Amboy man hurt in crash still hospitalized

March 21, 2016, 8:18 pm

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An Amboy man hurt in a rollover crash near Fargher Lake remained in serious condition at a hospital Monday.

Kenneth D. Maylone, 61, was driving south Friday morning on Northeast 156th Avenue when he lost control while attempting to pass, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

His car went off the east side of the road and rolled multiple times before stopping in a blueberry field.

Maylone was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center for treatment. The hospital said Monday he was listed in serious condition.

No one else was hurt in the crash, and no other vehicles were involved, Clark County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Fred Neiman said.

Neiman said no citations were issued in the crash.

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Tractor victim ID’d

March 21, 2016, 8:20 pm

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The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office identified a man killed in a Friday afternoon tractor accident as Maurice Stamp, 86.

Firefighters and deputies were called to the man’s home in the Hazel Dell area after he was found pinned under his tractor, which had rolled over.

The medical examiner determined Stamp died from asphyxiation caused by the weight of the tractor.

Clark County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Fred Neiman said there were no witnesses, but it appeared to deputies Stamper was attempting to back up some sort of embankment when the tractor rolled.

Lightning strikes home, displacing occupants

March 21, 2016, 9:22 pm

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Lightning struck a home in the Image neighborhood Sunday night, frying its power and temporarily displacing its occupants.

Vancouver firefighters responded around 7:20 that night to a caller saying a neighbor’s home had been struck by lightning.

Vancouver Fire Department spokesman Darrin Deming said firefighters responded with four engines and a truck, which is standard for structure fires, to the 4000 block of Northeast 130th Avenue.

Firefighters didn’t find any active fire, he said, but the strike died fry the home’s electrical system.

Deming said the strike rendered the home uninhabitable, and the occupants made arrangements for temporary lodging.

Lightning strike-prompted calls are pretty uncommon, Deming said.

“In the 15-plus years I’ve been doing this, this might be my second time going to a house that was struck,” he said.

The other time — it was actually a church, he added — he was working in Texas when lightning struck a church and set the building aflame.

Longtime supporters of Clintons enthusiastic at rally

March 21, 2016, 10:21 pm

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Standing near the back of a snug crowd Monday at Clark College, an eager Carol Anderson shook a pair of teal and purple tambourines adorned with stickers bearing her preferred presidential candidate's name: Hillary Clinton. The Vancouver resident joined a crowd of about 500 that crammed into Gaiser Hall to hear former President Bill Clinton stump for his wife's presidential campaign. The crowd, many of which were forced to stand in the small room, cheered, clapped and laughed along with the former president as he addressed the issues he believed made his wife most qualified to run the country -- and urged them to vote in this weekend's Democratic caucuses. "Please, go. Please know that between now and the time of the caucus, you will pass somewhere between 20 and 50 people you know that you might be able to drag there," Clinton told the crowd to laughter and scattered applause. Anderson, who would only say she's a "little older than (Clinton's Democratic opponent) Bernie Sanders," has been with the Clintons since the beginning. And from her campaign button of Bill Clinton's 1992 run, to her baseball cap bearing Hillary Clinton's signature from her 2008 run, she had the swag to prove it. "I think she is the person and he is the help person that are going to bring us back," Anderson said as cheers of "Bill, Bill, Bill" burst out around her. Anderson plans to caucus this weekend, she said. The long line of supporters that waited to hear Clinton skewed older and less energetic than the excited crowd of thousands who waited to hear Sanders, who brought his message of political revolution to Hudson's Bay High School on Sunday. But like Anderson, many in the crowd were enthusiastic about their longtime support of the Clintons. "I've always liked Bill," said Cindy Bothwall, 61. She and two friends, Tracey Leask, 45 and Erika Cox, 43, waited in line for several hours to hear Clinton speak. "I just thought he was amazing in office," she added. "And Hillary's going to be just as amazing." Leask added: "I'm looking forward to hearing about foreign policy. Obviously being from England, it's always nice to hear that people in America know what else is going on the world." Melissa Lile, 42, and her 12-year-old son, Aidan Xander, huddled under an umbrella while waiting to see the former president. At 18 years old, Lile cast her first vote for president for Clinton, and she wanted her son to learn more about politics by attending the rally. "I brought my son today because I wanted him to see the process and to see people supporting who they believed in -- a little bit of activism," she said. "This is probably the first presidential election where he's going to fully understand." Aidan, holding a sign reading "Thank you, Mr. President," said he hoped to come away from the speech with "knowledge about election." Don Kerr Jr. and his wife Peggy Kerr huddled against the cold to hear the former president. Don Kerr said the couple have been longtime fans of the Clintons, going back to his presidency. "We just believe that (Hillary Clinton's) got the most experience and can just step right on in on the first day of presidency," he said. Not all in the crowd, however, were longtime supporters of the Clintons. Amber Rose, 39, said she's leaning toward voting for Clinton this November, but that she appreciates Sanders' points of view. "My point of view is really about practicality and how it works in the system," she said. "Hillary has been working in it for 30 years, plus. She knows how to work everything." Both Democratic presidential candidates' appearances come about a week in advance of the party's caucuses this Saturday, where the party will select its convention delegates.

