The virtual NASA conversation to include Q&A participation from Vancouver iTech Preparatory and Camas’ Odyssey Middle School

VANCOUVER – Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine will host a virtual Q&A with Camas native, NASA Astronaut Dr. Michael Barratt and Vancouver iTech Preparatory and Camas’ Odyssey Middle School, on October 15. The event will feature a presentation by Dr. Barratt focusing on NASA’s Artemis Program, and will give students the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session.  

When: Thursday, October 15

             10:30 – 11:30 AM PST

Planned agenda:

10:30 – 10:35: Administrator Bridenstine — Opening Remarks

10:35 – 10:40: Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler  Opening Remarks 

10:40 – 10:55: Astronaut Michael Barratt — Discussion and slides

10:55 – 11:25: Q&A (Alternating Questions asked from participating teachers and schools)

11:25 – 11:27: Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler — Closing Remarks

11:27 – 11:30: Administrator Bridenstine — Closing Remarks

NASA
www.electlarryhoff.com

This is the first part of a two-part Question and Answer session with Dr. Alan Melnick, MD, MPH, CPH, Director of Clark County Public Health, as he and his team manage the complexities and pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question 1: How is COVID-19 test data gathered daily?

We get data and test results in a variety of ways: From local providers within 24 hours (clinics, hospitals, labs, all of them) rolling in throughout the day and most send data electronically, some send via FAX, and those are rolling in throughout the day. We have a big team of nurses who do the investigating. The data comes in and we go through all of that daily. We are staffed seven days per week. We have about 24 nurses and five office assistants working each day. The nurses are calling cases to interview them and identify close contacts, and working on facility investigations (if we have multiple cases in a workplace, health care setting, long-term care facility, school, etc.). The office assistants are supporting the nurses.

In addition to those folks, we have teams that do contact notification. These are the people who call everyone who is identified as a close contact of a confirmed case, notify them of their exposure and give them instructions on quarantine. They also monitor those individuals who test positive during their isolation and close contacts during quarantine, by calling and/or texting every day. We contract with an organization, Public Health Institute, to provide these services. They are working seven days a week and have five teams with eight contact notifiers on each team.

We also have staff coordinating wraparound services (such as seeing if cases need rental assistance, groceries, etc.), epidemiologists and data analysts compiling our data, among others.

Question 2: Does Clark County track cases by ethnicity?

Yes, we do. There are disparities by ethnicity. Some are impacted more than others. 

Question 3: With the current cases per 100,000 that are in place do you foresee the possibility that we should look more at hospitalizations per 100,000? As the numbers currently stand getting kids back in the classroom appears nearly impossible.

We do look at hospitalizations and capacity. When COVID-19 activity increases in the community there is a lag time and there is a long incubation period. It can be as long as 14 days. So one of the things I’ve shown to our Board of Health is that kids are less likely to get sick than adults, so why are we concerned about schools? Not all kids do so well. Certainly kids can get sick, but number two the schools are not an island and kids have a congregate setting in a school. They take the infection home to their parents and grandparents. Schools are part of the community, and that will bleed out into transmissions. We see more of the disease in young adults. There are reports in Florida that the older population is in jeopardy. We had some cases involving young adults who are partying with each other and not practicing physical distancing or masking. The incubation lag time is 14 days. Then there could be more lag time before that and when they visit grandpa and grandma, after several weeks you can start seeing cases in older people. Once you get to that point, it’s the point of no return.

COVID-19
Dr. Alan Melnick, Director,
Clark County Public Health

We look at hospital utilization, but the number is creeping up slowly a bit. You also have to look at capacity in the nursing homes, and we are approaching capacity there. The hospitals have no place to discharge those patients if that happens. I’m concerned about that. We are entering the Fall where more people will be exposed indoors. I’ve got data on where people are exposed. I’m really concerned about nursing home facilities. I will want to take a look at nursing home capacity. This will be a new metric. We haven’t published it. These are the things that keep me awake at night. This is horrible. It’s all horrible. I’m speaking as a public official and physician, and there’s an incredible amount of logic applied to it, and it’s become political. It’s a recipe for disaster. When you go into a business and the masks use has become a statement of political stance. It’s similar to what we went through with the measles outbreak. Dealing with anti-science makes this political. The virus doesn’t care about our politics. COVID-19 is a top cause of death in the United States.

Question 4: After a person tests positive and then they go back in for subsequent tests so that they can go back to work, if those tests are positive also are they considered new positive cases?

