Clark County Today News

David Kuhnhausen, former interim director of Portland's Permitting and Development bureau, has been appointed to lead Clark County's Community Development Department. County Manager Kathleen Otto cited his record of streamlining processes and building collaborative relationships. He starts June 1. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/david-kuhnhausen-selected-as-countys-community-development-di...

The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations is investigating a non-fatal officer-involved shooting in Vancouver involving the VPD. The man, armed with a knife, was critically injured after refusing commands to drop the weapon — making this OII's first non-fatal use-of-force case since December 2024. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/oii-investigating-non-fatal-use-of-deadly-force...

Washington and Oregon transportation commissions meet jointly on June 5 to review traffic and revenue analysis that will shape toll rates on the I-5 Columbia River bridge. Tolling is expected to start on the existing bridge when new bridge construction begins, currently planned for 2028. The public can attend via Zoom and submit written comments. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/washington-or...

A single-motorcycle crash on NE Worthington Rd. near Yacolt on Wednesday evening turned fatal after the rider was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to an area hospital. The Clark County Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Unit is now leading the investigation into the cause of the crash. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/yacolt-area-motorcycle-collision-results-in-fatality/ #ClarkCounty #Yacolt...

Peter Bracchi of Vancouver argues that Share House's Hot Meals Program — serving 96,987 meals in 2024 — operates under a different public-health standard than any comparable food-service site near the Vancouver Waterfront would ever be allowed to. He says Public Health needs to answer for it. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-food-service-public-health-and-the-mens-share-house-questi...

Clark County Solid Waste is joining Washington State's "Secure Your Loads for Safer Roads" campaign throughout June. Unsecured loads cause more than 300 crashes annually statewide and contributed to over 150,000 pounds of roadside litter collected in Clark County in 2025. Fines can reach $5,000. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/county-public-works-reminds-residents-to-secure-loads-before-haul...

Starting Friday night, May 29, the entrance ramp from southbound I-5 to southbound I-205 at Exit 7 in Vancouver closes until Sunday morning, May 31. All southbound I-205 lanes between the I-5/I-205 split and Exit 36 also close. WSDOT contractor Kerr Contractors Oregon LLC is using the crack, seat and overlay method for pavement repair. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/weekend-paving-work-clos...

Council for the Homeless is hosting two free community education events in Vancouver this summer. The first, on June 11 at Firstenburg Community Center, covers federal tax law changes and their impact on charitable giving and financial planning. The second, on August 26 at Vancouver Community Library, features a screening of "No Place to Grow Old" and a panel on aging and housing. https://www.clar...

A D.C. federal judge declined to block Trump's executive order restricting mail ballots, ruling it too early to challenge. The order directs the Postal Service to propose rules limiting mail voting and instructs DHS to compile citizenship lists — changes that could reshape elections in states where mail voting is standard. About 30% of voters used mail ballots in 2024. https://www.clarkcountytoday...

A $4 million federal appropriation backed by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray is funding a new multimodal corridor at East Mill Plain Boulevard and MacArthur Boulevard — the first public investment in Vancouver's Heights District redevelopment. Construction begins June 1, with roughly 300 affordable homes and a civic plaza planned over the next 20 years. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/business/groundbreak...

Brian Kendall pushes back on Nancy Churchill's column arguing Washington's new tax on income over $1 million is a stepping stone to broader taxation. Kendall says slippery slope logic replaces evidence with fear — and that civic debate deserves better. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-facts-not-slippery-slopes/ #WashingtonState #IncomeTax #TaxPolicy #Opinion #CivicDebate #ClarkCount...

Let's Go Washington collected 92,000 signatures in the first week of its campaign to repeal Washington's new 9.9% income tax on earnings above $1 million — nearly 30,000 more than any prior initiative at this stage. The group needs 308,911 verified signatures by July 2 to qualify IP26-645 for the November ballot. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/business/lets-go-washington-breaks-week-one-signatur...

The death toll from Tuesday's chemical tank rupture at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant in Longview has risen to two, with nine workers still unrecovered. A 900,000-gallon white liquor tank failed Tuesday morning, injuring seven mill employees and one firefighter. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has opened a formal investigation. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/con...

