Camas, WA — Third Congressional District candidate and Camas City Council member, Leslie Lewallen, a Republican, today released her agenda on solving the region’s drug epidemic.
In her statement, she said “Fentanyl and dangerous drugs have invaded the Evergreen State and have created a dangerous epidemic that is destroying families and killing our kids. In 2023, the DEA removed 4.8 million lethal doses of fentanyl in Washington state and over 1,700 people lost their lives due to overdoses in Washington – a 37% increase. We have to acknowledge that our drug epidemic is a result of our wide-open southern border.”
Lewallen said that fentanyl and dangerous opioids come across the southern border, up the Interstate 5 corridor, and into our communities.
“President Biden and his Democratic cronies like Marie Gluesenkamp Perez are responsible for our border crisis and under their rule, Washington is a border state. They have cut laws to secure our border and support our brave border patrol agents and are standing by as these poisons enter our communities.
“Last week, I met with these parents during a town hall in Camas. I heard the heartbreaking stories of the murders of their children and the devastating effects that fentanyl and other deadly drugs have wrought on their families. I discussed my agenda to close our southern border, give victims the resources they need, and take back Southwestern Washington from the drugs that have infiltrated us”.
Lewallen’s Agenda
Secure our southern border and implement President Trump’s policies including “Remain in Mexico” policy, support our border patrol agents, and build the wall.
Implement a 30-day grace period where insurance companies have to provide care before they can deny it.
Require healthcare centers to be proactive and reach out to those struggling with addiction with resources and ensure that a detox process is complete before being released. Private facilities will take “pro bono” cases to help people – not just the ones with money.
Hold drug dealers accountable with harsher sentencing and work with the District Attorney’s office to ensure prosecution.
To learn more about Lewallen’s campaign, click here.
They source the grapes from eastern Washington, have their own grape vineyard in Brush Prairie, bottle their own wine, and now Lane Cellars has their own tasting room in downtown Camas, which opened in February.
“We make the wine, we are winemakers,” said Kimberly Lane, co-owner of Lane Cellars. “We have been wine enthusiasts for many years, then started volunteering in the local industry in 2012 with another winery helping out with harvest and crushing, and we just got into it.”
Kimberly, and her husband, John, became home winemakers, went commercial in 2017, are part of the Southwest Washington Winery Association, and by 2019 they had enough production and became a part of the Camas Farmer’s Market. It was an exercise in patience when the COVID pandemic hit in 2020.
And, now with their tasting room in downtown Camas, at 340 E 4th Avenue, they have a venue to showcase their products, host live music on Friday and Saturday nights, and give their guests a place to relax. Guests may order wine by the glass, the bottle, or by the flight. They also have a limited light food menu, and serve local IPAs, Pilsner and lagers.
Lane Cellars produces a variety of wines, including Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvigon, and a 50/50 blend that took Best in Class in the Red Bordeaux category. The blend is 50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Petit Verdot and has become a guest favorite.
Guests love to spend time at Lane Cellars, which is quickly becoming a destination for wine lovers, and music fans. Make sure to visit on Friday’s and Saturday’s to enjoy live entertainment.
Camas, WA — Camas Days, an annual event since 1974, is a two-day festival focusing on family fun, arts and crafts, as well as a wine and beer garden with live music by “The Caddies” and “The Beth Willis Band”. This event draws nearly 15,000 people and will take place on Friday, July 26th and Saturday, July 27th in downtown Camas. The festival starts with the opening of vendor booths, both days, from 10 am to 8 pm. The wine and beer garden will be open from 5 pm until 11 pm.
On Friday, the Kid’s Parade will march down 4th Avenue at 11:30 am and on Saturday, the Main Parade “America the Beautiful” will start at 11 am. There will be bands, dignitaries, drill teams, floats, animals, toilet paper tossing hosted by Georgia Pacific, and more. The parade will kick off with our Grand Marshall, Brent Erickson, in honor of his 20 years of service in organizing Camas Days. Brent is a lifelong resident of Camas and has served his community in many ways. He served on the Camas Parks Board for 24 years, was a volunteer firefighter for 14 years, and was the Executive Director of the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce for 20 years prior to his retirement in 2020. He also served on the Hotel Lodging Tax Committee, Shoreline Committee, and the Committee for a Community Center and Pool.
Immediately following the grand parade is our iconic Bathtub Race located between the Camas Library and City Hall. Firefighters are on hand cooling the crowd down with water hoses!
Kids and kids-at-heart will be entertained on our Kids Street. This area is equipped with a giant inflatable slide, inflatable obstacle course, games and other kid activities.
