Clark County Today News

Clark County Today editor Ken Vance examines whether Democrats in the 3rd Congressional District are repeating the same splintering strategy that cost Republicans the seat for two terms. Brett Hennrich, who drew 16 percent of the primary vote, says he will not support Gluesenkamp Perez in November. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-will-sw-washington-democrats-repeat-the-mistake-of-thei...

Less than 48 hours after Washington's primary closed, U.S. Speaker Mike Johnson was at Trap Door Brewing in Vancouver endorsing John Braun for Washington's 3rd Congressional District. Braun faces Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in November, with Cook Political Report listing the seat as a toss-up among 18 nationally. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/u-s-speaker-of-the-house-campaigns-for-john-br...

Democrat Brent Hennrich, who earned over 16% of the vote in Washington's 3rd Congressional District primary, says he will not support Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in November. His roughly 28,000 voters could prove decisive in the battleground race between Gluesenkamp Perez and Republican John Braun. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/liberal-hennrich-in-3rd-district-wont-support-gluesenkamp-perez/...

Mark Harmsworth of the Washington Policy Center argues that while lawmakers champion affordable housing, the Department of Health is raising fees on mobile home parks and temporary worker housing by as much as 250 percent, shifting the cost burden onto the residents least able to absorb it. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-when-politicians-say-one-thing-and-do-something-else/ #Affordab...

Clark County's Commission on Aging is accepting nominations for its annual Silver Citizen Award, open to any county resident 60 or older who has made meaningful contributions through volunteerism, service, or community engagement. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2026. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/commission-on-agings-7th-annual-silver-citizen-award/ #SilverCitizenAward #ClarkCounty...

The 2026 Clark County Fair opens Friday, Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. after 354 days of waiting. Opening day features a 2 p.m. Midway parade with cars, horses, and magicians, a 7 p.m. Midland country concert, and the Celebration of Horses equestrian showcase at Dr. Jack Giesy Arena. https://clarkcountytoday.com/people/heres-whats-happening-at-the-clark-county-fair-on-friday-aug-7/ #ClarkCountyFair #ClarkCoun...

Matt Young founded Vancouver Elite Outreach 16 years ago after his own struggles with dyslexia, a tough home life, and becoming a teenage parent. Now he mentors boys and girls ages 11 to 18 through life skills, career days, and community partnerships. https://clarkcountytoday.com/people/vancouver-elite-outreach-looks-to-help-citys-youth-through-mentorship/ #VancouverEliteOutreach #YouthMentorship...

Bill Ritchie, founding pastor of Crossroads Community Church, spent four and a half years caring for his wife Betty before her death. Now 82, he has a 156-page book on navigating grief and faith, and leads a weekly widowers group of 10 men. https://clarkcountytoday.com/people/beloved-area-pastor-shares-the-backstory-behind-the-writing-of-his-new-book-about-grief/ #grief #faith #BillRitchie #Crossr...

Columnist Nancy Churchill traces Title IX's legacy, from roughly 300,000 female athletes in 1972 to more than three million girls competing in high school sports four decades later, and argues that Initiative 638 would restore biological-sex requirements to Washington's middle and high school sports programs. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-xx-xy-follow-the-science/ #Initiative638 #Ti...

Paul Valencia has covered the Clark County Fair for years, and he argues the 10-day event, starting Aug. 7, is the best entertainment value in Clark County at $11.50 for adults. From Mars Encounters to an I Love the 90s concert, this year's fair promises something for every generation. https://clarkcountytoday.com/people/entertainment/opinion-the-clark-county-fair-gives-this-reporter-the-opportuni...

Four Republican incumbents in Clark County's 17th and 18th legislative districts are trailing their Democrat challengers after Tuesday's primary. If all four lose in November, Democrats move closer to a supermajority in the Washington State House. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/primary-election-results-reveal-republicans-have-work-to-do-in-17th-and-18th-district-legislative-races/ #ClarkCounty...

Washington state Supreme Court incumbents, including two appointees of Gov. Bob Ferguson, led in three contested primary races after Tuesday's initial results. In a fourth race for an open seat, Mason County Judge David Stevens leads while King County Judge Jaime Hawk and appeals Judge Mike Diaz split the progressive vote. Candidates have raised over $2.3 million combined, with the state's new inc...

