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City of Camas Seeks Committee Members for April’s EMS Levy Vote

Camas, WA — Officials with the City of Camas announced that the City’s EMS Renewal Levy will be on the April 23, 2024, Special Election ballot. As such, the City is looking for interested individuals to serve on one of two committees, those in favor of the EMS Levy, and those who are against the EMS Levy.

Committee members will draft arguments both in favor of, and against, the levy for the online Voter’s Pamphlet.

Interested individuals can contact the City of Camas Finance Director, Cathy Huber Nickerson at 360-834-2462 or chuber@cityofcamas.us

By law, Camas’ residents consider a renewal of the EMS levy every six years. In this ballot measure, the voters consider the renewal levy at the same $0.46 per thousand rate that currently exists, with the duration not to exceed six years. Since 2013, the levy remains limited to $0.46 per thousand assessed valuation of such property.

Ponderosa
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Site Location Released for Vancouver Wash. LDS Temple (in Camas)

By Scott Taylor, Church News 

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released the site for the new Vancouver Washington Temple, less than five months after the new house of the Lord was announced.

Projected as a multi-story temple of approximately 43,000 square feet, the Vancouver temple will sit on a 15.11-acre site located at the northwest corner of the intersection of SE 20th Street and SE Bybee Road in Camas, Washington, just east of Vancouver proper.

The new site location was first published Monday, Feb. 26, on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Church President Russell M. Nelson announced a house of the Lord for Vancouver in the October 2023 general conference, one of 20 temple locations identified on Oct. 1.

More information on the new temple — including an exterior rendering and a date for its groundbreaking — will be released on future dates.

Washington is home to more than 281,000 Latter-day Saints in nearly 490 congregations and four operating houses of the Lord — the Seattle Washington Temple (dedicated in 1980), the Spokane Washington Temple (1999), the Columbia River Washington Temple (2001) in Richland in the south-central Tri-Cities area, and the recently dedicated Moses Lake Washington Temple (2023). A temple for Tacoma was announced in October 2022 general conference.

The Church of Jesus Christ in Washington dates back to the mid-19th century, when four missionaries laboring in the area of California were sent into the Washington and Oregon territories. Enough converts joined to create a congregation just north of present-day Vancouver along the Lewis River, a tributary of the Columbia River.

Many Church members helped with the 1880s railroad construction of the Northern Pacific Oregon Short Line in Washington. In 1930, Church membership in the state totaled 1,900 in eight congregations, with chapels in Seattle, Spokane, Olympia and Everett.

Completed in the early 1940s, the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in central Washington produced hydroelectric power and increased irrigation water, resulting in many Latter-day Saints moving into the area and the state.

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How to Choose the Right Pet For Your Lifestyle

Pets bring joy, comfort, and purpose into many people’s lives. However, it is important to select the right pet for you or both you and the pet will be miserable. A pet should only be acquired after conducting thorough research and thinking the decision through carefully. There are several important aspects of your lifestyle to consider when selecting the right pet.

Time

Caring for any pet will consume some of your free time, but some pets are more time-demanding than others. A pet fish might require around an hour a week of maintenance, while a pet cat requires daily feeding, litter box cleaning, and social interaction. If you have a busy, over-scheduled life, look for a low-maintenance type of pet. in addition, some pets, such as dogs, cats, and birds, need plenty of daily companionship. If you are routinely gone for 12 hours a day, you might want to opt for a pet fish or turtle instead.

Activity level

Even if you have a fenced backyard, practically all dogs need to be walked daily. Many dogs are not content with a leisurely stroll around the block, either, and are best owned by people who go jogging or take brisk walks several times a week. Be honest with yourself: if you are a natural couch potato or prefer to exercise only at the gym, an active breed of dog is not going to fit well into your lifestyle.

Skill level

You will be the sole provider of everything the pet needs to have a happy, high-quality life. Make sure you are up to the task. Note that some pets require considerably more skill to maintain than others. Pet cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and small rodents can be cared for by practically anyone. The level of skill required to keep fish varies dramatically by the type of fish; if you are new to fish-keeping, make sure you start with a “beginner” type of fish. Similarly, birds, reptiles, and amphibians can be sorted into “beginner” and “advanced” skill-level species. Dogs can also be sorted into “easy” breeds and ages and more demanding and difficult breeds and ages. Taking in a puppy of a difficult breed can be a daunting task, far beyond the skill level of most individuals; conversely, adopting a fully trained adult of an “easy” breed is well within the skill level of most people.

Commitment

You should also consider the average lifespan of pets before you select one. You need to be prepared to keep the pet for its entire natural life. A pet rat would be expected to live for only two years; dogs live for 12 to 15 years; cats can live into their late teens to early 20s; and some birds and turtles can live for 100 years or more. Taking in a young cockatoo expected to live for 50 years is a far different level of commitment than adopting an elderly cat.

