Tag Archive for: Camas

, ,

Camas Rally For The Blue Supporters Square Off With Black Lives Matter

More than 300 Camas Rally For The Blue supporters, and approximately 150 Black Lives Matters (BLM) squared off Friday night mostly at 3rd Avenue and Dallas Street to express their beliefs.

The BLM rally started off at Camas Public Library at 4 pm and within about 20 minutes the group migrated to the ARCO station where they stayed for the duration — until just past 10 pm. The pro-police rally was scheduled as a stand-alone event, but Tuesday night local students organized a counter BLM protest.

The Camas Rally For The Blue began a little before 5 pm at two locations — between Camas Safeway and Dairy Queen — but eventually migrated to occupy three of the four corners at 3rd and Dallas.

”We just want to stand up and say Black Lives Matter,” said Cindy Graham, a Camas resident who rallied with the BLM team. “Middle class white people care about black lives and I don’t want to say anything negative about the police because I know a lot of Camas cops are good friends of mine and they are great guys. But that doesn’t negate the fact that we need to stand up and do something to help African Americans. In my opinion the BLM movement doesn’t stand for socialism like some of these people are saying, it just stands for black people have been oppressed and we often don’t understand how oppressed they are so we need to make more of an effort. All lives matter, but black lives matter needs to be said when this is happening in our country.”

She said this is a vote for Black Lives Matter.

“We need more white middle class people to stop screaming at their televisions and get out here and stand peacefully on the corner and say that,” Graham added. “Actually all classes of white people need to do this.”

The interview was interrupted by a BLM supporter in blue hair who told this reporter to “get out of my face.”

Blue
BLM supporters at ARCO station.

”I just wanted a rally to support our police,” said Blue Rally organizer, Helen Sudbeck. “It’s a fabulous town and we have a great police department. They need to know how much we care about them and appreciate them. It’s been a rough couple months for police across the country and I think there are a lot of people in Camas who really care about our police. That’s it. We are just here to support the police. I realize there’s a counter demonstration and that’s fine. It’s a group of kids and that’s their First Amendment right, and that’s fine. They chose to have the rally at the exact same location, and that is their right, as well.”

Was it a bad idea to have this Blue rally today given the historic anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream Speech”?

“I just picked a Friday night after work hours to show the police we care. I didn’t have any grand plan. We know police morale is low these days. Most cops are good people who have families,” she said. “We know reforms need to take place, and I encourage people to learn more about Project 21.”

It was a lively night, tensions were high, and it wasn’t entirely peaceful.

Blue Rally supporters filled trucks and cars chanting “Blue Lives Matter” while circling city streets for hours. BLM supporters chanted “All cops are bastards,” “I see racists,” and “Black Lives Matter.”

Blue
Police supporters.

Here are some of the things this reporter witnessed:

  • One man was carrying an assault rifle, which was intimidating to many. Police stayed close to him throughout the evening.
  • One Blue Rally supporter went over to speak with BLM supporters to simply express admiration they were being vocal in their beliefs. He knew the teens there and while addressing them, a professional BLM organizer got in his face with a camera demanding he wear a face mask. Another BLM supporter challenged him, as well. The video will be posted on Saturday.
  • A Trump supporter threw coffee at an elderly lady while driving by. It stained her jeans.
  • Joey Gibson, of Patriot Prayer, had a very nice conversation with a BLM supporter about religion and removing hate from our lives. There was a lot of good dialogue between the two individuals. But, his presence also intimidated protestors.
  • Several BLM supporters didn’t want this reporter to conduct interviews and chanted “racist” to my face multiple times.
  • Police broke up a couple altercations before they escalated.
  • Confederate flags were brought in, which disturbed a lot of people.
  • Some of the BLM teens felt intimidated by Blue Rally supporters.
  • Camas Police asked everyone to break up the events shortly after 9 pm. The Blue Rally crowd quickly dispersed, while the BLM group lingered past 10 pm with about 30 people.

