Clark County Today News

The McClaskey Foundation, through the Parks Foundation of Clark County, has invested $25,000 to sustain the Summer Playgrounds Program — a six-week, free recreation program serving Vancouver children ages 6–11 at Evergreen Park, Hough Elementary, and Crestline Elementary, including daily USDA-funded lunches. https://clarkcountytoday.com/youth/parks-foundation-of-clark-county-awards-25000-to-suppor...

Former Democratic Governor Gary Locke told a statewide economic summit that Washington's legislature has "no budget discipline," warning that one-time money is being locked into permanent programs with no plan to sustain them — even as the state faces a projected budget deficit. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/video-ex-governor-locke-criticizes-washingtons-out-of-control-spending/ #Washington...

Initiative 645 is certified for the November ballot after Let's Go Washington submitted 509,365 signatures. The Clark County Charter Review Commission passed amendment 26-40 on a 12-3 vote, C-TRAN holds $201 million in cash but fares cover just 4.2 percent of operating costs, and the Washougal National turns 45 on July 25. https://mailchi.mp/clarkcountytoday/this-weeks-top-news_july_17_2026 #Clark...

A Clark County Charter Review Commission amendment passed 12-3 would lower the signature threshold for initiatives from 10 percent to 8 percent. Sponsor Cathie Garber says no citizen petition has reached the ballot since Clark County adopted Home Rule in 2014. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/charter-review-commission-26-40-amending-the-initiative-mini-initiative-and-referenda-process/ #ClarkCoun...

A Mercatus Center study of nearly 34 million interstate moves finds Americans are gravitating toward states with lower taxes and greater economic freedom — and Washington is among the top sources of people choosing Idaho. Chris Cargill of Mountain States Policy Center examines what's driving the shift and what it means for the region. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-idaho-and-montana-...

Initiative 645, which would repeal Washington's new 9.9% income tax on income above $1 million a year, has been certified for the November ballot after Let's Go Washington submitted 509,365 signatures with an 80%-plus validity rate. Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the underlying law in March; tax collections are set to begin in 2029. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/its-official-wa-voters-will-get-to-we...

Since January, 138 striking workers have collected 642 weeks of unemployment benefits totaling nearly $506,000 under Washington's new law — and Washington Policy Center's Elizabeth New (Hovde) argues the employer-funded UI system was never designed to subsidize labor disputes. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-ui-fund-has-a-government-made-leak-harming-workers-and-their-employers/ #Unem...

The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington awarded $719,000 in Focus Grants to 15 nonprofits in its first 2026 funding cycle — covering healthcare, immigrant services, food security, and civic engagement across Clark, Cowlitz, and Skamania Counties. A second cycle opens now with $460,000 available and an August 31 deadline. https://clarkcountytoday.com/business/community-foundation-awards-7...

The city of Vancouver and Fort Vancouver National Historic Site are hosting a free family event at Pearson Field on August 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The day includes flight simulators, guided tours, a Compass Rose mural unveiling by The 99s, WINGS credit workshops, and paper airplane competitions. https://clarkcountytoday.com/people/entertainment/city-of-vancouver-and-national-park-service-to-host...

Five of nine Washington Supreme Court seats are on the 2026 primary ballot. The League of Women Voters of Washington has published video interviews with 13 of 14 candidates, each answering the same four questions on judicial experience, legal reasoning, and judicial review. Ballots are due August 4. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/lwv-of-wa-launches-four-questions-video-series-for-washington-sup...

Amendment 26-31 would expand Clark County's Ethics Commission from three to five members — but voters may never see it. The county council is expected to act on July 21, which could make the ballot measure unnecessary. Sponsor Kim Hamlik says five members would allow stronger deliberation. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/charter-review-commission-26-31-establishing-a-five-member-ethics-commissio...

Construction begins in August to replace an aging bridge in the northeast corner of Lacamas Regional Park, closing all trails in that area through approximately November. A separate City of Camas dam maintenance project at Round Lake begins in September, adding flaggers along park trails when equipment moves. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/trail-and-access-closures-begin-soon-at-lacamas-regiona...