Budget

Pets cost money. When considering whether you can afford a pet, remember that the purchase price of the pet is usually insignificant in comparison to the ongoing maintenance costs. The cost of the equipment to maintain the pet can, in some cases, vastly exceed the cost of the pet itself. For example, a $6 fish might need a $1000 home to live in. A cat may seem to be a fairly cheap type of pet, but don’t forget to factor in veterinarian care, such as yearly wellness visits and pet insurance premiums. If you opt to skip pet health insurance, you will need to have ready access to a significant amount of cash if the animal suffers an injury or develops an illness.

Space

If you live in a cramped apartment, you need to consider how much space you can devote to a pet. For example, a habitat for a gerbil requires far less space than one for a large python. Potential dog owners also need to be realistic: it is much easier to care for a dog of any size when you have a fenced yard for potty breaks. If you don’t have a door that opens into a fenced area, someone is going to have to take the dog out multiple times per day, every day, even in horrible weather, unless you opt for a very small breed that can be litter box trained.

Be prepared

Once you have made your decision and located a reputable, humane source to obtain your pet from, you need to prepare for its arrival by acquiring the basics like food, a cage, toys, leashes, litterboxes, and so forth. Sign your new pet up for health insurance, a training class, and a veterinarian wellness check-up before you bring the pet home. You want your first few days together to go smoothly instead of sprinting off to the pet store to grab something you forgot or worrying about whether you have the right kind of food.

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Two Rivers Heritage Museum Reopens After Winter Maintenance Closure

Washougal, WA – The Two Rivers Heritage Museum will reopen their doors on Saturday, March 2, 2024, after their annual winter maintenance closure.  Open each Saturday through October from 11 am to 3 pm, volunteer guides accompany visitors through the museum to offer interesting extra information and stories as well as answer questions. 

The museum, located at 1 Durgan Street in downtown Washougal, is operated by Camas-Washougal Historical Society volunteers and features a wealth of photos, artifacts and information about the people, places, and businesses prominent in the early years of Camas and Washougal.  

“Our goals this year are for more members and volunteers, and to spread the word about why people should visit our museum,” said CWHS president, Dick Lindstrom.  “We are the ‘best kept secret’ in the area and actually get more visitors from out of town than from our own community. We hope more locals will come in and see all the artifacts we have on display that are sure to stir up some memories!”

During the maintenance shut down volunteers carefully cleaned and cared for the museum’s extensive Native American basket collection.  

“Our objective is to use best practices when working with these precious artifacts,” said Richard Johnson, a volunteer. “This means proper cleaning, updating our display using non-damaging plexiglass stands, and careful storage to give some baskets a resting period. All these steps will help preserve the collection.”

Recently museum leadership prepared for reopening with a volunteer training session and a clean-up day to make sure the space shines.  Popular displays include artifacts and information on Native American baskets and stone tools, early physicians, fishing, lumber and farming industries, a 30s style kitchen, woodworking tools, early mining, military uniforms and artifacts, teddy bears, Camas and Washougal High Schools, beautiful depression era glass bowls and vases, musical instruments and more.

The museum gift shop offers a new selection of postcards featuring historic photos of Camas and Washougal and images of artifacts in the museum, beautiful rugs woven onsite with Pendleton wool fabric trimmings, a variety of surplus antiques as well as many books about local history by local authors.

The Two Rivers Heritage Museum admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for students and free for children under 5 and all CWHS members.  Group tours are available any day of the week (by appointment only).  Leave a message at 360-835-8742 for scheduling.

CWHS is always looking for volunteers and new members to join and help support the preservation of local history. More information about the CWHS and the Two Rivers Heritage Museum can be found on their website at www.2rhm.com.

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Vancouver Volcanoes Basketball ‘Meet the Team’ Event Coming Feb. 28

On February 28th, the Vancouver Volcanoes basketball team is hosting a fun “Meet the Team” event at Chuck E. Cheese in Vancouver from 5 to 8 pm. 

Guests can enjoy special deals on food and games, and the public can join the Volcanoes for a fun night of pizza and games alongside the team. Plus, it is a way for fans to get excited about the upcoming season. 

The location for Meet The Team event is 7721 NE Vancouver Plaza Dr, Vancouver, WA 98662. All Volcanoes home games are played at Clark College from March to May, with the first one on March 8th vs the Salem Capitals.

Learn more at vancouvervolcanoes.com

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Community Partnerships Boost Literacy Efforts in Washougal Schools

Washougal, WA — Elementary students at Washougal School District benefit from a flurry of early literacy programs this winter. Recent book donations and literacy grants at Washougal schools help to provide young learners with early reading materials. Early literacy lays the foundation for future learning by strengthening critical thinking skills, creativity, and comprehension. 

