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November 26, 2013

School campus vandalized

Police are investigating an incident at the Cape Horn-Skye Elementary and Canyon Creek Middle School campus after a firearm was used to shoot out several exterior lights. Maintenance staff were repairing lights around the building last week when they noticed the vandalism. Bullet casings were found nearby. The schools are located on rural Washougal River Road and share a campus. The Skamania County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident, which is estimated to have occurred prior to Nov. 14. "The district is very concerned and we will work with the sheriff's office to hold accountable the person or persons responsible," stated a letter, which was sent home to parents on Nov. 21. "To the best of our knowledge, no students or staff were on campus when this occurred."

November 26, 2013

Clark County freeholders will be sworn in today

The 15 Clark County residents elected as freeholders earlier this month will be sworn in today. The event will be held at 6 p.m., at the Clark County Public Service Center sixth-floor hearing room, 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver. The group's first meeting will follow at 6:30 p.m.

November 26, 2013

Camas narrows city administrator candidate field

A pool of 17 candidates for Camas city administrator is currently being narrowed to a field of three who will be interviewed next week. Higgins announced earlier this month that an expedited recruitment process that will make use of the results from the city administrator selection process completed within the past year would be used. This time around, the recruitment is being completed internally with assistance from Waldron, a regional human resources consulting firm that completed the city's previous city administrator recruitment. The application deadline was Friday, Nov. 15. Finalists will be interviewed by a selection committee on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 5. Higgins will then interview the committee's top two choices and make a final selection.

November 26, 2013
Mark Lockwood, a volunteer, sorts through toy donations in a warehouse at River Rock Church, in Camas. The items, as well as clothing and shoes for men, women and children, will soon be sent to people affected by Typhoon Haiyan, in the Philippines. Donations of bedding, hand sanitizer, bandages, diapers, school supplies, pots, pans and tarps, are accepted at River Rock through Saturday, Dec. 7. "The storm was an act of nature," said Tony Williamson, a pastor. "We want our response to be an act of God."

Guided by faith

Mark Lockwood braved temperatures in the high 40s Thursday, while sorting donations of assorted goods that will soon be on their way to the Philippines.Lockwood, a volunteer, was dressed in several layers of clothing in the River Rock Church warehouse, as he separated contributions of clothing, shoes, bedding, toys, medical and school supplies, pots, pans and tarps. According to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, more than 3.3 million people were displaced by Typhoon Haiyan on Nov. 8. More than 5,200 people are reported dead, 25,615 were injured and 1,613 are missing.

November 19, 2013
Rain or shine, workers have been busy at the construction site of the future Lacamas Lake Lodge and Conference Center. Contractor JWC Construction began work on the city of Camas project in July, and officials are aiming to have construction completed in time to hold the City Council's annual planning conference there at the end of January.

Lacamas Lake Lodge takes shape

Electrical work is now being completed, and soon insulation and drywall will be installed inside the new Lacamas Lake Lodge and Conference Center. Contractor JWC Construction began work in July on the 5,000 square foot building located on the banks of Lacamas Lake. It has slowly begun to take shape in the last couple of months. "There hasn't been any real unexpected challenges," said Site Superintendent Chad Shumaker on Friday. "The city has been super easy to work with. This is going to be a beautiful building."

November 19, 2013

Washougal Community Center improvements are part of 2014 budget

Improvements are needed in the Washougal Community Center kitchen, in order for that facility to continue preparing food for the Meals on Wheels program. The 2014 preliminary city budget includes $50,000 for kitchen upgrades. "The entire kitchen, except the commercial dishwasher, is out of compliance with health department codes," said Washougal Parks, Cemetery and Facilities Manager Suzanne Grover.

November 19, 2013
The City Council approved the placement of a 10-minute parking spot in front of Caffe Piccolo on Northeast Birch Street, as the result of a request from its owner Jodi Vaughan. It was among a handful of adjustments, which also included the addition of 35 unrestricted spots on Cedar and Birch streets, between Fifth and Sixth avenues.

City Council approves changes to downtown parking limits

The Camas City Council last night approved a series of changes to parking time limits in downtown Camas, and the much debated topic is likely to come up again at the annual planning conference in January. The ordinance establishes 35 spots on Cedar and Birch streets, between Northeast Fifth and Sixth avenues, that will shift from the current six-hour to a new "unrestricted" 72-hour parking time limit. The intent is to give employees of downtown Camas businesses areas to park other than in front of other businesses. In addition, three 10-minute spots will be added -- one in front of Caffe Piccolo at 309 N.E. Birch St., one in front of Happy Island Restaurant at 419 N.E. Cedar St., and another in front of the apartments at 615 N.E. Sixth Ave., to be used as a C-Tran pick-up spot.

November 19, 2013

Survivor story: Camas author pens third book

Underneath the shoulder length, wavy, gray hair and glasses, lies the strength of a woman who survived an abusive marriage and found love the second time around. Della Howe, 85, of Camas, has written her third book, "Al's Twisted Mind," about her ex-husband. In the book, Howe, who uses the pen name Marie Jensun, has changed her former husband's name. She married "Al" when she was 18, and he was 21.

November 12, 2013

Event to benefit Heroes Northwest

A dinner and auction will raise money for Heroes Northwest. The second annual event will be held Friday, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., at Embassy Suites at the Portland Airport, 7900 N.E. 82nd Ave.