Steven Lane/The Columbian A participant in the Spartan Race hurdles a barrier of flames on June 16 at Washougal MX Park. More than 5,000 competed in the four-mile extreme obstacle course.

Caitlyn Lippolis, 12, who lost her right leg to bone cancer, rests after working out with a new prosthetic leg on Oct. 17. She died on Nov. 28.

Dakota Palmore, 7, plays inside her very own bedroom of her family's new home after a dedication ceremony for the Habitat for Humanity project on Jan. 28.

Portland Winterhawks forward Joe Mahon throws a right hand at Vancouver Giants forward Scott Cooke during a scrap at 18:56 of the first period at the Rose Garden on Nov. 21. Portland won the game 3-0.

Members of the Vancouver Lake Crew row on Vancouver Lake on March 26.

October is bright and colorful as leaves begin their annual transition to red, orange, yellow and everything in between.

Steven Lane/The Columbian Fans enjoy the first night of the 2012 high school football season as Vancouver's Skyview takes on Central Catholic at Hillsboro Stadium in Oregon on Aug. 30.

Carter Morse, 11, a student at Franklin Elementary School, enjoys the winter sledding at Franklin Park on Jan. 18. Vancouver schools were closed because of snow.

A new U.S. citizen proudly places a flag in his pocket while looking over his citizenship documents at a U.S. citizen ceremony Sept. 14 in Vancouver. Thirty-five new U.S. citizens who were sworn in at the third annual Citizenship Day event at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

Jessica Lee, 19, left, and Ashley Cavner, 21, from Vancouver, complete their wedding vows shortly after midnight to be the first same sex couple to be married in Clark County on Dec. 9.

Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian Charlie Barker misses his target in the steer wrestling competition during the Vancouver Rodeo at the Clark County Saddle Club on July 7.

The Skyview girls celebrate after their game against Gonzaga Prep at the 4A Girls State Basketball Tournament in Tacoma on March 2 Skyview beat Gonzaga Prep 63-50 to advance to the championship game.

Angel M. Torres-Reyna, 41, of Vancouver, during a four-hour standoff on the roof of the Hazel Dell Quality Inn on Sept. 29. After climbing down, he was taken in to custody. He is awaiting trial on charges of setting fire to his room at the Quality Inn as well as to his apartment.

Steven Lane/The Columbian A windsurfer jumps a swell on the Columbia River near the Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery on Sept. 21.

Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt delivers the annual State of the City address at Kiggins Theatre on March 16.

Steven Lane/The Columbian Richard Witherspoon, left, and Rhys Balmer sail a Cal 27 from the Island Sailing Club on the Columbia River on July 24.

Jack Cullen, 25, of Portland, leaps along a 2-inch-wide slackline suspended between two trees at Esther Short Park on Aug. 15.

Eight-time state swimming champion Julia Sanders, of Hockinson High School, practices at LaCamas Swim and Sport on Oct. 30. Sanders prepares for the final high school state championship meet of her career as she looks to win another 200 IM title and her fourth butterfly title.

Matthew Berg, 15, of Yacolt, carries off two of his Market Fryer Chickens after winning 4-H Champion Pin of Three and Reserve Champion Pin of Three at the Clark County Fair on Aug. 8.

Washington Old Time Fiddlers member Frank Funk straps on his guitar before the start of the set during the annual Harvest Fun Day at 78th Street Heritage Farm on Sept. 22.

Steven Lane/The Columbian Manjeet Kaur, 13, from Beaverton, is among hundreds attending an Aug. 9 candlelight vigil at the Guru Ramdass Sikh temple in Vancouver in memory of six people who died in a temple shooting in Wisconsin. The Vancouver temple was destroyed in an October fire.

Steven Lane/The Columbian Union receiver Trent Cowan has his helmet knocked off by Mt. View defender Russel Culverwell but manages to hang onto the ball for a 16 yard gain at McKenzie Stadium Aug. 31. Union later scored on the drive.

"A good mother is empathetic toward and shows respect for her child's feelings, needs and point of view. A child treated that way is much more likely to have empathy for others as he grows up. A good mother asks, "What is he feeling to make him behave that way?" and then responding in a way that considers those feelings instead of just her own," Sara Rolling, of Vancouver, photographed April 25.

Dianne Shaffer chases after her daughter, Finnley, 5, while having a snowball fight at a park in Felida. Cold weather brought several inches of snow overnight to the delight of many March 22 in Vancouver.

A firefighter is among those responding to a two-alarm brush fire on Oct. 5 near the intersection of Northeast 49th Street and 137th Avenue in east Vancouver.

A winter snow inspires Lincoln neighborhood residents to take an early morning walk on Jan. 18.

Spanky, a six-year-old miniature horse, and his buddy, "D" a year-old Jack Russell terrier. The duo performed at the Horse Expo on Feb. 18 and 19 at the Clark County Events Center.

Steven Lane/The Columbian Hannah Wiggs and James Rogers, from Vancouver, spend part of Sunday afternoon under their favorite tree on the Parade Grounds of the Fort Vancouver National Hitoric Reserve on April 22. The two found the spot the day they were engaged, August 12, 2011. They married May 26, 2012.

A fall design by Catherine Rae on display at the Couve Couture fashion show at the Atrium Lounge on Oct. 20. Steven Lane/The Columbian

Cabin owners along the former Northwestern Lake continue to deal with the after effects of the breaching of Condit Dam on March 16.

Jameson Shirley of Skyview High School clears 15 feet, 6 inches, to win the Class 4A state pole vault title on May 25 at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.