Local Life

Dozer Day a family affair

Event organizer’s children provide ideas, assistance for kids event with construction equipment

Ranee Nutter relies on some expert help as she plans the kids construction playground that is Dozer Day. Each year, her two children — Jerry, 16, and Sammi, 13 — help her create new attractions at the two-day event, she said.

Dining Out: Talay Thai is a versatile neighborhood pleasure

Extensive menu is worth exploring to find some gems

In its fifth year, Talay Thai is a popular restaurant for the neighborhood surrounding the Padden Market Center. The extensive menu offers a wide range of options for take-out or dining in. The restaurant also caters.

Bits 'n' Pieces: Serving as Olympia page a Hockinson family's tradition

Ten children, nine pages. Actually, you could add Mom to the mix for an even 10. When Julie Curtiss was 15 years old in 1973 she was a legislative page for state Sen. Al Bauer, D-Vancouver. "I just remember it being a really good experience," she said. "I learned so much."

A parade of heroic proportions

Hazel Dell Parade of Bands goes up, up and away with superhero theme for Saturday event

When it comes to defining a superhero, Batman and Superman certainly both fit the bill — but to many people, so do firefighters, nurses, soldiers, police officers and other first responders.

Energy Adviser: Incentives spark energy savings for businesses

Businesses looking to squeeze every nickel out of a dollar might be able to cut waste and reduce the costs associated with lighting, heating and cooling for their buildings. According to Energy Star, lighting accounts for the largest share of their energy cost — 35 percent. Heating and cooling together fall into second place at 22 percent. Targeting these areas for efficiency improvements can reduce bottom-line facility costs.

Place mats with panache

From designer looks to DIY styles, mats an easy, affordable way to dress up dining table, trays, more

The place mat is a favorite at many dinner tables: The often-whimsical plastic version catches the slip of spaghetti from a youngster's fork, while a nice cotton place mat elevates the dining experience just a little without having to set down a whole tablecloth.

Garden Life: Garden benefits from regular maintenance

Every year there comes a point in time when we find ourselves juggling an endless list of garden chores. Mine seems to have come early this year. As the growing season kicks in, there's always the need to deadhead spent flowers, fertilize perennials and roses and fill gaps in planting borders with annual bedding plants.

Garden calendar

Clark County

Ask the gardening expert

I used to like the red hedges that grow so big along the back of my dad's place, but they are just a monster to work with. He called it Photinia fraseri and he said he liked them when they were small, but he wished someone would have told him how large they become before he bought 80 of them.

Jolie: From girl with tattoo to woman with a cause

LOS ANGELES — In her bad girl days, Angelina Jolie's body was a billboard for tattoos that said such things as "Billy Bob."

Battle Ground man climbs to cats' rescue

Retiree plucks them from trees after they get stuck

Perched more than 30 feet high in a red maple tree, Tom Croley lowers a squirming canvas bag down a rope to the safety of Jake Bennett's arms.

Bread gets twisted

Pretzel bread elevates any sandwich after a brief baking soda bath

People say beauty is skin-deep like it's a bad thing.

This meat loaf fast, not fattening

Pesto Meat Loaf is an updated version of one of America's best-loved foods. This meat loaf takes only 15 minutes to bake. The secret is to bake it on a baking sheet, which allows hot air to circulate all around the meat.

Pasta carbonara gets remade as a delicious summer salad

Pasta carbonara — richly cheesy, creamy and studded with crisped pancetta — is easily one of the most comforting of pasta dishes. The only trouble is, with the onset of warmer weather, we tend to crave salads more than steaming bowls of pasta. So for this recipe, we decided to have it both ways.