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Camas Officially Dedicates NW Nan Henriksen Way; Honors Former Mayor

Camas, WA — More than 50 community members and friends gathered outside Discovery High School Thursday evening to officially dedicate NW Nan Henriksen Way, which is named after the former Camas Mayor.

Henriksen officially cut the ribbon following two brief speeches by Camas School District Superintendent, Jeff Snell, and by Henriksen herself. The former mayor received the honor for the vision she had more than 30 years ago to have Camas look beyond the industry of the mill. She was instrumental in creating the Camas industrial park that is now home to multiple high-tech firms that attract living wage jobs.

Snell called her a visionary and heralded her tireless efforts to improve Camas during her tenure as mayor, and to this day.

“I just want to thank all of you for coming and celebrating with me,” said Henriksen. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me and I particularly want to thank my family members who were able to make it here. I wish my dad could be here … he would have been so happy to be here, and I wish he could have been up on the sign, too. I also want to thank Jeff Snell and the school district for this amazing honor.”

“You may think that this is a very short street, but it’s the perfect street for me because of all the symbolism involved. I get goosebumps just thinking about it, because this was Sharp Way and led to our very first tenant in our industrial park that was really only a vision until Sharp agreed to locate here and started to make that vision a reality for Camas. I still get goosebumps thinking about that.”

She spoke of the groundbreaking of the Sharp building, which started the industrial park, and the tree she planted with Sharp leaders.

”Now, this is the street to exciting new learning opportunities,” she added. “It’s so great I can’t think of anything I’d like to see more than these schools dedicated to collaboration, cooperation, teamwork, problem solving, creative thinking, and inclusion of all kids. You don’t have to be a super student or super athlete to be a star at these schools. I’m very proud of this school district.”

Following the official dedication, participants headed over to Discovery High School for its official dedication by Snell.

”I think my greatest joy is that I’m still alive to enjoy this,” she said. “Usually groups wait until you die and then they say let’s honor her with a street. You guys all get to celebrate, but I don’t.”

 

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Camas Hopes to be Top 5 Finalist in “Main Street” Competition; Announcement Feb. 12

Chosen from over 12,000 nominations nationwide, Camas was named a Top 10 town in the 2019 Small Business Revolution Main Street competition. The winning town receives a $500,000 investment, which includes assistance and transformation of six small businesses—all of which will be filmed on location as part of an 8-part original TV series on Hulu.

Previous season winners have described the experience and its ongoing results as lifechanging for their town’s business district and the entire community.

The next critical step is to be chosen by the show’s team to advance as a Top 5 finalist through a nail-biting online announcement on February 12th. Following that exciting news, a furious week of public voting will determine the winner. Voting will be done on the Small Business Revolution website and it’s one vote per device per email per day.

If included in the Top 5, Camas will ask the community, state, region and the nation for their votes and to spread the word through their own social connections. The Downtown Camas Association is encouraging people to mark their calendars now and ask all family, friends, co-workers, clients, etc. to be prepared to vote as well. Winning would create a positive focus on Camas, Clark County and the Pacific Northwest.

“We are over the moon excited about the chance to be a part of Small Business Revolution Main Street!” says Carrie Schulstad, Executive Director for the Downtown Camas Association. “The show is incredible and truly shines the light on the inspiring stories of small businesses. We have such amazing hard-working businesses and some serious mill town pride in Camas, and it would be an honor to have their expertise here to help build strength and sustainability in our small businesses and in our town. We have worked hard to bring our town back to life and to build community and we are so grateful for those that are supporting our downtown businesses. The authentic small town experience has true value! Because of that, we ask for your vote. But no matter what happens, this whole process has been such a genuine community “uniter” and we will use this momentum to continue to strengthen and preserve our town.”

The Small Business Revolution Main Street series showcases one small town and six of its small businesses each year. 2019 will be Season 4. The efforts are funded by Deluxe Corporation, a company that has been working with small businesses in marketing and finance for over a century. The goal of the show is to show the joys and challenges of owning a small business, why supporting small businesses is so important to communities everywhere, and the powerful changes that can happen when effective and creative marketing and business management techniques are employed. The overall efforts lead to community pride and investment on a grand scale. Prior series can be watched on Hulu, YouTube or on www.smallbusinessrevolution.org

Since finding out their Top 20 status in November, the Camas community has been engaged in using #mycamas on social media and sharing the unique qualities of the town and of the small businesses. A reception for the Small Business Revolution team was held on January 2nd at Grains of Wrath in Downtown Camas and attracted hundreds of people, many wearing #mycamas t-shirts, who were excited to meet the crew and show their community spirit.