A person is counted as a case once. They can have 10 positive lab results. 

COVID-19
www.electlyndawilson.com

Question 5: How is Mead School District near Spokane able to open up yet they’ve had more than double the COVID cases?

I listen to all perspectives also. Everyone who lives in Clark County is our constituent. So we have to listen to their perspectives. I can’t answer why Spokane is doing what they are doing. These state guidelines are recommendations. We have looked at the data, schools are not an island. We’ve looked at the metrics of not only cases per 100,000. We have considered the impact of the holidays. We decided as a group to delay to make sure the metrics are post three weeks Labor Day. We don’t want to open up to have to close again. They are bringing back special needs kids in small groups. The other thing is that we’ve had some cases in staff at some of the schools. We are putting out a dashboard about what is going on in the schools. We want to be proactive with parents. We have a vocal group pushing for reopening. It’s a complex discussion. We are trying to be as thoughtful as possible.

Question 6: Is the 25 cases per 100,000 metric that allows schools to open as normal even attainable before Spring 2020?

It depends. If people practice physical distancing and masking we can do it. We have it in our power to do something about this, but the poltical nature of this has inhibited us. We were there. The idea is to protect everyone else around us. COVID-19 is a disaster but it’s an opportunity for us to see what we can do to look out for our neighbors and co-workers, our kids. We have it in our power to protect us, and listen to the science, and make this less political. It’s a cloth, it’s a mask. Wear it.

Question 7: What is the COVID-19 recovery rate in Clark County?

For us, we’re not really tracking or categorizing cases as recovered because we interview cases and then we monitor those cases during the isolation period. We check in with them during the 14-day quarantine period. Beyond that we don’t have the bandwidth to verify recovery. We don’t follow up at the end of that isolation period. 

Question 8: When you submitted your application for Phase 3 you were confident the County was ready for that. Then we had an outbreak at a local business that derailed that and then the Governor put a pause on any variances statewide. Do you think the Governor’s approach is too draconian? Is his approach the correct one?

It’s the right approach. We wouldn’t be in this position if people would physically distance and use masks. Other countries are opening up. We need to be concerned about doing our share. The best answer to improve mental health is to mask up and social distance. We were in the moderate range and now we’re a 95.6 cases per 100,000. We were at 19.45 cases per 100,000 when we submitted that application in June, over 14 days. Take a look at our website https://clark.wa.gov/public-health and look at epi-curve. July 4 and Labor Day did us in. 

The remaining questions and answers will appear in Part 2. We will likely have more interviews with Dr. Melnick. Do you have any questions you’d like us to ask?

Camas, WA — Supporters of the Open Camas Schools movement are meeting at Doc Harris Stadium Monday at 6 pm to rally and have a car parade through Camas neighborhoods.

“We believe that Camas Schools need to open sooner than later as there are many more factors that need to be taken into consideration, not just COVID-19,” said Bill Criddle, a concerned Camas parent. “As more and more information comes about we see a potential rise in mental illness, depression, suicide and abuse just to name a few. All of these need to be considered by the Camas School Board not just cases of COVID-19. We understand the seriousness of the virus but know that protocols can be put in place to keep students and staff safe.”

Organizers ask that all participants wear face coverings and follow COVID-19 safety protocols.

“It is hard to know what the physical support will be but we anticipate that we will have more than 25 cars,” said Criddle. “I would love to see 100+ cars but I am realistic to know that not everyone wants to get out on a rainy evening and drive through town.”

He added: “We want the school board to know that the community expects them to do what is best for the students in all facets, not just virus prevention. We want them to know that their current system is failing our students and our teachers.”

Camas Superintendent Dr. Jeff Snell said the schools will follow Clark County Public Health guidelines for school openings. Camas schools currently have about 350 students in the classroom. 

Snell said the schools will open to a hybrid model when the county hits the moderate range (25-75 COVID cases per 100,000 residents). Currently the county is at 95.6 cases per 100,000, with 169 active cases. There are 25 COVID hospitalizations. 

The Open Camas Schools Facebook page has more than 800 members. The page founders seek compromise with the school district to get students in the classroom as soon as possible.

Camas
Parade route for Monday.

Washougal WA — It is 7:45 am and 60 first grade students at Columbia River Gorge Elementary are beginning their school day.  At their home workspace, they log in to a Zoom classroom to welcoming music and each is greeted by name.  On the screen is a list of materials they will need for the day’s instruction flacked by smiling and waving bitmojis illustrations of their teachers.  A five-minute countdown begins at 8:00 am, and at 8:05 am, each student, now prepared for their day, breaks into individual virtual classrooms with teachers Allison McGranahan, Sydney Termini and Taryn Tedford.