Bill Clinton touts Hillary’s candidacy in Clark College speech

March 21, 2016, 10:40 pm

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Former President Bill Clinton stopped in Vancouver on Monday in an effort to ensure Hillary Clinton maintains her healthy delegate lead over her opponent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Bill Clinton told the crowd of about 500 at Clark College his No. 1 goal was to urge them to caucus on Saturday, the initial step in electing delegates to the Democratic National Convention where the party's presidential pick will be nominated. The former president also touted his wife's economic policies, diplomatic experience and her efforts championing a host of liberal causes from advocating for an increase in the minimum wage to pushing for paid family leave. "She is qualified today to deal with these very hard questions, in a world far more hostile than the world I encountered when I took the oath of office in 1993," Clinton said. "I believe, in terms of fitting the times in which we need a president, she's the best qualified person I've ever had a chance to vote for." Bill Clinton visited the area the day after Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., hosted a rally at Hudson's Bay High School in Vancouver. Although Bill Clinton and Sanders touched on similar topics throughout their speeches -- from climate change, to immigration and prison reform, to rebuilding the middle class and the Citizens United case and campaign finance reform -- the tone was markedly different. A younger, more vocal crowd of about 5,000 packed the Sanders rally Sunday. The candidate was often interrupted by thunderous applause and chanting of his name. At the event at Clark College, the vibe was more mellow, and Clinton delved into more detailed specifics of Hillary's plans. Bill Clinton said the former secretary of state's education plan includes a "system where every young person can graduate completely debt free from any public institution in this country." The former president said Hillary Clinton would increase Pell grants, allow everyone 10 hours a week of a work-study program, and believes those in the upper-income brackets should help their younger family members pay for college. And perhaps the most important component, Bill Clinton said, would be the ability to consolidate and refinance high-interest loans. "Did you know college loans are the only loans in America you can't refinance?" he asked the crowd. The crowd, which included many Clark College students, replied, "Yes." Clinton also spoke about other policy differences between Hillary Clinton and Sanders. One of their big differences, he said, was their take on the federal Export-Import Bank, which he added, "most Americans have never heard of." The bank helps U.S. companies sell their products abroad, and Hillary Clinton wants to see it expanded, Bill Clinton said, adding that Sanders didn't. The president showed up about an hour late and joked it was due to traffic on the Interstate 5 Bridge. Before arriving in Vancouver, he was in Portland at Powell's bookstore, where Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced she is endorsing Hillary Clinton. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, whose book, "Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy" has a foreward written by Bill Clinton, introduced the former president. Inslee said he has known Hillary Clinton since 1992. "We're going to elect Hillary Clinton the next president of the United States," Inslee said.

Woodland police involved in pursuit, crash

March 22, 2016, 11:59 am

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A pursuit involving a Woodland police officer ended in north Clark County when the patrol car crashed into an uninvolved vehicle, Woodland Police Chief Phil Crochet said.

