News Briefs for Aug. 29

Washougal River Road has restricted access through Friday

Travelers who access Washougal River Road/15th Street from eastbound state Route 14 (Highway 14) will need to use an alternate route this week.

On Tuesday, Aug. 27, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation closed northbound access onto Washougal River Road/15th Street from eastbound Highway 14, while concrete for a newly poured roundabout cures. Access to Washougal River Road from westbound Highway 14, as well as access from Washougal River Road/15th Street onto Highway 14 remains open.

The access restriction is expected to remain in place through Friday, Aug. 30. Travelers should use an alternate.

Real-time roadway and weather information is available 24/7 via the WSDOT mobile app at wsdot.wa.gov/Inform/mobile.htm; by following the Southwest Region Twitter account at twitter.com/ws dot_sw; or by visiting the Southwest Region travel advisory page at wsdot.wa.gov/regions/southwest/construction/.

For more information on the Highway 14 roundabout construction in Washougal, visit wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR14/ac cessimprove/default.htm

ESD 112 board members to run for re-election

Six Educational Service District (ESD) 112 board members are up for re-election this fall — and all six incumbents plan to run for their current board seats.

The election is to fill four expired terms beginning January 2020 and ending January 2024 (Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7) and two unexpired terms beginning January 2020 and ending January 2022 (Districts 2 and 4).

During the fall of each odd-numbered year, the Washington state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) conducts elections to fill expiring ESD board of directors positions for Washington’s nine ESDs.

ESD board members are elected by each current member of a public school board of directors (school board members) within the educational service district.

Other candidates wishing to run for the ESD 112 Board of Directors may obtain a form from the Administrative Resource Office, Old Capitol Building, P.O. Box 47200, Olympia, WA, 98504-7200. Declarations of candidacy and optional candidate statements must be filed with the Administrative Resources Office after Sept. 1 and before Sept. 16. Voting by ballot will take place Oct. 1-16.

To be eligible for membership on an ESD Board, a candidate must be a registered voter and live in the ESD district for which the candidate files. ESD board members serve a four-year term.

Members up for re-election for ESD 112 include Ann Campbell, who represents Director District 7, which includes Camas, Gorge Districts and parts of Evergreen school districts. Campbell was elected to the ESD 112 Board in 1995.

For more information, visit k12.wa.us/about-ospi/about-school-districts/elections-educational-service-district-board-directors.

Herrera Beutler announces Congressional App Competition

Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler announced Southwest Washington students will once again have the opportunity to participate in the annual Congressional App Challenge, an original app competition designed to challenge and stimulate young, innovative students.

“I am thrilled to once again help host this year’s congressional app-building challenge in Southwest Washington. Every year I am amazed by what these brilliant young minds create,” Herrera Beutler stated in a press release. “This contest provides students a fun way to channel their creativity while developing valuable computer science and coding skills, encouraging the next generation of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) innovators.”

This event is open to middle and high school students. Students can choose to work individually or in groups of up to four. The competition invites students to create software applications, or “apps,” for mobile, tablet or computer devices on a platform of their choice. The winners will be chosen from a group of judges made up of STEM educators and technology professionals from Southwest Washington. Winning apps are eligible to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building and featured on the U.S. House of Representative’s website, House.Gov. Winning students are invited to the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Reception in Washington, D.C. and awarded $250 per winner in Amazon web services credits.

To register and read the competition rules, visit congressionalappchal lenge.us. Submissions are due by Nov. 1.

The Congressional App Competition was created because Congress recognized that STEM and computer-based skills are essential for economic growth and innovation and that the U.S. has been falling behind on these fronts. By some estimates, the U.S. may be short by many as 1 million programmers by 2020.