Clark County Today News

On Sept. 15, Skyview cross country runners Charlie Garrett and Sierra Retzlaff stepped off the course at Camas High School to protest competing against a biological male. Both girls say spots and scholarships are at stake, and Washington voters will weigh in on Initiative 638 in November. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/skyview-girls-share-reason-their-decision-not-compete #SkyviewHighSchool #G...

Alliance Defending Freedom filed a SCOTUS emergency application for Puyallup wrestler Kallie Keeler, 15, who says she was sexually assaulted during a December 2025 match against a male competitor who identifies as female. Two lower courts declined relief. Without an injunction, Keeler faces missing the girls wrestling season beginning in November. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/video-puyallup-...

Candidate Sarah Mittelman raises questions about opponent Kim Harless's relationship with the Democratic Socialists of America, citing a 27-0 DSA resolution calling Harless a "member in good standing" expected to legislate in alignment with DSA's national platform, which calls for abolishing the U.S. Senate and police system. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/opinion-who-will-kim-harless-represen...

Ryan Frost of the Washington Policy Center argues that blaming McCleary for Washington's budget pressures obscures a larger reality: since 2019, non-K-12 spending has surged $20.88 billion, or 82%, nearly three times faster than K-12 growth, accounting for roughly three-quarters of total state budget expansion. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/opinion-mccleary-really-blame-washingtons-budget-woe...

Let's Go Washington released new polling showing I-001, at 51% support, and I-638, at 56% support. LGW founder Brian Heywood says a large undecided bloc reflects voter reluctance to take a public position. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/new-poll-shows-support-parents-right-know-and-fairness-girls #LetsGoWashington #I001 #I638 #WashingtonState #ParentalRights #GirlsSports #WaInitiatives

Council for the Homeless marks 37 years serving Clark County at its Gathering for Change fundraiser on Oct. 15 at Kiggins Theatre in Vancouver. CEO Sesany Fennie-Jones will publicly announce the organization's new name and brand identity live for the first time. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/council-homeless-celebrate-37-years-gathering-change #CouncilForTheHomeless #GatheringForChange #Clark...

Washington's recreational razor clam season, originally set to open Oct. 9 on four coastal beaches, is postponed indefinitely after domoic acid levels trended upward or exceeded DOH safety guidelines. WDFW biologist Bryce Blumenthal says a toxin bloom is moving north past Grays Harbor. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/razor-clam-digs-coastal-beaches-postponed-until-further #RazorClams #WDFW #Was...

Ridgefield City Council unanimously adopted a moratorium on new gas station applications, citing seven existing or under-construction fueling stations already within 1.5 miles in the Ridgefield Junction area. The Council has up to six months to review development regulations. A public hearing is set for Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/ridgefield-city-council-adopts-moratoriu...

Nancy Churchill dissects a political mailer that blamed Rep. Michael Baumgartner for a rural hospital crisis traced to hidden losses from 2022 to 2024, and a CEO termination that predated his term. She argues the Working Families Tax Cut Act actually sends Washington state $181 million for rural health care. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/opinion-desperate-campaign-spreads-rural-healthcare-lie...

A Camas High School athlete competed on the boys' cross country team for the first race of the 2026 season, then switched to the girls' team, ranking second among female runners and taking a top varsity spot, according to Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/opinion-can-real-biological-male-competes-camas-boys-and #CamasHighSchool #GirlsSports #Initiative638 #Tra...

Camas resident Anna Miller raises a pointed question about conflict-of-interest rules in Clark County government: can a councilor vote on funding for an organization that pays part of their salary? Miller argues that transparency, disclosure, and recusal are the only appropriate responses, and that silence from fellow councilors sets a precedent with lasting consequences. https://clarkcountytoday....

Chris Cargill of Mountain States Policy Center argues Washington won't collect a dime of income tax revenue until 2029, making claims that Initiative 645 would "cut" school or health care funding factually misleading. The ballot impact statement, he contends, shifted polling by 18 points. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/opinion-fact-check-washingtons-income-tax-initiative-doesnt #Initiative645...

Identity Clark County is accepting nominations for its 2027 Ed Lynch honorary board seat, a one-year role for an emerging private-sector leader. The seat honors the late businessman and philanthropist Edward Lynch, who chaired the group for more than a decade. Nominations are due by October 30, 2026. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/identity-clark-county-accepting-nominations-ed-lynch-board #Ide...