A Woodland officer spotted a stolen black Jeep on the eastern edge of town at about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday and tried to pull the vehicle over but a pursuit ensued, Crochet said.

The fleeing vehicle struck an uninvolved vehicle before crossing the East CC Street bridge into Clark County and continuing onto Northwest Hayes Road, Crochet said.

The Woodland officer continued the pursuit until the officer crashed into an uninvolved vehicle, Crochet said. At some point, the officer lost sight of the suspect, he added.

Crochet said there were no serious injuries.

Woodland police will conduct an administrative investigation into the collision, Crochet said, as well as conduct a follow-up investigation to identify the driver and locate the stolen vehicle.

Fisher stepping aside as Fisher Investments CEO

March 22, 2016, 5:00 pm

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Ken Fisher, the founder of Fisher Investments who brought hundreds of well-paying jobs to Clark County in the depths of an economic slowdown, is stepping aside as CEO of the Camas-based financial management firm, the company announced Tuesday.

Taking Fisher’s place leading the 2,000-employee company will be 41-year-old Damian Ornani, who has been with the company for 20 years. 

“Clients should expect from us the same dedication to service, education and capital markets innovation that we’ve had since our founding,” Ornani said in a news release.

Fisher, 65, will stay on as executive director and co-chief investment officer, remaining “as active as ever” in investing strategies and long-term planning after leaving the CEO position in July, the company said.

“With our ongoing growth in clients, assets under management, employees and our expanding presence on four continents, it’s a natural evolution to separate the management and investment functions,” Fisher said in the release.

Company spokesman David Eckerly explained in an email that the change in leadership “simply means allowing Ken to focus on investments and Damian to focus on business management.”

The changing of the guard for a company that manages $65 billion in investments was not unexpected. Fisher had issued a statement last year stating that he intended to step down as CEO sometime in 2016.

“As Damian assumes this role, I will devote more of my time and energy to the areas where I provide the most value to our clients, including guiding the firm’s investment strategies,” Fisher said in the release. “I’ll also continue spending time with clients and the public, just as I do now.”

Ornani becomes CEO effective July 1. He currently serves as the president of private client acquisition and service, overseeing 70 percent of the company’s 2,000 employees. Ornani lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and spends his time between all the firm’s worldwide offices, the company said.

Fisher did not respond to a Columbian request for further comment, but told InvestmentNews: “I’m going to be working my normal 60 hours a week. I’m not going anywhere.”

Fisher Investments was founded in 1979 in the Bay Area. The company opened a Vancouver office in 2007 and opened what became its headquarters in Camas in 2011.

Fisher brought hundreds of well-paying jobs to Clark County at a time when the region needed them the most. His employees helped juice an otherwise sluggish local economy by purchasing homes and spending money on other local goods and services.

Last year  Employment Security Department regional economist Scott Bailey said the Clark County economy has benefited greatly from “multiplier effects” from “some of the bigger fish that have come in,” like Fisher Investments and PeaceHealth.

Today nearly 1,000 people work at Fisher Investments’ Camas campus, which has two five-story buildings. The company says it has capacity to accommodate 1,800 employees in Camas.

Forbes listed Fisher earlier this year as the 206th-richest person in the United States with a net worth of $3.1 billion. Fisher is also the author of many investing books and a column for Forbes. Outspoken — some may say brash — he also has a knack for some irreverent sayings in public appearances. But he also showed an appreciation for the community that had embraced his company’s expansion.

“I’ve got a lot of class and all of it’s low. I got a lot of taste and all of it’s bad,” Fisher said at The Columbian’s Economic Forecast Breakfast in 2015. “I see all these people who suffer from inferiority complexes who want to go and be a foodie in Portland. I will do that when I’m dragged across the river.”

Fisher is the father of three adult children and lives with his wife, Sherri, in Camas.

