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City of Camas to Hold Open House on Crown Park Redesign

Camas, WA — Camas City officials are holding an open house Wednesday, June 27 from 6-8 pm at Lacamas Lodge to present and gather input about a new proposed Crown Park redesign plan.

Late last year, inspectors mandated closing the Crown Park Pool until it meets code, which would require hundreds of thousands of dollars in renovations. The Camas Parks and Recreation team said those renovations would only sustain the pool for a short period of time — and recommended closing the pool all together.

”The pool’s maintenance costs have risen dramatically in recent years,” said Camas City Parks and Recreation Director, Jerry Acheson. “The city subsidizes 50 percent of the pool’s costs.”

The city has been planning for alternatives, and presented various plans last year. They held a public forum this past winter on how to proceed with renovations, and the City Council voted to demolish the 64-year-old pool. A decision on what to put in its place — if anything — has not been determined.

City leaders are inviting the public to participate in Wednesday’s public open house, but supporters of rebuilding or renovating the pool aren’t impressed.

Local supporters of the Crown Park pool and park have created a group called Friends of Crown Park, and they feel their voice isn’t being heard by the city.

“I’m a little miffed over them (the city) repeatedly saying that ‘public input has been integral to the process’ when the massive amount of public input has pointed straight toward the residents’ desire to keep a pool in the park,” said Camas resident, Anastasia McDonnell. “Yet they haven’t taken any of the hundreds of voices across social media platforms, public rallies, and the 1,300+ signatured  petitions to heart in their plans. At all the public hearings I’ve attended there has been zero support for a splash pad.”

To learn more, visit www.cityofcamas.us

Crown Park Pool Memorial

Proposed Redesign

 

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Renae Burson Named New Washougal Schools Assistant Superintendent

Washougal, WA – Renae Burson will be the new Assistant Superintendent for the Washougal School District, effective July 1, 2018.  She has been principal at Gause Elementary since 2016.

“I am excited to continue the good work going on at Washougal School District supporting teachers, students and families but in a different capacity,” Burson said.  “I enjoyed being at Gause and working closely with students.  That every day interaction and relationship I had with them is what I will miss most.”

Burson brings broad experience in educational roles to her new position.  Prior to the principalship in Washougal, she has been a teacher at the elementary and middle school levels, an instructional coach, a K-8 principal, a curriculum coordinator, a special education director, and an AVID district director.  “This background provides a strong basis for the multi-faceted position of Assistant Superintendent,” said Mike Stromme, WSD Superintendent in a June 14 email to staff.  “Renae’s work in education reflects a passion for closing the opportunity gap and providing equitable experiences for every student.”

Burson was named the Shasta County, California Administrator of the Year in 2016, Teacher of the Year for the Mt. Lassen Math Council in 2011 and a California Distinguished Teacher in 2010.  She holds a Master of Science degree in Applied School Leadership.

“I look forward to continuing the district’s focus to meet the needs of every students,” Burson said. “Whether it is instructional materials, AVID or multi-tiered systems, it is all geared for every student’s success.”

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What New Camas Fireworks Ordinance Means; When It Takes Effect

Camas, WA — At Monday’s public meeting, the Camas City Council voted 5-2 to adopt an ordinance to reduce the number of days that fireworks may be discharged from three to two. Effective 2019, fireworks may be discharged only on July 4 from 9 am to midnight, and on December 31 from 6 pm to 1 am on January 1 of the subsequent year. For 2018, the dates haven’t changed, but enforcement has.

On multiple occasions this year, the Camas City Council and Staff have been listening to public input about fireworks use within city limits. The four options presented to the public were as follows:

  1. Keep the ordinance intact, as is.
  2. Limit fireworks usage to only the 4th of July, and New Year’s Eve.
  3. Create a “safe and sane” ordinance, which limits which fireworks can be lit.
  4. Ban private Camas fireworks all together.

Monday’s vote adopted option 2.

