Monday, January 20 , 2025

Stories by Griffin Reilly

Columbian staff writer

Contributed photo
Camas Police arrested councilman John Svilarich on Friday for misdemeanor crimes of reckless endangerment and aiming/discharging a firearm related to an Aug. 31 altercation on the Washougal River Greenway.

Camas City Council member arrested for allegedly pointing firearm at fisherman

Contributed photo
Camas Police arrested councilman John Svilarich on Friday for misdemeanor crimes of reckless endangerment and aiming/discharging a firearm related to an Aug. 31 altercation on the Washougal River Greenway.

September 13, 2024, 4:59pm Clark County News

Camas City Council member John Svilarich was arrested Friday in connection with an Aug. 31 altercation with a fisherman along the Washougal River Greenway in Camas. Read story

WSU Vancouver to host networking event for women in STEM

September 13, 2024, 2:01pm Clark County News

Washington State University Vancouver’s School of Engineering and Computer Science is hosting a free seminar and networking event for women interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26 in the Firstenburg Student Commons on campus. WSU Vancouver is located at… Read story

Mount St. Helens Visitor Center to close this winter for exhibit renovations

September 13, 2024, 1:58pm Clark County News

The Mount St. Helens Visitor Center in Castle Rock will close from Sept. 30 to May 15 to undergo an update to its exhibits, according to a news release from Washington State Parks. Read story

Mekhi J. Parker, 18, of Vancouver appears Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of attempted first-degree assault, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, felony harassment and possession of a dangerous weapon on school grounds. He’s accused of threatening a shooting at Mountain View High School to target a student who’d talked to his girlfriend.

Evergreen district staff were not made aware of Monday shooting threat until after school ended

Mekhi J. Parker, 18, of Vancouver appears Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of attempted first-degree assault, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, felony harassment and possession of a dangerous weapon on school grounds. He’s accused of threatening a shooting at Mountain View High School to target a student who’d talked to his girlfriend.

September 12, 2024, 6:08am Clark County News

Evergreen Public Schools officials and Mountain View High School administrators did not inform teachers and staff of a shooting threat made against the school late Monday morning until after the school day ended. Read story

Trees and pastureland stand near near Hockinson Meadows Community Park. Hockinson School District bought a 40-acre parcel at the park’s northeast corner last year.

Hockinson School District gauging possibility of new elementary school

Trees and pastureland stand near near Hockinson Meadows Community Park. Hockinson School District bought a 40-acre parcel at the park’s northeast corner last year.

September 11, 2024, 2:55pm Clark County News

The Hockinson School District is one of Clark County’s smallest districts. But it’s home to the region’s largest elementary school: Hockinson Heights. Read story

Union members and supporters gather for a barbecue at Mill Plain Park during a walkout Tuesday afternoon. Clark College classified union members walked out to raise awareness of stalled bargaining with the state.

Clark College classified staff walk out to protest low wage offers from state

Union members and supporters gather for a barbecue at Mill Plain Park during a walkout Tuesday afternoon. Clark College classified union members walked out to raise awareness of stalled bargaining with the state.

September 10, 2024, 5:35pm Business

Dozens of Clark College employees staged a walkout at noon Tuesday in protest of low wages offered in recent contract proposals from the state. Employees met at Mill Plain Community Park to learn about the ongoing bargaining and vent frustrations with the state. Read story

Washington School for the Deaf Superintendent Shauna Bilyeu, center, speaks using American Sign Language with students Casey Lewandowski, left, and Angel Castro, right, about a piece of the school’s old gymnasium floor on display in the new gymnasium. The floor, she said, is a critical piece of the school’s history, as sports games are often a huge source of community.

New School for the Deaf campus transforms Vancouver institution

Washington School for the Deaf Superintendent Shauna Bilyeu, center, speaks using American Sign Language with students Casey Lewandowski, left, and Angel Castro, right, about a piece of the school’s old gymnasium floor on display in the new gymnasium. The floor, she said, is a critical piece of the school’s history, as sports games are often a huge source of community.

September 6, 2024, 4:51pm Clark County News

The Washington School for the Deaf is among Vancouver’s oldest schools. Superintendent Shauna Bilyeu feared the town was forgetting about the school and its students as the campus on Evergreen Boulevard began to show its age. Read story

School board meetings across Clark County have become more contentious in recent years, with parents squaring off with boards on budget cuts, priorities and unions. But an Evergreen parent group is working with the League of Women Voters to make communication better.

League of Women Voters partners with Evergreen parent group to raise the bar on communication

School board meetings across Clark County have become more contentious in recent years, with parents squaring off with boards on budget cuts, priorities and unions. But an Evergreen parent group is working with the League of Women Voters to make communication better.

September 5, 2024, 5:13pm Clark County News

Post-pandemic education chaos has rendered school board meetings across Clark County hotbeds of emotion. Students are more stressed than ever, and districts struggle to pay for services they never had to provide before. Read story

Vancouver Public Schools superintendent Jeff Snell, left, details proposed budget cuts to the district March 12 during a Vancouver Public Schools board meeting at the Bates Center for Educational Leadership.

Vancouver teachers give new contract ‘lukewarm’ support but pass it anyway

Vancouver Public Schools superintendent Jeff Snell, left, details proposed budget cuts to the district March 12 during a Vancouver Public Schools board meeting at the Bates Center for Educational Leadership.

September 3, 2024, 1:55pm Clark County News

The Vancouver Education Association ratified a contract with Vancouver Public Schools over the weekend, officially marking an end to monthslong negotiations that narrowly avoided a teacher strike. Read story

Clark County Fire District 6 is warning residents that scammers are pretending to be agency staff and charging $25 for fire extinguisher inspections.

Door-to-door scammers reportedly impersonating fire officials in Hazel Dell

Clark County Fire District 6 is warning residents that scammers are pretending to be agency staff and charging $25 for fire extinguisher inspections.

August 29, 2024, 1:45pm Clark County News

Clark County Fire District 6 is warning Vancouver residents that a group of scammers is going door to door, impersonating fire officials, and offering to “test” fire extinguishers for $25. Read story