Visits by Clinton, Sanders spur uptick in voter registration in county

March 22, 2016, 5:18 pm

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Election fever appears to have struck in Clark County. Following news of visits by presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and former President Bill Clinton, who campaigned for his wife Hillary Clinton, the Clark County Elections Office saw a jump in online voter registration. From Friday through Sunday, the office received 1,000 online registrations, Elections Supervisor Cathie Garber said. On a normal weekend, the office sees between 400 and 500. "We received a lot over the last week because of people learning about the caucuses and hearing things in the news," Garber said. "So people are getting ready for the presidential primary." Washington's presidential primary is May 24.

“The Democrats are excited to have both campaigns visit Vancouver and energize our voters for the 2016 election, as this not only helps us on the national level, it helps us focus more attention on our local candidates for state and county offices, as well as … down the ballot,” said Rich Rogers, chair of Clark County’s Democratic party.

Voter turnout in presidential years is significantly higher than in off-year elections. In 2012, Clark County saw 79.6 percent of voters go to the ballot. In 2015, an off-year election, only about 34 percent of Clark County's registered voters submitted ballots. Sanders visited Vancouver on Sunday, drawing a crowd of about 7,000 to a rally at Hudson's Bay High School. President Clinton campaigned for his wife at Clark College on Monday. A total of about 1,100 people attended that event, a college spokeswoman said late Monday night. Democrats will caucus statewide at 10 a.m. Saturday to indicate their preference for the party's presidential nominee and discuss a party platform. Anyone who considers themselves a Democrat may participate, but only registered voters or those who will turn 18 between Saturday and the Nov. 8 presidential election may vote for a nominee. More information is available at www.clarkcountydems.com/caucus.  

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Man pleads guilty in robbery, assault

March 22, 2016, 6:27 pm

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A Vancouver man facing an attempted murder charge for breaking into an east Vancouver home and attacking and robbing the woman who lived there, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a lesser crime. Vincent R. Burnett, 30, entered guilty pleas in Clark County Superior Court to first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and unlawful imprisonment stemming from the April 29 attack. He was facing attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, first-degree robbery, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree burglary and methamphetamine possession. As part of a plea deal, those charges were amended. Burnett and a suspected accomplice, 16-year-old Roy James Thompson Jr., broke into the home in the 3400 block of Northeast 138th Avenue, according to the Vancouver Police Department. The victim, a 65-year-old woman, reported the crime at about 3 a.m. and was subsequently taken to a hospital and treated for head injuries. Two males dressed in all-dark clothing broke into the woman's residence and ransacked her home while looking for items, according to a probable cause affidavit. Police contacted the victim at the hospital, and she said that the burglars bound her hands with her scarves and a suitcase strap. They told her not to move, she said, and threatened to kill her. The woman said she began to cry and told them she had nothing for them to take. One of the assailants, later identified by the prosecution as Thompson, then hit her in the head with what she thought was a hammer, the affidavit said. The assailants took her wallet from her suitcase, which contained bank cards, foreign currency and about $200 in U.S. currency. She said they also took her two cellphones, court documents said. A tip from a confidential informant led police to two suspects, "Junior" and "Vince," who were allegedly trafficking stolen property belonging to the victim. Police later identified "Junior" as Thompson and "Vince" as Burnett, court records show. Burnett and Thompson were scheduled for trial April 25. Thompson is being tried as an adult. His case is still pending. During Tuesday's hearing, Deputy Prosecutor James Smith said he will recommend Burnett serve 18 1/4 years in prison. The defense will likely argue for a lesser sentence April 28. Burnett is not to have contact with the victim or Thompson. In his guilty statement, Burnett wrote that Thompson assaulted the victim but acknowledged a jury could find he was an accomplice. He admitted to shutting off the woman's electricity before leaving the home so she couldn't call for help. Smith said the victim is a Buddhist nun who speaks little English. Burnett's defense attorney, Heather Carroll, said her client denies seeing Thompson strike the victim, and that he was not calling the shots that night.  