 

The City of Camas issued the following statement:

“The Council heard from those seeking a total ban on fireworks, and empathizes with their concerns. The Council also heard from those who enjoy the Fourth of July celebration with family and friends, and recognizes their input.”

Until these dates and hours dates take effect in 2019, the city asks residents to heed the current schedule of approved dates and times for setting off fireworks in Camas and Washougal over the Fourth of July holiday, as shown below.

Fireworks

Fireworks schedule.

Enforcement

The Council also adopted a new ordinance for violations and penalties. Effective this year, the Fire Marshal, Camas Police, and Code Enforcement have the authority to issue citations for illegal fireworks or for discharging fireworks outside of the adopted days and hours. The first violation is $250, second violation is $500, third violation is $750, and $1,000 for each subsequent violation within a three-year period.

To learn more, visit www.cityofcamas.us

Public Hearings on Fireworks Usage

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Camas City Council Approves Grass Valley Development Plan

Camas, WA — After listening to three hours of presentations and public comments Monday night, the Camas City Council unanimously voted to approve the Grass Valley Master Development Plan, which is a combination of new commercial and residential construction.

The site, located at 192nd Ave and 38th Street, will be the new headquarters for Holland Partner Group, and is expected to bring 1,500 jobs to the area, said Camas City Administrator, Pete Capell. Holland’s campus development plans call for three new office buildings, totally 272,000 square feet with 1,000 parking spaces. The master plan includes a 20,000 square foot market, 12 apartment buildings (each with 24 units), a pool, and complex leasing office.

The apartment buildings were the source of great concern for a majority of the Awbrey Glen residents (off 192nd Ave). Thirty Awbrey Glen residents attended the long session, with six making public comments.

At issue is the height and location of apartment building structures to be built on the site’s southern border, which is adjacent to the Awbrey Glen subdivision. Residents feel the developer’s fence and proposed greenbelt weren’t enough to insulate them from the light, activity and noise that apartment life would bring.

“Awbrey Glen residents propose a compromise, they don’t want to stop development,” said Jiri Vasat. “We want to extend the green belt on the south side to 50 feet from the Awbrey Glen property line.”

Roger Young echoed Vasat’s comments, and asked developers to reduce the southern apartment buildings to two stories, rather than three. He also expressed concern about traffic congestion.

“We don’t want their windows looking into our living spaces,” said Young.

Others discussed their SEPA appeals, water runoff issues, and green belt mandates.

Attorney Randy Printz, who represented the project, presented the plan and offered multiple responses to the SEPA appeals and said the “development meets all code requirements” and urged the council to vote to deny the appeals, and clear the way for the development to proceed.

Camas City staff and councilors have been reviewing project plans for many months.

 

Grass

The campus that will be built.

 

After three hours of presentation and public comments, City Councilor Deanna Rusch motioned that the SEPA appeal be denied, which was seconded by Councilor Anderson. The council voted unanimously, which constituted a final order on the matter. The Grass Valley Development project will begin as soon as possible.

”I encourage residents to work with developers to discuss remaining issues,” said Camas Mayor, Scott Higgins.

Rusch said “this is a healthy development for Camas.”

Printz said the developers will break ground this summer, and completion will be some time in the summer of 2019. The project is a $164 million private investment.

”We will likely build a large component of it at one time to minimize the construction related impacts, so it’s not under construction for several years,” said Printz.

Project Images

 

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Camas Bike and Sport Celebrates 9th Anniversary with Fun Ride!

Camas Bike and Sport is celebrating their 9th anniversary on June 19th.

The public is invited to join their team for a casual group ride from the shop as they celebrate nine years in business!

All riders are welcome.

“We will take a route we feel is the safest for commuting from Downtown Camas to Downtown Washougal and back with a bonus section on the gravel Dike trail over to Cottonwood Beach for a treat break,” said Ed Fischer, owner of Camas Bike and Sport. “This will be a casual no drop pace and any type bike will be okay, however real skinny road tires will struggle on the gravel a bit, we recommend 28mm tire and wider. Weather looks to be great so grab your bike and helmet and come along.”