The evening ended with a very positive conversation between a BLM/Joe Biden supporter, who is a teacher in the Evergreen School District, and a Blue Rally/Donald Trump supporter, who had a 7-minute conversation about how to make things better. They found common ground. Initially, both sides agreed to be recorded, but after it ended, the teacher withdrew her permission for us to post it.

“I just want our cops to know we do appreciate them, but we also need to help our black people right now,” she said. “They need a voice to know that we don’t want them to be oppressed.”

The Trump supporter agreed, and then the night ended.

Blue
Black Lives Matter Supporter



/16 Comments/by
, , ,

Food + Dining: Downtown Camas To Host Food Fair Week Sept 4-11

New flavors are coming to Downtown Camas! To bring some extra culinary excitement to the community in September, participating downtown restaurants will be offering Fair Food Week from September 4th – 11th and The Secret Menu Event from September 15th – 30th. 

Fair Food Week:

Since Camas Days and the Clark County Fair couldn’t happen this year, Downtown Camas restaurants are offering nostalgic and much-missed fair foods and treats on their menus for a full week starting on First Friday, 9/4. Funnel cakes, mini corn dogs, ice cream, caramel apples, cannolis just to name a few. There will even be cotton candy margaritas and Smoked BBQ ice cream to add unique twists to traditional fair options.

“We’re wanting to bring some fun and unique dining options to downtown and add a little extra zest to late summer,” says Carrie Schulstad, Executive Director of the Downtown Camas Association. “We have amazing restaurants and coffee houses that are working so hard to serve the community during these challenging times. We want to take advantage of the good dining weather and we truly hope people enjoy all the food options and have fun with it. You can have something new to try every day in September!”

The Liberty Theatre will also be serving their famous popcorn on First Friday and Saturday (9/4 – 9/5) from 5-8pm and Caps N’ Taps will kick off the Fair Food Week with free fair games out front of their taproom during the evening. Cedar Street Bagel Co will be selling “Clark County Fair” scent candle wax melts with notes of cotton candy, funnel cakes and deep fried twinkies.

Fair Food Week participating restaurants and offerings:

  • A Beer At A Time – Giant pizza by the slice and giant pretzels with beer cheese and stone ground mustard
  • Adams Street Bar & Grill – Ribs with beans and Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese
  • Caffe Piccolo – Nachos (with jalapenos or salsa)
  • Cake Happy – Cake in a Jar, ice cream sandwiches, caramel apples
  • Cedar Street Bagel Co. – Peach hand pies and organic lemonade made with lemonade-ice cubes (add mango or blackberry as desired!) 
  • Feast 316 – Smoked BBQ ice cream with corn flake crusted chicken tenderloins
  • Grains of Wrath – Cotton Candy Margaritas
  • Hidden River Roasters – Cold brew floats, root beer floats
  • Liberty Theatre – Popcorn served First Friday and Saturday (9/4 – 9/5) from 5-8pm
  • Mesa – Churro fried ice cream with chile infused caramel and Mexican spiced chocolate topping options
  • Mill City Brew Werks – Mini corn dogs, funnel cakes, churro-doughnuts
  • Natalia’s Cafe – Candied bacon on a stick
  • Salud Wine Bar & Italian Restaurant – Mini cannolis, zeppole (filled Italian donuts)
  • Squeeze and Grind – Chocolate malt milk and Oreo cookie shakes
  • Tommy O’s at the Camas Hotel –  2 offerings: Kalua pork loaded fries all week and Malasadas (Hawaiian donuts similar to elephant ear flavors) on Saturday 9/5 from 10am-2pm

For all the details, visit https://downtowncamas.com/event/fair-food-week or https://www.facebook.com/events/767789633978388/

Camas
www.lilyatelier.com

The Secret Menu Event:

For two weeks starting 9/15, participating Downtown Camas restaurants will offer secret menu items. Just ask for the secret menu offering and it will be a surprise until it is brought to your table. Items will be available for takeout as well. The goal is to bring new flavors, fun engagement for customers and some culinary adventure to the community.

