Tag Archive for: Vancouver

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18th District Rep. Larry Hoff announces he will not seek reelection in November

Representative Larry Hoff, R-Vancouver, announced Monday that he will not seek reelection to the Washington State House of Representatives in November. Hoff, who is serving his second term as a state representative for the 18th Legislative District, says that while there is more work to do, it is the right time to retire.

“I am deeply honored to have had this opportunity to represent and serve the community I have called home for more than 40 years,” said Hoff. “I have given it my all every day, working on behalf of my constituents and developing public policy in a bipartisan manner for the benefit of all Washingtonians. It is now time for me to fully shift my focus to my family—especially my grandson who I can’t wait to spend more time with fishing, hunting, and making memories.”

Hoff quickly rose to prominence in the House Republican Caucus, being named ranking member of the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee after just one term in office.  Last year, the Washington Farm Bureau named Hoff its 2021 Legislator of the Year in the state House of Representatives.

“From day one, I have strived to bring common sense to Olympia,” said Hoff. “I have fought hard against onerous regulations while advocating for policies to help keep our state competitive, grow jobs, revitalize struggling communities, and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation.”

Hoff has developed a reputation as a hard worker who takes his role as a full-time legislator seriously. That is one of the things House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox says he admires most about the 18th District lawmaker.

Natalia's

“There are not many people I respect more in the Legislature than Larry Hoff,” said Wilcox. “Larry has been a vital member of our caucus and a tremendous force for good during his two terms in office. Not only has he been our leader on labor issues, but he has also worked diligently to make life more affordable for Washington families as a member of the Appropriations Committee. On the College and Workforce Development Committee, he has pushed to expand apprenticeships, maximize awareness of tuition and grant options, and increase support for our trade schools. In addition to this work, he has also been deeply involved in our efforts to fix Washington’s affordable housing crisis. Larry cares deeply about our state and has made it his mission to make it a better place to live for all Washingtonians. I will miss him greatly, as will our entire caucus.”

“In order to be successful in this job, you must be fully committed to public service,” added Hoff. “While there will be long days and even longer nights, serving in the Legislature is a noble venture that is incredibly rewarding when you put in the time and effort. There is no better feeling than being able to help someone who has nowhere else to turn. That has been my favorite part of the job and what I will miss most.”

During his time in office, Hoff has been appointed to and served on the Legislative Ethics Board, the Financial Education Public-Private Partnership, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee and I-900 Subcommittee, the Washington State Building Code Council, and the Washington State Institute for Public Policy.

Hoff says he hopes he is remembered most for his dedication to his district, his work ethic, and his willingness to work across the aisle.

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Flash Wash Approaches First Anniversary; Run By Camas Grad

Vancouver, Wash. — A 2018 Camas High School graduate and her team are taking an east Vancouver car wash to a whole new level of service, quality and performance.

Flash Wash, adjacent to Sinclair gas station at 164th and Cascade Park Drive in Vancouver, is nearly a year old now, and Alexa McCallum, a proud Papermaker alumnus, is pretty excited about the work they’re doing.

“We’re building out Flash Wash, will start building out in Washington and Oregon, then California, then all over the country,” said McCallum, who runs the car wash. “It’s fun, it can be stressful at times. It is a career, and most people don’t know that. The money is there. The car wash industry is booming. A lot of people are building car washes and we don’t see it a lot on the west coast side. On the east coast they are very professional, very customer service oriented, and memberships are a huge thing. We’re following the east coast model and our customers love it!”

Flash Wash offers three washes, which can be purchased as monthly memberships with unlimited visits:

  1. Flash Wash ($29.99/month) is a premium wash with ceramics that add an extra coating on your vehicle along with a longer lasting shine and protection. The ceramics help bead off the rain.
  2. Bolt Wash ($23.99/month) comes with wax and clear coat protectant, which adds an extra protectant on your vehicle.
  3. Spark Wash ($14.99/month) is a basic service that cleans your vehicle without wax and wheel cleaning.

Flash Wash offers a special $5 memberships for the first month, which then goes into a recurring charge. 

“It’s a really good deal,” said McCallum. “And we want the public to know that a part of our tunnel recycles some of our car wash water. Most of our tunnel runs off fresh water but some of it is recycled water. And we feel like we offer the best car wash in the area.”

McCallum also emphasizes the importance of the ceramics at Flash Wash. Citing concerns about chemical staining from naturally acidic contaminants in the environment, she said the ceramics help reduce those contaminants from bonding to a vehicle’s paint.

“Ceramics are more durable, and they will produce a deeper gloss and shine than traditional wax,” McCallum added. “I also want people to know that Flash Wash is a great place to work, that we have a great team, and that Flash Wash wants to give back to the community. You can contact us via our website: https://flashwashcarwash.com/contact-us/ “

After graduation from CHS, McCallum ventured off to Southern California, but soon realized her heart was in the Pacific Northwest, and chose to return and help expand her family’s business.