The Camas Days Festival is a two-day block party of fun, craft vendors, informational vendors, food, drinks, and entertainment for everyone. There are have over 100 craft and commercial vendors, 16 food vendors, and a new section for young entrepreneurs.
Parade applications and Bathtub Race applications are available at: www.cwchamber.com.
The Columbian’s Best of Clark County rated Camas Days the 2nd best festival in Clark County, second only behind the Clark County Fair.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/14132022/Tub-race-USE.jpg7681024Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2024-06-14 13:30:202024-06-14 13:30:29Camas Days ‘America the Beautiful’ Festival Coming July 26-27
Washougal, WA — Students in Khrista McBride and Samantha Howards’ fourth grade classrooms at Columbia River Gorge applied science and engineering concepts as they built, tested, and measured the results of balloon-powered hovercraft races.
Students created the hovercrafts from CDs, balloons, and the cap from a bottle. The balloons were connected to the cap, which was glued onto the CD, creating a small gap for air to flow out, resulting in a small amount of lift to let the hovercrafts glide on hard surfaces.
Each student tested their hovercraft in several settings, and with different sizes of balloons, and measured the distance traveled, so they could analyze the resulting data and draw conclusions about what makes a successful hovercraft.
“Students exploring is the most natural way to learn,” Howard said.
McBride said that, “After the lesson, students reflected on the notes they gathered, and were surprised by the smaller balloons working better than larger balloons.” She described students discovering that, “The smaller size allowed their hovercraft to move further and faster due to the continuous volume of air flow.”
Students also found that designing the hovercraft with the shiny side of the CD facing down worked better than the label side. Students found this through “ their comparisons and discussion which led them to decide that the smooth side was the better one facing down. They learned that reducing friction made a difference.”
Students also noticed differences between distance traveled due to the flooring, including that the hovercraft traveled less distance on the rug than hard materials.
By combining science and engineering processes together, students learned the practical application of a number of science concepts, and how things like friction and weight can influence the outcome of an experiment.
Camas, WA — The Camas Washougal Fire Department (CWFD) is developing plans to replace the existing Fire Station 41 to ensure adequate fire and emergency medical services for the local community as population continues to grow.
A new station will serve as the headquarters for CWFD and will be located in downtown Camas, in the core of the department’s response area. Currently, the downtown Camas emergency response personnel, the Fire Marshal’s Office (FMO) and the administrative staff are decentralized; operating out of separate buildings and remote to each other. As the headquarters facility, a downtown Camas station will house response personnel, apparatuses, administrative staff and the FMO.
Why is CWFD Requesting a new Fire Station 41?
The current Fire Station 41 facility has outlived its useful life and cannot be increased in size to accommodate the needs required of a modern fire station, including:
Ability to withstand a significant earthquake
Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Space for additional firefighters/EMS personnel to meet growing demands
Crucial, up-to-date decontamination facilities and separation to limit firefighters’ carcinogen exposure
Elimination of apparatus exhaust from entering City Hall’s interior office spaces
Space for fire apparatus
Mandated safety clearances around equipment
Facilities for a diverse workforce (male/female changing rooms) to be consistent with diversity, equity and inclusion guidelines
Providing public access to emergency service crews
Providing parking for emergency medical drive-ins
Providing private medical screening and treatment area for walk-ins and drive-ins
Where will a new station be located?
After conducting a process which involved considering multiple site options that could accommodate a downtown fire station, several options dropped off the list for a variety of reasons, such as traffic impacts, topography and size, environmental impacts, and cost. This left CWFD with one preferred site to consider as a potential location: a city-owned site adjacent to City Hall and currently occupied by the City as the City Hall Annex, located at 528 NE Fourth Avenue. To maximize the available space for the fire station, City Council is considering vacating (closing) the north half of Everett Street between Third and Fourth avenues to vehicle traffic. This would provide an opportunity to use current street space for the station and create a small plaza or “pocket park” along NE Fourth Avenue that can be used for community events.
Where will the funding come from for a new station?
Funding for a new fire station will come from the sale of voter-approved bonds. Bonds are a funding mechanism for replacing capital facilities and equipment like the fire station and fire engine.
During the August Primary Election, voters will have the opportunity to decide whether to fund the new fire station through a bond-approval. This approval would fund design and construction costs for the new facility. If the bond passes, construction could begin as soon as 2025.
How much will the new station cost Camas homeowners?
The bond amount is $26.3 million based upon preliminary design and cost estimation to cover the full station replacement costs as well as a new fire engine to replace the aging fire engine currently operating out of the existing station.
The monthly cost for most homeowners in Camas will be approximately $9.33 (based upon median assessed home value of $862,000).
