Clark County Today News

Motorcyclists made up 16 percent of Washington traffic fatalities over the last five years, despite being involved in just 3 percent of all crashes. Law enforcement agencies across Clark County will run High Visibility Enforcement patrols from July 10 through July 26, targeting dangerous behaviors by both riders and drivers. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/increased-motorcycle-safety-patrols-coming-to-clark-county-july-10-26/ #TargetZero #MotorcycleSafety #ClarkCounty #WashingtonState #TrafficSafety #RideSafeRideOn

Clark County Sheriff's Office deputy Patrick Morgan, 32, died June 30 after a nearly two-year battle with stage IV colon cancer. A husband, father of two, Army veteran, and dedicated deputy, Morgan continued reporting to work throughout his illness. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/ccso-deputy-dies-after-nearly-two-year-battle-with-cancer/ #CCSO #ClarkCounty #PatrickMorgan #LawEnforcement #FallenDeputy #WashingtonState #FirstResponders

Clark County is accepting applications for an open business representative seat on the 11-member Arts Commission. The unfinished four-year term ends Dec. 31, 2031. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Aug. 7 and can be submitted to County Manager Jake Goodwin. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/county-manager-seeks-volunteer-for-open-seat-on-arts-commission-5/ #ClarkCounty #ArtsCommission #Vancouver #ClarkCountyWA #CommunityNews

Clark County Superior Court Judge Robert Lewis dismissed a defense motion to disqualify the entire Clark County Prosecutor's Office from a case against Steven Michael Ward. The motion stemmed from lead prosecutor Laurel Smith's acknowledged relationship with Sgt. James Dewey, the case's lead investigator. Smith has since been screened off the case. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/judge-dismisses-motion-to-disqualify-clark-county-prosecutors-office-from-case/ #ClarkCounty #ClarkCountyProsecutor #LaurelSmith #VancouverWA #WashingtonState #CourtsAndLaw #LocalNews

Sen. John Braun says Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez voted against the largest tax reduction in U.S. history while positioning herself as a moderate. An NRCC internal poll from May 2026 shows Braun leading Perez 41% to 34% in WA-03, as opponents of Washington's new income tax submit more than 500,000 signatures for a repeal initiative. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/video-heat-turns-up-on-congresswoman-over-new-washington-income-tax/ #WA03 #WashingtonStatePolitics #IncomeТах #MarieGluesenkampPerez #JohnBraun #2026Midterms #LetsGoWashington #WashingtonState #ClarkCounty #TCSWashington

Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs a seven-page letter threatening criminal prosecution if election officials knowingly retain noncitizens on voter rolls or facilitate their ballots. Hobbs has five days to respond. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/doj-threatens-wa-election-officials-with-prosecution-if-noncitizens-vote/ #WashingtonState #DOJ #ElectionIntegrity #HarmeetDhillon #SteveHobbs #NoncitizensVoting #VoterRolls #TrumpAdministration #FederalElections #ClarkCounty

Leslie Lewallen examines WEA-PAC contribution data showing roughly 63% of member funds — nearly $5 million since 2020 — directed to Democratic candidates, including Governor Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson. She argues the union's political spending contradicts its stated nonpartisan mission while Washington students lag on state and national assessments. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-available-data-shows-the-overwhelming-majority-of-wea-pac-contributions-flow-to-democrats/ #WEA #WashingtonEducation #WEAPAC #PublicEducation #EducationAccountability #Opinion #WashingtonState #ClarkCounty #K12Education #SB6346

Keithen Shepard grew up in Vancouver, starred at Union High School, and earned a degree from MIT — then landed a job with the New England Patriots as a data engineer in 2022. Now a Football R&D Analyst, he helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl in 2025 after back-to-back 4-13 seasons. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/former-union-titan-now-excels-in-key-role-in-the-front-office-of-the-new-england-patriots/ #NewEnglandPatriots #NFL #UnionHighSchool #VancouverWA #ClarkCounty #SportsTech #MITFootball #NFLFrontOffice #ClarkCountyToday

