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Canyon Creek Middle School Plays Host to Parents in the Classroom

Washougal, WA – Canyon Creek Middle School parents and special guests experienced “A Day in the Life” of their students on Monday, October 29 at the seventh annual “CCMS Take Your Parent to School Day.”

“The goal is to bring these parents in for first-hand experience in the classrooms and to see what their students are learning and how they are being taught,” said CCMS principal, Sandi Christensen. “It’s great for them to see our wonderful teachers in action and get the chance to spend this time with their middle school child.”

Christensen said she hopes this time together will help promote conversations at home about friends, teachers, classes and what students are learning.

“Once parents see their student in their element here they can be better able to provide support in their education,” she said.

More than one-third of CCMS students had an adult accompany them to classes.  “It was our most well attended parent day yet,” Christensen said.

Parents were not the only ones who took part in the day with many grandparents, aunts, uncles and other special adults in attendance.

Jemtegaard Middle School held their parent day on October 25, 2018. The Washougal School District will continue to do these events.

 

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Washougal Technical Education Connects With Business Leaders

Washougal WA – Washougal area employers, business leaders and educators came together for an evening of collaboration on October 25 at Washougal High School to help the Washougal School District (WSD) Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department leverage existing school programs to prepare the future workforce.

“Businesses are asking us for skilled workers,” said WSD CTE Director, Margaret Rice.  “We want them to understand the current work being done and the programs offered here to prepare our students for their post-secondary education and careers. An important step in this process is to create meaningful standards that, once met, demonstrate to potential employers that this student has learned the skills needed to be successful in a specific industry.”

Keynote speaker Brock Smith, from Precision Exams and Industry Engaged, explained to the nearly 50 attendees that standards are the common language between industry and schools to help quantify the education experience for employers.

“We need industry to be involved and help to set these standards to assist in shaping curriculum and prepare students to be the future workforce,” he said.

Establishing meaningful standards is where Industry Engaged, an online survey program comes into play.

“Employers can use this tool to become a part of the ongoing review and revision of the standards, assessments and available certificates of more than 170 CTE offerings,” Smith explained.  “This ensures that by the time a student has earned a certificate, or a stackable credential, that the knowledge and skills employers desperately need are represented and recognized by those very same employers.”

“I felt the evening was successful,” said Rice. “Creating meaningful opportunities for business and industry folks to partner with education has not been an easy endeavor, with the typical ask being more than most can give.”  Rice pointed out that this industry engagement tool is not only simple to participate in, it’s easy to pass on to others.  “It also provides the added bonus of a direct benefit to students by way of certifications,” she said. “It’s a win-win-win all the way around.”

According to Smith, the ability to connect industry and education with a tool to review and give input on standards will result in teachers teaching and students learning the skills employers look for when making hiring decisions. “When businesses dedicate time to review education standards in subjects their future workers are learning, it benefits more than just their business; it helps our local economy, is a tremendous help for educators and is a great advantage for students,” Smith said.

CTE

Culinary students prepared the dinner.

“Helping a student discover an aptitude and area of interest early in their education provides greater purpose, empowers them, builds confidence and brings meaning to learning,” Rice said.  “It answers the question every student has, ‘When am I ever going to use this?’ because they apply their learning in a practical way that links to their career pathway which keeps them more engaged.”

That engagement is why research shows that CTE students graduate at a 12 percent higher rate than those students who are not CTE concentration completers (360 hours of CTE instruction in one focus CTE area of study).  The positive impact of a high school graduate on a local economy is significant and measurable in increased consumer spending and an increase in contributed state and local taxes.

The evening was sponsored by current business partners.  Harry White from Waddell and Reed sponsored the dinner and Heather Jones and Starbucks sponsored the coffee bar.  The event was staffed with skilled WHS students from Advanced Culinary who planned, prepared and served the dinner, by Future Business Leaders of America members who welcomed guests and assisted participants with signing in. Even the artistic table centerpieces were created by Fine Arts Woodworking and Metals Craft & Production students.

“Our goal this evening was to help bring awareness to local businesses of the programs we offer as well as our work to connect classroom learning with the skills businesses are looking for in their employees,” said Rice. “Input from local industry coupled with recognition of the Career Skills certificates adds tangible value for students as it directly ties the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to a pathway leading to high-demand jobs with local employers.”

