,156 for the Foundation for Vancouver Public Schools. The foundation pays for programs such as Lunch Buddies, Basic Needs Checkbooks for principals, medical and dental assistance for needy students. In the 2010-11 school year, the foundation provided $96,000 in basic needs support and $81,000 in classroom enrichment grants. For more information, call 360-313-4730 or visit http://vsdfoundation.org.