On Friday, July 23, 2021, Clark County Sheriff’s Detective Jeremy Brown was shot and killed while conducting surveillance in Vancouver. Detective Brown’s 15-year legacy with the Sheriff’s Office included time as a corrections deputy, patrol deputy, school resource officer, and narcotics detective. At the time of his death, Jeremy was first in line for promotion to Sergeant, and was posthumously awarded this rank.

A memorial service for Sgt. Jeremy Brown is scheduled for 1 pm on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at ilani Casino Resort, 1 Cowlitz Way, Ridgefield.

The Clark County Council decided this week to keep its public meetings in a virtual format through the end of August at which time councilors will re-evaluate and consider whether to open meetings to in-person attendance.

The council had previously decided earlier this month to re-open its public meetings to in-person attendance beginning Aug. 1. However, due to the recent increase in COVID-19 case numbers, the council chose to delay that action and consider it again towards the end of August.

Each year, the Clark County Auditor’s Office publishes a voters’ pamphlet for the general election which is mailed to all households in Clark County. It includes candidate statements and photographs and local ballot measures with supporting and opposing statements written by citizen committees.

A legislative body placing a measure on the ballot shall appoint a committee to write a supporting statement and another committee to write an opposing statement.

A new report analyzing vaccination status of Southwest Washington residents hospitalized for COVID-19 shows that vaccination can reduce the risk of hospitalization by as much as 90%.

The analysis found that the risk of being hospitalized for COVID-19 was reduced by 90% for Southwest Washington residents 65 years and older who were fully vaccinated. Among those 65 years and older who were partially vaccinated, the risk of being hospitalized was reduced by 75%.

The Clark County Council this week appointed James Smith to serve as District Court Judge in Department 3. Smith will fill the position previously held by Judge Darvin Zimmerman who retired on June 30, 2021.

Smith will have to run for election in 2022 in order to keep the seat. District Court judges serve four-year terms. All Clark County District Court judge positions will be up for election in 2022.

Beginning at 9 am Wednesday, Aug. 4, elections officials will perform a hand count of approximately 600 ballots randomly selected as part of a manual comparison against machine results.

The selected ballots will be counted in the total returns on Election Day. But for this comparison, the City of Vancouver mayoral race will be counted by hand, to check the accuracy of the ballot tabulation equipment.

At the close of the regular candidate filing period on Friday, May 21, 2021, Clark County election officials had not received candidate filings for one elected office: Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue, commissioner, position number 5.

Pursuant to Washington state law, an additional special three-day filing period must be held for these offices.

Public Health is urging Clark County residents not yet vaccinated against COVID-19 to wear face coverings in indoor public places and get vaccinated as soon as possible. COVID-19 case numbers are once again on the rise in Clark County, with the number of new cases doubling in the last week.  

COVID-19 case rates are increasing across most age groups, with the highest rates among young adults 20 to 39 years old. And about 95% of Clark County cases since March have been unvaccinated, according to information gathered during case interviews.

Due to the extreme fire danger, recreational fires will be prohibited throughout unincorporated Clark County effective 12:01 am, Saturday, July 24, 2021. 

This recreational fire restriction is in addition to the general outdoor burning prohibition that was implemented on June 25. According to Fire Marshal Dan Young this is a preventive measure to reduce the risk of grass or brush fires as a result of escaped campfires. 

This ban joins with the ban imposed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources on their lands.

Each year, the Clark County Auditor’s Office publishes a voters’ pamphlet for the general election which is mailed to all households in Clark County. It includes candidate statements and photographs and local ballot measures with supporting and opposing statements written by citizen committees.

A legislative body placing a measure on the ballot shall appoint a committee to write a supporting statement and another committee to write an opposing statement.