“We have plans to build more Flash Wash’s here in the Pacific Northwest, and we continue to grow our memberships every day,” McCallum said. “I just thrive off what we do. I love my team and staff. I love waking up every day and coming here. I’m around positive people who have an outlook on business, as well.”

Hours: 8 am – 8 pm seven days a week.

Closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day only.

If you wish to apply to work at Flash Wash, click here: https://flashwashcarwash.com/careers-2/

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Permit Activity Continues to Surge as Home Buying Demand Continues

Vancouver, WA –The Building Industry Association of Clark County (BIA) reports another month of surging permit activity in Clark County. Single-family residential (SFR) and town home permits are seeing large gains when looking at year-over-year and annual total data tables published by Clark County’s Community Development Department.

This year, 98 SFR permits were issued in April, compared to the 51 SFR permits in April 2020. The BIA is anticipating 2021’s permit issuance totals to meet or exceed the 2020 total of 1,121 SFR permits issued.

Avaly Scarpelli, BIA’s Executive Director said “the increase in permit activity for April is likely due to the work stoppage during the same time last year. Because the governor neglected to classify housing construction as ‘essential’ under the first Stay-at-Home order, our members were more concerned with finding ways to keep their employees on payroll last April. It’s hard to submit and receive processed permits when so there’s so much uncertainty, and the county’s staff had to adapt processes to the new virtual environment; there was a significant learning curve and a backlog as a result of the governor’s judgement error.”

Home
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A more interesting finding, however, is the number of town home permits processed this year compared to April 2020. Last year, zero permits were issued, whereas April 2021 saw an issuance of 37 town home permits.

In a recently released Housing Trends Report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), 16 percent of adults are planning to buy a home in the next twelve months – up from 10 percent year-over-year. Among that group of prospective buyers, 42 percent are looking to buy a newly built home and 30 percent an existing home. This growth is driven primarily by millennials, whose interest doubled from 16 percent in the first quarter of 2020 to 32 percent in the first quarter of 2021.

“Many of our builder members are focusing on meeting the demand for more affordable housing options, especially for millennials entering the housing market for the first-time,” Scarpelli adds. Members report newly built town homes are especially popular among this younger demographic because these homes are generally more affordable, more energy efficient, and lower-maintenance than an a newly-built SFR or existing home.”

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Local Builder Tackles Childhood Cancer Through Building Of A St. Jude Home

Vancouver, Wash – When Tony Marnella, Marnella Homes, was approached with the idea of building a St. Jude Dream Home Showplace house, he didn’t hesitate before saying “Yes!” As a cancer survivor himself, Tony is passionate about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital because it is one of the only institutions that offers care at no-cost to the family. At St. Jude, no family receives a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food, because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

As one of the first Showplace homes in the Pacific Northwest, the goal is to donate 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the home to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to support their mission: Finding Cures. Saving Children.

Macey is a local St. Jude patient. Diagnosed with a rare brain tumor, called a Craniopharyngioma, at just five years old, she underwent initial surgery at Doernbecher. But when the tumor returned just eighteen months later, her parents turned St. Jude, where doctors see her type of tumor on a regular basis – more cases than anywhere else in the world. Macey’s mom Courtney says that when she reached out, the oncologist called her back within minutes. They quickly made arrangements to get Macey and her mom to Memphis, where Macey was treated with Proton Beam Radiation. The hospital is home to the only Proton Beam Radiation machine calibrated especially for children. Macey is now a happy, healthy seventh grader here in Clark County. Her family is excited to see support for St. Jude in their home community through projects like the St. Jude Dream Home Showplace being built by Marnella Homes.

St. Jude
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“The Sedona” is a Southwestern inspired, net-zero, 3-bedroom 2.5 bath, 2,827 square foot home. Individuals interested in purchasing this home and supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital should attend the NW Natural Parade of Homes (September 10-26; details at www.ClarkCountyParadeofHomes.com) and/or contact Marnella Homes at 503-654-6642.

Marnella Homes has spearheaded the appeals for donations of labor, materials, and/or services with the assistance of the Building Industry Association of Clark County (BIA).

The BIA reports the following members are among some of the top donors to-date:

  • All County Plumbing – 100% donated plumbing installation 
  • Breaking Ground Excavation – 100% donated sitework
  • Gale Contractor Services – 100% donated insulation
  • James Hardie with assistance from FiberMount – 100% donated siding materials
  • NW Custom Electric – Donation of electric labor
  • Willamette Carpentry – 100% donated trim labor

Trade partners interested in assisting in the build of the home should visit https://www.marnellahomes.com/stjude to make a donation or contact Marnella Homes at 503-654-6642 to provide more assistance.

