Oct. 13 - City Club of Corvallis, 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 114 S.W. Eighth St. Kate Dickson, education policy adviser, The Chalkboard Project; Steve Youngblood, assistant superintendent, Corvallis School District; and Mark Hazelton, director, Kings Valley Charter School, will discuss "Improving Public Education: A Focus on Teachers." Cost: Free for City Club members, $5 for nonmembers. Information: 541-757-1505. Registration: www.cityclubofcorvallis.org.

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Oct. 15 - Government Affairs Committee of the Chamber Coalition presents a candidate forum moderated by Bill Lunch, OPB political analyst and Oregon State University political science department chairman. Candidates for local elected offices will speak. Noon, lunch is served; 12:30 p.m., forum begins. Corvallis Country Club, 1850 S.W. Whiteside Drive. Cost: Free for Chamber members, $10 for nonmembers. Lunch will be served from noon until 1 p.m. for $15. Registration: www.cbchambercoalition.com.

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Oct. 16 - Scott Kipper, head of the Oregon Insurance Division, will present a COBRA Insurance Seminar discussing recent changes in healthcare legislation from 8 a.m. to noon at LBCC in the Fireside Room, CC-211, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W., Albany. Cost: $129 per person, $99 for a second person from the same company. Registration: 541-917-4923. For disability accommodations, call 917-4789, or TDD through Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 800-735-2900.

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Oct. 16 - Linn-Benton Community College offers a free Phlebotomy Program orientation, 10 a.m. to noon, at the Lebanon Community Hospital Training Center, 525 North Santiam Hwy., Lebanon. No preregistration is required to attend. Attendance at an orientation is mandatory to register for the 15-week program that starts Feb. 2. Cost for the program is $3,100. The program is eligible for financial aid. Information: 917-4923 or www.linnbenton.edu/go/forms.

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Oct. 16 - Building Your Business year-long program meets once a month at the Corvallis Benton Center, 2 to 5 p.m. beginning Thursday, Oct. 16. Cost: $695 and includes one-on-one professional business advising services. Information: 541-757-8944 ext. 5145. Registration: 541-917-4929.

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Oct. 16 - Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition presents, "Business After Hours," 5 to 7 p.m., at Rush Hour Photo, 303 N.W. Harrison Blvd. Our host will be Rush Hour Photo & Wireless. Bring your camera or cell phone with removable media for free printing. Chance to win prizes. Cost: $8 members, $10 non-members. Information: 541-757-1505, ext. 6. Registration: www.cbchambercoalition.com.

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Oct. 16 - Oregon State University College of Business Dean's Distinguished lecture series presents "Building a Brand that Matters," by Alfred Lin, chairman of Zappos.com, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Milam Auditorium, Milam Hall Room 26, 2520 S.W. Campus Way. Lin will discuss the ingredients to building a brand, culture and company that matters. He will share the top 10 lessons learned while growing the business over the last decade as well as insights on e-commerce and entrepreneurship. Infor-mation: Thuy Tran, 737-6020.

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Oct. 17 - ODA pesticide applicator exam prep course. In English two Fridays, Oct. 17 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the LBCC Willamette Room, room CC-210, College Center, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W., Albany. The same course will be presented in Spanish on Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Nov. 21 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Alsea Room, room CC-203, on the LBCC campus. Cost: $80 and includes all materials. Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate of completion. The ODA pesticide applicators exam is optional and should be arranged with ODA. Registration: 541-917-4923.

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Oct. 18 - Forklift Safety Training will be offered at Linn-Benton Community College from 8 a.m. to

5 p.m. at the LBCC Albany campus, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W., Albany. This eight-hour course will provide four hours of classroom training and four hours of practice on the forklift. Cost: $149 and includes all materials. Registration: 541-917-4923.

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Oct. 22 - Linn-Benton Community College Business and Employer Services offers an introduction to voice acting, "Getting Paid to Talk," from 6:30 to

9 p.m. in LBCC's Siletz Room CC213, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W., Albany. Instructor: Paul Greenberg, producer of "Voice Development for Voice Coaches," and a career broadcast and voice-acting professional. Cost: $39. Registration: LBCC Business and Employer Services, 917-4923.

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Nov. 5 - Linn-Benton Community College offers a free Phlebotomy Program orientation, 2 to 4 p.m., at the Lebanon Community Hospital Training Center, 525 North Santiam Hwy., Lebanon. No preregistration is required to attend. Attendance at one of the orientations is mandatory to register for the program. The 15-week Phlebotomy Program training starts Feb. 2. Cost for the program is $3,100. Information: 917-4923 or www.linnbenton.edu/go/forms.

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Nov. 13 - High Tech After Hours, 1 to 8 p.m., CH2M HILL Alumni Center, 725 S.W. 26th St. High Tech After Hours is a business-to-business high-tech expo and is the largest gathering of Corvallis' high-tech community. Open Innovation is this year's theme with keynote speaker Peter Adkison, a leader in the gaming industry and CEO of Hidden City Games. Sponsorships, vendor booths and attendee registrations available at www.hightechafterhours.com. Information: 541-757-1505 ext. 6.Table prices are as follows: High tech vendor member, $150; high tech vendor nonmember, $225; service providers member, $200; service providers nonmembers, $280. Attend the day of the event: Chamber and SAO members $8, nonmembers $10. Oregon State University students are free (must show student ID at the door). Sign up by Oct. 15 and choose your table location (first-come, first-served basis).

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Nov. 20 - Linn-Benton Mediation Service presents "Conflict Resolution Workshop," 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Two Rivers Market, upstairs meeting room, 250 Broadalbin St. S.W., Albany. This is a beginning-level workshop for anyone desiring training in conflict resolution. Topics covered will include approaches to conflict, listening skills, brainstorming solutions, dealing with anger. No prerequisites. Cost: $20 (scholarships available). Registration: 928-5323 or lbms@mediate.peak.org.

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Dec. 4 - Linn-Benton Mediation Service presents "Conflict Resolution Workshop (in Spanish)," 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Two Rivers Market, upstairs meeting room, 250 Broadalbin St. S.W., Albany. This is a beginning-level workshop for anyone desiring training in conflict resolution. Topics covered will include approaches to conflict, listening skills, brainstorming solutions, dealing with anger. No prerequisites. Cost: $20 (scholarships available). Registration: 928-5323 or lbms@mediate.peak.org.