Clark County Public Works, Parks and Nature is asking residents to help shape the future of local parks, trails and natural areas through an online survey open through Nov. 1. The survey takes five to ten minutes, is available in multiple languages, and includes a chance to win one of five $50 gift cards. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/community-invited-share-what-they-like-about-county-parks...

Karen Crowley, president of the League of Women Voters of Washington, makes the case for candidate forums, arguing that in races for school board, city council, and state legislature, a forum may be the only real chance voters have to compare candidates side by side. Debate participation among U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidates has been falling since at least 2016. https://clarkcountytoday.c...

Battle Ground resident Dick Rylander examines Clark County's Proposition 12 and Proposition 13, questioning whether the county has demonstrated that a 739-bed expansion, $366.2 million in bonds, and a permanent levy-lid lift are the right response to an aging 1984-era jail. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/letter-serious-jail-problem-deserves-serious-solution #ClarkCounty #Proposition12 #Proposi...

A 34-year-old woman was killed and a 43-year-old man left in critical condition after a DUI driver ran a red light at NE Andresen Road and NE Van Mall Drive, flipping his Jeep into two pedestrians crossing legally. Noah Merchant, 26, faces vehicular homicide charges. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/vancouver-police-investigate-fatal-collision-3 #VancouverWA #DUI #VehicularHomicide #FatalCrash #...

Rep. John Ley argues Washington's new 9.9% income tax on income over $1 million is a temporary line. Democrats including Rep. Cindy Ryu and Sen. Jesse Salomon are already pushing to lower the threshold, and lawmakers have openly said voters shouldn't trust it will stay limited to millionaires. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/opinion-theyre-coming-your-money-and-your-retirement #WashingtonState...

The Clark County Prosecutor's Office declined criminal charges in the death of Marc Fogle, who attorneys say was stabbed 17 times in the back by a deputy using his own personal dagger. Attorneys Mark Lindquist and Angus Lee say the decision has no bearing on their $27 million civil claim, pointing to disputed body camera gaps and ignored TASER and holster evidence. https://clarkcountytoday.com/sto...

Reform Clark County founder Rob Anderson argues Councilor Wil Fuentes is violating Charter Section 8.8 by holding a paid role at Fourth Plain Forward, a nonprofit that received approximately $299,000 in County funds in 2025. Anderson has filed an ethics complaint and is awaiting a response from the County Manager and Prosecuting Attorney. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/opinion-county-charter-s...

Camas resident Gary Perman makes the case for Rep. David Stuebe in the 17th Legislative District, citing Stuebe's votes against Senate Bill 6346, gas taxes, and property and business tax increases in his first term. Perman argues Vancouver City Councilmember Diana Perez's council record of property-tax increases, utility-rate hikes, and new fees should not be brought to Olympia. https://clarkcount...

The Eileen Quiring O'Brien campaign has released a report alleging that an Eritrean national with an active ICE detainer remained on Clark County voter rolls under Auditor Greg Kimsey's 28-year tenure. Kimsey then retained attorney Ted H. Gathe, husband of a candidate Quiring O'Brien defeated in the August primary, to send a $5,000-per-violation demand letter to the campaign. Trial attorney D. Ang...

The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has determined that Deputy Bryson Layton's use of deadly force in the May 7, 2025, death of Marc Fogle was lawfully justified under Washington's objective good faith standard. The determination follows an independent OII investigation and review of body-worn camera footage. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/sheriff-provides-statement-prosecuting-atto...

Vancouver Fire Department crews rescued a trapped occupant from a burning apartment at 7609 NE Vancouver Mall Drive Saturday morning. The fire was upgraded to two alarms, bringing 33 firefighters to the scene. The victim was transported by AMR. The cause remains under investigation. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/two-alarm-apartment-fire-vancouver-mall-drive #VancouverFire #ApartmentFire #Clar...

Female athletes from five states gathered in Vancouver at the Firmly Planted Family Homeschool Resource Center to support I-638, a Washington ballot initiative that would protect a separate female category in sports. U.S. national champion gymnast Jennifer Sey and state Sen. John Braun also spoke. https://clarkcountytoday.com/story/jennifer-sey-high-school-athletes-girls-supporters-gather #GirlsSp...