Local service clubs forced to scale back efforts
Economy, dip in membership take their toll
RIDGEFIELD — In a storage room at the Clark County Fairgrounds, George Espinosa surveys the haphazardly jumbled collection of household sundries, then grumbles: "Meager, meager, meager."
La Center plans a larger City Hall
Former bank building to be renovated, current site to house public works
La Center City Hall is a matchbox of a municipal building, too compact to comfortably accommodate city business, officials say.
Authorities arrest suspects in porta-potty arsons
Police arrested two suspects in a series of arsons that destroyed five portable toilets in Camas.
Washougal will revisit CRC opinion later
Critical resolution tabled for two weeks
WASHOUGAL — The Washougal City Council will take another two weeks to mull a resolution opposing the Columbia River Crossing.
Ex-Woodland fire chief, wife found guilty of theft
A jury Monday found a former Woodland fire chief and his wife guilty of bilking a vulnerable acquaintance out of nearly $24,000 in a scam that involved a supposedly ill cat and a stymied run for city council.
Cities tighten legislative push
With five weeks left in the session, focus is on priorities
As lawmakers march toward the end of the legislative session, Clark County's cities have stepped up efforts to voice their priorities at the Capitol.
Mother, son escape Maplewood neighborhood fire
Vancouver firefighters investigate blaze
A mother and her son escaped a fire that destroyed a one-story duplex in Vancouver's Maplewood neighborhood after 11 a.m. this morning, prompting several 911 calls and a full response by the fire department.
Former Washougal police officer convicted
Ritchie guilty of assaulting mentally ill man
A Clark County District Court judge today convicted and sentenced a former Washougal police officer for attacking a mentally ill man restrained in the backseat of a police cruiser.
Battle Ground nixes stance on CRC
City council remains neutral on bridge project
BATTLE GROUND — The Battle Ground City Council’s official stance on the Columbia River Crossing is an anticlimactic one: It will take no position at all.
Battling addiction a matter of faith
Two Clark County churches pool resources to provide drug addicts, loved ones aid, comfort
BRUSH PRAIRIE -- For every life heroin claims, it irreversibly affects multitudes more.
Work on Ridgefield park ready to go
Development to help link downtown with wildlife refuge should be done midsummer
If the timing works out, Ridgefield's long-awaited Overlook Park will be open just in time for the city's Fourth of July festivities.
Japanese language class returns to Washougal High School after program was cut
WASHOUGAL -- Conjugating verbs is one of those dreaded routines one's forced to do in any foreign language class. But memorizing kanji -- Japanese script, with its complicated iconography -- takes the level of difficulty to head-scratching heights.
Crews begin demolishing Crestline Elementary site (with video)
3-alarm fire destroyed school in February
Demolition of Crestline Elementary began Friday, signaling a new phase for the school, destroyed February in a three-alarm fire.
Former La Center police chief to run for council
LA CENTER — La Center's former police chief says he plans to run for City Council.
Smoke leads to suspect at shuttered restaurant
Smoke seeping out of a shuttered Mexican restaurant on Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard led authorities to a suspected metal and wiring thief.
Skaters: Battle boredom with boards
Teenage trio, insisting it would give youth something to do, help get skate park built in Yacolt
YACOLT — Clark County's newest skate park developed with the help of three teenagers who took their passion for ollies, powerslides and other skateboarding tricks to the highest level of power — all the way to the Yacolt Town Council.
New road to Camas promises new workplaces
Land zoned for commercial development lies between business clusters
CAMAS — With earth movers growling at the far end of a field, Camas Mayor Scott Higgins pointed to the heavy machinery and said their work represents progress for his city.
'Tag team'-ing vandalism in Rose Village
Armed with soap, scrubbers and power washers, a group of residents takes to the streets once a month to clean up graffiti in hopes of discouraging future tagging of buildings, signs
Walls and signs in Vancouver's Rose Village neighborhood look like they harbor alien hieroglyphics. But far from being extraterrestrial in origin, the mishmash of symbols is the work of vandals. Armed with Sharpies, spray-paint cans and their own unique language, they strike at night.
Cities allow residents to air views on CRC
Despite having little say in how the Columbia River Crossing takes shape, three of Clark County's small cities are looking to their residents for guidance on the project.
Woodland council takes stand on gun owners' rights
WOODLAND — A Woodland City Council resolution aims to solidify the city's position on the Second Amendment.
La Center may raise sewer rates
$5 a month hike would ease burden on reserve fund
La Center is sick of throwing money into the sewer.
Camas parks board OKs lodge design
Facility will fill need for meeting space, leave some desires unmet
CAMAS — Camas Mayor Scott Higgins keeps an architectural drawing of the Lacamas Lake Lodge framed in his office. In part, it serves as a reminder that the long-awaited city project is finally moving forward.
B.G. residents weigh in on CRC ahead of city council
Light rail a hot-button issue at forum
BATTLE GROUND — A handful of residents trickled into the Battle Ground Community Center on Thursday night hoping to have their say on the Columbia River Crossing.
Washougal-Camas fire merger backed
Panel urges cities to make arrangement permanent
CAMAS — A committee of Camas and Washougal leaders Tuesday night recommended forging ahead with a long-term partnership between the cities’ fire departments.
Camas continues transition
City strives to keep improving livability, business base
The former mill town on the eastern side of Clark County has done pretty well for itself in the last decade.
La Center mulls future as casino hangs in limbo
Economic diversification key feature of growth plans
As La Center’s city leaders look toward the future, they continue to see visions of a more diversified tax base just off in the horizon.
