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Interstate Bridge Replacement Program Seeks Members For Advisory Groups

PORTLAND, OR — The bi-state Interstate Bridge Replacement Program is accepting applications from community members interested in serving on one of two new advisory groups: the Community Advisory Group and the Equity Advisory Group. Along with the Executive Steering Group, these advisory groups will play a critical role in helping the program define a replacement bridge solution.

Optional information sessions will be facilitated in English at the following times and dates, with interpretation provided on specific dates. All of the information sessions can be accessed at the following link: go.participate.online/CAGInfoSession

Online applications in English, Spanish, Somali, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese and Russian will be available at the following links from Dec. 1-18:

The Executive Steering Group encourages individuals with diverse backgrounds to apply to serve on either advisory group. Representation from those who experience transportation barriers firsthand, regularly use the Interstate Bridge, or will be potentially affected by the program is desired, as are community members who are passionate about social equity and transportation equity issues. 

Additional information about the advisory groups and application process can be found on the Interstate Bridge Replacement program page. For more information, or to request a printed application, please call 360-905-1560 or send an email to [email protected]. 

About the advisory groups

The advisory groups are part of a comprehensive effort to actively engage with the public, elected officials, stakeholders, and partnering agencies from both states to build consensus through an open and public process. The first meetings for both groups will occur in early 2021.

The Community Advisory Group will develop recommendations to shape program work that reflects the community’s needs, issues and priorities. The Equity Advisory Group will make recommendations regarding processes, policies, and decisions on program work that has the potential to affect historically underrepresented and/or underserved communities. 

Each group will consist of approximately 30 members, acting as individual community members or as representatives of organizations. Approximately eight at-large members for the Community Advisory Group and approximately 10 at-large members for the Equity Advisory Group will be selected through the application process. The remainder of the representatives in both groups will be appointed by a selection committee in coordination with agency partners.

Interstate
www.acreativetwistcorp.com
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Inslee Announces Release of WA Notify Tool to Combat COVID-19

Olympia, WA — Gov. Jay Inslee, along with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), on Monday announced the launch of WA Notify, an easy-to-use anonymous exposure notification tool that’s been created stop the spread of COVID-19. 

Inslee said by “adding WA Notify to their smartphones, Washington residents will be alerted if they spent time near another WA Notify user who later tests positive for COVID-19.”

The app uses technology developed by Google and Apple and works without collecting or revealing any location or personal data, Inslee’s office said.

“Secure, private and anonymous exposure notification technology is an important tool for Washington,” Inslee said Monday. “We’ve deployed WA Notify in 29 languages so as many Washington residents as possible can protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities. I encourage everyone to start using WA Notify today so we can continue to work together to contain this virus.”

Data models for three counties in Washington found that COVID-19 infections and deaths could be reduced if even a small percentage of people enabled WA Notify. 

Inslee was joined by outgoing Secretary of Health John Wiesman, who emphasized this tool will stop the virus from spreading. Studies from Oxford University and Stanford also show that the more people who use exposure notification technology, the more effective it is.

“WA Notify complements the actions Washington residents are already taking, like wearing masks, physical distancing and keeping gatherings small,” said Wiesman. “We’re excited to be joining the states already using this safe and secure technology and encourage all Washingtonians to join the effort.”

Several states including Virginia, New York and Colorado are already using this tool. Countries successfully using this technology include Ireland, Canada and Germany.

WA Notify
www.clarkcountyrelocations.com

The voluntarily activated app uses Bluetooth technology to exchange random codes with the phones of other users they are near. And, according to Inslee, it does this without revealing a user’s identity or location. Users who test positive for COVID-19 can enter a verification code provided by public health into WA Notify, so that other users who have been near them within the last 14 days can be anonymously alerted and take appropriate action.

The WA Notify tool is free and can be enabled in iPhone settings or downloaded as an app from the Google Play Store for Android phones. Users can opt out at any time.

“People are understandably concerned these days about being tracked and having their personal information compromised,” said Associate Professor Stefano Tessaro with the UW Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. “However, the technology behind WA Notify has been vetted by security and privacy experts across the world, and it does not collect or store any information that personally identifies its users.”

