• Celebrate Hillsboro, July 24, Hillsboro Civic Center Plaza
• Washington County Fair, July 29 - August 1, Washington County Fair Complex in Hillsboro
• Tualatin Crawfish Festival, August 14, Tualatin Community Park
• Beaverton's Celebration Parade, September 18, downtown Beaverton (wave to us on the parade route!)

Wondering about the best way to dispose of leftover paint after your summer projects? Thanks to a first-in-the nation paint stewardship law, you will soon be able to drop off your unwanted paint at local stores for recycling. Much better than dumping it down the drain or taking up precious garage space! Ace Hardware in Aloha is currently taking paint and other locations will be added as the program grows. Learn more at PaintCare.org.

Curb outdoor water use

While the temperature rises, sit back, relax and watch your lawn go brown. It's that simple. You'll save money as you conserve water and keep fertilizer out of our rivers and streams. As soon as the rain hits in November, our green lawns will reappear. It's all part of the natural process here in the Pacific Northwest. So, go brown. Mother Nature and your wallet will thank you for it.

Get more water-friendly, money-saving tips:

• If you do water, only use one-inch per week (a tuna can's worth)
• Water in the early morning or late evening when the temperature is cooler
• Mow grass higher to promote deep roots and healthy soil
• Mark your calendar to aerate, thatch and reseed with a Northwest grass this Fall and Spring
• Plant natives that require less water and fewer chemicals