“We feel it is important to start our day by having everyone together and greet each student by their name,” explained Tedford.  “The bitmojis are just a fun way to represent us and our excitement for what’s to come.  For instance, we had them wearing scrubs on the day we were studying the human body. Our morning routine is a small way to build a sense of community and connectivity that is missing in distance learning.”   

Once broken out into classrooms, teachers lead an hour lesson.  The larger group comes back together again at 9am to meet with a specialist for instruction and activities in art, music, PE and even Library.  “It is important that students are able to stay connected with other teachers and continue to learn in these other important curriculum areas,” McGanahan said. 

Students then go back to their classroom group for the last half hour of instruction.  The remainder of the school day is spent viewing selected pre-recorded lessons and completing assignments.

The CRGE first grade team’s approach to teaching changed some since last spring, when teachers everywhere were asked to turn on a dime to online classes.  They began this year by reviewing curriculum and deciding which lessons to begin with for remote learning. “We know that certain topics were okay being recorded and others are more conducive to being live lessons,” explained McGanahan. “We’ve tried to make it so that even if kids aren’t able to be at the Zoom lessons, they are able to engage in the learning lessons.”

Students
www.annrivers.com

Like the K-2 teachers of the Washougal School District, they are using the educational software app, SeeSaw to capture learning during the distance learning. They are able to send video lessons and activities for students to interact with during the afternoon asynchronous learning time.

Teachers set up activity buttons for students to connect to three lessons.  One day may include math, a listen and learn activity and a skills practice, such as handwriting or answering questions about a story.  There are also activities for the areas of science and even community building.  Students can log in at any time in the day to complete the work.  “I had a student who had a dentist appointment during class time but was still able to participate easily in the activities,” said McGanahan.  “This offers a lot of flexibility for families.”

A good example of Seesaw’s use was a recent first grade unit on folk tales. “The assignment was for students to retell a folk tale or fable in their own words,” explained McGanahan. “They recorded themselves telling the story and even downloaded artwork they created to illustrate it.  Then we were able to watch and listen to their work.” 

“I am so amazed at how committed many of our families and students are to this whole distance learning process,” McGanahan added.  “It is a lot and it is a challenge, but we have had kids show up when the power is off, the wind is blowing, and the smoke is in the air. Kids show up and participate when they are tired and are not feeling well. I have had a kid show up to Zoom because he did not want to miss it, even though his tummy hurt, and he had to leave because he was getting sick. Our students are not giving up just because we are doing distance learning! They are actively engaged and will be able to pick up right where we left off when we get the chance to be back in the building.”

Youngest learners thrive with structure and routine and the CRGE team understands that it is a struggle for students to not be in the classroom. “Even with all the tools we have in place, this is not the same as it would be in person,” McGanahan said. “Sometimes students just need to be near the teacher and talk through a problem without the whole group watching. They need to get up and move and learn in different ways, and that is difficult over Zoom.”

Termini agrees.  “It is a challenge for me to not see each students’ process,” she explained.  “I don’t see them individually as they work through an assignment to recognize where they may have struggled. I just see the outcome, not how they problem solve and approach the work.”  

Another challenge to distance learning is lesson preparation that must take weeks of lead time to gather and distribute materials to families who drive to the school at specific times for pick up.  “It was such a treat to see students as they came to pick up bags,” said Termini. “It was good to touch base face to face with our students and their parents to check in on how it is going.”   

A benefit that has risen from remote learning is the stronger connections being made with many of the students’ families.  “We are working hard to address parent needs as much as we can and support them,” said Tedford.  “The partnership we have with parents is so important and is being fine-tuned.” 

“We are not able to do our job without family support and I absolutely love the depth of connection with parents I am able to make because of distance learning,” said McGanahan.  

 “I appreciate how supportive our student’s families have been,” added Termini. “We couldn’t do it without them!”

Students
Greeting students.

Field trips are often one of the most memorable learning experiences for young students.  The opportunity to go outside the classroom can be an exciting and impactful way to bring lessons to life. This is why Cape Horn-Skye Elementary first grade teachers, Darcy Hickey and Nicol Yung, decided to deliver the experience online.  

