Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County Public Health’s summer swim beach monitoring begins Tuesday, May 30. Throughout the summer, Public Health will monitor water quality at the county’s three designated swim beaches – Vancouver Lake, Klineline Pond and Battle Ground Lake – checking the waterbodies every two weeks for bacteria that could make swimmers sick.
Public Health will issue advisories if bacteria levels exceed state thresholds and may pose a risk to people swimming or wading in the water. Signs will be posted at swim beaches with advisories, and information about advisories will be posted on the Public Health website and social media. People can also subscribe to Public Health’s weekly newsletter, In the Splash, to receive advisory updates via email every Friday.
Swimmers can keep themselves and others healthy by following these simple steps:
- Rinse off before and after swimming.
- Don’t swim if you’ve had diarrhea or vomiting in the last two weeks.
- Keep children who aren’t toilet trained and require swim diapers out of unchlorinated water.
- Know where the bathrooms and changing stations are located.
- Take frequent bathroom breaks. Young children should be taken to the bathroom every hour.
Harmful algal blooms
Public Health also monitors local waterbodies, including designated swim beaches, for harmful algal blooms that can pose a health risk to people and can be fatal to pets. Harmful algal blooms have been known to occur at several waterbodies in the county.
Public Health will collect weekly water samples from waterbodies with algal blooms to test for cyanotoxins and will issue advisories if toxin levels exceed state thresholds. Signs will be posted at waterbodies with advisories and information about advisories will be posted on the Public Health website and social media.
Here are some tips for avoiding exposure to harmful algal blooms:
- Do not drink, wade, or swim in water that looks discolored or appears that algae may be present.
- Check for visual signs of a bloom. Water can look like green or blue paint has been dumped in the water, creating the appearance of scum.
- Never let your dog eat scum or algae.
- Always shower after water contact and wash pets with clean water.
- When in doubt, stay out! Cyanotoxins are released as algae cells die off. So even after a bloom has dissipated, toxins may still be present.
Learn more about harmful algal blooms on the Public Health website.
For more information about swim beach advisories and other public health topics, follow Clark County Public Health on Facebook and Twitter, and look for Public Health updates on Nextdoor.
Vancouver, Wash. – The disc golf course at Hockinson Meadows Community Park is now open. Clark County Public Works thanks the community for helping make this project possible. We also thank the community for their patience as we worked through unexpected delays to complete the project.
A scorecard for the course is available on the park website: clark.wa.gov/public-works/hockinson-meadows-community-park.
While the course is open to play, tournaments and league-play events must wait until the fall. No tournaments/events will allow closure of the course as needed to complete construction of the new walking path. This will avoid impacting event schedules or further delaying full completion of the project. Full completion is expected in September.
Residents are encouraged to visit clark.wa.gov/public-works before going out to play the course, to check for closures. Scheduled closures will be announced as far in advance as possible. However, to complete the path as soon as possible some work-related closures may be scheduled on short notice. This is because it is not always possible to predict when permits, supplies, contractor availability, or other factors will come together to allow work on the path. Public Works appreciates the community’s continued patience as we work toward full project completion.
For information about road and park projects, closures, opportunities for community input, and more, residents can follow Public Works on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and view information on Nextdoor.
Go to clark.wa.gov/public-works and click on “News” to read this information in another language. Click the button in the top right of the page that says “Change language” next to a globe icon and choose your preferred language.
Vaya a clark.wa.gov/public-works y haga clic en “Noticias” para leer esta información en español. Haga clic en el botón en la parte superior a la derecha de la página que dice "Change language " junto al icono de globo terráqueo y elija su idioma preferido.
Чтобы прочитать эту информацию на русском языке, зайдите на сайт clark.wa.gov/public-works и нажмите на "Новости". Нажмите на кнопку Change language (“Изменить язык”) в правом верхнем углу страницы рядом с символом земного шара и выберите свой язык.
Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County Jail Services is hosting a Corrections Career Testing event Saturday, June 3. There will be two training sessions, 8 am to noon and 1 to 5 pm. The event will be at the Jail Work Center Facility, 5197 NW Lower River Road.
Space is limited and registration is required. To register visit the county’s website at https://clark.wa.gov/jail-services/corrections-officer-testing.
