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Meals On Wheels To Host Annual Spring Luncheon

Vancouver, WA — More than 400 business leaders and community supporters are gathering at the Vancouver Hilton this Wednesday as Meals on Wheels People hosts its annual Spring Luncheon, with doors opening at 11:30 am. Beginning at noon, the luncheon will be hosted by book author, Sandy Calwell, and features guest speaker, Mike Bacon.

The annual Clark County event is expected to earn $150,000 in necessary donations, said Meals on Wheels Marketing People Director, Julie Piper.

“It’s designed to be an enjoyable event to discuss what our program does, and for people to enjoy a nice lunch,” says Piper. “And, at the end of the hour, our goal is to raise $150,000, which comes from sponsored tables, corporations, and individuals.”

Calwell, author of “What if Parenting is the Most Important Job in the World,” has been a regular volunteer for the non-profit organization, whose local chapter provides 5,000 meals per day. All told, Meals on Wheels People has 400 volunteers across the three counties. She started her volunteer work by helping out in the kitchen at the Meals on Wheels Washougal center. Currently, she volunteers on the organization’s board, and helps with outreach and marketing.

“Meals on Wheels People covers three counties,” said Calwell. “The central kitchen is in Portland, on Multnomah Boulevard, with kitchens and centers throughout Clark County and Portland. The Spring Luncheon isn’t the main fundraiser, but it is very significant. Government cutbacks have made it so we’re very reliant on private fundraising, so this event is important.”

Each meal costs about $7, and seniors are asked to contribute $3-$4 per meal, but Calwell said a lot of seniors can’t even do that. The fundraising is designed to cover all the gaps. She added that several local businesses, such as Dave’s Killer Bread, donate food on a regular basis. Each day, volunteers prepare and deliver nutritious meals to shut-in seniors throughout the service area.

“We make sure all people that need to be served, get served,” added Calwell. “The seniors sometimes have no other options.”

Piper said they met their fundraising goal at last year’s luncheon, and expect to achieve it this year, as well.

“We’re really grateful for the community support we receive,” she said.

The event runs very efficiently, and features speakers, awards and updates on the organization’s progress.

Meals on Wheels was founded in 1969, and each chapter provides a very “person-to-person outreach,” said Calwell. “It all stays right here. It’s very important work.”

Locally, about 40 seniors are served in Washougal, with another 150 served out of their Firstenburg Center, in Vancouver.

To learn more, visit www.mealsonwheelspeople.org

Spring Luncheon

Sandy Calwell will emcee the Meals on Wheels Spring Luncheon this year, with husband, Ken Calwell, CEO of Papa Murphy’s International, at last year’s Clark County Spring Luncheon.

 

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“Lying in Judgment” a Unique Legal Thriller

Camas, WA — Gary Corbin knows a thing or two about writing, and his latest project, a legal thriller called “Lying in Judgment,” is the perfect setting for a shift in his career.

The accomplished playwright is known for a string of comedy productions including “Happy Anniversary” and “P.S., I Love Your Daughter” and for his frequent contributions to the Portland Tribune.

Now with the release of “Lying in Judgment” he’s adding author to his long list of credits.

The idea for “Judgment,” which was just released on March 5, has been brewing in his mind for 25 years. He even started writing the book 10 years ago, and has had an on-again, off-again relationship with becoming an author. It’s on now, and this book is a page-turner, says fellow author, Bob Ferguson.

“You’ll love this book,” he said at Corbin’s inaugural book signing, which was held this past Saturday, at Caps N’ Taps in downtown Camas. “Gary really knows how to tell a story. He’s very creative.”

The packed tavern was filled with adoring fans, many of whom brought already-purchased copies of his first novel.

“It feels amazing to do this,” said Corbin, as he greeted fans. “This has been in the works for years, and to see it in print is absolutely amazing.”

Corbin’s book is an original story with a fresh take on the legal thriller genre. The novel is based on a guilty juror, and says Corbin, “that doesn’t happen.”

“You don’t have to be a lawyer to be a juror, and to see an average person serve is an interesting perspective,” he adds. “And local readers get the added benefit of having Portland sites be part of the story. They’ll read about a scene at Pioneer Courthouse Square and it’ll be familiar to them.”

The History on His Legal Thriller

When Corbin first started writing “Judgment” about 10 years ago, he spent 18 months writing and revising the original manuscript, and at the time the publishing industry was going through a retraction. That initiated some hesitancy.

“The industry took a big hit,” he says. “But it’s on the rebound now.”