Rice is working with her teachers to expand WSD local partnerships to gain insight into the needs of industry. One way they are doing this is through their Program Advisory Committees. These committees focus on providing direction, help to set and achieve goals, and assist in accessing resources to support students within specific program areas within the CTE Department.

“We have found that the key to developing the future workforce is connecting employers with the right students and job candidates early in their educational process,” Rice said. “We also want employers to see the validity of these certifications and give students who have met the standards they have helped develop an opportunity to show them what they know maybe through a professional interview or internship.”

To learn more or to become involved in the engagement process asked of local employers, visit https://industryengaged.org/   If you have questions, ideas or want to get involved in Washougal CTE initiatives, contact Rice at (360)954-3121, margaret.rice@washougalsd.org

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Camas City: Mayoral Appointment, Budget, Pool Site Analysis, Land Buys

It’s an extra busy time these days as the City of Camas works on several major initiatives, including the upcoming mayoral appointment, the biennial budget (which includes funds for five new firefighters), researching land for a new aquatics complex, the general obligation bond, and new business licenses, among others.

Mayoral Appointment

While all of these initiatives are happening concurrently, the new mayoral appointment is a top priority, as it will guide the city’s direction. The September resignation of former Mayor Scott Higgins leaves the office vacant, and it will be filled by City Council appointment. Two internal candidates have officially applied for the job — City Councilors Shannon Turk and Melissa Smith — as well as Georerl Niles, who is Chair of the Camas Parking Commission (a volunteer position).

A 2011 city resolution requires the council to interview them all.

“We have seven on council and so the five remaining council members will decide who becomes the next mayor,”said Camas City Administrator, Pete Capell. “They will interview all the candidates with pre-prepared questions. We’ve always asked the candidates to sit in another room during their opponents’ interviews. They’re interviewed in public and then the council will go to executive session. They will work it out until a candidate has a majority.”

Applications were due Friday, October 26, and the special interview meeting is scheduled for November 14. There will be a public swearing-in at the council on November 19. The new mayor will complete the existing term, and then run again next Fall.

Once the mayor position is filled, a similar process will unfold for the vacant council seat, if the council selects one of the two council candidates.

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Biennial Budget

“The biennial budget has been a long time coming, and it’s starting to solidify,” said Capell. “We got direction from council on their preferences. We know what we’re going to put together for public hearing. But, it’s always subject to change right to the end.”

By statute, the biennial budget has to be adopted the first week in December. Getting there, the city will hold a public hearing on November 19, and the council will act on the final budget on December 3.

The two outstanding issues are with the firefighters, and Capell said: “We’re really the only city in Clark County that doesn’t use utility taxes as a general funding measure. So there was discussion about using our reserves (because they’re healthy) but we can take 1 percent property tax levy and determine the millage rate and apply that to new construction and that becomes the new levy amount — it’s added to prior year’s levy. Or we could diversify our revenue to use the utility tax. The council doesn’t want the utility tax. We have a good understanding of what we need to do.”

The city is responding to public outcry about lack of firefighters so the new deal on the table is adding two new firefighter paramedics, two new firefighter EMTs, and one deputy fire marshall.

“Our partner in Washougal cannot afford their 40 percent share of those five positions, so we’re doing an addendum to our intra-city agreement,” said Capell. “Camas will pay for those five positions, and Washougal will make best effort to pay as soon as possible. The Fire Marshall’s office expense is $130,000 in first year, including the cost of a new vehicle. Salary and benefits total $92,000.”

Council

Firefighter Josh Proctor addresses the Camas City Council on May 21.

Currently, the firefighter paramedics/EMTs will cost $459,000 in salary and benefits. The likely cost will go down to $400,000, Capell said.

“This is a different year because of the new construction, and the forecasts with new employers coming in,” Capell said. “These large capital projects, along with the sales tax increases. We’re in a better revenue position since I’ve been here — which is going on five years. Some of it is one-time money that enables us to buy a vehicle or new technology. We have a policy of maintaining 17 percent reserves in the budget, which is two months of operating budget. We’re looking at 29 percent at the end of this year. We’re pretty healthy. We’re hiring more people than we’ve ever added in any year. Part of it is we’re catching up. We’ve gone 20 years with few additions to staff. Adding two police officers, one police records clerk, an engineer, two people in streets. And two people in Parks maintenance over the biennium.”

New Pool Site

Given the closure of the Crown Park Pool, and diminishing public access to the Lacamas Athletic Club pool, the city has been under pressure to build a new pool complex to meet growing recreational, competitive, and health needs.