Before launching the tool, Washington state received a recommendation to adopt the technology from an oversight committee which included security and civil liberties experts and a diverse group of community leaders.

To learn more:

  • Visit WANotify.org to learn how to install the tool to your smartphone or to learn more.
  • Information about WA Notify is available in multiple languages — choose from the full list at WANotify.org/languages.
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Local Band Creates Ultimate Expression of Love For Holidays in Lockdown

Folk duo Fox and Bones offers custom songwriting services for the perfect contact-free gift

Camas, WA — With lockdowns and quarantines affecting many long-standing holiday traditions this year, local band Fox and Bones has come up with the perfect contact-less gift that allows people to express their love from a distance. The duo, who previously made their living touring internationally but moved home to Camas when the first wave of lockdowns hit, put their minds together to create “Our Custom Song”, a boutique personalized songwriting service where they are commissioned to write what they call “the ultimate expression of love” —  a highly personalized, radio quality song.

Though Fox and Bones, aka Sarah Vitort and Scott Gilmore, launched this new service in the wake of COVID-19 shutdowns, the idea for Our Custom Song initially came to the real life couple three Christmases ago, when Gilmore wrote Vitort a song and gave it to her as a Christmas present. 

“To this day it’s the best gift I’ve ever received, truly a gift that keeps on giving. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being someone’s muse,” said Vitort. 

Vitort realized that equipped with 20+ combined years of songwriting experience that feeling was one they could offer to others and became more valuable than ever when COVID changed everyone’s lives.

The custom songwriting process begins with an hour-long ZOOM consultation, where Vitort and Gilmore ask thought provoking questions in order to step into their customers’ shoes before writing the song. In addition to the initial consultation, customers get two rounds of edits between the first and final drafts to ensure the song is exactly what they want. Customers also get to choose the genre, feel and instrumentation of the song, and are offered add-ons like their own photo slideshow music video, an engraved lyric plaque, or a CD of the song.

“It didn’t feel somebody created this song just because it was purchased, it felt like you guys really could understand how we felt, and took all the stories and things that we talked about and made them come to life,” said Shelby Cinnamon, who, with her siblings, commissioned a song for her mom for Mother’s Day. 

BAND
www.champpizza.com

Her sister Carley, a Camas resident, added, “I wish I had the words to convey to people how special and how meaningful the entire process was. It’s such a priceless song that we will treasure forever.”

In addition to custom songs, Our Custom Song also offers a more budget-friendly option in the form of “Song-Grams,” where clients can choose any song for the duo to cover with a special dedication to the recipient, a nostalgic cross between a singing telegram and a radio song dedication. 

Our Custom Song was created by Vitort and Gilmore as a way for people to commission personalized songs for the people they love most. Vitort and Gilmore use their 20 years of combined songwriting and music industry experience and their deep ability to empathize to create heartfelt, radio quality songs for their customers. The pair has been lauded for their songwriting in outlets such as Parade Magazine, No Depression, and Pop Matters since they formed in 2016.

Interested parties are encouraged to learn more and book their song at www.ourcustomsong.com

 

Band
Sarah Vitort and Scott Gilmore of Fox and Bones.
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Clark County Public Health Releases Latest COVID-19 Data; 170 Avg. Cases Per Day

Vancouver, WA — Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the last Clark County Public Health update was Wednesday morning (included all cases reported to them on Tuesday). Today’s update includes new cases reported to Public Health on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

  • 849 new cases (average about 170 cases/day Wed-Sun)
  • 8,841 cases to date
  • 397 active cases (currently in isolation period)
  • 77 COVID-19 patients hospitalized
  • 9 persons under investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19 hospitalized

The health department provided this reminder about active cases: “This reflects the number of confirmed cases who are currently in their isolation period. For most people, isolation is based on when symptoms began, not when they received the positive test result. Some individuals learn they are COVID-19 positive and only have a few days of isolation remaining.”

You may also learn more on their COVID data webpage: https://clark.wa.gov/public-health/covid-19-data

If you’ve been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, please stay home for 14 days from your last contact with the sick person.

