All Politics is Local
Former county employees lost in the memory hole
One interesting moment from Thursday’s State of the Clark County address came when Commissioner Tom Mielke acknowledged the number of county directors who’d recently resigned their positions. On one hand, it’s admirable that Mielke would address the elephant in the room, surrounded, as he was, by other county employees. After all, much has been made […]
March 7, 2014 5:11 pm
Quiz: Which local elected official are you?
Thanks to ubiquitous Buzzfeed quizzes, you know which ’90s babe is your style icon and which U.S. president you are, as well as what type of cookie and dog. Even if you haven’t taken a quiz, you can’t escape them on your Facebook feed. The Columbian hopped on the quiz bandwagon this week, offering residents […]
March 7, 2014 12:05 pm
State of the county bingo!
It’s the day you’ve all been waiting for: The State of Clark County. It’s like Christmas wrapped in the Fourth of July, ensconced in a straight jacket made of Halloween. Adding to the general fun of the day, this year’s state of the county will be held at the Clark County Square Dance Center, 10713 NE […]
March 6, 2014 11:52 am
The will of the voters, not necessarily the people
During Monday’s public hearing on a recreational marijuana ordinance, when the phrase “the will of the voters” was used approximately 420 times, Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt had to state the obvious: Yes, voters are the voters who actually vote. He said it in response to a man who was appalled the city council was going […]
March 5, 2014 5:37 pm
Affordable Care Act 101
An estimated 57,000 people in Clark County were uninsured prior to the Affordable Care Act. That Clark County could have residents without health coverage was apparently news to Commissioner David Madore. During Wednesday’s board of health meeting, Janis Koch with Clark County Public Health was updating the county commissioners on the number of local residents […]
February 28, 2014 3:10 pm
Leavitt’s triumphant return to Fort
Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt will give the 2014 State of the City address at Fort Vancouver High School, where he graduated from in 1989. The State of the City is 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 12. The theme is “Our Vision. Our Legacy. Our Vancouver.” I’ll be covering it. This won’t be the first time I’m bored […]
February 25, 2014 4:12 pm
Jack Burkman causing problems for Jack Burkman, again
Vancouver City Councilor Jack Burkman has been taking a beating on social media, thanks to the other Jack Burkman, the one MSNBC host Keith Olberman named the worst person in the world in 2010. That Jack Burkman, a conservative lobbyist, announced this week he was working on legislation to ban gay athletes from the NFL. […]
February 25, 2014 1:10 pm
A modest proposal: Bring back ‘River County’
Fallout from the Clyde Ray Spencer case is going to be one of the bigger stories for the county this year. With a $9 million settlement dangling over the county like the sword of Damocles, county commissioners have decided not to shell out, arguing that Detective Sharon Krause was operating outside her role as an […]
February 21, 2014 2:54 pm
Leavitt, Pike face off in Portland op-eds
I suppose the Columbia River Crossing is still technically alive, which explains why the Portland Tribune published guest columns today from Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt and state Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, about what has been called Zombie CRC. A sample from Leavitt’s piece: “Some in our community continue a campaign of misleading and manipulating the public about […]
February 20, 2014 1:13 pm
Five facts about Kathleen Zellner
Here’s five things to know about Kathleen Zellner, the Chicago attorney who will ask a federal judge to order Clark County to pay the $9 million judgment awarded to Clyde Ray Spencer, plus $2.5 million in legal fees and costs. 1. The Feb. 3 verdict in U.S. District Court wasn’t her first multimillion-dollar victory. She’s […]
February 19, 2014 3:21 pm