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News / Clark County News

Top Stories: PeaceHealth ER inundated; Ridgefield businesses worry about road closures, Hudson’s Bay teacher resigns

By Amy Libby, Columbian Web Editor
Published: January 18, 2025, 6:10am

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. PeaceHealth urges community to consider other care options due to high patient volumes at emergency department

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center’s emergency department is experiencing unprecedented patient volumes due to the rise of respiratory illness cases in Clark County.

PeaceHealth is encouraging community members with nonemergency health issues to consider other options for care, according to a Tuesday news release from the nonprofit hospital.

2. Ridgefield businesses wary about 3-month closure of Pioneer Street

Customers flocking to Ridgefield’s new Costco have backed up traffic on Pioneer Street. But the effect on neighboring businesses hasn’t been all bad, although they are wary of what a three-month-long road closure could mean.

A portion of the roadway from Discovery Drive to 56th Place closed Monday until April 22 to expedite the installation of utilities beneath Pioneer Street.

3. Hudson’s Bay High School English teacher resigns amid sexual misconduct investigation

A Hudson’s Bay High School teacher under investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct with female students has resigned.

Vancouver’s school board president made the announcement at the board’s Tuesday meeting.

4. Cover for Interstate 5 connecting Fort Vancouver to downtown gets $30M boost

Plans to put a lid on Interstate 5, or at least a section of it, recently got a $30 million boost.

U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, along with Washington’s Democratic Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell secured a grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation.

5. Washington reports 14 cases of bird flu in humans; what should Clark County know about avian flu?

There have been 14 recorded cases of avian influenza among humans in Washington, but none in Clark County. Local health officials still consider the risk to the general public to be low.

State and federal health officials have been monitoring H5N1, a strain of avian influenza, or bird flu, that is highly contagious and deadly to chickens and cattle. As of Nov. 6, there were 11 confirmed cases and three probable cases of bird flu among humans in Washington due to poultry exposure, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

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