Clark County Today News

Rep. John Ley draws a direct line from Camas's "temporary" utility tax — proposed to jump from 2% to 9% — to a new statewide 9.9% income tax that over 511,000 Washingtonians have forced onto the November ballot. He argues the pattern is undeniable: temporary taxes never expire. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-letting-the-camels-nose-into-the-tent-reject-the-income-tax/ #Opinion #I...

Rye Dilley, a Tukes Valley Middle School student entering eighth grade, revived a defunct Battle Ground Public Schools district newspaper as a student-driven digital magazine — assembling the first 30-page issue in under six weeks alongside a team of about a dozen students. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/tukes-valley-middle-school-student-leads-school-district-news-magazine/ #BattleGround...

Washington's Small Business Optimism Index sits at 94.5 — four points below the national average. NFIB data show 19 percent of Washington owners cite labor costs as their top problem, more than double the 8.5 percent national rate, while government regulation and taxes also register far higher than peer states. Washington Policy Center's Mark Harmsworth breaks down what the numbers mean for worker...

More than 8,200 people experienced homelessness in Clark County in 2025, including over 2,300 children. The Council for the Homeless annual report documents small but fragile gains in shelter stays and housing stability, while warning that rising costs and tapering federal relief continue to outpace available resources. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/council-for-the-homeless-releases-2025-a...

Clark County's Charter Review Commission voted Wednesday to send all 10 proposed amendments to the November 2026 general election ballot. The amendments include a supermajority requirement for new county taxes, a three-consecutive-term limit for county councilors, and a reduction in initiative signature requirements from 10 percent to 8 percent. Commission Chair Brandon Erickson called the vote a...

Vancouver resident Sharon Nasset makes the case that removing the I-5 bridges is unnecessary — arguing seismic upgrades are feasible, a supplemental bridge one mile west could add capacity, and a second BNSF lift could reduce bridge raises by 95%. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/uncategorized/letter-why-are-we-removing-the-i-5-bridges/ #I5Bridge #ColumbiaRiver #IBR #Vancouver #ClarkCounty #Transp...

A wetland at the headwaters of Cougar Creek — ditched and drained more than a century ago — has been fully restored at Clark County's 78th Street Heritage Farm. The $4 million project features eight wetland cells and a 35-foot native plant buffer designed to improve water quality, recharge groundwater, and support salmon habitat in the Salmon Creek Watershed. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/...

The ramp from southbound I-5 to southbound I-205 at Exit 7 in Vancouver closes Friday, July 10 at 10 p.m. through Saturday at 8 p.m. for pavement repairs and striping. All southbound I-205 lanes between the I-5/I-205 split and Exit 36 at Northeast 134th Street will also close. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/southbound-i-5-to-i-205-connection-closes-for-paving-work-in-vancouver-july-10-11/ #...

Battle Ground is accepting grant applications for 2027 tourism programs, with funding available for special events, marketing, and operations designed to bring visitors to the city. Applications are due August 31 at 5 p.m. Finance Director Meagan Lowery is the point of contact. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/business/city-of-battle-ground-offering-2027-tourism-grants/ #BattleGround #ClarkCounty...

Motorcyclists made up 16 percent of Washington traffic fatalities over the last five years, despite being involved in just 3 percent of all crashes. Law enforcement agencies across Clark County will run High Visibility Enforcement patrols from July 10 through July 26, targeting dangerous behaviors by both riders and drivers. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/increased-motorcycle-safety-patrols...

Clark County Sheriff's Office deputy Patrick Morgan, 32, died June 30 after a nearly two-year battle with stage IV colon cancer. A husband, father of two, Army veteran, and dedicated deputy, Morgan continued reporting to work throughout his illness. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/ccso-deputy-dies-after-nearly-two-year-battle-with-cancer/ #CCSO #ClarkCounty #PatrickMorgan #LawEnforcement #...

Clark County is accepting applications for an open business representative seat on the 11-member Arts Commission. The unfinished four-year term ends Dec. 31, 2031. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Aug. 7 and can be submitted to County Manager Jake Goodwin. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/county-manager-seeks-volunteer-for-open-seat-on-arts-commission-5/ #ClarkCounty #ArtsCommission #Vancouv...