For the past couple of months, an advisory committee has been meeting to assess best venues and programs to build a new aquatics complex/community center. In those meetings, the committee has analyzed multiple sites and has narrowed down its search to two locations: a 7-acre site near Burger King off Highway 14 (not far from the Camas-Washougal Marina), and a 28-acre Georgia-Pacific Research and Development site on 6th Avenue (by Young’s Deli).

The city has been doing environmental reviews on the GP site, looking to validate if it’s worth public money to purchase the site, which will also help determine market value. There are utility costs, as well.

“It’s obviously tied to the community center because I think there are other public benefits to that site,” said Capell. “We would like to control redevelopment of the site so it’s good for the community in the long term. It’s connected to downtown and has a lot possibilities.”

 

General Obligation Bond

The city will be issuing bonds by end of November and has some of the property north of Lacamas Lake already in negotiations. Most of the money they will raise is being used to preserved forested land near the shore line along with open spaces, which amounts to 120 acres.

Explore How Camas Funds Fire Department in the Long Term

Camas is also looking at the current city service model to determine the the best way to manage the Fire Department. Because it’s a merged department with Camas and Washougal, they have a joint committee that is exploring funding options and seeks to update the intra-local agreement.

“There’s a large body of work looking into how we best deliver these services in the long term,” said Capell.

GP Donated Property

GP donated land by the two dams, a mill ditch and a couple of parcels that are off Washougal River near the mill property. It’s open space and Camas will be maintaining the dams once the transfer closes, and they will apply for grants for those donated properties. The plan is to fill the mill ditch and create a new pedestrian/bicycle route, which will create a nice connection to downtown.

“This is why I’m passionate about the GP site for the pool/community center,” said Capell. “It’ll connect several properties throughout downtown.”

City

Plans for the donates GP property.

Ordinance — A City of Camas Business License

Businesses in Camas do require a state license, but currently Camas doesn’t require a city business license. Having a business license would require the adoption of an ordinance to get it installed by 2020. It’s not a money maker, but will requite a nominal fee, that will the city a better understanding of what businesses are operating in Camas — to make sure sales tax generated in Camas doesn’t go to other places.

Car License Tab Fee

The City Council agreed to delay this until April 2019.

“I’m excited about the revenue generated from that,” said Capell. “It goes to two things: 1) Neighborhood traffic — to have funds to do some speed studies and fix local problems, and; 2) People are willing to pay more for road maintenance and road preservation.”

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Opinion: Camas, Washougal Needs Competitive & Recreational Pool Faciity

Recently, the Opinion column in the Camas-Washougal Post Record suggested that a competition pool only satisfies the needs of a handful of local Camas/Washougal high school swimmers, and that it would be of little use to over 99% of the community. A similar argument could be made of many other community venues and facilities, but I think the more important point is that this view grossly underestimates the popularity of organized swimming.

There is a perception that swimming is a niche sport and that only a few participate in competitive swimming. In truth, it is precisely the opposite. Swimming on a team is the third fastest growing sport in the US (Sport & Fitness Industry Assoc 2017) and USA Swimming boasts 400,000 age-group members on more than 2,800 teams nationwide. US Masters Swimming represents 65,000 adult members, and USAT (triathlons) reports 4.04 million people participated in triathlons in 2017. In short, swimming is huge!

And it’s popular for all the right reasons. Swimming is an inexpensive lifelong sport that can be enjoyed from toddlerhood to the centennial years, and for most it is an exercise that is virtually pain and injury free. Indeed, the physical and mental benefits of lap swimming are well documented and indisputable. Moreover, swimming allows every person to pursue their own journey within it, in either a solo or group setting. Some might be training for headline events, but most pursue more personal goals.

Swimming

The 200 Free Relay team from Camas. They broke a Kelso Invitational Meet record.

The Opinion made the claim that only 80 Camas/Washougal high school swimmers (two-tenths of one percent of our county population) would ever need a competition pool, evidently concluding both that no other juveniles engage in organized swimming and that none of our adult and/or increasing senior population would ever have use of it either. Interestingly, that argument actually works better for sports other than swimming, and for sports venues already built.

