The new heat wave is on the way for the weekend. Check our local weather coverage.
In case you missed it, here are some of the top stories of the week
A man shot and killed his wife, his mother-in-law and then himself Tuesday afternoon in a house in Hazel Dell, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
At the time of the shooting, the couple’s children were at the home, and one of the children called 911, sheriff’s Sgt. Alex Schoening said. The single-family home, at 2614 N.E. 98th St., is in the Ivy Glen subdivision near Gaiser Middle School.
Nobody else was injured. The incident was reported at about 3:45 p.m. as a disturbance with a weapon, according to 911 dispatch logs.
The street was cordoned off by police tape as detectives with the sheriff’s office’s Major Crimes Unit investigated. Inside the home, detectives found the three adults dead, apparently from gunshot wounds, Schoening said. The names of those who died were not released pending notification of family.
The couple’s children were found safe and were escorted from the house by deputies, Schoening said.
Learn more about the shootings.
Clark County adds more ballot boxes
Primary ballots will be making their way to voters’ mailboxes Friday, and Clark County is trying to make returning them a little easier this year with the addition of two prominent, bright-red ballot drop boxes.
The Elections Office has installed the unmistakable 24-hour ballot drop-off boxes at Battle Ground City Hall, 109 S.W. First St., and at the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center, 3510 S.E. 164th Ave., Vancouver. There is also a third red ballot box in downtown Vancouver at the intersection of West 14th and Esther streets.
Voters can drive up and drop off their ballots at any of the locations until 8 p.m. Aug. 4, Election Day. If there is anyone in line to drop their ballot off at 8 p.m., they will be allowed to deposit their ballot.
Be aware that there is a typo in the voters’ pamphlet giving the incorrect address for the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center, according to Clark County Elections Office officials.
Learn more about the new drop boxes. Find out more about the primary on our election page.
Blue Angels soar in salute to former commander
Harley Hall, a Vietnam War casualty from Vancouver, got a jet-powered salute Wednesday from his old team.
The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels did a low-level flyover of the Harley H. Hall Building as several of Hall’s family members watched the six F-18 Hornets zoom over their heads. A seventh aircraft accompanied the formation, taking photographs.
“It’s just awesome,” Gwen Hall Davis, one of the Navy pilot’s sisters, said after the here-they-come/there-they-go display.
And the family had a lot of support. Crowds of people gathered in open spots around Stockford Village in anticipation of the flyover.
The family wasn’t expecting that kind of tribute for a man who hasn’t been seen in public since 1973, Davis said.
“They know who he is, and they still care,” Davis said after the 6:25 p.m. flyover.
Read more about the Blue Angels.
Vancouver schools chief gets $6,000 bump in pay
Edri Geiger, board vice president, requested that Webb’s contract be pulled from the consent agenda and discussed publicly by the board.
“This year’s superintendent evaluation process was not acceptable,” Geiger said. “We did not use all available data.”
Then she added, “Dr. Webb is paid considerably more than the governor.”
In fact, Webb does make more than Gov. Jay Inslee, whose current salary is $166,891 a year. On Sept. 1, Inslee will get a raise and make $171,898 annually.
The board voted 3-2 to approve Webb’s contract. Board members Geiger and Kathy Gillespie voted against Webb’s raise and COLA, while board members Dale Rice, Mark Stoker and Nada Wheelock voted in favor of it.
Gillespie said she “had issues with the process this year.” She added that although the board had a majority, it did not have consensus. “I wish the board would strive for five (votes),” she said.
Gillespie also spoke against giving the superintendent a cost-of-living adjustment.
Read more about Webb’s raise.
Hockinson boy, 10, designs Nike shoe for Doernbecher program
HOCKINSON — Ten-year-old John Charles had seen the collection of Nike shoes, designed by kids his age, on display at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital while receiving medical care at the Portland hospital. But he never imagined he would one day be among the patient-designers.
This fall, however, the Doernbecher Freestyle program will unveil a Nike collection designed by the Hockinson boy and those created by five other patients in the Portland area.
“It’s cool,” John said. “It feels good doing it.”
The partnership between Nike and the Oregon Health & Science University children’s hospital has featured 71 patients and raised more than $11 million since its inception in 2003.
The good news that John was selected for the program came several months after a surprising medical diagnosis responsible for sending John to Doernbecher.
Read more about Charles’ shoe design.
