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

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

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

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.

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: [email protected] or call 773-909-5257

In the United States alone, each consumer produces approximately five pounds of waste daily, and much of it ends up in landfills. This massive waste production cannot continue forever. The planet does not have infinite land to house it.

A large portion of the waste can and should be recycled. Simply recycling your plastic, aluminum, and cardboard lessens the strain on landfills and reduces the need to make more of these substances. Recycling is an invaluable tool to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Process of Recycling

Most recycling follows a basic process that includes collection, sorting, and manufacturing. People usually have the choice of using curbside pickup or central drop bins. Depending on the service, recyclers may need to sort their items into plastic, paper, glass, etc. Motivated citizens need to make certain that much of their recyclable waste is collected.

This collected waste is taken to a recycling center where a more stringent sorting process takes place. All items are sorted into their specific category so that contamination does not take place during the manufacturing process. A glass bottle in with plastic or plastic in with cardboard can lead to serious difficulties later in the recycling process.

Finally, the items go through a manufacturing process that transforms them into usable raw materials. Paper is broken down into small fibers so it can become writing material, packaging, etc. Plastic is melted so that it can be molded into new shapes.

Benefits of Recycling

Recycling has many individual, geographical, and global benefits. On the individual level, people who recycle feel a sense of pride in protecting the planet. On a practical level, they may pay less for their garbage pickup when they remove their recyclable items from their general trash.

Geographically, recycling reduces the need for landfills, which can be an unsightly addition to your city or town. Also, landfill contents can leach into the water table and contaminate the soil despite numerous government regulations.

Globally, recycling in the U.S. helps the country’s standing around the globe. Some other countries are ahead of America in their recycling efforts and see it as unfairly damaging the world’s natural resources.

Reasons Why Recycling Will Help the Planet

Recycling helps the planet by reducing reliance on landfills and preventing discarded items, such as plastic bottles and straws, from being swept into the ocean or introduced into the natural habitat of wildlife. Plastic straws are already harming sea turtles and other animals by becoming lodged into their shells or impacting their digestive systems.

Recycling also cuts down on carbon dioxide emissions since it reduces the need to produce more plastic. Greenhouse gases are largely responsible for global warming, which is negatively affecting ocean levels and the world’s climate.

Recycling paper means fewer trees are cut down to make new paper products. As a result, everyone enjoys cleaner, healthier air. Trees also fight dangerous climate change.

Why Recycling Is Essential

Recycling is not optional to protect the world’s resources. Global warming is real, and the production of excessive waste is a huge contributor to this phenomenon. Although protecting the planet requires a global effort, it begins on the local level. When individuals take steps to recycle their waste, it helps the cause and hopefully contributes to a ripple effect in their communities and countries.

By: Katherine Robinson, a writer for Blue Stone Supply

When money is tight, every little bit you can save helps. Here are a few simple ways to adjust your existing budget to free up some funds.

1- Review Your Subscriptions

Many people have automatic payments set up for a host of subscription services. You’re likely paying for something you don’t need, or even use. Take a look at your bank statement to pinpoint those recurring charges. Entertainment streaming service platforms, music subscriptions, gym memberships, and online publications are common ones to watch out for.

You may have signed up for a free trial of a service and then forgotten to cancel and now get charged each month. Even if it’s a service you use, consider the value it provides for the money. Will you really miss it? Perhaps you could choose your favorite streaming service and cancel the others. Or, opt for the free version where possible. You may have to watch or listen to some ads in between your chosen content, but you’ll save some money.

2- Switch to a Prepaid Phone Plan

Save yourself some serious cash by choosing a prepaid phone plan. Prepaid plans have lower per-minute rates and no hidden fees. You only pay for what you use, so you don’t have to worry about sky-high overage fees. Plus, there’s no contract, which means no hefty cancellation fees.

Plans for prepaid phones offer plenty of flexibility. You can choose from a range of plans and providers to find one that fits your needs. You get all the benefits of post-paid plans but without the unpleasant surprises showing up on your bill each month.

Prepaid phone plans are also great if your credit is less than perfect due to past financial difficulties or having little credit history. Most post-paid phone plans check your credit before finalizing your plan, which leaves this option out for some people. With prepaid, there is never a credit check to worry about.

3- Cook Meals at Home

Eating out costs a lot of money. If you visit restaurants multiple times a week, you’re likely spending more money on meals than needed. Instead, start planning and cooking your meals at home.

Cooking dinner together can even be an opportunity to spend time with your partner, family, or roommates. Make it an event by assigning everyone a job and sitting down together to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

You can also start to meal prep your lunches to avoid spending your money on expensive, and often unhealthy, fast food options. Select some recipes you love, create a grocery list, and go shopping for ingredients and essentials. Planning ahead helps you to reduce food waste and find great coupons and deals. When possible, shop for in-season produce to further lower your bill.

4- Review Your Insurance

Letting your current auto insurance policy renew year after year without reviewing the terms could be costing you money. Get quotes from several other car insurance companies to compare rates and find the best deal. Always check into available discounts. Safe drivers with no recent accident history often qualify for lower premiums. Some carriers give you the chance to save some money by using an app to monitor your driving and reward you for good habits.