State Senate Minority Leader John Braun finished second in initial Third Congressional District primary results with 53,869 votes, trailing Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez's 54,132. Democrat Brett Hennrich placed a distant third with 21,290 votes. Braun and Gluesenkamp Perez advance to November. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/braun-feeling-upbeat-after-initial-ballot-results/ #WA03 #WashingtonStat...

Mitchell Kelly leads the Clark County auditor race with 29.15% of the vote, followed closely by Eileen Quiring O'Brien at 28.74%. Ty Stober and Sharon Wylie trail behind. Council races in Districts 1, 2, and 5 are also taking shape. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/initial-results-from-aug-4-primary-election-release/ #ClarkCounty #PrimaryElection #ClarkCountyAuditor #ClarkCountyCouncil #Washingto...

Battle Ground issued a stop-work order on Metronet fiber-optic construction after residents reported sewer damage, unpermitted repairs, dead sod, and crews who could not produce permits on request. The city requires Metronet to provide construction schedules, proof of proper notice, and Washington Dig Law compliance before new boring resumes. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/bg-halts-metronet-con...

Cascade Policy Institute's Randal O'Toole argues that more than 95 percent of Portland-area passenger travel is by automobile for good reason. A 60-minute car trip reaches ten times as many jobs as transit, and subsidies make transit cost six times more per passenger-mile than driving. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-portlands-war-on-cars-2-the-overlooked-benefits-of-driving-cars/ #Po...

Donald Kimball of the Washington Policy Center argues that data centers are not driving up energy prices in Washington state. He points to regulations like the Clean Energy Transformation Act and the Climate Commitment Act as the real cost drivers, and calls for expanding energy production. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-do-data-centers-drive-up-energy-costs/ #DataCenters #EnergyPoli...

Washington's primary is underway with all House seats, two dozen Senate races, and four state Supreme Court positions on the ballot. As of Monday night, just under 20% of ballots had been returned statewide. Ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. tonight. First results are expected just after 8 p.m. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/video-will-voters-show-up-washington-primary-tests-midterm-turnout/...

Camas resident Anthony Teso responds to a prior letter, arguing that applying automobile-style regulation to firearms would make Washington's gun laws stricter, not looser. He also corrects the record on Senate Bill 5098, the Bite of Seattle shooting, and Vancouver's public defender shortage. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-take-the-car-analogy-seriously/ #Opinion #GunLaws #WashingtonS...

Chris Cargill of Mountain States Policy Center uses a classroom thought experiment and Soviet agricultural history to argue that socialism weakens the incentives driving risk-taking, problem-solving, and the creation of prosperity. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-fatal-flaws-of-socialism-why-incentives-matter/ #Opinion #Socialism #FreeMarkets #Incentives #Economics #MountainStatesPoli...

Wildfire smoke is affecting communities across southwest Washington, with risks especially high for those with asthma, COPD, heart conditions, and allergies. PeaceHealth outlines steps residents can take now, from limiting outdoor exposure to keeping rescue medications on hand. All PeaceHealth facilities are open and operating with enhanced air filtration systems. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news...

Three fires in the Spokane Complex have burned more than 8,000 acres, with up to 1,100 structures possibly destroyed and 65,000 people under evacuation orders. Washington's full congressional delegation is urging President Trump to approve an emergency declaration as FEMA moves resources into the state. Smoke is expected to affect western Washington air quality in the days ahead. https://clarkcoun...

Washington Policy Center's Elizabeth New (Hovde) examines how the WEA, the Washington Federation of State Employees, and relevant locals of SEIU each contributed $1 million to oppose IP26-645, the initiative to repeal Washington's income tax, while also opposing two other statewide measures this November. She argues public employers should give workers clear, neutral notice of their First Amendmen...

Curran Ellis Fine, an inmate at the Clark County Jail, was found unresponsive in his cell on July 23, 2026, and died at a local hospital on July 29. Corrections staff, jail medical personnel, and emergency responders attempted lifesaving measures before he was transported by ambulance. A state-mandated fatality review is underway. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/clark-county-jail-inmate-dies/ #C...

Jonathan Hines argues that gun-free zones and expanded firearm restrictions disarm only law-abiding citizens, leaving them defenseless while criminals carrying illegal weapons face no deterrent. He ties the argument to Vancouver PD's shift away from enforcing low-level misdemeanors. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-misguided-gun-policies-disarm-victims-not-criminals/ #GunPolicy #SecondA...