Stories by Scott Hewitt

Columbian staff writer

@_ScottHewitt

(360) 735-4525

scott.hewitt@columbian.com

Cars snake along the Historic Columbia River Highway along the waterfall corridor in the Columbia River Gorge. Congestion on busy days has been so bad the traffic impairs the ability of emergency vehicles to respond to accidents.

Car-free visits to Columbia River Gorge sites are possible — with planning

June 3, 2023, 6:03am Clark County Life

Judging by ease of public-transit access, one might conclude that the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is entirely inside of Oregon. Read story

Dynamite reduced Trojan Nuclear Power plant’s cooling tower to rubble in 2006.

Activists show, discuss nuclear documentary ‘Atomic Bamboozle’ at Kiggins in Vancouver

June 2, 2023, 6:03am Clark County Life Updated 1 day ago

Get used to the phrase “small modular nuclear reactor” and its abbreviation, SMR. A global debate about this old-made-new energy idea is already heating up, with big implications for the people and environs of the Pacific Northwest. Read story

Early scenes from historic Parkersville, now known as Parker's Landing Historical Park, on the shoreline of Washougal.

Parkersville: The Clark County town that time (almost) forgot

June 1, 2023, 6:02am Clark County Life

A large kerosene burner with a red lens, posted on the river to guide traffic in the dark, illuminated a baby’s birth on the dock of what was called Parkersville in 1883. Read story

Friends of the Columbia Gorge land trust director Dan Bell, left, landscape architect Jeramie Shane and senior designer Margaret Drew of Mayer/Reed and Friends communications director Tim Dobyns explore the Cape Horn Preserve. The site will get a new overlook and many accessible, inclusive amenities in years to come.

Columbia River Gorge goal: Recreation access for all

May 21, 2023, 6:04am Clark County Life

The rugged Columbia River Gorge is one of the scenic wonders of the Pacific Northwest. But not everyone has the ability or resources to enjoy it. Read story

5. Reinstall your tube in the tire and partially re-inflate.

Fix that flat! Vancouver Bicycle Club welcomes bike season with safety training, friendly rides

May 16, 2023, 6:02am Clark County Health

If you’ve noticed a sorry cyclist walking his bike along the side of the road, it was probably me. I like to pedal Clark County’s scenic country roads to Battle Ground, Ridgefield or Frenchman’s Bar. But the occasional, inevitable flat tire means I’ve hit a dead end. I’ve been known… Read story

From Kabul to Clark County: ‘Is that really me?’

Maryam Azizpour reads "The Smart Cookie" to her daughters, 6-year-old Murwarid, top bunk, and 10-year-old Marwa, as they settle into bed one night in June 2022. One year earlier, the family was living an uncertain life in Kabul, Afghanistan, which was shortly to fall to the fundamentalist Taliban regime. Now, they have been granted asylum in the United States and made a new home in Hazel Dell.

Afghanistan’s National Day of the Mother is still one month away. Last year, at a June 14 ceremony, the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture paid respect to the country’s mothers, according to Kabul-based TOLOnews. Read story

Silver Star Search and Rescue searching for rescue

Rick Blevins, Silver Star Search and Rescue coordinator, discusses the volunteer organization's history and future at its headquarters on A Street. The city has said it needs the space for other things and will not renew the group's lease.

In between missions, the members of Silver Star Search and Rescue do their own equipment repairs. That’s fitting, since most of Silver Star’s gear is the personal property of the members of this all-volunteer, driven-by-donations agency. Read story