Did your energy bill recently skyrocket? Take a good look at these everyday benefits of smart home technology and see how they can help you take control.

The use of smart home technology is on the rise in homes across the globe. Understandably, there are various reasons for people to invest in these gadgets, from things like increased safety to energy management. If you’re looking to upgrade your existing devices or step into home automation, here are just a few of the everyday benefits of smart home technology to consider:

Interconnectivity 

All devices you choose can link together and improve your home’s efficiency and productivity. Connectivity with devices enables users to gain more control over their home’s security, energy, and finances. It’s essential to have a smart home hub installed to create uniformity in communication. 

Remote Monitoring 

While interconnectivity provides synchronicity, remote monitoring enables users to access their systems and home status from any device. Using a tablet, mobile device, or computer gives real-time tracking and peace of mind. Additionally, remote monitoring creates a safety net for fire, vandalism, or burglars. 

These remote benefits are a top reason to invest in a smart home system, especially for those who travel, have pets, or leave their children home for a few hours. 

Enhanced Safety 

Many homeowners turn to security systems before exploring the other areas of smart home technology. The real-time surveillance features allow homeowners to know exactly what is happening from any location. 

Therefore, interconnectivity is critical across devices because your location will not affect your ability to check in on your home. You can go to bed or on vacation and feel safe about the contents of your home. 

Energy Management 

With the rising cost of living, finding a way to decrease your expenses is challenging. Through a hub and remote monitoring investment, users gain real-time control to manage things such as thermostats, lighting, and appliance usage. 

Additionally, investing in smart plugs can help you turn things off or on remotely to ensure you are optimizing your experience and reducing use when necessary. 

The everyday benefits of smart home technology create a more dynamic experience within the home, giving homeowners more control over the things that matter most. Whether you need to upgrade or add on to your existing system, it’s never too late to consider how technological advancements can serve you. 

Eco Friendly

Construction projects are always costly endeavors. Read on to learn what hidden costs you can avoid to help you stick to your construction budget.

Spring and summer are the seasons for construction, whether that’s for roads and highways or home additions. And with that said, any construction project worth doing is worth doing efficiently and as cost-effectively as possible.

However, keeping to a project budget can be difficult, especially when there are unexpected costs. Knowing what hidden costs to avoid during a construction projectcan help you stick to your budget this construction season.

Documentation 

Whether the project is residential, commercial, or municipal, you will need to have your paperwork in order to complete it. And many of these documents come with fees that need to be paid. 

Documents such as building permits, contracts with outside professionals, and even liability insurance can cost hundreds of dollars, depending on the scope of your projects.

Improper Machine Usage 

Heavy equipment and machinery are one of your biggest investments. You will want to be aware of how to use each piece of equipment or hire a professional to use it for you to avoid common machine mistakes, such as:

  • Pushing equipment beyond its performance specifications 
  • Not storing equipment properly 
  • Changing fluids infrequently 
  • Failing to secure equipment when away 
  • Idling your machine for extended periods

All these choices can lead to hidden costs during your construction project.For instance, idling a machine can impact your project by driving up fuel costs and prematurely wearing down the equipment. 

Downtime

There are a variety of reasons your construction project may experience downtimes, such as broken equipment, inclement weather, or changed building plans. This downtime can drive up a project’s cost by increasing the cost of paying workers and renting equipment. 

While some factors that cause downtime can’t be controlled, like the weather, there are certain measures you can take to prevent downtime in your project. Be sure to perform regular equipment maintenance on machinery and hire a professional to do your building plans. 

Construction projects can be a costly endeavor. But with intentional choices and proper planning, you can help reduce costs for your project. 

Eco Friendly

Remember these questions you should ask your immigration attorney during your first meeting if you want clarity and confidence when proceeding with your case.

Immigration attorneys assist in cases dealing with issues such as naturalization and fiancé(e) visas. These cases deal with sensitive issues and require careful planning and knowledge. But how do you differentiate a suitable lawyer from the rest? These are the top three questions you should ask your immigration attorneyduring your first meeting. 