For more information, visit www.smallbusinessrevolution.org or https://www.facebook.com/smallbizrev

Small Business

From January 2: Camas leaders met with the Small Business Revolution team at the paper mill.

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Boys and Girls Wrestling — Titans Beat Papermakers, Clinch League Title

Camas, WA — Union High School hosted Wednesday’s Dual Wrestling meet against Camas in their annual epic match up, but the Papermakers fell short, surrendering their paddle, while the Titans earned the coveted 4A GSHL League title.

The wrestling match was filled with solid competition, and some highly anticipated battles. The Titans girls wrestling team handily defeated the Papermakers, 42-0, while the Titan boys beat Camas 34-25.

Girls Varisty Wrestling Results
Union 42 – Camas 0
110—Madeline Chinn (U) p. Ava Weatherl, 1:12
120—Kayla Brosius (U) p. Lillian Taylor, 1:07
125—Hannah Lew (U) p. Christinanna Martin, 1:02
135—Riley Aamold (U) p. Padon Diehel, 0:59
145—Krista Warren (U) p. Olivia Perarson, 2:55
155—Nevaeh Cassidy (U) p. Kiana Pullen, 0:32
170—Annabelle Helm (U) p. Autumn Aho, 2:21

Wrestling

The Union Titans won their wrestling dual against Camas Wednesday night, 34-25, clinching the 4A GSHL League Title.

Boys Varsity Wrestling Results
Union 34 – Camas 25
106—Ryan Esperto (U) md. Porter Craig, 10-0
113—Elijah Cassidy (U) p. Philip Hartleip, 1:06
120—Dylan Jimenez (U) d. Ryan Ball, 11-8
126—Brandon Esperto (U) md. Chris Goodnight
132—Jack Latimer (C) p. Andres Nicacio, 5:24
138—Tanner Craig (C) p. Calvin Ball, 5:03
145—Roscoe Garcia (C) d. Josh Helm, 8-2
152—Isaac Duncan (C) md. Damario Yebra, 17-3
160—Noah Talavera (U) d. Carter Liesen, 6-3
170—Six Buck (U) md. Dominic Fujihara, 18-7
182—Danny Snediker (U) tf. Dustin Hubbard, 5:38 (19-4)
195—Gideon Malychewski (C) d. Kyle Brosius, 7-3
220—Colby Stoller (C) d. Levi Harms, 3-2
285—Josh Barber (U) p. Anthony Choi, 0:20

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Washougal Students Learn About Healthy Living at This Week’s Fair

Washougal, WA — Hathaway Elementary students took steps to understand healthy living at the Sodexo Student Well-Being Fair held Tuesday, January 22.

“The purpose of the event was to promote good nutrition, get the students to stop and think about the path that food takes from the field to the table, and to have FUN along the way,” said Mark Jasper, Sodexo Nutrition Services Director at Washougal School District.  “This was an interactive wellness fair concept, which fully supports our mission of inspiring lifelong healthy habits in the children we serve.”

The all-day event featured grade level groups spending an hour moving through four presentations targeted at expanding their knowledge of various aspects of a healthy life and well-being.  Topics covered were related to Nutrition, Achievement, Environment, Community and Activity. “Each station presented meaningful information that captivated the students,” said Jasper. “And, as an added bonus, as the students left the event, they were given a bag to remind them of what they learned.”

“I was happy to bring this event back this year for all of our students,” said Hathaway Principal Sarika Mosley. It was so engaging for students and Mark Jasper is so organized in bringing in his presenters. I had a second grader tell me afterwards that coconuts have juice in them! Watching our students create balanced meal plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner is important for their long-term health and well-being.”

Assisting in the event by leading presentations were Shelby Stanford, Dietitian Intern; Stacie Reiter, Sodexo’s Regional RD; Ellen Ives, Educator for Sustainability and Waste Reduction from Waste Connections; and Laycee Hyde, Sodexo Operations Manager form Forest Grove SD and Rochelle Mellendorf, Sodexo Area Marketing Manager.

“The students enjoyed the fair and came away with some useful new knowledge about wellness and healthy habits,” Jasper said.

Washougal

Teaching students.

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Events: Camas School District Has THREE Major Dedications This Week

Camas, WA — Most haven’t seen the interior of the brand-new Lacamas Lake Elementary School, located in Fern Prairie, so Wednesday is your chance! There are also two more dedicatory events on January 24.

