Clark County Public Health has issued warning advisories for Lacamas Lake and Round Lake due to elevated levels of cyanotoxins from blue-green algae.

Public Health collected water samples from both Camas lakes on Monday. Results revealed cyanotoxins above the threshold levels recommended by the Washington Department of Health. Warning signs are being placed at public access points at both lakes.

Cyanotoxins can be harmful to people, especially young children, and deadly for small pets that drink the water. Health officials recommend:

The Washington State Association of County Treasurers (WSACT) announced it has elected its Officers for 2021-22. The WSACT Officers were elected at its business meeting during the mid-summer legislative conference July 22-23 in Ellensburg, Washington. The association elected Clark County Treasurer Alishia Topper as its new President.   

Due to a statewide license plate shortage, the Clark County Auditor’s Office and nine licensing subagents may begin issuing temporary paper permits to passenger vehicle licensing customers.

The paper permits will be good for 60 days and can be displayed the same way temporary plates are displayed when purchasing a car from a dealer. When metal plates become available customers will be contacted and informed they can pick up their plates at the licensing office.

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.