How Much Experience Do You Have? 

This is a standard question you should ask when partnering with any professional, and an immigration attorney is no exception. Specifically, relevant experience comes down to how many years the professional has worked with these types of cases as well as how many cases they have under their belt. That way, you can find an experienced expert who knows the titular topic front to back.

Another clear sign of expert experience in immigration law is being a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA); this membership showcases a dedication to professionalism and ethical practices. When you’re browsing online for an immigration law firm, you’ll find many details on its website, and one of them should be its AILA membership. 

How Long Will the Process Take? 

When you’re discussing the steps of any immigration case, they can understandably seem daunting to some newcomers. An experienced immigration law firm is helpful for various reasons, and one of the reasons is the clarity it can provide. Knowing how long your case will take is an easy way to set your expectations accurately. 

For instance, when you’re researching how long obtaining a K1 visa takes, you may find a large swathe of time frames. The reason for this is that details such as correctly filing the necessary forms will affect how long the case takes. So after your attorney looks over your case details, ask how long they think the process will take so that you can plan accordingly. 

Will You Help Me Win My Case? 

Another effective way to set proper expectations is knowing how your case objectively looks to a professional. Therefore, one of the top questions you should ask your immigration attorney is: What are my chances of success in this case? Of course, lawyers are not fortune-tellers. But a reliable immigration lawyer should know your chances of success after you provide them with the proper information regarding your case.

Beyond providing clarity on the topic, asking this question also offers you a way to test your lawyer’s knowledge and integrity. Whether they see success or failure in your case, the attorney should provide you with a reason why.

Thanks to these questions, you can gain a clearer picture of how your case will proceed and whether you’re talking to the right professional. 

Eco Friendly

Camas, WA — The Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Riverview Community Bank, has named Marilyn Reed, owner of Lily Atelier the 2022 Business Person of the Year, and John Kaiser as the 2022 Citizen of the Year.

On Wednesday, June 1, the CW Chamber will host the Annual Awards Banquet at the Camas Meadows Golf Club, 4105 NW Camas Meadows Dr in Camas. This event is open to the public. The cost to attend is $45 per person. Please contact the C-W Chamber at [email protected] or by phone at 360.834.2472 for ticket information. The CW Chamber Scholarship Winners and the Teachers of the Year from both the Camas School District and the Washougal School district, will also be honored on June 1st. For more information or for questions call 360.834.2472.   

2022 Businessperson of the Year: Marilyn Reed, Lily Atelier

Reed purchased Lily Atelier in November 2019

  • As an active board member on the C-W Chamber she regularly sponsors events and donates a gift basket to the Gift Basket Luncheon. She also serves on the Camas Days Committee.
  • Reed is an active member of the Downtown Camas Association (DCA) and supports almost all of their events. 
  • Reed supports and participates in many fundraising events for several local organizations including, Ten Grands, Dinner in White, Jack Will and Rob Center, Assistance League, Camas Educational Foundation, Camas High School Deca Program and Pink Sista’s.
  • And, she supports the education of our young community members through bi-annual internship programs run by Cascadia Technology Academy

2022 Citizen of the Year: John Kaiser

Chamber
John Kaiser

Retired Staff Sergeant John Kaiser started fishing with his dad at the age of 6. In 1997, Kaiser enlisted in the Army where he served in Kuwait, Mosul and Baghdad, where he was wounded. He medically retired in 2008. After struggling with PTSD fishing became a therapy. After fishing with an Army Buddy, Kaiser realized there are therapeutic benefits of being outside surrounded by nature and quietly fishing. 

Kaiser began to take veterans fishing and quickly became the Northwest Veteran Outreach Coordinator for Veteran Outdoors, a Texas-based organization dedicated to providing hunting, fishing and outdoor activities to wounded veterans. 

Last year, Kaiser took out over 100 veterans on the Columbia River from Astoria to Roosevelt Lake to fish. Later this year, he will take two female army vets to the Salmon Derby in Astoria. Their only expense will be the fishing license. 

