Top stories: Josephine Townsend charged with forgery; city buys bridge shelter property; Bob Knight dies

Can we expect rain or more rain this week?? Check out our local weather forecast before you head outside.

Here are some of the top stories of the week on columbian.com. Wondering what else was popular this week with readers? Check out our Trending Stories page.

1. Vancouver defense attorney Josephine Townsend charged with two counts of forgery

A Vancouver defense attorney is facing forgery charges for allegedly altering documents related to a civil protection order against her client.

Josephine Townsend, 64, is charged with two counts of forgery in Clark County Superior Court. An assistant attorney general filed the charges Tuesday at the request of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, court records show.

• She’s accused of altering documents related to civil protection order against a client

2. Vancouver to pay more than $6M for former Naydenov building that will house 150-bed homeless shelter

The Vancouver City Council on Monday agreed to pay philanthropist Michael Lynch more than $6.29 million for 3 acres in the Van Mall neighborhood where the city plans to build a 150-bed homeless shelter.

Lynch purchased the three parcels at 5313 N.E. 94th Ave., the former home of Naydenov Gymnastics, for $6 million just 10 days before city officials announced they were evaluating the site for the so-called bridge shelter. Design and construction will cost the city an estimated $9.5 million.

• Michael Lynch purchased the 3 acres property just 10 days before city officials announced they were looking at the site for a shelter

3. Bob Knight, former Clark College president and U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, dies at 67

Friends of former Clark College President Robert “Bob” Kennedy Knight say he dedicated his life to serving his community and country. He died early Saturday morning at age 67.

Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle said her friendship with Knight dates to the early 2000s through his work with Clark College and the Rotary Club of Vancouver.

• “His military career here in Vancouver was exceptional,” Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle said.

4. Save Our Streets has enough signatures for Vancouver initiative that would require a vote on lane removals

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey has certified a ballot initiative that would require voter approval to remove traffic lanes on streets in Vancouver.

The initiative needed 4,270 valid signatures from registered voters to be certified. Petition backers Save Our Streets gathered 6,572 total signatures and enough were valid for the initiative petition to move forward.

• The grassroots group has objected to lanes being removed on streets in Vancouver to make room for buses, bikes and pedestrians

5. 33 affordable apartments in Vancouver could end up in the path of a new I-5 bridge; residents fear the worst

Valerie Eliason’s pulse quickened as she stared at the front page of The Columbian.

Alongside an article about the planned replacement of the Interstate 5 Bridge was a photo of her apartment building — The Normandy — with her car parked out front.

• One of the proposals for the bridge replacement would require The Normandy to be torn down, erasing some of the last affordable housing in downtown Vancouver