Watch Out For Flying Mud In Battle Ground!

As someone from a bayou far, far away, I instantly assumed the first time I heard of Battle Ground, Wash., that it was named after a bloody conflict. I had visions of a mustachioed Custer wannabe fighting to his inglorious death.

Not so. No Custer clone set foot in Battle Ground. The city’s name actually comes from a peaceful resolution of a conflict.

That doesn’t mean present day Battle Ground politicos don’t engage in their own muddy skirmishes from time to time.

Observe: Battle Ground council candidate Adrian Cortes accused incumbent Paul Zandamela this week of accepting improper campaign donation amounts from U.S. Digital CEO David Madore and his wife, Donna.

Zandamela is running against Cortes in the Nov. 8 general election.

Based on paperwork he filed with the Public Disclosure Commission, Zandamela cannot accept more than $500 from one person. He accepted $800 apiece from Madore and his wife, before returning $300 apiece to each person.

Zandamela has corrected the mistake, and the PDC is not investigating the matter, spokeswoman Lori Anderson said.

Dead issue, right?

Not quite yet.

“It’s a clear example of him saying one thing and doing another,” Cortes said, noting Zandamela previously said he would not accept any campaign donations.

Zandamela responded that he has not solicited any donations. Madore approached him with a donation, Zandamela said.

Zandamela called Cortes’ criticism over the donation “a smear campaign.”

“He’s volatile and unstable. When you combine someone who is uneducated and unstable … ” Zandamela said, before his voice trailed off.

When told of Zandamela’s “uneducated” quip, Cortes responded, “That’s probably as negative (a comment) as I’ve heard.”

Cortes, for the record, is attending Warner Pacific College in Portland where he is working on his Bachelor of Science in human development. He hopes to then receive a master’s degree in education.

OK. Now that the air is cleared can we get to more important business? Like renaming Battle Ground?

I learned recently that one of Train’s founding members is from Battle Ground. Anyone want to start the petition to rename Battle Ground “Meet Virginia, Washington?”

I’d love to see a Meet Virginia dateline in the paper. The novelty would probably wear off quick though.

PS: I apologize if I caused the song to get stuck in your head.