Kaiser explained that these are “not just fishing trips but also opportunities to share the healing effects being outdoors has on the physical and mental struggles of veterans.” 

Administrator

Camas, WA — Camas police are seeking charges against four people in connection with Sunday’s downtown Camas burglaries.

In the early morning hours of October 31 four Downtown Camas businesses (Birch Street Lounge, Caps n’ Taps, Camas Slices and Papermaker Pride) were burglarized.  The suspects used rocks to smash out the glass of the entry doors before they entered the businesses and stole items from inside.  Surveillance video showed the four individuals and the lifted Jeep Wrangler they arrived in.

A day later, on November 1, in Salem, Oregon, Marion County Sheriff Deputies attempted to stop the Jeep and it fled.  Spike strips were used and eventually the Jeep stopped.  There were six individuals inside the Jeep.  Five of them fled on foot and all six of them were apprehended and arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.  

Deputies learned the Jeep was stolen from Tualatin and a subsequent search of the Jeep revealed items that were connected to the Camas burglaries.  The Marion County Sheriff’s Office then notified members of the Camas Police Department.

The subsequent investigation led Camas Police Detectives to identifying the four individuals responsible for the burglaries in Downtown Camas.  In addition, they were able to establish probable cause for a burglary at the Washougal Food Mart as well. 

Burglary and Theft charges for all five businesses will be forwarded to the Clark County Prosecutors Office on the following individuals:

  • Arnes, Johnmark, 23 year-old  Happy Valley, OR resident
  • Retonong, Zachary, 19 year-old Salem, OR resident
  • 14-year-old Juvenile Male, Portland, OR resident
  • 11 year-old Juvenile Male, Portland, OR resident

At the time of this writing all four individuals are still in custody in Oregon.

Camas
Birch Street Uptown Lounge.

Camas, WA — According to local merchants and Camas Police Officer McNall, four downtown Camas businesses were broken into between 4-4:50 am today.Papermaker Pride, Birch Street Uptown Lounge, Caps N Taps, and Camas Slices all had rocks thrown through their glass front doors, and most had their cash tills broken into and money stolen.

Crews cleaned up glass and debris most of the morning.

Business owners are reviewing surveillance video and sharing information with Camas police.A vintage cash till at Birch Street was taken and then left outside on the sidewalk.

“They stole about $100 from our till,” said Karen Gibson, co-owner of Papermaker Pride. “They broke the front door, as well.”

Officer McNall said the burglars were driving a gray or silver Jeep SUV. He also said a Washougal business was broken into.The police asks anyone who may be able to help in this investigation to contact 311 and ask for Officer McNall.

Business owners are seeking help boarding up front doors.

Perman
This is a paid political advertisement.
Camas
Kris Cavin helps clean up Birch Street Lounge after a rock was thrown into their front door.
Camas
Officer McNall investigates the damage done at Camas Slices.

Vancouver, WA — Our current weather is quite nice, but we all know the rain and harsher weather is coming. The Pacific Northwest can have some brutal winters, so keeping your vehicle clean in winter makes your car last longer. Washing your car in winter helps prevent rust, keeps ice off your windshield, and protects you vehicle’s paint.

Never underestimate the importance keeping your car clean by regularly washing it throughout winter. Don’t just view the three-month season as hiatus from car washing. While it might be easy to dismiss the new extra icy coat the winter adds to your vehicle as just frozen water; it pays to get it off your car as soon as soon as it accumulates. 

Here are four main reasons you should regularly wash your car throughout winter:

  1. Rust. Winter’s elements can cause rust on a car, and once rust starts it’s hard to stop. Rust can show up anywhere – under the paint, under the car where there is bare metal, and in areas of your car you didn’t know existed. Rust is just one of several preventable issues.
  2. Paint Protection. Keeping your car clean and waxed during the winter adds an extra layer of protection to the body paint. Ceramics are key to that protection.
  3. Minimizes need for part replacement. Some barely noticeable car parts like the windshield and back window wipers as well as the mud guard plates may be easy to forget but still play a crucial role in your vehicle’s overall efficiency. During car winterization, most professional mechanics, on the assumption you won’t be cleaning your car often, advise you to buy several pairs of wipers.
  4. Protect your investment. Regular car wash over winter helps protect your investment. It not only assists maintain its originality but also helps improve its resale value.