Volunteer training to start at Clark YWCA

March 22, 2016, 6:54 pm

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YWCA Clark County is accepting new volunteer applications, with training beginning March 31. Volunteer opportunities at the nonprofit include “advocacy and support for survivors of sexual assault; representing the best interests of abused and neglected children in the court system; and supporting the safety and healing of families experiencing domestic violence,” according to a news release.

The nonprofit is particularly interested in growing the Sexual Assault Program and the number of Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, volunteers.

More information is online at www.ywcaclarkcounty.org. Contact Nichole Peppers at 360-906-9112 or npeppers@ywcaclarkcounty.org.

Recycled arts festival receives state award

March 22, 2016, 6:56 pm

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Clark County’s Recycled Arts Festival won two awards from the Washington Festival and Events Association, a statewide organization.

The Recycled Arts Festival, organized by Environmental Services outreach specialist Sally Fisher, showcases artwork made of recycled materials.

The event received the Community Impact Award for having the most positive impact on a community, and the Grand Summit Award for having the best unity, design and overall appeal of any Washington event in 2015.

Suicidal man shuts down I-5 Bridge traffic

March 22, 2016, 7:12 pm

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Officials blocked traffic going both directions over the Interstate 5 Bridge for more than an hour Tuesday evening as negotiators tried to work with a man threatening to jump into the river.

Police closed the southbound lanes over the bridge around 6:20 p.m. for a man near the bridge railing armed with knives and threatening to jump, then later closed both lanes.

The bridge was reopened for vehicle traffic around 7:30 p.m., but the bicycle and pedestrian lane on the southbound side of the bridge was closed as officers continued to talk with the man.

The man was taken into custody around 8 p.m.

Facebook photo of Dutch Bros. employees praying with woman goes viral

March 22, 2016, 8:20 pm

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Evan Freeman was working at the Dutch Bros. drive-thru on Northeast 138th Avenue on Friday when he saw one of his co-workers outside talking to a woman in line, and both of them had "faces of discomfort." His co-worker came in and said the woman was upset because her husband died the night before and she didn't know what to do. The Dutch Bros. workers, however, did. "We showed her some love," said Freeman, 21, who has worked at the 2610 N.E. 138th Ave., Vancouver, location for about six months. "We started talking to her, letting her know she has support and wishing happy things on her. We just wanted to make her feel better in any way we could." The woman stayed at the window for about 10 minutes talking to Freeman, Peirce Dunn and Jacob Hancock, and, at one point, reached out her window and joined in a prayer circle with the employees. Barbara Danner, who was in her car behind the woman in line, snapped a photo of the circle and posted it to the Dutch Bros. main Facebook page on Saturday, where it has taken off. As of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, her post had 197,500-plus likes and more than 7,500 comments, and 64,800-plus people have shared it. "I found out this morning that it went viral," said Jessica Chudek, the owner of that Dutch Bros. drive-thru, as well as the one on Southeast Mill Plain Boulevard. "I saw the post on the Dutch Bros. Facebook, and at first didn't realize it was our location. I just thought it was a beautiful story." Chudek said Tuesday wasn't noticeably busier at the 138th Avenue location, although it was a pretty exciting day, with many customers asking about the picture. "A lot of people came out to show their support and tell us they were proud to be our customers," she said. Chudek said she spoke to Danner and the woman in the photo since it went viral, and they were both excited the story was spreading. She added that the location is keeping the name of the woman in the photo private for now until she decides if she wants to come forward publicly. While she was surprised at how widespread the picture went, Chudek wasn't surprised by the actions of her employees. "We encourage them to pour love out of that window in whatever way is comfortable for them," she said. "I don't think this was a religious thing. It was just something this woman needed at that time." Freeman said he and his fellow Dutch Bros. employees huddle together to talk to customers all the time, and they often end up talking to people about their lives. Sometimes it's sad things, sometimes happy and sometimes they just let the customers vent. Dunn, 19, a first-year student at Clark College, said the woman was "extremely grateful" by the end of her talk with the Dutch Bros. employees, and she seemed to gather herself a bit and start thinking about what to do next. After she drove off, Dunn said the employees took a moment to let themselves breathe. They didn't want to drag anyone's day down, but they knew they had a line of customers to go back to helping. Freeman said after the woman left, the employees kept apologizing to the other customers for the wait, but many of them said they saw what happened and weren't mad at all. "It was just us being genuine," Dunn said. "I think here at Dutch Bros. the expectation is that we're going to be genuine with these people because we are. We care for other people."  

