Top Stories: Fort students walk out; man accused of stabbing girlfriend; mannequin house

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Here are some of the top stories on columbian.com this week:

1. Fort Vancouver students walk out of class to protest district staff reductions

Hundreds of Fort Vancouver High School students walked out of class late Tuesday morning, protesting district staffing cuts they say will disproportionately impact their school next year.

“This is just going to put more of a load on other teachers, which would limit our overall learning experience,” said senior Jose Gomez, who was advocating for an English teacher he heard was being cut next year. “It’s important to have role models, to have teachers that we can relate to.”

• District’s lowest-income high school expected to see most positions cut

2. Craig Stein Beverage building 150,000-square-foot distribution center in Orchards

Drivers traveling along 59th Street in Orchards have likely spotted a large warehouse under construction. What is the mysterious building?

It’s Craig Stein Beverage’s new 150,000-square-foot distribution warehouse.

• Structure will replace drink distributor’s current facility on Northeast 88th Street

3. Vancouver man accused of stabbing girlfriend, including in the head, appears in court

A Vancouver man is accused of stabbing his girlfriend multiple times, including in the head, with a kitchen knife Thursday at their east Vancouver apartment.

Jonathan O. Betts, 32, appeared Friday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of attempted second-degree domestic violence murder and unlawful imprisonment. He is being held without bail until a hearing Tuesday to enter an order to have his mental health evaluated.

• The victim called 911 to report Jonathan O. Betts wouldn’t let her leave the apartment

4. ‘Heart in the right place’: Clark County Sheriff’s sergeant wins honors for service, going beyond to help the community

Clark County sheriff’s Sgt. Greg Agar has a unique way of coping with stress: by giving back to those whose suffering he encounters on the job.

The nine-year veteran of the sheriff’s office said that helping someone who’s lost a loved one or experienced hardship helps his mental health, too.

• Sgt. Agar helped stop suspects following armed robbery and assisted family following fatal crash

5. Dangerous junk or weird art? Mannequins and mess on Rose Village property frustrates neighbors

The owner of a spectacularly strange and overstuffed rural property near Battle Ground, which was destroyed in July 2021 by an intentionally sparked fire, has brought what he calls his weird sense of humor to Vancouver. His neighbors are not amused.

The Battle Ground property had been a surreal scene. Hundreds of posed mannequins hung out in the yard amidst a vast, oddball collection of antiques, furniture, art objects, musical instruments, photography equipment and all sorts of other miscellaneous stuff.

• Steve Slocum’s rural property was set ablaze in 2021 and a total loss; his suburban Vancouver neighbors don’t like the displays he calls art