Festival of Nativities to mark 10th year
LDS church will display more than 600 crèches
Vancouver retiree Bruce Preece spent 50 hours crafting a lawn display of baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, wise men and shepherds out of plywood a couple of years ago. The stark white figures stand out against a gold-hued cutout of Bethlehem, which he designed from his memory of a 1978 visit to the holy city. His handiwork will be among 600 similar scenes of all sizes and media on display this weekend at the 10th annual Festival of the Nativities at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Vancouver.
Artists invited to offer mural ideas for Schofield Building
The historic Schofield Building in downtown Vancouver will get a face-lift, but the property owners want to put a little lipstick on it in the meantime. The Schofields are renovating two buildings — one built in 1867 and the other in 1905 — that cover three-quarters of the block at Sixth and Main streets. During the work, six large windows will be boarded up. Instead of bare plywood, property manager Ed Aschieris envisions works of art.
Family has gift for recycling
Their crafts will be available at green holiday bazaar
At first, Matthew Dukart didn’t think of what he did as art. His wife and daughters were crafty, but he never had considered himself to be the type. Then, a couple of years ago, he started folding the pages of a sports magazine and weaving them together into a rudimentary purse. He gave it to his wife.
Feast to fete local, sustainable food
Area groups want residents to look close to home for eats
Aside from complaining about the rain, most people don’t give too much thought to the change of seasons, let alone what it means for food. Why would you when you can buy strawberries in December at the grocery store?
Vancouver Symphony faces down tough economy
Executive director works to keep music playing
That the Vancouver Symphony is staging its second concert of the season this weekend is an achievement. Earlier this year it looked like the organization was in danger of folding altogether. It had to launch an aggressive fundraising campaign and slash its budget by about 25 percent to keep the music playing.
Cancer patient Krista Colvin has mastectomy, prepares for reconstruction
The evening before Krista Colvin undergoes surgery to remove her breasts, her children say goodbye. Both Annie, 8, and Wes, 10, are heading to friends’ houses for the night because Krista has to report to the hospital first thing in the morning. Annie smiles big, trying to stay strong and upbeat, but her eyes shine with tears as she lays her hand on her mother’s breast. Wes closes his eyes and snuggles into his mother’s bosom. This is the children’s way of bidding farewell to a part of her body that had nurtured and comforted them throughout their lives.
New way to heat H20
Vancouver family part of nationwide project to test heat-pump water heater efficiency
When Clark Public Utilities approached the Wrights to test out a heat-pump water heater, the Vancouver family of four decided to give it a go. They already had been systematically replacing their appliances with more energy-efficient ones.
Pumpkin playtime: County farms pump up the fun
Sure, you can pick up carving pumpkins at the grocery store. But when was the last time you saw hay rides or corn mazes or petting zoos there? Four farms in Clark County have carved out a niche for themselves at pumpkin time by offering a variety of activities to round out a fun family outing.
Out of grief came Africa
After Vancouver nurse’s husband died, she answered a call in Somaliland
As a nurse, Joanne Antonelli has held hands with countless people whose loved ones died. “I thought I knew grief,” she said. “I had no idea.”
Four decades of helping others
Nurse who helped design Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center’s family birth center bids adieu to patient care and mentoring other nurses
Much has changed in maternity wards since Gretchen Amacher entered nursing school in 1966. Then, mothers were sedated to deliver their babies. Fathers were sequestered in waiting rooms. Once born, babies stayed in the nursery and were wheeled to their mothers every three to four hours for feeding, mostly by bottle. Fathers were allowed only during visiting hours and didn’t get to hold their babies until they were discharged.
Clark County tour of farms
Ten open to the public Saturday for local showcase of agriculture
A child visiting Northwest Organic Farm spotted an unfamiliar creature on neighboring property. “What are those?” he asked Joyce Haines, who runs the farm with her husband, Greg Valdivia.
Crowning achievement
Miss Washington, from Vancouver, knows firsthand the value of youth mentoring
The stress mounted as Jacquie Brown, Miss Greater Vancouver, prepared for the Miss Washington pageant. Then her 1991 Honda Civic broke down. Not sure what to do, and preoccupied with the July pageant, she decided to ignore the car until things calmed down.
Humane society to fete one year of pets
The Humane Society for Southwest Washington is celebrating its first year in its east Vancouver location with a party for two- and four-legged friends. The animal shelter will offer reduced prices for animal adoptions during the celebration, which runs from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. The event offers family activities, free popcorn and drinks. Food vendors and peddlers of pet-related products will be on hand as well.