They advise you to bring plenty of water as it will be a bit warm. Kids are welcome as well but remember they will be riding on the road with traffic. If you are bringing a younger rider, the suggestion is 12 and over for this one! Route distance will be about 12 miles and we will stop at Grains of Wrath on the way back to the shop.

Here is profile of general route: https://www.strava.com/activities/1477383623

Camas Bike and Sport is a specialty bike shop with full repair facilities, and is located on 5th Avenue in Downtown Camas. The store is a frequent sponsor of educational activities dedicated to promoting cycling and its benefits.

To learn more, visit www.LogOffAndRide.com

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OMSI Crew Teaches Hathaway 3rd Grade Girls About Engineering

Washougal, WA — Hathaway Elementary third grade girls got the chance to take a spin at engineering thanks to a visit by OMSI’s Pit Crew on June 5.  This OMSI imagineering program is a hands-on, inquiry-based workshop in which students use the engineering design process to solve challenges through design and testing.

Students created their own car design with a wide variety of materials supplied by OMSI.  They were expected to continue to alter their designs to complete a series of challenges including driving straight down a ramp, stopping in a target and finding ways to keep their “drivers” belted on the car.

“We want to begin inspiring these girls to pursue engineering, science and exploration and help to increase their curiosity,” said Hathaway third grade teacher, Nita Young. “They are learning too that it is ok to have your hypothesis proven wrong and to keep testing your ideas. It is exciting to hear the talk around the room.  They are working individually and together and using the right vocabulary to discuss the process.”

Student London Hickey said she has learned it is ok to keep trying at something before getting it right.  “I know to not get discouraged and to keep going for it,” she said.  “I like working to make the cars better each time.  I have not learned about these things before.”

“The first tires I used were smooth plastic and they did not work very well,” said student Tiffany Del Carlo.  “I changed them to the rubber tires and they stayed on and worked great!”

Student Charlotte Bisila worked on the challenge to secure toy people on board her car.  “It is fun to find a way to keep them safe with rubber band seat belts,” she explained. “I am testing different ways to hold them on.”

“We decided to have this be an all-girls workshop to take any competition with the boys away,” said Hathaway third grade teacher, Jaymi McQueen.  “We hope this gives the girls a greater interest in the sciences and encourages them to be a part of our Robotics Club next year. Traditionally, young girls have not been engaged in engineering. This is something extra special for third grade girls to help them get excited about this area of study.”

Engineering

Having fun.

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CW Chamber of Commerce Honors Citizens at Annual Banquet

Camas, WA — Nearly 90 people gathered at Camas Meadows Golf Club Wednesday night to celebrate the work of several local citizens that were honored by the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce at their annual awards banquet.

After a social hour and dinner, emcee Brent Erickson helped to spotlight the Citizen, Business, and Educator of the Year awards, as well as present $1,000 scholarships to two graduating high school seniors — from both Camas and Washougal.

Katherine Boon, of Washougal High School, and Isaac Dizon, of Camas High School, were the recipients of the scholarships.

Darcy Hickey was honored as the Washougal Educator of the Year, while Doug Huegli received the same recognition for his work at Camas High School.

Washougal pastor, Bob Barber, received the distinguished honor at the chamber’s “Citizen of the Year” for his work helping the homeless. He was praised as being a citizen who looks out for others, and who celebrates unity in the community.

”I’ve only lived here for four years, but Camas-Washougal is the most beautiful and wonderful part of the world,” said Barber. “I’ve lived in British Columbia, Canada, I’ve lived in St. Louis, MO, St. Joseph, MI, I grew up in Palm Springs, CA, and I can tell you there is no better place to live right here than in Camas-Washougal.”

He reflected on his cancer battle five years ago, and the lessons that taught him.

