Stories by Patty Hastings

Columbian Social Services, Demographics, Faith

Open House Ministries executive director Renee Stevens visits Tyshawn Martin, 4, in the child care room at the shelter. Tyshawn was having trouble settling down for a nap, so Stevens was called in to soothe him.

From shelter client to leader

March 17, 2017, 6:04am Clark County News

Open House Ministries’ new executive director, Renee Stevens, understands where people entering its shelter are coming from and why it can take time to build trust. That’s because in 1999, she entered the shelter with her three daughters. Read story

Amelia Rice, from Lake Shore Elementary School, marches in the 2015 Children's Cultural Parade in Vancouver.

Clark County has strong Irish presence

March 16, 2017, 6:04am Clark County Life

Irish is the second most commonly reported ancestry in Clark County, behind German. Nearly 12 percent of the population, or 51,755 people, claimed Irish ancestry, according to the 2015 American Community Survey estimates published by the Census. Read story

Ronda McDeavitt, 49, holds her dog, Moe, in her apartment at Lincoln Place. She said she is grateful to be living in a place that allows her to have her dog.

One year later: Hope in housing the homeless

March 12, 2017, 6:05am Clark County News

Ronda McDeavitt was homeless off and on for 17 years, addicted to methamphetamine and bad relationships. That changed when she moved to Lincoln Place. Read story

The Lincoln Place apartment building in downtown Vancouver has 30 units.

Lincoln Place: A roof over people’s heads but not totally meeting all needs

March 12, 2017, 6:03am Clark County News

While Lincoln Place is not like regular apartment complexes, there are still rules, a lease to be followed and a line that when crossed can lead to people being kicked out. If a resident becomes a danger to staff or other residents they’ll be asked to leave. In those cases,… Read story

Olivia Resnick, the Housing First program director at Share, works from her office at Lincoln Place in Vancouver.

New Housing First director ready to build on successes

March 12, 2017, 6:03am Clark County News

Olivia Resnick recently took over as Share’s Housing First director, a role that includes administering Lincoln Place. She discussed her background and ideas for the Housing First program during an interview in her office on the first floor of Lincoln Place. Her experience includes working at the local Council for… Read story

Vancouver updating rules for accessory dwelling units

Dmitriy Manzhura of Vast Homes looks over plans for an accessory dwelling unit as the main building is seen in the background Monday morning.

While accessory dwelling units are hailed as one way to increase the local supply of affordable housing, they’re rarely built in Vancouver. About 65 have been constructed citywide since 2000 and the regulations haven’t been updated since 2004, but city officials look to change that. Read story

Episcopal leader and church reflect Washougal community’s values

The Rev. Jessie Smith sings a hymn during a Sunday service in December at St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Washougal.

February 26, 2017, 5:00am Clark County News

The Rev. Jessie Smith’s tattoo sleeve on one arm has an Alice in Wonderland theme. The other may be called her religious arm: There’s a tattoo of a seraphim, an angel that accompanies God’s spirit, a cross she got done while in Jerusalem, a wheel within a wheel as seen… Read story