All are welcome to the dedication of Lacamas Lake Elementary School, which includes an open house and building tours for current students, former students of Lacamas Heights Elementary, CSD families and friends, and community supporters. It’s going to be a very special night!

What: Lacamas Lake Elementary Dedication
When: January 23 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Where: 4825 North Shore Blvd., Camas, WA 98607

For more information, contact the school at 360-833-5740.

Dedication

The Lacamas Lake Elementary library.

 

 

Dedication of Nan Henriksen Way and Discovery High School

All are welcome to the dedication of NW Nan Henriksen Way and Discovery High School on the Camas School District’s Project-Based Learning Campus! Attend one event or both – we’d love to see you there.

ABOUT NAN HENRIKSEN WAY
In honor of Camas School District alumna and former City of Camas Mayor Nan Henriksen, we’ve renamed Sharp Drive “NW Nan Henriksen Way.” This special renaming honors Henriksen’s foresight and innovative thinking, which helped usher in a new technology sector in and around the campus where learning now thrives.

What: Nan Henriksen Way Dedication
When: January 24 at 5:30 PM
Where: 5125 NW Nan Henriksen Way

ABOUT DISCOVERY HIGH SCHOOL
Thanks to the vision and support of our community, in the fall of 2018 the doors to Discovery opened and 115 9th graders kicked off the inaugural school year. DHS is now the third high school option for students of Camas Schools and could eventually serve 600 students. The school offers a small, personalized learning environment and project-based approach, as does Odyssey Middle School, which opened in 2016 and resides right next door.

What: Discovery High School Dedication
When: January 24 from 6-8 PM
Where: 5125 NW Nan Henriksen Way

 

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Rep. Larry Hoff Takes Oath of Office; Will Serve on 3 Committees

Rep. Larry Hoff was sworn in to office Monday as the newest state representative for the 18th Legislative District. He replaces former Rep. Liz Pike, who did not run for reelection.

Hoff, who has lived in Clark County for more than 40 years, recently retired as president and CEO of the $1 billion Fibre Federal Credit Union.

“It is truly humbling to have the opportunity to serve our 18th District communities in this new role as state representative,” said Hoff, R-Vancouver. “I look forward to bringing the voice and perspective of so many of my friends and neighbors to Olympia, and to delivering results on their behalf.”

Hoff has been appointed to three House committees. He will serve as the assistant ranking member of the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee, which considers an array of consumer protection issues, as well as the safety and soundness of state banks and credit unions, the regulation of consumer credit and lending, and the regulation of securities and investments. He will also serve on the House Appropriations Committee, which considers the operating budget, and on the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee, which reviews legislation related to industrial insurance, unemployment compensation, collective bargaining, family leave, safety and health standards, occupational health, and employment standards.

“Each of these committees plays a vital role in the day-to-day operations of Washington state’s economy,” added Hoff. “The actions we take will affect millions of people, so it is my hope that we work together in a bipartisan way to get it right. We know Washingtonians don’t want tax increases, nor do they want unnecessary regulations that stifle economic growth. We should instead be focused on supporting policies this session that keep Washington state competitive, grow jobs, and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation.”

The 2019 legislative session began Jan. 14, and is scheduled to run for 105 consecutive days.

Photo by Steven Nelson.

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Camas Science Olympiad Teams Earn Record Medal Count at CA Tournament

Sacramento, CA — The Camas Science Olympiad team sent 100 students, chaperones, and coaches to Mira Loma High School this past weekend to compete at an annual regional Science Olympiad competition.

The two Camas High School (CHS) teams (Red and Black) brought with them three middle school teams: Skyridge, Liberty, and Odyssey, earning a record number of medals along the way.

“This time we flew instead of taking the train, which was very nice,” said CHS Senior, Abigail Jiang. “The tournament featured 30 high school teams, as well as 30 middle school teams, and we earned a record number of medals this year! I’m so proud of our Camas teams!”

The CHS Black Team placed 8th overall, while Red Team placed 17th. Skyridge placed 10th, Liberty placed 19th, and Odyssey placed 27th (pretty decent for their 2nd tournament ever as a new team).

In the general competition, CHS Black earned first in Geologic Mapping, fifth in Fermi Questions (CHS Black), fourth and fifth in Sounds of Music (CHS Black and Red), first in Forensics (CHS Red), third in Circuit Lab (CHS Black). Skyridge won fifth in Game On.

CHS Black also won first in Astronomy, while CHS Red placed 3rd in Mission Possible. Skyridge placed first in Mystery Architecture, while, Liberty placed fourth in Potions and Poisons, and third in Write It Do It.