Staying home for the full 14 days – even if you have a negative COVID-19 test – is important because it can take up to 14 days for an infected person to develop symptoms. But people can spread COVID-19 before they know they are sick – up to two days before symptoms develop.

People in quarantine should not go to work, school, child care or church, or participate in other social or community activities. This ensures that if a person in quarantine does get sick, they don’t spread the virus to others.

COVID-19
www.acreativetwistcorp.com

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Annual Stuff The Bus Event Changes With COVID Restrictions

Washougal and Camas, WA — The 14th annual Stuff The Bus event is happening now through December 11, and the need is greater than ever, say event organizers. 

The primary beneficiary, Children’s Home Society, is serving 350 families a month, which is about 100 more families than a year ago. Children’s Home Society is also serving local families through the backpack program.

“We’ve had to come up with a new plan,” said Stuff The Bus organizer, Tabitha Shaffer. “All schools in Washougal and Camas are allowing anyone to drop off food at the schools during normal business hours. You may also drop off food at the Camas Fire Department (Station 42) on Parker Street.”

What type of food is needed?

Non-perishable canned food, such as fruits, vegetables, stew, beans, and soup. They need cereal (small boxes), oatmeal, peanut butter, tuna fish, canned meats, such as SPAM, ham, etc. Spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, individual sized apple sauce, Mac and cheese, rice.

The C.A.R.O.L. Program works hard every year to serve 150 families each Christmas, which includes serving dinner, extra food, and presents.

Cash donations are also accepted via www.donatetostuffthebus.com

Under normal circumstances, students from both school districts participate by gathering donated food from all schools, and then distribute that food to various charitable organizations, such as Children’s Home Society, C.A.R.O.L., and American Legion Skamania County.

Key Stuff The Bus sponsors are: Long Building Technologies, Dan Jones Conveyor, and Caliber Home Loans.

Builder
www.clarkcountyrelocations.com

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Downtown Camas Holds Little Box Friday, Small Biz Saturday Events This Weekend

Camas, WA — Join Downtown Camas merchants November 27th (the day after Thanksgiving) in Downtown Camas! In celebration of the joy of shopping locally (no “big boxes” here), participating downtown merchants will each have a “little box” of coupons, specials, gifts, and other surprises for you to draw from. A little something extra for supporting local!

Also receive a free Golden Ticket in each location with any purchase to be entered to win a gorgeous holiday merchant basket! The Golden Tickets also enter you to win merchant prizes and a shopping spree!

The Golden Ticket Event in Downtown Camas starts on November 27th (day after Thanksgiving–also Little Box Friday!) and runs through December 18th. With any purchase from a participating merchant during this time, receive a “Golden Ticket” that enters you to win a fabulous prize from that merchant! Shopping multiple times during this time period and receiving a ticket each time is encouraged! 🙂 Plus your tickets will be entered into the Grand “Golden Ticket” drawing for a $250 Downtown Camas Shopping Spree, compliments of Carla Edwards, local Real Estate Broker!!

Please, bring receipts to the Liberty Theatre from any local Downtown Camas businesses from this day totaling at least $100 and receive 2 free movie tickets! (Turn in the receipts to theater 11/27 from *12:00pm – 3:00pm. You can buy popcorn during this time as well! One set per person. Pass use subject to capacity.) *times changed due to theatre closure mandate.

More fun promotions to come! Fantastic kick off to holiday shopping!

Participating merchants include:

4Ever Growing Kids
Allure Boutique
Arktana
Caffe Piccolo
Cake Happy
Camas Antiques
Camas Bike & Sport
Juxtaposition
Natalia’s Cafe
Navidi’s Olive Oils & Vinegars
Papermaker Pride
Sass Beauty
The Soap Chest

Featured image by Megan Kingston, and provided by Juxtaposition.

Little Box
www.artfuljuxtaposition.com

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As COVID-19 Cases Surge, Inslee Warns of More Statewide Restrictions

Olympia, WA — Governor Jay Inslee warned Tuesday that hospitalizations statewide continue to rise in rates similar to the early days of the pandemic as coronavirus continue surge and indicated he may expand business restrictions. 