“The idea of having Virtual Field Trip Fridays came about from us as a team discussing how we could do something fun as a grade level and make it meaningful to the kids,” said Hickey.  “We chose Fridays because after a week of distance learning, we wanted the kids to have something fun and different to look forward to.  We set up a Zoom link for the entire first grade so all the students get to experience the field trip together.”

Students have participated in four virtual field trips so far this year.  “We have visited a dairy farm, an egg farm, an ice cream factory and a symphony,” explained Yung. “An upcoming field trip will be to attend a shadow puppet show.”

Each field trip is planned with a thought to science, literacy, and the arts. “For example, our trip to the symphony fell in line with our study of sound in science,” said Hickey. “We also love that it supported music standards.”  

A lesson unit in language arts involved fables, and since many centered around a farm setting, a virtual trip to an egg farm was arranged.  “Our trip was also a segue into doing a science experiment with eggs,” said Yung.  “Our art teacher, Alice Yang, was a special guest who joined us on our field trip to the dairy farm.  She led the students in a directed drawing of a cow.  The upcoming field trip to the shadow puppet show aligns with our study of light and shadows in science.”

“We want the kids to know and understand that despite the fact that we are in a remote learning situation, there are still many opportunities for them to experience and learn things about their world around them,” explained Hickey.  “We want them to know that they are still connected to the world and that they can participate in meaningful activities, experiments, literature and discussions about everyday things that are a part of their lives like eggs, milk, ice cream, light, and sound to name a few.”

Field
www.annrivers.com

Hickey and Yung strive to help students think about topics that they are familiar with more critically and on a larger scale. They provide hands-on science experiments and activities throughout the week that support the field trips.  For example, students were provided materials to do an experiment on how sound waves travel before the symphony.  For the upcoming puppetry field trip, they were given materials to create shadow shapes on the wall.

The most recent field trip to an ice cream factory on October 2nd also featured CH-S’s new principal, Brian Amundson, reading the book Should I Share My Ice Cream, by Mo Willems.  “This was a great way for our students to get to know Mr. Amundson since we aren’t in person right now,” said Hickey. “He also led the students through a STEM challenge.”

“The entire staff at Cape Horn-Skye is awesome,” said Amundson. “The creativity of the teachers and the ways they are finding to connect with students and families is amazing.”

The virtual time together this week ended with a surprise Dairy Queen gift card for a free ice cream. “We reached out to former School Board member, Teresa Lees, who contacted the manager of Cams DQ to ask about donating the 50 gift cards to our students,” said Hickey. “Donna from DQ was thrilled to be a part of this and didn’t hesitate to say yes.”

Camas, WA — Camas schools are slowly — and methodically — opening up campuses to in-person learning amid a growing county and statewide spike of COVID-19 cases, said Superintendent, Dr. Jeff Snell today.

“We continue to use remote learning as our primary learning delivery model while serving small groups of students with highest needs in person,” said Snell.  ”The number of students receiving in-person services is ranging between 250 to 350 students district-wide.  Many of these students are served through special services and others have been identified with specific needs that can be addressed in person.  We are also bringing in small groups of some students at the kindergarten through 2nd grade level for some assessments.  Each of our schools is monitoring student engagement and identifying students with needs that might require in-person experiences, so as the weeks progress we will likely increase the number of students receiving in person services.  All of these opportunities are being provided in small groups following the guidance from our state department of health.”

Snell said the district is disappointed in the continued rise of cases in the community.  

“We are asking for the community’s help by continuing to follow the social distancing and mask guidelines,” Snell said. “We will be ready to start our transition to hybrid plans when our COVID levels consistently return to moderate. More details about our plan including timelines, resources, and presentations are available at http://www.camas.wednet.edu/covid-19/2020-fall-reopening/.”

Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County Public Health Director, said his team looks at data every day, and in June he recommended the county re-open to Phase 3. At that time, the county had 19.45 cases per 100,000 residents, which was in the low range, and would have permitted schools to re-open had the timing been right. As of Wednesday, there are 95.6 cases per 100,000 residents, which is in the high range, based on Washington Department of Health guidelines.

Students
www.electlarryhoff.com

“We do look at hospitalizations and capacity and up until now, and earlier in the year that was a problem when COVID-19 activity increases in the community there is a lag time and there is a long incubation period,” Melnick said. ”It can be as long as 14 days. So one of the things I’ve shown to our Board of Health is that with kids are less likely to get sick than adults, so why are we concerned about schools? Not all kids do so well. Certainly kids can get sick, but number two the schools are not an island and kids have a congregate setting in a school. They take the infection home to their parents and grandparents. So, we have to re-open with caution. There are proper protocols that need to be followed.”