With adults/seniors, even cursory research reveals that organized swimming is alive and well. There are regional and national masters meets, and multiple swim practices just for adults. It is not uncommon to attend a masters meet and see men and women in their 90s still competing! For those of us in masters swimming who have seen the packed 5:30 am practices, the swim meets with 65 heats of 100 free, and the 80-year-old who sets a state record, it boggles the mind to hear the assumption that adults are not interested in competitive or organized swimming. It simply isn’t true at all. In fact, the 2018 US Masters National Short Course Championship set a new attendance record, with over 2400 adults traveling to Indiana for a 4 day meet. Of those, over 400 were over the age of 65.

Laser

www.VancouverLaserSkinCareClinic.com

Even bigger is age group swimming. The Opinion assumes only high school swim team members need a competitive pool. Again, that just isn’t true. One only need visit an aquatic center in an afternoon to see hundreds of kids, of all ages and abilities, at swim practice. To suggest only the high school team needs a competitive pool is akin to suggesting that only the high school track team would use a track or only the high school tennis team would use tennis courts. These sports involve far more kids than the tiny percentage mentioned in the Opinion.

A competition pool offers benefits that a recreational pool simply cannot. Much like the football team needs a “real” stadium or bikers need a separate traffic lane, a swim team or fitness swimmer needs a competition pool for a proper workout. Those pools are designed for lap swimming, maintaining correct temperatures, dimensions, and atmosphere for a workout. They also provide practical, inexpensive, equipment-free, weatherproof use of virtually every single member of the community every single day of the year (yes, there is swim practice Thanksgiving morning!!). If you have a suit and goggles, you are ready to swim. High school swim teams, local swim teams, masters groups, home school swim groups, diving teams, teen fit classes (coached workouts w/o competition aspect), water polo, synchronized swimming, triathlete training, open lap swimming, pre-swim team (kids bridging lessons to workout level), regional and national meets, lap swimming for physically handicapped (chair lifts in/out pool) and others can all use the competition pool without ever once setting foot in the recreational pool, which would be fully booked with swim lessons, water aerobics, lifeguard classes, fun/family swim, and physical therapy patients.

I recently returned to North Carolina to see family and took the opportunity to research a few pools when I heard about the Opinion published. In Fort Mill, SC (popl 17k, 25 min from Charlotte) the city is building an Olympic sized pool (50 m x 25 y) on land from a defunct mill donated by Springs Industries. Fort Mill already has an 8 lane, 25 yd pool but demand exceeds space. In Huntersville, NC (popl 50k, 25 min from Charlotte) the Huntersville Family Fitness and Aquatic Center was built, with both an Olympic and recreational pool. In Greensboro NC (popl 273k in 2011), it took years and multiple denied bond votes before an aquatic center was built in 2011. The city is now building its fourth pool on the same site to satisfy unprecedented demand. And in little Clover SC (popl 5900!!) the town enjoys a 25 yd competition pool, a 25 yd recreational pool, and an Olympic sized pool all on a single site.

Swim

The future of practice and home meets is in question for the 2X State Championship winning CHS Boys Swim Team.

Locally, Bend OR (popl 75k in 2007) built Juniper Aquatic Center in 2007 with both an Olympic and recreational pool. And Issaquah WA (popl 38k) enjoys an aquatic center with a competition and recreational pool. Mike Nelson, from the Facilities Development Department of USA Swimming, advised me that “every ‘new design’ aquatic facility we have been involved with in the past 14 years has had multiple pools.”

Camas/Washougal (popl 40k) and Vancouver (popl 173k) would greatly benefit from an aquatic center that includes a competition pool and recreational venues. I think this area could accommodate an Olympic pool and recreational pool, and that such an option should be considered. Such a facility would comply with US Swimming requirements, availing us to regional and national meets that generate revenue. The demand is there, and will only increase when the facility is built. Indeed, the Beaverton facility undoubtedly pulls in swimmers from areas far beyond what its founders likely ever envisioned. More importantly, two pools would do a better job of addressing water safety. Swimming lessons and water safety are paramount. They should be a robust aspect of any water facility and there should be plentiful and budget-friendly options.

Every pool in the area should be busy with swim lessons. Two pools gives us the flexibility and logistics to coordinate both lap swimming and swim lessons, which often have competing needs with temperatures, lane lines, and coaches/teachers needing deck space. A larger facility also eliminates buyer’s remorse, where we outgrow what we’ve built before it’s ever used. While interest and usage must certainly be researched in these planning stages, there is a well-known maxim that “if you build it, they will come.” A city doesn’t just build a high dollar race track, casino, or music hall, for example, because it has ascertained that an unusually large number of those participants happen to live in the local area. Rather, it sees a hole in the market and fills it and, if thorough research was done, the effort is community enriching and financially responsible.