The testing consists of a written exam and a physical ability test. The test is required for individuals interested in entering a career as a corrections officer. Candidates who successfully complete the testing are eligible to move on to the next phase of being considered for employment which includes a comprehensive background check.
Anyone wishing to attend the testing event should wear athletic clothing and bring a bottle of water. Lockers will not be available. Electronic devices will be required to be turned off.
Corrections officers provide supervision, custody and care of inmates in the Clark County Jail. Duties include booking, searching and releasing inmates, monitoring jail access, courtroom security, inmate transport, inmate classification and work release.
Clark County currently is offering a $10,000 sign-on bonus for entry level corrections officers and $25,000 for lateral or experienced corrections officers. Learn more about a career at Clark County Jail Services at https://clark.wa.gov/jail-services/corrections-careers.
Vancouver, Wash. – The Clark County Council this week decided to add public meeting dates to its monthly schedule. In addition to the regular meeting schedule of 10 am on the first Tuesday of the month and 6 pm on the third Tuesday, a public meeting will be scheduled for 10 am on the fourth Tuesday. A meeting also will be set on the calendar for 1 pm on the second Tuesday of the month if it is needed. If it is not needed, a cancellation notice will be sent 24 hours in advance.
The council also decided to add scheduled 20-minute breaks to public hearings. The breaks are scheduled to begin at approximately one hour and 50 minutes after the start of the meeting, and at that time, the council will assess if the break is needed.
County Manager Kathleen Otto said these changes are in accordance with the council’s rules and procedures. The updated schedule is set to take place in June.
“The council has a variety of projects underway, and the additional meetings will provide the ability to allow enough time for thoughtful consideration and public participation,” said Otto.
Information on council meetings including schedules and how to participate is on the county’s website at https://clark.wa.gov/councilors/clark-county-council-meetings. Council hearings are broadcast on CVTV channel 23/323 and CVTV.org.
The following information is in reference to a death investigated by the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office. This investigation is related to the decedent recovered May 10, 2023 in a wooded area in Camas.
This individual was found on 05/10/2023 in Camas, WA.
The name of the decedent: Ross, Terry Joe Age: 45 years
The decedent was a resident of (city/state): unknown, WA
The opinions listed on the death certificate are as follows:
Cause of death: Pending
Manner of death: Pending
Reports and records of autopsies or postmortems shall be confidential as per RCW 68.50.105. No additional information is available for release from the Medical Examiner’s Office. Refer all other inquiries to Camas Police Department.
Media release issue date: Prepared 05/12/2023
Vancouver, Wash. – With high temperatures in the forecast for the weekend, Clark County Public Health is reminding people to take caution in and around water – especially area lakes and rivers. In spring and early summer, lakes and rivers in Southwest Washington are still cold, and water may be moving quickly.
“Even as temperatures rise, lakes and rivers are still cold enough to shock and immobilize even the strongest swimmers,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer and Public Health director.
Public Health urges people of all ages to follow these tips for safe swimming and recreating in all bodies of water this weekend and throughout the summer:
- Know your limits. Drowning often occurs when swimmers tire.
- Avoid fast-flowing waters, including rivers and ocean beaches with riptides.
- Don’t swim alone.
- Avoid distractions when children are swimming or around water. Children should be supervised by adults anytime they are in or around water. Supervision requires complete attention, even if another adult is present. Drowning can happen swiftly and silently.
- Wear a life jacket. Children, teens and adults should wear life jackets while boating, using a personal watercraft, inner tubing or while using other water sports equipment. Life jackets should also be worn while swimming in lakes, rivers or the ocean. By law, children 12 years and younger must wear a US Coast Guard-approved life jacket or vest on all vessels 18 feet or smaller.
- Avoid alcohol and marijuana use when swimming or boating.
- Don’t dive into shallow water or jump off bridges or cliffs.
- Swim in designated swimming areas only. Signs will be viewable letting you know when and where it’s safe to swim.
- Teach children how to swim. Enroll children in swim lessons when they are ready. Early and often swim lessons will teach children the skills needed to stay safe while in and around water.
Artists’ reception scheduled for Friday, June 2
Vancouver, Wash. – The Rebecca Anstine Gallery is currently featuring an exhibit of artwork from local artists Julisse Hopmann and Sarah Lynne Hunter.
