Vancouver, Wash. – Crews with Clark County Public Works have closed a 3.7-mile portion of Pacific Highway between Woodland and La Center. The closure will allow crews to make repairs to the roadway that were damaged after heavy rains caused a mudslide.

Pacific Highway will remain closed between Northwest Bratton Road in Woodland and Northwest Bolan Street in La Center. Drivers should take alternate routes during the closure. No through traffic will be allowed, but local access will be maintained.

Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County Public Health is teaming up with the nonprofit Medication Education & Disposal Project (MED-Project) to provide free disposal of expired, unwanted or unused medicine safely and conveniently. 

MED-Project provides residents with convenient, year-round medicine drop-off locations, such as pharmacies, medical facilities and law enforcement offices. In addition to its existing operational programs in several Washington counties, MED-Project has activated more than 150 additional drop-off sites across the state and has plans to add more sites.

Vancouver, Wash. ‒ At 10 am on Wednesday, Jan. 6, the Clark County Elections Office will conduct a logic and accuracy test of the programming to be used to tabulate ballots and the accessible voting units for the Feb. 9 special election.

The test will be held at the Elections Office, 1408 Franklin St. Members of the news media, jurisdictions with measures on the ballot and the general public are invited to attend this test, which is required under Washington law.

Ballots will be mailed Friday, Jan. 22.

After the holiday festivities end, Clark County Public Health urges residents to recycle their Christmas trees, rather than sending them to the landfill.

Before trees are recycled, all lights, tinsel, wire, ornaments and stands must be removed. Flocked and artificial trees cannot be recycled and should be placed in the garbage.

Councilor-elect Karen Dill Bowerman is scheduled to be sworn in as a member of the Clark County Council at 10 am Monday, Dec. 28.

The virtual event will be on WebEx. The public can listen to the swearing in by calling 408.418.9388 and using the access code 146 132 1874.

Clark County Clerk Scott Weber will perform the swearing in ceremony.

Karen Dill Bowerman succeeds John Blom representing District 3, which covers part of east Vancouver and a portion of east Clark County.

The Clark County Arts Commission is seeking applicants for Clark County Poet Laureate. The position is for two years beginning April 15, 2021.

This is a volunteer position. However, the Arts Commission is working to acquire financial support such as a stipend, grant or honorarium.

Duties of the Poet Laureate include promoting poetry as an art form, expanding access to the literary arts, and encouraging poetry as a regional voice that contributes to a sense of place.

Potential applicants must:

A new state vital records law that changes the ordering requirements for birth and death certificates goes into effect on Jan. 1.

The last day to submit 2020 birth and death certificate orders is Dec. 29. This deadline is to ensure all orders placed in 2020 are completed before the new law goes into effect. Orders placed on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 will be returned. All orders placed in 2021 must meet the requirements of the new law.

Every election, the Clark County Auditor’s Office provides an online voters’ guide with information about candidates and ballot measures for voters to make an informed decision when voting. The voters’ guide includes statements by and photographs of candidates for elective offices as well as local ballot measures with supporting and opposing statements written by citizens.

The Commission on Aging will hear from local service providers on the impact COVID-19 has had on the mental health of older adults and hear about what services and resources are available in our community to help address isolation.  

The presentations will take place during the Commission on Aging’s monthly meeting at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week announced options for shortening the recommended 14-day quarantine for people exposed to COVID-19. The Washington State Department of Health adopted those options, and Clark County Public Health and other health departments across Southwest Washington are also adopting the options for people who do not live or work in high-priority settings.