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Opinion

December 17, 2013

Don’t celebrate county’s new growth just yet

In Camas, Washougal and Clark County overall, growth is happening. One need only drive down the west slope of Prune Hill and glance to the north at the number of bare hillside lots ready for construction, to see that many new homes will soon be built for new families moving in. But in case you haven't witnessed that stark scene in west Camas or in other locations in the community, a story published in The Columbian last week provided some new details of local growth.

December 10, 2013

Letters to the Editor for Dec. 10, 2013

Family Resource Center criticism is frustrating I am appalled to learn that Washougal City Councilors Dave Shoemaker and Connie Jo Freeman would want to remove $7,500 from the Washougal Family Resource Center based on the center not referring young pregnant women to the Pregnancy Clinic of Camas- Washougal (religious based clinic) but rather to Sea Mar Community Health Centers (comprehensive health center).

December 3, 2013

Holiday questions begin

This time of year, I start getting media calls about the holiday sales that retailers offer. The holiday shopping season is one week shorter than normal, which matters when it comes to the pace of shopping and how much spare time people have to shop. Why do retailers open on Thanksgiving Day? There are many different types of shoppers and appealing to them all is the challenge. Not everyone has an all-day family event to attend on Thanksgiving, or wants to sit around the house all day talking to relatives. And, if a parent notices a special price on the perfect gift, making a quick stop at the store might save that family enough money to buy another gift. What about the workers who have to work that day? These folks are making a good wage at time-and-a-half or double time. That's money they can use for their shopping later. It's good for everyone -- the store, the shopper, the employee.

December 3, 2013

Dream season continues

As the Camas High School football team prepares for the Washington State Championship game on Saturday, football fever is alive and well in Camas. It's an excitement that has slowly built up during what has turned out to be a dream season for the 2013 Papermakers. The past three months have produced convincing wins against all 13 opponents Camas has faced, beginning with a 47-14 win in September against Jesuit High School -- a team that is now playing for the Oregon 6A state championship against Central Catholic.

December 3, 2013

Letter to the Editor for Dec. 3, 2013

Shoemaker clarifies his views The Columbian newspaper misrepresented my views in its Nov. 27 article about East County social services operated by the Children's Home Society (CHS). My position is nothing new. Nor, as the article suggests, is it based primarily on objections to abortion referrals.

November 26, 2013

A new chapter for The Fairgate

On a cold but sunny Saturday afternoon, The Fairgate Inn in Camas held its annual holiday high tea. As always, the event was beautifully decorated and the food was absolutely amazing.

November 26, 2013
Members of the 1937 Camas High School football team included Don Gigler, John Gfeller, Frank McKever, Fred Parsons, Harry Rietze, Emmett Scott, Tom Barker, Waldon Dailey, Hugh Knapp, Marvin Leathlean, Leslie Ludahl, Warren McNett, Clayton Myers, George Repman, Ben Straub, Bob Williams, Cliff Woodman, Albert Craig, DeForrest Hobson, Ray Hobson, Bud Meyers, Tracy Murphy, Jim Newquist, Ray O'Dell, Howard Olson, Omar Rhode and Harold Robertson. The coaches included Walter Erickson, Frank Hooper and Chet Campbell.

CHS Hall of Fame: The 1937 football team

Watching football has become a part of America's Thanksgiving tradition as much as turkey dinner. This year, the NFL is scheduled to televise three games on Thanksgiving Day. In 1937, there were no televised games -- Philo Farnsworth, who pioneered the technology for television, was just successfully concluding patent litigation against RCA for his image dissector, which evolved into the modern TV set.

November 19, 2013

Freedoms allow us to ignore cherished rights

Last week on Veterans Day I was reading an assortment of newspaper articles, e-mails, and web site and social media posts about how important this day is for our country. Veterans Day is important, of course, not only to thank the hundreds of thousands of veterans who made sacrifices to defend our country, but for all Americans to think about the freedom and liberties we enjoy, because of their sacrifices. The freedom and liberties that people in many countries will never know. But on this particular Veterans Day, with flags flying in the brisk wind and sunshine, it occurred to me that our freedoms can at times be a double edged sword. As Americans we can pretty much say and write what we want, read any book, see any movie or play or listen to any music we wish.

November 19, 2013

Volunteers are springing into action

As the tide turns toward the beginning of the holiday season, the goodness in people's hearts truly begins to show. Local volunteers, both young and old, are an inspiration as they spring into action. They coordinate food and toy drives, prepare hot meals for people in the community, put together gift baskets, collect jackets, hats and mittens, and raise money to benefit those in need. All of these efforts are done on both large and small scales, from a penny drive to events like Stuff the Bus that generates thousands of pounds of donated food each and every year. The great part about all of these efforts is that they allow each and every one of us to give what we can, because even the smallest contribution has the capacity to help someone in need.

November 12, 2013

Spectators need to be held accountable

It might be an understatement to suggest that in Camas and Washougal, high school sports are a big deal. Friday night football games draw hundreds, if not thousands, of screaming fans -- students, parents and community members alike -- to Fishback and Doc Harris stadiums. This is also where crowds faithfully cheer on the soccer teams and track and field teams. Volleyball and basketball supporters also pack local gymnasiums to the gills.