The work will be on display through August. The gallery is on the sixth floor of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. It is open 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.
A reception for the artists will be held at the gallery 5:30-8 pm Friday, June 2. The event is sponsored by the Clark County Arts Commission. It is free and open to the public.
Sarah Lynne Hunter
Sarah Lynne Hunter is a multi-disciplinary visual artist with more than 20 years of experience in creative pursuits and is driven by an innate desire to create. She has a degree in apparel design and fine art from Seattle Pacific University, and her current artistic passions include creating figuratively expressionistic paintings, designing artisan jewelry, and weaving art into her local community.
Her primary medium is oil painting, but she also has experience working in acrylic, chalk pastel, colored pencil, charcoal, graphite, alcohol inks, conte crayon, watercolor, printmaking, metal, fiber arts, and as a muralist. She is based in Vancouver where she lives with her husband, three children, two cats, and teaches art classes part-time.
Her works explore themes of femininity and mental health through a figurative lens with elements of surrealism and modern expressionism, and she often includes personal imagery within her work.
Julisse Hopmann
Julisse Hopmann is a mixed media artist local to Southwest Washington. Her signature pieces include bold color palettes while applying focus to singular symbolic images. Julisse approaches her work with humor even as it pertains to grave subject matters.
UPDATE: The earlier version of this release included an incorrect phone number for residents to take the internet access survey over the phone. The correct phone number is 564.397.4944. Please see the updated version below.
Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County is participating in a statewide project to improve high-speed internet access. As part of this project, the county is surveying the community about their access to high-speed internet. Surveys are being sent to community institutions, nonprofit organizations, groups, service providers and residents. The project's goal is to improve internet access in areas that are currently unserved or underserved.
Access to reliable, high-speed internet is essential for work, education and accessing goods and services. While high-speed internet access is essential, it is not available to everyone. The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is making $65 billion available to increase access to high-speed internet. To apply for federal funds, the state is creating an application based on Broadband Action Plans and Digital Equity Action Plans created by counties. Even as Clark County grows rapidly, we know that some residents and areas don’t have regular access to internet that is fast and reliable. This project will help us identify where internet access in Clark County could be improved. It will also identify assets and partners to support new internet infrastructure and increased access.
Surveys for community organizations, groups and service providers were sent May 3 and 4. Survey responses are due by May 17.
Residents can complete a survey about their home’s internet access by going to bit.ly/clark-co-internet-survey. Residents can also call 564.397.4944 to complete the survey by phone. An option to complete the survey in Spanish and Russian will be available by May 10. To complete the survey in other languages, residents should call the number above. They should be prepared to tell staff what language they need an interpreter for. The residential survey is open through 4 p.m. Friday, May 19.
Data from all surveys will be combined and analyzed to identify how high-speed internet access in Clark County can be improved.
For information about road and park projects, closures, opportunities for community input, and more, residents can follow Public Works on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and view information on Nextdoor.
Go to clark.wa.gov/public-works and click on “News” to read this information in another language. Click the button in the top right of the page that says “Change language” next to a globe icon and choose your preferred language.
Vaya a clark.wa.gov/public-works y haga clic en “Noticias” para leer esta información en español. Haga clic en el botón en la parte superior a la derecha de la página que dice "Change language " junto al icono de globo terráqueo y elija su idioma preferido.
Чтобы прочитать эту информацию на русском языке, зайдите на сайт clark.wa.gov/public-works и нажмите на "Новости". Нажмите на кнопку Change language (“Изменить язык”) в правом верхнем углу страницы рядом с символом земного шара и выберите свой язык.
Vancouver, Wash. – The Clark County Commission on Aging will hold its next meeting on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. Primary agenda topics include discussion of their 2023 year-end work plan, a debrief of the Aging Readiness Plan update project to date, and recognition of outgoing commission members.
Meetings are currently held in a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual participation options. Attend in the sixth-floor Hearing Room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St., or join by phone or computer through information provided at: https://clark.wa.gov/community-planning/commission-aging-meetings.
The Commission on Aging, supported by the Clark County Council, is a nine-member volunteer group that implements the Aging Readiness Plan and provides leadership addressing needs of aging community members. For more about the commission, please visit www.clark.wa.gov/aging.