After much research, he felt it was time to pick it up again, and he started the legal thriller anew in 2015 set on publishing the book under his own imprint, which is called Double Diamond Publishing. He says it’s so much easier to self-publish now, especially with tools such as Smash Words and Create Space (which is a part of Amazon).

The challenge, however, is that larger bookstores work closely with the large publishing houses.

“That makes it hard to get the book into the major stores,” Corbin adds. “They simply prefer to work with major distributors, so I have to be very persistent. Vintage Books let us in, and the book has sold well at their store.”

See http://www.vintage-books.com to learn more about their bookstore.

He said the whole process has been very educational, and that he’s already working on his next novel, which is a mystery called “The Mountain Man’s Dog”

Book lovers can order a paperback at www.Amazon.com, download a Kindle or iTunes version at www.iTunes.com, and also try Kobo. To date, printed versions account for 45% of “Lying in Judgment’s” sales.

To learn more about Corbin’s journey, go to “Lying in Judgment” Feature or visit www.garycorbinwriting.com 

The book is available online: www.Amazon.com

 

Lying in Judgment Novel

“Lying in Judgment” book author, Gary Corbin, had his first book signing at Caps N’ Taps in downtown Camas.

 

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Humane Society Pet of the Week: Angelica

Each week, Lacamas Magazine will feature a Pet of the Week, from the Southwest Washington Humane Society.

Hello friends! My name is Angelica and I am a sweet and gentle soul looking for a family to love. I would do best in a more quiet environment without kids under the age of ten. I would like to meet any dogs or kids with whom I may be living. Adopt me today!

 

Pet of the Week

Angelica

Pet Details

Code Number: 83726
Date Available: 3/15/2016
Breed: Long Hair Chihuahua
Sex: Female
Age: 2 years, 0 months
Weight: 9.05625 lbs

The adoption fee for dogs in Angelica’s age range (6 months to 6 years) is $100-$200. The costs of adoptions vary, depending on the dog’s age, and other issues.

All adoptions include: Spay or neuter surgery, microchip ID and national registration, select vaccinations, free veterinary exam with a local participating veterinarian, animal training information, and 30 days of free pet insurance.

Denise Barr, the Director of Marketing at the Southwest Humane Society, says the Pacific Northwest is a good area for pet adoptions.

“We have a very high adoption rate here,” she said. “4,400 pets were adopted last year.”

She also said there’s a good process for people who need to separate from their pets, and that people should feel their pet will find a good home.

“Sometimes people move and can’t take their pets with them,” she said. “Or maybe there’s a problem in the home that it’s best for the animal to find a new home. We do a good job here at placing pets.”

To adopt an animal, you must be at least 18 years of age. Some animals may have specific adoption requirements so be sure to check with an Adoption Counselor for details.

To learn more about pet adoptions, visit www.southwesthumane.org

They are located at 1100 NE 192nd Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98684. 360-213-2615.

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Top 15 Signs You’ve Lived in Camas a Long Time

We compiled a fun list of things that show you have lived in Camas for a while. How long have you lived here?

  1. You bowled at Riverside Lanes before Big Al’s entered the scene.

    Bowling

    Riverside Lanes on Third Avenue.

  2. You associate Gyro’s with Friday night Camas Varsity football games at Doc Harris Stadium.
  3. You never speed by the Fire Station on Parker Street because there’s usually a police officer there. Speed trap. You know where all the speed traps are.
  4. You know who Joe Papermaker the Mean Machine is, and you defend him when people make fun of the name.
  5. You know Lacamas Lake is disgusting but swim in it anyway during the warm summer months. Plus, you know where the tree rope is.

    Lacamas Lake

    Lacamas Lake

  6. You know a small order of fries at Top Burger will feed you and three of your friends just fine, but you order a large anyway. You also know fries at Top Burger taste even better with their ice cream.
  7. You know movies are just better at Liberty Theater, even with the old building smell (you get used to it after a few minutes).
  8. You remember when band concerts and performances were held at Garfield.
  9. The odor from the paper mill doesn’t faze you anymore.
  10. Going to the “beach” during the hot summer months means going to Cottonwood, aka BA Beach.
  11. You remember when the Camas Hotel was gross. It’s not anymore.
  12. Summer isn’t summer without a blizzard at Dairy Queen in downtown Camas.
  13. You did all your shopping at Sprouse Reitz in downtown Camas.

    Camas

    Spouse Reitz was located where Lizzabeth A is today.

  14. You got your hair cut at Baldy’s (formerly next to Lily Atelier). Some refer to it also as Jack’s Barbershop.
  15. You know the original town’s name wasn’t “Camas.” Hint: Look at our magazine’s name.