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/07134119/IMG_7245.jpg540960Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2024-06-07 13:53:312024-06-07 13:53:38Learn About the Downtown Camas Fire Station (#41) Replacement Project
Camas, WA — Officials with the City of Camas are encouraging residents to join their friends and neighbors for the Our Camas 2045 Community Summit #1.
The first Our Camas 2045 Community Summit will take place June 12, from 4:30-6:30 pm, at the Lacamas Lake Lodge (227 NE Lake Rd, Camas, WA 98607).
The Community Summit is part of the Our Camas 2045 and Our Downtown Camas 2045 project, which is a city-wide process to update the current Comprehensive Plan and create a Downtown Subarea Plan. Over the past four months, City leaders reached out to the community to help create a new Community Vision Statement that describes how Camas wants to grow over the next 20 years. The Visioning process provides a foundation for updating the City’s 2045 Comprehensive Plan and developing a new Downtown Subarea Plan.
At the first Community Summit, the City will report back on the outreach that took place this past spring, and they’ll unveil the draft Our Camas 2045 Vision Statement. Participants will have an opportunity to vet and refine the draft Vision Statement and identify priorities and opportunities for achieving the vision.
Please join City of Camas officials for a fun and informative evening to discuss the future of Camas! For more information, visit Engagecamas.com or contact Alan Peters, Community Development Director at 360-817-7254 or email apeters@cityofcamas.us
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/06183003/Screenshot-2024-06-06-at-7.19.16%E2%80%AFPM.png5381514Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2024-06-06 18:34:112024-06-06 18:34:18Our Camas 2045 Community Summit #1 Scheduled for June 12
If you do not have a budget, now is the time to create one. Doing so may sound like a boring task, but it will make a significant difference in your life. Imagine having enough money each month to meet all of your expenses without having to worry. And a budget isn’t only for rent, utilities, and food. A good budget helps you put aside money for entertainment and even savings. So while making a budget doesn’t sound like much fun, it will boost your quality of life.
Determine Your Net Income
Before you start listing expenses, you need to know your exact monthly income. That means subtracting the taxes you owe from your gross income to arrive at your net income. Your employer lists that amount on your paystubs, but if you are an independent contractor or freelancer, you will need to estimate your yearly income and subtract your expected taxes, including the self-employment tax. You can also roughly figure out how many deductions you will have at year’s end.
List Your Fixed Expenses
Your fixed expenses are those bills you have to pay each month. Utilities, rent/mortgage, food, childcare, loan payments, and insurance are some common fixed expenses. Like it or not, you have to cover them in order to survive. Many gas and electric companies let you pay on budget billing, which means they average your costs for a year. That way you can better plan this expense and not be stunned by your January or July bills.
An average budget might call for 30% of net income to go for housing, 15% on food, and 10% on utilities. Some geographical areas have much higher housing costs than others, so this division may need to be adjusted.
List Your Variable Expenses
These expenses are those you may feel are necessary, such as a gym membership, but could be left out of your budget if you need to. Gifts, clothing, and dining out are other variable expenses. You may consider them covered by your disposable income or income spent on items that you want but do not strictly need. You should also put aside some money in savings each month for an emergency.
Reconcile Your Income with Your Budget
When you add up your fixed and variable expenses, you may find that they exceed your monthly income. That means you have to put the excess expenses on credit cards or otherwise go into debt each month to meet your obligations. The hardest part of making a budget is setting your limits and sticking to them.
If you need to make cuts, go through your variable expenses and decide where you can economize. Maybe you can spend less on clothing, cut some of your streaming services, or limit eating out to twice a month.
You can also look at your fixed expenses and see if you can economize on heating and cooling (setting the thermostat differently) and lower your grocery bill by buying in bulk. When you are finished with your budget it needs to be one you can stick to.
Budgets are Best
Some people avoid budgets because they do not want to face the reality of their financial situation. That’s a common and understandable reaction. But putting together a reasonable budget should leave you money to pay for everything you must have and some of what you want.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/06171049/Budgeting.jpg8531280Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2024-06-06 17:31:392024-06-06 17:31:46Making a Budget: Where to Start, Where to Prioritize
Vancouver, WA — Coming off their best regular season since joining the Basketball League and looking for the first playoff win, the 16-4 Vancouver Volcanoes will play a best two out of three series this weekend against the Seattle Superhawks to decide the winner of the Basketball League’s Pacific Northwest Division.
The Volcanoes are the higher seed, meaning they will host games two and three (if needed) at Home on Saturday and Sunday. The first game will be played in Seattle on Thursday. Home Games will be played Saturday and Sunday at Evergreen High School in Vancouver, Washington. Saturday’s game will be at 7 pm, and Sundays (if needed) will be at 3 pm.