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Clark County COVID-19 Activity Rate Declines For Sixth Consecutive Week


Vancouver, WA —  Clark County Public Health reports that the county’s activity rate is 105.4 cases per 100,000, which is down from 137 cases per 100,000 a week ago.

This list illustrates the steady decline since middle January. Recent COVID-19 activity levels (rate is calculated weekly):

  • Jan. 25: 401.2 cases per 100,000
  • Feb. 1: 310.5 cases per 100,000
  • Feb. 8: 262.2 cases per 100,000
  • Feb. 15: 209.8 cases per 100,000
  • Feb. 22: 137.0 cases per 100,000
  • March 1: 105.4 cases per 100,000

The latest daily COVID-19 data is as follows:

  • 31 new cases 
  • 18,408 cases to date
  • No new deaths
  • 223 total deaths to date (201 confirmed, 22 suspect)
  • 237 active cases (in isolation period)
  • 19 COVID-19 patients hospitalized
  • 3 people hospitalized awaiting COVID-19 test results

In addition, the percent of COVID-19 tests coming back positive dropped below 5% during the most recent week for which we have data (Feb. 7-13), representing two weeks of decreasing positivity rates.

The number of tests administered has also slowly decreased, with about 5,300 tests being administered in the most recent week of data. However, test data is preliminary and may change as additional negative results are reported. 

Clark County Public Health updates this data weekly (on Tuesdays) on their COVID-19 data webpage to reflect the most recent numbers available: https://clark.wa.gov/public-health/covid-19-data

COVID-19
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BIA of Clark County: 35,000+ Families Will Be Priced Out of Homes This Year

Vancouver, WA – The Building Industry Association of Clark County (BIA) estimates that 35,605 Clark County families will be priced-out of purchasing a home in 2021.

This estimate comes from the newest version of a study conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The study states that for each $1,000 increase in the cost of median-priced newly built homes in Clark County, 985 prospective buyers will be pushed out of the market, up from 781 prospective buyers in 2020.

“This study illustrates how even a relatively small increase in housing prices can dramatically impact housing affordability and accessibility for our neighbors,” said BIA’s Executive Director Avaly Scarpelli. “Unfortunately, with lumber prices on the rise again and the recent implementation of the Washington State Energy Code, housing affordability will continue to worsen in 2021.”

Between mid-April and mid-September 2020, the cost of framing lumber climbed more than 170%. According to NAHB analysis, this resulted in an increase of more than $16,148 in the price of a new single-family home. Lumber price increases will result in an additional 15,905 buyers being priced-out of homeownership, up from our estimate of 12,612 in 2020.

If the estimates provided by the Building Industry Association of Washington are correct, the price of a newly constructed home will rise as much as $20,000 due to the implementation of a stricter Energy Code, effectively pricing-out another 19,700 families.

When considering the increase in lumber prices and the cost of energy code compliance, a total of 35,605 buyers will be priced-out of purchasing a home in 2021.

This estimate does not take into consideration the other variables that can increase home prices: additional regulatory barriers, labor shortages, and the looming rise of interest rates as soon as 2022. All of these factors work together to prevent families from achieving their dreams of homeownership.

“Our elected leaders need to recognize and take accountability for the consequences of their policy decisions. We cannot complain about a housing affordability crisis and then pass policies negating any efforts made to make housing more attainable. The homebuilding industry agrees with the notion of increasing energy efficiency and working towards more sustainable structures. However, when the families in our county and state cannot afford to have a roof over their heads, it’s time for our elected officials to consider postponing expensive mandates,” added Scarpelli.

Camas
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Building Futures Foundation Seeking Scholarship and Tool Grant Applicants

Vancouver, WA – The Building Futures Foundation (the 501c3 charitable arm of the Building Industry Association of Clark County) is seeking applicants for scholarships and tool grants. The deadline to apply is July 1.

Scholarship applicants should be Clark County residents pursuing education for a career within or directly related to the building industry. Scholarships are awarded to support those attending a college, university, and/or a trade/technical school. Tool grants are awarded to first-year and second-year electrical apprentices.

Both applications should include two letters of recommendation and information regarding career pathway, financial need, academic performance, and extracurricular activities. Full details on how to apply for the scholarship and tool grant can be found online at http://biaofclarkcounty.org/get-involved/building-futures-foundation/.

Additionally, the Building Industry Association of Washington is offering scholarships and grants. The deadline to apply is May 14. For complete information, visit https://www.biaw.com/program/education/.

 The Building Futures Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational foundation, which raises money via donations and event contributions, to award scholarships and tool grants to local students pursuing a career in the building industry.

