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News

November 9, 2010

Washougal slices traffic officer position from budget

It looks like City of Washougal officials will not need to use $184,680 in cash reserves in order to fund expenditures in the 2011 budget. Changes to the preliminary budget - as presented to City Council last night - include the elimination of a vacant police position. According to Assistant Finance Director RJ Stevenson, the position had been included in the 2010 budget but remained vacant. A budget for next year had included $90,000 to hire a police officer who would focus primarily on traffic enforcement.

November 9, 2010

Herrera claims Third District seat

The person who will soon become the new Third Congressional District Representative in Congress is a Camas resident. Republican Jaime Herrera was elected to the position by 53 percent of voters on Nov. 2. She defeated Denny Heck, a business owner and former state legislator for the 17th District. Heck conceded the race the evening of the election. "The most powerful words of a democracy are 'the people have spoken,'" Herrera said in a statement. "Tonight the people of Southwest Washington have spoken and said that they want me to represent them, their families and communities in the Congress of the United States."

November 9, 2010

ECFR fills new firefighter positions

The first of five new firefighters who will be hired by East County Fire and Rescue during the next seven months will arrive for his first day of work next week. Wes Long, a former ECFR fire captain, will return to his position on Nov. 15. In addition, coming on board in early December will be firefighter/IV technicians Brad Delano and Dane Hammond. The men both currently work for the Camas Fire Department, but their positions will no longer be funded as of Dec. 3. The firefighter/IV technicians were originally hired by Camas as part of an agreement with East County Fire and Rescue. This contract approved in December 2008 stipulated that with levy lid lift funds approved by voters in February 2008, ECFR would pay for Camas to hire five firefighters. Those individuals would respond from two ECFR stations -- Orchard Hills on 39th Street in Washougal city limits and Fern Prairie on Northeast 267th Avenue near Grove Field Airport in unincorporated Camas.

November 9, 2010

Creative cop celebrates the publication of his first children’s book

Camas Police Officer Tim Dickerson remembers that he did not like to read books when he was a child. "My mother was a schoolteacher, and she made me read," he said. "My older sister read 'Gone With the Wind' in two days and 'War and Peace' in three days. I hated to read until almost 25 years ago." Dickerson was bored while on a layover at an airport, so he purchased a book related to police work at one of the stores in the terminal.

November 9, 2010
Local officials and business representatives filled the Port of Camas-Washougal meeting room Friday for a ceremony commemorating the port's 75th anniversary. The memorabilia on display included newspaper articles, photos of Grove Field Airport founder Ward Grove and a plaque that dedicated the marina in memory of Thomas Blair in 1972. A slide show featured images of the port's Industrial Park and Airport, as well as summer concerts in Marina Park, Capt. William Clark Park, Parker's Landing Historical Park and the flood of February 1996.

An opportunity to reminisce

More than 100 people gathered Friday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Port of Camas-Washougal. They included current and former local port commissioners and staff, as well as representatives from Clark County, the cities of Camas and Washougal, and the ports of Vancouver, Ridgefield and Woodland. Attendees included former Port of C-W Executive Director Sheldon Tyler and previous commissioners Ken Powell, Jean Moszeter, Donna Roberge Nozel and John Raynor.

November 2, 2010

City reveals first round of budget reductions

"A difficult budget for difficult times" was the topic as a revised version of the 2011 document was presented during a Camas City Council workshop. "Difficult" may be an understatement as city leaders scrambled after learning in late September that the city's assessed value -- and in turn its property tax revenues -- would very likely take a nosedive next year, The unexpected hole is an estimated $1.6 million.

November 2, 2010

Applicants sought to fill Camas council seat

Applications are currently being accepted to fill the remainder of a term on the Camas City Council that will be vacant beginning Jan. 1, 2011. Longtime Ward 1 councilwoman Helen Gerde announced her resignation during the Oct. 4 council workshop. She plans to serve through the end of 2010, although her term officially ends Dec. 31, 2011.

November 2, 2010

Washougal utilities public hearing is Nov. 15

Washougal residents interested in the potential water, sewer and storm water rate increases are invited to speak at a City Council public hearing. Council last night approved the setting of Monday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m., as the public hearing for the proposed 2011 rates. That hearing is expected to occur prior to a hearing on the city's $32.2 million preliminary budget.

October 28, 2010

Washougal police investigate armed robbery at E Street Market

The E Street Market & Deli has been robbed by a man described as having a dark complexion, according to Washougal Police. The suspect is also described as standing approximately 5'4". He was last seen, wearing black and white Converse-type sneakers, a zip up black hoodie and blue jeans.