Secret Menu Event participating restaurants:

  • A Beer at a Time
  • Cake Happy
  • Feast 316
  • Grains of Wrath
  • Nuestra Mesa
  • Mill City Brew Werks
  • Natalia’s Cafe
  • Salud Wine Bar & Italian Restaurant
  • Tommy O’s at the Camas Hotel

For all the details, visit https://downtowncamas.com/event/the-secret-menu-in-downtown-camas or https://www.facebook.com/events/952797335195521

/0 Comments/by
,

An Op-Ed — Camas Farmer’s Market In a Pandemic: Less Is More

Wednesday afternoons in Camas are special during the warmer summer months because of our Camas Farmer’s Market. It’s a weekly event booked on my iPhone calendar as I look forward to greeting local farmers, florists, and vendors because everyone is so friendly, the fresh produce and products are treated with care, and its organizers work so hard to make it all happen.

The farmer’s market is a non-profit that has grown over the years to a successful seasonal enterprise that is typically filled with live music, food vendors, farmers, and other merchants who are dedicated to serving fresh food and a fun time. For years, typically, the market has fun events to entertain kids and tables to sit and relax. For years, it’s typically been a well-attended activity.

Then the virus hit.

At first, the City of Camas was reluctant to issue a permit for the market to event start in 2020 given the corona virus. But, after much lobbying and demonstrating they could do this safely, farmer’s market organizers made it work, and they opened in June, about a month later than planned.

Does the market resemble what it typically looks like? Kinda.

The booths are physically spaced, the traffic is re-routed to maintain personal space. Face masks are required, and there are just 15 vendors.

Farmer’s
www.artfuljuxtaposition.com

But its heart is still there.

The hard-working farmers, bee keepers, florists, picante sauce makers, and sweet treat specialists are there each week ready to serve you quality food. And, even though attendance is lower, the market organizers say the vendors are making more money this year than in years past.

The typical food vendors aren’t there out of respect to the existing downtown Camas restaurants who hav

It’s an event I enjoy. I love greeting farmers and buying up strawberries, blueberries, zucchini, cauliflower, beets, carrots, applies, and peaches. It’s a weekly bounty for which I am very grateful.

The Camas Farmer’s Market is open each Wednesday from 3-7 pm on 4th Avenue in front of the Camas Public Library. Pay them a visit, buy some fresh produce, flowers or treats, and tell them THANK YOU.

Sincerely, Ernie, the Editor and Publisher.

Farmer’s
Lots of fresh produce.
/0 Comments/by
,

Tommy O’s At The Camas Hotel Offers New Happy Hour Menu

Tommy O’s at the Camas Hotel is offering a new Happy Hour menu now, and it includes some fan favorites like the Kalua Pork Quesadilla.

Tommy O’s, which has stayed open throughout the pandemic with takeout and delivery services, has resumed dine-in service while meeting all COVID-19 state-mandated safety guidelines. They also offer outdoor seating.

Happy Hour is from 2-5 pm Monday through Saturday, and the HH menu comprises the following:

  • Kalua Pork Quesadilla: $5
  • Coconut Crunchy Shrimp: $6
  • Meatballs: $5
  • Kalua Pork Sliders: $5
  • Caesar Salad: $5
  • French Fries: $4

Happy Hour drinks:

  • HH White Wine: $5
  • HH Red Wine: $5
  • HH Tap Beer: $5
  • HH Cocktail: $5

Tommy O’s at the Camas Hotel is located at 401 NE 4th Avenue, Camas, WA 98607.

Visit https://www.toasttab.com/tommy-o-s-the-camas-hotel/v3 to order takeout.

Phone: 360.833.0115

Tommy
Coconut Crunch Shrimp.