I’m sure such effort was made before many other facilities in this area were built. The football stadium, the library, the Excelsior culinary program, Camas High ceramics studio, and the waterfront park are all different and varied examples of this community going the extra mile to build something special and that would meet the needs of its people not just now, but for years to come.

By Connie Roberts

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Camas QB Injury Update: Andrew Boyle In Surgery Thursday

Camas, WA — Camas beat Skyview Friday night, but it didn’t come without a hefty price, given the injuries the Papermakers sustained — especially to starting QB/Safety/Kicker Andrew Boyle, who is scheduled for surgery today to treat ACL and Meniscus injuries.

During the second quarter, Boyle, who was involved in four touchdown plays already in the first half, carried the ball up the middle and was injured during a tackle by the Skyview defense. He went down in agony, laid on the field for several minutes, and was carried off to the sidelines by his teammates.

He was treated on the spot, then got up and wore crutches during the rest of the game. JV quarterback, Blake Asciutto stepped in, as backup QB, Jake Blair, was suffering from a plantar strain. He’s expected to play Friday against Union.

While in pain, Boyle was also visibly angry knowing the impact the injury would have on him, and his team.

“I felt my knee get hit, and I felt a pop,” he said. “And, it’s felt really unstable ever since.”

Kevin, his father, said Andrew spent the weekend resting, and then saw several specialists, including the Portland Blazers knee specialist, who is performing today’s surgery.

Being as versatile as Andrew is, he’s been recruited by colleges for both his football and soccer talent. His family is confident he’ll make a full recovery, but it will take time.

Asciutto said he was shocked by Friday’s events, but he delivered for the Papermakers, and said his team is rallying behind Andrew. They’re hoping and praying for a speedy recovery.

Papermaker Kenny Wright was also injured Friday with a hit to his knee. He was treated at the scene, has been resting, and his mother, Kristin, reports he’s recovering very quickly.

“He was so sad because he thought he was done for the season and maybe basketball,” said Kristin. “He felt his knee pop and was in a lot of pain. I actually can’t believe he is doing so well!”

Stay tuned for continued updates.

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CYAC Forum: Responses From Candidates Vick and Thobaben

On October 22, the Camas Youth Advisory Council (CYAC) hosted a forum at Camas Theatre for political candidates vying for four separate offices — the third Washington Congressional District, Clark County Council Chair, and two Washington State Legislative Districts (18th, positions 1 and 2).

This article focuses on the responses between Republican State Representative Brandon Vick and challenger Democrat Chris Thobaben, who are running for the LD 18, position 1 seat in the Washington State House of Representatives. Vick is currently in his third term.

At the forum, each answered a series of questions composed by the CYAC students.

The council opened with a topic very real to students, asking the candidates if they believed the McCleary decision over educators’ salaries was a fix.

Vick affirmed that McCleary made sense, calling it a very good piece of legislation. He also said that salaries were funded as ordered, saying they gave a “big pot of money” to each district to distribute as they wished. Thobaben replied that McCleary was designed to be a fix, but that people did not realize its complexities. He emphasized that teachers are professionals and need to be paid as such.

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The next question addressed the levels of transparency in Legislature. Thobaben recalled being on the campaign trail and getting more calls from lobbyists than constituents. He called for complete transparency, saying he wished that everyone could watch as legislation is written to understand the process. Vick discussed looking at Senate Bill 6617, dealing with transparency in government, and how he decided that it was better than the preexisting bill. He also said there needs to be more flexibility in the matter, saying “Open and transparent makes sense to me.”

The third question addressed the second amendment and gun control. Vick was sure that the issue would be one going back and forth for years to come. However, he did not believe in denying one group of people a right. He also asserted that some people still hunt to eat, making guns a necessary tool. Thobaben said that responsible gun owners treat their weapons with respect, and that mass shooters have not been taught how to properly take care of arms. He also advocated for guns being locked up at all times to prevent easy access and avert potential disasters.

Both candidates thanked CYAC for putting together the forum. Thobaben closed with a call for young people to get involved in politics, and Vick ended with a promise to bring big companies and jobs to the area.

