Salmon Creek -- Fred Meyer customers and employees donated $5,259.11 to Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center’s cancer services as part of the company’s holiday giving campaign. The money was raised through change dropped into check stand coin boxes and by Fred Meyer employees at its seven Clark County stores. Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center’s cancer services programs serve more than 3,600 people annually. The donation will be used to offer free mammograms to those who otherwise could not afford them, and to provide support groups for breast cancer patients and their families.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimates that last year, banks made $15 billion to $22 billion from the overdrawn-account fees they charge customers. The agency is seeking data from banks so it can help customers avoid such charges. But any changes could lead banks to raise other fees.

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Many consumers try shopping consciously by going to local stores or ones owned by certain faith or ethnic groups. Maggie Anderson and her family spent a year trying to shop exclusively at African American-owned businesses. They chronicled their efforts in the new book titled Our Black Year. Maggie Anderson talks with host Michel Martin.

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Many consumers try shopping consciously by going to local stores or ones owned by certain faith or ethnic groups. Maggie Anderson and her family spent a year trying to shop exclusively at African American-owned businesses. They chronicled their efforts in the new book titled Our Black Year. Maggie Anderson talks with host Michel Martin.

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Borrowers claim Quicken charged them "something for nothing" when it included a loan discount fee, even though the borrowers did not receive a lower interest fee. At issue is whether that charge violates a a 1974 federal law aimed at preventing abusive practices in real estate closings.

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The Columbian will hold a live Web chat at noon on Friday, Feb. 24, to discuss heart health and the issue of screening teen athletes for heart conditions. We will be joined by Matt Nipper, an exercise physiologist at PeaceHealth Heart & Vascular Center.