Class on sex trafficking snares Vancouver man

March 22, 2016, 8:58 pm

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Police said a Vancouver man, responding to a fake online ad, unknowingly spoke over speakerphone to an entire class of officers training on human trafficking investigations to set up a “tryst,” then was cited in front of the West Linn, Ore., police station, where officers set up their meeting.

The West Linn Police Department hosted training for human trafficking investigations Tuesday. As part of the program, the investigators teaching the class placed an ad on escort websites, the department said.

Throughout the class, a phone with a number listed in the ad continuously rang with would-be customers trying to contact the fictitious West Linn 19-year-old the investigators created and listed in the ad.

The West Linn police said one caller, Rene Cruz Mesa, of Vancouver, agreed while on speakerphone to meet the woman. He told the officer on the other end he was working in West Linn as a landscaper and asked where to go.

The investigator posing as the 19-year-old gave Cruz Mesa the address to the West Linn Police Department, and — to the bewilderment of those in attendance, the department said — Cruz Mesa drove to the police department, all while continuing to speak with the investigator. He even described his truck.

Police officers met him outside the station, where he was cited and released for patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanor in Oregon.

“I have never heard of a classroom demonstration that led to an arrest like this,” West Linn police Lt. Mike Stradley said in a news release from the department.

Chief Terry Timeus said the incident highlights the growing concern area officials have regarding human trafficking.

The West Linn police said the ad received 38 phone calls, 16 of which came during the class.

—Andy Matarrese

Attorney general: Raise age for legal smoking

March 22, 2016, 9:01 pm

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Five to 10 years from now, the state Attorney General's Office hopes to have a much different conversation about Big Tobacco and the legal smoking age. "This is only going to go in one direction. More and more states are going to move to 21. We can either be at the front of that or the back end. It's up to the Legislature, but I think that movement is happening," Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Tuesday during an editorial board meeting with The Columbian. Ferguson's office for the second consecutive year requested a measure to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco and vapor products from 18 to 21. The bill passed a House Health Care Committee this legislative session, garnering more bipartisan support than in previous sessions. However, the measure failed to become law in the 2016 legislative session. "It's one of those bills where if we can get it to the bloody floors for a vote, it will pass overwhelmingly," Ferguson said. Although it seems like an uphill battle, Ferguson said he was encouraged to see a dramatic increase in sponsors from both sides of the aisle last session. Opposition came from the House's Democratic leadership and Senate's Republican leadership. One argument Ferguson heard is the financial impact the change would have on the state's general fund. "If you raise the smoking age, fewer teenagers will be buying cigarettes, (which is a) good thing," he said. "Is the Legislature really balancing their budget on the backs of teenage smokers? Look, the candid answer is yes." The state's general fund would lose more than $10 million annually in sales of tobacco products if the sales age were to increase to 21, according to a Department of Revenue fiscal note summary. "Many parts about that are frustrating. One, is just morally, is that how we are really doing it? Ferguson said. "But beyond that, (the Legislature) saying, 'But hey, it's the money. It's $10 million bucks.' What's infuriating about that is the AG's office delivers a check to the Legislature every year for many, many millions of dollars directly because of our work taking on Big Tobacco. "In other words, they don't have to look very hard to find the money. We give it to them in the form of a check from Big Tobacco every freaking year, excuse my language," he said, as he slammed his fist down on the table. Results from the 2014 Healthy Youth Survey show that 10 percent of Clark County 10th-graders and 15 percent of 12th-graders reported smoking cigarettes in the previous 30 days. About 4 percent of 10th-graders and 6 percent of 12th-graders reported using smokeless tobacco products. The anonymous survey also shows that nearly a quarter of high school seniors used vaping devices, as did 21 percent of 10th-graders. Ferguson said internal documents he's seen from Big Tobacco mention how raising the legal smoking age would gut tobacco companies' key demographic. "So it is frustrating, you know. I want to be respectful to the Legislature, but honestly. The bill is going to save lives. I don't know what more important thing they have on their agenda," he said. The other argument he heard in opposing the bill is "if you're old enough to fight and die for your country, you should be able to have a cigarette." "That's an argument at the least I can get my mind around. That's an argument I can respect. I do disagree with it strongly, for a couple of reasons," Ferguson said. If the law were to pass, it doesn't apply to military bases. "No. 2: Hey, the drinking age is 21. To smoke marijuana, you got to be 21. I don't see any legislators proposing that we make those laws rolled back to 18. It's pretty clear cigarettes are far more damaging for one's health than either of those products and far more addictive, as well," he argued. Hawaii was the first state to change its legal smoking age to 21. California recently passed a bill, Ferguson said, but it is awaiting the governor's signature. "The results speak for themselves. The jurisdictions that move to 21, they see the drop in teenage smoking. On the financial costs, yes, one can argue maybe there's a short term hit but long term is there any doubt in terms of the savings for all of us?" Ferguson said. "Every household in Washington state pays more than $800 bucks in taxes for health-related impacts of smoking, even if you're a non-smoking household. The long term impacts will only be positive."  