”It taught me to not take anything for granted, but to make the most of every day,” said Barber. “Simply take a moment to open a door for someone, we can do that every day as we walk in and out of the store.”

He discussed a conversation he had four years ago with a member of the Unite! Washougal non-profit.

“How do you turn a bunch of garage doors into a community?” He asked. “You, you are the key. It’s you walking across the street and getting to know your neighbor. We live in an incredible community.”

Citizen

Bob Barber, pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church, is the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce’s “Citizen of the Year.”

Dawn Stanchfield, owner of Lily Atelier women’s boutique in downtown Camas, was honored as “Business of the Year.” She is credited with being essential to the revitalization of the downtown area for taking a risk and opening her store 15 years ago. At that time, the downtown Camas area wasn’t what it is today.  Mayor Scott Higgins introduced her and commended her business venture, as well as her continued charitable work in the community.

She discussed how loyal her customers are, and how much she appreciates Leah Dizon, who has her own customer base at the store. And, she thanked Gail Harrington for her work in the downtown revitalization project 15+ years ago that led to the success it is today.

”It was 15 years ago, probably to the day, that I signed the lease on my space in downtown Camas,” said Stanchfield. “And, to be here 15 years later, it’s because of some really amazing people. We’re all in this together with Washougal. It’s all becoming a destination here.”

She thanked the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce for the work they do in promoting businesses.

”From tech, to tourism, independent businesses, big businesses, you bring us all together and I thank you for that,” she said. “I am so proud of that. Thank you, all of you.”

 

 

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CHS Wins WIAA 4A Scholastic Cup; Presentation Coming Thursday

Camas, WA — The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) is honoring Camas High School with the prestigious Scholastic Cup (4A Division) this Thursday, June 7, at 2:30 pm at the CHS main gym.

The students are receiving this award for their athletic, academics and sportsmanship achievements during the 2017-2018 season. Camas took home the 4A Scholastic Cup with WIAA State Championships in Swimming, Gymnastics, and Boys Track and Field. Camas completed the season with nine top-5 finishes in various sports, as well as having nine teams ranked in the top-5 of their respective categories academically.

The honor is the first for the Papermakers, who finished second in the 2016-2017 season. The other Divsion Champions are: Almira Coulee Hartline (1B), Saint George’s (2B), Lynden Christian (1A), Sehome (2A), and Interlake (3A).

The WIAA Cup recognizes performance in the classroom, as well as on the playing field. Schools that finish at the top of their respective classifications in state athletic competition receive points, as do schools that finish at the tops in team academic performance.

Sportsmanship is also a factor, with substantial points deducted for ejections from contests. At the end of the year, the school with the most points in their classification will be awarded the prestigious Scholastic Cup.

To learn more, visit www.wiaa.com

 

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June 1: #DeleteSnapchat Day Gains Momentum Across the Country

The popular SnapChat app is under attack by Instagram influencer Collin Kartchner for what he says are deceptive practices that provide teens with easy access to pornography, and he’s desingating June 1 as #DeleteSnapchat Day.

”Enough is enough,” says Kartchner. “This app is a disaster. Time to say goodbye, Snapchat. You used to be fun, but now you are horrible. We as parents are taking a stand to get our kids off this app. Let’s all do it together.”

Kartchner has spent considerable time talking to teens and researching the effects of social media, in particular, Snapchat, and the effects it has on children’s self-esteem, and self-worth.

”I’m constantly talking to kids about Snapchat and hearing from them how this is sucking their life and their self-esteem away.”

At the center of the controversy is the recent launch of Snapchat’s “Cosmo After Dark” that provides subscribers free access to porn every Friday at 6 pm.

”SnapChat is an app that was created for one reason, and that is to send naked photos to one another,” said Kartchner. “They put a cutesy filter on them to make it feel like’s a family friendly app, but let’s not forget why it was made in the first place.”

Due to the backlash, Snapchat decided to end Cosmo.

