With a recent infusion of excitement and purpose, the downtown Camas area is entering a new phase in its journey from a sleepy downtown without a whole lot to offer into what many hope will eventually be a thriving downtown that is bustling on a daily basis.
Last night, the Washougal City Council voted to have Brent Boger join the group as its newest member. Boger, the Vancouver senior assistant city attorney for the past 13 years and a Washougal resident since 2003, has the skills and background to be a high quality councilman. Maybe most telling in this selection process, when it comes to predicting how Boger might fit in with the new group dynamic, is the fact that the vote was unanimous. He clearly gained the confidence of each member of the Washougal City Council -- a government body that has so often been divided on a variety of issues.
Fireworks. Some people love them, others absolutely hate them. It's a touchy subject for many. The issue typically comes to a head right around this time of year as fireworks sales begin in preparation for the Independence Day holiday, and the community is forced to deal with those who use the explosives both wisely, and not-so-wisely.
Cancer. It's a word describing a disease that has unfortunately crept its way into nearly every person's life in one way or another. Some have battled the disease themselves, others have supported a family member or friend going through treatment, and others have tragically lost a person close to them to one of the hundreds of forms this disease takes.
Each year, as high school graduation time rolls around, we are all reminded that kids in the Camas and Washougal communities are accomplishing amazing things.
The torrential downpour of rain the area received yesterday doesn't indicate it, but summer is (hopefully) right around the corner. And in small communities like Camas and Washougal, the summer months bring many opportunities for local residents to get out and about, interact, and enjoy all that the area has to offer. Upcoming community events include: Camtown: Saturday's Camtown Youth Festival is a free, youth-focused event and includes a variety of games and interactive amusements, arts and crafts activities, entertainment, food, dunk tank, youth art show, a petting zoo, a kids' flea and craft market, and kid-related information booths. This year's event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Crown Park.
After years of investigation aimed at determining what happened to more than $100,000 in revenue from two City of Washougal-sponsored festivals in 2008 and 2009, the official answer was recently delivered by the Clark County Prosecutor's Office: They really don't know if public money was misused, lost or misappropriated.
"A city government that is connected to all facets of its community." This description is a major characteristic of any highly successful municipality. A meeting last week in Washougal has the potential to be a step in the right direction toward making this concept a reality.
Once again, the growing Camas School District is going through the boundary review process as it prepares to open its sixth elementary school. And perhaps predictably it has stirred up some powerful opinions and emotions from those who will be impacted by the final results.
It's been a difficult road for businesses in the immediate area surrounding the state Route 14 safety improvement project construction work. Traffic delays, rocky gravel-filled streets, road closures, the constant flow and noise of construction vehicles, and a giant dirt berm blocking visibility between the highway and commerce are just some of the issues merchants say have led to a reduction in customers and profits.