/1 Comment/by
, ,

Local Teens Organize Online Learning Resource to Help Fellow Students

To address student learning gaps happening during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to sharpen minds during summer vacation, several local teens have created a non-profit learning and tutoring organization called Youth Hand in Hand, which offers free online classes and tutorials on a wide range of topics.

The organization, which is comprised of talented student teachers, hosts weekly 40-minute ZOOM class sessions, teaching topics that include Coding (Scratch and Python), SAT tutoring, Chemistry, Biology, Math, National History Day, Creative Writing and Cartooning.

“A lot of these classes are things we are passionate about,” said Ares Zhang, a Camas High School senior, and one of the group’s student teachers. “We know a lot of people who have missed out on opportunities over the summer. This all started out as friends trying to help each other, but it’s turned into something bigger. There’s no cost! All of it’s free. All you have to do is sign up.”

As a non-profit, Youth Hand in Hand is able to procure funding to purchase full ZOOM subscriptions for all teachers, and they are accepting old routers to help students to have better WiFi access.

“Technically, we started in April during the pandemic, and my sister wanted to learn scratch coding, and several neighbors were interested,” said Spencer Chang, a junior at Mountain View High School, and the organization’s founder. “I asked if anyone would also want to do it, and other four kids helped us.”

After initial setup, Youth Hand in Hand now has 18 student teachers and offers 15 classes. Most classes have two teachers and typically 15 kids are in each session. 

Learning
www.arktana.com

“Last month, we had 250 people sign up,” said Chang. “It’s a month-to-month program. Most classes are 4 weeks long. We provide resources to help kids get through online learning.”

Zhang said they are adapting the curriculum to help kids through the school season, and they will shift toward tutoring.

“We can help them learn concepts since they’re not in regular school,” said Chang. “Our goal for September is to expand curriculum and get ZOOM subscriptions for all our teachers. All teachers are teens. The youngest one will be a freshman this year. We are mostly juniors and seniors.” 

Youth Hand in Hand plans to do face-to-face classes and tutoring sessions when life returns to pre-pandemic normal.

“It’s mostly so people can keep on learning throughout the pandemic,” said Chang. “Some people don’t learn as well online, and we’re hoping we can make an impact, to provide people opportunities to learn.”

To learn more about the program, visit https://sites.google.com/view/youthhandinhand/home?authuser=0 or email the team at Youthhandinhand@gmail.com

“We just channeled our passion into this,” said Zhang. “This is great way to make an impact in our community.”

/0 Comments/by
,

Camas Resident Creates New Card Game ‘Cows In My Pants’

There’s a new card game in town, and it’s called “Cows In My Pants.” 

“Based off a joke, it’s a card game,” said creator, Kathi Sjostrom, a Camas, WA resident. “It can be a quick pickup game. You should be able to pick it up easy, but there is a strategy. In 20 minutes, you can sit around the table and play it.” 

It’s a game that Sjostrom says you can play with kids seven years and older. You need to understand numbers to be able to play. There’s a memory element in it that makes it more complicated. It’s designed to be a family and friendly pick-up-and-go game.

“I came up with the idea,” said Sjostrom. “I’ve always wanted to create board games, and we got to playing games regularly, and one night we had a funny, crazy game night and we decided to name our first game ‘Cows in My Pants’ and we sketched out a game.”

“Cows In My Pants” is a game about a bunch of cows that are dressed up, and you have to put them all back together.

The goal is to be the first player to create four of a kind, a flush, a run, or two pairs in your secret corral. Score points according to what you and everyone else has in their hand when “Cows in my Pants” is declared. 

“From there, we played it with our friends, and we decided to make a game company called Paodle Games,” said Sjostrom. “We did this before the virus outbreak. We thought about holding off, and thought we needed laughter and friends. I have multiple games we’re planning to release this year. 2020 will all be light pick up and go games, and I have heavier games, which will be released later.”

To learn more about the game, or purchase it, visit www.paodlegames.com — go the Kickstarter link.