We welcome you to add to this list. Just comment below.

To learn more about Camas, visit: http://www.cityofcamas.us

 

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Humane Society Pet of the Week: ARIES

Each week, Lacamas Magazine will feature a Pet of the Week, from the Southwest Washington Humane Society.

Presenting Aries
My name is Aries and I am super friendly and love to play. I can also be quite the snuggler. I love my people so much that I do not like to share, so I should be the only pet in the household. I would like to meet any kids with whom I may be living. Please ask an adoption counselor how you can meet me today.

Humane Society Pet

This is Aries, our Humane Society Pet of the Week.

Pet Information

Code Number: 67102
Date Available: 2/25/2016
Breed: Labrador Retriever
Sex: Female
Age: 3 years, 4 months
Weight: 42.5 lbs

The adoption fee for dogs in Aries’ age range (6 months to 6 years) is $100-$200. The costs of adoptions vary, depending on the dog’s age, and other issues.

All Adoptions include: Spay or neuter surgery, microchip ID and national registration, select vaccinations, free veterinary exam with a local participating veterinarian, animal training information, and 30 days of free pet insurance.

“The Pacific Northwest, and in particular, Clark County, has a very high success rate of placing dogs and cats into good homes,” said Denise Barr, Vice President of Marking for the Humane Society of Southwest Washington. “In fact, California sends us a lot of animals that would otherwise be euthanized. We do a better job of spaying and neutering our animals here. So, if you see the word ‘transfer’ in the animal’s description that means the animal comes from California.”

Barr said last year their agency assisted with 4,400 adoptions.

To see more details about Aries, or other pets for adoption, please visit: www.southwesthumane.org

They are located at 1100 NE 192nd Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98684. 360-213-2615.

 

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Camas Athlete Fundraises for Spring Mission Trip

Camas High School junior and competitive swimmer, Luke Albert, is currently raising money to fund a weeklong church mission trip to Mexico. His plan is to dedicate a week of service in Mexico from April 2-7, and so far he is about half way toward reaching his goal.

“I heard of it back in the middle of January during one of our announcements (at church) and knew that was something I wanted to do, but wasn’t sure if I could get the money or if that’s what God had in store for me,” said Albert, who’s won numerous awards for his swimming achievements. “So I prayed and heard that he wanted me to go and that he’d take care of everything for me. Of course I still had to do some of the work though.”

The Camas youth felt impressed to go on a mission trip in the summer of 2014, when he listened to a guest speaker address his congregational youth group, called Generation Grace, or G2.

Then, last summer, Albert attended a Foursquare campout in Eastern Washington, where he started to envision the service that’s he currently planning for.

“So I started to get more and more involved in the ministry and just had to do whatever I could to go on this mission trip,” Albert added. “The purpose of this mission is to go down into Mexico and do whatever the missionaries stationed down there need us to do. It’s also about growing relationships with the people there and telling our story and how God has affected our lives is a part of what we’ll be doing. Like I said before I’ve been looking into this since mid January and have been planning it since about February 23.”

Albert is grateful to everyone who has donated so far.

To learn more, and donate to this cause, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/sf7qppg

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Touchjet Pond Projector Forms 80″ Touchscreen

The Touchjet Pond Projector turns any flat surface (wall, ceiling, table) into a supersized 80” interactive touchscreen that you can use with just the click of a stylus. It has a built-in Android operating system, so you can download any apps directly to the device itself— everything from Angry Birds and Scrabble to Skype and Netflix.

It’s ultra-portable and easy to use. All you have to do is turn it on, grab a stylus and you can instantly start interacting: play games, write on documents or watch videos, all in one place. It’s roughly the size of a day planner, so you can easily fit in a briefcase, backpack or purse.

The power is in the stylus. Simply touch the stylus to the projected images with pinpoint accuracy, just like the smartphones and tablets you are used to.

The process is the same as giving commands with your fingers on a tablet screen. You can even zoom in or out by using two pens at once. Just move the pens on the projected screen in essentially the same combined motion you would use for expanding or pinching together two fingers on a touch screen. You can also give commands with the accompanying remote, which doubles as an air mouse. You move the remote to move a mouse pointer on the screen, and then give the equivalent of a touch command by pressing a button.