Vancouver, WA — Today, the Carolyn Long for Congress campaign announced that Carolyn Long raised more than $1.24 million during the third quarter of 2020 — bringing the total raised for the cycle to $3.5 million.

 The Long campaign emphasized they continue to raise significant resources without taking corporate PAC money. This quarter, the campaign was able to raise money from thousands of contributions — over 72 percent of which were local — reflecting a “strong, sustained grassroots support for Carolyn’s candidacy and her campaign to represent Southwest Washington in Congress.”

“Another impressive fundraising quarter continues to show the incredible grassroots support for Carolyn Long in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. The district is ready for a fresh start and Carolyn is ready to deliver for the people of Southwest Washington,” said Abby Olmstead, Campaign Manager. 

“In these incredibly difficult times, politics-as-usual in D.C. just won’t cut it anymore—and folks in Southwest Washington recognize that,” said Long. “Washington’s Third Congressional District needs a leader who will put people over politics. Unlike my opponent, I will never take a dime of corporate PAC money. And the people of Southwest Washington will never have to wait in line behind a corporate lobbyist to talk to me.”

Carolyn Long is running for Congress in Southwest Washington (WA-03) for the 2020 election. She previously was the Democratic nominee for Washington’s 3rd District in 2018. She resides in Vancouver with her family and teaches at WSU-Vancouver. Long has served Southwest Washington for more than 25 years, as a WSU college professor and community leader. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee Tuesday loosened restrictions on many activities, from movie theaters to restaurants, sports, and real estate, under his four-part coronavirus reopening plan.

This is the biggest movement forward after Inslee this summer stopped all counties from advancing to further stages of reopening. Inslee told reporters today he wasn’t resuming those county-by-county reopenings, but said Tuesday’s measures are “targeted things to show how we can do this in a safe way” as businesses continue to suffer financial losses amid the pandemic. 

Clark County, and Washington state in general have seen COVID-19 case spikes like many states across the United States. Inslee addressed that concern by saying he would make another push to encourage face mask use statewide, and said the new measures were a way safely open up a little further.

“We believe that if we continue to increase our use of masks, and we hope that we’re heading in that direction, that will allow us to make these shifts to allow more social interactions,” said Inslee.

Tuesday’s announcement loosens many restrictions, including on restaurants, which have been hard hit by Inslee’s mandates. Counties in the second-phase — including Clark — or in the third phase can now serve alcohol up to 11 pm.

Restaurants may also boost their table size to six in the second phase, and to eight in the third phase. The restriction on tables being limited to members of one household is lifted, which Inslee acknowledged was difficult to enforce, pitting restaurant workers against customers on a regular basis.

Clark County can now have movie theaters operating at 25 percent capacity, according to the new guidelines. For counties in the third phase, those theaters can open at 50 percent capacity. Facial coverings and six feet of distance between households will be required.

“Hoping to open on Friday night but still have a few things to confirm, I’ll have a plan in place by mid day tomorrow,” said Rand Thornsley, owner of the Liberty Theatre in Downtown Camas.

COVID-19
www.artfuljuxtaposition.com

Sports 

The new sports guidelines will align school related and non-school related sports guidance. Tournaments and crowds are prohibited in counties that aren’t in the low-risk category, but these guidelines will allow more school and non-school sports, both indoor and outdoor, according to a combination of local metrics. These metrics are aligned with state metrics for school opening recommendations. It also provides specific protocols for transportation, group size and facial coverings. 

Youth team sports and adult team sport guidance greatly expanded:

  • Youth team sports now includes both school and non-school sports, both indoor and outdoor
  • Adult recreational sports now includes both indoor and outdoor
  • Sports are now divided into risk categories

Counties are now categorized by COVID-19 activity level measured by new cases per 100,000 residents in the previous two weeks and the percentage of positive tests.

Whether or not a sport is allowed, and to what degree it is allowed depends on a  combination of the risk category for the sport and the COVID risk category for the county in which the sport is to take place.

Tournaments and spectators are prohibited in any county that is not in the low-risk COVID-19 category.

Low risk sports: tennis, swimming, pickleball, golf, cross country, track and field, sideline/no-contact cheer and dance, disc golf.

Moderate risk sports: softball, baseball, t-ball, soccer, futsal, volleyball, lacrosse, flag football, ultimate frisbee, ice hockey, cricket, gymnastics, crew, field hockey, school bowling competitions.