Governor Bob Ferguson appointed former K&L Gates partner Theo Angelis — who has no judicial experience — to Washington Supreme Court Position 5 in March 2026. Columnist Nancy Churchill examines all four candidates ahead of the August 4 primary, weighing trial court experience, political connections, and what's at stake with the income tax case and LEOFF 1 disputes headed to the court. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-the-judicial-backstop/ #WashingtonSupremeCourt #JudicialElections #Position5 #NancyChurchill #DangerousRhetoric #WashingtonState #Opinion #Politics #ClarkCounty #PrimaryElection

Clark County Republican Women are hosting a free, public Meet the Candidates event on July 23 at the Battle Ground Event Center, 912 E. Main Street. Attendees can ask candidates questions and bring their ballot for submission by a qualified election observer team. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/clark-county-republican-women-to-host-meet-the-candidates-event/ #ClarkCounty #BattleGround #MeetTheCandidates #Election #ClarkCountyRepublicanWomen #Politics #Vancouver #WashingtonState

A six-month Center Square investigation found dozens of Washington state daycares receiving hundreds of thousands in taxpayer subsidies with little or no evidence of children present. A state audit identified $37 million in questionable payments — yet no official has launched a fraud investigation. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/business/video-state-fails-to-investigate-daycares-with-no-children-despite-media-reports/ #WashingtonState #DaycareFraud #DCYF #ChildcareSubsidies #GovernmentAccountability #PublicSafety #WaLeg #TaxpayerMoney #ClarkCountyToday

State Rep. David Stuebe, a retired Marine Corps Colonel and Mayor of Washougal, has announced his re-election bid for the 17th District. His platform centers on spending limits tied to family budgets, a new Tax Relief Account to return surpluses to taxpayers, and protecting core services while cutting waste. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/rep-david-stuebe-announces-re-election-campaign/ #DavidStuebe #17thDistrict #Washougal #WashingtonState #ClarkCounty #Affordability #Elections2026 #SouthwestWashington #Politics #WaLeg

Rep. John Ley breaks down TriMet's financial collapse — $6.4 billion in operating losses over a decade, ridership 30 percent below 2019 levels, and cash reserves projected to run dry in May 2029. Oregon voters rejected a taxpayer bailout 83-17. The IBR's light rail component carries a $3.5 billion price tag, and phase one doesn't even include trains, tracks, or stations. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-will-trimet-be-around-to-operate-the-ibrs-light-rail/ #TriMet #IBR #LightRail #TransitFunding #ClarkCounty #WashingtonState #Oregon #PublicTransit #Transportation #Opinion ---

Ridgefield Mayor Matt Cole says the city's public safety grant funding came in at $1.1 million — well above the $250,000 originally expected. Cole also discusses the rec center contractor selection, a new police chief search following Chief Cathy Doriot's retirement, the Kennedy Well water project, and the Rise Downtown Redevelopment Initiative. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/mayor-reflects-on-productive-first-half-of-2026-as-ridgefield-projects-advance/ #Ridgefield #ClarkCounty #RidgefieldWA #PublicSafety #RecCenter #DowntownRedevelopment #WaterInfrastructure #CityGrowth #WashingtonState #LocalNews

A 39-year-old man died after his 2003 Kawasaki ATV was struck by a Ford Escape at NE 76th St. and NE 137th Ave. late on July 4. The rider had no helmet, and investigators believe alcohol impairment may have been a factor. The Clark County Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Unit is leading the investigation. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/ccso-traffic-homicide-unit-investigating-fatal-vehicle-vs-atv-collision/ #ClarkCounty #PublicSafety #TrafficSafety #ATVCrash #CCSO #WashingtonState #FatalCollision

Clark County auditor candidate Mitchell Kelly reflects on 250 years of American democracy, arguing that civic participation — voting, volunteering, and staying informed — is the truest way to honor those who built the republic. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-celebrating-250-years-of-self-government/ #Opinion #CivicEngagement #ClarkCounty #Democracy #IndependenceDay #Voting #America250 #WashingtonState #Elections #SelfGovernment

Vancouver advocate Sarah Akey argues HB 1227's imminent physical harm standard leaves children exposed to escalating danger — addiction, violence, neglect — long before the law allows intervention. She says prevention must come before tragedy, not after. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-we-can-support-families-without-sacrificing-childrens-safety/ #HB1227 #ChildSafety #FamilyPreservation #WashingtonState #ChildWelfare #Opinion #ClarkCounty #ParentalRights #ChildProtection #Olympia