Car wash memberships help protect your car, especially during those harsh winter months. How many times have you finished washing your car only to find out that it is about to rain? Seriously! It is amazing how the sky can be clear and sunny one minute and sloppy the next. It almost seems like getting your car washed is a sure way to jinx the weather. But after spending money to get your car cleaned, the last thing you want to do is drive right back to the car wash to do it all over again.

That is where a car wash membership pays off. A car wash membership is a subscription service where you pay a set fee each month for a certain number of washes. Like a newspaper or Netflix subscription, you do not need to pay every time you use the service. That way, you can get your car cleaned whenever you need to. Whenever it is dirty. As often as you want.

Flash Wash, located in Vancouver at 164th and Cascade Park Drive, offers such a service. They offer three washes, which can be purchased as monthly memberships with unlimited visits and washes:

  1. Flash Wash ($29.99/month) is a premium wash with ceramics that add an extra coating on your vehicle along with a longer lasting shine and protection. The ceramics help bead off the rain.
  2. Bolt Wash ($23.99/month) comes with wax and clear coat protectant, which adds an extra protectant on your vehicle.
  3. Spark Wash ($14.99/month) is a basic service that cleans your vehicle without wax and wheel cleaning.

Flash Wash offers a special $5 memberships for the first month, which then goes into a recurring charge.

“It’s a really good deal,” said McCallum, operator of Flash Wash. “And we want the public to know that a part of our tunnel recycles some of our car wash water. Most of our tunnel runs off fresh water but some of it is recycled water. And we feel like we offer the best car wash in the area.”

McCallum also emphasizes the importance of the ceramics at Flash Wash. Citing concerns about chemical staining from naturally acidic contaminants in the environment, she said the ceramics help reduce those contaminants from bonding to a vehicle’s paint. And, she thinks this is even more important in winter.

“Ceramics are more durable, and they will produce a deeper gloss and shine than traditional wax,” McCallum added. “I also want people to know that Flash Wash is a great place to work, that we have a great team, and that Flash Wash wants to give back to the community. You can contact us via our website: https://flashwashcarwash.com/contact-us/ “

Camas, WA — A locally owned and operated company, called EZ Patent Pending, is launching a new website (https://ezpatentpending.com) that its founders believe will revolutionize the nation’s — and even the world’s — invention space making it very easy and inexpensive for inventors to get “Patent Pending” Status approval.

“We’re very excited about this,” said Derrick Huckvale, CEO of EZ Patent Pending. “ One of our founders, Dee Volin, who we call the “Guru”, is a very successful inventor with many patents written by him over 20 years (using his revolutionary invention-describing secrets) to his credit, that turned into profitable products that are being sold by multi-billion-dollar wholesalers and retailers like The Home Depot, Walmart, Costco, and Amazon. Just one order alone for one of his inventions from a multi-billion-dollar retailer (to a company he sold his inventions to) was worth millions of dollars, annually!! He spent decades getting ready for this moment, and we feel ezpatentpending.com would help inventors get their products described, and registered with “Patent Pending” Status very easily and inexpensively, and to the market faster.”

What is EZ Patent Pending?

It is a website that provides a service to help those people, who have no knowledge of how to describe their inventions and protect their valuable ideas with an official “Patent Pending” status, and it does it in a way that’s inexpensive (only $10 (yes, ten dollars) per complete invention description), easy (just filling out a basic form on the website, and clicking a button to have the app generate a complete invention description in under a minute using the same revolutionary invention-describing secrets (formulated over 20 years by the Guru), and it can be done by anybody who has no knowledge of how to describe their inventions and how to meet all the requirements.

Why does it change the invention opportunities?

