As summer temperatures rise, the idea of a night out camping under the stars sounds more and more appealing. But as gas prices climb, too, a long drive to a campground might be out of reach.

Fortunately, Portlanders can go camping in this city's own backyard. A 30-minute drive from Portland, Oxbow Regional Park is a 1,200-acre natural area within the Sandy River Gorge, part of the National Wild and Scenic River System. The park is open to camping all summer.

Summertime is here again, and that means a season of fun activities in Portland's parks. For the 99th consecutive year, Portland parks have offered a summer playground program.

The program features a wide variety of drop-in recreation activities for children ages 5 through 12. With neighborhood sites throughout the city, playground leaders create safe, supervised and fun-filled environments with a variety of activities including sports, games, arts, crafts and nature. Many of the city's parks also have wading pools that open on hot weather days.

Kids who enjoy sports may be able to attend the free National Youth Sports Program from June 29 to July 28.

Registration applications are available through the Police Athletics League. Call 503-823-0250 or visit the Web site, www.palkids.org.

The daylong program runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students are transported to and from the program, centered at Portland State University, where they rotate through four sessions of sports and education classes.

VANCOUVER—Summer is almost here, and that means it's time again for C-TRAN's Summer Blast Pass — a special seasonal fare for youth between the 13 and 18 years old.

The pass costs $36 and allows kids to experience independence, freedom and fun for the entire summer by offering unlimited rides on all C-TRAN routes (except Portland Premium Express routes to downtown Portland), TriMet buses, MAX and the Portland streetcar. It also offers discounts at participating local merchants.

In what could be a record-breaking year in attendance, Portland Parks and Recreation's seven outdoor and six indoor pools are gearing up for this summer's swim season, which begins Monday, June 19.

Pools throughout the city are being spiffed up and prepared for the influx of swimmers that flock to them each year. With the price of gasoline at record highs, more Portlanders are expected to take advantage of neighborhood pools close to home.

Erik Sten

Portland City Commissioner Erik Sten and Portland Business Alliance President Sandra McDonough will discuss "Voter-Owned Elections: What Worked, What Didn't and What Do We Really Want?" at the Portland City Club Friday Forum on June 23.

The event runs from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. at the Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave., under the moderation of Susan Hammer.

Portland's new voter-owned election system made its debut during the May primary. With this "dress rehearsal" now behind us, how did Portland's taxpayer-funded "clean money" election process perform?

Homeless people in Multnomah County will be able to breathe a little easier — literally. A mobile clinic operated by the county may soon be coming to a neighborhood near them.

The 40-foot medical van will offer medical care, lab and screening services at designated social service agencies. More than 2,200 homeless and medically underserved people may be seen at the mobile clinic, which could receive more than 10,000 visits in its first year.

Free lunches and afternoon snacks will be provided for children attending the Blazers and Wattles Boys & Girls Clubs this summer.

Meals will be served at the clubs from June 15 to Aug. 18. At the Blazers Club, 5250 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., lunch will be from noon to 1:30 p.m., and a snack will be served from 3 to 4 p.m. Call the club, 503-282-8480, for more information.

Oregon Gymnastics Academy in Beaverton will host a summer's worth of fun beginning Monday, June 19.

The academy's preschool-aged and school-aged camps are designed to entertain children with gym time, arts and crafts, weekly themes, swimming and field trips.

A full day camp at the academy, 16305 N.W. Bethany Ct., will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; a half day is from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. or noon to 3 p.m. Drop-ins are allowed if space permits.

"Geelboi's Moon Dream," San tribe, Namibia and BotswanaPhotojournalist Janis…