Five Clark County blueberry farms are open or opening soon for U-pick, with Majestic Farms Blueberries, Meadowglenn Farm, Prairie Berry Farm, Fred's Place in Washougal, and Indigo Acres among the options. The Hockinson Blueberry Festival follows on July 18. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/blueberry-season-has-arrived-at-clark-county-farms/ #HockinsonBlueberryFestival #ClarkCounty #BlueberryFarms #UPick #WashingtonState #LocalFarms #SummerProduce

Camas resident Anthony Teso pushes back on Lars Larson's read of the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling, arguing the 6-3 vote masked a 5-4 constitutional split that nearly undid a guarantee settled in 1898. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-larson-mourns-a-ruling-that-changed-nothing-and-misses-the-story-that-matters/ #BirthrightCitizenship #FourteenthAmendment #SupremeCourt #ConstitutionalLaw #ClarkCounty #Opinion #Politics #WashingtonState

A disqualification motion targeting Clark County's sole prosecutor candidate, a federal green light for the Interstate Bridge Replacement program, and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on transgender athletes in girls sports all converged in a single week of Clark County news. Plus, Washougal mourns Grant Johnson Jr. and Cedar Creek Grist Mill marks 150 years. URLHERE #ClarkCounty #IBR #ProsecutorEthics #TransportationWA #SupremeCourt #WashingtonState #Vancouver #Washougal #CedarCreekGristMill #ClarkCountyToday ---

A Clark County Today report on the county's lone prosecuting attorney candidate and a Superior Court case has sparked a broader conversation about ethics, impartiality, and whether elected prosecutors must avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Clark County readers are now weighing in. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/poll-how-important-is-it-for-elected-prosecutors-to-avoid-even-the-appearance-of-a-conflict-of-interest/ #ClarkCounty #ProsecutingAttorney #Ethics #ConflictOfInterest #Justice #WashingtonState #ClarkCountyToday #PublicTrust #SuperiorCourt #ElectedOfficials

Furry Friends Cat Rescue is hosting its 27th annual Dinner & Auction on October 17 at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver. The western-themed event features live and silent auctions, raffles, and a best-dressed competition — with all proceeds supporting rising medical costs and a new facility for rescued cats. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/save-the-date-furry-friends-annual-dinner-auction/ #FurryFriends #CatRescue #VancouverWA #ClarkCounty #Nonprofit #AnimalRescue #FundraiserEvent

Let's Go Washington submitted more than 511,408 signatures Thursday to repeal the state's new 9.9% income tax on individual and household wage income above $1 million a year — nearly double the 309,000 valid signatures required to reach the November ballot. The initiative, IP26-645, would also block local governments from imposing any income tax, while preserving new tax breaks and credits built into the original law. Supporters and opponents are already in full campaign mode. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/business/wa-income-tax-foes-file-signatures-to-get-repeal-measure-on-ballot/ #WashingtonState #IncomeTax #IP26645 #LetsGoWashington #BallotInitiative #WApolitics #TaxPolicy #BrianHeywood #November2026

The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program secured its federal Record of Decision, but Neighbors for a Better Crossing says the $14.4 billion project has only $5.7 billion identified — leaving roughly $9 billion unaccounted for before procurement begins. NFBC chair Gary Clark is demanding an independent audit and a complete funding plan before contractors are hired. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-ibr-receives-federal-record-of-decision-but-major-funding-questions-remain-unanswered/ #IBRProgram #InterstateBridgeReplacement #ColumbiaRiverCrossing #Transportation #ClarkCounty #Vancouver #Washington #Oregon #Infrastructure #Taxpayers

Grant Johnson Jr., an 18-year-old Washougal High School graduate, died Monday after a rapidly advancing bacterial infection. Friends and coaches remembered him as someone who could turn any bad situation around just by being present. A community vigil drew family, classmates, and coaches, and a GoFundMe for his family has already raised more than $17,000 toward a $30,000 goal. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/washougal-mourns-the-loss-of-recent-high-school-graduate-grant-johnson-jr/ #WashougalWA #GrantJohnsonJr #ClarkCounty #WashougalHighSchool #PantherNation #GoFundMe #ClarkCountyToday

