August 10, 2010
This time of year, the Post-Record's community calendar section is filled with announcements about local Camas and Washougal high school class reunions. Usually from June through September, reunion committees are busy working to put the finishing touches on the planning of events that are often two- to three day celebrations -- opportunities for old classmates to reconnect and possibly re-establish friendships that got lost somewhere between graduation, jobs, marriages, children and families. The experience of growing up in small towns like Camas and Washougal are unique. Some people end up staying put and establishing roots in the cities that they have come to love, while others move on, but still retain the fond feelings and memories of "home."
For more than 30 years, Washougal taxpayers have supported emergency medical services provided with the help of monies generated from a property tax levy. When ballots arrive in the mail later this week for the Aug. 17 Primary Election, voters should continue this trend and vote "yes" on the City of Washougal emergency medical services property tax levy.
Every summer the end of the school year signals a welcome break for students, teachers and school district officials everywhere. But here in Camas, a drumbeat of activity to renovate and improve existing facilities along with plans to build a new school have kept school district officials busier than usual throughout the summer. As reported in the Post-Record the past two weeks, the Camas School district, while overseeing a major renovation of Doc Harris Stadium, is also moving ahead on (1.) Construction of a new elementary school just west of Crown Road, (2) Extensive additions and renovation to Camas High School and (3) Additions and renovation to Dorothy Fox Elementary School.
After many months of being in limbo, Washougal Mayor Sean Guard officially announced last night that the city finally found the person who would permanently step into the finance director position. With council approval, Jennifer Forsberg will begin her work at the city of Washougal next week. With experience in the state auditor's office and credentials that seem stellar, she looks like a really good fit to lead the city of Washougal toward a more positive financial future.
In the 1970s, Washington's public utilities embarked on an aggressive nuclear power building project managed by the Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS). Unfortunately, the effort ultimately became known as "Whoops!" WPPSS planned to construct five generating facilities inour state to meet future electricity demand. However, when the core of one of the reactors at Three Mile Island, Pa. nuclear power plant suffered a partial meltdown, support for nuclear power waned.