'Central Park Jogger’ sharing message of hope
Survivor of highly publicized rape, beating to be keynote speaker at YWCA benefit luncheon
She’s known as the Central Park Jogger. Trisha Meili was 28 and rising fast on Wall Street when she went for a run in Central Park April 19, 1989. Her body was found hours later in a shallow ravine. She had been raped and so brutally beaten a co-worker could only identify her by a ring she wore. It took months for her to recover from traumatic brain injury, which left her with no memory of the attack. She had to learn to button her blouse again, to walk again, and later, to run again.
On 5th try, Vancouver woman earns spot on Blazer Dancers
Amanda Greger almost gave up. She had auditioned four times for the Portland Trail Blazers’ dance team.
Clark County program helps low-income people learn to nurture produce
Growing vegetables takes seeds, soil, sun, water — and consistent effort. That can be tough for people juggling family and work responsibilities.
Mill grinds out nostalgia, nutrition
Blueberry Festival puts focus on local farms, unrefined flour
A visit to the Cedar Creek Grist Mill takes you back to a time before the terms “locavore” and “whole foods” were bandied about. Eating whole, local food wasn’t a matter of choice but of necessity. Refined flours were a luxury, not a staple.
Combating cancer is a family affair
This is the summer when Krista Colvin’s kids fix their own cereal in the morning. This the summer when they watch a little too much TV, play a few too many video games. Krista figures she has a pass.
Successful Cruisin’ the Gut event returns for second year
Phil Medina said he expected perhaps 300 cars to show up for the Vancouver cruising event he organized last year. He underestimated the power of nostalgia.
Lung Cancer: One fight, many battles
In the war against lung cancer, perhaps the greatest enemy is the stigma
Roberta “Birdie” Urban struggles to catch her breath sometimes. Understandable, given that she’s missing a lung and several ribs. It’s a wonder that she’s drawing breath at all. She beat the odds. Seven years ago, she underwent drastic surgery to remove lung cancer. Only 15 percent of lung cancer patients live five years past their diagnosis.
Putting best face forward in cancer battle
Krista Colvin strives to stay active, attractive
Krista Colvin struggles to mask the roiling chaos inside her body. Some days are better than others.
Felida couple get resourceful about recycling
Patty Page holds the rewards of her avid recycling efforts in one hand. A popcorn tub.
Cancer patient's network of support
Krista Colvin’s friends see her through tough time
Krista Colvin taps away on her netbook as drugs drip into her body through a port in her chest. An organizer by profession, Colvin doesn’t let breast cancer keep her from using her time well. She takes charge of the four hours she spends each week in chemotherapy.
Confronting chemo
Camas woman begins treatment in breast cancer fight
To prepare for her TV appearance on KATU’s AM Northwest, Krista Colvin sprays and styles her hair to make it look full. It’s not full. It’s falling out.
For his positive attitude — unflagging despite hardships — Costco’s customers embrace ‘Teddy’ bear
Teddy Patrick has won the hearts of thousands at Vancouver’s Costco store, where his job in customer service includes checking receipts as customers leave. Sometimes, he serenades them with “Unchained Melody.” Always, he looks them in the eye and offers sincere good wishes. One shopper started a Facebook page in his honor — “Teddy from Costco Vancouver, WA” — that has 2,100 fans and counting.
Picking Dinner
Expert on foraging for wild plants to speak in Ridgefield on Sunday
John Kallas, who will speak in Ridgefield on Sunday about wild foods, gives out recipes reluctantly. Kallas, director of Wild Food Adventures in Portland, wants people to forage for new foods and explore ways of preparing them, not lean on recipes.
Nordic walking hitting its stride
Exerstride pioneer to present class in Vancouver
Tom Rutlin, who has worked to popularize Nordic walking in the United States over the past two decades, will teach his technique Tuesday at Waterford Health & Fitness Club in Vancouver. Rutlin started promoting Exerstriding, or fitness walking with specially designed poles, in 1988. At the time, he recognized that so-called Nordic walking would be great for the elderly, but he focused his evangelism on younger people.
Bill stickers are on the money
Woodland woman creates stickers to liven up dead presidents on bills
Pam Young found herself giving cash for gifts more frequently as it became more difficult to anticipate loved ones’ wants and needs. She saw the practicality in giving money, which saves the hassle of wrapping paper and the worry of whether you scored the right gift. But it just wasn’t any fun.