Sarah Mittelman, a candidate for the 49th Legislative District, argues that Washington's approach to homelessness, addiction, and poverty ignores its deepest root cause — early childhood trauma and disrupted attachment. By the time intervention occurs, she writes, the developmental damage is often already done. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-not-all-harm-leaves-bruises/ #ChildWelfare #EarlyChildhood #WashingtonState #Opinion #ClarkCounty #MentalHealth #Homelessness #ChildDevelopment #PublicPolicy #49thDistrict

Vancouver resident Wynn Grcich says Banfield Pet Hospital's Wellness Plan contract required her to keep paying $62.95 a month after her dog died — all the way through September. She's notified state Reps. John Ley and Stephanie McClintock and is calling for consumer protection reform. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-my-fee-is-62-95-a-month-for-a-dead-dog/ #BanfieldPetHospital #PetInsurance #ConsumerProtection #WellnessPlan #Vancouver #WashingtonState #Opinion #Letters #ClarkCounty #PetOwners

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson's annual salary hits $234,275 after a 7% raise Wednesday — his second consecutive year of double-digit increases. State lawmakers now earn $72,494, about $10,000 more than two years ago. A citizen commission, not politicians, set the new pay schedule. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/washington-governor-ag-and-state-lawmakers-get-7-pay-hikes/ #WashingtonState #BobFerguson #StateLawmakers #SalaryCommission #WashingtonPolitics #ClarkCounty #NickBrown #ElectedOfficials

Clark County communities are marking America's 250th birthday with parades, fireworks, and festivals from July 3–5. Fort Vancouver hosts a free all-day celebration, Battle Ground commemorates its own 75th anniversary, and Ridgefield, Yacolt, Camas, Washougal, and Woodland all have events lined up. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/america250-celebrations-set-to-fill-southwest-washington-with-patriotic-events/ #America250 #FourthOfJuly #ClarkCounty #Vancouver #Ridgefield #BattleGround #Yacolt #Washougal #Camas #Independence Day

Camas resident Tony Teso revisits a debate as old as American democracy itself — should elected officials follow constituent wishes or exercise independent judgment? Drawing on Burke's 1774 Bristol speech and Hannah Pitkin's analysis of representation, Teso maps the trustee-delegate tension that still shapes every legislative vote. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-1776-a-democratic-republic/ #Opinion #DemocraticRepublic #PoliticalTheory #Representation #ClarkCounty #Washington #Letters #1776 #ElectedOfficials #Accountability

Built in 1876 — the same year as America's centennial — the Cedar Creek Grist Mill near Woodland has stood for 150 years thanks to volunteers like John Clapp, who spent weekends rebuilding the flume and restoring the structure while working full-time jobs. Clapp calls it a gift to everybody. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/people/for-150-years-cedar-creek-grist-mill-has-kept-history-and-community-at-its-core/ #CedarCreekGristMill #Woodland #ClarkCounty #WashingtonState #HistoricPreservation #LocalHistory #Southwest Washington #CommunityVolunteers #America250 #Heritage

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington is serving free lunch and snacks to any child 18 and under at six Vancouver-area sites this summer — no registration, membership, or fees required. The program runs through August 15 at most locations, funded by the USDA. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/youth/boys-girls-clubs-of-southwest-washington-offers-free-summer-meals-at-six-vancouver-locations/ #BGCSW #SummerMeals #ClarkCounty #Vancouver #YouthPrograms #FreeFood #WashingtonState #SummerFoodServiceProgram #KidsEatFree #CommunityNews

Engineer Bob Ortblad sent Washington and Oregon's state safety engineers a formal request for a professional opinion on IBR bridge safety — and received zero response. He argues the proposed Vancouver approach features a tight S-curve on a -3% north-facing grade prone to black ice, reversed ramp grades, and 50mph crosswind exposure seven months a year. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-interstate-bridge-replacement-programs-safety/ #IBR #InterstateBridge #Vancouver #Transportation #ClarkCounty #BridgeSafety #WashingtonState #Opinion ---

Policy Analyst Sam Cardwell of the Mountain States Policy Center traces the roots of America's constitutional republic — from the failures of Athenian democracy to the Reign of Terror — and asks whether today's citizens are doing enough to preserve what the founders built. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-america-250-a-republic-if-we-can-keep-it/ #America250 #Constitution #Republic #CivicEngagement #Opinion #ClarkCountyToday #WashingtonState #Founders #Liberty #Democracy