The two teams faced each other four times during the regular season, during which the Volcanoes went 3-1 against the SuperHawks. The Volcanoes captured the number one seed last weekend by winning their last two games of the regular season. The Volcanoes are seeking their first playoff win since joining the Basketball League. Get your tickets online for Saturday’s game at Tickets – Vancouver Volcanoes. Support Clark County’s only professional basketball team on their quest to win The Basketball League starting this weekend.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/30162650/A7A11A52-A6F1-4002-A1BB-E5C393A19A35-e1717111815657.jpeg5691239Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2024-05-30 16:35:272024-05-30 16:35:33SPORTS: Vancouver Volcanoes to Compete for League’s PNW Division Title
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/29120357/Screenshot-2024-05-29-at-1.03.01%E2%80%AFPM.png14601836Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2024-05-29 12:06:102024-05-29 12:06:20Elida Art to Host Several Paint Night Events This Summer
Camas & Washougal, WA — The third annual Parkersville Day, Saturday, June 1, from noon to 3 pm, offers something for everyone. This free family-friendly event is held at Parker’s Landing Historical Park located at 24 A Street, Washougal, adjacent to and on the west side of the Camas-Washougal Port Marina. This year’s event features the local history of Columbia River travel.
Parkersville Day will start with an opening ceremony that honors Chinook history and features a 31-foot Chinook canoe on site. There are fun family games that were played at the park in 1880 with historic candy and event souvenir prizes. Storytellers will bring local history alive with tales of the people and activities that were a part of the rich past of Parkersville. Visitors can join WSU park tours identifying plants and trees, enjoy a display of winners from the Washougal Schools art contest and listen to a performance of the Washougal High School band.
A square dance demonstration is new to the event. The group, Happy Hoppers, was founded in 1959 and is one of the larger clubs in Washington State. Square dancing became vital for generations of Americans up to the late 1800s before falling out of favor. After World War II, square dancing enjoyed participants numbering in the millions and continues to today, boosting fun with health and social benefits.
Also new this year is a Good Humor ice cream pushcart complete with umbrella.
“The event always has ice cream to honor the Parker’s Landing Dairy that was there until 1942 around the time of pasteurization,” explained Susan Tripp, event organizer.
While the Parker’s Landing Dairy was operating in the early 1920s, confectioner Harry Burt of Youngstown, Ohio created a chocolate coating compatible with ice cream. His daughter told him it tasted great but was too messy to eat. Burt’s son suggested freezing the sticks used for their Jolly Boy Suckers, Burt’s earlier invention, to make a handle for the ice cream treat. Things took off from there.
The Good Humor name reflected the founder’s belief that a person’s humor or temperament was related to the humor of the palate (a.k.a., your sense of taste). Soon after the Good Humor bar was created, Burt outfitted a fleet of twelve street vending trucks with freezers and bells from which to sell his creation. The first set of bells came from his son’s bobsled. Good Humor bars have been sold since then out of everything from tricycles to push carts to trucks. In the early years around 1936, Good Humor men were required to tip their hats to ladies and salute gentlemen. It took three days of training and orientation to become a Good Humor Man. Good Humor started an ice cream revolution with the first ice cream on a stick, and the very first ice cream truck.
Today, one can find Good Humor ice cream at stores locally such as Fred Meyer and Safeway. The ice cream cart at Parkersville Day will offer the Good Humor Chocolate Éclair bar, Creamsicle, and Strawberry Shortcake bars as well as a non-dairy ice cream sandwich, and orange juice bars.
There will be interesting displays at the event staffed by community organizations who have an interest in the park at Parkers Landing. Community Garden Club of Camas/Washougal who tend to the park’s gardens, Soroptimist International of Camas-Washougal who beautify the historic silo planter each year, WSU Master Gardeners who run the Clark County Heritage Trees program, Chinook Indian Nation, Clark County Historical Museum, Two Rivers Heritage Museum, Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington, and the Parkersville National Historic Site Advisory Committee to the Port. Camas Scout Troop 562 will run the family games along with volunteers from the Rotary Club of Camas-Washougal and the Camas Lions Club.
Learn about local history at this fun, educational event in the park.
https://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/29111438/2023-Parkersville-Day-volunteers-in-costume-e1717006904720.jpg6241516Ernest Geigenmillerhttps://cdn.lacamasmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/07074147/lacamas_white_2-300x300.pngErnest Geigenmiller2024-05-29 11:22:362024-05-29 11:22:44Parkersville Day 2023: Come See What’s New on June 1