Lines drawn in cancer battle
After the shock of discovering a lump in her breast and diagnosis of the dreaded disease, Camas woman prepares herself, her family for chemotherapy, surgery
Krista Colvin’s children barge in as she emerges from a soak in the bathtub. As she covers herself with a towel, she feels something in her right breast. After she shoos her kids out, she probes the spot with her fingers. A lump. Part of it feels hard, like the tip of a baby carrot. Pushing on it makes her stomach queasy because she knows something’s wrong.
Felida house goes green
Homeowners add solar panels, geothermal system during remodel
Paul and Debbie Speer’s recently remodeled home holds the distinction of being the largest residential solar-power generator in Clark County. The Speers joke that they ran out of projects at their former house, so they decided to move down the street to a 1987 ranch that needed some work. They hired Neil Kelly, a Portland contractor, to change the floor plan and rebuild the kitchen.
Market renews focus on farms
New strategy puts emphasis on locally grown products
When the Vancouver Farmers Market opens Saturday, it will still be too early for much produce other than such cold storage items as potatoes and apples. But you can look for the produce offerings to become more robust as the season progresses — perhaps even more so than in past years. That’s because the Vancouver Farmers Market is working to put the farm back into the market.
There’s indoor fun galore
Activities keep kids happy when it’s rainy outside
Activities keep kids happy when it’s rainy outside
Group arranges playdates with moms
Clubs give stay-at-home mothers a chance to socialize, find playmates for children
In the rainy season, days at home with young children can drag on and on with little reprieve. A walk to the park? The slide and swings are too wet. A trip to OMSI? That means contending with weekday Portland traffic. A couple dozen stay-at-home moms in west Vancouver found their solution in MOMS Club. It meets weekly in the auditorium of a church on Main Street during the winter, so moms can chat with each other while their kids run around and play. In the summer, the club meets in parks. “Dealing with social isolation is big for me,” said Jamie Rivers, a 31-year-old Hazel Dell resident holding her 8-month-old daughter. “It’s great to know I can go somewhere and have people to talk to that don’t go ‘ba, ba, ba,’”
Walking’s new stride
Nordic style, using poles, hikes health benefits
Warren Nelson was hiking when he spotted a couple using poles. “It looked like their posture was better,” Nelson said. It occurred to him that he could use similar poles for walks in his neighborhood.
Working fat into fitness
Dietician offers advice on using fats, carbs in healthy diet
Don’t be afraid of calories, carbs and fat, says registered dietician Alison Ozgur. Focus instead on the amount and type.
‘Today’ show may visit Vancouver for segment
Effort to distinguish city from B.C. draws attention
NBC’s “Today” show may soon be in town for a segment on our Vancouver’s effort to distinguish itself from the one that’s getting all the attention for hosting the Winter Olympics.
Outdoor workout Women like it that boot camp-style program gets them out of the gym
Trainer Stefanie Fisher shouts orders at seven women running laps around Esther Short Park just after 5:30 on a recent December morning.
Outdoor workout
Women like that boot camp-style program gets them out of the gym
Trainer Stefanie Fisher shouts orders at seven women running laps around Esther Short Park just after 5:30 on a recent December morning.
Guardian of Nativities
Vancouver mom of 5 fulfills vow, displays hand-painted sets at church festival, home
Vancouver mom of 5 fulfills vow, displays hand-painted sets at church festival, home
Crafting a new way of life
Clark County residents confront tough economy by turning hobbies into income-producing ventures
Jesse Alvey spends his days building furniture to sell since was laid off from an office job early this year.
The brilliance of big brass Symphony goes all out for Christmas
For some, holly says Christmas. For others, sugar cookies symbolize the season. If brass music sets the holiday mood for you, a concert presented by the Vancouver Symphony offers a chance to fill your ears.
The brilliance of big brass
The Vancouver Symphony goes all out for Christmas
For some, holly says Christmas. For others, sugar cookies symbolize the season. If brass music sets the holiday mood for you, a concert presented by the Vancouver Symphony offers a chance to fill your ears.
Get wrapped up in recycling As holidays approach, experts say think of how to dispose of packaging
If visions of sugarplums are eclipsed in your mind by visions of wrapping paper, bows and plastic packaging piled in your living room the day after Christmas, you can tackle the mess before it’s even made.
Previous Next