The Building Industry Association (BIA) of Clark County is a nonprofit trade association representing the interests of all businesses involved with real estate, land development, homebuilding, and construction.

Building
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BIA of Clark County: Local Builder Wins National Competition

Vancouver, WA – The Building Industry Association of Clark County (BIA) is excited to announce member Chuck Neibert of Affinity Homes LLC has won national recognition from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) as a top recruiter for the home building industry.

As part of a NAHB’s national membership recruitment effort, builders compete against other builders from associations across the country for an experience of a lifetime. Because the BIA has more than 500 members, we are recognized as a large association. As such, Chuck has won the grand prize in the large association category for recruiting the most members in the country.

As a thank you for Chuck’s hard work in building the power of the association through member recruitment, he will receive an all-inclusive trip to the Signature Kitchen Suite Experience and Design Center (an exclusive, 23,000-square-foot facility showcasing the intersection between technology and culinary passion) in Napa Valley, California, courtesy of the official NAHB membership sponsor, Signature Kitchen Suite.

2021 BIA Board President, Dave Myllymaki said, “Chuck has been instrumental in assisting our Membership Director in growing the membership of the BIA by attracting new members from Clark, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties. We cannot thank him enough for the dozens of members he’s recruited to ensure that the construction community is aware of the many benefits offered by the BIA: cost-saving programs, business development tools, and advocacy at the local, state, and national levels of government.”

BIA
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Clark County Opens New COVID-19 Free Community Testing Site

Vancouver, WA — Clark County Public Health announced a new community testing site, which is available at no cost to the public. The health department also provided an update today on COVID-19 cases as the state enters its first week of the governor’s new Healthy Washington re-opening plan. 

The Tower Mall COVID-19 Community Testing Site will open at 9 am Tuesday in the Tower Mall parking lot, 5403 E Mill Plain Blvd. The site offers free drive-thru and walk-up testing 9 am to 3:30 pm Tuesday – Saturday. The site will operate for several months.

Testing is available at no cost to everyone, regardless of income level, health insurance coverage or immigration status. 

Testing at the site is recommended for people ages 4 and older who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or who have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. 

Visitors are encouraged to pre-register for testing and sign-up for an arrival time at www.ClarkCountyCOVIDTesting.org, but on-site registration will also be available.

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Monday COVID-19 update: 

  • 523 new cases over the weekend (avg 174 cases/day)
  • 14,876 cases to date
  • 4 new deaths (3 confirmed, 1 suspect)
  • 154 total deaths to date (141 confirmed, 13 suspect)
  • 1,076 active cases (in isolation period)
  • 78 COVID-19 patients hospitalized
  • 5 people hospitalized awaiting COVID-19 test results

Here is additional information about the four new deaths:

  • Confirmed: Man in his 70s with underlying conditions
  • Confirmed: Man 80+ years old with underlying conditions 
  • Confirmed: Man 80+ years old with underlying conditions 
  • Suspect: Man 80+ years old with underlying conditions 

A confirmed death means COVID is listed as cause of death or contributing factor on the death certificate and the case has a positive COVID test. A suspect death means COVID is not listed as a contributing factor on the death certificate (but wasn’t ruled out as cause of death) and the person died after testing positive for COVID within 28 days.

You may learn more at the COVID-19 data webpage: https://clark.wa.gov/public-health/covid-19-data

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Hindu Prayer to Open Washougal, Clark County Council Meetings in January

Hindu prayer will open meetings of both Washougal City Council and Clark County Council in Washington on January 11 and 19 respectively, containing verses from world’s oldest extant scripture. 

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed will deliver the invocations from ancient Sanskrit scriptures remotely before both Clark County Council and Washougal City Council. After Sanskrit delivery, he then will read the English interpretation of the prayers. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages. 

Zed, who is the President of Universal Society of Hinduism, will recite from Rig-Veda, the oldest scripture of the world still in common use; besides lines fromUpanishads and Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), both ancient Hindu scriptures. He plans to start and end the prayer with “Om”, the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work.  

Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed plans to say “Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor mamrtam gamaya”; which he will then interpret as “Lead us from the unreal to the real, Lead us from darkness to light, and Lead us from death to immortality.” Reciting from Bhagavad-Gita, he proposes to urge county councilors and city councilmembers and others present to keep the welfare of others always in mind. 

Zed, a global Hindu and interfaith leader, has been bestowed with World Interfaith Leader Award. Zed is Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to Foundation for Religious Diplomacy, on the Advisory Board of The Interfaith Peace Project, etc. He has been panelist for “On Faith”, a prestigious interactive conversation on religion produced by The Washington Post; and produces a weekly multi-faith panel “Faith Forum” in a Gannett publication for over nine years. 

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about 1.2 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA. 

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