”We strive to be a responsible source of news, entertainment, and information for our community, and understand the legitimate concerns parents have about what content their children consume,” said Rachel Racusen, Snap’s director communications, in a recent statement. “From the start, Cosmo’s After Dark edition was age gated from Snapchatters under 18 and only intended for adults. Cosmo has decided to discontinue publishing any future versions of Cosmo After Dark on Snapchat, and we appreciate all the feedback we have head from parents and members of our community about this content.”

 

Snapchat

Bray Hallman encourages teens to delete Snapchat.

A video made by Bray Hallman, from Draper, UT continues to gain traction.

In the video, accompanied by his younger brother, he promotes #DeleteSnapchat Day and is open about his struggles with pornography. Hallman says “pornography is a type of drug than can consume and ruin people’s lives.”

Says Kartchner: “Even the local junior high where my oldest will go next year had a story done there where an eighth grade teacher asked 90 students to fill in the blank ‘one thing my parents don’t know about social media is_____’ And the answers were horrifying. Almost all of them said that at least once or twice a week they see nude photos they’re asked to send nude photos whether they want to see them or not their shared amongst classmates all on Snapchat.”

For parents who are wondering how to delete their children’s Snapchat account, here’s how.
How to delete your Snapchat account:

  • First of all, you need to go to the below-given link from any web browser. You can’t delete the account from the app itself. You have to go online at https://support.snapchat.com/delete-account
  • The page will redirect (so give it a couple of seconds) and then enter the username and password to log into your Snapchat account.
  • The Delete Account page will pop up and you’ll be asked again to enter your username and password
  • Accounts take 30 days to delete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Camas Boys Track & Field Wins State — With Chiawana, Issaquah, Bothell

Mt. Tahoma Stadium, WA — Yes, you read that headline correctly. Camas Boys Track and Field won the State Championship Saturday in a four-way tie with Chiawana, Issaquah, and Bothell. For the record, Walla Walla earned 36.5 points.

So, how did that happen?

Daniel Maton’s first place victories in the 800 and 1600 meter events put Camas in contention, and going into the final event — the 4 x 400 Relay — Issaquah was ahead with 36 points, with Camas, 32; Bothell, 29, Chiawana, 27, and Walla Walla, 30.5.

Chiawana’s victory in the 4 x 400 Relay earned them 10 points, putting their final score at 37 points. Bothell earned second place, giving them eight points, also putting their final score at 37 points. Walla Walla’s third place finish earned them 6 points, for a total haul of 36.5 points. Camas placed fourth for 5 points, which put them at 37 points overall. And, a last place finish for Issaquah earned them just one point, which was enough to make it a four-way tie for first place.

”It was really one for the ages,” said Boys Head Coach, Jon Eagle. “Amazing. It was a surreal last part of the meet. It was very long odd for it to turn out the way it did. Go Papermakers!”

Mason Gross, William Schultz, Bryce Leighton, and Daniel Maton ran the 4 x 400 Relay for Camas.

State

From left: Daniel Maton, William Schultz, Mason Gross, and Bryce Leighton. Photo from District Meet.

”I’m pretty sure it was the first time that’s ever happened at State,” said Leighton. “It’s pretty crazy, it’s awesome that we managed to get first as a team, though. I’m really proud of our entire team and program, even everyone who didn’t go to State, for working so hard and getting to where they got.”

Leighton said there were 15 other Papermakers at State.

 

Event Results

Blake Deringer placed 7th (11.21) in the 100 meter event, and 6th (22.43) in the 200 meter event.

William Sun placed 6th (40.11) in the 300 meter hurdles.

Matt Williams placed 8th (169-03’) in Javelin.

David Connell placed 5th (9:17.03) in the 3200 meter event. LJ Floyd placed 11th (9:40.47).

Maton won both 800 meter (1:51.02) the 1600 meter event (4:07.50), setting personal records in both. His two victories were essential to the team’s ultimate victory, but as the math shows, every point and individual team member placement led to the overall success at this year’s State competition.

 

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