Unleash your creativity! Expand your horizons! Challenge yourself!

Come paint with us, Tuesdays from 9 to 11 am at my home studio, 114 North 4th Avenue right in downtown Ridgefield. Class size is limited to five people, so there’s lots of individual instruction and a short lesson each day.

All materials are provided for this amazing watercolor class, which runs for six weeks. Beginning artists are welcome and encouraged. We’ve even had people who said they’d never held a brush before and they were amazed at the art.they created.

Cost is $99. Call today to reserve your spot. (360)887-2160) The class fills up quickly so act now.

The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has awarded the Ridgefield Police Department a grant for 15 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to have in police cars and city buildings. An AED is a sophisticated but easy to use medical device designed to help someone who is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.

In 2017, a student at nearby La Center High School, located in Clark County, began experiencing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The local fire department and police department were present at the high school for an unrelated event. Both had functioning AEDs and were able to save the life of the student before additional emergency personnel arrived. Had the police and fire departments not had AEDs, the outcome could have been tragically different.

Since the incident, the City of Ridgefield has made equipping the police department and City facilities with AEDs a priority. In 2017, the department received 10 call requests for AEDs. At the time, the department had only one AED and was not able to provide assistance at all of the calls. The acquisition of the additional AEDs will allow the department to quickly and efficiently respond to all AED related calls, as every patrol car will be equipped with one.

The 15 AEDs provided by the generous grant from Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation will help the Ridgefield Police Department better serve the community. Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was founded in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Firehouse Subs co-founders, Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, traveled to Mississippi where they fed first responders as well as survivors. As they traveled back to Florida exhausted and exhilarated, they knew we could do more and the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was born, with the mission of providing funding, life-saving equipment and educational opportunities to first responders and public safety organizations. Since its inception, the non-profit organization has granted more than $35 million to hometown heroes in 47 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, including more than $365,000 in Washington.

Garden season is underway, and soon you may have more vegetables and fruit than you can handle. When it happens, call the Ridgefield Community Gleaners, an all-volunteer group that will assist getting your extra garden produce to the Ridgefield Family Resource Center, which supports families in need in various ways.

Gleaners will harvest and/or deliver your produce, and can provide you a tax-deductible receipt.  Call ‭(360)931-9573‬ or (918)766-2025 to schedule harvesting, or pickup and delivery of your extra garden vegetables and fruits. Thanks for your support!!

The Gleaners are also raising money to buy fresh produce this fall and winter after gardening season is over. They are selling raffle tickets of a watercolor painting of an original historic Ridgefield barn. Tickets are $5 each and many be purchased by calling one of the above numbers.

‘Summer Evening’, by Kathy Winters

Thanks to Sarah Scott for this old-time-looking photo of cars waiting in Abrams Park for the parade on Wednesday.

Here are pictures of the winners of the Ridgefield Library’s Book Mark Contest.

As usual, the Friends of the Library provided refreshments for the event.

I hope everyone in the community appreciates the support of the Friends of the Library – they do a great job.

Paul Snoey was walking back into town about noon, when he saw that Lefty Kraus had lost some of his wood going over the asphalt curb. The two vehicles behind immediately pulled over and helped him get it all back in his truck. Paul said everyone was smiling too; and he thought it fit in with my post this morning about what’s special about Ridgefield. So this will be part two of ‘What Makes Ridgefield so Special.’

The Ridgefield Dozen is a unique fundraising race and ride benefitting World Bicycle Relief. It’s Strava based, a free app for your smartphone, and can be ridden anytime until August 19, 2018.

The Ridgefield Dozen is uniquely tailored to offer a challenge for beginning riders, race curious riders, and even experienced racers. There are three courses, short, medium, and long. You get to pick your challenge, who you compete against, or even if you want to compete at all–maybe you’re just looking for an excuse to go for a ride? The Ridgefield Dozen offers that excuse.

Ride anytime, at your convenience, until August 19, 2018. Start with the short route, maybe work your way up to the medium or Long distance route. Challenge yourself!

There is a King Of the Mountain, and Queen of the Mountain jersey to the overall winners. Plus, depending on participation, other prizes and awards.

See full details at the website: https://ridgefielddozen.com/

The following projects are under construction and are expected to impact traffic during the weeks of May 10 – May 18, 2018.

South Hillhurst Road between So. Hawk Place and NW Carty Road – one lane closure and flagging. This work is to make improvements in front of the new schools and recreation complex including road widening, sidewalks, landscaping, and street lighting, and a stoplight at the intersection of Hillhurst & Royle.

Royle Road from the intersection with Hillhurst Road approximately 500 feet – one lane closure with flagging. This project is utility relocation in support of the Hillhurst frontage improvements and the Royle & Hillhurst intersection improvements.

So. Hillhurst Road, So. Sevier Road and So. Nighthawk Road – shoulder work only. This work is being completed in conjunction with the Taverner Ridge Phase 10 & 11 project, and will complete frontage improvements on both Hillhurst and Sevier. The existing narrow width of Sevier will make traffic conditions challenging, but after completion Sevier will be a full width road with sidewalks and planter strips on both sides.
NW 229th – Shoulder Work. Paving was completed as part of the future Kennedy Farms subdivision. This week work will be confined to the shoulders and no flagging is anticipated. When the work is complete the road will be newly paved, with sidewalks, street lights, and street trees.
Pioneer and 35th Avenue – one lane closure with traffic flagging May 11-12 for final paving; then sporadic and minimal traffic impacts as striping and final curbs are completed. When the work is complete, there will be a new roundabout.
North 32nd Avenue – intermittent lane closures with flagging. Utility work in conjunction with the Village of Canyon Ridge subdivision.
South 5th Street and So. 65th Avenue – shoulder work with intermittent lane closures and flagging. A contractor working for Comcast will be completing improvements to existing overhead utility lines.

There’s still one plot left for rent at the Community Garden. Contact Lee Knottnerus at the City if you’re interested in renting it.

As you  can see, many people already have their plots planted, and things are growing well.

There are still a couple of beds that need to be cleaned out. The weeds have gone to seed and will soon be popping up throughout the entire garden.

If yours is one of those, please come by and at least pull your weeds and put them in the yard waste bin.

Be a good neighbor.