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October 23, 2012
Narrator Shannon Leininger begins "44 Plays for 44 Presidents," during a rehearsal at Washburn Performing Arts Center last week.

’44 Plays for 44 Presidents’ is part of nationwide festival

The drama during election season isn't limited to the presidential debates or candidates accusing each other of sign stealing. This year, there will be drama, when students at Washougal High School take to the stage with "44 Play for 44 Presidents." As the title indicates, this production contains 44 mini-plays about each of the presidents of the United States. It is a part of the Plays for Presidents Festival 2012, and Washougal is joining 43 schools all across the United States who are participating during the election year. WHS is one of only four West Coast schools, the others being San Jose, Los Angeles and Seattle.

October 16, 2012
One of the activities the Taki delegation participated in was a tour of historic Fort Vancouver. Here, they learn about the cannons outside Chief Factor's house.

The language of friendship

Despite thousands of miles and cultural differences that separate the United States from Japan, those who have spent time with host families in either country know one thing: We're all pretty similar. Twenty middle school students and their host families discovered that during five days they spent together last week. A group from the town a Taki, a sister city of Camas, included included mayor Yukio Kubo, a high school principal, English teacher, interpreter, city clerk and travel guide, in addition to the students.They stayed with families from Liberty and Skyridge middle schools. The visit was organized though the Camas Sister City Association, in collaboration with Camas schools.

October 9, 2012

Halloween and harvest festivals

o Family Halloween Night: Camas Parks and Recreation will host its annual Family Halloween Night from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 at Liberty Middle School, 1612 N.E. Garfield St. The event includes carnival games from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., and a costume contest from 8:30 to 9 p.m. It is designed for children ages 2 to 12. All attending must be accompanied by an adult. The entry fee is two non-perishable food items. No costume weapons are allowed.

October 9, 2012
Selecting just the right pumpkin is a challenge for many. Sometimes, it is necessary to choose at least two.

Area farms provide everything from hay rides to petting zoos

Got a hankering for tasting some apple cider, wandering through a corn maze, and picking the perfect pumpkin?If so, then area pumpkin patches fit the bill. Open now through Halloween, most offer a lot more than the standard gourd. Many include hay rides, apple cider, corn mazes, petting zoos, local produce, food for purchase and crafts.

September 25, 2012
Chloe and Carson Connors are hosting the "Challenge for Change," event in honor of their brother, who overcame a heroin addiction.

Finding light in the storm

"I've seen a storm, I won't wait for another Lord with your help I will make a change Guide my hands to the brokenhearted Help me shine the light on the rain. Shine light on the rain..."

September 18, 2012
Soroptimists Marilyn Brown (right) and Marjorie Rorabaugh discuss pricing during a recent estate sale in Washougal.

Helping with the next step

During an estate sale, organizers serve as everything from counselors to advertisers to business planners.But for a local non-profit group, it goes even further than that.

September 13, 2012
From left, Brianna Abraham, Rachel Fadlovich, Marcus Bintz and Jennifer Dean pose for a photo at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Meeting the disease detectives

Marcus Bintz and Rachel Fadlovich of Camas beat out more than 70,000 competitors to win the National Science Olympiad "Disease Detectives" competition.In addition, they are the youngest pair to ever capture the title. "It's incredible," said Ron Wright, Camas High School Science Olympiad advisor. "These two young people are the 2012 National champions. And neither was a senior when they did this." Fadlovich, 15, is now a junior and Bintz, 17, is a senior. Both have participated in Science Olympiad since they were in middle school. The prize for winning nationals was an all-expenses -paid trip to see the real "disease detectives," at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga.

September 4, 2012
Kathy Sork, AnnaMarie "Suzy" Clement and Linda McCulloch (left to right) pose by a six-paneled group watercolor they helped create. The other artists who painted panels were Julianne Schreiner, Carolyn Gunderson and Judith Sanders-Wood.

Four artists will share Second Story Gallery in September

The joy and excitement of creating art is shared by a group of women who have gotten together over the years for artists' retreats, classes, or just painting in their garages.Now, AnnaMarie "Suzy" Clement, Kathy Sork, Julianne Schreiner and Linda McCulloch will share their love of art with a group show at the Second Story Gallery through the month of September. The four met while serving on the board of the Southwest Washington Watercolor Society in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Like their friendship, their artwork continues to grow and evolve. "We all bring something to the table, be it a new material, a new idea, a new approach, a new style or the joy and excitement of just being together, sharing our art," said McCulloch, 69, a Camas resident. Currently, they are experimenting with mixed media in addition to traditional watercolor painting, which is the basis behind the art show theme of "Inspiration/Exploration."

August 28, 2012
Side-by-side, members of the Gateway Community Church Nicaragua Mission Team and residents of Tipitapa mix cement for the expansion of a church. Some of the same team members helped build the original church nine years ago.

Mission team expands original project in Nicaragua

When most people hear the word, 'Nicaragua,' they think of a war-torn, violent place. But members of Gateway Church typically think of their mission teams, which have gone to the country every year since 2003 to help build churches and do outreach projects. This year, the team traveled to Tipitapa, a suburb of Nicaragua's capital city, Managua, to expand the first church they helped construct in 2003. Team members Larry Basham and Mike Lamb were part of the original group, so it was a homecoming of sorts. "It was a great feeling to be back and see the work just expand," Basham said.