“We are local, we love local business, but the game world is a global platform so we’re putting it on Kickstarter, which allows us to produce it,” Sjostrom. “Our game can be pre-ordered through Kickstarter. After it’s funded, it can be purchase through the website. Once everything calms down we will also have local vendors that will have it.”

Sports
www.artfuljuxtaposition.com
Cows
Rules of the game.
/0 Comments/by
, ,

Camas Public Library Selects Racial Equality as First ‘Read For Change’ Theme

The Camas Public Library is pleased to announce racial equity as its first annual ‘Read for Change’ theme. Launching next week, the community reads initiative will feature speakers, exclusive access to a local documentary, discussion groups, a book giveaway, and racial equity community lending library—all at a safe social distance.

Starting Monday, August 17th, patrons can contact the Library to request a free copy ofHow to be an Antiracist and/or Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, both by Ibram X. Kendi (the latter coauthored for young readers by Jason Reynolds). There is a limit of one of each title per household, while supplies last. Library staff will treat the items like a curbside pickup request and place the book(s) at the 4th Ave entrance at an appointed time. When the recipient is finished with the book, the Library suggests they pass it along to a neighbor or friend. All books have been purchased and donated by the Friends and Foundation of the Camas Library (FFCL). 

Read for Change will feature two keynote speakers to bookend the 12-week program. Portland-based equity speaker Alexis Braly James hosts Building Bridges: Race as a Social Construct on Tuesday, August 25th at 5:30pm. At 6pm on Thursday, November 12th in partnership with Humanities Washington, the Library will host Timothy Golden for Equality on Trial: Race, Fairness, and the US Supreme Court. Both speakers will present via Zoom.

Library
https://www.lesschwab.com/store/?storeId=714

Between the two keynote speakers, the Library will offer exclusive online access to local filmmaker Melissa Lowery’s documentary Black Girl in Suburbia. In addition, community facilitators are teaming up with Library staff to host book discussion groups for both titles, and the Library is also adapting several of their regular programs to tackle racial equity. Finally, a small “take-one-leave-one” type lending library at the Library’s curbside pickup with racial equity themed books donated by the community will round out the offerings. All details can be found on the Library’s website at www.camaslibrary.org.

“We are thrilled to kick off the inaugural Read for Change program with such an important theme. We have already had incredible community support, just in the planning stages. We knew we had to adapt and make this work in a virtual environment because the timing is so crucial. Providing a place for community conversations around race is key,” said Connie Urquhart, Library Director.

/0 Comments/by
, ,

Q & A: Superintendent Snell Discusses Camas School Reopening Plans

Camas Superintendent, Dr, Jeff Snell provides to frequently asked questions regarding school reopening for the 2020-21 school season. He said this week there will be an opportunity to engage in a question and answer session about Camas Connect Academy, the Camas School District (CSD) full online option.  CSD recommends the Camas Connect Academy only for families that do not have a desire to return to on-campus learning at any point during the school year.  For all others, CSD recommends starting the school year remotely and then transitioning towards more on-campus learning during the year.

So how do we start school? 
During remote learning, we will keep the same school hours.  This provides a consistent structure for students and families and defines the workday for staff.  Schools will be providing orientations to help staff and families partner together in support of students. 

Does full remote learning mean my student will be on Zoom for more than six hours per day?
No, the State Board of Education has provided some flexibility in how we meet our yearly instructional hour requirements, and sitting in front of a screen all day long is not a best practice for students.

We designed our scheduling framework to have a combination of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) learning with brain/movement breaks for students. Our remote learning schedule is aligned to our full hybrid schedule to help transition to more on-campus time when community health indicators improve. In our full, hybrid learning delivery model, students will receive at least two days of on-campus, live instruction. We’ve included a similar expectation in our remote learning schedule. The equivalent of at least 2 days of “live”, synchronous instruction will be distributed across the week. Other learning time will be asynchronous instruction from our teachers with specific learning tasks for students to complete with support. This allows for some flexibility for students and families when they access this instruction. Each school will develop a schedule that supports students and helps families at home. Prior to each week, teachers will post the week-ahead schedule that includes opportunities for student support and communication with families.