He repeated his concern about families meeting for the Thanksgiving holiday, but emphasized that Washington is doing better than other states by limiting contact this weekend. 

Inslee spoke with his wife, Trudi, in a public address on November 12 that prohibited families and friends gathering on Thanksgiving. He mandated that families stay home with immediate members of their household.

Inslee is clearly concerned about the direction the state is headed in with its COVID-19 cases. The state’s cases are now soaring at 300 per 100,000 residents when the desired rate is 25 per 100,000.

Clark County’s COVID-19 activity rate is climbing rapidly. This week, the rate increased to more than 359 cases per 100,000 residents – up from 254 cases per 100,000 last week.

“We’re concerned Thanksgiving gatherings will cause our case numbers to rise even higher,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County Public Health Director. “Please celebrate safely and only gather with the people you live with.”

The increase in COVID cases has increased the possibility that local hospitals may need to suspend elective procedures and non-emergency operations. 

“We cannot tolerate the continuation of that straight up curve for very much longer,” Inslee said. “And what we have done is we’ve hard targeted reductions of social interaction in the hope that we can change the slope of that curve. But if it does not, we will have no other option but to extend those restrictions to other parts of the economy.”

Inslee also expressed concern for the frontline healthcare workers who have worked in challenging conditions for more than eight months. He’s worried about their well being as many are hitting burn out.

Mathaesthetics
www.acreativetwistcorp.com
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Little Box Friday/Black Friday, Small Biz Saturday Juxtaposition Style

Camas, WA — This is the first Christmas holiday season for Juxtaposition, a downtown Camas home furnishings and decor store, and they’re bringing it with style and days of fun.

Black Friday, or “Little Box Friday,” as they call it in downtown Camas, kicks off at 8 am on Friday, November 27 with some great deals, door busters, and door prizes.

“Everyone that comes into the door gets to draw from our prize box,” said Suzanne Ferguson, owner of Juxtaposition. “The box is filled with gift cards from downtown Camas businesses and restaurants, and some will draw cards that have discounts of up to 50 percent off on holiday and home decor at Juxtaposition.

Black Friday/Little Box Friday door busters include the following items at 50 percent off regular retail prices:

  • Cynthia Dunn snowman ornaments (boxed sets of 4)
  • Snowman dinner plates
  • 3×4” Metallic and gold pillar candles
  • Poinsettia flowers
  • Snowman hot chocolate mugs

There will be a free gift to the first 50 customers, plus door prizes will be announced every hour on Friday and Saturday. Customers simply need to fill out a ticket while they’re shopping.

Door prizes include gilded gold Frasier Fir candles, Beekman hand lotion caddies,hand-care trio and little gnomes. 

Juxtaposition will be open all weekend (8-8 on Friday, 10-8 on Saturday) with extended shopping hours on Sunday (10-5), which will continue through the holiday season.

Special deals include:

  • All Gnomes on sale at 10 percent off
  • All Ornaments on sale at 20 percent off
  • Let It Snow Collection on sale at 15 percent off
  • All gift sets are 15 percent off
Juxtaposition
Christmas ornaments are 20% off.

The gift cards will be distributed until they’re all gone. Camas Cash will be handed out Saturday by Downtown Camas Association elves on Small Business Saturday. Camas Cash can be used at participating downtown Camas businesses.

“We invite you to be part of our giving tree,” said Ferguson. “It helps out local families during the holiday season.”

The giving tree program is organized by Camas School District.

To learn more, visit www.artfuljuxtaposition.com or visit the store at 425 NE 4th Avenue in historic downtown Camas. Per COVID-19 guidelines, Juxtaposition asks that all customers wear face coverings while shopping.

Juxtaposition
Christmas gnomes.
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Building Industry Association Honors Builder, Remodeler Of The Year

OLYMPIA, WA — The Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) honored its Builder, Associate and Remodeler of the Year members at its Fall Board of Directors meeting on November 12. Fellow BIAW members selected the award recipients based on their significant contributions to BIAW and the home building industry as a whole. The following two Clark County companies were chosen for Builder of the Year and Remodeler of the Year out of almost 8,200 BIAW members all over the state of Washington. 