By Riley Kankelberg, Camas High School

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Camas School District Faces $3.2 Million Budget Deficit — This Year

Camas, WA — At Monday’s Camas School Board Meeting, Jason McEathron, Director of Business Services for the Camas School District (CSD), addressed the $3.2 million budget deficit the district faces in this current school year, and his plans to form a budget committee to resolve the issue.

“The anticipated budget deficit is $3,212,141 by end of this school year,” said McEathron. “Expenditures are also trending above our initial budget. Labor costs are higher than expected at $4.9 million.”

He said the fiscal issues are primarily a result of the new funding model mandated by the State Legislature — issues that CSD has been open about for months.

Other contributing factors are headcount (which is 2.7 percent higher than budgeted) and Running Start (which is 25.5 percent higher than budgeted).

CSD warned in August that a 3.1 percent teacher pay raise would create deficits, and likely cause layoffs in 2-3 years. Teachers received 9.3 – 12.6 percent pay increases in their negotiated settlement, which last for two years.

At the time, Camas Education Association (CEA) negotiator, Mark Gardner, called it “a scare tactic by the District.” CSD Superintendent Dr. Jeff Snell defended the numbers and has been meeting with schools and the public for months alerting them of the projected deficit. The new funding model cuts the CDS levying capacity by 50 percent, which will result in a nearly $5 million loss within 12 months.

McEathron said expenditures currently outpace revenues, but this is typical during start-up of a new school year. A full end-year report is due by the end of this week.

“We are looking for other areas to sharpen the pencil to adjust the budget,” said McEathron. “We will work to shrink the deficit down. We can’t dip into fund balance because that’s not sustainable.”

To address the deficit, McEathron is creating a public budget committee.

“So, we really want to have a budget committee that involves stakeholders,” said McEathron. “Let’s shed the light on this and let’s work together as a community. We will do this together.”

He said other similar districts across the state are dealing with these same issues. The state is currently $600-900 million short of fully funding education statewide, and that will hit in the 2019-20 school year.

The district will be on the front end of dealing with the state budget, and will work with OPSI, the Governor’s office, and the Legislature, which McEathron said is dealing with a McCleary hangover.

State Representative Brandon Vick, LD-18, responded to the issue in a private interview at the Camas Youth Advisory Council Candidate (CYAC) Candidate Forum.

“The Legislature feels we’ve done our job by fully funding education as mandated by the Supreme Court,” said Vick. “There isn’t much appetite right now to address this. I voted against the bigger McCleary law because I knew it would cause this problem, but I did vote for the fix, which we passed earlier this year.”

About 30 minutes later, Vick publicly said the following at the forum:

“We dealt with McCleary. I voted against the first law. McCleary is a big bill. Does McCleary get the job done? The answer is yes. This was a very good piece of legislation. I think what we did made a lot of sense. We funded McCleary to those salary numbers that were recommended.”

Candidates at the forum were asked about McCleary, and several citizens responded afterward that they wished the candidates for the State offices would have had more to say about the issues the legislation is causing.

McEathron expects to have the CSD budget committee started in November.

 

Deficit

CSD is forming a special Budget Committee to address a $3.2 million deficit.

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Artist Jeffs: Completed 6 Murals in Puerto Rico; Sees Hurricane Recovery

San Juan, Puerto Rico — Camas mural artist, Allan Jeffs, has just completed a monthlong series of major projects in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico. He was hired to create six murals at multiple locations, and is now back in Mill Town taking some off to rejuvenate.

He painted three murals at an Old San Juan restaurant, called El Punto Café, which represented various aspects and history of the island, and Valparaiso, this article’s featured image, is a landscape mural of Chile.

Following that project he traveled to Aibonito, and painted two murals — one at a mountain top Italian restaurant, called Fiore — and the other at a private home owned by Peter Matina. At Fiore, he painted a large 15-foot wide pheasant, which symbolizes elegance to Fiore’s owner.

He the left the mountains, and returned to Old San Juan to paint one mural, and a little painting at the residence of Dr. German Ramirez.

“I love it when the clients are pleased with my work,” said Jeffs. “That’s the most important thing.”

His days were long, often spending 10-14 hours creating the murals while on his feet.

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“I’m really tired,” said Jeffs. “My body hurts. I’ve been home for five days now, and my hands still hurt. I was on my feet all day long, and one day I walked 18,000 steps in the same wall. I’m satisfied with the work.