Six justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts, ruled that Trump's executive order restricting birthright citizenship violated the 14th Amendment — reaffirming 128 years of constitutional precedent. Three conservative justices dissented. Washington Attorney General Nick Brown was among the first to challenge the order in January 2025. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/us-supreme-court-upholds-birthright-citizenship/ #BirthrightCitizenship #SupremeCourt #14thAmendment #Immigration #WashingtonState #ConstitutionalLaw #TrumpExecutiveOrder #NickBrown #USPolitics #ClarkCountyToday ---

Lars Larson calls the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling a threat to Social Security, Medicare, and the meaning of American citizenship itself — warning that birthright tourism will explode and reshape the country within decades. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-a-thousand-little-anchor-babies-are-popping-out-of-illegal-aliens-every-day-in-america/ #BirthrightCitizenship #Immigration #SupremeCourt #LarsLarson #Opinion #SocialSecurity #Medicare #NorthwestNonsense #ClarkCountyToday

Andrew Guerrero, a 20-year-old active-duty military member, faces six counts of Rape of a Child in the second degree and two counts of first-degree Trafficking after Vancouver Police found two teen girls — ages 13 and 16 — living in his hotel room. Guerrero allegedly met the victims on social media. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/vancouver-police-arrest-male-for-sex-crimes-against-teens/ #VancouverWA #ClarkCounty #PublicSafety #ChildTrafficking #OnlineSafety #VancouverPolice #SexCrimes #ChildProtection #CriminalJustice #WashingtonState

Clark County auditor candidate Eileen Quiring O'Brien argues that civic organizations — including the League of Women Voters of Clark County — have redefined partisan positions as "defending democracy," undermining the strict neutrality that once earned them public trust. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-words-matter-in-our-local-elections/ #Opinion #ClarkCounty #LocalElections #LeagueOfWomenVoters #CivicOrganizations #Nonpartisan #WashingtonState #Democracy #ClarkCountyAuditor #Politics

Laurel Smith, the unopposed candidate for Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, is the subject of a disqualification motion after disclosing she began dating Vancouver Police Sgt. James Dewey — a lead investigator she personally examined under oath on May 20 — just two weeks before reassigning his cases. A hearing is set for July 8 before Judge Robert A. Lewis. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/lone-prosecuting-attorney-candidate-scrutinized-for-actions-in-superior-court-case/ #ClarkCounty #LaurelSmith #ProsecutingAttorney #ConflictOfInterest #VancouverWA #ClarkCountyPolitics #SuperiorCourt #PublicSafety #WashingtonState #ClarkCountyToday

Vancouver marks America's 250th birthday with a free daylong festival at Fort Vancouver Parade Grounds on July 3, noon to 11 p.m. The celebration includes live performances, historic weapons demonstrations, a pet costume contest, and a free outdoor screening of A League of Their Own at 9:15 p.m. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/vancouver-celebrates-americas-250th-birthday-with-free-daylong-festival-at-fort-vancouver/ #America250 #FortVancouver #Vancouver #ClarkCounty #FourthOfJuly #FreeEvent #FamilyFun #PacificNorthwest #WashingtonState #CommunityNews ---

Clark County Treasurer Alishia Topper has scheduled a July 10 distraint auction of restaurant furniture, fixtures, and equipment from a former Shari's location at 305 SE Chkalov Drive in Vancouver. The sale proceeds only if delinquent taxes remain unpaid by 4 p.m. July 9. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/business/county-treasurer-schedules-personal-property-auction-for-july-10/ #ClarkCounty #AlishiaTopper #PropertyAuction #DelinquentTaxes #Vancouver #WashingtonState #ClarkCountyTreasurer #PublicAuction

Rob Natelson, Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence at the Mountain States Policy Center, closes his series on the Declaration of Independence by tracing how its founding creed shaped Lincoln, the Constitution's ratification debate, and even the 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights — while warning that misuse of the document demands civic education. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-the-legacy-of-the-declaration-of-independence/ #DeclarationOfIndependence #NaturalRights #AmericanFounders #ConstitutionalLaw #RobNatelson #MountainStatesPolicyCenter #Opinion #ClarkCountyToday

