Heather Acheson
Managing Editor
Recent Stories
Piecing together the boundary review puzzle
Once again, the growing Camas School District is going through the boundary review process as it prepares to open its sixth elementary school. And perhaps predictably it has stirred up some powerful opinions and emotions from those who will be impacted by the final results.
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- by Heather Acheson
- May 15, 2012
SR-14: Keep the end goal in mind
It’s been a difficult road for businesses in the immediate area surrounding the state Route 14 safety improvement project construction work. Traffic delays, rocky gravel-filled streets, road closures, the constant flow and noise of construction vehicles, and a giant dirt berm blocking visibility between the highway and commerce are just some of the issues merchants say have led to a reduction in customers and profits.
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- by Heather Acheson
- May 8, 2012
Det. Carol Buck retires after a 22-year career
As a Camas Police Department detective specializing in sex crimes, Carol Buck came face-to-face with some of society’s most despicable human beings who committed unspeakable acts.
Child abuse and neglect. Incest. Rape. Domestic violence. Often, the crimes Buck investigated during her 22-year career with the CPD were committed against the vulnerable and innocent. She sifted through and analyzed the details of hundreds crimes that would make the average person want to cringe.
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- by Heather Acheson
- May 8, 2012
Make-A-Wish grants Washougal boy a trip to see the volcanoes of Hawaii
A dream to see the Big Island of Hawaii, and its majestic volcanoes overflowing with bright red lava, will come true for a little boy from Washougal.
Five-year-old Coleman Merle was granted his dream-come-true trip through Make-A-Wish Oregon. Coleman suffers from a Wilms tumor, which is a type of cancer that starts in the kidneys, and is the most common type of kidney cancer in children, according to the American Cancer Society.
On Friday, Coleman received a fun-filled send-off after arriving at Beaches Restaurant in Vancouver in a shiny black limousine. He was greeted at the event by friends, family members and Make-A-Wish Foundation volunteers and then whisked into the party inside where he received an itinerary detailing the upcoming trip he will take with his family, beach-themed gifts for the trip, and a custom-made volcano cake.
"Coleman loves volcanoes and lava, and looks forward to seeing both on his trip to Hawaii," said Carynne Drake of Make-A-Wish Oregon.
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- by Heather Acheson
- May 1, 2012
Taking the lead
Stepping up.
This is a central concept that can often be found illustrated in news articles throughout the pages of the Post-Record each week. It’s really about each one of us doing our part to create quality, livable communities, and help those who need it. It’s what local individuals, organizations and community groups are doing every day in Camas and Washougal. This good work comes in many forms:
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- by Heather Acheson
- May 1, 2012
Environmental movement continues to grow and change
A movement that took off as a global initiative in the 1970s to address concerns about the state of the world’s land, rivers, lakes and air, has continued to grow and change year-after-year.
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- by Heather Acheson
- April 17, 2012
Camas police, fire departments negotiate new contracts
The Camas City Council has approved one-year contracts with the city's police and firefighters' unions. Members of both groups will receive raises this year, after going without in 2011.
A contract for 2012 was approved with the International Association of Fire Fighters Local No. 2444. Highlights include a one percent wage increase effective Jan. 1, 2012; 24 hours of "flex time" to be used in 2012 (with conditions that it cannot be cashed out, carried over or cause overtime); and a limit to 200 hours for the amount of vacation time that can be cashed out annually.
The new contract also included elimination, as of March 1, of positions classified as "firefighter engineer" and "paramedic engineer."
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- by Heather Acheson
- April 12, 2012
Education is key
Most of us would like to believe that there is inherent good in each and every person. But unfortunately, nearly each and every day there is some news report that proves otherwise.
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- by Heather Acheson
- April 10, 2012
ECFR commissioner resigns from post
A longtime East County Fire & Rescue commissioner has resigned due to a move out of the district. John Clancy, who has served on the Commission for approximately seven years, stepped down because he moved out of the boundaries of ECFR, according to Chief Scott Koehler.
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- by Heather Acheson
- April 5, 2012
Camas levy increase will land on Aug. 7 ballot
Camas voters will have the opportunity to cast their ballots on a proposal to increase the current emergency medical services levy.
Last night, the Camas City Council unanimously voted to send the issue to the Aug. 7 ballot. If approved, the six-year levy would raise the current rate from 35 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to 46 cents. Starting in 2013, the owner of a $300,000 home would pay $138 per year — a $33 increase.
The proposed increase is an effort to stabilize the emergency medical services funding stream. In recent years the EMS fund’s revenues have dropped, primarily due to a decrease in assessed property values. At the end of 2011 the fund had a shortfall of $55,000, an amount that had to be covered by the city’s general operations fund.
According to Camas city officials’ calculations, at 46 cents the levy would put the EMS fund in the black by $237,130 by 2018. But keeping the rate at its current level would build a deficit of $2.9 million by 2018.
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- by Heather Acheson
- April 3, 2012