High risk sports: football, rugby, wrestling, cheerleading with contact, dance with contact, basketball, water polo, martial arts competitions, roller derby.

Nearly all of Washington’s 39 counties are in the second or third phase of the governor’s reopening plan. No county is in the fourth phase.

As part of Tuesday’s announcement, the real estate sector can hold open houses with numbers allowable for each county’s size-limit for gatherings. Meanwhile, other guidelines will allow libraries to offer some more services.

Registering to vote in Clark County is pretty simple, and there are several ways to do it. The Clark County Elections Office provides many options. To register to vote in Clark County, you must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen
  • Be 18 years old by the day of the next election
  • Be a resident of Clark County
  • Not be disqualified from voting due to a court order
  • Not be under Department of Corrections supervision for a Washington felony conviction

There are three ways to register to vote:

  1. Online if you have a Washington State ID or Driver’s License
     
  2. In Person at the Clark County Elections Office at 1408 Franklin Street, Vancouver, WA (map)
     
  3. By Mail with a voter registration form available by mail or download from the Office of the Secretary of State, or you may find them at the following locations:
  • Library branches
  • Public schools
  • City and town halls
  • Auto licensing subagencies
  • Driver licensing offices – register to vote when you apply for your driver license

You must provide all of the following information when you register to vote:

  • Legal name
  • Date of birth
  • Residential address in Clark County
  • Mailing address, if not the same as residential address
  • Washington driver license number, ID card number or the last four digits of your Social Security number
  • Signature

Registration deadlines during an election

If you are currently registered to vote in Washington state and would like to register to vote in Clark County: You may register to vote online, in person, or by mail up to 8 days before Election Day. If you miss the 8-day cutoff, you must come in person to our office at 1408 Franklin Street in Vancouver to register.  You have until 8 pm on election night to register to vote or update your address for the current election.

If you are not currently registered to vote in Washington state: You may register to vote online, in, or by mail up to 8 days before Election Day. If you miss the 8-day cutoff, you may register to vote up to 8 pm on Election Day as long as you fill out and submit your registration form in person at the Clark County Elections Office. 

Bricks & Clicks Grants Offer Up to $1,000 for Downtown Stevenson Businesses to Upgrade Facades or E-Commerce Platforms

Stevenson, Wash. — The Stevenson Downtown Association (SDA) announced earlier this week the launch of its Bricks & Clicks Grant Program to support local businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications are available at stevensonmainstreet.org.

“The new Bricks & Clicks Grant Program encourages business expansion — and more importantly business retention — by providing resources to downtown merchants for facade improvements or e-commerce solutions,” said Executive Director Kelly O’Malley-McKee, who was hired in March as the SDA’s first employee. “We are thrilled to be able to award up to $1,000 per approved project in hopes of taking some of the sting our local businesses are experiencing right now.” 

Due to the economic impact of COVID-19 since the spring, projects underway or already completed may be considered for work that began on/after April 1, 2020.  

“While any approved applicant will be responsible for remaining costs above $1,000, this is a reimbursement grant,” said O’Malley-McKee. “So, in an effort to further support local, SDA will provide 100% reimbursement for approved project expenses that utilize Skamania County vendors and 75% reimbursement for any other vendors.”

Examples of acceptable “Bricks” projects could include exterior building remodeling and improvements, business signage and exterior paint that’s within the recommended city palette, as well as awnings, windows, doors, landscaping and more.

Examples of acceptable “Clicks” projects could include website hosting or domain fees for new sites, PayPal/ Venmo/ Square set-up for web-based software, or point of sale systems that integrate with online shopping, or shopping cart software like Shopify and others.

“Any software or e-commerce programs should support brick and mortar operations, as we will not fund applications that move a mode of business strictly online,” added O’Malley-McKee. “Remember, the goal is to retain businesses in our downtown district.”

Applications are accepted by mail or online on a rolling basis through the end of 2020. All of the guidelines, requirements and grant application are available at stevensonmainstreet.org

The SDA will likely continue the Bricks & Clicks Grant Program beyond 2020 if it proves helpful to the community and additional funding can be secured. The local non-profit plans to announce a non-grant program in November to provide additional support to downtown restaurants and retailers during the shoulder season.

The Stevenson Downtown Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, affiliated with both Washington Main Street and Main Street America. This coalition of local business owners, public officials and community leaders work to promote and revitalize downtown Stevenson to support our local economy and small businesses.

As a Main Street America AffiliateTM, the Stevenson Downtown Association is part of a national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development.