5- Shop Around for Major Purchases

Some costs you just can’t avoid. Maybe you need to replace your washing machine or your refrigerator is acting up and needs repairs. Unless it’s a huge time-sensitive issue, try to spend a little time doing your research. If you must purchase a new appliance, you can secure a better deal by shopping around to compare prices. When you need repair work on non-essential items, opt for weekday appointments instead of weekend or after-hours service, which can cost a lot more.

Whether you’re saving up for a big upcoming expense, or want to stash a little extra away for an emergency fund, these easy budget hacks will help you lower your monthly bills by shopping smarter and putting a stop to wasting money on services you don’t need. Even these small changes can lead to big savings, less stress, and improved finances.

By: Katherine Robinson, a writer for Prepaid Bill

Vancouver, WA — To celebrate the anniversary of Spencer Porche’s January 20, 2023 kidney transplant and 19th birthday, the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) is holding a fundraiser for the SpencerStrong campaign on January 23 at the Old Spaghetti Factory on Mill Plain in Vancouver, and will be held for the open hours, from 11:30 am-2 pm and 4:30 pm-9 pm. 

Porche has faced a lifetime of health issues, beginning with a premature birth at 3 pounds, 6 ounces, having only one kidney, along with severe food allergies. As he worked through all that he would be diagnosed at 16 with Stage 4 kidney disease. 

COTA helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. They stepped in and helped Spencer and his family, for which they are profoundly grateful. 

COTA invites you to be part of this January 23 fundraiser, and come enjoy a great meal at the Old Spaghetti Factory. If you would prefer to write a check, please add in the memo line “In honor of Spencer Porche.”

COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. One hundred percent of each contribution made to COTA in honor of their patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to their families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Learn more: www.cotaforspencerstrong.com

Moving can be a stressful experience. You have to move and reorganize all of the belongings you’ve collected throughout the years, which is no small feat. A moving company can make this whole experience easier, but it’s not always in the budget. Thankfully, there are some simple ways you can make moving easier for you and your family without the help of a professional service.

Find The Right Equipment

Renting a box truck is an easy way to ensure that you don’t have to make tons of trips. You can reserve a truck even if you’re not moving for a few months. This way, you’ll have an exact moving date to get everything organized by and you may even be able to save a bit of money by reserving in advance. Before you make your reservation, be sure to do plenty of research and get the right size for your needs. After you’ve secured the truck, collect all the equipment you’ll need to pack your belongings. You’ll want to ensure you have boxes, packing tape, and bubble wrap. You may also want to get padded moving blankets and two or four-wheel moving dollies to make it easier to move and protect larger or more fragile objects.

Recruit Help From Friends and Family

It’s helpful to recruit a lot of people to help you move large furniture and lots of boxes so you don’t have to do it yourself. Be sure to have food and drinks ready for them and let them know as soon as possible so they can free up their schedule. When you arrive at your new home, it will be the perfect opportunity to give everyone you care about a tour.

Get Rid of Things You Don’t Need

Moving is the perfect time to assess your belongings and sell or donate what you no longer use or won’t be able to use in your new home. As you go through everything, separate items into piles labeled keep, donate, or sell. Once everything is organized and you’ve reduced clutter, you’ll be able to move with less hassle.

Stay Organized

If you have organized all of your belongings before you move, it will be easier to separate everything out once you arrive at your new place. You may want to consider creating a color-coded system for better efficiency. Color code your boxes, create a spreadsheet, give each room a color and number, and list all the items that will go in that room. This will help you find exactly what you need for each room when you arrive at your new home. You’ll also want to create a checklist of tasks to complete before and during the moving process so you don’t miss anything.

Pack Up Everything As Efficiently As Possible

When it comes time to pack up everything in your home, you’ll want to do so in the most efficient way possible. Take all your larger furniture pieces apart as much as possible and cover them in padded moving blankets or plastic wrap to ensure they don’t get damaged. You should defrost and empty your refrigerator at least eight hours before you move if you intend to take it with you. Any equipment that includes flammable liquids, like lawnmowers and grills, should be drained and stored appropriately for transport. Be sure to cover liquids like shampoos and cleaners with plastic wrap so you don’t have to clean up a mess when you reach your destination. You may also want to pack an overnight bag filled with all of your essentials so you aren’t searching through tons of boxes for the things you use every day.

Following these important tips will allow you to easily navigate the moving process on your own with less stress.

By: Katherine Robinson, a writer for Portable Storage Box

Washington, DC — On Friday,  it was announced that the Interstate Bridge Replacement program has been awarded $600 million in U.S. Department of Transportation Mega Program funding. Funds from this federal grant will help construct the multimodal program to replace the Interstate Bridge and associated corridor improvements. The Interstate Bridge over the Columbia River connects Oregon and Washington on Interstate 5, which is a critical connection that supports local jobs and families, and a vital trade route for regional, national and international economies. 

The Washington State Department of Transportation and Oregon Department of Transportation submitted a joint application Mega grant request in August 2023, with WSDOT leading the process. The Mega Program (known statutorily as the National Infrastructure Project Assistance program), was created through the national Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to support large, complex projects that are likely to generate national or regional economic, mobility or safety benefits.

