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In case you missed it, here are some of the top stories of the week:
Sitting in his idling patrol car on the shoulder of the onramp from Mill Plain Boulevard to Interstate 205, Trooper Steve Schatzel waited as the computer in his car beeped.
Cameras on the roof of Schatzel’s car captured photos, including license plate information, of each car in the line of Tuesday morning commuters heading south. Every minute or so, his computer squawked and the screen turned red.
“All right, we’ve got a little gray Mazda behind a red sedan coming up,” Schatzel said into his radio. In doing so, he alerted the troopers ahead of him of the car on his “hot list” — a list of vehicles that are registered out-of-state to drivers who appear to live in Washington.
Schatzel heads the Washington State Patrol’s License Investigation Unit, which targets these drivers who are evading the law.
Drivers who move to Washington must register their car within 30 days of moving, Schatzel said. Some businesses allow employees to take a company vehicle home across state lines for the night, but must pay taxes for them to do so.
Read more about catching license plate cheats.
Representatives of Vancouver’s business community, downtown and neighborhoods offered the city council their help Monday in finding solutions to the city’s homeless problem — and as quickly as possible.
“Leaving people to the streets is not our final option here,” said John McKibbon, speaking on behalf of Identity Clark County, a nonprofit business advocacy group, during the council’s public hearing. “We do want to be involved, and we do want to help.”
A growing tent city in the west end of downtown has added to the collective sense of urgency in creating additional shelter space, sanitary facilities and services for the homeless, especially now that police stopped enforcing a city ban against overnight camping earlier this month. The city council is holding a workshop Oct. 5 to discuss progress it’s making with community partners on the issue.
Monday, the council reaffirmed its Sept. 14 vote to amend Vancouver’s unlawful camping ordinance to allow camping in public places from 9:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Such overnight camping previously had been a misdemeanor. The change wouldn’t affect park hours (parks close from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) or laws prohibiting disorderly conduct, drinking in public, urinating in public and other health and safety issues.
Learn more about homelessness in Clark County.
A proposal by Clark County Councilor David Madore to reduce property taxes could lead to countywide cuts, possibly including layoffs, county budget staff said Wednesday.
During the council’s weekly board time meeting, Madore, a Republican, proposed reducing Clark County’s property tax revenue by 2 percent. That would lead to a $1.2 million reduction in the county’s projected property tax revenue of $57 million.
The board will revisit the issue next week, but Madore said he’s ready to vote to direct county staff to begin planning for a budget that includes the decrease. Republican Councilor Tom Mielke also praised the plan.
“I like the idea. I support the idea,” said Mielke, but adding that he has concerns and wants to consult with other county elected officials to see where they stand.
Republican Councilor Jeanne Stewart, meanwhile, was a fervent opponent of the proposal.
Learn more about the proposed tax cut.
Wake up to find your car broken into? Dealing with a loud neighbor or barking dog? If you want to call police but you’re not in an emergency situation, authorities have a new number you can call: 311.
Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency quietly rolled out the new nonemergency line earlier this month, with plans of doing educational campaigns about the phone number in the early part of October.
“The call volume is getting to be more and more as time goes on, and a lot of those calls that come in are actually nonemergency,” said Eric Frank, emergency management coordinator. “We really wanted to come up with an option that helps (dispatchers) prioritize calls and help them get to the calls they need to be on.”
The agency has been working on the number for quite some time but was finally able to make it happen this year.
“Life safety is our No. 1 priority,” Frank said. “We’re budgeting the money to get help to who needs it the most.”
Read more about report non-emergencies.
When the Vancouver Housing Authority was making the budget for 1st Street Apartments in east Vancouver, the agency projected it would take 14 months to rent out all 152 units. It took 2.5 months.
Within four months, the affordable housing complex was fully occupied, with about 125 people on a waiting list to get in — that is, if current residents leave after their six- to 12-month leases expire.
“I was getting over 500 calls a week,” said Katie Koppes, community manager at 1st Street Apartments.
The complex is just east of Southeast 164th Avenue, behind Parkrose Hardware, and features a basketball court, playground and planters for a community garden. Designed in the Northwest style, the complex is full of earthy colors, wood finishes, high ceilings and exposed timber beams in the central clubhouse, where VHA hosted an open house on Wednesday.
Learn about the new complex and the rental shortage.
It comes down to trusting the pictures.
When Jeremy Hanson discusses the fundamentals of his trade, the most valuable skill is being able to freeze-frame an instant in a swirl of constant motion.
That is the challenge for an assistant referee — AR in soccer parlance — whose main job is to make sure that attacking players don’t gain an advantage by moving into an offside position.
That Hanson, a 1995 Evergreen High School graduate who teaches physical education and leadership at Wy’East Middle School, is now making those decisions in Major League Soccer matches is testament to his focus. And it is not a surprise to those who watched his development.
“Jeremy has a unique blend of things. He has the right personality for being a referee,” said Jill Derry, a local soccer official and instructor. “He’s such a dynamic person. He has such a quick wit and a good sense of humor. And I think all of those things are really important for succeeding at the higher levels.”
Back in 2003, officiating professional soccer was not part of the picture that pushed Hanson to start officiating soccer games.
“The only reason I’m where I am now is we made the decision for me to stay home to raise our kids,” Hanson said. “I can’t emphasize enough how much my wife has supported this. She knows that if I’m going to do something, I need to give it everything. It can’t be halfway.”
Read more about being a professional soccer ref.