“I like to read because if I’m having a stressful day, it calms me down,” said Nora Persons, 5th grade student at Gause Elementary.

Literacy is also an early indicator of academic success. Washougal School District students outperformed the state overall in English Language Arts on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) standardized test last year. “When kids discover an early passion for reading, it immerses them in their areas of interest and introduces them to new avenues for discovery,” said Hillary Chapman, Librarian TOSA at Washougal School District.

Read Northwest Hosts Free Book Giveaways

Read Northwest hosted book giveaway events for first through third grade students at Hathaway Elementary, Columbia River Gorge Elementary, and Gause Elementary School this winter. This program is made possible thanks to donations of books from the Molina Foundation via the Children’s Literacy Project. Every student was able to choose one free book to take home from the hundreds of options set up in a book fair-style display at the event.

“Our goal is to not only foster a love for reading among children but also to ensure that every child has access to the resources they need to build their literacy skills. We want every student to have the chance to own a book they’re excited about,” said Anna Paul, Washougal Schools Volunteer Coordinator with Read Northwest.

Gause Booster Volunteers Fundraise to Replace Library Books

Volunteers with the Gause Boosters organized a fundraiser to replace lost, stolen or damaged books from the Gause Elementary library this year. The initiative reflects the community’s investment in childhood literacy and commitment to ensuring that students have access to a wide range of reading materials. 

“Reading is important because it makes you smarter,” said Avery Williams, kindergarten student at Gause Elementary.

Booster groups support Washougal schools to help meet a wide range of needs. Learn more about volunteering at Washougal School District: Volunteer – WSD (washougal.k12.wa.us)

Camas-Washougal Rotary Donates New Books to Third Grade Classrooms

In December, the Camas-Washougal Rotary donated books to third grade classrooms across Camas and Washougal elementary schools. Over 30 classrooms received a basket of 25 reading level books and a dictionary. This initiative, funded primarily through the annual Ducky Derby and supplemented by ongoing rotary donations, fosters a culture of reading among early learners. This donation helps to provide Washougal kids with a greater variety of reading materials, encouraging students to find new passions and interests through reading.

Washougal
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A Nation in Motion: Where Did People Move In 2023, and Why?

If you look at this migration map, you’ll see the top states where people are moving to include states with warm weather, such as South Carolina, Arizona, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida. It appears we’re flocking to states with warm weather, but there is more to it than people getting tired of snow and ice. California had a serious exodus in 2023 despite the glorious weather. Let’s take a closer look at why people moved where they did in 2023.

Lower Cost of Living

Since COVID, there has been a surge of individuals who work from home. While many of the remote workers have gone back to their offices, a number of people started their own businesses where they work from home. Professionals, such as therapists, also learned they can work from home and have virtual appointments with clients.

When you work from home, it does not matter where you live as long as you have a high-speed internet connection. Housing costs are less, as are groceries, car insurance, and more. When you pay less to live, you can keep more of your profits for yourself.

Spacious Homes and Yards

Some of the top cities where people are moving from include Los Angeles, Seattle, and Chicago. There are pleasant cities, but homes are expensive. When moving to cities such as Tucson and Charleston, which are top inbound cities, families with kids crammed into small city apartments in places like NYC find spacious homes with large yards attractive. They can have gardens, livestock, treehouses, and other things people in tiny apartments and houses in some cities only dream about.

Lifestyle Benefits

States like New Jersey to Connecticut, are losing residents who are getting tired of the fast-paced lifestyle they lead. Most southern states have a noticeably slower atmosphere, with far fewer traffic jams and people greeting each other as they walk down the street instead of racing to their next destination. Stress may be okay for people in their 20s, but as we get older, we realize a life with less stress leads to longer and generally happier lives.

Better Employment Opportunities and No State Income Tax

California, with its famous tech industry rates, is losing residents rapidly. Individuals realize that other places, like Tucson, AZ, and Charleston, SC, have booming tech sectors without the very high cost of living. Salaries in Silicon Valley are high, but the housing costs eat the money up quickly. People are also moving to states, like Tennessee and Florida, with no state income tax, allowing residents to keep more of their money in their pockets.

Living Closer to Nature

States like Arizona, Florida, and South Carolina are seeing more people who choose to live there to be near nature. Beaches, state parks, and golfing are more enjoyable in places with sunny weather. Living near nature is also appealing to people who now work from home and want to get out and away from their computers.

People have different reasons for moving to another state, it’s clear some states are far more popular than others and other states are losing residents every year. Only time will tell to see if this trend continues in 2024.