Growth challenges Battle Ground
City faces tight budget as it aims to address community’s needs
After a decade of big-time expansion — the city’s population has nearly doubled since 2000, going from 9,300 in that year to 17,920 at the beginning of 2013 — Battle Ground has staked a sizable chunk of money building infrastructure so it can continue to bolster its tax base, with mixed results.
Washougal water-rate worries persist
City hopes to slow rate hikes by delaying project, but it might miss out on state loan
When Washougal officials convened last month to discuss ways to reduce a planned increase to the city's water rates, they agreed on a two-part solution.
Prune Hill Elementary School written up for fire violation
Flammable fabric on walls to be treated with retardant
A Camas elementary school received a written violation this month from the Camas-Washougal Fire Department for having "highly flammable" fabric covering walls inside the school.
Brush Prairie annexation fight influences bill
Benton proposal would require property owners to vote on joining a city
A Brush Prairie group is applauding a state Senate bill that would require cities to seek a vote of property owners before annexing land into their boundaries.
Redirecting the railroad in Ridgefield
Proposed overpass would address trains blocking access to marina
RIDGEFIELD -- As a fire engine from Clark County Fire & Rescue sat idling, stopped at a rail crossing by a slow-moving train, plumes of smoke billowed out of the windows of a burning houseboat a few hundred yards away at McCuddy's Ridgefield Marina.
Woodland fire crews to join CCF&R
Merger with county fire agency may be step toward a regional service
RIDGEFIELD -- Two fire departments will soon become one.
B.G. school levy fails, backers look to April
La Center, Camas, Ridgefield approve maintenance levies
Battle Ground Public Schools failed to pass a replacement four-year maintenance and operations levy Tuesday night.
Green Mountain mulls levy bid
Small but growing school district may expand campus, add classrooms
The Green Mountain School District is eyeing an expansion of its campus on a one-acre swatch of land adjacent to the district's historic schoolhouse.
Overtime puts squeeze on local cities' budgets
Firefighters, police officers earn lion's share of extra hours
A rash of late-summer wildfires and other unforeseen events made 2012 a lucrative year for a handful of public employees. Records show the top three overtime earners in Clark County's largest cities made nearly $350,000 combined in overtime.
Marshals say fire inspections essential for schools
Officials seek new ways to prevent disaster
As fire investigators continue to sift through the charred rubble of the remains of Crestline Elementary School, leveled last week after an early-morning blaze, a question emerges: Could the same thing happen to another school?
Portland group to purchase Oak Tree Casino Restaurant
Woodland site will be renovated, reopened
Woodland casino, restaurant will be renovated, reopened
Schools eye prevention in wake of suicides
2 students at Chief Umtuch in Battle Ground died in recent weeks
BATTLE GROUND — Within six weeks of each other, two Battle Ground teenagers committed suicide, leaving a community asking why.
Camas city administrator is getting settled in
New role in familiar environment begins in bustle of meetings
CAMAS -- Nina Regor, Camas' new city administrator, has come home.
Washougal to lower water rates
$500,000 from reserve fund will be used to reduce planned hike
Washougal is moving forward with a way to reduce residents' water, sewer and stormwater bills, at least in the short term.
Consultant recommends merger for Washougal, Camas fire departments
Of the three options available, implementing a long-term partnership between the Washougal and Camas fire departments would likely save the cities money, according to a consultant’s report released Tuesday night.
Silver Buckle Ranch strives to maintain horse therapy amid budget woes
BRUSH PRAIRIE -- Josh Farmer was bound up like a ball of nerves when he stepped into Silver Buckle Ranch's classroom. Hunched over, eyes downcast, the 12-year-old's body language gave the impression he'd rather be anywhere else in the world.
Cash-strapped school districts unleash a flood of levies
Eight local requests are on the Feb. 12 ballot
School districts across Clark County, eyeing an uncertain financial future, are taking to the February ballot in force.
Next chief sees potential in La Center
Small town will be new environment for Arizona man
Marc Denney is going from the sun-baked desert of Arizona to the rain-soaked forest of Southwest Washington. He's giving up border patrols and drug busts for the small-town flavor of one of Clark County's safest communities.
La Center to move ahead with Holley Park project
Council votes to proceed despite low bid coming in $87,000 over planned budget
LA CENTER — A popular La Center park will receive an ambitious renovation despite the low bid for the project coming in more than $87,000 over budget.
No charges filed in 'alarming' Facebook post
The Camas Police Department will not seek charges against a Skyview parent who wrote a Facebook post in which he hoped someone would "shoot up" Camas High School "really soon."
Camas schools respond to 'alarming' Facebook post
Post by parent of Skyview High student says, "I hope someone shoots up (Camas High) school really soon"
Authorities are investigating an "alarming" message posted to Facebook on Tuesday night during a high school basketball game between the Camas and Skyview boys teams at Camas High School.
School Safety: Ridgefield School District hires armed guards
Pact with private security firm runs through this school year
With mass shootings fresh in the public consciousness following December's tandem attacks at The Clackamas Town Center near Portland and Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., a Clark County school district is taking measures to make sure something similar doesn't happen there.
Camas, Washougal to get report on fire merger plans
Cities' options will include joining departments permanently
A long-in-the-works plan to permanently merge the Washougal and Camas fire departments will take a step forward later in the month with the release of a financial assessment that will look at the top three options the cities could take to restructure fire protection.
Deal in works for sale of Oak Tree Casino
Owners hope to pay off back taxes, wages with proceeds from Woodland cardroom
WOODLAND — As owners of the Oak Tree Casino Restaurant in Woodland work to finalize a deal to sell both the business and the property on which it sits, they hope the sale will pay off the cardroom's growing debts.