The Pond itself weighs about 10 ounces and measures 1.3 by 3.8 by 4.3 inches (HWD). That built-in computer, which runs Android 4.4.2 and, according to Touchjet, offers 18GB of available memory for storing apps and data. The weight of the device itself doesn’t include the power block, the two interactive pens, or the combination remote and air mouse. Add those in, along with the hard-shell case Touchjet includes to hold everything, and the total weight is a still highly portable 1 pound 8 ounces. The case measures roughly 2.5 by 9 by 9 inches (HWD).

To learn more, visit www.touchjet.com

Touchscreen projection

The product is very lightweight and simple to use.

TouchJet Pond Projector Launch Video

This video provides a general overview of the product.

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College Wrestling: Camas Grad Heads to Nationals

For 2012 Camas High School graduate, Tyler Weiss, heading to a national college wrestling tournament, is the culmination of years of hard work, perseverance, and sheer will power.

Weiss is part of the Brigham Young University (BYU) Wrestling program that is sending six wrestlers to the National Collegiate Wrestling Association’s (NCWA) National Tournament next week, in Orlando, FL.

The 22 year-old BYU sophomore, who recently completed LDS Church missionary service in Brazil, is pleased with the results from a regional tournament that has put his team in this position.

Traveling to the nationals with Weiss is Coach Craig Miner; Tyler Carlyle, 22, Sophomore and Team Captain; Blake Solomon, 21, Freshman; Joe Cooprider, 23, Senior; Derek Mcclure, 18, Freshman; and Ben Peterson, 21, Sophomore.

“I love the competitive aspect of wrestling,” says Weiss, who began wrestling as a Freshman at Camas High School. “You work hard and you see the results. It’s really rewarding.”

These young men have been wrestling since mid-October, and practice four days a week. The wrestling season officially started in early November, and the team travels every other week to compete.

“We have a really good team filled with good guys,” said Weiss, who competes in the 133 weight class. “It’s good to get back into wrestling.”

 

BYU Regionals

The BYU Wrestling Team is sending 6 wrestlers to Nationals.

 

The team thinks highly of their coach, Craig Miner, but he demurs.

“I’m not teaching them anything,” adds Miner. “Tyler C runs the practices, and I just do what I can to help them. I’ve done the fundraising, and get the travel arrangements taken care of. Plus, it was hard getting the program accepted at BYU.”

Miner explained that the university had dropped wrestling last year, and that he and several others lobbied hard to get the program reinstated.

“We’re grateful they accepted the program,” said Miner. “After the season ends, we’ll work hard to get it reinstated for next season.”

Last year, with the fate of the program unknown, Weiss asked his family and friends to pray for the program to return.

“We were relieved when Tyler called us to say the program was reinstated,” said Matt Weiss, Tyler’s father. “Tyler has loved wrestling ever since he started at Camas High School. He loved Coach Hartman, and he’s put a lot of time and effort into the sport.”

Weiss learned wrestling from Hartman at Camas High School. He said Hartman’s program taught him how to work hard, and be tough.

“These kids have done very well,” added Miner. “We expect them to win. They placed well at Regionals, and I think we’ll carry that momentum into next week. They have a lot of talent.”

Wrestling Practices at BYU

Carlyle said the team puts into the effort everyday.

“Tyler is the lightest guy in the room, but he’s one of the toughest,” Carlyle said. “In wrestling, it’s almost always who is the most mentally tough who wins. It’s really a mindset of ‘I’m going to score.'”

The BYU Wrestling team practice routine consists of a warmup, to get sweating. Then, they go over technique points, and get conditioned doing matches.

“We’ll make one guy stay in and toughen up to compete with several teammates,” said Carlyle. “He won’t have a second to catch his breath. Plus, we don’t run a lot, as we feel that doesn’t add anything to our practices. And Tyler always works hard to make his cuts.”

Solomon says: “Weiss is always giving his all and works through it, and doesn’t use his size as an excuse.”

Regarding next week’s National Tournament, Weiss says: “I’d be happy to be All-American, in the Top 8. I want to be in the Finals.”

So, do wrestlers have to be fearless?

“Yeah,” says Weiss. “I’d say that they have to be able to control their fears and not let their fears control them. Sometimes my fears are what drive me to work even harder. Fear of being beaten or not giving enough are the fears wrestlers need to have. There’s a saying in wrestling that goes ‘fear no one but respect everyone,’ meaning that you shouldn’t be afraid of anyone but that you need to respect everyone and not look past anyone.”

To learn more, visit www.byuwrestling.com

 

Regional NCWA Tournament

The BYU Wrestling Team poses after a stellar performance at Regionals.

 

Tyler Weiss

Matt Weiss, Tyler Weiss, center, and Annie Weiss celebrate with their son at Regionals.