Teams spent weeks and months working on their specific projects and trying to work together. It requires a lot of planning, studying, reading, and strategizing.

The Camas Science Olympiad team continues to grow and prosper, and they use these competitions to prepare themselves for State.

”We have such good coaches, and advisors,” said Jiang. “And, we’ve had great support from our parents. Everyone works really hard.”

 

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Camas Produce Plans to Re-Open in 1 Week; SUV Driver “Fine,” Says Husband

Camas, WA — Ali Alquraisha, the owner of Camas Produce, said his store plans to be open in about one week after a large portion of his business was demolished following Thurday’s night SUV accident.

Camas Police said that Terra Stark, 39, of Camas, accidentally put the car in drive while parked at Camas Produce, and plowed through the front center of the building. Her teen son was in the vehicle with her.

”It went all the way into the store,” he said. “Fortunately, nobody inside was hurt.”

Several people, including the tow truck team, spent time Thursday cleaning up debris and boarding up the store. Alquraisha said they need time to rebuild, which will require a city inspection before they can re-open.

”There are so many great people in this community, and they ask how they can help us,” he said. “You can help us by coming back next week and shopping here. We are so grateful for you.”

He said right now they’re going through the process of contacting Stark’s insurance company, and figuring out where to go from here. She was driving a corporate fleet vehicle.

Stark is an active member of the community, and is always willing to lend a helping hand. Her two sons are active in local sports.

Her husband, Ben, reported this morning that “she’s fine” but wouln’t elaborate any further.

“She was issued a traffic infraction, and is still under investigation for DUI,” said Debrah Riedel, Camas Police Public Information Officer. “There will be no arrests or further charges until we get blood results, but she was obviously impaired. And, she wasn’t cooperative with any statements. When we have probable cause for DUI we do handcuff a person, but it may take a few days or even weeks pending blood test results before we know anything conclusive.”

Several witnesses say that prior to the accident, Stark was in attendance at a middle school basketball parent meeting where she was “red-faced, had slightly slurred speech,” and “kept dropping papers.”

 

 

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Artful Attic: Youth Invited to Participate in #MyCamas Art Contest

Camas, WA — In their ongoing effort to support local artists, Tyson and Lori Morris, owners of Artful Attic in Downtown Camas, are sponsoring a fun youth art contest.

The art contest will run now until February 5 when all submissions need to be delivered to Artful Attic, which is located at 217 NE 3rd Avenue, Camas, WA 98607.

Rules:

  • The art contest is open to all Camas youth ages 11-18.
  • Artwork needs to fit on 10×10 wood canvases, which will be donated by Artful Attic.
  • Each canvas may be picked up at the shop.
  • Any medium is acceptable (wood burning, painting, metal, etc.) as long as it fits on the canvas.
  • Theme is “what Camas means to you.”
  • All works should include #MyCamas.
  • All submissions must be returned to Artful Attic by Feb 5th.
  • Each winner will receive a $25 gift card to Artful Attic.

There will be six winners in total, and their names will be announced during the Feb 7th reception at 6 pm, which will be held at the boutique. Winners will have their art featured in the Artful Attic gallery during the month of February.

Artists may choose to sell their piece at Artful Attic for 30 percent commission fee.

To learn more, call 360.210.4927 or email: [email protected]

Shopper’s

Custom engravings are available at Artful Attic.

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Brook Pell Announces Candidacy for Clark County Council District 4

Camas, WA —  Brook Pell, a Republican living in Camas, announced her candidacy today for Clark County Council District 4.

Brook is the Chief Operating Officer for a family owned construction company which builds residential and commercial steel buildings. Prior business experience includes CRE property manager of a diversified capital management firm where she managed a portfolio that consisted of a 340,000 rsf commercial office campus, several retail centers and residential/multi-family properties.

Pell is a Clark County native having grown up in Washougal, and is married to Sascha Pell. They have five children; four in the Camas School District and their oldest is a freshman at Clark College.

Pell’s priorities are policies that attract job creators to Clark County, transportation solutions that are supported by the taxpayers, lean and efficient government, policies that respect the rights of urban and rural land owners, good roads, adequate funding for law enforcement and infrastructure to support growth.

“Clark County is growing and along with that comes the challenge of providing the services that citizens need and want. As a small business owner, I know from experience how decisions made by government can negatively impact the economy or encourage prosperity. When I hear that people are forced to sell their homes due to higher property tax, I know we need a better solution. Focusing on what matters most to the people in Clark County is my pledge to the voters.” said Pell.

To learn more, visit her website at www.electbrookpell.com

The website isn’t yet up and running.

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