“It provides an opportunity for people to get their idea registered with “patent pending” status simply and quickly and as easily as possible,” said Huckvale. “If people had issues with the costs of getting something drafted and registered with “patent pending” status, we are taking that out of the equation because it will be so affordable (only $10 per complete invention description, using the same revolutionary invention-describing secrets, formulated over 20 years by the Guru). 

“Most people don’t know how to describe, file, and get a ”Patent Pending” status for their inventions, so they have to disclose their idea to complete strangers, spend a great amount of money,  and stretch out the time.” 

With EZ Patent Pending, inventors could do everything easily in the comfort and privacy of their own home, they don’t have to disclose their valuable idea to complete strangers, and they could do it easily in one afternoon, and would then be able to market their product right on the same day because it would be registered with “Patent Pending” Status issued by the US patent and trademark office.

“We want to help open the doors to potential prosperity for people so that they could open up the American dream for them and their families,” said Huckvale. “Our website helps them get a complete invention description for just $10, and we plan to reach a great amount of markets.”

How does it work? Why just $10? What does it get you?

It gets a complete invention description of your idea, which is ready to be filed with the USPTO (US Patent and Trademark Office).

The revolutionary invention-describing app takes the basic information you entered and automatically writes a complete invention description.  

“For example, an inventor has an invention,” said Huckvale. “He simply lists the components’ names, etc. —and simply click a button, and our app will automatically generate a complete invention description in under a minute, ready to be filed to receive an official “Patent Pending” Status.” 

“The invention is in their name and is 100% owned by them,” said Huckvale. “The website also provides free 15-minute tutorial videos showing them, step by step, how to easily enter simple information and let the app automatically generate a complete invention description in under a minute.”

EZ Patent
Derrick Huckvale, CEO, EZ Patent Pending. Photo by Lara Blair Photography.

Decades of Credibility

Volin, aka the “guru” has a 100 percent success rate with fully (on his own) patenting and selling his ideas currently sold by Fortune-500 multi-billion-dollar wholesalers and retailers like The Home Depot, Walmart, Costco, and Amazon.

Just one order alone for one of his inventions from a multi-billion-dollar retailer (to a company he sold his inventions to) was worth millions of dollars, annually!!

The guru with over 20 years of experience

For decades, the guru navigated the costly and confusing labyrinth of invention descriptions that are filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office (US PTO). He then after all these years unlocked the invention-description code. Now, he’s putting his knowledge into https://ezpatentpending.com, which allows inventors, who have no knowledge of how to describe their inventions, to easily enter simple information of an invention and let the app automatically generate a complete invention description within minutes (using the same invention-describing secrets, formulated over 20 years by the “Guru”) — for just $10 a description. These invention-describing secrets have resulted in a lot of the guru’s patented ideas being sold by multi-billion-dollar wholesalers and retailers like Home Depot, Walmart, Costco, Amazon, etc.

“We’ve made this process easy for the inventor to get their product protected very easily and inexpensively and to market faster,” he said. “We think anyone can do this, and want to encourage young inventors, women inventors, and inventors all over to visit this site and get their idea protected.”

Visit https://ezpatentpending.com and get started today.

Camas, WA — A little more than a month since taking ownership of the Camas Hotel, co-owners Prashant Gupta and Bobby Sachdeva continue to make improvements at the iconic property.

They’ve purchased new linens, replaced mattresses, painted, cleaned, pressure washed, polished windows and doors, upgraded lighting, and are replacing air conditioning units.

“Hospitality is the focus of what we do,” said Gupta. “We focus on the guest. People are giving us great reviews, and they like to see the owners involved. And, we’re very impressed by the welcome we received when we first arrived. Carrie at DCA has been very positive. It’s been a great experience. We enjoy our neighbors at Arktana and Juxtaposition. I see here the warmth is unparalleled. It makes things very, very good.” 

Gupta enjoys the commitment he sees from fellow merchants, the DCA and the Chamber of Commerce. Gupta and Sachdeva said their investments in the hotel are designed to take care of the customer, and continue to make improvement plans.