The clients knew what they wanted, but Jeffs had creative license to create each masterpiece using his talent and imagination. He spent time designing each mural, and each result is almost identical to the original specifications.

He said even though Puerto Rico was severely damaged by last year’s hurricane, he sees many signs of recovery.

“After the hurricane, they are starting to recover,” said Jeffs. “It was horrible there for many months, but nature is coming back, and people are rebuilding their community, and they are preparing for the next hurricane by improving the electrical grid, and using alternative sources of energy, such as solar. They’re getting prepared.

“I saw a lot of progress. There are a lot of people creating art and fashion. The restaurants are getting better and better. Electricity is there full-time in most of the country, but there are still some areas struggling with electrical problems. Puerto Rico has a lot of problems, but they are starting to become better than before. It’s something that you feel. Schools are in session. I think it’s better than what you hear in the news, but they do have a lot of problems with government. I was surprised because everything is getting better, and there are a lot of possibilities there.”

He said the rain forest was severely harmed, and many areas have been closed, and are now starting to open up.

“It’s a great place again for tourism,” said Jeffs. “The prices are very low for airfare to San Juan. It’s hot, it’s a Caribbean island, but it’s a great time to travel there.”

To learn more, go www.AllanJeffs.com

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Lacamas Magazine is Officially on Apple News! A New Option to Get Updates

Camas, WA — Lacamas Magazine is officially part of Apple News!

What does this mean? Well, each time we post an article from our main website, www.LacamasMagazine.com, and if you subscribe to Apple News (and us) you will receive automatic updates through your Apple News feed. The service is available to consumers who use iPhones, iPads, iMacs, etc.

To sign up, do the following:

  1. Go to this link: Lacamas Magazine on Apple News — Or click on the Apple News App on your device.
  2. In the Search Field, type “Lacamas Magazine.”
  3. Then click on the heart icon to subscribe. It’s that simple!

As we continue to grow — thanks to viewers like — this new endeavor helps expand our presence and reach, and puts us in line with local news cycles from other news outlets like Fox12, OregonLive.com, and many others.

We appreciate all the work by our business partner, Ransom Collective. Please provide feedback.

We are also in Pilot for Google News for our Android users, and will have more information about that in about eight weeks.

 

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Humane Society for SW Washington Announces 4 Major Initiatives

Portland, OR — At their annual Fall Luncheon at the Red Lion Jantzen Beach Hotel, the Humane Society for Southwest Washington (HSSW) heard from several key speakers and announced four major initiatives.

The event Emcee was HSSW Board Chair, Kim Capeloto, and the program featured Fritz Graham, of Senator Ron Wyden’s office; Jeff Brant, of Legacy Vet (and co-founder of Banfield Pet Hospital); HSSW President Stacey Graham; and Vancouver City Councilor, Alishia Topper. The fundraiser event featured an elegant lunch, a raffle, and a splendidly decorated theme  — A Walk in the Park.

Brant said the region is doing well at placing pets in homes, and that HSSW is Top 20 in the nation with pet placement.

Graham said that HSSW is receiving 1,200 calls per month, of which 60 percent were focused on local residents inquiring on how to best keep their animals in their homes. Graham also made news by announcing four new HSSW initiatives.

Those initiatives are:

  • Partnering with neighboring humane societies for essential services
  • Creating a new Call Center
  • Creating a Behavior Resource Center
  • Opening a veterinary clinic for low-income seniors and families

Graham said working with neighboring humane societies will assist greatly with “veterinary care, community outreach, development, strategic planning, finance management, and volunteer training so that we all meet the same standard of care so that more animals in SW Washington will go home to families, and stay with families.”

The Call Center will help HSSW manage their high volume of calls more efficiently. The Behavior Resource Center will be a resource to help behaviorally challenged cats and dogs.

“The Behavior Resource Center for both dogs and cats will be for people who have behavioral problems with their dogs and cats,” said Graham. “They can come for training, they can come for coaching. We’ll have classes and have experts on staff that will work with shelter animals and with owned pets and animals.”

The veterinary clinic is to help pets that live with low-income seniors and families.

Topper shared a story about visiting a home of a senior whose cat had a major tumor. They found the resources to treat the cat and return her to her home. The new veterinary clinic will help those families.

The end of the program featured a fun raffle, and guests were encouraged to make donations to HSSW so the organization can focus on one goal: Keep people + dogs + cats together as families.

To learn more, visit www.southwesthumane.org

Event Photo Gallery

 

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