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Stories by Dawn Feldhaus

email icon dawn.feldhaus@camaspostrecord.com

February 5, 2013
Deborah Campbell (center) interacts with residents at Columbia Ridge Senior Living. As the new community outreach director, Campbell handles the marketing and advertising of events at the retirement and assisted living community in Washougal. Future festivities, open to the public, include a talent show and Sunday brunches.

Former Dept. of Defense employee joins staff at Columbia Ridge

A woman who spent 3 1/2 years promoting concerts and celebrity appearances on an Army base in Qatar is a new staff member at Columbia Ridge Senior Living. Deborah Campbell is the community outreach director at the retirement and assisted living community, in Washougal. She is a former Department of Defense employee who provided marketing services for Armed Forces Entertainment. That included promoting appearances by Denzel Washington, Kid Rock, Washington Redskins cheerleaders and professional golfers as they traveled to entertain soldiers. Columbia Ridge Senior Living is located at 2300 W. Ninth St., Washougal. For more information about future activities, call 335-1238.

February 5, 2013

Papa’s Ice Cream to close its doors on Saturday

Ivan Gering, co-owner of Papa's Ice Cream in downtown Washougal, plans to close up the shop on Saturday. He recently announced the closure, due to medical reasons. Gering, 70, and his wife, Chris, opened Papa’s, in August 2008, in the Washougal Town Square, at 1700 Main St., Ste. 130. Papa's Ice Cream is open through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call 835-8555 or email papas@jcandillc.com.

February 5, 2013

Dr. Allen Gabriel said cancer-free parties are important

A local doctor was recently featured in an ABC News report regarding “cancer-versary” celebrations. Dr. Allen Gabriel, of Camas, provided comments about parties that acknowledge overcoming cancer. He said celebrations are important psychologically. For more information, call 514-1010 or visit www.swplasticsurg.com/dr-allen-gabriel.

February 5, 2013
Candace Miller, program director at Virtuosity Performing Arts Studio, in Camas, teaches young dancers. The petite performance team class includes tap and jazz instruction. "The most important thing is to have fun," Miller said.

Candace Miller enjoys directing programs at Virtuosity Performing Arts Studio

A local dance instructor is following in her mother's footsteps. Candace Miller, program director for Virtuosity Performing Arts Studio, in Camas, teaches preschool ballet, tap and creative movement, as well as elementary classical ballet, tap and jazz and adult tap. Her mother, Carol Opyt, owned Miss Carol's Studio of Dance, in Dyer, Ind. Miller, 46, has been dancing since she was 2. She grew up dancing in her mother's studio. For more information, call 834-7424, email info@vegagym.com or visit www.vegagym.com.

February 5, 2013

Financial deficits are forecast for Washougal

The City of Washougal is expected to face economic challenges, based on recent projections. During the City Council's annual planning conference Jan. 25 and 26, Finance Director Jennifer Forsberg and City Administrator David Scott talked about the long term financial status of the city's general fund. With the city's requirement that the annual budget include a minimum reserve equal to 16 percent of one year's operating expenses, options to make sure the general fund is balanced include slowing the rate of the growth of expenditures and/or increasing the rate of growth of revenues.

February 5, 2013

Bi-Mart building, surrounding land is purchased

A limited liability corporation, East Village Investors, has purchased 15.97 acres of land in Washougal for $7.08 million. The sale, from DM Stevenson Ranch to East Village, includes the building occupied by Bi-Mart, at 3003 Addy St. and some of the surrounding land. Greg Goforth, a commercial real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Commercial, Jenkins & Associates, represented the seller in the transaction. In documents filed with the Secretary of State's Office, Lone Wolf Investment LLC is listed as the governing member of East Village Investors LLC.

January 29, 2013

Washougal city council approves water rate relief

The Washougal City Council has given the go-ahead to use $500,000 of unrestricted general fund reserves to provide a one-time, flat-rate reduction in water rates for residential homes. The 2013 bi-monthly base rate reduction is $14.48 ($86.87 for the year). Prior to the reduction, the bi-monthly single family residential water rate was $60.38.

January 29, 2013
Karen Ferguson works on a jacket in her sewing room, at her Fern Prairie home. Ferguson, a seamstress, provides alterations and custom tailoring and sewing services. She also makes cushions, curtains and pillows. "People bring projects to me," Ferguson said. Her clients include local businesses and churches.

Fern Prairie woman enjoys career as a seamstress

Karen Ferguson remembers learning to sew from her mother and grandmother. At age 5, she sewed by hand. Two years later, Ferguson was using a non-electric sewing machine. "I took to it, like a duck to water," she said. Now 70, Ferguson works on a variety of projects from her home in Fern Prairie. Her two-car garage has become a sewing room, with a cutting table. Patterns fill file cabinets. Ferguson designed the rack that holds thread, and she built shelves to hold fabric with materials from Washougal Lumber Co. She provides alterations, hemming, resizing and zipper repair.