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Life

March 25, 2014
A friend captured this photo of Cindy Kassab during a 2011 trip to South Korea and China.

Capturing nature’s majesty

Looking at photographer Cindy Kassab's work is similar to gazing into a kaleidoscope of color, light and breathtaking natural beauty. Kassab, 61, is the featured artist at the Camas Public Library's Second Story Gallery in April. She first caught the photography bug in her teens, when she moved from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles to the clear mountain air of Switzerland.

March 18, 2014
Colorful origami decorates a table at the festival. Participating in traditional crafts is one way for the community to learn more about the Japanese culture.

A unique cultural experience

When one hears the phrase, "Japanese Festival," places like Portland, Tacoma or Seattle typically come to mind. However, Washougal High School has its own festival, the only one of its kind in the Clark County area. For the past eight years Japanese teacher Shoko Parker and her students have spent several months preparing for the March 29 event, which includes entertainment by Japanese performers, swordsmanship lessons via Skype, food and activities.

March 11, 2014
Brenda Niblock, Patricia Woodell and Jeri Warner have recently released a book on Amazon.com, which they hope will help other families who are impacted by Alzheimer's and dementia.

Understanding Alzheimer’s

Every 68 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, according to the Alzheimer's Association, one in three senior citizens dies from Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. With statistics such as these, it is likely that most people will deal with this deadly disease at some point. Jeri Warner of Camas experienced the devastating impacts of Alzheimer's after her mother, Laurie Snoey, was diagnosed in 2005.

March 4, 2014
Dianne and Darin Van Dyken were married on Nov. 30. They met at a Teen Challenge intern retreat in Spokane. Both successfully completed the program and now work at the Portland Men's Center in Oregon City. Darin is the program coordinator and Dianne, the office administrator for the faith-based drug and alcohol treatment center.

The road to recovery

"I think about the years I spent just passing through I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you But you just smile and take my hand You've been there you understand It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true. Every long lost dream led me to where you are Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars Pointing me on my way into your loving arms This much I know is true That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you."

February 25, 2014
Studio13 GlassArt owner Shirley Bishop (center) explains safety precautions to Ruth Bosckis (left) and Anne Marie Standley before a recent class.

Color & light

Shirley Bishop walked into the office at her Portland interior design job last September and received the shock of her life."After 30 years in the industry, I was laid off. Never thought it would happen to me. It was a total shock." Reeling, she began packing up her work area. "Thankfully, they let me come back in to finish taking my files off the computer," she said. Sometimes, it takes a life-altering event to make you realize what you really want. Bishop used her free time to focus on her fledging business, Studio 13 GlassArt. She now hosts regular classes in her Washougal studio and experiments with all types of fused glass projects. Bishop also joined Made in Vancouver, a group of 200 artisans.

February 18, 2014
Lady Macbeth (Keira Stogin) faints upon hearing of the king's death while the rest of the cast looks on.

A new twist on a dark tale

Alan Stogin and Tyler Schroeder were supposed to be doing research for their U.S. history class.The two WHS students and the rest of the class were studying the 1930s gangster era. However, instead of researching information on organized crime, they were looking at photos from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. "Basically, we weren't really paying attention," said Schroeder. But it was then that they came upon an idea: What would happen if the dark elements from the 1930s underworld were combined with another tale of greed, murder and power? Specifically, Shakespeare's "Macbeth."

February 11, 2014
Doyle and drummer Shane Moffett joke about the necessity for earplugs during practice sessions recently.

Local band, big dreams

Like many things in life, inspiration for their band name came about at an unexpected moment."We had been trying to come up with something original that would come up first on a Google or Youtube search," recalled lead singer John Doyle. "I was at a Fourth of July party with Joseph Kashas (bass player) and he looked around and said, 'There's a lot of medium size kids here.' I thought that described us well, and would make a cool band name."

January 21, 2014
Claudia Round, volunteer coordinator at Bonneville Lock and Dam, is seeking volunteers to help out during the spring, fall and winter months. She is also encouraging students, who are interested in doing a senior project or who need work experience, to apply.

Volunteering opportunites abound at Bonneville Lock and Dam

When Jim Price arrives for his volunteer shift at Bonneville Lock and Dam, he has two main goals."I want to pass on information and inspire young people to consider careers in the engineering or technical careers." Price, 73, a retired electrical engineer, is in his 10th year volunteering at Bonneville. "If people ask me technical questions, I have the knowledge to answer them," he said. "It's my way of helping people."