Clark County Today News

Katie Henry brings two decades of healthcare management experience to Identity Clark County's board of directors. The Vancouver Clinic CEO previously led Austin Regional Clinic through 13 capital projects and 50% patient growth. Henry holds a juris doctorate from Wake Forest University and serves on the American Medical Group Association executive committee. Identity Clark County represents 110 in...

Thalia Puente Fernandez argues Washington students shouldn't face penalties for refusing animal dissection when Oregon and California already protect this choice. She questions unclear animal origins and calls for Clark County to lead on student rights legislation that prioritizes ethics over compliance in science education. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-its-time-to-protect-stude...

Vancouver Fire and Clark County Fire District 3 crews responded to a kitchen fire at 9304 NE 227th Avenue where four pets were trapped inside. Firefighters performed emergency resuscitation on two dogs and two cats rescued from the smoke-filled home. Despite rapid response efforts, three animals died while one dog survived. The Clark County Fire Marshal's Office continues investigating the cause....

Dave Upthegrove's unilateral decision to remove 79,876 acres from timber production is devastating rural school districts across Washington. Mount Baker schools face $1 million annual losses, forcing state takeover of finances and 30 employee cuts. Sedro-Woolley's DNR revenue collapsed from $3 million to $150,000, costing over 20 jobs. Nancy Churchill exposes how the Lands Commissioner's green age...

Lars Larson warns that Washington's "millionaires tax" will inevitably expand to hit middle-class earners, following the same pattern as federal income tax over the past century. The state is already hiring 300 tax collectors starting July 1st, even though revenue won't arrive until 2029, building infrastructure to eventually tax incomes under a million dollars. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/op...

After three years of closure due to a massive landslide, Mount St. Helens' Johnston Ridge Observatory will finally regain road access. The 2023 slide buried State Route 504 with over 300,000 cubic yards of volcanic debris, stranding visitors who needed helicopter rescue. Now Washington State Department of Transportation crews are building a permanent replacement for the destroyed Spirit Lake Outle...

Rep. John Ley exposes TriMet's staggering financial mismanagement as the agency posts an $850 million operating loss while demanding Clark County taxpayers fund MAX light rail operations. With costs per passenger mile jumping 75% in two years and ridership still 30% below pre-pandemic levels, serious questions emerge about the IBR's plan to prioritize six light rail construction packages in 2026....

Vancouver City Council unanimously approved a resolution demanding light rail extend beyond the waterfront station to Library Square near Evergreen Boulevard. Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle criticized the IBR's proposal to end service at a station requiring a 90-foot elevator, calling it impractical for the planned multimodal hub connecting C-TRAN buses with light rail. The city invested years planning...

State Representatives Stephanie McClintock and John Ley will deliver remarks at the Battle Ground KinderCare grand opening celebration on Saturday, April 18. The new center serves children from 6 weeks to 5 years old and accepts Washington state subsidy to increase access to quality early learning. The free family event features face painters, Hawaiian snacks, and interactive activities from 11 a....

The Camas-Washougal Community Chest teams up with Rotary and Lions foundations to support 37 local organizations serving children and families. From emergency food assistance to Safe Stay overnight programs and watershed monitoring, these grants fund vital community services across Southwest Washington. Major donors include GP Foundation, local school districts, and city employees working together...

Terry Meyers, 58, pointed a firearm at a neighbor before barricading himself in his Vancouver apartment, forcing police to shut down I-5 southbound lanes during the SWAT response. The extended standoff at The Hudson apartment complex ended with Meyers' arrest and the discovery of multiple firearms in his unit. He faces two counts of second-degree assault and one count of third-degree assault. http...

Peter Bracchi challenges the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program's expanding scope after 22 years of planning and $477 million in pre-construction costs. The Vancouver resident argues project leaders must stop selling future hopes as current deliverables, with the fundable phase covering only a waterfront light rail station 75 feet above ground while the full corridor estimate reaches $14.4 bill...

Ekklesia Theatre presents Every Brilliant Thing, an interactive production where audiences become part of the story about finding hope during life's hardest moments. The company partners with Charis Counseling Associates, donating 50% of ticket sales to make mental health services accessible in Clark County. Shows run May 8, 15, and 22 at Coffee Church and Heritage Church in Vancouver, featuring C...

