Camas-Washougal Post-Record

September 17, 2013

Form of government change is not needed in Washougal

Washougal voters have an important decision to make when their ballots arrive in the mail for the Nov. 5 General Election. It may, in fact, be one of the most important issues to appear on local ballots in recent history. If approved, Proposition 1 would transition Washougal from its current mayor-council form of government to the vastly different council-manager system. Currently, Washougal citizens have the right to elect a strong mayor, who is the chief executive officer of the city, along with seven city council members who form its legislative body. Washougal's city administrator, appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council, carries out the day-to-day operations of the city.

September 17, 2013

ECFR district voters will decide on capital projects bond

East County Fire and Rescue is asking voters to approve a bond on Nov. 5 that would support the purchase of fire apparatus and equipment, and support repairs and improvements at three of its stations. The $1.275 million, 20-year capital projects bond would fund two new fire engines, one brush truck, new fire fighting and medical equipment, an emergency generator at Mount Norway Station 94, parking lot repair at Sunnyside Station 93 and a water well at Livingston Mountain Station 92. It is estimated that the bond would cost taxpayers 9 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation. This means that the owner of a $300,000 home would pay approximately $27 per year.

September 13, 2013

Singer, actor and television personality Jimmie Rodgers was back in his hometown of Camas on Friday, Sept. 13, 2013, to take part in the dedication of a street being named in his honor. Jimmie Rodgers Avenue is the new honorary street name for Northwest 10th Avenue in the Forest Home neighborhood, where Rodgers lived from from 1939 to 1957. (Post-Record file photo)

Cruising down memory lane

Jimmie Rodgers, recording artist, author, actor and television personality of the 1950s and 1960s, grew up in Camas. On Friday, the street where he grew up was ceremonially renamed in his honor.

September 10, 2013

Start to fall sports season packs a punch

Two big wins on the football field are great ways to start the fall sports season, and teams from both Camas and Washougal put on quite a show under the Friday night lights. Perhaps the biggest win of the evening came from the Papermakers, who toppled Portland's Jesuit High School with relative ease in a game that pitted the number-one ranked teams in Oregon and Washington against one another. In the end, as the 47-14 score suggests, it was really no contest and more than 5,000 fans got to see their hometown team shine at Doc Harris Stadium.

September 10, 2013

Camas residents hurt in Oregon crash

Two Camas residents were among three people injured in a head-on traffic crash in Oregon on Friday. According to a press release from the Oregon State Police, at approximately 8:30 p.m. police responded to a report of a wrong-way vehicle heading eastbound in the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 near milepost 64 in Hood River. A short time later, a head on crash was reported involving that same vehicle at milepost 67.

September 10, 2013

Camas approves Lacamas Northshore development

The Camas City Council has unanimously approved an agreement that will guide development of 460 acres north of Lacamas Lake in the years to come. That development could include a variety of uses, from commercial and industrial to residential. According to the comprehensive plan amendments, which were also approved on Sept. 3, the new zoning designations would include 314 acres for industrial business park development, 62.4 acres of multifamily high density and 38.1 acres of multifamily low density, 40 acres of single family medium density, and 5.62 acres of community commercial. Approximately 4 acres is set aside for open space that fronts Lacamas Lake. During the public hearing on the development agreement, there were comments against and in favor of the proposal for the Lacamas Northshore properties, which are owned by approximately 11 different individuals and entities.

September 10, 2013

State auditor says Camas failed to manage program

The city of Camas was recently issued a finding by the Washington State Auditor's Office for failing to effectively manage its equipment rental and replacement fund. This, the auditor's report states, could result in inappropriate use of restricted funds. Through the equipment rental and replacement fund, equipment owned by the city is pooled together into one fund, then "rented" out to different departments depending on need. In 2012, the city's total revenue from user chargers was approximately $1.03 million.

September 3, 2013

She never gave up

"You should never, ever give up." These were the first words of Diana Nyad yesterday when, on her fifth try, she became the first woman to swim from Cuba to Florida without the help of a shark cage. After jumping into the waters of Havana, it took her 53 hours to complete the 110-mile swim. And even more amazing, is the fact that this woman recently celebrated her 64th birthday.

September 3, 2013

Honorary street name will serve as tribute to Jimmie Rodgers

Camas "hometown boy" Jimmie Rodgers will be in town later this month to attend an event that will celebrate a street being re-named in his honor. The ceremony will be held Friday, Sept. 13, at 3:30 p.m., in front of the singer's childhood home at 725 N.W. 10th Ave. Jimmie Rodgers Avenue will be the new honorary street name for 10th Avenue in the Forest Home neighborhood. Rodgers, who will turn 80 on Sept. 18, said the recognition is very special to him.

August 27, 2013

Suspects arrested for kidnapping, assault, robbery

Two men, including one from Washougal, have been arrested on charges including kidnapping, assault and robbery. According to a press release from the Skamania County Sheriff's Office, Markus L. Bedell, 25 of Washougal, and Charles W. Sample, 32 of Vancouver, were arrested for allegedly kidnapping at gunpoint Vancouver resident Robert Downey, 27, against his will and transporting him to the upper Washougal River area off North Fork Road on Thursday, Aug. 15. They stripped him of his clothing, tied him to a tree, physically assaulted and them robbed him. Downey was left there by Bedell and Sample overnight. He was able to work himself free and make his way to North Fork Road where a passing motorist picked him up the morning of Friday, Aug. 16.