Tracy Doriot | Builder of the Year

Tracy Doriot of Doriot Construction is an award-winning custom home builder with 43 years in the construction business. ACertified Builder, Doriot has served on the Building Industry Association of Clark County (BIACC)’s board of directors since 2007, holding multiple committee chair positions and serving as president the second half of 2009, 2010 and 2016.  He’s an active recruiter of new members with 521 Spike credits to date. 

Doriot has served on the Cascadia Technical Academy (formerly known as Clark County Skills Center) Construction Technology Advisory Committee since 1996 and has been chair of the board since 2019. He also serves on the board of directors for the Clark County Parks Foundation.

A state leader in the BIAW active in government affairs, Tracy participates in BIAW’s Washington Affordable Housing Council and has served as a senior officer on its Executive Committee since 2019. He was installed as BIAW’s 2021 President at the Fall Board meeting and will lead the organization starting in January.

Dave Myllymaki | Remodeler of the Year

Dave Myllymaki of ReNew Creations, LLC, has served as a BIACC director for five years and is currently BIACC president for 2020 and 2021.

Along with serving as local association president, Myllymaki served as the chair to the BIACC remodeling council for two years. His involvement goes beyond his local association, resulting in Myllymaki receiving National Remodeler of the Month honors from the National Association of Home Builders in 2018.

Myllymaki is also active in his church and works on a variety of community outreach projects. He has also been involved in projects for Camp Hope, Evergreen Habitat for Humanity and the Clark County Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction. 

Builder
www.clarkcountyrelocations.com
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Washougal-Based Startup Aims to Create New Category of Math-Art Software


WASHOUGAL, WA — Software startup Mathaesthetics LLC has released MathPaint, its flagship software application, enabling anyone with a Mac to create amazing art generated by the power and beauty of mathematics.

MathPaint is built for graphic designers who have a need to create abstract, geometric, or fractal illustrations and visual textures. The new software title is also expected to appeal to experimental visual artists, hobbyists, and students.

MathPaint 1.0 is offered through Apple’s Mac App Store. The software’s sale price is $29.99. The App Store entry includes more information about the software, screenshots, and video previews: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mathpaint/id1476765339

The MathPaint home page on the Mathaesthetics website also features more information, screenshots, and a free 10-day demo version of the software:https://mathaesthetics.com/wp/mathpaint/

Connecting With a Virtual Art Community
Although MathPaint was only just released the app has already gained a following online on social media. MathPaint creator Christopher Corbell regularly posts images created with the program on Instagram and other channels. Digital art made with MathPaint has earned follows and “likes” from around the world.

“The images made with MathPaint have gained follows and likes from France, Brazil, Japan, Iran and other places around the world,” said Corbell. “At this time when we’re all isolated by the pandemic it’s really meaningful to see how art can connect us worldwide. There’s a virtual community around hashtags like #generative and #creativecode. Mathematical art has a kind of beauty, like music, which transcends cultures. Its visual forms reflect something in that’s in all of us, in our sense of harmony and our wonder at complexity. Anyone can appreciate these designs even if they don’t regularly do mathematics. That’s really what made me want to create MathPaint – it’s a program powered by math but it isn’t for doing math; it’s for making art. I think this kind of program might be really useful in education as well. It can give students a way to explore mathematics as a creative activity, motivated by wonder or playfulness.” 

Mathaesthetics
www.acreativetwistcorp.com

Introduction to MathPaint Video Tutorial
Mathaesthetics will be delivering MathPaint tutorials on its YouTube channel, accessible from within the application or in any web browser. The initial video tutorial is an introduction to the features of MathPaint, showing its variety of capabilities in action:
https://youtu.be/al-OtRTYxmI

About Mathaesthetics LLC

Founded in the summer of 2020, Mathaesthetics is a Washington limited-liability company based in Washougal. The company’s mission is to explore the intersection of technology and creativity with imaginative software products. Founder Christopher Corbell moved to Washougal in 2019 from nearby Portland. Corbell has worked as a software engineer since 2000 and has also participated in the Portland arts scene as a music composer, producer, and performer.

Mathaesthetics
An example of digital art.
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