Ekklesia Theatre presents Every Brilliant Thing, an interactive production where audiences become part of the story about finding hope during life's hardest moments. The company partners with Charis Counseling Associates, donating 50% of ticket sales to make mental health services accessible in Clark County. Shows run May 8, 15, and 22 at Coffee Church and Heritage Church in Vancouver, featuring C...

Elizabeth New exposes how Washington state forces taxpayers to subsidize union collection while workers remain uninformed about their constitutional rights to refuse membership. Idaho's new legislation joins six other states banning government payroll deduction for private union dues, creating healthier separation between public employment and political organizations. The current system blurs empl...

Former Attorney General Rob McKenna and Supreme Court Justice Phil Talmadge filed suit in Klickitat Superior Court challenging Washington's new 9.9% income tax. The legal brief argues the legislature and Governor Ferguson willfully defied nearly a century of state Supreme Court precedent declaring income as property subject to uniform taxation requirements. Six previous attempts to impose graduate...

Vancouver Police responded to a residence on NE Oakbrook Circle Thursday night where officers discovered a 33-year-old woman deceased from significant knife wounds and a 30-year-old man with self-inflicted, life-threatening injuries. The male suspect was transported to a local hospital and remains hospitalized while the Major Crimes Unit conducts the investigation. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com...

Tony Teso dismantles Lars Larson's voter fraud narrative, explaining that Oregon and Washington are contesting federal jurisdiction over voter roll data — not refusing to clean their rolls. The Camas resident argues the 372,000 Colorado figure represents routine maintenance, not fraud, and challenges the logic that links ballot measure outcomes to electoral fraud claims. https://www.clarkcountytod...

Clark County Council schedules April 27 public hearing to select preferred land use alternative for comprehensive plan update affecting eight jurisdictions. Three alternatives studied in environmental impact statement following 60-day public comment period. Final decision will guide growth and development for next 20 years across Battle Ground, Camas, La Center, Ridgefield, Washougal, Woodland and...

Ken Vance exposes how the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program buried crucial details about their light rail plan requiring a 70-foot elevator system at the waterfront stop. While Governor Ferguson touted a $7.65 billion bridge cost, the full project price tag hit $15.2 billion with no public oversight planned. Vancouver's mayor revealed the hidden elevator requirement that IBR officials convenie...

A new poll asks Clark County residents whether they support extending light rail beyond the current waterfront-only plan to connect with C-TRAN at Library Square. Anne McEnerny-Ogle has proposed this extension to create a multimodal transit hub rather than relying on elevator access from an elevated station. The proposal raises questions about costs, phasing, and how the system will serve Clark Co...

Doug Dahl breaks down the spatial math behind cyclist passing laws on two-lane roads. Ford F-150s measure 8 feet wide with mirrors, but most road lanes are only 10-12 feet. Add the required 3-foot buffer and cyclist positioning, and legal in-lane passing becomes impossible for most vehicles. The solution isn't aggression—it's understanding when patience beats risky maneuvers on double yellow line...

Clark County wants public input on how to spend $2.4 million in federal CDBG and HOME funds for 2026. The proposed activities include dental services for low-income residents, sidewalk installation in Battle Ground, childcare business assistance, and affordable housing projects in Washougal. The County Council will hold a public hearing May 5, with comments accepted through May 11. Projects range...

Ryan Frost from Washington Policy Center exposes the fundamental flaw in Washington's approach to tax reform: lawmakers can always spend beyond revenue and simply raise taxes to cover the difference. Despite a decade of new taxes including capital gains and income taxes, the state still faces multi-billion-dollar deficits because spending has outpaced revenue growth since 2013. Frost argues only a...

Former Attorney General Rob McKenna and legal heavyweights launch their constitutional challenge Thursday against Washington's new 9.9% income tax on millionaire earners. The lawsuit targets Senate Bill 6346, signed by Governor Ferguson in March, which ends Washington's status as one of few states without individual income tax. Supporters welcome the legal fight, expecting it to reach the state Su...