Washington's ACA exchange lost nearly 13% of qualified health plan enrollees after enhanced premium subsidies expired — but Elizabeth New (Hovde) of the Washington Policy Center argues the headline obscures the real story. Of 28,000 who dropped exchange coverage, 6,000 moved to Apple Health. Subsidies shifted costs to taxpayers without lowering the actual price of care. https://www.clarkcountytoda...

Clark County has launched a parks partnership program allowing businesses and organizations to offer fitness classes, guided activities, food options, and more inside county parks. The program is open to mobile vendors, established companies, and community groups. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/new-parks-partnership-program-aims-to-bring-more-services-and-activities-to-clark-county-parks/ #...

Willie Williams III was appointed to the Evergreen Public Schools Board of Directors in a 4-0 vote, filling a District 4 seat vacant since Jacqueline Weatherspoon resigned March 2. Williams, director of the Grice-Adair Center for Educational Excellence in Portland Public Schools, will serve through the end of 2027. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/eps-board-of-directors-appoints-willie-will...

Constitutional scholar Rob Natelson opens a series on the Declaration of Independence's 250th anniversary by tracing how British tax laws — from the Stamp Act of 1764 to the Coercive Acts of 1774 — dismantled a working colonial federation and made revolution nearly inevitable. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-the-runup-to-the-declaration-of-independence/ #DeclarationOfIndependence...

Longview Superintendent Karen Cloninger now faces criminal charges — including witness tampering and obstruction — after school officials allegedly concealed reports of student rapes for months. Lars Larson argues mandatory reporting laws are routinely ignored across the Northwest, and parents everywhere should demand accountability now. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-rape-coveru...

All Seal owner Patty Clark painted Yacolt's centerlines red, white and blue at no cost to celebrate America's 250th birthday — but one anonymous complaint now threatens the display's future. Mayor Ian Shealy says the town may be forced to remove the striping before summer ends. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/one-complaint-threatens-yacolts-patriotic-road-display/ #Yacolt #ClarkCounty #Ameri...

A white liquor tank holding 900,000 gallons ruptured at Nippon Dynawave Packaging in Longview Tuesday morning, killing at least one person and leaving nine employees unaccounted for. Gov. Bob Ferguson mobilized the National Guard Civil Support Team and Homeland Response Force as hazmat crews worked in dangerous conditions. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/chemical-tank-rupture-in-longview-lea...

Rep. John Ley, R-Vancouver, compares the Interstate Bridge Replacement project to California's high-speed rail disaster, warning costs have ballooned from $3.2 billion to potentially $18 billion with only $5.5 billion secured. He argues tolls could legally reach $18 per trip and that 40,000 to 50,000 vehicles could divert to Highway 205. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/video-rep-john-ley-war...

Columbia River boys soccer is back in the final four — as the 3-seed, just like the year they won the state championship. Seton Catholic baseball, the 5-seed, knocked off Klahoya 5-1 and Rochester 9-2 to reach the Class 1A semifinals. Washougal won the 2A girls golf team title. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/sports/high-school-sports-columbia-river-boys-soccer-looking-for-a-repeat-state-champion...

Jonathan Hines argues Washington's public-sector union system creates a self-reinforcing financial loop — public wages become dues, dues fund PACs, and PACs elect the politicians who set the next round of contracts. He calls for opt-in-only political fundraising, pay-to-play restrictions, and an end to government-run dues collection for partisan campaigns. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/...

Ryan Frost of the Washington Policy Center dismantles three progressive studies claiming Washington's budget has shrunk, showing the Near General Fund grew from $31.2 billion to $80.2 billion — 55% above the population-plus-inflation benchmark — while real per-capita state and local revenue climbed 42% since 2005. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-no-washingtons-budget-is-not-shrink...

Camas resident Tony Teso argues that mass homelessness is primarily a housing market problem — driven by the gap between median rents and stagnant wages — and lays out evidence-based strategies from Housing First to zoning reform and Medicaid integration. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-effective-solutions-to-mass-homelessness/ #Homelessness #AffordableHousing #HousingFirst #ClarkC...