December 5, 2010
Police arrest suspect in Camas gas station robbery
The suspect in the recent armed robbery of the Camas Safeway gas station, as well as several other crimes, was arrested on Friday, Dec. 3.
The suspect in the recent armed robbery of the Camas Safeway gas station, as well as several other crimes, was arrested on Friday, Dec. 3.
Washougal City Councilman Jon Russell has announced a change of heart regarding the potential appointment of Mike Briggs to the Planning Commission. Russell mentioned by email late Monday night he plans to drop his opposition and vote to confirm Briggs at the council meeting next week. "As a person of faith, it is important for me to practice what I preach and bless those who curse me," Russell said. "I believe Mike has written untrue personal attacks in the paper about me and other council members. I also disagree with most of his politically progressive views on development.
Smiles and laughter - shared by parents and their children - can be understood in any language. Such is the case of a new offering at the Camas Public Library. Spanish story times are held every Wednesday, at 11:30 a.m. The sessions are designed for infants to children 5 years old and their parents. The Spanish story times began after friends Paola London and Denice Twyman went for a walk. "We were thinking how wonderful it would be to have a space where we could take our kids, read books in Spanish, sing songs, get together with other Spanish speaking parents and celebrate our culture and language," London said. "We also thought that other people in the community would be interested in attending these gatherings, so their kids could be in touch with other cultures and - of course - learn Spanish.
The impacts of Camas' $800,000 budget shortfall are being felt deeply in every municipal department -- but the impacts don't stop there. Two local non-profit organizations that typically receive funding from the city are also feeling the pain. The Camas Downtown Association and the Camas Farmers Market have been stricken from the proposed 2011 budget, which is expected to be voted on by City Council next month. The CDA has received financial support from the city since 2002 when it was known as the Downtown Vision Coalition. Working hand-in-hand with the city, the DVC was officially formed that year to oversee the implementation of several specific goals and projects intended to improve the downtown business district.
The annual tradition of lighting a Christmas tree in Reflection Plaza will be joined by several new festivities this weekend. A "gala preview night" of the Washougal Festival of Trees, set for Friday, from 5 to 8 p.m., will include refreshments and live music, inside a vacant storefront at Washougal Town Square, at the corner of Main and Love streets, in downtown Washougal. The event is free and open to the public. The Festival of Trees will continue with refreshments and live music Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Santa will be available for visits and photos Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Washougal True Value, 1822 Main St.
The largest food drive in Clark County will be held on Saturday. Walk & Knock was first started in 1982 by Vancouver Lions Club members, and continues to grow every year. Local residents can contribute to the 2010 effort by filling a paper grocery bag (one is included in today's Post-Record) with non-perishable food items and leaving it on front doorsteps for volunteers to pick up between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Washougal Parks employees recently installed several digging play elements in Dick Beaver Park. The "Things With Wings" development will include native wildflowers that attract birds and butterflies. The city received a $4,271 grant from the Parks Foundation of Clark County to pay for the project.
The appointment of a new Washougal Planning Commissioner was anything but routine during a recent City Council meeting. Council member Jon Russell made a motion on Nov. 15 that the appointment of Mike Briggs be tabled. Russell said Briggs had made "disparaging remarks" toward the mayor, City Council and developers in local blogs and media.
After enduring almost a year of uncertainty, supporters of the Larch Corrections Center are welcoming the news that the minimum-security facility will remain open. The State Department of Corrections announced Friday it would close McNeil Island Corrections Center by April 1 as a result of budget cuts. The agency had originally planned to close Larch, but determined that doing so would not save enough money. The DOC said it will save $6.3 million each year by closing McNeil, a prison located on an island in south Puget Sound. It would have saved $2 million by closing Larch. The agency must reduce spending by nearly $53 million as a result of across-the-board cuts due to declining tax revenue.
The salaries of future mayors and City Council members could be the latest numbers to be reduced in Washougal. The city's Salary Commission has recommended the mayor's salary be reduced from $2,000 a month to $1,800. The recommendation for council members is a reduction from $500 a month to $450. Salary Commission Chairman Chuck Carpenter said the commission looked at data - such as budget, assessed valuation and size of staff - from Washington cities of a similar size, in order to determine salary levels in Washougal.