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), along with Senators Maria Cantwell (WA) and Patty Murray (WA) have also been working to make this grant happen.

Gluesenkamp Perez has spoken directly with Transportation Secretary Buttigieg and hosted White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu in September to underscore the need for this funding to help replace the I-5 Bridge. Additionally, Gluesenkamp Perez, Cantwell, and Murray co-led a bipartisan Washington delegation letter in August in support of the states’ Mega grant application.

The I-5 Bridge project received the highest amount of funding out of 11 awards nationwide. This year, the DOT sought applications for $1.8 billion in Mega program funding from Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024 advance appropriations. This grant marks the second federal grant awarded to the current bridge replacement project; the first, a $1 million seismic study grant, was awarded in October 2022.

Today’s award will fund 8-12 percent of the estimated $5-7.5 billion total bridge replacement project cost. The bridge replacement project remains eligible for other sources of federal funding, including the DOT Bridge Investment Program and the Federal Transit Administration Capital Investment Grant Program.

“From day one, it’s been my mission to bring our federal tax dollars back to Southwest Washington to replace the deteriorating, functionally obsolete I-5 Bridge. It’s the only way we get this huge project done. I pushed for critical Mega program funding every time I spoke with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and I brought White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu to tour the bridge and understand the project,”said Gluesenkamp Perez.“I’m excited these efforts have paid off. This Mega program award will be a major step forward toward strengthening the safety and efficiency of this vital interstate artery. I’ll continue working to bring every possible federal dollar home for this project so our local drivers, especially our commuters, and economy can feel the benefits.”

And, the Oregon side is also pleased. 

“This is a big moment for the Pacific Northwest and demonstrates the national significance of this effort,” said Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek. “Replacing the Interstate Bridge is a critical infrastructure investment for our local communities, two states, and the entire West Coast. This project will help advance our goal of reducing emissions through a modern, multimodal bridge and will provide an infusion of federal funds to our region that will support local jobs and broader workforce opportunities.”  

This year, the Oregon State Legislature committed $1 billion to complete the program, matching Washington’s $1 billion commitment made during the 2022 legislative session. This year, Washington also authorized tolling on the Interstate Bridge, matching the existing tolling authorization in Oregon. When combined, the Mega grant award, other federal grant applications, the $1 billion commitment each from Oregon and Washington, and toll funding will help cover the likely $6 billion in estimated funding needed to construct the program investments.  

“I am thrilled to see the strong federal support that this grant funding demonstrates,” said ODOT Director Kris Strickler. “It speaks to the ongoing partnership and collaborative nature throughout the region and builds upon the momentum of the Oregon and Washington legislatures’ $1 billion commitments. This would not have been possible without the support from both our federal delegation and our local partners, which will ensure we have a safe, earthquake-resilient, and multimodal corridor that will benefit our region for decades into the future.” 

“The transportation options provided by the IBR program investments will improve access, connectivity, and reliability across the Columbia River and throughout the nearly 5-mile program area,” said WSDOT Secretary Roger Millar. “This is an exciting day that clearly demonstrates that investing in multimodal infrastructure that can provide safe, efficient and accessible transportation options is a national priority and a commitment shared by both states. An effort of this magnitude is a collective effort and would not have been possible without the steadfast collaboration and collective effort of regional partners and our state and federal elected leaders.”

“The importance of this federal investment cannot be overstated,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. “We appreciate the support of our congressional delegations to convey the critical need for strong support from the federal level, and to Sen. Cantwell for creating the Mega Grant program in support of projects like ours. Replacing this aging bridge with a crossing that can meet the needs of all travelers for generations to come is of the highest priority. We have been working tirelessly with our Oregon partners to make clear the importance of this project for the people of both states. This grant is a significant step forward.” 

The IBR program is actively seeking approximately $2.5 billion from federal grant sources. In addition to the Mega Grant program, IBR applied in November to the Federal Highway Administration Bridge Investment Program. IBR is also pursuing funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program, which accepted the IBR program into the project development stage in September.

“This grant award marks an important milestone that shows replacing this bridge is a high priority at the regional, state and national levels,” said IBR program Administrator Greg Johnson. “This significant federal investment is critical to provide flexible multimodal funding and continues the strong momentum to get this work done. This infusion of federal dollars into the regional economy will help support tens of thousands of jobs through construction and provides a key piece of funding to successfully deliver a safe and modern multimodal corridor.”

About the bi-state Interstate Bridge Replacement program

Replacing the aging Interstate Bridge across the Columbia River with a modern, seismically resilient, multimodal structure that provides improved mobility for people, goods and services is a high priority for Oregon and Washington. Governors and legislative leadership in both states directed the Oregon Department of Transportation and Washington State Department of Transportation to launch the bi-state Interstate Bridge Replacement program to lead this work, recognizing that needed safety and transportation improvements to the existing Interstate Bridge remain unaddressed. Program development centers equity and follows a transparent, data-driven process that includes collaboration with local, state, federal and tribal partners. Visit the program website at www.interstatebridge.org