Clark County Superior Court Judge Robert Lewis dismissed a defense motion to disqualify the entire Clark County Prosecutor's Office from a case against Steven Michael Ward. The motion stemmed from lead prosecutor Laurel Smith's acknowledged relationship with Sgt. James Dewey, the case's lead investigator. Smith has since been screened off the case. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/judge-dismi...

Sen. John Braun says Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez voted against the largest tax reduction in U.S. history while positioning herself as a moderate. An NRCC internal poll from May 2026 shows Braun leading Perez 41% to 34% in WA-03, as opponents of Washington's new income tax submit more than 500,000 signatures for a repeal initiative. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/video-heat-turns-up-on-cong...

Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs a seven-page letter threatening criminal prosecution if election officials knowingly retain noncitizens on voter rolls or facilitate their ballots. Hobbs has five days to respond. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/doj-threatens-wa-election-officials-with-prosecution-if-noncitizens-vote/ #WashingtonSt...

Leslie Lewallen examines WEA-PAC contribution data showing roughly 63% of member funds — nearly $5 million since 2020 — directed to Democratic candidates, including Governor Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson. She argues the union's political spending contradicts its stated nonpartisan mission while Washington students lag on state and national assessments. https://www.clarkcountytoday.c...

Keithen Shepard grew up in Vancouver, starred at Union High School, and earned a degree from MIT — then landed a job with the New England Patriots as a data engineer in 2022. Now a Football R&D Analyst, he helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl in 2025 after back-to-back 4-13 seasons. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/former-union-titan-now-excels-in-key-role-in-the-front-office-of-the-new...

Governor Bob Ferguson appointed former K&L Gates partner Theo Angelis — who has no judicial experience — to Washington Supreme Court Position 5 in March 2026. Columnist Nancy Churchill examines all four candidates ahead of the August 4 primary, weighing trial court experience, political connections, and what's at stake with the income tax case and LEOFF 1 disputes headed to the court. https://www....

Paul Greenlee, who served nearly 15 years on the Washougal City Council after retiring and simply asking how he could help his community, died July 5, 2026 at the age of 80. City Manager David Scott and Mayor David Stuebe remembered him as a tireless champion for Washougal. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/city-of-washougal-officials-mourn-the-loss-of-former-council-member-paul-greenlee/ #W...

Clark County Republican Women are hosting a free, public Meet the Candidates event on July 23 at the Battle Ground Event Center, 912 E. Main Street. Attendees can ask candidates questions and bring their ballot for submission by a qualified election observer team. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/clark-county-republican-women-to-host-meet-the-candidates-event/ #ClarkCounty #BattleGround #Meet...

A six-month Center Square investigation found dozens of Washington state daycares receiving hundreds of thousands in taxpayer subsidies with little or no evidence of children present. A state audit identified $37 million in questionable payments — yet no official has launched a fraud investigation. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/business/video-state-fails-to-investigate-daycares-with-no-children...

State Rep. David Stuebe, a retired Marine Corps Colonel and Mayor of Washougal, has announced his re-election bid for the 17th District. His platform centers on spending limits tied to family budgets, a new Tax Relief Account to return surpluses to taxpayers, and protecting core services while cutting waste. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/rep-david-stuebe-announces-re-election-campaign/ #...

Rep. John Ley breaks down TriMet's financial collapse — $6.4 billion in operating losses over a decade, ridership 30 percent below 2019 levels, and cash reserves projected to run dry in May 2029. Oregon voters rejected a taxpayer bailout 83-17. The IBR's light rail component carries a $3.5 billion price tag, and phase one doesn't even include trains, tracks, or stations. https://www.clarkcountytod...

Ridgefield Mayor Matt Cole says the city's public safety grant funding came in at $1.1 million — well above the $250,000 originally expected. Cole also discusses the rec center contractor selection, a new police chief search following Chief Cathy Doriot's retirement, the Kennedy Well water project, and the Rise Downtown Redevelopment Initiative. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/mayor-reflec...

A 39-year-old man died after his 2003 Kawasaki ATV was struck by a Ford Escape at NE 76th St. and NE 137th Ave. late on July 4. The rider had no helmet, and investigators believe alcohol impairment may have been a factor. The Clark County Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Unit is leading the investigation. https://clarkcountytoday.com/news/ccso-traffic-homicide-unit-investigating-fatal-vehicle-vs-...