Will daily student attendance be taken?
Yes, attendance will be taken for both synchronous and asynchronous learning sessions. 

Acorn
www.clarkcountyrelocations.com

Will this look different than it did in the spring?
Yes, our staff are committed to our students and have been planning based on the experiences from the spring.  Staff training this summer includes social and emotional learning/wellness, design for remote learning, learning management and communication tools, video creation, synchronous interaction, and priority learning standards. As you know, we have an amazing staff who were put into a very challenging situation last spring.  They want to create an engaging learning experience for your student this fall!

What if I need emergency childcare as we transition back to on-campus learning? 
We recognize that each family is in a unique situation and may need support.  We are trying to develop options for families in these situations.  Please contact us using this LINK. 

What if my family relies on school breakfast and/or lunch services?
We will develop a similar process to how we provided these meals in the spring during remote learning.  

When will we start phasing into on-campus instruction?
Decision Tree K12 Schools provides a framework that puts regions into COVID-19 activity levels using several indicators. One of those indicators is the rate of cases per 100,000 people. The rate divides COVID-19 activity into three levels: HIGH >75, MODERATE between 25-75, and LOW <25.  The most recent rate of cases per 100,000 in Clark County was 74.3.  Even though we are on the upper limit of MODERATE we are trending in a better direction considering our previous two rates were 99.7 and 96.4 (The Columbian, 8/5/2020, Clark County at ‘moderate risk’ for school reopenings).  Your effort and the efforts of our community of following the Safe Start Washington guidelines are starting to pay off so thank you!  Please help keep lowering the rate by socially distancing, wearing your mask, and washing your hands.  

As our rate per 100,000 lowers, we will bring students on campus in small groups starting with our youngest students and those with specific support needs.  We will then add more small groups of students easing our way towards a full hybrid model of at least two days of on-campus learning for each student.

I have greatly appreciated your feedback and patience during this journey to our first day of school.  

Jeff Snell, Superintendent

/2 Comments/by
, ,

Politics 2020: Updated Washington, Clark County Primary Election Results

Vancouver, WA — The Clark County Elections Office provided an update to the August 4, 2020 Primary and Special Elections Results. Here’s a breakdown of many of the races, which provides a preview of the Fall campaign.

  • Number of precincts (county wide): 314
  • Number of registered voters: 303,702
  • Total ballots counted: 112,549
  • Estimated ballots left to count: 37,000
  • Voter turnout: 37.06%

Congressional District 3 U.S. Representative Race (full district tally)

  • Carolyn Long (Democrat): 70,322 votes; 40.85%
  • Jaime Herrera Beutler (Republican): 94,798 votes; 55.07%

Governor’s Race (statewide tally)

  • Jay Inslee (Democrat): 744,977 votes; 51.26%
  • Loren Culp (Republican): 245,642 votes; 16.93%
  • Tim Eyman (Republican): 100,883 votes; 6.95%

Lt. Governor 

  • Denny Heck (Democrat): 380,453 votes; 27.23%
  • Mark Liias (Democrat): 234,908 votes; 16.81%

Secretary of State

  • Kim Wyman (Republican): 57,062 votes; 52.14%
  • Gael Tarleton (Democrat): 46,075 votes; 42.1%

Washington State Treasurer

  • Duane Davidson (Republican): 55,387 votes; 51.02%
  • Mike Pellicciotti (Democrat): 53,048 votes; 48.86%
Mesa
www.lilyatelier.com

Legislative District 17 State Senator

  • Daniel Smith (Democrat): 14,901 votes; 45.16%
  • Lynda Wilson (Republican): 18,039 votes; 54.67%

Legislative District 17 State Representative, Position 1

  • Tanisha Harris (Democrat): 15,617 votes; 47.19%
  • Vicki Kraft (Republican): 17,440 votes; 52.7%