 

Wrestling victory

Tyler Weiss started wrestling at Camas High School.

 

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CRC Opinion: Leaders should come together …

… not be silenced, to seek cross-river solutions

Editor’s Note: Lacamas Magazine offers a forum for all sides to express their viewpoints and opinions.

By Rep. Liz Pike

The Columbian, Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt and some other local elected officials have a lengthy, well documented history of supporting a failed and costly light rail project between Clark County and Portland, known as the Columbia River Crossing (CRC). For years, these folks supported bringing Portland’s light rail to our community against the objections of our own citizens.

Liz Pike

Rep. Liz Pike, R-18

Entering into any agreement between Clark County’s taxpayers and an agency with Tri-Met’s financial woes ought to be troubling to every elected official in Southwest Washington. According to Tri-Met’s 2015 Audited Financial Report, unfunded liabilities are 459 percent greater than the costs of current payroll. It is estimated Tri-Met’s unfunded pension liability exceeds $1 billion. It is no surprise our local citizens have completely lost faith with the CRC’s promoters.

Beyond these details, there is no reason to re-litigate why this $3.5 billion – $5 billion light rail project, disguised as a bridge, had to be stopped in its tracks. It’s time to put all this behind us and move forward with affordable transportation solutions.

Fast forward to today, House Bill 2414 is a perfectly-structured bill to put an equal number of Democrats and Republicans at the same table, representing both chambers from two states. The legislative members of this Bi-State Bridge Project Work Group would be appointed by caucus leaders to ensure that all constituencies are equally represented in an open and transparent process. The group is tasked with identifying affordable solutions to meet current and future needs of the region and prioritize the sequencing of those projects.

For the second time in two years, HB 2414 sailed through the House Transportation Committee with unanimous bipartisan support — evidence this bill is a step in the right direction.

Unfortunately, there are a few legislators who still cannot get past the grieving process of CRC’s death long enough to work for the common good. It’s either their way or no way. So they operate behind the scenes to kill a perfectly good bill in order to advance their own political agenda. The result of that agenda condemns our hard-working commuters to worsening congestion, longer commute times, years of enduring a failing I-5 corridor, increased pollution, higher costs for employers, fewer jobs and decreased quality of life.

It is shameful these critics tear apart those who are actively working to find affordable cross-river bridge solutions, but offer no solutions of their own, other than the dead-and-buried CRC plan. Our citizens want forward-thinking leaders to work together and move beyond the CRC with new solutions. That was the idea behind HB 2414.

The I-5 corridor belongs to the entire region, not just the legislative district or the city where it is located. Washington is the most trade dependent state in America, giving this corridor both regional and national significance.

Clark County citizens have every right to have their voices represented by their elected officials in all discussions regarding new cross-river solutions. It is wrong to tell their state legislators to be silent and step aside just because they disagree with the mayor, The Columbian, and those on record who wish to force Portland’s light rail upon our citizens.

Voters in the 18th Legislative District have twice elected me to be their voice in Olympia. They support me because I demonstrate the courage to stand up for my constituents. As a member of the House Transportation Committee, I will not abdicate my responsibility to identify and defend common sense and affordable solutions to improve freight mobility and relieve traffic congestion in this important corridor that serves our entire region, state and West coast. I invite people to join me, just as I did in HB 2414, because the problems will not go away on their own.

As Winston Churchill said: “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

When it comes to my constituents, they deserve strong leadership that does not yield to intimidation. I will always stand with them and will never give in.

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Sewage Spill Contaminates Lacamas Lake

Due to a sewage spill that began Thursday at Pacific Rim Blvd in Camas, Clark County Public Health officials are advising residents, and their pets, to avoid the water in and around Lacamas Lake, which is a popular destination for runners, walkers, hikers, cyclists and boaters.

The spill was discovered late in the day along Pacific Rim Blvd. and workers urged drivers to slow down to prevent raw sewage from flying around, said a local witness.

Chuck Harman of Clark County Public Health said the leak was reported to the Department of Ecology, and was repaired, but it caused contamination in Dwyer Creek, Lacamas Creek, and Lacamas Lake. Workers continued to monitor the situation during the night to make sure no more leakage would ensue. A backup malfunction caused a leak in a pipe in the main sewer line.

Clark County Public Health estimates that 100 gallons of raw sewage was spilled per minute. Residents and their pets should avoid contact with water from the area of the spill and the path of the water downstream. Public Health staff have posted warning signs.

The DOE is coordinating the response to the spill.

Harman said more information is coming as the Department of Ecology monitors the situation.

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