Commission meetings are carried on CVTV Channel 23/323 and online at www.cvtv.org. To see replay times, go to www.cvtv.org.
Vancouver, Wash. – The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) recently awarded the Clark County Auditor’s Office with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year that ended Dec. 31, 2021. The GFOA also announced that the Auditor’s Office received the Award for Outstanding Achievement for its Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR).
Certificate of Achievement
This is the 36th consecutive year that the ACFR has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence. The report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.
The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition for governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
PAFR
The award represents a significant achievement by the county. To be eligible for the PAFR award, a government must also submit its annual comprehensive financial report to GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellent in Financial Reporting Program and receive the certificate for the current fiscal year. Each eligible report is reviewed by judges who evaluate the report based on the following categories: reader appeal, understandability, distribution methods, creativity and other elements.
The Clark County Auditor’s Office produced its first PAFR in 2020. The PAFR is a user friendly, highly visual report that summarizes information from the county’s more well known Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.
“Financial reporting is another tool to provide transparency and accountability to the public regarding their county government. Our hope is that residents will have confidence that information regarding taxpayer dollars is accurate and easily accessible,” said Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey.
Both reports are available on the auditor’s website.
The GFOA advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve. Learn more about GFOA at https://www.gfoa.org/.
Vancouver, Wash. – Clark County is participating in a statewide project to improve high-speed internet access. As part of this project, the county is surveying the community about their access to high-speed internet. Surveys are being sent to community institutions, nonprofit organizations, groups, service providers and residents. The project's goal is to improve internet access in areas that are currently unserved or underserved.
Access to reliable, high-speed internet is essential for work, education and accessing goods and services. While high-speed internet access is essential, it is not available to everyone. The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is making $65 billion available to increase access to high-speed internet. To apply for federal funds, the state is creating an application based on Broadband Action Plans and Digital Equity Action Plans created by counties. Even as Clark County grows rapidly, we know that some residents and areas don’t have regular access to internet that is fast and reliable. This project will help us identify where internet access in Clark County could be improved. It will also identify assets and partners to support new internet infrastructure and increased access.
Surveys for community organizations, groups and service providers were sent May 3 and 4. Survey responses are due by May 17.
Residents can complete a survey about their home’s internet access by going to bit.ly/clark-co-internet-survey. Residents can also call 564.396.4944 to complete the survey by phone. An option to complete the survey in Spanish and Russian will be available by May 10. To complete the survey in other languages, residents should call the number above. They should be prepared to tell staff what language they need an interpreter for. The residential survey is open through 4 p.m. Friday, May 19.
Data from all surveys will be combined and analyzed to identify how high-speed internet access in Clark County can be improved.
For information about road and park projects, closures, opportunities for community input, and more, residents can follow Public Works on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and view information on Nextdoor.
Go to clark.wa.gov/public-works and click on “News” to read this information in another language. Click the button in the top right of the page that says “Change language” next to a globe icon and choose your preferred language.
Vaya a clark.wa.gov/public-works y haga clic en “Noticias” para leer esta información en español. Haga clic en el botón en la parte superior a la derecha de la página que dice "Change language " junto al icono de globo terráqueo y elija su idioma preferido.
Чтобы прочитать эту информацию на русском языке, зайдите на сайт clark.wa.gov/public-works и нажмите на "Новости". Нажмите на кнопку Change language (“Изменить язык”) в правом верхнем углу страницы рядом с символом земного шара и выберите свой язык.
The following information is in reference to a death investigated by the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office. This investigation is related to an April 29, 2023 incident in which emergency medical personnel located the decedent in his Vancouver home.
This individual died on 04/29/2023 in Vancouver, WA.
The name of the decedent: Giese, David Age: 59 years
The decedent was a resident of (city/state): Vancouver, WA
The opinions listed on the death certificate are as follows:
Cause of death: Blunt neck trauma including probable strangulation
Manner of death: Homicide
How the injury occurred: Injured by other person(s)
Place of injury: Decedent’s home
Reports and records of autopsies or postmortems shall be confidential as per RCW 68.50.105. No additional information is available for release from the Medical Examiner’s Office. Refer all other inquiries to Vancouver Police Department.
Media release issue date: Prepared 05/05/2023