By: Katherine Robinson, a writer for Allied Van Lines

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Five Things to Know Before Getting a Storage Unit

Storage units are ideal for freeing up space in your home, storage for items you use in your home business, or keeping your belongings while moving or being deployed in the military. They are convenient to give you additional space and declutter your home. Here are five things to consider when renting your first storage unit:

1. Types of Units Available

There are indoor storage facilities and outdoor ones that you can pull your vehicle up to load and unload. The indoor storage units are typically climate-controlled, which is ideal for anything affected by extreme cold or humidity. Outdoor units are not climate-controlled, but they are less expensive. The self-storage units come in various sizes, ranging from 5’x5’ to 10’x20’ or larger. If you plan to access the storage unit before permanently removing your items, be sure to get a large enough unit to easily access your belongings with an aisle down the middle so you can reach items in the back.

2. What Will I Store?

Most self-storage facilities have safety restrictions prohibiting you from storing certain items. These can include firearms, hazardous materials, and anything illegal. Most people use them for household goods, furniture, and holiday decorations that they don’t want to sell or donate.

3. What Do I Need to Do to Rent a Self-Storage Unit?

Find one in a convenient location that is reasonably priced. Read the contract carefully. There can be a minimum amount of time you have to rent the unit, although most are month to month. It’s rare to find anywhere that will let you rent for less than a month, minimum. Focus on what happens if you are late making your payment or forget to pay. You could lose all your possessions if the facility auctions off the contents. They will make you pay to have the lock cut off and an auction fee as well if you default on your payments. Consider letting the facility have automatic payments from your bank account if this is offered. You also have to show a valid government ID to rent a self-service storage unit. Tell a family member about your unit and leave them the information in case anything ever happens to you and you are in the hospital, so you don’t lose your stuff.

4. Access

Find out what times you can access your storage unit. It may be 24 hours, but many facilities only allow access during normal business hours. If you only have a vehicle you can use to move stuff out, this will be important.

5. Security

Indoor and outdoor self-storage facilities should be well-lit with security cameras. A guard on the premises is even better. You’ll be supplying your lock to guard your items safely. The facility may have insurance you can buy, or your homeowner’s insurance may cover the contents. Photograph and list your most valuable items in case you ever need to put in a claim. If your unit is broken into, it is usually your responsibility unless the storage unit was negligent, like forgetting to lock the gate. Never store anything irreplaceable, like valuable jewelry, in a self-storage unit. Get a safety deposit at your bank instead for those items.

By: Katherine Robinson, a writer for SMARTBOX

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Camas Boys Swim Team Swim Wins District Title in Undefeated Season

The Camas Boys Swim team won the District IV title Saturday at Walla Walla, WA (Whitman College) capping off an undefeated 2023-24 season.

“It was an incredible meet,” said Camas Head coach, Kelly Dean. “It is a bi-district meet. We won our district 4 (459 points) Union second at 272. Hanford from District 8 won the bi- district meet.”

Camas tied for first in the 200 medley relay — Owen Yam, Tenzin Kelsang, James Crawford, Sahn Kim. 

Camas placed 1st and 2nd in the 100 free — Tenzin Kelsang and Pranaya Shrestha.

In the 200 free relay, Camas placed 2nd by a hair to Union. Papermakers Alan Xie, Pranaya Shrestha, Tenzin Kelsang and Sahn Kim.

In the 100 breast- Camas placed 1st (Sahn Kim) and 3rd (Tenzin Kelsang).

Swim
Team captains: Luka Obradovic, Sahm Kim, and Tyler Sutherland.
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Change Your World by Hosting an Exchange Student

Nonprofit group seeks volunteer host families for foreign exchange students

Camas, WA —Greenheart Exchange, the nonprofit student exchange organization, seeks volunteer host families to host exchange students for the 2024-25 school year.  Each year, Greenheart provides over 900 exchange students from more than 60 countries the opportunity to study in local public high schools for a five-month semester or a ten-month academic high school year.

“Host families make all of the difference,” said Marcelle Benedicta, Vice President of Greenheart International. “They influence a young adult’s life–changing world views and making dreams come true. When a host family is so willing to give, they have as many rewarding and enriching experiences as the student.”

Volunteer host families come from varied economic, religious, and racial backgrounds and include working parents, empty nesters, single parents, and single people. Host families are to provide:

  • Open communication, encouragement, patience, and sound advice
  • A separate bed, which can be in a shared room with a host sibling of similar age and same gender and a quiet place to study
  • Three daily meals
  • Local transportation (students are not permitted to drive while on the program
  • A welcoming home that includes the student as a member of your family!

Students have their own accident and health insurance and bring their own spending money. Students are encouraged to participate in school-sponsored activities, community service, and environmental programs. Greenheart Exchange provides regular communication and support to both host families and students.

For more information, visit: https://www.hostwithgreenheart.org

Contact Kristine Robb

Email: krisrobb@gmail.com or call 773-909-5257

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