Legislative District 17 State Representative, Position 2

  • Paul Harris (Republican): 18,181 votes; 65.94%
  • Bryan White (Republican): 7,864 votes; 28.52%

Legislative District 18 State Senator

  • John Ley (Republican): 11,221 votes; 28.24%
  • Ann Rivers (Republican): 12,800 votes; 32.21%
  • Rick Bell (Democrat): 15,680 votes; 39.46%

Legislative District 18 State Representative, Position 1

  • Brandon Vick (Republican): 23,561 votes; 59.67%
  • Kassandra Bessert (Democrat): 15,865 votes; 40.18%

Legislative District 18 State Representative, Position 2

  • Donna Sinclair (Democrat):17,589 votes; 44.39%
  • Larry Hoff (Republican): 21,972 votes; 55.46%

Legislative District 49 State Senator

  • Annette Cleveland (Democrat): 19,078 votes; 59.25%
  • Rey Reynolds (Republican): 13,070 votes; 40.6%

County Councilor District 3

  • Jesse James (Democrat): 7,456 votes; 33.52%
  • John Blom (No Party): 4,990 votes; 22.43%
  • Karen Bowerman (Republican): 9,745 votes; 43.81%

County Councilor District 4

  • Gary Medvigy (Republican): 17,695 votes; 59.62%
  • Matt Little (Independent): 11,834 votes; 39.87%
/1 Comment/by
,

Food + Dining: Acorn & The Oak Serves Delectable Food Among the Flowers

It’s a flower shop, a bar, and a place to have a delectable dinner. Meet Acorn and The Oak, which is fully operational after undergoing a major renovation, construction delays, and the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s an entirely new building set in the exact footprint of the former Lakeside Chalet on Everett Road in Camas, and offers an escape from the challenges of life. 

Acorn and The Oak is a place to eat scratch-made supper club food served among the flowers featuring artisan cheese & charcuterie, fresh salads, tasty bites and sweets, and scratch-made entrees using local, seasonal goodness — and you can dine in the bar, the main dining area, or outside at the patio overlooking Lacamas Lake.

It’s an unusual combination of floral shop, bar, and restaurant, but it works, and is the concept of owners Janessa and Chuck Stoltz, who married in 2017, bought the Lakeside Chalet in 2019, and realized their dream earlier this year.

“It was Chuck’s idea a couple years ago,” said Janessa. “I was a social media manager for another company and I was just miserable and didn’t know what to do with my life, then Chuck said ‘You need to open a floral shop.’” I told him ‘I’ve already done that.’”

“Then he said well ‘let’s put a bar in it and I’ll quit my job and do it with you.’ So right then we started looking for places.”

After purchasing the property, it took about 18 months to complete the renovation given the obstacles of converting an old building to meet modern city codes.

“It was a major, major overhaul,” said Janessa. “We even found fuel tanks underneath the parking lot that we had to remediate. There were a lot of surprises. We had to gut the whole building.”

Acorn
Osso Bucco entree at Acorn and The Oak.

The Food

Acorn and The Oak serves French American comfort food with some Mediterranean and Italian influences.

“We have a lot of shareable starters,” said Janessa. “Lots of smaller plates, like tapas and we encourage people to order a couple of things.”

Featured entrees include Chef David’s Hearty Bolognese, Grilled Wild Sockeye Salmon, and Osso Bucco. Each weekend, they have supper specials.

“It’s the type of place where you come to sit for an evening, for two-and-a-half hours,” said Chef David Haight. “It’s that supper club vibe where you’re not coming to simply eat and drink, you’re coming to socialize with your friends and family. You lose track of time here.” 

Acorn and the Oak is open Wednesday through Sunday from 5 pm to close. The flower shop is also open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to four.

Dinner reservations are preferred. Call 260.210.7439 or visit them online at www.acornandtheoak.com

Acorn
www.clarkcountyrelocations.com
/0 Comments/by