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October 30, 2012

Washougal Sport & Spine expands to Camas

Washougal Sport & Spine Physical Therapy has opened a second location at LaCamas Swim & Sport. The expansion to Camas provides exercise and cardiovascular equipment and a private treatment area for modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation and manual therapy techniques. Treatment is provided for conditions such as muscle and joint injuries, post-surgical rehabilitation, work injuries, auto accidents and spinal pain. In addition to standard physical therapy treatments, aquatic therapy in the pool is available.

October 30, 2012
Mark Zech (left) and Kurt Williams (right) plan to open Mill City Brew Werks, at 339 N.E. Cedar St., in downtown Camas, by next summer. It will include a brewery (approximately 5,000 square feet) in the basement. Zech and Williams anticipate hiring 15 to 20 employees.

Brewery and restaurant to locate in downtown Camas

Two co-workers at Plexsys Interface Products, Inc., in Camas, expect to open a brewery and restaurant in the downtown core by next summer. Mark Zech, of Washougal, and Kurt Williams, of Battle Ground, are among the owners of Mill City Brew Werks, which will be located at 339 N.E. Cedar St. Zech's wife, Francisca, and Williams' wife, Susan, will also be involved in the venture. Previous occupants of the space have included Momo's Wholesale Designer Clothes and Stewart Title. A silent partner with Mill City Brew Werks is in the process of purchasing the building from Sandi Fischer. The purchase is expected to be completed in November. Terms of the transaction are not being released. The building includes tenants Edward Jones and Kop Chai -- both of which will remain open in their current locations.

October 30, 2012
Shawn Lewis, a 1995 Camas High School graduate, and Natasha Neuschwander recently competed on the NBC singing competition "The Voice." The married couple, known as "Beat Frequency," was coached by Christina Aguilera. Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day, served as a mentor.

CHS graduate is one-half of ‘Beat Frequency’

A former Camas resident and his wife recently received national exposure on the NBC singing competition, "The Voice." Fans of Shawn Lewis, 35, and Natasha Neuschwander, 29, saw them leave the show after their coach, Christina Aguilera, chose a solo artist instead to move forward in the process. Lewis said it was challenging to find and agree on the arrangement for the battle round. "Trying to divide that to feature each vocalist and us as a duo, it was a laborious process," he said. For more information, visit www.beatfrequency.net.

October 30, 2012
Along with a number of technology upgrades, Camas has a redesigned city logo. It can be found on all city documents, business cards as well as imprinted on the wall of the council chambers at City Hall. Mayor Scott Higgins said the change to the logo was part of a citywide "branding" effort. "The hope is that everything that comes out of the city looks the same," he said. "You know it's from Camas."

Upgrades allow City Council to go paperless, offer streaming live video of meetings

Citizens who are unable -- or unwilling -- to attend the Monday night meetings of the Camas City Council at City Hall now have quick access to live and archived video of those events. Real-time online video streaming of the twice-monthly City Council meetings and workshops, as well as archived videos of past meetings since Oct. 1 -- all integrated with the agendas -- are available at the click of a mouse through the city's website: "http://www.cityofcamas.us." The technology upgrades have led to some visible changes inside the council chambers at City Hall where there are now several video cameras capturing meeting discussions, an updated audio sound system, two 60-inch flat screen monitors for use during presentations, and a mini video control center where the system can be regulated by city staff.

October 23, 2012

Economic development group advances its cause

The expansion of Fastenal into the Port of Camas-Washougal Industrial Park is among the recent accomplishments of the Camas-Washougal Economic Development Association. CWEDA President Paul Dennis said a Fastenal representative contacted him early on in their search for space in the local area. "I provided them with a listing of available properties that fit their specifications," Dennis said. "I did mention the port as a possibility. [Port Executive Director] Dave Ripp handled the negotiations." Fastenal is a wholesale/retail outlet of bolts, screws and nuts, as well as tools, equipment, plumbing, electrical and work safety supplies. "Their closest one is on Mill Plain near Walmart," Dennis said. "They needed another location to help meet the customer needs of the Camas-Washougal area."

October 23, 2012
Jo Grace Buck enjoys growing vegetables such as corn, tomatoes, peas, carrots and beets, with her husband Roy (not pictured). In all, there are more than 50 varieties of produce grown at their Ever Green Farm, in Washougal. "We want to learn and give options to people," Jo Grace said. "We try varieties and see what works -- what grows in this environment."

Life on the farm

A Washougal couple has lovingly transformed a property that once housed racehorses into a farm that grows a variety of vegetables and other produce. Roy and Jo Grace Buck purchased 7.5 acres 14 years ago. With one-half acre currently under cultivation, they hope to eventually increase that to around four acres. The Bucks started to farm locally last year, by growing radishes, carrots, potatoes and squash. They also grew seven kinds of lettuce, three types of chard and two types of cabbage. "It was such a great learning experience," Jo Grace said.

October 23, 2012

15 years of soaring with the CEF

Since its inception 15 years ago, the Camas Educational Foundation has given $1 million to local schools. Organizers of this year's annual dinner and auction are planning to celebrate that milestone, as well as raise $100,000 that night. "This year's auction is a celebration of the journey CEF has made over the past 15 years and where we are headed. We will be highlighting those moments and experiences that have led to the place we are today," said Mandy Huth, CEF president. "Lao Tzu said, 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' We have come so far, step by step, and continue to travel, together, on our journey." The auction and dinner theme is "Soaring With CEF," and will be held at the Pearson Air Museum in Vancouver on Saturday, Nov. 17. Tickets are $65 each, and this year's annual appeal is a literacy campaign, "Everyone is a Reader." The goal is to raise $1,500 for each of the 10 Camas schools, for a total of $15,000.

October 23, 2012

Highway 14 will re-open Wednesday

Federal, state and local officials will be in Camas today to cut the ceremonial ribbon that will officially re-open to traffic a newly built section of Highway 14. Officials expected to attend the event include Shari Hildreth representing U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s office; Schuyler Hoss of Gov. Chris Gregoire's office; 18th District Rep. Liz Pike, Camas Mayor Scott Higgins, Port of Camas-Washougal Executive Director David Ripp and former 18th District Sen. Joe Zarelli. Ripp said the 16-month construction process has produced good results. "It is very exciting to see this project almost completed," he said. "I am amazed how quickly it came together and how much it is going to improve the flow of traffic along SR-14."