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Sewer work planned for E. Mill Plain Boulevard

March 23, 2016, 10:00 am

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Nighttime work for sewer line installation is planned March 29 through April 8 along East Mill Plain Boulevard between Northeast 92nd and 97th Avenues.

The construction, performed by contractor Tapani Underground of Vancouver, will take place between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. to help reduce impacts to traffic on the busy roadway. The work is part of a city of Vancouver project to extend sewer lines to serve 39 residential properties just east of the North Garrison Heights neighborhood, according to a city press release.

During the work, traffic on this stretch of Mill Plain will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are urged to move slowly, use caution and be alert to signs, narrowing lanes and construction equipment. If possible, use alternate routes to avoid the work zone.

When the sewer line installation is done, the pavement will be temporarily patched. Curb-to-curb overlay paving will occur during the summer as part of the city’s annual pavement management program.

 

 

14-year-old Vancouver girl missing since August found safe

March 23, 2016, 12:47 pm

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Danielle Hone, a 14-year-old Vancouver girl missing since August, has been found and is safe, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Danielle, or Danny, was found after midnight Tuesday, according to the National Women’s Coalition Against Violence & Exploitation, which has been working with her family. She left her Salmon Creek-area home on Aug. 10, 2015, and did not return.

Danielle reportedly had been in the company of William Joseph Anderson, a registered sex offender and transient from Portland.

Michelle Bart, president of the coalition, said officers in Multnomah County, Ore., noticed a vehicle associated with the case very early Wednesday morning, and found Danielle inside.

“She is safe, and she does not appear to have been harmed at this point,” Bart said.

Gresham, Ore., police Detective Brandon Crate said officers found the vehicle in a drug store parking lot, and no one else was taken into custody.

Danielle is a ward of the state, Bart said, and was with the Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday.

 

 

Campaign trail: Clark County councilor

March 23, 2016, 3:49 pm

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Clark County councilor: Jennifer McDaniel, a Republican, will kick off her campaign for Clark County council District 4 at 5:30 p.m. March 29 at Fairgate Estate, 2213 N.W. 23rd Ave., Camas. Food and drinks will be provided. A donation of $25 is suggested. To RSVP, email campaign@electjennifermcdaniel.com.