La Center's Myrna Leija-Frantz makes the case for Judge Dave Larson in the Washington State Supreme Court Position 5 race, citing his 41 years of legal experience — 23 as a civil trial lawyer and 18 as a trial judge — and his commitment to fairness over partisan politics. Ballots arrive for the August 4 primary. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-judge-larson-is-the-real-deal/ #Washington...

Randal O'Toole of Cascade Policy Institute argues the 21st Century Road to Housing Act is political theater — and that urban growth boundaries in Oregon, Washington, California, and Hawaii are the true drivers of unaffordable housing. He points to Portland's subsidized housing costs nearing $800 per livable square foot as evidence the problem is getting worse, not better. https://clarkcountytoday....

Vancouver resident Wynn Grcich calls out Battle Ground council members Troy McCoy and Glen Yung for supporting water fluoridation, arguing the public was not given informed consent and that politicians have no authority to make medical decisions for residents. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-our-rights-are-being-taken-away-by-council-members-locally/ #Opinion #BattleGround #Fluoride #C...

Clark County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested 33-year-old Samuel Swan following a reported sexual assault at Pacific Park Extreme Skate Park in Vancouver. The 12-year-old victim was contacted at the scene. Swan faces First-Degree Kidnapping, First-Degree Rape, Second-Degree Rape of a Child, and outstanding felony warrants. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/ccso-arrests-33-year-old-in-juvenile-se...

Nancy Churchill examines the four candidates vying for Washington Supreme Court Position 7 — a seat that will almost certainly decide the constitutional fate of the state's new income tax. Churchill weighs Chief Justice Debra Stephens' record against three challengers who each emphasize applying the Constitution as written. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-supreme-court-position-7-will...

Amendment 26-20, sponsored by Charter Review Commission chair Brandon Erickson and passed 9-6, would limit Clark County Council members to three consecutive terms. A one-term waiting period would apply before a former councilor could run again. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/charter-review-commission-26-20-limitation-on-consecutive-terms-for-county-council-members/ #ClarkCounty #CharterReview #...

Charter amendment 26-14, sponsored by Peter Silliman of District 5, would give the Clark County Council authority to conduct independent performance audits of county finances and programs. The measure passed the Charter Review Commission 13-2 and is headed for the November 2026 ballot. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/charter-review-commission-26-14-performance-audits/ #ClarkCounty #CharterReview...

Clark County voters rejected light rail in 2012 and passed a 68% advisory vote against it in 2013 — yet Councilors Yung, Fuentes, and Marshall have continued pushing the project. The IBR I-5 Bridge cost estimate has doubled from $7.5 billion to $15.2 billion since 2023, and a C-TRAN board restructuring now gives Vancouver effective control of six of nine seats. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion...

US Army veteran Tiffany Plous Ferschweiler makes the case that Clark County's HUD-VASH support is concentrated in Vancouver, leaving veterans with housing vouchers few options countywide. She points to Multi-Family Tax Exemption programs and the state's Landlord Mitigation Program as tools local leaders should deploy. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-our-local-leaders-should-be-advocati...

The Clark County Charter Review Commission passed Amendment 26-10 with a 12-3 vote, requiring the county's budget process to begin in September instead of November — giving residents more time to weigh in on an $880 million annual budget most never knew existed. Sponsor Peter Silliman says public participation under the current timeline is minimal. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/charter-review-...

Rep. John Ley breaks down C-TRAN's 2025 annual report — $201 million in reserves, 4.9 million boardings, and wages up 55% since 2023. The agency outperforms TriMet, but farebox recovery has fallen from 17% to 4.2% and buses often run at less than 20% capacity. https://clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-c-tran-outpaces-trimet-strong-finances-and-growing-ridership-but-a-cautionary-note-on-costs-an...

For the 26th year, Pacific Power and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife opened the Merwin Fish Hatchery to more than 150 children with disabilities — each one welcomed by volunteers, handed free poles and tackle, and given the chance to reel in rainbow trout and take home up to five fish. The day's biggest catch, a 6-pound 7-ounce trout, was landed by Stuart Ruckman. https://clarkcount...

Washington's Employment Security Department has paid nearly $506,000 to 138 striking workers in the first six months of a new state law extending unemployment benefits to those in labor disputes. Eligible workers can receive up to 6 weeks of benefits — far less than the standard 26 weeks — and projected trust fund shortfalls could trigger a new business tax worth hundreds of millions of dollars. h...