They will be making a fourth quarter investment in RFID technology which is a radio frequency card for each hotel room. This is part of an effort to make the hotel more secure, Sachdeva said.

Hotel linens have been upgraded throughout the hotel; all of which are high end. And, they are looking into a brand-new phone system for the hotel. And, they pay very close attention to cleanliness.

“The housekeeping manager Fatima Debrizuela does amazing work,” said Sachdeva. “She’s very thorough. She knows what’s happening in each room.” 

Background

Both owners have experience running businesses. Sachdeva’s father owned hotels and bars in India, so that was part of his upbringing. He then managed JCPenney stores for 20 years, and then got into the liquor store business with two locations in Oregon. Sachdeva saw the Camas Hotel opportunity, so he approached Gupta about purchasing it.

“If he had not approached me I wouldn’t have made this investment,” said Gupta. “I have never owned another hotel, but I have managed hotels for 20 years. Right now, I’m still with the Best Western brand, which is a very unique hotel chain. It’s the largest hotel chain in the world (4,500 locations) and they are all operator-owned.” 

They continue to work with local businesses. Learn more at www.camashotel.com

Camas
Many rooms have been upgraded with new mattresses.
Camas
Luxury linens have been added to the Camas Hotel.

Vancouver, Wash. — A 2018 Camas High School graduate and her team are taking an east Vancouver car wash to a whole new level of service, quality and performance.

Flash Wash, adjacent to Sinclair gas station at 164th and Cascade Park Drive in Vancouver, is nearly a year old now, and Alexa McCallum, a proud Papermaker alumnus, is pretty excited about the work they’re doing.

“We’re building out Flash Wash, will start building out in Washington and Oregon, then California, then all over the country,” said McCallum, who runs the car wash. “It’s fun, it can be stressful at times. It is a career, and most people don’t know that. The money is there. The car wash industry is booming. A lot of people are building car washes and we don’t see it a lot on the west coast side. On the east coast they are very professional, very customer service oriented, and memberships are a huge thing. We’re following the east coast model and our customers love it!”

Flash Wash offers three washes, which can be purchased as monthly memberships with unlimited visits:

  1. Flash Wash ($29.99/month) is a premium wash with ceramics that add an extra coating on your vehicle along with a longer lasting shine and protection. The ceramics help bead off the rain.
  2. Bolt Wash ($23.99/month) comes with wax and clear coat protectant, which adds an extra protectant on your vehicle.
  3. Spark Wash ($14.99/month) is a basic service that cleans your vehicle without wax and wheel cleaning.

Flash Wash offers a special $5 memberships for the first month, which then goes into a recurring charge. 

“It’s a really good deal,” said McCallum. “And we want the public to know that a part of our tunnel recycles some of our car wash water. Most of our tunnel runs off fresh water but some of it is recycled water. And we feel like we offer the best car wash in the area.”

McCallum also emphasizes the importance of the ceramics at Flash Wash. Citing concerns about chemical staining from naturally acidic contaminants in the environment, she said the ceramics help reduce those contaminants from bonding to a vehicle’s paint.

“Ceramics are more durable, and they will produce a deeper gloss and shine than traditional wax,” McCallum added. “I also want people to know that Flash Wash is a great place to work, that we have a great team, and that Flash Wash wants to give back to the community. You can contact us via our website: https://flashwashcarwash.com/contact-us/

After graduation from CHS, McCallum ventured off to Southern California, but soon realized her heart was in the Pacific Northwest, and chose to return and help expand her family’s business.

“We have plans to build more Flash Wash’s here in the Pacific Northwest, and we continue to grow our memberships every day,” McCallum said. “I just thrive off what we do. I love my team and staff. I love waking up every day and coming here. I’m around positive people who have an outlook on business, as well.”

Hours: 8 am – 8 pm seven days a week.

Closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day only.

If you wish to apply to work at Flash Wash, click here: https://flashwashcarwash.com/careers-2/