Judge: Developer must pay $1.8M in Gardner Center case

March 23, 2016, 4:50 pm

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Vancouver real estate developer Elie Kassab must pay $1.8 million in legal fees following a protracted dispute involving the Gardner Center in Battle Ground and the Battle Ground Cinema, a tenant of the shopping center, Clark County Superior Court Judge Suzan L. Clark ruled last week. The dispute centered on a lease agreement between owners of the Gardner Center, a shopping center Kassab sold in 2006, and the Battle Ground Cinema, which is still owned by Kassab. The Gardner Center owners said in legal filings that they'd been led to believe that the shopping center on Southwest Ninth Avenue had a 25-year lease with the cinema, which a judge later agreed with. Kassab had asserted the term of the lease was only 10 years. "Owners of the cinema and shopping center were forced to take Kassab to court when he tried to defraud investors out of a 25-year lease at the cinema," according to a press release from Vancouver's Holland Law Group and Portland's Zupancic Rathbone Law Group, which represented the Gardner Center's owners. Those owners -- Samuel and Shelley Walker and their Walker Family Trust; Christopher and Laura Evans-Walker; Joseph Walker and his JTW Trust; Robert and Karen Bernhardt; and Charles Morgan -- bought the shopping center from Kassab for $12.7 million in 2006. They alleged in court filings that Kassab "knowingly delivered a false and misleading copy of a commercial lease between Gardner Center as landlord and Battle Ground Cinema as tenant" by omitting parts of the lease. Kassab, who owns Prestige Development, built the shopping center and the cinema in 2004. His lawyer said Wednesday they had already filed a notice of appeal. "An attorney fee claim of that size is unheard of in a case like this, so we think the Court of Appeals should take another look," attorney Montgomery Cobb said. "The other issues will be secondary." The 4-year-old lawsuit hinged on a page in the theater's lease at the Gardner Center that appeared to show the theater's lease expired in 10 years -- and not 25 years, as the new owners were led to believe, court documents state. That page was not presented to the owners until 2012, they wrote in filings, when Kassab was threatening to terminate the lease after attempting to "extract substantial rent concessions." According to the lawsuit, the value of the shopping center to the owners was contingent on the 25-year term of the cinema lease. Rent from the theater, which comprises more than 40 percent of the shopping center, can range from $300,000 to $450,000 per year, the lawsuit states. The owners argued that the case was a matter of "breach of contract" and that the terms of the lease were "false and misleading." Judge Clark handed down a summary judgment last year that sided with the owners' assertion the lease extends for 25 years -- through 2030 -- as originally promised. "The owners set about the daunting task of proving Kassab laundered the third page of the personal guarantee," she wrote March 17 when awarding the $1.8 million in attorney's fees. "If the owners lost these cases, the owners would likely lose the anchor tenant of the Gardner Center ... a loss valued conservatively in the many millions of dollars. Accordingly, this litigation required the owners to 'bet the farm.' " Clark also wrote Kassab's "relentless" pursuit of the case -- maintaining the 10-year lease term -- "caused the owners to incur millions of dollars in expense and drag out unnecessary litigation for more than two years." Throughout the litigation, which is headed for appeal, Kassab has and will have to continue working with the owners professionally. "We're happy with the result, but the owners are still interested in an ongoing relationship with Mr. Kassab," said Jim Holland, a lawyer for the owners. "This clarifies things, and that's good and important and will ensure the success of the business."

Republican Noelck drops out of county council race

March 23, 2016, 5:10 pm

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Republican Greg Noelck announced Tuesday that he is no longer considering a run for Clark County council.

Noelck’s campaign for the District 3 seat currently occupied by Republican Councilor David Madore was short-lived. He had announced for the office last month, but this week said he wanted to spend more time focusing on his family and work as a physical therapist.

Republicans John Blom, a county planning commissioner, and Madore have both announced their candidacies.

The uphill climb of running against two other Republicans, including the incumbent, was a factor in Noelck’s decision, he said.

“I could see how things were shaping up,” Noelck said.

Blom, meanwhile, had well-wishes for his would-be opponent.

“Greg was the first to step out and say we need new leadership,” Blom said. “The people of District 3 deserve someone who can work collaboratively on the issues that matter to them. That’s a belief he and I share.”