Stories by Dylan Jefferies

Columbian staff writer

Clark County’s COVID-19 activity rate continues steady rise

July 7, 2022, 2:12pm Clark County Health Free

Clark County’s COVID-19 activity rate increased this week after decreasing slightly last week. The rate has been steadily rising over the past few weeks, causing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to put Clark County at medium risk for disease transmission. Read story

Bailey Wilkes, left, and her younger sister Sammy play in the sand at Vancouver Lake. At 6 months old, Bailey was diagnosed with severe allergies to more then 20 different kinds of food, including eggs and most kinds of nuts. Now, thanks to a unique program at the Southern California Food Allergy Institute and a grant provided by United Healthcare Children's Foundation, Bailey is on her way to overcoming many of her allergies.

Vancouver girl, 6, improving after grant helps family pay for treatment for severe food allergies

July 1, 2022, 6:02am Clark County Health

At 6 months old, Bailey Wilkes was diagnosed with life-threatening allergies to more than 20 different types of food, including eggs and most kinds of nuts. For most of her life, her diet has been severely restricted. Read story

Clark County in medium risk category for COVID-19 for first time since March

June 30, 2022, 1:55pm Clark County Health Free

Clark County’s COVID-19 activity rate decreased this week, ending a two-week run of gradual increases that has put the county at a medium level of risk of disease transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read story

Volunteers Susan and Phil Harding serve eggs, waffles and sausages to participants in the Hot Meals program at the Share House on Tuesday morning. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the program served roughly 3,000 meals a month. Now, it serves about 9,000 meals a month, and more volunteers are needed to keep up. "Share says all the time that they couldn't do it without volunteers," Phil Harding said.

Share’s Hot Meals program returns to in-person dining after nearly 2½-year hiatus caused by pandemic

June 30, 2022, 6:03am Clark County News

The smell of waffles, syrup and sausages wafted from Share House in downtown Vancouver on Tuesday morning as a line of people — many of them experiencing homelessness — formed outside. Read story

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust details summer grant winners

June 30, 2022, 6:01am Clark County Health

The Vancouver-based M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust released its Spring 2022 Grants Report, which outlines $32.5 million in charitable giving around the Pacific Northwest, including 29 grants totaling $12 million in Washington. Read story

Legacy Health, Vancouver Clinic launch internal medicine residency program

Dr. Ozone Gautam, left, looks over his bio while joining fellow members of a new Internal Medicine Residency Program at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center. "Everyone has been so welcoming, inside and outside of the hospital," Gautam said. "I'm settling in well.

June 28, 2022, 10:17am Clark County Health Subscriber Exclusive

Legacy Health has launched a new internal medicine residency program in partnership with the Vancouver Clinic that will provide a comprehensive medical education focused on developing highly skilled primary care internists. Read story

Clark County health care providers voice support for abortion rights

Protestors march around Esther Short Park on Friday, June 24, 2022, during a rally and march in response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade that protected abortion access nationwide.

Despite the Supreme Court’s decision Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade, Washington and Oregon still have some of the strongest abortion protections in the country, and abortion services are still available at Planned Parenthood clinics across the two states. Read story

Public Health lifts Vancouver Lake closure, removes Battle Ground Lake advisory for E. coli

Clark County Public Health has issued a swim beach warning at Vancouver Lake after routine testing showed elevated levels of E. coli bacteria. E. coli bacteria can cause serious gastrointestinal illness when water is accidentally swallowed. The lake also has a bloom of blue-green algae.

Clark County Public Health has lifted a closure at Vancouver Lake put in place earlier this month after routine testing found elevated levels of E. coli bacteria in the water. Public Health has also lifted the E. coli warning for the Battle Ground Lake swim beach. Read story