Camas resident Anna Miller writes that FBI Director Kash Patel's task forces have rescued 7,500 children, captured eight of the FBI's 10 most wanted in 17 months, and are dismantling trafficking pipelines and encrypted predator rings nationwide. She also highlights NCMEC's warning about a surge in financial sextortion targeting minors. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-the-war-for-americas-children-has-begun-and-the-predators-are-losing/ #ChildTrafficking #FBI #KashPatel #ChildSafety #NCMEC #Sextortion #ClarkCounty #Camas #Opinion #LetterToTheEditor

Lars Larson calls Chief Justice John Roberts the deciding vote in a ruling he says allows presidential election ballots to be counted weeks after Election Day — a decision four conservative justices dissented from. Larson argues 14 states exploit the post-deadline window and points to the Los Angeles mayor's race as a recent example. His challenge to Congress: pass the SAVE Act or risk what he calls single-party rule. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-scotus-pond-scum-decides-late-election-ballots-do-count/ #Opinion #SCOTUS #SAVEAct #ElectionIntegrity #LarsLarson #LateBallots #Congress #VoterID #NorthwestNonsense #Politics

Washington collected $1.5 billion from capital gains taxes — roughly twice February's projection — nearly erasing an $878 million deficit. But budget writers warn the underlying fundamentals remain challenging, with a shortfall expected in the next two-year budget cycle. Gov. Ferguson says December's proposal will rely on cuts, not new taxes. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/business/capital-gains-tax-surge-eases-but-doesnt-solve-wa-budget-woes/ #WashingtonState #CapitalGainsTax #WABudget #StateBudget #TaxPolicy #WashingtonPolitics #FiscalPolicy #PNWNews #ClarkCounty

With WA Cares benefits set to launch, 61% of early applicants were denied — and family caregivers are being steered toward a union-linked employer with little transparency about costs, obligations, or alternatives. Elizabeth New (Hovde) of the Washington Policy Center says the state's communication failures are not accidental. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/wa-cares-ready-ish-to-launch-family-caregivers-remain-in-the-dark/ #WACares #LongTermCare #FamilyCaregivers #WashingtonState #HealthPolicy #SEIU775 #ClarkCounty #WashingtonPolicyCenter

The average Fourth of July cookout now costs about 4 percent more than last year, with West Coast families paying around $80 for a 10-person meal. But Pam Lewison of the Washington Policy Center notes farmers take home only about 6 cents of every dollar spent on that feast. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-fourth-of-july-cookout-costs-a-little-more-this-year/ #FourthOfJuly #FoodCosts #Agriculture #Inflation #WashingtonPolicyCenter #Opinion #IndependenceDay #Farming #AFBF #ClarkCountyToday

Clark County Councilor Michelle Belkot has endorsed Eileen Quiring O'Brien for Clark County Auditor, citing Quiring O'Brien's record as former Chair of the Clark County Council and her focus on government transparency and accountability. Belkot represents District 2 on the Clark County Council. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/clark-county-councilor-michelle-belkot-endorses-eileen-quiring-obrien-for-clark-county-auditor/ #ClarkCounty #ClarkCountyAuditor #EileenQuiringOBrien #MichelleBelkot #ClarkCountyCouncil #Transparency #Accountability #Vancouver #WashingtonState #LocalPolitics

Thirteen of Clark County's leading heritage organizations will gather at the Clark County Historical Museum on July 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a free public fair at 1511 Main Street in downtown Vancouver. From the Clark County Genealogical Society to Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, attendees can explore local history, volunteer opportunities, and America 250 programming all in one place. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/clark-county-heritage-organizations-unite-for-free-community-heritage-fair-on-july-11/ #ClarkCounty #Vancouver #HeritageOrganizationFair #America250 #ClarkCountyHistoricalMuseum #LocalHistory #HistoricPreservation #WashingtonState #CommunityNews #FreeEvent ---

Clark County resident Bogdan Lendel argues the $14-plus billion I-5 Bridge proposal rebuilds the same corridor bottleneck without solving the region's core problem: too few Columbia River crossings. He calls for a third crossing to create true redundancy and network flexibility. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-the-region-does-not-just-need-a-prettier-i-5-bridge/ #I5Bridge #ClarkCounty #ColumbiaRiver #Transportation #VancouverWA #Infrastructure #BridgeReplacement #TransportationPlanning #Opinion #WashingtonState